Chonghua Palace.

Study.

Brightly lit.

Several military generals sat upright in grand master chairs, expressions one more serious than the next. They were all people who’d risked life and death on battlefields following Prince Han.

The saying goes: prosper together, fall together.

If Prince Han gained power, they’d naturally rise with the tide;

If Prince Han lost power, they’d never have a chance to get ahead.

This was a gamble staking their lives and fortunes.

Win the bet, become superior people;

Lose the bet, become ghosts underground.

To become superior people, they chose to take the risk.

Zhao Yanjin pointed at the defensive layout of the four-nine city on the table. “What thoughts do you all have?”

“I do!”

Dong Chengfeng stood, walked before Prince Han, his expression solemn:

“In the four-nine city, the outer city has nine gates, the palace city four gates. Inside the city are the Son of Heaven’s personal guards, the Five Armies Commander-in-Chief Office with thirty-three guards total; the Palace Guards with twenty-six guards—among these sixty-one guards, Your Highness can mobilize at most five guards.

Outside the city is the Capital Camp—the Five Armies Camp, Three Thousand Camp, and Divine Engine Camp. Among these three camps, Your Highness can use only half of the Three Thousand Camp.

Using five guards and half a camp to stage an uprising—this is undoubtedly throwing eggs at rocks.”

How could Zhao Yanjin not know it was throwing eggs at rocks? But matters had reached this point—shouldn’t he at least try?

“What does Boren suggest?”

“In my view, we should use clever force.”

“What clever method?”

Dong Xiao curved his lips, saying coldly, “If Your Highness stages an uprising directly against His Majesty, that’s subordinate attacking superior, great treason. Even if successful, you cannot win popular support.”

Zhao Yanjin’s eyes changed. “You mean…”

“We only need to remove the obstacles in the road one by one. The path to ascension will follow naturally.”

Dong Xiao pointed at Duanmu Palace’s location on the map, tapping lightly several times.

“Your Highness, the Imperial Grand Grandson’s wedding is an excellent opportunity.”

Not only did Zhao Yanjin’s eyes brighten hearing this, even those military generals showed considerable emotion.

Excellent strategy!

Kill the Crown Prince and Imperial Grand Grandson, and this Hua nation’s empire would naturally fall into Your Highness’s hands.

The Imperial Grand Grandson’s wedding—universal celebration. Duanmu Palace would be at its least defended. Too many methods existed to take lives.

Zhao Yanjin looked at Dong Xiao, feeling quite gratified.

Pooling all of Prince Han’s manor’s shadow guards and military forces to kill these two would be much, much easier than facing the Emperor.

“How shall we proceed?”

“Your Highness.”

Dong Xiao frowned. “Boren believes for absolute certainty, we must set at least three killing traps.”

Zhao Yanjin nodded approvingly, then frowned. “To set three killing traps, manpower may be insufficient. Between the Crown Prince and Grand Grandson, which is primary, which secondary?”

Dong Xiao: “Grand Grandson primary, Crown Prince secondary.”

One general didn’t understand and asked aloud, “Advisor, why is this?”

“First, the Crown Prince has personal guards; the Grand Grandson doesn’t.”

Dong Xiao’s lips slowly curved into a cold smile. “Second, a Crown Prince without the Grand Grandson is just useless. What does Your Highness think?”

What Zhao Yanjin had always feared wasn’t the Crown Prince. With the Crown Prince’s cowardly demeanor, even if he claimed that position, he’d be pulled down.

He took a deep breath, saying through gritted teeth, “This prince will turn that beast’s joyous occasion into a funeral!”

…

At the horizon’s edge, a faint glimmer of light emerged.

The candles had burned to their ends.

Not one person in the room moved. Even the most restless Li Buyan hung her head, eyes wooden.

Not that she didn’t understand—the change was too fast.

Originally thinking that finding Dong Xiao meant hope for the heart demon. But after seeing off Pei Yu and returning, not only was Prince Han rebelling, the old Emperor was dying too.

In the deathly silence.

Yan Sanhe stood. “I’m going to walk in the back garden to think about things. None of you follow.”

Without Third Master needing to signal, everyone just watched her leave.

Yan Sanhe had a habit—when thinking, she liked to pace slowly and disliked being disturbed.

In the early morning back garden, a thin layer of frost covered the ground.

Yan Sanhe walked on the frost. With each step, a clear footprint remained on the ground.

