That woman was outstanding, but was she so outstanding that she could drive the Seventh Prince crazy for her? Could she make him betray their brotherhood? Could she make him turn against her, bear their father's wrath, or even die for her? And even... abandon their child? Her madness was terrifying and chilling. Baili Chen's conviction was so strong that no one doubted what he said.
Baili Zhi had to admit that the woman had a captivating charm, and he had been captivated by her for a time. However, the flame was extinguished before it could even ignite. But this was not enough to make him give up the throne. Over the years, Baili Zhi had done so much for the throne, and this was his long-cherished wish. How could he give it up just because Baili Chen said a few words?
Baili Zhi paused for a moment, then had someone deliver a note, indicating that he wanted to enter the palace.
After Emperor Mingchen returned to the capital, the matter concerning Jiang Xuan could no longer be kept secret. The news reached the Da Gan post station and soon spread to Da Gan. Da Gan sent envoys one after another, demanding an explanation from the Great Zhou. At this time, the Empress Dowager was determined to use the deceased Ouyang Yue as a scapegoat. After all, she was dead, and there was nothing wrong with that. Some ministers in the court also made this suggestion to avoid trouble. However, Da Gan somehow learned that this matter had nothing to do with Ouyang Yue, and they did not want a dead person to bear any responsibility.
Da Gan also had its own calculations. How could they not know the power and influence of Xuan Yuan Chao Hua? They sent envoys to demand an audience, while Da Zhou had to guard against Xuan Yuan Chao Hua's uprising. They were besieged on both sides, which was the perfect opportunity for them to make their demands. If they accepted that Ouyang Yue committed suicide out of guilt, then Da Gan would become an enemy of Princess Xuan Yuan Chao Hua. Da Zhou could then observe from the sidelines. Competing with Xuan Yuan Chao Hua was risky because of his high prestige among the people. Even if they won, what difference would it make? Xuan Yuan Chao Hua was, after all, a member of Da Zhou. Even if they won, his troops wouldn't fall into Da Gan's hands. Originally, they were investigating to obtain the key to the treasure from Ouyang Yue, but even after news of Ouyang Yue's death spread, the treasure remained a secret. It was highly likely that even the people of Princess Xuan Yuan didn't know. Although they regretted it, if they persisted in this, they would miss their chance.
So no matter what their opinion of Ouyang Yue is, it's absolutely impossible for Da Zhou to shut them up with this. They've missed their chance regarding the treasure, but if they can plunder more things from Da Zhou, it's still feasible, and it might not be any less significant than the treasure.
Therefore, the Empress Dowager's proposal was not only rejected by Da Gan, but also provoked Da Gan's anger. The negotiations between the two countries almost collapsed within half a year. Da Gan clamored to send troops to attack Da Zhou, and made it clear to Emperor Mingxian that what they wanted was the real culprit of this matter. And the culprit was self-evident, it was the Empress Dowager.
Emperor Mingxian wanted to do so, but the Empress Dowager was the Empress Dowager of the Great Zhou. If she were handed over so easily and left to Daqian to deal with in order to appease them, the Great Zhou would lose all face. How could they hold their heads high on the Langya Continent in the future? Wouldn't all the large and small countries dare to order them around? Emperor Mingxian had not agreed, but with the various pressures from Daqian, the civil and military officials could no longer sit still.
The Great Gan dynasty made outrageous demands, requiring not only five cities from the Great Zhou dynasty but also ten million taels of silver in reparations. Furthermore, they insisted on annual tribute from the Great Zhou for fifty years before the Great Gan would consider settling the matter peacefully. The Great Zhou would not agree to any of these demands. The five cities the Great Gan wanted were naturally those border cities near the two countries. Giving up five cities would reduce the Great Zhou's territory and enhance its prestige, causing the Great Zhou people to lose faith in the court. The ten million taels in reparations would be enough to fund Emperor Mingxian's military campaigns, let alone demanding fifty years of tribute from the Great Zhou. Both countries were originally major powers on the Langya Continent, with comparable national strength, wealth, and military power. Why would the Great Zhou offer tribute to the Great Gan? Tribute was typically given by a defeated nation to a victorious one, or a weaker nation to a stronger one. For the Great Zhou to lower its status without a fight was something no one, from top to bottom, would agree to; a war was the only option. Of course, the Great Zhou was in the wrong in this matter, and if war really broke out, there would be too many things to say. So for the past six months, Emperor Mingxian had not spoken of it, but had been constantly sending people to negotiate with the envoys of the Great Zhou, in order to buy time and then find a solution.
