Zhao Kuo gripped his saber and strode toward the corridor, about to charge into the great hall, but was blocked by several guards in front of the corridor who crossed their blades before him.

At this time, the doors of the great hall remained open. Zhao Kuo’s eyes stared grimly into the brightly lit hall where tall candles burned.

Han Daoming and Han Daochang stood below Marquis Xinchang Li Pu. Seeing Zhao Kuo trying to barge in, they shouted sternly: “Zhao Kuo, what do you think you’re doing?”

Zhao Kuo pushed his saber behind him and said: “If not for his lord obeying the edict to see Wen Muqiao, we wouldn’t have gotten through the Donghua Gate water gate so easily. I ask the First Master and Second Master to think thrice before acting.”

“What are you trying to say?” Han Daoming’s face darkened.

Zhao Kuo continued: “Wang Wenqian and Prince Xin can issue proclamations inviting all under heaven to jointly denounce and attack that demon woman of the Anning Palace for her crimes. Marquis Xinchang and the Princess Dowager can issue proclamations inviting all under heaven to denounce and attack that demon woman of the Anning Palace for her crimes. But First Master, Second Master—if you participate in this matter, the Young Master will definitely not forgive you!”

“Bastard! For such a major matter, is it your place as a mere servant to spout such nonsense?” Seeing Zhao Kuo dare to use Han Qian to threaten them, Han Daoming was so angry that veins bulged on his forehead. He instructed the Han clan household guards standing in the outer courtyard, shouting: “Quickly throw this impudent servant out! He’s truly disgracing our Han family!”

“No need to trouble yourselves!” Zhao Kuo’s eyes fixed on the several household guards beside Han Jun. Without displaying anger, he exerted such authority that these men dared not actually step forward to grab and drag him out.

“We have no choice either. Please understand, Lord Zhao.” The several household guards said apologetically, gesturing for him to leave on his own.

“Please forgive Zhao Kuo for being unable to serve at the Old Master’s side,” Zhao Kuo cupped his hands toward Han Wenhuan, then said to Zhao Wuji: “Zhao Wuji, lead the Xi clan youths and come with me!”

“Proclamations?” Han Laoshan’s thoughts were still dwelling on Zhao Kuo’s rebuke of those inside the hall. As if struck by lightning, he stood frozen in place.

Only now did he understand what was about to happen.

What Marquis Xinchang and the others intended to do was essentially this: regardless of whether His Majesty was forced to accept reality or had decided to pass the throne to the Crown Prince, they would, on behalf of the Third Prince, the Prince of Tan, issue proclamations throughout the realm, announcing to the world that the Anning Palace and Crown Prince had committed treason and rebellion by imprisoning and harming His Majesty, thereby severing the last possibility of mediation and compromise with the Anning Palace and Crown Prince!

This was also equivalent to cutting off Han Daoxun’s last thread of survival.

But where were Zhao Kuo and Zhao Wuji going at this moment?

Feng Liao’s eyes stared grimly at Zhao Kuo for a long while. Finally, he said to Jiang Huo: “Old Director-General Jiang, without that Jinyun ring in your possession, Wuji and the others won’t be able to contact the Shadow Sparrows if they infiltrate the city.”

Jiang Huo sighed softly, removed an iron ring from his hand and passed it to Zhao Wuji, then whispered several key names in his ear.

Han Jun and Han Duan now understood. Zhao Kuo and Zhao Wuji were going to take people and infiltrate Jinling City, seeking an opportunity to rescue their Third Uncle. They could throw Zhao Kuo and his group out, not allowing these two to run wild here, but they also couldn’t stop them from taking people to sneak into the city.

Moreover, although Zhao Kuo’s impudent words had angered them, they also stirred the fear deep in their hearts. They consoled themselves inwardly that if Zhao Kuo and Zhao Wuji could truly rescue their Third Uncle from the city, they would have an explanation to give Han Qian.

After Zhao Kuo and Zhao Wuji left with their men, Feng Liao could only escort Han Wenhuan to withdraw first.

Having reached this point, there was very little more he could do. After Zhao Kuo and Zhao Wuji departed, not many people would heed his directions. He could only watch as the most tragic scene slowly began to unfold.

