The sky gradually darkened, the north wind blowing. The muddy roads trampled at noon, as temperatures dropped, showed signs of freezing over again.

The streets were endlessly flowing with common people wearing padded jackets.

With the Laba Festival past and the New Year approaching, whether noble and wealthy or poor households, everyone’s hearts still held anticipation for the festival. The streets and alleys were filled with people purchasing New Year goods. Even with only half an hour remaining until the city gates closed, quite a few carts and horses were still hurrying to enter the city.

Small households buying New Year goods, even if unable to leave the city in time, staying overnight at an inn during the New Year season wasn’t considered extravagant. Some would even generously take out a few copper coins to reward beggars on the street.

Feng Liao accompanied Han Wenhuan sitting in the spacious, luxurious carriage. Lifting the curtain to look at the prosperous scene on the main street, there wasn’t half a sign of murderous fangs being bared. It was as if all the crises were merely their illusions.

Not far from leaving the main Han residence, several people emerged from a side street. Feng Liao saw from a distance it was Jiang Huo and quickly stopped the Han family retainers from blocking him, letting Jiang Huo enter the carriage to speak.

“Marquis Xinchang and the others left the city?” Feng Liao asked.

Jiang Huo adjusted to the dim light inside the carriage compartment. Seeing it was Old Master Han sitting in the carriage, he paid his respects before sighing to Feng Liao: “The Marquis was determined to leave the city, going directly to Taowu Market to take refuge. He only agreed to let generals’ families who couldn’t leave the city in time gather at Lanting Lane… Additionally, Chuzhou Hostel’s personnel have all left the city. They prepared two fast ships at Daji Village dock at dawn, continuously transporting important materials out of the city since before noon.”

Among everyone in Jinling, Feng Liao understood the inside story most clearly.

Back in Tanzhou, Feng Liao had worried Chuzhou would make an issue of Shen He’s death—regardless of whether Shen He died from poisoning, his status was too sensitive and crucial. Chuzhou would seize this rare opportunity to make a major issue of it.

This was perhaps Chuzhou’s only opportunity. Otherwise, whether the new emperor would be the Crown Prince or fall into the Third Prince’s hands, there would be no opportunity for Chuzhou.

At that time, Han Qian said he had a delaying tactic to stall Chuzhou for a while. He did indeed stabilize Chuzhou for over three months, gaining three more months for Prince of Tan’s mansion.

However, no matter how slow Chuzhou was, by this time they should have some reaction.

So guessing that Zhou Zhi’s street petition had Chuzhou forces working behind the scenes wasn’t difficult.

With Chuzhou’s openly stationed forces in Jinling City all withdrawn, this meant that regardless of anything—even if Anning Palace hadn’t been alerted yet and remained in the dark—Chuzhou would tear open this heaven-shattering hole!

“Master’s early morning palace entry very likely already alarmed Anning Palace. Has the Shadow Sparrow Group sent back any intelligence?” Feng Liao asked.

Jiang Huo had never known Feng Liao had infiltrated Jinling so early. Seeing Feng Liao even knew about the Shadow Sparrow Group specifically lurking in the shadows, bribing informants to watch the Niu mansion, Eastern Palace, Personnel Bureau and other vital movements, he presumed Han Qian had truly told Feng Liao everything about Jinyun Tower.

“The Shadow Sparrow Group has always lurked in the deepest places. But just now, when I saw I couldn’t persuade the Marquis and returned to Jinyun Tower, six Shadow Sparrow secret messages had been delivered.” Since the Third Prince and Han Qian had explicitly stated in their secret orders that all matters should be discussed with Feng Liao, Jiang Huo now directly showed all six secret messages to Feng Liao. “The commander at Chongli Gate has been replaced. It will be difficult for Zhong Yuli to leave the palace with a secret edict. The Privy Council and Military Virtue Commission are also under their control!”

The War Ministry was nominal. Authority over the appointment of military officials sixth rank and above as well as command of Imperial Guard forces was mainly concentrated in the Privy Council. Authority to mobilize Palace Guards rested with the Military Virtue Commission.

Anning Palace might not be able to completely control these two offices, but as long as they prevented command documents from being issued, no one could legally mobilize the Imperial Guards and Palace Guards within Jinling City.

With Anning Palace first freezing the mobilization of other large forces within the city and controlling palace city entry and exit, they grasped the initiative. Now, no one outside Chongwen Hall knew Emperor Tianyou’s true condition—how many would dare act rashly?

Feng Liao sighed quietly in his heart and continued reading the secret messages, then handed them to Han Wenhuan, asking: “Does Grand Master think there’s still possibility of salvaging the critical situation?”

Han Wenhuan sighed: “When the great edifice is about to fall, a single pillar cannot support it. Daoxun should understand this principle!”