Although Da Gan gradually softened its stance and reduced its demands, the situation remained unacceptable to Da Zhou. Three cities, eight million taels of silver in reparations, and ten years of tribute were all demands. The real issue preventing Emperor Mingxian from speaking up was the question of the cities and the tribute. The issue of the tribute was a matter of face, needless to say, but the cities themselves—having sold Jiang Xuan along with her title as a princess of Da Gan—were they even worth a city? Da Gan dared to demand three! Seeing that Da Zhou remained unmoved, Da Gan finally compromised, offering two cities, ten million taels of silver in reparations, and no more tribute. Emperor Mingxian had initially thought that if they could negotiate five to eight million taels of silver per city, it wouldn't be entirely unnecessarily unacceptable. However, the Empress Dowager's scheme and the impatient court officials' desire for a quick resolution, coupled with the fact that Da Gan refused to accept the death of Ouyang Yue, caused the negotiations to collapse, rendering six months of negotiations futile.
Emperor Mingxian was seething with anger. He was thinking about how to use this incident to drain the Empress Dowager and the Lin family's coffers, and see if that shrew would dare to interfere again.
The Empress Dowager anticipated that Emperor Mingxian would ask her to resolve the matter. Although she had spoken, she had not taken any action. Emperor Mingxian, burdened by the issues of being a junior and filial piety, could not simply send the Empress Dowager away, as it concerned his reputation as the ruler of the country. The Empress Dowager was not stupid; her words at this time clearly indicated that she was deliberately trying to annoy Emperor Mingxian and profit from the situation. She wanted to stir up trouble.
"Bang!" Emperor Mingxian slammed his hand on the table in anger, his face turning ashen.
At this moment, a young eunuch walked over tremblingly. Fu Shun quickly led him aside and asked him questions. After a while, he whispered to Emperor Mingxian, "Your Majesty, Prince Zhi is requesting an audience outside the study."
Emperor Mingxian's expression remained unpleasant, but he said with a dark face, "Let him in."
Throughout his journey, Baili Zhi had been pondering a question. Whether he spoke of it or not, Emperor Mingxian had been secretly protecting him and preparing him for the throne all these years. The neutral officials in the court, those who were loyal to Emperor Mingxian, were actually cultivated by him. For example, An Huai Ren, the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, was almost immediately demoted and secretly sent to a remote area by Emperor Mingxian, who then brought him back after he achieved success and gained the people's respect. And why did Emperor Mingxian keep Liu Hanwen, that stubborn fellow? Over the years, Liu Hanwen had impeached many officials, and many powerful factions had become intertwined. Only Emperor Mingxian's own people had remained obedient and stable. The Bai family had long since fallen, yet it still retained the title of one of the Five Great Families. Why was that? There was also Li Gang, Ouyang Zhide, the Leng family, and others. These were all important forces that Emperor Mingxian intended to use to push Baili Zhi to the throne at a crucial moment.
Over the years, Baili Zhi had grown accustomed to this situation and had already decided that Baili Chen would inevitably become the future emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Now, Baili Chen was challenging him, vying for what was rightfully his for granted. Not only Baili Zhi, but anyone in his shoes would find this unacceptable. Baili Zhi harbored resentment. Although Baili Chen loved Ouyang Yue and loved Du Du, he had sacrificed brotherly affection and betrayed their oaths for a woman. This fueled Baili Zhi's hatred for Baili Chen. Therefore, he came, intending to deliver a blow to Baili Chen, hoping that Emperor Mingxian would punish him and dispel his unrealistic ambitions. However, upon arriving at the imperial study and seeing Emperor Mingxian, Baili Zhi suddenly seemed to choke, unable to utter a single word of what he had so much to say.
Emperor Mingxian was already agitated by the important matter at hand. When he saw Baili Zhi enter without saying a word, instead appearing somewhat dazed, he became furious: "What do you want from me? Speak quickly! Why have you become so slow and hesitant? Where is the composure and demeanor of a future ruler?"
Baili Zhi's eyes flickered slightly, and he suddenly said, "Father, are you aware that I suffer from mild infertility?"
Emperor Mingxian was taken aback when Baili Zhi suddenly asked this question. He was embarrassed but did not speak directly. Baili Zhi seized the moment and suddenly said excitedly, "Father, do you know? When you learned about my infertility, your attitude towards my seventh brother changed. Did you consider letting me adopt Su'er?"
Emperor Mingxian's brow twitched slightly, but he did not deny it. Baili Zhi, however, was unsure of what to feel. Was it affection for Emperor Mingxian's favoritism, or heartache for Baili Chen? He suddenly asked, "Father, may I ask you a question? Over the years, you have treated me so well, doting on me and protecting me. Is it truly because you love me, or is it only because of Mother's dying wish?"
