Although Bai Jinxiu was disappointed with the Crown Prince, she still said: “Perhaps the Crown Prince’s mansion’s hidden guards have already been secretly… eliminated! Prince Liang intends to pin the crime of regicide on the Crown Prince before my eldest sister and General Liu capture Great Liang’s capital and return, then smoothly ascend the throne!”

She looked up at the Crown Prince’s unsightly expression and continued: “By then… Prince Liang is of imperial blood and has already ascended the throne as emperor. Who could do anything about it!”

The Crown Prince pressed his thin lips tightly together, his fingers rubbing without making a sound.

Bai Jinxiu had no choice but to say: “If Your Highness still has doubts, please send someone to summon back the hidden guards from the Crown Prince’s mansion arranged around Prince Liang’s mansion. However, I guess… they certainly cannot be summoned back!”

Bai Jinxiu did not reveal that it was eldest sister who ordered the surveillance of Prince Liang’s mansion. Moreover… Prince Liang’s mansion had indeed eliminated those hidden guards from the Crown Prince. Bai Jinxiu didn’t want to be too conspicuous, so she used the word “guess,” letting the Crown Prince investigate himself.

Remembering the Wude Gate rebellion, the Crown Prince’s palms tightened as he called loudly: “Quan Yu, go send someone to summon back even one of the hidden guards watching Prince Liang’s mansion. I have questions to ask.”

Seeing the Crown Prince had given the order, Bai Jinxiu continued: “Your Highness, before coming to the Crown Prince’s mansion, Jinxiu took the liberty of already notifying General Fu Ruoxi and the idle General Xie Yuchang, requesting both to protect Your Highness! If Your Highness trusts Jinxiu and trusts General Xie, please Your Highness… give General Xie Yuchang an official decree, so General Xie Yuchang can legitimately take over the Imperial Guards. If there are enough Imperial Guards loyal to His Majesty and the Crown Prince, General Xie can protect His Majesty’s safety.”

“Wait a moment… I still don’t believe Master Fan would betray me!” The Crown Prince’s face looked somewhat unsightly. He felt he had treated Fan Yuhuai well. Last time when he sent gifts to Hong Mei seeking advancement for his son, he had personally met with Fan Yuhuai, telling him he was one of his people and could come to him, the Crown Prince, directly with any matters. He had given Fan Yuhuai such trust – how could Fan Yuhuai betray him!

“Your Highness, not everyone is like the Bai family, and not everyone is like eldest sister… who would be utterly loyal to Your Highness!” Bai Jinxiu grew more disappointed with this Crown Prince the more she looked at him.

She had come in the dead of night, which surely meant extremely important matters, yet this Crown Prince had left her here for nearly two hours…

Nearly two hours! How many things could be accomplished!

Unable to distinguish priorities, and overly confident – even if the Crown Prince successfully ascended the throne, such a person governing the nation… would not be better than the current situation!

Previously, Bai Jinxiu had wondered whether some of the Crown Prince’s policies were forced by the Emperor’s circumstances. Now it seemed… she had overestimated this Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince pressed his lips tightly and instructed Quan Yu again: “Go invite Old Fang and Master Ren here!”

Soon after, only Ren Shijie came hurriedly alone, having no choice but to tell the Crown Prince that Old Fang claimed to have business outside the city, saying he would return within ten days.

Bai Jinxiu explained the situation to Ren Shijie again. Just as she finished speaking, the people sent by the Crown Prince’s mansion to find the hidden guards at Prince Liang’s mansion returned, saying they hadn’t found a single one.

The main hall of the Crown Prince’s mansion was so quiet that only the sound of the water clock could be heard. The Crown Prince suddenly became paranoid about everything, even suspecting Old Fang had betrayed him; otherwise, why such a coincidence… that Old Fang happened to leave the city at this critical moment.

“Your Highness! There can be no more hesitation…” Bai Jinxiu said.

“I will immediately enter the palace to inform Father Emperor of this matter and request his decree… to dismiss Fan Yuhuai and have Xie Yuchang resume the position of Commander of Imperial Guards!” The Crown Prince said as he stood up.

