Chapter 397: Chapter 303 Dayue_3
This means that the new Monarch of Dayue is now chosen by the Great Zhou.
"So you should understand that if the Great Zhou wants to send troops, they can mobilize at any time. You remnants from the previous dynasty are practically defenseless. And now, you’ve fallen into my hands. As a member of the renowned Tie Family of Dayue, you should know better than to misjudge the situation."
Tie Ying’s blood surged; he bit his lip and looked at him: "Considering you are Pei Zhan, I’ll believe your words.
"Dayue has indeed been devastated by your assault. Even if my lord were fortunate enough to survive this world, he would never have the power to oppose Great Zhou for the rest of his life.
"If you can show mercy, that would naturally be the best."
Pei Zhan furrowed his brow: "Who is your lord? How did he manage to escape?"
"His surname is Lian, named Lian Yang. The reason he was able to escape is that he was never in the palace, nor was he on the list of the royal family. He is our Monarch’s illegitimate child—"
At this point, he glanced at the three people before him and mocked himself: "This kind of royal secret must seem insignificant to you people of the Central Plains with your long histories, right?
"An emperor’s amorous yet heartless affairs always leave one or two neglected gems.
"He was raised in a minister’s household. Both the monarch and the minister tacitly understood, and naturally, he also knew. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be this situation today."
Pei Zhan exchanged a glance with Fu Zhen and Du Mingqian, and then continued: "You said his surname is Lian?"
"Yes." Tie Ying nodded, "On the surface, he is the adopted son of General Wei Wu, Lian Qing. In reality, he is our Monarch’s prince."
"Then who is Lian Rong to Lian Qing?"
"Lian Rong?" A trace of confusion appeared in Tie Ying’s eyes, "I don’t recognize this person. I’ve never heard of him."
Fu Zhen asked: "You found Xu Yin, yet you don’t know Lian Rong?"
"I really don’t know," Tie Ying said. "In our Dayue, there are quite a few people with the surname Lian. Just in the clan of General Wei Wu, Lian Qing, there are hundreds or thousands of clan members."
Fu Zhen pressed his lips tightly and said no more.
Du Mingqian wondered: "Since you have the tattoo from the Imperial Palace, you must be an imperial guard. How did you become associated with this Lian Yang?"
Tie Ying looked at the ground: "Originally, I was just an ordinary second-class guard in the palace, without a fixed master. When you broke the city with your army, even our Great General was killed by you at the palace walls. At that time, I happened to be beside the Monarch, who suddenly asked if I was from the Tie family line? Upon learning I was from the legitimate branch, he revealed the identity of our lord to me and then appointed me to go to the Lian family to take our lord and escape.
"The Lian family were merely subjects, and our lord was only an adopted son of the Lian family at that time, so it was relatively easier to avoid your pursuit and flee."
Du Mingqian looked at Pei Zhan.
Pei Zhan stood up: "You are a member of the Dayue royal family, so what is Xu Yin’s connection to Prince Yi Mansion?"
The man scrutinized them: "Why do you suspect Xu Yin? And why did you send someone to Tanzhou to investigate him?"
"Because, like you, we also want to find out who he really is."
Suddenly, sarcasm crept into the man’s eyes. "Isn’t he your Assistant Minister of Rites of Great Zhou? I heard he’s even the Prince Consort of Prince Rong’s Mansion?
"Truly unexpected that, after all these years of him being in your court, you, Pei Zhan, are only now beginning to doubt him!"
Pei Zhan rubbed his nose bridge: "Honestly, I’ve only known him for a few months."
Tie Ying gritted his teeth: "I suspect Xu Yin is from Prince Yi Mansion."
"Wasn’t Prince Yi Mansion destroyed by your Monarch long ago?"
"No, it wasn’t." Tie Ying said, "Our Monarch and Prince Yi Mansion contended for imperial power for so many years, how could neither side be prepared?
"Just as our Monarch left a prince in the Lian family, King Yi had already sent one of his sons away early on.
"But that son was his documented second son, and at the time, he was expelled under the pretext of committing an offense. Because he was the second son and was beaten badly before leaving the manor, especially since the power struggle had just started then, no one paid much attention to the matter.
"However, when Prince Yi Mansion was thoroughly investigated later, it was discovered that most of the assets and military forces of the mansion had been transferred to him before Prince Yi and our Monarch were defeated in their power struggle!
"And after years of investigation, it was found that the second son of Prince Yi likely entered the Central Plains after leaving the manor and has been concealed ever since!"