Emperor Mingxian seemed somewhat dazed, his eyes lowered slightly. Baili Zhi suddenly gave a bitter smile, finding himself utterly ridiculous over the years: "Father, you are truly cruel, not only to your son but also to the Seventh Prince. In this palace, kinship is a laughable luxury, yet your brothers and I have also truly longed for it." Baili Zhi's eyes reddened, and he suddenly chuckled softly, "Ever since I learned of my mild infertility, I have been secretly searching for medicine. In the end, I discovered that this symptom is not congenital but seems to be man-made. Father, do you know who gave me this infertility treatment?"
Emperor Mingxian was shocked. Over the years, he had been extremely protective of Baili Zhi. From the moment Empress Bai spoke her last words to him, Emperor Mingxian's protection of Baili Zhi ensured there was no opportunity for poisoning. Even in the palace, Empress Bai's protection of her child was so meticulous that even Empress Lin found it difficult to harm him. Empress Bai was the only one in the palace to have two princes survive. If Empress Bai hadn't been careless and fallen victim to the poison during childbirth, Baili Chen wouldn't have suffered so much. Although unbelievable and incomprehensible, the truth was undeniable. Baili Zhi suddenly felt incredibly endearing. He turned around, his face blank with despair, and staggered away. His infertility poison was inflicted by his own mother! Why? Why would his mother do such a thing? Baili Zhi couldn't understand it at all. His mother, whom he respected more than the heavens and more than a fairy, was the one who poisoned him. No one could accept such news.
The White Queen was not without her struggles, but she asked for this great favor for Baili Zhi because he was older, while Baili Chen had just been born and needed his older brother's care. She also hoped that the two brothers could support each other as they grew up. However, compared to the companionship with Baili Zhi, Baili Chen, the child the White Queen had given birth to with all her might, was the one she was most worried about. There is no kinship in the royal family; kinship is weak. Even if Baili Zhi is the emperor, what about Baili Chen? Will Baili Chen be willing to accept this when he grows up? At that time, Empress Bai had two choices. One was to strangle Baili Chen to prevent this from happening, but she couldn't bear to. So, for Baili Chen's safety, and also to leave a way out for Baili Chen if Baili Zhi were to become narrow-minded and unable to tolerate even his own brother, Empress Bai gave Baili Zhi a drug that would make him infertile. The dosage was not large, but it would affect Baili Zhi's fertility. It would not completely sterilize him, but it would make it more difficult for a woman to conceive. Under these circumstances, it is very likely that Baili Zhi will adopt a child from his own brother, Baili Chen.
Whether out of consideration for the child or brotherly affection, Baili Zhi would have to forgive Baili Chen for any mistakes he might make in the future. This was precisely Bai Huang's final choice; she chose to protect the newborn Baili Chen, leaving him a trump card, but this hurt Baili Zhi's feelings. Bai Huang's feelings are understandable; her true intention was to protect both children. However, as the person directly involved, Baili Zhi absolutely could not accept this.
How he ended up back at the Prince Zhi's residence was a mystery even to Baili Zhi himself. Upon his return, he rushed to his study and proceeded to smash everything in sight to the ground. Among the items were his priceless antiques and jade artifacts, exquisite ancient inkstones, paintings bestowed by Emperor Mingxian, and books from his study. Everything he could see was destroyed. The servants outside, hearing the sounds of the smashing, were on high alert. Baili Zhi had never been so out of control, so furious, or so frenzied before. He was clearly enraged beyond measure. The servants, not daring to abandon their posts, could only stand guard, trembling. From inside, Baili Zhi could be heard roaring in anger and uttering cries of grief.
Baili Zhi found it laughable; his entire life had been laughable. He was only just beginning to understand things when his mother, the Empress, passed away early after giving birth to the seventh prince, leaving behind a will that he should inherit the throne. Emperor Mingxian loved Empress Bai, but as an emperor, his emotions were mixed with too many things—interests, politics, and so much more. He was destined to never have only Empress Bai in his life, even though she was his greatest love. However, at least Empress Bai asked for this favor because of her affection. If it were anyone else, Emperor Mingxian would never have agreed. Perhaps it was precisely because of love, coupled with his negligence that led to Empress Bai's death, that he agreed. Over the years, he had kept his promise to Empress Bai, to help Baili Zhi seize the throne, even causing several princes to fight tooth and nail for it, all to pave the way for Baili Zhi.