“Your Highness! Perhaps Prince Liang is waiting for Your Highness to enter the palace right now!” Bai Jinxiu stood up to stop the Crown Prince. “Just like the Wude Gate rebellion, the Imperial Guards are still in Fan Yuhuai’s hands. As long as Your Highness enters the palace… the Imperial Guards force the palace, kill the Crown Prince, then pin the crime of regicide on the Crown Prince – that would truly leave one unable to defend oneself!”

“What Madam Qin says is very true!” Ren Shijie also stood up and said.

Ren Shijie was quite happy in his heart – it would be good for Jin to fall into chaos…

The longer the chaos lasted, the better. Then, only if the Crown Prince lived longer could Jin remain chaotic longer.

“Please advise, Madam Qin and Master Ren – what should I do now?” The Crown Prince’s palms were covered in a layer of fine sweat.

“Your Highness should command Fu Ruoxi to lead the patrol battalion and, together with Xie Yuchang, escort Your Highness out of the capital!” Ren Shijie said solemnly. “The Imperial Guards are numerous, and the Crown Prince’s mansion could easily be captured. Only if the Crown Prince remains alive will Jin’s foundation remain! If Prince Liang cannot capture the Crown Prince, he cannot pin crimes on Your Highness! Naturally… if this turns out to be another false alarm that passes safely, it can be considered that Your Highness simply took a trip outside the city and returned! But Your Highness absolutely cannot be placed in such a conspicuous place as the Crown Prince’s mansion. What does Madam Qin think?”

Only by leaving the capital… would Prince Liang desperately pursue and kill the Crown Prince, and Jin would have excitement to watch!

Bai Jinxiu already had a plan in mind and said: “The most dangerous place is the safest place! My idea is to have Fu Ruoxi lead troops to fight their way out of the city, pretending to escort the Crown Prince, while having loyal Imperial Guards under Xie Yuchang protect the Crown Prince hidden within the capital. This way, Prince Liang will send people to search outside the city, while Your Highness can be secure within the capital.”

The Crown Prince felt uneasy and looked again at Ren Shijie: “What does Master Ren think?”

Ren Shijie thought briefly. If the capital truly fell into chaos, his goal was naturally for the Crown Prince to live as long as possible – this aligned with Bai Jinxiu’s intentions. He immediately nodded: “Madam Qin’s method is feasible, but where to place Your Highness and how to arrange the route fighting out of the capital – we need to plan carefully.”

“What Master Ren says is very true!” After Bai Jinxiu nodded, she continued: “Your Highness, this matter… would be best to inform trusted loyal ministers in court like Chancellor Lu.”

“Right! And the ministers of the six departments – they all must be notified!” The Crown Prince’s palms tightened.

“Your Highness!” Bai Jinxiu shook her head. “Among the ministers of the six departments, we don’t know who belongs to Left Chancellor Li Mao – we cannot act rashly! Currently in the entire court… Bai Jinxiu only feels Chancellor Lu can be trusted; only those deeply trusted by Chancellor Lu can be trusted!”

The Crown Prince immediately nodded, ordering someone to bring Chancellor Lu to the Crown Prince’s mansion. Regarding Chancellor Lu, the Crown Prince had nothing he couldn’t trust.

“There’s one more matter!” The Crown Prince suddenly spoke. He seemed to have made some decision with great difficulty and said: “The Crown Princess and the little imperial grandson cannot be with me – it’s too dangerous. Do you two have a way to send the Crown Princess and little imperial grandson out of the city? Or… could the little imperial grandson be entrusted to a reliable family, and… after the storm passes, bring the little imperial grandson back!”

“Your Highness has a compassionate father’s heart – I’ll arrange this matter!” Bai Jinxiu thought for a moment and added: “However, Your Highness, the Crown Prince, you still need to send someone carrying your seal, preferably His Majesty’s token, to Great Liang to inform eldest sister and General Liu. With His Majesty’s token or the Crown Prince’s seal in hand, the eldest sister can more legitimately lead troops back to rescue the emperor.”