"Fine. I knew you'd never be that obedient. So you've been up to so many things behind my back. Guards, prepare the carriage! I'm returning to the capital."
Meanwhile, far away in the capital, Concubine Rui already knew that the matter might not be able to be concealed for long, so she decided to strike first.
"Alright, we'll act tomorrow. I've heard that there's a youngest prince in the harem."
Qiao Meng frowned. "Your Ladyship, if you use that prince, it might not convince the officials in the court."
"Heh, do you think I dare to use the others? The youngest one is surely the easiest to control. I'll raise him by my side. Then everything will go as I wish."
"But we still haven't found the Zhao family members."
"They're just insignificant ants. Keep looking slowly. By the way, don't forget my previous arrangements. Be vigilant. Absolutely no one must be allowed to sneak in, and enough guards should be arranged."
"Yes."
Just like this, a battle for the throne was on the verge of breaking out.
The next day, the officials who were suddenly summoned to the court were completely bewildered, not knowing what was going on.
"Prime Minister, I remember the King just went to the border. Why is he back so soon?"
"Who knows? Maybe something happened to the King at the border."
As he said this, there was an obscure look in his eyes.
The several officials beside him felt uncomfortable. They had always supported the legitimate king of the royal family, hoping for peace and no mishaps.
With anxious hearts, the officials finally waited in the main hall.
But when they saw who was sitting on the throne, their expressions changed instantly.
"Good heavens! The young prince is only two years old. How dare he sit on this throne? Isn't there anyone to discipline the harem?"
"Yes. The young prince's act is simply overstepping his bounds. The King is still alive. This is high treason."
"Guards! Quickly carry the young prince down. What's this all about? The prince is still so young. Maybe there's someone behind all this pulling the strings."
Everyone fell into speculation. They kept looking around with their eyes, trying to detect something amiss, but they were disappointed in the end. The person with ulterior motives swaggered in from the front of the hall.
"Oh? I wonder what your dissatisfaction is with the young prince?"
The officials turned around and saw a beautiful figure standing against the light. Their dissatisfaction was about to burst out.
"Why is Concubine Rui here? Could the matter of the young prince be related to you?"
Concubine Rui openly admitted it, which completely shocked everyone.
"It was I who had the young prince placed here. What's wrong with that? Xi'er, come to Mother quickly."
The officials watched as the young prince ran down from the high throne and threw himself into her arms. Their faces looked as if they had swallowed a fly.
Even the usually proper Minister of Rites couldn't stand it anymore.
"Your Ladyship has gone too far. You should know where this is. The young prince is still so young. Don't let him be led astray by those with ill intentions."
"Giggle. Aren't you just insinuating about me? I'll admit this crime today. Yes, I'm going to make Xi'er the king."
"Presumptuous! Your Ladyship may act wantonly in the harem, but do you think this is a garden?"
"I've always thought that Your Ladyship is not that simple. Otherwise, you wouldn't have submitted to the monarch of an enemy country. Now it seems that our king underestimated you. He actually believed you, this vicious and immoral woman."
After saying that, the official angrily wanted to leave with a flick of his sleeve. But just as he reached the door of the hall, he was immediately blocked by the guards who suddenly appeared.
"Your Ladyship hasn't finished speaking yet, my lord. Why not listen to the end before going back?"
The Minister of Rites didn't expect that this harem concubine had become so arrogant. He was so angry that his beard was trembling.
"Good! The king is still at the border and hasn't returned yet, but you have the audacity to do this."
"How do you know that the king will return, Lord Zhang?" Concubine Rui stroked the young prince's head and suddenly said this out of the blue, which made all the officials present feel a chill down their spines.
Lord Zhang's face turned pale and red alternately. He seemed to have thought of something, and his fingers trembled. "Did you do something to the king? You're simply an ungrateful wretch. Have you forgotten who saved you from the sea of bitterness when everyone in the Great Liang was after you?"
"So what?"
Concubine Rui didn't even bother to lift her eyes. She slightly hooked the corner of her mouth, as if she wasn't the main character at all.
"He saved me, and he got my body in return. We just took what we needed from each other. Hasn't Lord Zhang, who is over fifty years old, seen through this yet? Don't you forget that since the king let me move into the Kunning Palace, there has been joy and laughter every day."
After she calmly said this, she took Xi'er's hand and walked up. She plopped down on the high throne.
The surrounding officials didn't know how she could say such things without changing her expression. Even they, a group of men, felt their faces flush when they heard this.
"Shameless! You're so shameless! You're not even worthy to live in the Kunning Palace."
"But I still moved in. Alright, tell me. Today, Xi'er is going to sit on this throne. Will you allow it?"
On the surface, it seemed that she was discussing with the people below, but in fact, the guards pouring in from outside didn't give these officials any room for negotiation.
Looking at the long swords in the guards' hands, Lord Zhang took the lead in showing what it meant to never submit.
"A woman like you will never be able to control the Western Regions. Even if we old fellows die, we won't give you this chance."
"Really? Lord Zhang should think carefully. The only reason I've let you rant here for so long is that you're still a bit useful to me. If you're so eager to oppose me, I won't show any mercy."
She gave Qiao Meng a look. Then, Qiao Meng suddenly stepped forward with a memorial.
She slowly opened her mouth and read out the contents of the memorial. After she finished, the way everyone looked at Lord Zhang had completely changed. Lord Zhang's face turned ashen. He thought he had hidden everything well and no one would find out.
"How did you find out so much? I clearly had people erase all the traces."
"There are no impenetrable walls under the sky. Has Lord Zhang made up his mind? Are you still going to oppose me?"
Because his secret had now been completely exposed to the world, Lord Zhang fell silent for a moment. He didn't know how to choose.
"Concubine Rui has said everything. Do I still have a choice now?"
"Of course you do. Didn't you hear that I haven't finished speaking?"