Dongfang Zhan remained unfazed, his expression aloof: "What could possibly be wrong with my arrows?"
"Since there's no problem, why are you afraid of me checking it out!" Dongfang Heng waved his sleeve, and a stick flew into his hand. He narrowed his eyes and examined it carefully.
Dongfang Zhan's heart leaped into his throat, his gaze deep and unfathomable. These arrows were no different from ordinary arrows, and Dongfang Heng should not be able to see the flaws. If he lost his composure, he would only be playing into Dongfang Heng's hands.
"General Lin, take a look at this arrow!" After examining the arrow, Dongfang Heng flicked his wrist, and the feathered arrow fell into Lin Yan's hand.
Lin Yan, having grown up in the military, was very familiar with arrows. Moreover, since it was Dongfang Heng who had given the order, he examined them with extra care: "The tip of this arrow is slightly longer than the ones we usually use, so it can shoot deeper!"
"These are the arrows I improved. I have already reported them to my father, and quite a few have been made. By next month at the latest, all the arrows for the Qingyan soldiers will be able to be replaced with this type!" Dongfang Zhan said proudly. Improving feathered arrows is not something everyone can do.
Dongfang Heng smiled coldly. Under the gaze of everyone, facing the sunlight, his jade-like fingers gently stroked the arrow tip. The protective skin was slowly removed, revealing the true arrow tip, which gleamed with a cold, eerie light in the sunlight.
"This is... Xuan Iron?" Lin Yan stared at the arrow tip in shock. It was exactly the same as when Dongfang Heng first saw the arrow. Using Xuan Iron to forge an arrow was such a waste.
"Prince Zhan, is this black iron?" Dongfang Heng looked at Dongfang Zhan, his gaze as cold as ice.
"No!" Dongfang Zhan was shocked, but remained calm on the surface, showing no sign of it: "It's just a kind of iron similar to Xuan Tie. I don't have the resources to use Xuan Tie for arrowheads!" Dongfang Heng noticed the arrow's unusual nature. Could he also know something else?
"Where were all of Prince Zhan's arrows made?" Dongfang Heng asked coldly, pressing him relentlessly.
"Of course, they're from the arrow-making workshop in the Ministry of War," Dongfang Zhan lied without batting an eye. "A lot of these arrows have been made. Can't I bring back a few more boxes?"
"Your Highness, here is the arrow you requested!" A guard flew over and handed Dongfang Heng an arrow. The arrowhead was indeed exactly the same as this one, but its color was somewhat dull, unlike the gleaming cold light of this one.
Dongfang Zhan's gaze changed instantly. Damn it, Dongfang Heng must have noticed something. He had been too careless with the arrow.
"Prince Zhan, the new arrows made by the Ministry of War are made of different materials than yours. Are you sure your arrow was made by the Ministry of War?"
Dongfang Heng's cold, angry question rang in his ears.
Dongfang Zhan glanced at the arrows, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and calmly said, "The Ministry of War produces many arrows every day. The molten iron is different each time, so the arrows produced are also different. These two arrows were not produced on the same day, so it is not surprising that their light is different!"
Dongfang Heng sneered, "Still unwilling to admit your crimes? Dongfang Zhan is really stubborn."
"Your Highness, this is the arrow that shot into the chest of Prince Xun!" A guard from Shuntian Prefecture hurried over carrying four or five arrows.
Dongfang Xun was dead, and he didn't know what Dongfang Heng wanted the blood-stained arrow for. However, since Dongfang Heng had given the order, they did as he said, as it wouldn't affect the investigation anyway.
Holding a dagger, Dongfang Heng carefully scraped away the blood from the arrow tip, bit by bit, amidst Dongfang Zhan's deathly pale face. He placed the arrow from Zhan Wangfu and the arrow that killed Dongfang Xun together. The two arrows were the same length and shape, and their tips, in particular, gleamed with a cold, eerie light, like arrows used for sneak attacks in the dark.
"This...this..." Everyone was utterly shocked, staring at the two arrows with bewilderment. They were the same arrows used by Prince Zhan, and they were exactly the same arrows that killed the Prince of Sheng.
What's going on? What's going on?
Dongfang Heng suddenly looked up, his sharp gaze like an arrow, coldly shooting at Dongfang Zhan, saying each word clearly: "The murderer who killed my elder brother is you!"
Holding a dagger, Dongfang Heng carefully scraped away the blood from the arrow tip, bit by bit, amidst Dongfang Zhan's deathly pale face. He placed the arrow from Zhan Wangfu and the arrow that killed Dongfang Xun together. The two arrows were the same length and shape, and their tips, in particular, gleamed with a cold, eerie light, like arrows used for sneak attacks in the dark.
