freenovelworld Chapter 342 If he is truly Prince Su, one look at his robes will reveal all.
Chapter 342 If he is truly Prince Su, one look at his robes will reveal all.
Gu Junze remained unmoved, took out a letter from his robes, and loudly proclaimed, "Your Majesty, I have conclusive evidence proving that this Prince Su before me is an imposter!"
He presented the letter, saying, "This is a handwritten letter from Prince Su to me; the handwriting can be compared."
Gu Chengyan scoffed, "Absurd! How could I not know that I ever wrote you a letter? This so-called evidence is nothing but forgery!"
Gu Junze met his gaze. "Although the handwriting is imitated, it is not entirely identical. Over the years, we can simply check the case files of all the cases handled by Prince Su."
Gu Chengyan's face was very ugly.
The emperor took the letter, examined it carefully, and then looked at Gu Chengyan: "Prince Su, since the Chu family requested a blood test to verify kinship, why did you refuse?"
Gu Chengyan looked troubled: "Father, today is an important day for me to be crown prince. The blood test is to verify kinship... If the crown prince's bloodline is questioned, I will inevitably be caught in rumors in the future."
"You dare not?" The emperor's voice suddenly turned icy.
The atmosphere inside the Taiji Hall was extremely tense.
Gu Chengyan was in shock; he never expected the situation to suddenly reverse like this.
Wasn't the emperor already poisoned? Why did he suddenly regain consciousness? Wasn't Gu Junze trapped in the general's mansion?
He regretted it, regretted not getting rid of the emperor sooner, and regretted coveting that so-called "legitimate" cause.
The emperor's gaze was as sharp as a sword: "In that case, let's verify your identity!"
"Bring the gold plate."
The eunuch immediately presented a golden platter filled with clear water.
The emperor took out a small knife from his sleeve, cut his finger, and let the blood drip into the water.
"Prince Su, it's your turn now."
Gu Chengyan stood still, his body stiff as a stone statue.
"Father, this..."
Gu Junze sneered: "What, the dignified Prince Su, doesn't even have this much courage?"
The officials held their breath and stared intently; the hall was eerily silent.
Gu Chengyan took a deep breath, took the knife, cut his fingertip, and let the blood drip into the gold plate.
The ministers craned their necks, staring intently at the scene on the golden plate. Two drops of blood slowly approached, and then—merged into one!
There was an uproar in the hall.
Gu Chengyan smiled victoriously: "As you all have seen, I am indeed of royal blood!"
Chu Ruohan frowned and exchanged a glance with Gu Junze.
Gu Junze suddenly shouted, "Your Majesty, besides bloodline verification, I have another method to distinguish the genuine from the fake!"
Gu Chengyan looked at him warily.
“When I was young, I played with Prince Su in the Cining Palace and accidentally injured his left shoulder, leaving a scar. If he is really Prince Su, he must have a scar on his left shoulder!”
Gu Chengyan's face turned deathly pale instantly.
"Absurd! How could I possibly remember my childhood?"
"Could it be that Prince Su is afraid?" Gu Junze took a step closer. "If it really is Prince Su, we'll know once he takes off his robes!"
The emperor's eyes were deep: "Prince Su, are you willing?"
Gu Chengyan's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his eyes frantically searched the hall for any possibility of escape.
"This...this is an insult to the dignity of the royal family!"
Without another word, Gu Junze suddenly stepped forward, ripped open Gu Chengyan's luxurious robes with a swift motion.
The skin on my left shoulder is smooth, there are no scars at all!
The hall erupted in uproar once again.
"It seems that Prince Su's wounds have miraculously disappeared," Gu Junze sneered.
A hint of despair flashed in Gu Chengyan's eyes, but he quickly regained his arrogance.
"The blood test has proven everything! I am indeed Prince Su!"
Chu Ruohan suddenly stepped forward, took out a small knife, and cut her finger.
"If a blood test can be faked, then let's try it again!"
She held up her bleeding finger, letting the blood drip into the clear water in another golden dish. Then she turned to the emperor: "Your Majesty, please let another drop of blood fall."
The emperor nodded and cut his finger again.
This time, the two drops of blood floated in the water, not mixing!
"Did you see that?" Chu Ruohan shouted, "Blood kinship tests can be faked!"
She took a small bottle from her sleeve and poured a few drops of liquid into the gold dish.
Strangely, the two drops of blood that were originally not mixed together instantly merged together!
"This is a special potion that makes any blood appear to mix. Someone must have tampered with the previous blood tests!"
Gu Chengyan's face turned ashen. He took two steps back, his eyes filled with despair and fear.
"Impossible...this is impossible..."
"Gu Chengyan!" Gu Junze shouted sternly, "You faked your death to escape, secretly practiced the art of disguise, and infiltrated the palace."
"They even plotted to murder the real Prince Su, impersonating him, all for the sake of becoming the Crown Prince today and then seizing the throne!"
Gu Chengyan's face contorted; the perfect mask finally cracked.
"Where's the evidence? What evidence do you have?!"
Chu Ruohan held up the bowl of water: "This is the evidence! Blood tests can be faked, and so can your identity!"
Seeing this, Gu Chengyan knew that the situation was hopeless, and a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.
"Your Majesty need not look any further." He sneered, then suddenly tore open his magnificent court robes, revealing the light and practical clothes underneath.
"This empire should never have belonged to your Zhao family!"
Gu Chengyan sneered, his voice filled with madness, "I had anticipated today's situation."
He suddenly pulled a dagger from his sleeve and lunged at the emperor!
"Father, be careful!" the third prince shouted, lunging at the emperor.
Gu Junze moved with lightning speed, taking a step forward and striking Gu Chengyan's wrist with a palm.
With a clang, the dagger fell to the ground.
Gu Chengyan used the momentum to leap backward, and at the same time pulled out a small bottle from his pocket and smashed it hard on the ground.
Thick smoke instantly filled the entire hall.
"Stop him! Don't let him escape!" Gu Junze shouted sharply, but Gu Chengyan's figure had already disappeared like a ghost in the smoke.
When the smoke cleared, Gu Chengyan had disappeared without a trace.
With the help of the Third Prince and Gu Junze, the Emperor returned to the dragon throne, his face grim.
"Issue an imperial decree: immediately seal off the palace and thoroughly investigate this matter!"
Chu Ruohan stepped forward and offered a cup of tea: "Your Majesty, please take care of your health."
The emperor took the teacup, looked at Chu Ruohan's swollen belly, and a trace of guilt flashed in his eyes.
"I've been wronged."
Chu Ruohan shook her head: "This humble woman is unharmed. I only hope that Your Majesty will be discerning and not be misled by evil and rebellious forces."
The emperor sighed and looked at the assembled officials.
"My beloved ministers, what happened today was truly due to my oversight."
He turned to the Third Prince, his gaze complex: "Yunci, I... owe you a great deal."
The third prince knelt down, his monk's robe hanging at his feet.
"Your Majesty is too kind. Your son is unworthy and incompetent. I only pray that Your Majesty will be healthy."
The emperor helped the third prince to his feet, his voice hoarse: "Today, in front of all the civil and military officials, I hereby announce the appointment of the third prince, Zhao Yunci, as the crown prince!"
The hall erupted in commotion once again. The ministers knew that the emperor only had this one son left.
The third prince was flattered and knelt down to kowtow again.
"This humble monk has cultivated himself for a long time, and is now free from worldly desires and concerns. Father, you should find someone else!"