But from beginning to end, who ever asked Baili Zhi's opinion? Baili Zhi was instilled with this concept from a very young age; he was just a child. At that time, his life was filled with the study of emperors, with all kinds of books and learning. He was the same as Baili Chen, who lived painfully under the influence of the Gu poison; he also had no childhood. But who ever asked Baili Zhi what he really wanted? Now, if you ask Baili Zhi, even he feels lost. What does he really want? To ascend the throne and become emperor—this is the goal he has been striving for all these years. But what will he do after ascending the throne? He didn't even have time to think about this question before, but now he has no choice but to think about it; reality forces him to.
Empress Bai had truly broken Baili Zhi's heart. His mother, who had always been so gentle and humble, who would never harm him, had secretly given him infertility medication, all to prevent him from acknowledging Baili Chen after his ascension to the throne. But who had ever asked Baili Zhi if he wanted to be emperor? His life had always been controlled by others, who might even destroy his legacy for the rest of his life. Now, Baili Chen wanted to seize the throne for Ouyang Yue. What Baili Zhi had once had so easily within his grasp was now a burning burden. Every time he thought about it, he thought of how Empress Bai and Emperor Mingxian had ruined the first half of his life, and now they wanted to ruin the second half as well? Baili Zhi smiled silently, but tears flowed more and more. How superfluous was he? What was the point of this throne for him? He had thought it was a legacy left by his mother, but who knew that this legacy had such a huge flaw? He really couldn't afford it, and he didn't want it anymore.
Baili Zhi stayed in his study for three days straight, neither eating nor drinking. Just when the servants were worried he might starve to death, he emerged from his study and sent a letter to the Prince Chen's residence, a letter that had to be personally delivered to Baili Chen. No one except the two involved knew the letter's contents. After reading it, Baili Chen silently lit it on fire, watching it burn until the very last moment before letting out a slow sigh, his expression extremely complex.
The capital was rife with undercurrents, but despite this, it did not descend into chaos. In the end, through the mediation of the Great Zhou and the Great Dynasty, the Great Zhou provided a city and an additional ten million in reparations to the Great Gan, thus resolving Jiang Xuan's matter. The whole affair lasted eight months, during which time people were filled with anxiety and the court was in constant strife.
Finally, Emperor Mingxian borrowed the ten million taels of silver directly from the various noble families and concubines in the imperial harem, using the name of the national treasury. After this sum was distributed, the treasuries of these families suffered significant losses. It wasn't that no one wanted to refuse to pay, but Emperor Mingxian had already given the order, and who dared disobey? Of course, as the instigators, the Empress Dowager and the Lin family received even more money, but what did that have to do with the others? The Empress Dowager suddenly became the target of everyone's ire, and some people even cursed her in the street without any restraint. Not long after, one of them fell seriously ill and was bedridden. After two consecutive days of this, no one dared to cause trouble again, but the public resentment only deepened.
Since the Empress Dowager returned to the palace, she has been claiming illness and not attending to affairs, so naturally she has not been bothered with anything. However, the Empress Dowager did not refuse the greetings from the various royal relatives. On this day, she happened to receive the Ninth Prince, the current Prince of Sheng, Baili Mao.
"Grandmother, I heard you are not feeling well. Your grandson is late. Please punish me." As soon as Baili Mao entered, he immediately kowtowed and admitted his guilt.
When the Empress Dowager saw Baili Mao arrive, her eyes flashed, and she quickly smiled kindly, "So it's Mao'er. Come and sit here with your grandmother."
Baili Mao was quickly helped up by Granny Zhan and sat down next to the Empress Dowager. This was not exactly in accordance with the rules, but sitting next to the Empress Dowager was still a privilege. Of course, this was because the Empress Dowager's reputation was already bad, and it was good enough that someone came to see her. Baili Mao lowered his head and concealed the mocking expression on his face. If it weren't for his reputation, he wouldn't have wanted to come to Chengxiang Palace to see the Empress Dowager, fearing that the Empress Dowager would also damage his reputation. However, since the Third Prince, Fourth Prince, and Seventh Prince had all come, he had no choice but to come. Otherwise, he would have wanted to drag it out until it was over.
"Grandmother, please take care of your health. Otherwise, if you overwork yourself, Father and the other grandsons will worry." Baili Mao said obediently. The Empress Dowager smiled and nodded, but her eyes darted around. The two exchanged pleasantries about each other's health. Just as Baili Mao was about to leave, the Empress Dowager suddenly changed the subject: "Mao'er, I have always thought you are a sensible and filial child."
"Grandmother is too kind. Being filial to Grandmother and Father is what I should do. As for whether I am filial or not, that's just what others think and say. I think it all comes down to the heart." Baili Mao chuckled twice, appearing very humble, but his expression as he looked at the Empress Dowager clearly carried a hint of scrutiny.