“I’ll still trouble Elder Jiang to first take people to Lanting Lane. I’ll accompany Grand Master to the Capital Magistrate’s office,” Feng Liao said.

Jiang Huo hesitated as if to speak but ultimately said nothing. After leaving the carriage, he led his men toward Lanting Lane.

Jinyun Tower’s secret agents and informants lurking in the shadows wouldn’t be alarmed, but Prince of Tan’s mansion’s current mansion guards and Jinyun Tower’s openly stationed personnel in Jinling City also numbered just under two hundred elite forces—all under Jiang Huo’s control.

Furthermore, as families withdrew to Lanting Lane, Feng Liao worried Zhao Wuji couldn’t control the situation. Jiang Huo still needed to rush back to take charge.

Zhao Wuji hadn’t decisively followed his orders, resulting in being restrained by Zhao Kuo. Feng Liao had no way to blame Zhao Wuji—after all, Zhao Wuji was only just eighteen. To forcibly detain the family head using force—who could do so without any hesitation?

Only Zhao Kuo, who normally wasn’t particularly outstanding, had performed somewhat shockingly.

The Capital Magistrate’s office wasn’t inside the Imperial City but within Guangde Lane, converted from the southeast corner of the former Guangde Ward.

After Great Chu’s founding, no official residence was built after the Capital Magistrate’s office. Several successive Capital Magistrates had all commuted. Feng Liao, previously hidden in the shadows, hadn’t had opportunity to enter the Capital Magistrate’s office. Watching Han family retainers tie the carriage at the hitching post before the office entrance, he could almost smell the city’s bloody air condensing here.

Just as Feng Liao was about to help Han Wenhuan through the main gate, he heard the “clop-clop” of hoofbeats approaching from the distance. Turning, he saw Zhao Kuo leading two men, their faces iron-gray, riding over on horses.

Zhao Kuo glanced at Feng Liao. Seeing Feng Liao had freed himself at this time came as no surprise. He saluted Han Wenhuan: “Zhao Kuo pays respects to Grand Master.”

“Where did you just go?” Feng Liao’s eyes sharp as knives stared at Zhao Kuo’s face.

Zhao Kuo naturally didn’t need to acknowledge Feng Liao, but seeing inquiry in Han Wenhuan’s eyes, he said: “Master sent me to persuade Wang Wenqian to stay in Jinling. Wang Wenqian ultimately didn’t trust Master would support Prince Xin’s enthronement and has departed by ship!”

“The great Confucian scholars of old all spoke of valuing righteousness over profit. But in the court, those dignified figures who’ve schemed against each other for so many years—how many don’t value profit over righteousness?” Han Wenhuan sighed softly, gesturing for them to enter first before continuing.

……

……

With the sky approaching dusk without yet being dark, inside Chongwen Hall large candles already burned high, dispersing a slightly sweet, cloying scent. But for those long residing in Chongwen Hall, after growing accustomed, they could no longer sense it at all.

“When the great edifice is about to fall, that vile creature caught a whiff of wind and fled the city. Where is even half a thought for His Majesty’s safety? Yet Your Majesty still schemes in every way to pass the throne, to pass Great Chu’s mandate, to the bastard spawn born by that vile creature! Your Majesty, have you thought about who built this Great Chu empire with you through hard toil? Do you still remember when you had nothing, relying only on brute strength in the army, fighting desperately for your life merely earning the title of commander—who disregarded honor and humiliation, disregarded the world’s mocking eyes, cast aside the noble status of a prince’s daughter to condescend to marry you? Who worked tirelessly to manage your household affairs, settle the rear, even helped you defend cities, helped you console officers and soldiers, motivating them to serve you loyally? Who persuaded her own younger brother to relinquish regional power and serve you loyally, achieving your hegemon’s foundation? Who swore on a snowy night to love only me for this lifetime? Who swore to share the world with me, absolutely never taking other debauched wanton women as concubines? Your Majesty, you became Emperor and felt this Empress Dowager had aged and lost her looks. You wanted three palaces and six courts—this Empress Dowager endured you! Your Majesty, you clearly knew that vile creature’s origins were unclear, yet you couldn’t tear yourself away—this Empress Dowager also endured you! What’s Wo’er lacking? In what way is he inferior to that bastard? In what way are his origins more unclear than that bastard’s? Yet Your Majesty wanted to depose Wo’er and establish that bastard as heir, handing over the empire this Empress Dowager fought for with you to that bastard’s hands, completely disregarding how that bastard will deal with this Empress Dowager after ascending the throne?”

A sharp voice full of resentment echoed through the spacious hall.

