After having a long journey from Kaifeng to Beijing, Zhu Su finally arrived at Forbidden City.
He arrived at night. When the sky was under the control of the Night King, the Forbidden City no longer looked majestic. It even appeared petrifying, like a large prison that was ready to swallow anyone who entered it. Especially it was the peak of winter at that time. It was snowing hard, the northern wind was so cold it could even freeze the bones, making Zhu Su even more uncomfortable. He pressed his hands tightly against his chest. Shivering severely, he followed Xiang Yugong to the emperor's private room.
Xiang Yugong opened the door leading him to one of the grandest rooms in Forbidden City. He took Zhu Su inside, then closed the door and left the room. Let Zhu Su remain alone in the emperor's private room, waiting in anxiety.
Until finally a figure he fully recognized appeared before him.
"Brother…" Zhu Su quickly stopped his words. Instead, he bowed respectfully. "May I pay respect to Your Majesty the Emperor. May you be blessed with a long and healthy life."
"Yes, Su." Zhu Di looked at Zhu Su, his lips slightly curved a strange smile. "Long time no see."
The candles litting the room made Zhu Di's face look bizarre. Zhu Su blinked. Chill grasped him more tightly. He forced a smile. "Your Majesty orders Dong Chang to call me to come here... Is there something important?..."
"Yes, Su." Removing his weird smile, Zhu Di's expression turned serious. He lifted a long sheet of paper from a nearby table. "I just find a very dangerous thing..."
He handed it to Zhu Su.
After Zhu Su read it a few seconds later, his face suddenly turned completely white.
"Wh... what... is... this..." His voice was as low as a whisper.
"I must be the one who is eager to ask, what is this?"
Zhu Su shook his head. "Th... this must be wrong! I never join forces with Tang Sai'er nor launch any rebellion!"
"But I can't mistake my own brother's writing and stamp, can I?"
Apparently, Zhu Di planned to slander Zhu Su by creating a fake cooperation letter. The letter's content described as if Zhu Su told Tang Sai'er that he sent troops and food supplies, and he had done the same things for quite a long time. Zhu Di had hired a skilled writing copycat to copy Zhu Su's writings. And about the official stamp of Zhou Fan Wang Guo, it was Yan San who had stolen it. Nobody would notice that the San Hu Wei Deputy Commander entered Zhou Wang's office to steal the stamp. Yan San was willing to do that, because he held a personal grudge against Zhu Su.
"You said, your lord is an ungrateful person and prefers traitor to loyal people. So why should you keep loyal to him? You'd better work for me. I will not waste anyone who helps me, as you have seen by yourself, after Jingnan Campaign, I highly reward those who have helped me - even the housewives."
Yan San's eyes flashed with excitement as he accepted Zhu Di's offer. "Of course, I must help you! You are the Ming Emperor, the ruler of the entire Ming! Your orders are obliged to be carried out!"
Yan San quickly changed his loyalty. Of course, he was glad to help Zhu Di. Following Zhu Su was useless, while helping the emperor would bring big blessings for him. He carried out the evil plan shortly after. In a flash, the fake cooperation letter had been created. The letter that made Zhu Su's mind completely raged. His mind was in a tumult, filled with turbulent emotions - a mixture of anger and fear.
"It is you who writes it, Su?" Zhu Di's voice suddenly turned loud. "Are you trying to fight me?! To usurp me!? Don't you know, the punishment for whoever rebels against me is death sentence?!"
"Brother! I've never tried to coup you! My Heaven, I won't rebel towards whoever becomes emperor legally, because I never intend to seize power from legitimate leaders. Moreover, you are my own brother! My full brother! I won't do such cruelty towards my own family!"
"But, how about this?" Zhu Di kept demanding. "Then you should be able to explain this!"
"Th... that... I have no idea, how come there is a letter with writing so similar to mine and... and... a stamp so similar to Zhou Fan Wang Guo's... but..."
"Alright then, if you argue that the writing could be faked, but how about the stamp? Fu Huang has confirmed by himself that stamp cannot be faked!"
"Brother! You must believe me, that I never engage in that cooperation!"
"That's the problem, I can't believe you, Su."
Zhu Su froze. It was as if a thunderbolt had just struck right to him. His head got dizzy. Zhu Di's words had stabbed into his deepest heart.
"That's the problem, I can't believe you... I can't believe you... I can't believe you..."
"Brother..." Zhu Su's words were no more than a whisper. "How can you say... such words..."
"The problem is, you have a bad record. You have been suspected twice by two emperors and exiled because of committing treason. Even though I hate Yunwen, I can't help but ask about the reason why he banished you. Then. You have performed several anti-mainstream actions. You often break out the law of nation. I know you have created Yuan Gong Ci. Why do you make Yuan Gong Ci? Isn't that a poem praising the Yuan Dynasty? You know that our country is in conflict with the Northern Yuan, why do you still stand up for it? What is your true meaning? Then, you also recruited a lot of Bai Lian Jiao members into your team. Then now the Bai Lian Jiao rebellion broke out. They were just commoners, the rebel leader is a young woman who comes from a poor family, how can they be so powerful and defeat our troops? But if you support them, everything becomes clear. So you understand, the reason why I don't believe you?"
Zhu Di's eyes were like a sword that was ready to slice his enemy. Suddenly, Zhu Su felt his brain go blank. His fears had gone. Replaced by another feeling. Anger.
"You won't believe me despite everything?"
"Yes. I will never believe you. Even if you are my own brother."
"And, you will still punish me?"
"That is for sure."