Sometimes the situation seemed to offer a thread of hope worth fighting for, but in the blink of an eye, that hope was buried alive by a group of people.

Had Han Qian long since seen through these matters and these people, planning from the very beginning for the worst-case scenario?

It was just that Han Daoxun had never been willing to accept it, was he?

The calamity that befell the Feng family—Feng Liao had always harbored resentment in his heart, wishing nothing more than for the Yang father, sons, and brothers to kill each other. Yet at this moment, watching chaos about to descend, he felt not the slightest satisfaction in his heart.

Feng Liao glanced at the dark starry sky, not knowing how long it would take before this ink-black night would be lifted.

Han Jun and Han Duan hesitated, unsure whether they too should withdraw first. Just as they were about to leave, a guard emerged from the public hall and said: “Her Highness and the Marquis request the two young masters to enter the great hall for deliberations.”

Feng Liao looked back at Han Jun and Han Duan, merely smiling inwardly. He looked at Han Wenhuan and said in a low voice: “What use does Marquis Xinchang think it will be to drag the First Master and Second Master onto his war boat and have them stand together with them?”

“I’m old. Who would listen to the words of this piece of decaying wood?” Han Wenhuan muttered as if talking to himself in a low voice, walking outward tremblingly.

Feng Liao looked back at Han Daoming’s gaunt face inside the great hall, illuminated by candlelight in a particularly sinister manner. His eye twitched slightly, but ultimately he said nothing more.

…

…

Han Jun and Han Duan were retained by the Princess Dowager and Marquis Xinchang Li Pu for deliberations. This felt like a shot of adrenaline to their hearts, which had been tortured for most of the day and ached with pain. Their entire spirits were reinvigorated.

After all idle persons in the courtyard were cleared away, Marquis Xinchang Li Pu called toward the adjacent side room: “Director Yin, please come out.”

Only then did Han Jun see Yin Peng, Director of the Chuzhou Hostel, dressed in a cloth robe, lifting the curtain and entering the public hall. Feng Liao and Zhao Kuo had clearly said this man had already crossed the river to the northern bank with Wang Wenqian, yet unexpectedly he was at Qiuhu Mountain at this moment.

“Your Highness, Marquis Li, the intelligence that Yin Peng transmitted had no falsehood, did it?” Yin Peng bowed in salute and asked. “Your Highness and Marquis Li should make a decision now, shouldn’t you?”

Wang Wenqian and Yin Peng had only withdrawn the Chuzhou forces that were publicly known from the city in the afternoon to avoid persecution when Jinling fell into chaos. However, the secret agents who had been embedded over the years all remained in the city, watching several critical lines.

That the Anning Palace controlled Chongli Gate in the afternoon yet made no targeted deployments against the Left Wuwei Army controlled by Wen Muqiao and his son Wen Bo; that the people of Marquis Xinchang’s mansion escorted the Princess Dowager and Young Princess Consort out of the city; that Feng Liao accompanied Han Wenhuan to the Capital Prefecture offices to see Han Daoxun, but that Han Daoxun ultimately went with Inner Bureau Director Zhou Bin to see Wen Muqiao while Feng Liao and Zhao Kuo escorted Han Wenhuan to withdraw to Lanting Lane—all these matters were transmitted to Wang Wenqian at the first opportunity through secret channels.

When all this intelligence converged, it could only indicate one possibility: that Emperor Tianyou had already been controlled by the Anning Palace, and that Wen Muqiao, Han Daoxun, and others might, when forced into a corner, have chosen to compromise with the Anning Palace.

However, this was absolutely not a result Chuzhou could accept!

Although Wang Wenqian did not yet know at the time that Marquis Xinchang Li Pu had secretly returned to Jinling, the Princess Dowager and Princess Consort of Tan had both withdrawn to Qiuhu Mountain, and the Taowu Camp garrison military prefecture was mobilizing at an unimaginable speed.

Yin Peng and others felt there were two possibilities for this matter. One was that Han Daoxun required Qiuhu Mountain to prepare so as to secure better terms of compromise with the Anning Palace. The other was that Han Daoxun had disagreements with other important figures in the Third Prince’s faction.

