Li Cheng drained the remaining half cup of wine in his hand in one gulp, intending to go find Song Zhi.

But his bottom had barely left the seat when he heard a eunuch call out loudly.

“The Great Prince arrives.”

Upon hearing this, everyone rose to their feet.

“We pay our respects to the Great Prince.”

Prince Huyi’s health was poor. During this period he had been bedridden with illness, but today, he wore dragon robes, appeared spirited and vigorous, his steps steady. Without needing eunuchs to support him, he walked alone to the seat of honor.

He showed absolutely no signs of illness!

This wasn’t strange either. If the ruler of a nation displayed illness before the masses, it would certainly cause unnecessary trouble.

For tonight’s year sacrifice, Prince Huyi could only force himself to endure.

No matter what, he had to get through it!

His dragon countenance beamed with delight: “Today is the year sacrifice and also New Year’s Eve. Everyone need not stand on ceremony.”

“We thank the Great Prince.”

Everyone sat down again.

Prince Huyi’s gaze swept around the room, extremely satisfied, saying: “This year’s sacrifice should originally have been handled by the Ministry of Rites as in previous years, but this year I entrusted it to Nayan. Looking at things now, clearly he put in the effort.”

Nayan, receiving this praise, quickly rose and cupped his hands: “This is what your son should do.”

“You have been thoughtful.”

“The year sacrifice comes once a year. Your son lacks experience and feared oversights, so spent extra time and thought.”

“After the year sacrifice, you will certainly be heavily rewarded.”

“Thank you, Royal Father.”

Nayan thought to himself: Could the reward be the position of heir apparent?

The ministers present felt uneasy in their hearts, all guessing at the meaning behind Prince Huyi’s words. Could he intend to establish the Second Prince as Crown Prince?

Even more coincidentally, the Third Prince, who normally competed fiercely with the Second Prince, was absent today due to illness.

All these signs seemed to indicate everything.

It appeared the situation was decided!

For Nayan’s faction, this was undoubtedly the best news.

At this moment, it was the end of the You hour.

A eunuch stretched his neck and called out loudly: “The sacrifice begins.”

Before offering incense at the year sacrifice, the witch gods needed to perform their dance.

This was Huyi’s tradition!

In Huyi, witch gods were symbols of divine spirits.

The year sacrifice was to worship Heaven, worship Earth, and worship the ancestors of the Huyi royal family.

The witch gods’ dance symbolized driving away evil spirits and bringing good fortune!

This time there were twenty-one witch gods in total.

Each wore masks and dressed in brilliant yet eerie clothing.

They danced barefoot.

Bells hung from their bodies, jingling as they moved.

The sacrificial music also began to play.

Everyone drank wine while watching.

Snow suddenly began to fall from the sky.

Snowflakes drifted down, descending through the light.

Fortunately, where everyone sat was under the corridor, sheltered from wind and snow.

Those witch gods danced on the circular platform, accompanied by snowflakes.

Creating a uniquely atmospheric scene.

Song Zhi sat in his seat. He didn’t drink wine or eat anything, just sat there watching.

When a palace maid passed by him, she accidentally spilled the wine in her hands onto him.

“Please forgive this servant, my lord. This slave didn’t do it on purpose.” The palace maid trembled with fear.

All around was the sound of music, and since Song Zhi’s location was inconspicuous, this small commotion was minimal.

It didn’t attract anyone’s attention.

Song Zhi smiled gently: “It’s alright, it’s just a little.”

“It was this slave’s mistake.”

“You need not blame yourself. I won’t fault you either.”

A supervising eunuch happened to see this.

He came over and asked a few questions. Upon learning what happened, he scolded the palace maid a few times.

Song Zhi spoke good words on her behalf, which kept the palace maid from being punished.

Unfortunately, nature called!

Song Zhi frowned and embarrassedly asked where the privy was.

The eunuch personally led him there.

When he came out after taking care of business, the eunuch was already nowhere to be seen.

Perhaps he had gone off to attend to other matters!

This was Song Zhi’s first time in the palace—he couldn’t tell east from west at all.

Moreover, the buildings in the royal palace were basically all the same.

He could only try to find his way back by following the sound of music coming from the sacrificial platform area.

He passed through a corridor and was about to turn a corner.

When he heard two guards conversing.

“Is everything arranged?”

“Yes, people have been stationed at every location. We just wait for the incense offering during the sacrifice to act.”

“Remember, you must start a big fire. Both the east and west sides must be set ablaze. Then in the chaos, take the Great Prince away. The entire process must not have any mistakes.”

“Rest assured, the people to start the fires have been arranged. The guards around the Great Prince are now all our people. Even if he sprouted wings, he couldn’t fly away.”

“Be careful.”

“I know.”

Song Zhi inadvertently heard these words.

His pupils dilated.

Extremely shocked!

Start fires?

Abduct the Great Prince?

His heartbeat involuntarily accelerated, every pore on his body suddenly tightening.

His heart felt as if it would leap from his mouth.

Just as he was about to retreat backward, his heel struck a pillar.

A “thud” sound.

“Who’s there?”

Hearing this, the guards immediately turned around.

Song Zhi panicked and ran.

The sound of pursuing footsteps behind him grew closer and closer…

His whole body broke out in cold sweat. As he passed through a narrow corridor, his arm was seized by a force that pulled him to the side, hiding him behind a door.

His mouth was also forcefully covered from behind.

“Mmph mmph…”

He struggled.

“Don’t move!” Li Cheng scolded softly in his ear.

Hearing Li Cheng’s voice, he immediately quieted down.

He stopped struggling.

Then he saw the two guards who had been chasing him pass by this place.

“Where is he?”

“Are you sure there really was someone?”

“I heard a sound.”

“Did you hear wrong?”

“Impossible. Search ahead. We absolutely cannot let anyone know.”

The two didn’t notice them hiding behind the door at all and continued pursuing forward.

After the guards left…

Only then did Li Cheng release Song Zhi.

Song Zhi turned around, his eyes tense. He immediately grabbed Li Cheng’s hand and said: “I… I heard…”

Li Cheng’s face was grave, his brows furrowed. He cut off his words, saying: “I heard it too.”

“Then… what do we do now? Should we… go tell the Great Prince? Or tell the Second Prince?” Song Zhi gasped continuously.

Extremely worried.

Li Cheng had only followed because he saw Song Zhi suddenly leave.

Who would have thought he would also hear the conversation of those two guards!

Extremely shocking!

So tonight’s year sacrifice was a Hongmen Banquet.

But—

Exactly who wanted to harm the Great Prince?

Song Zhi saw him pondering silently and gripped his hand harder: “Young Master Cheng, there’s no time. We must notify the Great Prince quickly.”

“Stop talking nonsense. I’ll go find my older brother first.”

Li Cheng pulled Song Zhi along swiftly.

After all, Li Qiao was responsible for the royal palace interior and the Great Prince’s safety.

So Li Cheng’s first thought was of his own older brother.

But by sheer coincidence, just as they emerged from that narrow corridor, they saw Li Qiao standing there with a stern expression, leading over ten guards.

As if…

He had been waiting for them.

Li Cheng rushed over: “Brother, this is bad! Tonight someone intends harm against the Great Prince.”

Li Qiao’s tone was calm: “Who told you this?”

“I heard it with my own ears. Someone wants to start fires at the sacrificial platform and take the Great Prince away in the chaos. Quickly lead troops to stop them.”

Li Qiao remained unmoved!

His expression cold and severe.

At this moment, Li Cheng sensed something was wrong.

He took a step backward.

“Brother?”

Li Qiao gave the order: “Seize them.”