The Empress Dowager had always treated the princes and princesses well, but not to the point of praising them to everyone she met. There was no concrete evidence, at least not that Baili Mao ever intended to be filial to the Empress Dowager. He was obedient before and even tried to curry favor with her, but everyone knew that at the time, Baili Mao was just a follower of Baili Jian. Who else would he have to please if not the Empress Dowager or Emperor Mingxian? Of course, since the Empress was once at odds with Consort Sun, Baili Mao naturally wouldn't dare to be overly attentive to her, but he also wouldn't intentionally offend her, let alone the Empress Dowager. It was all an act back then; the Empress Dowager wouldn't believe it was fake. Why is she being so affectionate with him now? Could she have some ulterior motive?
The Empress Dowager naturally noticed that Baili Mao was somewhat suspicious, but she didn't care and continued, "Mao'er, not many people have come to visit me lately. I'm getting old and I always like to reminisce about the past. I still remember when you were all very young. Back then, you were all innocent and adorable, just like fairy children. In the blink of an eye, you princes and princesses have all grown up and left. Whenever I think of you, my heart aches."
Baili Mao's eyes showed some displeasure. What did he mean by "one by one they've all left"? Was this a curse? He really shouldn't have come to see this dying old woman. He had come out of kindness, and even if it was just a formality, she shouldn't have spoken and acted like this.
The Empress Dowager continued sadly, "Speaking of this, I am reminded of the Crown Prince. Cheng'er was a well-behaved and sensible child from a young age. As the Crown Prince, he was the heir apparent of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Who would have thought he would die at the hands of bandits? With the Crown Prince's death, the court is in disarray. Of the remaining princes, how many are capable of shouldering great responsibilities? Alas..."
The Empress Dowager shook her head and sighed, her face filled with sadness and worry. Baili Mao, who had been dissatisfied with the Empress Dowager, suddenly changed his mind because he finally understood the meaning behind her words. Was the Empress Dowager worried about who among the princes would succeed to the throne? Was she trying to extend an olive branch?
Baili Mao felt a surge of warmth in his heart and said, "Grandmother, please rest assured. No matter what, Mao'er will always be filial and loving towards you. You are Mao'er's Grandmother, and all of this is only right." As he spoke, Baili Mao looked at the Empress Dowager with fervent eyes. His words were a test, as he wanted to probe the Empress Dowager's true intentions.
As expected, upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager took Baili Mao's hand and said without any attempt to hide her feelings, "Mao'er is a filial and sensible person with great talent. He was buried in the past. Now, in this court, there are useless people, sick people, and people who are self-pitying. Only you are the one who understands."
The Third Prince, Baili Zhi, had always been unassuming, so unassuming that even the Empress Dowager had been fooled. She had always paid more attention to Baili Chen. While Baili Chang's health didn't seem genuinely poor, he had virtually no power and couldn't be promoted. Baili Chen, needless to say, had a mortal feud with the Empress Dowager. Now, only Baili Mao was truly useful. To put it bluntly, there was no one else to rely on, which was why the Empress Dowager praised Baili Mao so highly. However, Baili Mao didn't care at all; as long as the Empress Dowager was willing to help him, that was enough.
Although the Empress Dowager's reputation in court is beginning to decline, it doesn't matter. She still firmly holds onto her power. Even within the palace, the extent of her influence is unknown to outsiders. However, Baili Mao is more inclined to believe the rumors are true. He greatly desires those assassins. If he could find a way to recruit a few to work for him, and with his other forces becoming increasingly secure, ascending the throne would be less and less of a dream.
"Everything will be arranged by the Empress Dowager." With these words, Baili Mao made a secret agreement with the Empress Dowager. The two were now in a cooperative relationship, with the goal of helping Baili Mao ascend the throne.
The Empress Dowager waved her hand, and she left along with Granny Tie and the others. After talking for half an hour, Baili Mao left satisfied. Granny Tie walked to the Empress Dowager's side, massaged her shoulders, and couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, this Ninth Prince is short-sighted. Won't he cause some trouble?"
The Empress Dowager sneered, her eyes filled with mockery: "He is short-sighted, which is why I use him. If it were someone as opinionated as Baili Chen, how could I possibly control him?"
Granny Tie thought to herself, "This Ninth Prince used to be a lackey of the Fifth Prince. Don't be fooled by the Third Prince's quiet demeanor and the Fourth Prince's frequent absences due to illness; their reputations are far superior to those of so-called lackeys. The Ninth Prince immediately consolidated his power after the Fifth Prince's death, which shows he is ambitious. Such a person is also quite adept at playing the game of 'crossing the river and then destroying the bridge.' However, judging from the Empress Dowager's expression, she clearly doesn't take Baili Mao seriously and seems to have everything under control. It seems there won't be any major problems."
