"The Emperor has been in better spirits these past few days..." Liao Zhengye grumbled discontentedly.
The Prince of Cheng, believing himself not the Emperor's biological son, was redoubling his efforts to seize the imperial power.
Unfortunately, Liao Zhengye's appearance was not only a boon but also a great threat to him.
Tapping the desk quietly, the Prince of Cheng didn't listen to a word Liao Zhengye said. A few days ago, someone from the Prince of Duan'an's mansion came and most of the Yu Family Army's forces were placed under his command.
Now, some of the Yu Family Army had begun to disperse and were gradually approaching the capital.
If the Emperor still refused to depose the Crown Prince, perhaps... more extreme measures should be taken.
His eyes grew more and more sinister. He couldn't wait any longer! If his true identity were revealed, the mansions of the Prince of Cheng and the Prince of Duan'an would surely be razed to the ground.
Liao Zhengye never imagined that after he had the Consort Cheng expose Zhongli Shuoyi's identity, it would stimulate him to attempt a palace coup.
Yu Duanya had a good appetite these days. None of the concubines had shown up in front of her. Maybe it was Zhongli Shuoyi's special arrangement.
But she hadn't seen him morning or night for days, and the sudden appearance of people from the Prince of Duan'an's mansion the day before had made her a bit flustered.
She placed her hands on her belly, where the little life was growing stronger. Yu Duanya yearned more and more for a peaceful and smooth life. But now that the Prince of Cheng's ambition was growing, it seemed like a vain hope.
Zhongli Shuoyi walked up to her and hugged her from behind, burying his face in her hair.
"Your Highness, would you like to have dinner?"
"No, I just came to see you."
Even though they had been married for a few months, Yu Duanya still wasn't used to being intimate with him. Perhaps they simply didn't love each other.
If only they could be like the Prince of Yu and Song Jinyu, how enviable that would be.
"Your Highness, I noticed there are more people from the Prince of Duan'an's mansion in the mansion. Does Father have any arrangements?"
As the only heir to the Prince of Duan'an's mansion, she had to inquire about this.
Unexpectedly, Zhongli Shuoyi didn't answer. He just hugged her and said, "Don't worry. I will surely keep you and our child safe."
Yu Duanya sensed something amiss in his tone and sighed inwardly. None of the Zhongli men were simple.
"I'm not afraid!"
As long as the Crown Prince wasn't deposed, Zhongli Shuoyi couldn't rest easy. Zhongli Chengze was known to be ruthless and had little tolerance for his brothers.
Although the Emperor was old, he was still in good spirits. He didn't need a capable Crown Prince, so he wouldn't easily depose him.
Zhongli Shuoyi saw through his father's true nature. The fratricide among the royal family was an inescapable fate.
Rather than waiting, it would be better to take the initiative. Maybe there would be a new chance of survival.
Early in the morning, Zhongli Mingye returned from the General's Mansion in a very good mood. The cute look on Song Jinyu's face when she opened the door and saw him was truly irresistible.
He didn't want to admit it, but he just liked to provoke her. Whether she was angry, annoyed, or shy, she was always cute and full of vitality.
"Your Highness..." Qingfeng's voice interrupted his train of thought. "The shadow guards noticed that there are suddenly a few thousand fewer soldiers in the Yu Family Army."
"Do you know where they've gone?"
Zhongli Mingye's face darkened. What was the Prince of Duan'an up to?
"Meanwhile, there are many unfamiliar faces around the capital, gradually approaching. And..."
Qingfeng thought for a moment and said, "There are many people in the mountains of Chenzhou, the closest place to the capital."
Something was wrong! Zhongli Mingye quickly walked into the study. He feared he was already a step too late. "Is it the Prince of Duan'an or the Prince of Cheng?"
His good brothers had lost their patience with the Emperor's game of cat and mouse.
Based on his understanding of the court situation, Zhongli Mingye guessed the Prince of Cheng's intention. Although he had gained the upper hand in several confrontations with the Crown Prince, the Emperor had no intention of deposing the Crown Prince. Instead, the Prince of Cheng's ambition had been exposed. Therefore...
