After the imperial physician left, Na Tuo’s face was gloomy.

His mind was restless.

Marquis Pingyang also seemed to sense something and inquired of Na Tuo: “Your Highness, is there something else?”

Na Tuo sighed: “I truly cannot hide anything from the Marquis.”

“What exactly is wrong?”

“This Prince… doesn’t know either.”

“Don’t know?”

Na Tuo sat up straight, looking at Marquis Pingyang very seriously, and asked: “Marquis, do you believe ghosts exist in this world?”

Uh!

Marquis Pingyang’s face was full of astonishment.

Extremely shocked.

“Ghosts? Why does Your Highness say such a thing?”

Na Tuo’s two brows were tightly furrowed as he said: “Last night… I…”

Before he finished speaking, he leaned back listlessly like a deflated ball.

Clenching his fist, he pounded it once on the desk.

Not knowing how to speak.

His expression extremely grave.

From his expression, Marquis Pingyang seemed to guess.

He lowered his voice and said: “Does Your Highness mean to say… you saw Shilin last night?”

Uh!

Hit the nail on the head.

Na Tuo’s face turned ashen.

That feeling of panic surged toward his chest again. His fists clenched tighter, his voice trembling slightly: “I truly did see him. He was standing in my room, saying over and over that I lied to him, wanting me to go down and be buried with him. His head was also gone—only his body remained, covered in blood from head to toe! I don’t know… whether my decision back then was right or wrong?”

“Your Highness…” Na Tuo’s eyes grew moist, his face bearing guilt and regret as he said: “Shilin and I grew up together since childhood. I always regarded him as a brother, willing to give up the throne to protect him. But… to protect myself, I personally requested to oversee his execution. I was the one who caused his death—I killed him with my own hands. Do you know that during this time, I often think of him, remembering the days of drinking and playing chess together with him? As soon as I close my eyes, all those past events continuously flash through my mind. I even often forget he’s already dead, thinking he’s still here! If I could, I…” would absolutely not do this.

Before the last sentence was finished—Marquis Pingyang quickly interrupted: “There’s no turning back once the arrow leaves the bow! Since Your Highness had already made the decision then, there’s no point in regret. Moreover, if Your Highness hadn’t done this and had tried to protect Gongshilin instead, that would have been inviting disaster. Therefore, sacrificing the chariot to protect the general was the best strategy.”

Quickly suppressing that compassionate heart of Na Tuo!

Na Tuo took a long, deep breath.

He was also pulled back to reality.

Gongshilin was already dead.

There was no regret medicine to take in this world either.

Marquis Pingyang continued: “Your Highness is just too exhausted, which is why you’re having wild thoughts. At this time, you absolutely cannot lose your composure over unrelated matters. Your Highness, you must understand!”

“This Prince naturally understands.”

“Then don’t think about it anymore.”

“But…” Na Tuo leaned forward again, his heart full of fear as he said, “But last night, besides seeing Shilin, I also saw moths, and that basin of water… no, blood! The basin was full of blood, but in the blink of an eye, there was nothing.”

“It must be that Your Highness’s eyes were playing tricks.”

“Impossible! That’s impossible!”

He didn’t believe it!

He wasn’t crazy or foolish.

Nor had he lost his wits.

How could he have seen wrong?

Marquis Pingyang wasn’t shocked at all by these strange phenomena he described and comforted him: “Didn’t the imperial physician just say that Your Highness is like this because you’re too exhausted? There’s no need to worry.”

“No, I truly…”

“There are only a few days until the annual sacrifice. If Your Highness becomes superstitious and paranoid at this time, then all our arrangements will have been in vain. Success is only one step away.”

Na Tuo calmed down.

That’s right!

There were only a few days left until the annual sacrifice.

As long as everything went smoothly, he could ascend to the throne.

Become the new Great King.

Above all others.

The desire for power gradually pulled him back to reality.

His emotions also calmed.

He said: “That’s right, I cannot lose my composure. I’m just too tired. There are no moths, no blood, and no… Shilin. He’s already dead, dead!”

Desperately hypnotizing himself.

Marquis Pingyang was also much relieved: “Your Highness, rest well these next few days. Leave everything to me. When the day of the annual sacrifice comes, that will be the day of your enthronement.”

Na Tuo nodded and asked again: “So how are things progressing now?”

“Everything has been arranged properly. The two thousand troops outside the city are just waiting to enter the city the night before the annual sacrifice, and the guards by the Great King’s side have all been replaced with our people.”

“That’s good.”

“Now everything is ready—all that’s missing is the east wind!”

Na Tuo exhaled, considering for a moment: “Regardless, it’s better to be cautious.”

After Marquis Pingyang left, Na Tuo ordered someone to bring several bottles of wine.

He began continuously pouring it into his mouth.

Probably only by getting drunk could he feel somewhat better!

And over the next few days, his mental state grew worse each day.

At night he would always see all sorts of strange things.

To prevent word from spreading and having everyone think he’d gone mad, he sealed the mouths of everyone in the residence.

By now, he hadn’t closed his eyes for several nights.

The annual sacrifice held once a year required the princes to attend, and since this year’s sacrifice was related to his enthronement, he had to hold on.

Hold on until that day!

Five days before the annual sacrifice.

New Year’s Eve was approaching—firecrackers sounded throughout the city.

Full of festivity.

New Year’s Eve was naturally a day for families to reunite.

It was so outside the palace, and the same inside the palace.

The most excited were naturally those palace maids and eunuchs.

Every New Year, they could receive rewards from the various palace masters.

One reward was worth several months of their wages!

“I wonder how much reward silver we’ll receive this year.”

“Quite a bit for sure.”

“Last year the master of De’an Palace rewarded me with a jade hairpin—it was very valuable.”

“Don’t just think about reward silver. This year’s New Year’s Eve is the annual sacrifice—we must also be alert and absolutely cannot make any mistakes.”

“Every year New Year’s Eve is the annual sacrifice, and nothing has ever gone wrong. What could happen this year?”

“Better to be cautious.”

Several palace maids carried things, walking while whispering to each other.

Heading toward the sacrificial platform.

At this moment, Na Yan was at the sacrificial platform.

These past days, he had been running back and forth between inside and outside the palace.

Busy with all matters related to the annual sacrifice.

The sacrificial platform had already begun intensive preparations.

Na Yan inspected and checked, afraid something might be wrong somewhere.

Fortunately the Ministry of Rites was cooperating very well.

Everything was properly arranged.

He stood at the highest point of the sacrificial platform, his gaze sweeping all around, looking down on everything.

That feeling was truly wonderful!

A young eunuch came up from below and waited at his side: “Your Highness.”

He made an “mm” sound and turned his head to ask: “Has everything been arranged?”

“Your Highness can rest assured—everything has been arranged properly. All the places that needed to be taken care of have been taken care of.”

“Mm, keep a close watch. Absolutely don’t let anything go wrong.”

“Yes, this servant will definitely watch carefully.”

Na Yan took a long breath.

His eyes gazed into the distance!