Zhong Yuli lay prostrate on the cold polished stone floor covered in blood. His hand and foot tendons had been severed, the wounds directly exposed, blood still flowing out. Zhong Yuli opened his mouth, blood foam overflowing—his tongue had been cut off halfway. He could only make hoarse sounds. No matter how venomous his eyes, it was utterly useless.

“You felt I wasn’t as obedient as before. You felt there were too many old people from Guangling in this palace, so you brought over this old dog Zhong Yuli, recruiting old soldiers to deal with this Empress Dowager. Your Majesty, have you thought that this empire was fought for by this Empress Dowager together with you? When you campaigned everywhere, this Empress Dowager also led troops and defended cities! Do they have no thought at all for this Empress Dowager’s past kindness toward them?”

Empress Dowager Xu’s face coated in thick powder was at this moment vicious and twisted, filled with surging killing intent. Like looking at a dead fish, she stared at Emperor Tianyou, half-paralyzed and slumped on the dragon throne.

Her eyes sharp as knives seemed to want to cut flesh alive from Emperor Tianyou’s body to vent the venom that had been suppressed in her heart these years without release.

Zhao Mingting and Chen Xingmo knelt on the floor, their spines chilled.

Having served Empress Dowager Xu for many years, they knew she always kept contingencies. But they hadn’t expected that among the six directors Zhong Yuli considered trusted aides in the Internal Affairs Bureau, two—precisely the two Zhong Yuli most trusted, also the two who accompanied Zhong Yuli to the Capital Magistrate’s office today to secretly investigate the truth of Shen He’s death with Han Daoxun—were actually Empress Dowager Xu’s people.

Niu Gengru sat on a brocade couch to the side, also restless. He had even less expected that Wen Muqiao—who had promoted and valued Emperor Tianyou ever since Emperor Tianyou served as battalion commander in the Huainan Army, and after Emperor Tianyou became Huainan Regional Commissioner continued remaining in Huainan as supervisor to assist Emperor Tianyou—at this moment stood like an old crow behind Empress Dowager Xu, eyes half-closed, not uttering a sound.

“Think about it—back then when you were nothing, why would Minister Wen appreciate and promote you? Your Majesty, back then when Sun Ru beat you like a defeated dog with only a few hundred soldiers escaping back to Chuzhou, why would Minister Wen, like a loyal old dog, take out his entire fortune to help you recruit retainers again? Everything came too easily to you. You truly thought yourself favored by heaven’s mandate, truly thought everyone should be indebted to you, everyone should obey you completely, everyone must let you go back on your word? Even if Wo’er is frivolous and incompetent, even if my younger brother truly has rebellious intentions—Your Majesty, think in your heart: even if this Great Chu empire truly passes to my Xu family to occupy, wouldn’t that also fulfill Your Majesty’s original promise to this Empress Dowager?”

Emperor Tianyou opened his mouth, but deeply poisoned, his tongue root numb, he could no longer clearly articulate half a word. He could only with trembling effort barely raise his hand.

“Provide brush and ink to attend His Majesty.” Empress Dowager Xu, like an eagle perched high in Chongwen Hall, gestured to the two Internal Affairs Bureau directors standing to the left and right to bring brush and ink to Emperor Tianyou, to see what final words this old dog had to leave before dying.

One person passed over a brush dipped in ink. Another held up rice paper close before him. Emperor Tianyou, exhausting all his strength, wrote several crooked characters:

“I can draft an edict, but you must swear that Great Chu’s empire may only be transmitted through the Yang clan!”

“Your Majesty has forgotten—even without Your Majesty’s own handwriting, with Minister Wen and Minister Niu, two great ministers, drafting the edict in your place, which court official would dare question it?” Empress Dowager Xu said dismissively.

Emperor Tianyou again wrote crookedly: “Han Daoxun won’t believe it. You also can’t defeat Han Daoxun! Who among you could have laid plans in Xuzhou four years ago to assist Third? Wen Muqiao having problems—Han Daoxun hinted this to me. Regrettably, I couldn’t trust him!”

Wen Muqiao’s half-closed old eyes suddenly opened wide at this moment.

Niu Gengru and Zhao Mingting kneeling beside the dragon throne were also secretly shocked:

Yes, who could have imagined that back then when Han Daoxun memorialized at court to drive out starving refugees, it was actually to scheme military authority over the Dragon Sparrow Army for the Third Prince? Who could have imagined Han Daoxun’s assignment to the remote region of Xuzhou would subsequently lead to a series of changes including the Third Prince commanding troops to reduce feudatories?

Han Daoxun was too formidable. This person must be eliminated, absolutely cannot be allowed to leave the city!

While everyone was mutually suspicious, no one noticed that within Emperor Tianyou’s lusterless pupils lurked a final trace of still fairly sharp killing intent…