In just a moment, Li Mao had already formulated his response. He bowed deeply to Prince Liang, his attitude becoming increasingly respectful: “In reply to Your Highness Prince Liang, now it’s not just this minister, but also the Minister of Revenue and other officials who are all in the same boat as Prince Liang – we share prosperity and adversity. Naturally, this minister fears failure!”

He looked up at Prince Liang, his gaze deliberately frank: “And just as Bai Jinxiu said, the Second Prince’s usurpation was indeed this minister’s proposal, because the Second Prince possessed both talent and virtue. If he hadn’t rebelled then, he would inevitably have been implicated by Consort Tong’s maternal clan and lost his chance at the throne. This minister couldn’t bear to see it!”

Hearing Li Mao speak thus, Prince Liang’s expression indeed improved considerably. He looked deeply at Li Mao, withdrew his gaze, and walked toward the base of Wude Gate, his mind beginning to seriously consider Li Mao’s words.

Seeing that the Emperor and Prince Liang’s party had already left the city wall, while the Crown Prince hanging from the wall continued his ghostly wailing, Bai Jinxiu turned to ask Ji Tingyu: “Where is eldest sister now?”

Ji Tingyu calculated based on the last message sent back and said, “At the latest, the eldest miss will arrive by the eighteenth.”

Bai Jinxiu nodded, turned to glance at the Crown Prince hanging from the city wall and crying out, then heard Ji Tingyu ask her: “Second miss, what if Prince Liang doesn’t kill the Emperor and Crown Prince before eldest miss returns?”

“The blade is in our hands…” Bai Jinxiu’s eyes turned cold and deep, revealing a ruthless determination for decisive action, “Victors and losers are determined by what people say! If Prince Liang won’t act, we’ll act for Prince Liang and pin it on him.”

Li Mingrui was standing far away and couldn’t hear these words very clearly, but as he looked at Bai Jinxiu, an extremely bold idea suddenly formed in his mind. He glanced at the Crown Prince hanging from the city wall, so frightened he had wet himself and was still crying out, then looked back at Bai Jinxiu.

Li Mingrui felt that with such terrifying spirit and courage, the Bai family shouldn’t be willing to bow their heads under someone like the Crown Prince – such a useless waste who wet himself when frightened!

He knew Prince Liang was defending the imperial city to wait for the Pingyang army, but what was Bai Jinxiu’s purpose in surrounding the city without attacking?

Although Li Mingrui lacked practical combat experience, he had read military treatises. All those who besiege cities seek quick, decisive battles, and most avoid delays. Bai Jinxiu was born into a military family, had dealt with military treatises since childhood, and had campaigned on battlefields before – how could she merely surround without attacking, allowing Prince Liang to delay?

There could only be one reason – Bai Jinxiu wanted to drag things out until Prince Liang couldn’t resist acting against the Emperor and Crown Prince, or even until Bai Qingyan returned…

Acting against the Emperor and Crown Prince, and waiting for Bai Qingyan’s return – what was the purpose?

To legitimately take their place!

Li Mingrui’s fingers trembled. The Bai family’s reputation for loyalty and righteousness was known throughout the realm, so Li Mingrui had never thought of the Bai family in this direction, always believing they should be supporting the legitimate succession to the throne.

But watching from the sidelines with cold eyes, Bai Jinxiu showed no particular concern for the Crown Prince hanging from the city wall, which told him his previous thoughts were wrong.

The Bai family didn’t want the merit of supporting a dragon’s ascension – they wanted that supreme position itself!

But… all the Bai family men were dead! What gave them the audacity to harbor such ambitions?

Li Mingrui couldn’t help but think of the Empress of Xi Liang. The Empress of Xi Liang was also a woman, yet she had ascended the throne as emperor…

This meant Bai Qingyan intended to emulate the Empress of Xi Liang and harbored imperial ambitions.

It must be so!

Things that were unclear before gradually became clear in Li Mingrui’s mind.

Previously, everything Bai Qingyan had done, which Li Mingrui had attributed to her planning for the Crown Prince, now became clear – whether it was training troops in Shuoyang, arranging her people within the imperial guards, or deploying forces in various locations… Bai Qingyan wasn’t planning for the Crown Prince at all, but was paving the way for her future ascension to the supreme imperial throne.

What great ambitions the Bai family had! What great ambitions Bai Qingyan had!

Li Mingrui indeed hadn’t expected the Bai family to have such aspirations, but now that he had realized it, for the Li family’s future, he must board Bai Qingyan’s ship!

Currently, the Bai family’s military power was too strong, and they had long begun laying plans and schemes. Their chances of victory far exceeded the already rotting imperial family within this palace – it could even be said to be a certain victory.

Moreover, if the Bai family truly replaced the Lin imperial power, then… it would be a brand new dynasty. At that time, how could Bai Qingyan hold onto the matter of his father, once inciting the previous dynasty’s Second Prince to rebel?

Li Mingrui made up his mind, stepped toward Bai Jinxiu, and bowed deeply: “Lady Qin…”

“Does Lord Li have business with me?”

Clad in armor, Bai Jinxiu naturally possessed a heroic bearing and decisive aura she didn’t usually display.

Only then did Li Mingrui speak: “If Lady Qin wishes to force Prince Liang to act against the Emperor and Crown Prince before Princess Zhenguo returns, merely surrounding the city isn’t enough. You need some additional stimulation, such as spreading word… letting Prince Liang know that Lady Qin has already sent people to meet with the Pingyang army, planning to inform them that the imperial edict summoning the Pingyang army to the capital to serve the king, rescue the emperor, and capture the Crown Prince was written under Prince Liang’s coercion of His Majesty!”

Bai Jinxiu looked at Li Mingrui with a half-smile: “So Prince Liang has already sent people to summon the Pingyang army?”

“Exactly. On April 23rd, after His Majesty had General Xie Yuchang and General Fu Ruoxi invite Prince Liang into the palace, he sent people with golden tokens and command arrows to Pingyang City to recall the Pingyang garrison to the capital to serve the king, rescue the emperor, and capture the rebellious Crown Prince! In addition… along with the imperial edicts sent to various places requisitioning virgin boys and girls aged five to ten, there was also a secret order forbidding anyone from leading troops toward the capital direction unless they carried an imperial edict or golden token and command arrow.”

Li Mingrui looked up at Bai Jinxiu and spoke truthfully: “Therefore, Princess Zhenguo’s path back with her army will likely face numerous obstacles and won’t return quickly. Lady Qin should prepare early.”

Ji Tingyu glanced at Li Mingrui, expressing doubt about the credibility of his words.

“I see. But Lord Li’s words about forcing Prince Liang to act against the Emperor and Crown Prince…” Bai Jinxiu stood with her hands behind her back, pretending ignorance while understanding perfectly, “I don’t understand what you mean…”

Li Mingrui’s sudden defection naturally warranted Bai Jinxiu’s suspicion. He smiled and bowed: “Although Li Mingrui cannot claim to be exceptionally intelligent, he does understand how to read the times.”

Since he already knew who would be the final winner, and he had this opportunity to add icing to the cake, his behavior might be somewhat villainous, but at least it could preserve the Li family amidst the great waves of dynastic change.

Compared to the lives of the entire Li family, Li Mingrui wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to choose the entire Li family over his own life and honor.

Furthermore, Li Mingrui had originally been bound to Prince Liang by interests, and his choice of Bai Qingyan now was the same.

Bai Jinxiu chuckled softly, remembering Bai Qingyan’s assessment of Li Mingrui: lacking in great righteousness… but possessing small virtues.