“Your Highness speaks so—it makes this humble minister apprehensive. I wonder what matter Your Highness has encountered?” Facing the panicked Prince Rui, Shao Mingyuan asked with a calm expression.

Prince Rui’s survival from the Lingtai Mountain expedition was entirely due to the personal guards Shao Mingyuan had sent. Now he felt an inexplicable trust in the man before him, grasping his hands: “Marquis, Father Emperor’s life hangs by a thread. Great chaos is about to break out…”

Shao Mingyuan calmly withdrew his hands, his expression grave: “How does Your Highness wish this minister to help?”

Prince Rui completely failed to notice the general’s disdain, saying with a bitter expression: “This prince has received news that Father Emperor has fallen into a coma, and the imperial physicians are doing everything possible to treat him. As long as Father Emperor can awaken and summon the important ministers to arrange his final affairs, there won’t be any trouble. Otherwise, this prince fears certain people might take advantage of the situation to cause trouble.”

“So Your Highness means—” He wanted to see when Prince Rui would get to the point.

“This prince simply wishes to ask the Marquis to assist me in maintaining a stable situation during Father Emperor’s unconsciousness.”

Prince Rui’s words naturally carried another layer of meaning. If Emperor Mingkang couldn’t wake up, then what followed would be competing with Prince Mu. Far from the capital, and with Emperor Mingkang having left no words, when the two princes competed, it would depend on military force.

“If chaos truly breaks out, relying solely on the personal guards this minister brought this time would be powerless. Your Highness overestimates this minister.”

Marquis Guanjun’s polite refusal was within Prince Rui’s expectations. Upon hearing this, he immediately grabbed Shao Mingyuan’s sleeve, looking pitiful: “This prince naturally knows this, but Shanhai Pass is not far from here, and stationed beyond Shanhai Pass is the Northern Expedition Army that the Marquis has led for many years. Could the Marquis perhaps mobilize those Northern Expedition troops to lend this prince assistance?”

“This—” Shao Mingyuan’s sword-like brows furrowed slightly, and he couldn’t help but shake his head. Currently, there’s no warfare, so this minister has no authority to deploy troops. If word of privately mobilizing forces spreads, this minister would face death…”

“This prince is willing to share glory and disgrace with the Marquis!”

“Your Highness—” Shao Mingyuan’s expression showed slight bewilderment.

To persuade the honest and rule-abiding general before him, Prince Rui became ruthless: “The Marquis should know that once Father Emperor passes away, the throne will fall to either me or Prince Mu. The Marquis is someone who saved this prince’s life, so this prince won’t mince words. If Prince Mu ascends the throne, given my sixth brother’s narrow-minded nature, he definitely won’t tolerate this prince! And this prince’s side consort is sister to the Marquis’s wife—how could Prince Mu spare the Marquis then?”

Upon hearing this, Shao Mingyuan’s expression showed some struggle.

Prince Rui struck while the iron was hot: “This prince can guarantee to the Marquis that as long as the Marquis helps this prince ascend to that position, I will never let anyone criticize the Marquis for privately deploying troops. When this prince ascends the throne in the future, once the situation stabilizes, I’m willing to enfeoff the Marquis as a prince of a different surname!”

Shao Mingyuan quickly cupped his hands in salute: “Your Highness speaks too seriously. This minister would never dare accept such an honor.”

“Marquis, please lend this prince your assistance!”

Under Prince Rui’s repeated entreaties, General Shao finally “reluctantly” agreed.

“Mobilizing troops from Shanhai Pass will take at least two days. Time is of the essence—this minister will arrange it immediately.”

“Good, good! Then this prince will await the Marquis’s good news.” Prince Rui’s anxious heart temporarily settled as he left Shao Mingyuan’s presence in a secretive manner.

Once Prince Rui left, Qiao Zhao emerged from behind the screen, looking at Shao Mingyuan with a half-smile.