Ten days later, a banquet was held in the palace. The purpose was to celebrate the upcoming marriage of Princess Baili Nan, daughter of Prince De. Before her wedding, Emperor Mingxian, to express his affection for his niece, specially organized this banquet. The palace was bustling with countless officials, officials of the seventh rank and above, and their wives, making the vast palace exceptionally lively. This time, Baili Nan was walking with Li Rushuang. For the past ten months, Li Rushuang had been burdened by guilt, her expression often troubled, frequently tinged with sorrow. This only enhanced her delicate beauty, making her even more captivating.
The initial fears that Xuan Yuan Chaohua would turn against the Great Zhou because of Ouyang Yue's death have not materialized after ten months. Some are even more worried, while others believe that Xuan Yuan Chaohua is ultimately afraid of the Emperor's authority. Princess Shuangxia, on the other hand, has remained remarkably calm. After the incident, it was rumored that Princess Shuangxia had fallen ill, but her young heir, Baili Su, was still being cared for in the manor. After all, Prince Chen had recently completely neglected state affairs, staying cooped up in his residence. The initial assumption that Princess Shuangxia would seek help from the Empress Dowager and Emperor Mingxian to demand the release of the young prince was wrong. Was this Princess Shuangxia's concern for the stability of the Great Zhou, or was she simply too weak to care about anything else, having lost her strength?
"You're still the same." Baili Nan looked at Li Rushuang, not knowing what to say. Li Rushuang was simply torturing herself. Although Xuan Yuan Chaohua didn't say anything, he didn't return to the capital as planned.
In reality, the matter was far more complex than outsiders imagined. From a moral standpoint, it would be unfair for Xuan Yuan Chaohua to return to the capital and marry Li Rushuang at this time, as he felt he was betraying his sister. It would be better to delay it until Li Rushuang, the Minister of War, could no longer afford to wait, at which point the engagement would be dissolved, and the matter would be considered closed. However, Xuan Yuan Chaohua hadn't returned to the capital. The capital couldn't fully know what was happening at the border, which was a potential threat. Although nothing was being done now, it didn't mean he wouldn't act later. Emperor Mingxian found an excuse to send an imperial envoy to the border, but it would take at least a month to arrive. Someone needed to be sent there for safety. Emperor Mingxian knew this would displease Xuan Yuan Chaohua, but he had no choice but to send someone to reassure him. As for Li Rushuang's matter, everyone deliberately avoided mentioning it.
Li Rushuang shook her head: "I'm fine."
Baili Nan sighed. Back then, because of Leng Caiwen, she had been an enemy of Ouyang Yue. At that time, she had even wallowed in self-pity for her feelings. But now, compared to Li Rushuang, she was much luckier. After all, she was married. Although the man didn't hold the same place in her heart as Leng Caiwen, her status as a princess of the Prince of De was certainly not low. Moreover, the Prince of De had carefully selected her for her looks and talent. Furthermore, with the Prince of De's family and Emperor Mingxian's connections, no one would dare to treat Baili Nan badly after she married into the family. But what about Li Rushuang? Her marriage could only be delayed. As the one who caused the trouble, and being a person of loyalty and righteousness, Li Rushuang probably wouldn't take the initiative to break off the engagement. But if Xuan Yuan Chaohua continued to refuse to marry her, would she just keep dragging it out like this?
“Ru Shuang, I know, but you…” Baili Nan kept trying to persuade Li Ru Shuang, but at this moment, the Chenyu Palace was extremely dangerous.
Baili Chen had to attend Baili Nan's pre-wedding banquet, no matter what. However, he stayed in Chenyu Palace from the start because the palace guards were deployed more frequently for the banquet. Although the princes and ministers entering the palace could bring their own guards, they could only bring a maximum of two, and they were not allowed to bring any weapons. Their families naturally brought two maids or one maid according to their rank. Baili Chen naturally brought Leng Sha alone.
At this moment, more than a dozen men dressed as eunuchs suddenly rushed into the Chenyu Palace. They all had cold expressions and were burly, unlike the eunuchs in the palace who always smiled at everyone. It was really strange.
"Who goes there!" Leng Sha exclaimed angrily upon hearing this, and immediately tried to rush out to stop the person.
With a "poof!" sound, one of them suddenly threw out a tear gas canister. Leng Sha didn't take it seriously at first, but the next moment, he suddenly convulsed and his face contorted in pain. The tear gas canister clearly contained poison, and he had been caught off guard and poisoned.
