Chapter 647: Turbulent Undercurrents

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation I Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

“Greetings, Your Majesty,” Prime Minister Zhou said as he kowtowed.

The Jin State’s ruler, Emperor Zhao Heng, restrained the anger on his face and looked at Prime Minister Zhou with an ambiguous expression.

“Prime Minister, why are you in such a hurry to enter the palace? What urgent matter do you have to tell me?”

Prime Minister Zhou bowed deeply and appeared very humble.

“I came to the palace today for two matters. Firstly, I am here to seek forgiveness from Your Majesty. Previously, the First Prince was trapped in the northern wilderness. I was afraid that Your Majesty would be worried so I didn’t report it to Your Majesty immediately. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me. Secondly, I want to beg Your Majesty to save the First Prince. The First Prince has been abducted by evil people and is in danger. I beseech Your Majesty to save him.”

Emperor Zhao Heng gave an icy laugh. “After the other party abducted him, what conditions did they state to you before they were willing to release him?” “Your Majesty, the other party wants the Jin State’s iron-smelting technique. However, this technique is the Jin State’s national skill. How can we hand it over to other people so flippantly?”

“Oh? Do you really think so?”

“Your old minister does not dare to deceive Your Majesty.

“But I was afraid that those people would harm the First Prince, so I pretended to agree to their request and secretly sent people to infiltrate that place and rescue the First Prince when the opportunity arose.”

Emperor Zhao Heng raised his eyebrows with some surprise. “You guys saved

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“His Highness was about to return to the Jin State. When he was about to reach the border city, a group of people suddenly rushed out and abducted His Highness.”

The flesh on Emperor Zhao Heng’s face trembled. “What? Did the people from the northern wilderness come out in pursuit?”

“Your Majesty, my men said that those guys were not from the northern wilderness. They had completely different martial arts skills. My men also found this on them.”

Prime Minister Zhou handed a token to Emperor Zhao Heng.

Emperor Zhao Heng took it and recognized it at a glance. This belonged to Xie Jun’s man.

“What did the other party ask for after they abducted him?” Emperor Zhao Heng asked without any emotion though his eyes betrayed some fluctuation.

“Your Majesty, it’s strange, come to think of it. After His Highness was abducted, the other party did not make any demands. I also do not know what they want. I am really worried about the safety of His Highness, so 1 have no choice but to enter the palace to beg Your Majesty to save him.”

Emperor Zhao Heng had already sent people to investigate this matter. He would know soon enough if Prime Minister Zhou was telling the truth.

“Yesterday, a fire broke out in the palace’s storage pavilion, and the iron-smelting technique that I placed in the storage pavilion was stolen. I wonder what Prime Minister Zhou thinks about this?”

“Your Majesty, I also only heard about this matter today. That fellow dared to enter the palace to steal. He was truly audacious and reckless. Your Majesty must investigate thoroughly and arrest those who dare to steal the iron-smelting technique.”

With that, Prime Minister Zhou took out a cloth pouch and handed it to Emperor Zhao Heng.

“This is the iron-smelting technique that I have been holding in my hands. I don’t dare to let outsiders handle it. Now that such an incident has happened, I’m very terrified and worried that I can’t protect it well. Thus, I entered the palace today to return it to Your Majesty for safekeeping.”

Emperor Zhao Heng looked at the partial inscription of the iron-smelting technique in Prime Minister Zhou’s hand and a hint of surprise flashed across his eyes. This was a big bargaining chip for the Prime Minister’s faction. Yet he was willing to hand it over?

Emperor Zhao Heng opened the cloth pouch to take a look. There was no mistaking the inscription of the iron-smelting technique inside.

This inscription containing the iron-smelting technique could not be replicated, so he was not worried that Prime Minister Zhou would get someone to make a copy.