He had to take the initiative.
"Deliver this letter to the Prince of Zhongzhou, and then summon Song Chuyu to see me!"
If Ming Ruyi wasn't a fool, this would be a good opportunity for him to show his loyalty to the Emperor.
Unfortunately, when Ming Ruyi received this news, things didn't go as Zhongli Mingye had expected.
He fanned himself and laughed. "The Emperor really thinks he can sit back and relax by playing the game of power balance?"
"Order someone to find an opportunity to send the defense map of the capital to Zhongli Shuoyi!"
A smile played on his lips. The once effeminate Ming Ruyi now looked full of hatred.
Because he was the youngest son of the previous Emperor and had received a lot of favor, the current Emperor regarded him as a thorn in his side. Now that the Emperor was old, he would watch his sons fight each other for power.
What goes around comes around... He sneered.
Song Chuyu returned to the General's Mansion with a very solemn expression. After visiting his wife and son in the Bamboo and Lily Courtyard, he went straight to the Tiger Ben General's Camp.
The Prince of Yu had ordered him to lead his troops to the capital by a shortcut. But... there was no justifiable reason to send troops. It might cause a stir in the court!
Song Qinzhou was waiting for him in the study. Father and son talked until late at night.
"I'm afraid... something is about to happen."
"The Prince wants you to take this opportunity to rise further!"
Song Chuyu tightly grasped the tiger tally, which represented another part of the Qingyuan Army. The Prince of Yu meant that this part of the army could be mobilized if necessary.
Was the Prince of Yu's only intention to defend the capital? Song Qinzhou couldn't see through him. But now that his daughter was about to become the Prince's concubine, he had no choice but to let Song Chuyu cooperate with Zhongli Mingye.
Zhongli Mingye couldn't return to the capital at the moment. He could only make arrangements step by step. Although the Qingyuan Army had been returned to the Emperor, he was still the de facto controller. Therefore, it was most appropriate to have Zuo Zhen of the Qingyuan Army inform the Emperor.
Ming Ruyi? He couldn't trust him. None of the Zhongli royal family was trustworthy.
If the capital was really captured. If the Prince of Cheng won, he might become a puppet of the Prince of Duan'an. Both Ming Ruyi and he would be in danger.
If the Crown Prince won, the other brothers would also have a hard time.
The Emperor was most fond of balancing power. This time, only if the Emperor won could they find a chance of survival.
After all this trouble, Zhongli Mingye was a bit exhausted.
The Emperor wasn't in much better shape. The Crown Prince couldn't wait any longer, and the Prince of Cheng was also secretly vying for power. Temporarily maintaining the balance had stabilized the court, but it had also planted countless hidden dangers.
"What is the Prince of Yu up to?"
The eunuch Li stepped forward and said, "The wedding of the Prince and Miss Song is approaching. Naturally, he is preparing for the wedding."
Stealing a glance at the Emperor's expression, Eunuch Li knelt down with a smile. "Your Majesty, this servant would like to congratulate you. Several princes have gotten married one after another. It won't be long before you have imperial grandchildren."
The Princess of the Prince of Cheng was already pregnant. Although the Princess of the Prince of Yong got married late, she was also pregnant. Only in the Crown Prince's mansion, the Crown Princess hadn't shown any signs yet.
If the Princess of the Prince of Yu also got pregnant after she entered the mansion, the Emperor would have several more grandchildren.
"Yes, I'm looking forward to the day when my descendants surround me."
The unusual activities in the capital finally reached his ears. He wanted to ignore them, but he couldn't. The power of the Prince of Duan'an's mansion was too great. He had long wanted to deal with it; and the chief eunuch of the Eastern Depot had been making small moves one after another. He just needed an excuse to get rid of him.
Now, they had joined forces, all for the sake of the Prince of Cheng.
Since they were being so blatant, the Emperor also wanted to add fuel to the fire and burn all the demons and ghosts in the court to the ground!