With a "plop!" sound, two eunuchs rushed in and stabbed Leng Sha in the heart. Blood gushed from Leng Sha's chest in an instant, and he collapsed to the ground with his eyes wide open.
The eunuchs didn't stop there; they rushed into the inner hall. At this moment, Baili Chen, as always, looked dazed and confused. If it were the shrewd and capable Baili Chen of the past, he would have already reacted. However, he only came to his senses when the eunuchs surrounded him. He was immediately shocked: "Who are you? How dare you trespass into my palace! You're courting death!" Baili Chen had grown a beard about half a finger's width on his chin, his face was somewhat haggard, and his eyes had lost their former brilliance. He looked like a defeated and dejected man.
One of the eunuch-looking men sneered, "Who are you? The one who's sending you to your death!"
"How dare you!" Baili Chen only managed to utter those two words before he was surrounded and attacked by the guards. Leng Sha was extremely anxious and dragged himself a few steps to try to help, but he collapsed to the ground with a thud after only a few steps and never woke up again.
"Pfft!" Baili Chen was outnumbered and quickly suffered three cuts on his body. Moreover, each of these people's moves was deadly. Baili Chen had not practiced martial arts for the past ten months and was already somewhat rusty. At this moment, he was being beaten back step by step.
"Who, who, who sent you to see me? Was it the Empress Dowager? Was it the Empress Dowager?!"
"Pfft!" The next moment, a long sword pierced straight through Baili Chen's chest. "Ugh, pfft!" Baili Chen vomited a mouthful of blood and staggered backward, falling to the ground with a "bang". However, these people did not hold back at all. Several more long swords pierced through Baili Chen's body, and one sword even went straight through Baili Chen's neck.
Then the two or so eunuch-like men pulled off Baili Chen's clothes, found nothing wrong, and touched his face. Apart from the prickly beard, he didn't seem to be disguised. It was clearly Baili Chen, who was now dead.
Seeing this, the eunuchs took something out of their pockets, threw it into an unknown corner of Chenyu Palace, and quickly retreated.
Not long after, a palace maid came to summon Baili Chen, only to find two bloodied figures lying on the ground, already dead. She was shocked and enraged. Emperor Mingxian was furious that his son had died right under his nose in the palace; this was a direct challenge to his imperial authority. However, during the search, a token from the Ministry of War was found in Chenyu Hall. Each of the six ministries had one, and only the Minister of War possessed it. Now, this token of the Minister of War's transfer authority had appeared in Chenyu Hall. Li Gang, Cheng Shi, and Li Rushuang were all terrified, but no one listened to their pleas.
During the banquet, Li Gang did indeed go out for a while, and his Minister's token was found here. Clearly, Li Gang is the prime suspect in the murder of Baili Chen!
Emperor Mingxian was furious and ordered that Li Gang and his family of three be imprisoned in the death row for his personal interrogation. He then sent men to lock the guards and maids that Li Gang and his family had brought in another room for the purpose of the interrogation.
At the same time, General Shi, the commander of the capital, suddenly fell ill with a strange ailment. He experienced alternating chills and fever, initially thought to be just a cold. However, it turned out to be smallpox, a truly alarming discovery. Emperor Mingxian immediately ordered his isolation and sent capable officials to care for him. Even if General Shi survived, his health would require considerable time to recover. Emperor Mingxian then ordered another official to take over. But the matter didn't end there. An Huaiyuan suddenly contracted a severe cold, with a risk of internal organ damage. Naturally, he needed to return home to recuperate. Emperor Mingxian again urgently appointed someone to fill in, and these appointments all seemed sudden and coincidental. Emperor Mingxian sent a large number of people to investigate, but the results proved it was purely coincidental. Despite his suspicions, Emperor Mingxian recalled all his remaining personnel.
On the day Baili Nan was to be married half a month later, the capital was bustling with activity. Many people stopped to watch. It had been a long time since the capital had seen such a lively scene. Moreover, Prince De was not only Emperor Mingxian's own brother, but his rank as a prince was also slightly higher than Baili Chen's in terms of seniority. The wedding of his only daughter was truly extraordinary. The dowry carriage stretched for ten miles, and the procession was filled with about three or four boxes of copper coins. Such a spectacle had only been seen once before, when Prince Chen married his princess. Many people probably sighed over this, as Princess Chen had been dead for almost a year.
A long procession of wedding musicians played music and sang. Everyone in the procession and the onlookers wore excited smiles. Too many things had happened in the capital recently, and none of them were good, causing widespread anxiety. Only Baili Nan's wedding provided some excitement for them. The entire street was surrounded by people.
However, a shocking change occurred at that moment!