"This...this..." Everyone was utterly shocked, staring at the two arrows with bewilderment. They were the same arrows used by Prince Zhan, and they were exactly the same arrows that killed the Prince of Sheng.
What's going on? What's going on?
Dongfang Heng suddenly looked up, his sharp gaze like an arrow, coldly shooting at Dongfang Zhan, saying each word clearly: "The murderer who killed my elder brother is you!"
Chapter 159: Who's scheming against whom?
Dongfang Zhan looked coldly at Dongfang Heng and said angrily, "Dongfang Heng, the Ministry of War has produced a large number of new feathered arrows. There are countless arrows with the same tip. Although they have not yet been distributed to the guards, it is possible that some people have taken out the new arrows to test them. You are making a judgment based on just one feathered arrow, concluding that I am the murderer who shot Prince Xun. This is far too subjective and arbitrary."
He was guilty of murdering the crown prince, a heinous crime, and he could never admit it.
“Every batch of arrows produced by the Ministry of War is recorded. The new type of arrows has been under construction and has never been claimed. In other words, apart from your Zhanwang Mansion, no noble family or even the imperial palace has this kind of arrow!” Dongfang Heng’s voice was as cold as ice, and the surrounding air was about to be frozen.
"So you're convinced that I shot and killed Prince Xun?" Dongfang Zhan's deep voice sent chills down one's spine, his sharp eyes flashing with a cold light.
"I am judging solely on evidence, and all the evidence points to Prince Zhan!" Dongfang Heng stared at him coldly, his deep eyes flashing with icy light.
"I hate being wronged the most!" Dongfang Zhan's voice seemed to burst out from between his teeth, a cold smile faintly appearing at the corner of his mouth.
So what if there's suspicion? That feathered arrow can't be used as evidence. As long as he insists he knew nothing about it, Dongfang Heng can't do anything to him.
"Whether he was wronged or not, Prince Zhan knows best!" Dongfang Heng's gaze was as cold as ice. He would never let go of the culprit who killed his elder brother.
Their sharp gazes clashed in mid-air, exchanging over a hundred blows in the blink of an eye. The surrounding temperature instantly dropped, and boundless killing intent rapidly spread through the air. The atmosphere in the courtyard was tense, and a major battle was about to erupt.
The atmosphere was eerily quiet, and the overwhelming pressure made it hard to breathe. The guards took deep breaths and retreated imperceptibly. They looked at Prince An and Prince Zhan with a hint of fear in their eyes. The battle between the two was no small matter, and if they got too close and were caught in the crossfire, their lives would be in danger.
Seeing that the two were about to fight, Lin Yan said urgently, "Prince An, Prince Zhan, shooting the heir is no small matter. You two are each sticking to your own version of events and refusing to give in. I estimate that you will not reach a conclusion even if you argue until dawn. Why don't you go to the palace and let the Emperor decide?"
Dongfang Zhan was the emperor's biological son. Dongfang Heng killed him without sufficient evidence, which would surely enrage the emperor. Although it would avenge Dongfang Zhan, it would also implicate himself, the Holy Prince's Mansion, and Shen Lixue. It's not worth sacrificing so many lives for one villain.
Dongfang Heng clenched his jade-like fingers tightly, raising his eyes to look at the crimson clouds on the horizon, as if he could see Shen Lixue's beautiful face. She was still waiting for him at the palace, and for her sake, he couldn't let anything happen to him.
He gave Dongfang Zhan a cold look, then turned around and strode out without looking back.
Prince An was persuaded and prepared to enter the palace! Lin Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Dongfang Zhan: "Prince Zhan, please!"
Dongfang Zhan watched Dongfang Heng's departing figure, his eyes deepening. The arrow had been discovered, and Dongfang Heng insisted that he had shot and killed Dongfang Xun. With so many guards hearing Dongfang Heng's accusation, the matter had escalated to a major point, and he could no longer cover it up, let alone try to downplay it or make it disappear.
Dongfang Heng's entry into the palace forced him to do the same. He was already in a bind; if he backed down, people would think he was guilty. No matter, he would just go to the palace and adapt to the situation.
Imperial Study
The emperor's sharp gaze swept over the several large boxes full of arrows, landing on the few stained with blood: "Are the tips of these arrows exactly the same?"
Holding a whisk, Eunuch Zhao bowed and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, we have had the Ministry of War examine the goods carefully, and they are indeed from the same batch!"
The emperor's gaze sharpened: "Has the Ministry of War ever forged this kind of feathered arrow?"