“What?” Shao Mingyuan naturally put his arm around Qiao Zhao’s shoulder.

“I just realized you’re quite devious.”

Shao Mingyuan’s face became serious: “What kind of talk is that from my wife? This is called ‘all’s fair in war’—it’s one of the essential skills we military officers must have for commanding troops and fighting battles.”

What was wrong with deceiving a prince? Succession struggles were life-and-death matters where one careless move meant eternal doom. One couldn’t be sold and still help count the money.

“However, I didn’t expect His Majesty to fall ill outside the capital.” Shao Mingyuan frowned.

An emperor dying outside the capital would truly bring many variables.

Qiao Zhao smiled: “What’s strange about His Majesty reaching this state? He’s been taking immortality pills every few days—the pill toxins have long invaded his internal organs. When I examined him today, I discovered that this was accumulated pill toxins in his body, triggered by the summer heat. It’s already beyond salvation.”

Shao Mingyuan lowered his head and kissed Qiao Zhao’s forehead: “You should rest first. I’ll go arrange the troop deployment.”

“Be careful.” Qiao Zhao grasped Shao Mingyuan’s hand.

Shao Mingyuan’s gaze fell on his wife’s soft, boneless hand. His heart stirred, and he squeezed back firmly, smiling: “Don’t worry. I’m just making arrangements—I won’t leave your side.”

He would never again leave Zhaozhao alone, letting her fall into helpless circumstances.

Hmm, speaking of which, his wife’s hand felt much more comfortable to touch. Prince Rui had a habit of touching people—how annoying.

Shao Mingyuan grumbled internally as he strode away.

Qiao Zhao walked to the window, looking out at the scattered lights. Where the light couldn’t reach was pitch black, with flower trees casting ghostly shadows. Even the moon had hidden itself in the clouds at some point. The thick, rolling black clouds seemed to be brewing a violent storm.

The heavens were truly about to change. Qiao Zhao thought to herself.

At this moment, another person stood at a window.

He was hidden in the darkness, making his expression indiscernible.

Light footsteps approached. He withdrew his gaze from the window and turned around.

“Sir, what are your orders?”

A man’s faint laughter rang out in the darkness: “Go spread the news of His Majesty’s death to Prince Mu.”

“I obey.” The person responded without hesitation.

Soon, only the man remained in the unlit room. He once again cast his gaze toward the window.

The clouds in the sky grew ever thicker, with faint rumbles of thunder approaching.

In the height of summer, storms came swiftly.

Soon, a flash of lightning split the night sky, immediately followed by bean-sized raindrops falling.

Wild wind carried the violent rain, battering the windows and making the window frames rattle noisily.

Jiang Yuanchao didn’t close the window. He turned and walked back to lie on his bed, slowly closing his eyes.

Images of the complete topography of Qingliang Mountain flashed through his mind, followed by images of Qiao Zhao’s charming smile.

After so many days and nights of forbearance, he had finally waited for this day. He would watch how Prince Mu and Prince Rui slaughtered each other.

After Prince Mu received news that Emperor Mingkang had already died, he stood stunned for a moment, then wanted to laugh toward the heavens.

Finally, Father Emperor had ascended to heaven! Even Heaven was on his side—he truly was the destined Son of Heaven!

After a night of violent rain, as dawn barely broke, Prince Mu couldn’t wait to rush to the palace gates, wanting to force his way in.

“Your Highness wants to force entry without His Majesty’s summons—what are your intentions?” Wei Wuxie blocked the palace gates, asking coldly.

Prince Mu sneered: “Director Wei, you needn’t say such things. Father Emperor has reached the day he should emerge from seclusion—why has there been no movement?”

“Does Your Highness dare to speculate about the Sacred Will?” Wei Wuxie asked back without courtesy.

With the “imperial edict” in hand, Prince Mu no longer feared Wei Wuxie. He stepped forward and pushed him aside: “Move! No matter what, this prince must see Father Emperor today!”