“Since you have such worries, then you can temporarily leave this iron-smelting technique with me.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“As for the matter concerning Rui’er, I will definitely send someone to investigate and rescue him. You can rest assured.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Prime Minister Zhou walked out of the inner hall safe and sound. When he exited the door, he saw a palace maid standing not far away. He dismissed the young eunuch in front of him and walked to the palace maid.

When the palace maid saw Prime Minister Zhou, she hurriedly greeted him in a low voice. “Greetings, Prime Minister.”

“Go and tell the Empress not to act rashly. We will think of a way to help the First Prince. She must not get involved in the matter of the storage pavilion theft, understand?”

“Yes, your servant understands.”

After giving his instructions, Prime Minister Zhou left the palace without any hesitation.

Xie Jun had been sending people to keep an eye on Prime Minister Zhou’s movements. When he learned that Prime Minister Zhou had left the palace safely, his face clouded over.

“What method did that old fart use to appease the Emperor?”

“The person I sent to keep an eye on him said that Prime Minister Zhou seemed to have brought something with him when he entered the palace.”

Xie Jun’s brows knitted so tightly that his foreword formed the Roman numeral III. “He brought something?”

“Yes, Your Highness. What do you think Prime Minister Zhou has handed over to make the Emperor let down his guard in such a short time?”

Xie Rui paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back. What could make the Emperor let down his guard in a short time?

Suddenly, he thought of something and stopped in his tracks.

“Iron-smelting technique!”

“Your Highness, what did you say?”

The more Xie Rui thought about it, the more he felt that this was very likely.

“It’s very likely that something is the iron-smelting technique. The iron-smelting technique can’t be replicated. If it’s handed over to Emperor Father, then the rumors we spread will fall apart by themselves.”

The trusted aide suddenly understood. He had to hand it to Prime Minister Zhou. That guy could think of a solution that was more beneficial to himself in such a short time.

However, how could Xie Jun let go of this opportunity to overthrow the Prime Minister’s faction?

“Come here. Immediately send someone to the palace to convey a message…

Tell her to think of a way to get hold of the iron-smelting technique that Prime Minister Zhou handed over.”

The trusted aide frowned when he heard this. The Emperor’s belongings had already been stolen once. This time, he would definitely be very careful. If someone wanted to steal again, it would not be so easy.

“Your Highness, isn’t this too risky?”

“That’s why we have to be fully prepared so that even if we are discovered, the Emperor will never trace the matter to us.”

The trusted aide thought for a moment. In this case, he could only use the other secret contact.

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I’ll make the arrangements right away.” The city was still searching for the whereabouts of the iron-smelting technique, but there had been no news of it after the city gates were locked for so long.

Due to the locking of the city gates, it was very inconvenient for the people to enter and exit the city. This led to numerous complaints filling the whole place. Emperor Zhao Heng had no choice but to temporarily allow the opening of a side of the city gates. Everyone who left the city had to be checked strictly. On the third day after the city gates were opened, the Second Prince’s Mansion was robbed.

That day, Xie Jun was in the palace discussing matters with Emperor Zhao Heng. Just as he came out of the main hall, people from his residence rushed up frantically to inform him of the matter.

It might be because the messenger was too anxious. His voice was not soft and his report reached Emperor Zhao Heng’s ears.

Xie Jun did not dare to delay and immediately left the palace to return to his residence.

If nothing unexpected happened, the unexpected was about to happen.

The iron-smelting technique in Xie Jun’s hand disappeared.

Xie Jun looked at the big hole that had been dug in the residence and went hopping mad as he bawled his lungs out.

After Emperor Zhao Heng learned of it, he rushed out of the palace in the night. He arrived to see Xie Jun still squatting next to that hole in the ground, crying uncontrollably.

“Emperor Father, I am guilty. I did not take good care of my iron-smelting technique and my death is not worthy of pity!”

Emperor Zhao Heng really wanted to kill him at that point!

He actually buried such an important thing in the ground outside his house!

Now, nobody knew who had stolen the iron- smelting technique.. If it was the same culprit, then the other party already had two parts!

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