Heroes of Troubled Times: Chronicles of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

At the banquet, Zhu Yougong mingled in the crowd, looking for an opportunity to strike.

"Your Majesty, please try this fine wine." Zhu Yougong walked up to Tang Zhaozong with a wine pot.

Tang Zhaozong took the wine glass and was about to taste it, when he suddenly noticed the wine pot in Zhu Yougong's hand.

"This wine pot seems familiar." Tang Zhaozong frowned.

Zhu Yougong's heart tightened, but he remained calm: "Your Majesty, this is a wine pot commonly used in the palace, you may have remembered it wrong."

Tang Zhaozong was half-believing and half-doubting, but still put the wine glass back on the table.

"Your Majesty, don't you want to drink?" Zhu Yougong asked tentatively.

Tang Zhaozong shook his head: "No, I suddenly remembered that there are still some things to deal with."

Zhu Yougong was anxious, he knew that if he missed this opportunity, he might never have another chance.

After the banquet, Zhu Yougong quietly followed Tang Zhaozong and came to a remote palace.

"Your Majesty, why are you here alone?" Zhu Yougong pretended to be concerned and asked.

Tang Zhaozong turned around and saw Zhu Yougong, with a flash of doubt in his eyes: "Who are you? Why haven't I seen you before?"

Zhu Yougong was startled, but still remained calm: "Your Majesty, I am a new guard, you may not have noticed me."

Tang Zhaozong nodded and was about to turn around and leave. Suddenly, Zhu Yougong pulled out a dagger from his sleeve and stabbed Tang Zhaozong.

"Your Majesty, be careful!" A guard arrived in time and blocked Tang Zhaozong.

Zhu Yougong's dagger stabbed the guard, and Tang Zhaozong took the opportunity to escape.

"Catch him!" Tang Zhaozong ordered loudly.

The guards quickly subdued Zhu Yougong. Tang Zhaozong stepped forward and looked at him coldly: "Tell me, who sent you?"

Zhu Yougong gritted his teeth and said nothing.

"Don't tell me? Then don't blame me for being rude." Tang Zhaozong's voice revealed murderous intent.

Zhu Yougong knew that he had no way out. He closed his eyes and prepared to face death.

"Your Majesty, we found out that he is Zhu Wen's man." A guard hurriedly reported.

Tang Zhaozong's eyes flashed with anger: "Zhu Wen, you dare to send someone to assassinate me!"

He turned to the guards and said: "Strengthen the vigilance in the palace, and never let Zhu Wen take advantage of it."

With the failure of Zhu Yougong, Zhu Wen's conspiracy was exposed. Tang Zhaozong strengthened the security measures in the palace, and Zhu Wen's ambition was frustrated again.

Zhu Yougong was imprisoned in a dim cell, surrounded by cold stone walls and only a small window letting in weak light. His hands were chained and his body was exhausted, but his eyes still flashed with an unyielding light.

"Zhu Yougong, do you think you can still escape?" The jailer's mocking voice came from outside the cell.

Zhu Yougong did not answer. He knew that the most important thing now was to stay calm and wait for an opportunity.

Just then, the door of the cell was suddenly pushed open gently, and a masked man walked in quietly.

"Who are you?" Zhu Yougong asked vigilantly.

The masked man did not answer, but quickly walked to Zhu Yougong, took out a knife from his bosom, and began to cut the chain on his hand.

"Quick, follow me." The masked man's voice was low and urgent.

Zhu Yougong hesitated for a moment, but decided to follow the masked man. They walked silently through the corridor of the cell, avoiding the patrolling jailers.

"How do we get out?" Zhu Yougong asked in a low voice.

The masked man pointed to a small door in front: "There is a secret passage leading to the outside."

They quickly passed through the small door and entered a narrow passage. The passage was dark, with only a faint light from the torch in the masked man's hand.

"How did you know this place?" Zhu Yougong asked curiously.

The masked man was silent for a while, then said: "I am an old eunuch in the palace, and I know a lot of secrets."

They finally walked out of the passage and came to a forest outside the palace.

"You are safe now, but I can't stay for long." The masked man said, and turned to leave.

Zhu Yougong hurriedly called him: "Wait, why did you save me?"

The masked man stopped and looked back at Zhu Yougong: "Because I know the intentions of Lord Zhu Wen."

After Zhu Yougong was rescued by the masked man, his heart was full of reluctance and anger. He knew that his mission had not been completed, and Zhu Wen's order must be carried out to the end.

"We must act again, and this time, we must succeed." Zhu Yougong said to the masked man.

The masked man nodded, and his voice was low: "I have a plan. This time, Tang Zhaozong can't escape."

Zhu Yougong and the masked man began to plan the second assassination. They chose the day when Emperor Zhaozong of Tang was inspecting the city wall, planning to blend into the crowd and take the opportunity to attack.

"Your Majesty, the inspection of the city wall is about to begin, please get ready." A guard reported to Emperor Zhaozong of Tang.

Emperor Zhaozong of Tang nodded, tidied his clothes, and prepared to set off.

On the city wall, the crowd was bustling, and Emperor Zhaozong of Tang slowly inspected it surrounded by guards.

"Your Majesty, please look here, this is our newly built city wall." An official pointed to the sturdy city wall and said proudly.

Emperor Zhaozong of Tang smiled slightly and was about to speak, when suddenly he felt an unusual breath.

"Your Majesty, be careful!" A guard shouted.

Zhu Yougong and the masked man rushed out of the crowd, holding a sharp blade, and rushed straight to Emperor Zhaozong of Tang.

"Protect Your Majesty!" The guards responded quickly and fought fiercely with the assassins.

Tang Zhaozong was escorted back by his guards in the chaos, but Zhu Yougong and the masked man were chasing him.

"Your Majesty, this way!" A guard pointed to an alley.

Tang Zhaozong followed the guards into the alley, but suddenly, the masked man jumped out from the side and stabbed Tang Zhaozong with a knife.

"Ah!" Tang Zhaozong screamed and fell to the ground.

"Your Majesty!" The guardsThe guards exclaimed, but it was too late.

Zhu Yougong and the masked man took advantage of the chaos to escape, leaving Tang Zhaozong lying in a pool of blood.

The news soon reached Zhu Wen's ears, and he smiled with satisfaction.

"Well, Zhu Yougong did a good job. Now, it's time to support my puppet to take the throne." Zhu Wen sneered.

Zhu Wen supported his ninth son Li Zhu to be established as Emperor Ai of Tang, a young and ignorant emperor who completely obeyed Zhu Wen's orders.

"Your Majesty, you only need to follow my arrangements, and the country of the Tang Dynasty will be more stable." Zhu Wen said to Emperor Ai of Tang.

Emperor Ai of Tang nodded, his voice childish: "Everything is subject to the arrangements of Lord Zhu."

Zhu Wen controlled the government, and the country of the Tang Dynasty actually fell into his hands.

Zhu Wen stood in front of the coffin of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang, with a sad expression on his face and tears in his eyes. The ministers and guards around him were all confused by his performance and thought he was a loyal and sad minister.

"Your Majesty, you have been wise all your life, but you were harmed by a traitor. It's really a pity that talents are envied by heaven!" Zhu Wen's voice choked, as if he was really grieving for the death of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang.

He turned to face the crowd, and his voice suddenly became stern: "Mr. Zhu You, this traitor dared to assassinate your majesty, his crime is unforgivable!"

Mr. Zhu You was escorted by two guards, his face full of anger and unwillingness.

"Zhu Wen, you hypocrite, you are the real murderer!" Mr. Zhu You shouted loudly, trying to expose Zhu Wen's true face.

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