Every person’s traveled path, looking back, actually had traces to follow.

If I were Dong Xiao, if I wanted to repeat history, would I really have Prince Han stage a military uprising and kill the Emperor?

Were there no other methods?

There were!

Yan Sanhe’s steps halted. She immediately turned and walked back.

No one expected her to return so quickly. All showed surprised expressions.

Yan Sanhe walked before Xie Zhifei. “If Prince Han stages a military uprising, what are his chances of success?”

Xie Zhifei instinctively shook his head. “I think at most ten or twenty percent.”

“Are you certain?”

I can’t be certain, but one person can.

“Yan Sanhe, let me go out first. Before noon, I’ll definitely return with an answer.”

Just as Yan Sanhe was about to ask a question, Young Master Pei had already asked for him, “Where are you going?”

“Don’t ask.” Xie Zhifei didn’t look back.

Zhu Qing and Ding Yi exchanged glances. Both quickly followed.

After that tall shadow disappeared around the wall corner, Yan Sanhe stood:

“Zhu Yuanmo, you have all imperial family members’ birth characters. Important dignitaries are only a few people. Can you use their birth characters to see who faces difficulty this year?”

Zhu Yuanmo shook his head. “The Son of Heaven cannot be divined, nor can he be read. For others, I can rank them using birth characters.”

Yan Sanhe: “Among others, are there the Crown Prince and Imperial Grand Grandson?”

Zhu Yuanmo: “The Crown Prince and Imperial Grand Grandson are also future Sons of Heaven. Miss Yan, they also cannot be divined.”

Yan Sanhe: “Is there any other method to divine their fortune or misfortune?”

Zhu Yuanmo pondered for a long time. “Only one method.”

Yan Sanhe: “What?”

Zhu Yuanmo: “Approach through the Crown Princess.”

The Crown Princess and Crown Prince were husband and wife, and mother-son with the Grand Grandson.

Her fortune and misfortune could, to some degree, reflect the fortune and misfortune of those closest to her.

…

Bu Family Military Camp, tens of thousands of soldiers were drilling.

A small soldier hurried before Bu Liu. “General, Xie Third Master seeks you. He’s outside the camp, requesting you go over.”

Bu Liu tossed his whip into Zhang Kui’s hands and immediately ran.

Zhang Kui watched with furrowed brow.

What’s with the Boss?

Even when the Emperor summoned, he didn’t run. How is it that one Xie Third Master makes him run in such a hurry?

Before reaching the camp gate, Bu Liu saw Third Master’s figure in the distance and immediately glanced at the small soldier behind him.

“You go back first. No need to follow here.”

Simultaneously, Xie Zhifei also told Zhu Qing and Ding Yi behind him, “You two go stroll around. The General and I need to discuss something.”

“Yes!”

Moments later, Bu Liu walked directly before Xie Zhifei, grinning foolishly. “Young Master, why did you come?”

Xie Zhifei extended his hand to hook his shoulder, leaning his head close. “If Prince Han wanted to rebel, is there any possibility of success?”

Bu Liu was slightly stunned, then a mocking smile curved his lips.

“Young Master, never mind whether he has the courage—even if he did, it’s a dead end.”

“Why?”

“How many men does he have, how many blades?”

Bu Liu snorted coldly. “Not that this old fellow looks down on him, but even giving him a hundred thousand troops, he still couldn’t rebel against heaven. Much less where would he get a hundred thousand troops?”

Correct, exactly what Xie Zhifei thought.

Prince Han’s fief was in Jinling, his troops all in Jinling. The Capital Guards were the Son of Heaven’s personal troops, the Capital Camps guarded by various generals. If he truly rebelled, with what would he rebel?

But he needed to ask more clearly.

“If he had a hundred thousand troops, why couldn’t he succeed?”

“I don’t know about the Capital Guards inside the Imperial City, but in the Capital Camp, without the Son of Heaven’s tiger tally, no one dares mobilize troops. Even if some pledged to him, they’d be few.”

Bu Liu suddenly lowered his voice. “Outside the city, six hundred thousand are stationed. What are a mere hundred thousand?”

Xie Zhifei suppressed his surging emotions. “Recently, in the next three months, help me watch for any unusual activity in the Capital Camp.”

Hearing this was wrong, Bu Liu said, “Don’t tell me Prince Han really intends to…”

“Better safe than sorry.”

Xie Zhifei’s pupils suddenly darkened.

—