However, Wang Wenqian had conducted deep research on Han Daoxun and other important figures in the Third Prince’s faction. Unless Shen Yang had secretly returned to Jinling and was coordinating with Han Daoxun in secret, only the second possibility remained.

Yin Peng urgently rushed to Qiuhu Mountain to represent Wang Wenqian in persuading the Third Prince’s forces in Jinling to join with Chuzhou in issuing proclamations throughout the realm to denounce and attack the Anning Palace for its crimes. Moreover, they must seize the initiative and issue the proclamations at the first opportunity for maximum effect.

Han Daoming, Han Daochang, and even Zheng Chang were all shrewd figures. Seeing Yin Peng, who represented Wang Wenqian and Chuzhou, appear at Qiuhu Mountain, they all understood what was happening.

Moreover, Zhao Kuo had already laid everything bare earlier.

Marquis Xinchang Li Pu looked at Han Daoming and Han Daochang and asked: “The Anning Palace has imprisoned His Majesty and controls the palace, seeking to usurp the Great Chu’s mandate. What do you two gentlemen decide?”

“Her Highness is present. In all matters, we follow Her Highness’s lead,” Han Daoming said in a deep voice.

Having no official position, Han Daochang simply sat to one side and said nothing.

“And Minister Zheng?” Marquis Xinchang Li Pu looked at Zheng Chang and asked his opinion.

Currently, among those beside the Third Prince from the Zheng clan, Left Dragon Sparrow Army Commander Zheng Hui wielded the most power. However, Zheng Hui was currently in Tanzhou. At this moment, only Zheng Chang could represent the Zheng clan.

With Han Daoming representing the Han family and Zheng Chang representing the Zheng clan, plus Marquis Xinchang’s mansion and the Princess Dowager jointly making the decision, it would no longer be Han Qian’s place to jump out and rebuke him for acting arbitrarily.

“Where is Minister Wang, Wang Wenqian himself?” Zheng Chang stared at Yin Peng and asked.

“My lord has already gone to Tangyi,” Yin Peng said.

“Without Minister Wang, Wang Wenqian himself present, it’s difficult to plan great matters!” Zheng Chang laughed casually, looked at Marquis Xinchang Li Pu and said: “Marquis Li, what do you think?”

Marquis Xinchang Li Pu immediately understood what Zheng Chang meant.

If they issued proclamations to denounce the rebellion this hastily, what if Prince Xin’s side had second thoughts and instead turned to reconcile with the Anning Palace?

In that case, wouldn’t they be roasted over a fire?

Leaving Yin Peng behind as a hostage was clearly insufficient.

But Wang Wenqian had already gone to Tangyi County on the northern riverbank. If they sent someone across the river now to invite Wang Wenqian over, in the pitch darkness, even if they could find Wang Wenqian at the first opportunity, going back and forth, it would take until at least noon tomorrow to bring Wang Wenqian over.

What if the Anning Palace forced Emperor Tianyou to issue the abdication edict tonight and immediately transmitted it to nearby prefectures and counties? Wouldn’t they lose the initiative?

Wen Muqiao and his son Wen Bo had very likely already sided with the Anning Palace, which would determine many court officials’ choices. These five or six hours from now until noon tomorrow were truly critical.

Marquis Xinchang Li Pu hesitated, unsure whether pressuring Yin Peng was appropriate, yet he also could not ignore Zheng Chang’s opinion.

“That cheap harlot of the Anning Palace has harbored grievances for many years. Once vented, she will not restrain herself again. The proclamations will certainly be widely distributed before dawn,” the Princess Dowager, Lady Wang, could no longer sit still at this moment. She urged Li Pu, Zheng Chang, and Han Daoming to make a quick decision.

“Your Highness, please be patient. Wang Wenqian is such a clever person. With the situation so critical, if he only dares to hide in Tangyi County north of the river, then we truly have no need to conspire with Chuzhou,” Zheng Chang bowed to the Princess Dowager and said.

“Is Minister Wang actually nearby?” Marquis Xinchang Li Pu stared at Yin Peng and asked.

Seeing he could not hide the truth from the shrewd Zheng Chang, and knowing the timing could not be delayed, Yin Peng said directly: “I’ll send someone immediately to notify my lord to come over…”