Just as Baili Nan's team appeared, dozens of people suddenly surged out from the crowd. Most of them were disguised as vendors and onlookers. They took swords and knives from the stalls and baskets and attacked the team fiercely.
"Ah! Help! Murder!" The matchmaker in the wedding party screamed in pain, her face pale with fright. The people were killing indiscriminately. She had only just shouted when she was slashed off with a knife, her head and body separated. Blood splattered everywhere, causing screams and chaos to erupt at the scene.
In the chaos, Baili Nan was rescued by his bodyguards and escaped unharmed. However, the impact of this incident was enormous. The Prince of De sent people to investigate, and the investigation eventually led to the Da Gan Kingdom. It turned out that the Da Gan Kingdom was dissatisfied with only receiving one city and ten million taels of silver and deliberately caused trouble.
Emperor Mingxian, however, seized upon this weakness and wanted to use it to demand an explanation from Da Gan. For several days, the court officials discussed how to demand an explanation and to what extent. In the end, some people even vehemently defended the Great Zhou and directly arrested the people at Da Gan's post station to force Da Gan to comply. The situation quickly spiraled out of control, leaving Emperor Mingxian in a very difficult position.
However, just outside the capital, a group of beggars of unknown origin flooded into the city, along with several merchant caravans and some commoners. The number of people entering and leaving the city gates had suddenly surged in the past two days. This situation was not absolute and had happened before, so it did not attract anyone's attention. But on that very day, the beggars among them actually rushed to the front of the palace, crying out for justice and begging for food from Emperor Mingxian. These beggars were all refugees fleeing famine, so you couldn't hit them or scold them. If you simply drove them away, it would chill the hearts of the people. But dealing with so many people at once would require a lot of money, which was indeed a very difficult problem.
After a two-day stalemate, several ministers suggested sending the beggars away first, as they couldn't be allowed to block the way indefinitely. However, as is often the case with bad luck, a conflict broke out between the officials and the beggars during the escort, resulting in the deaths of two people. This sparked a rebellion, and even the intervention of the Prefect of the Capital Prefecture was ineffective. Rumors even circulated that Emperor Mingxian sent the beggars away to silence them, which severely damaged his reputation among the people. Some people, intentionally or unintentionally incited by the public, gathered in front of the palace to denounce Emperor Mingxian.
Misfortunes never come singly!
But the real upheaval happened that very night. Suddenly, many armed men rushed out from every household in the capital, killing anyone they saw patrolling the streets. The capital was awash in blood. By the time Emperor Mingxian and the others discovered this, the palace was already filled with rebels, and the leader of these rebels was none other than the Ninth Prince, Baili Mao.
Emperor Mingxian roared, "You dare to force me to abdicate and murder my father! Where did you get the guts to do that?!"
Baili Mao laughed arrogantly: "Father, you have been sitting on this throne for too many years. It is time to abdicate and pass the throne to a worthy successor. Rest assured, after I ascend the throne, I will continue to treat you well. As long as you behave, I will naturally spare your life."
"Bullshit!" Emperor Mingxian cursed angrily.
Baili Mao laughed loudly: "Father, do you know how long I have been waiting for this day? The throne of the Great Zhou is going to be mine. Since I dare to force you to abdicate today, there is no room for negotiation. If you do not agree, you will only die. At that time, I will definitely produce an earth-shattering imperial edict."
Emperor Mingxian's expression changed drastically: "What are you going to do? What else do you want to do!"
Baili Mao sneered: "If Father Emperor is sensible and obediently abdicates and issues an edict, then naturally there will be no problem. Otherwise, I will eliminate all possible problems."
"You want to kill all my princes!" Emperor Mingxian said grimly.
"Exactly!"
"Oh, Ninth Prince, you really have lofty ambitions. I admire you!" Suddenly, a voice rang out. Baili Mao's smug face changed when he saw the person.
"You, Baili Chen, how come you're not dead!" Baili Mao exclaimed in shock.
Baili Chen sneered: "Dead? Of course he's dead, but that one was just a substitute."
"You, no, this is impossible! I have clearly sent people to check, you are dead!" Baili Mao roared, "Men, kill them all!"
"Yes!" Upon receiving the order, the hundred or so men brought by Baili Mao rushed in, and more than ten of them were about to kill Baili Chen and Emperor Mingxian.
At the same time, the city gates, dark with night, were suddenly smashed open. A troop of imposing, iron-blooded cavalry charged into the city. Anyone who tried to stop them was cut down without a word. The rhythmic hoofbeats echoed through the streets of the capital like thunderclaps. All the citizens of the capital stayed in their homes, huddled in their blankets, trembling with fear. They had clearly heard the sounds of fierce fighting outside. They didn't know what the capital would become after this night.