Chapter 180 Late Night Negotiations

He waved his hand wearily, "Pass on my oral order. From now on, all memorials will be sent to Prince Yong first. Prince Yong, Lu Yong, will discuss it with the cabinet. Important matters will be reported to me later."

Wang Deshun, who was standing by, was shocked, but he didn't dare show it on his face. He bowed deeply and said, "I obey your command." He knew that the balance of power in the empire had begun to tilt silently under the catalysis of blood and elixir.

Ning Pavilion.

The courtyard is deep, with doors and windows tightly closed, and is filled with a strong bitter smell of medicine, blocking out all the noise outside.

The servants in the yard held their breath and walked on tiptoe, for fear of disturbing their "unconscious" master.

In the inner room, the light was dim with layers of brocade curtains hanging low.

Jiang Qingning lay quietly on the wide bed.

Her face was as pale as snow, without a trace of blood, her lips were chapped, her long eyelashes cast heavy shadows under her eyes, and her breathing was so weak that it was almost imperceptible. She looked like a sick person with a damaged heart and her life hanging by a thread.

"Miss, there's movement from Xun Chen's side."

Zi Su lowered her voice and stuffed a thinly rolled piece of paper into Jiang Qingning's hand hidden under the quilt.

"A copy of the defense map of the capital city, which was hidden in the secret compartment of his study, was made last night. The carrier pigeon was shot down by our men just as it flew out of the back corner gate of the Anping Marquis's mansion."

Jiang Qingning's eyelashes trembled slightly, he slowly opened his eyes and unfolded the note.

On it was written Xun Chen's familiar handwriting: "We have the defense map. We can enter through the corner gate during the midnight shift. The capital is under guard and we must not miss this opportunity. Send troops to encircle the capital quickly. The palace gates will be opened by someone from within."

Jiang Qingning sneered in his heart. This idiot was bewitched by Wei Zhai's empty promises and the so-called merit of following the dragon, and he actually dared to steal the defense map of the lifeline of the capital.

Did he think that after Wei Zhai ascended the throne, he would let him, a meritorious official who knew so many secrets, go? I'm afraid he would be the first dish to be abandoned after the rabbit is dead.

"Get some pen and ink." Her voice was slightly hoarse from not speaking for a long time.

Zhiqiu immediately took out a special pen and ink and a piece of letter paper exactly the same as the one used by Xun Chen from the secret compartment of the bed.

Jiang Qingning sat up, and the brocade quilt slipped off, revealing her thin undergarment.

She took the pen and concentrated for a moment, then the tip of the pen fell and imitated Xun Chen's handwriting exactly.

"Brother Wei, time waits for no one. Lu Bing is a frightened bird, obsessed with elixirs and neglecting state affairs. Prince Yong's position as regent is unstable. The imperial guards have been searching for him for days and are showing signs of fatigue. The people of the capital are in a state of panic. This is a godsend opportunity. Why wait any longer? We must quickly dispatch our thundering troops to encircle the capital. Delay will lead to disaster. If Brother Wei still has doubts, I am willing to guarantee it with my own life. This opportunity cannot be missed and will never come again. Your humble servant, Xun Chen, bows in respect."

She blew the ink dry, rolled up the paper, and handed it to Zi Su: "Use Xun Chen's spare carrier pigeon to send it back to Wei Zhai along the same route. Send the rubbing copy of the capital's defense map to He Ning. He will know what to do."

"Yes!" Zi Su took the order and retreated.

"Miss," Zhiqiu said softly as he brought a bowl of warm ginseng soup. "News has come from the palace that the Taoist Xuancheng, whom Lord Qin sent in, successfully approached the alchemy furnace yesterday and mixed the pills we prepared into the pills Lu Bin takes daily."

"The drug's effects are slow, but it will gradually erode the mind and amplify fear. It will complement Qing Yangzi's medicine. Once the dosage reaches a critical point, even a god or immortal will be unable to save the person if they are subjected to such intense stimulation. All records will eventually point to the Taoist priest sent by Xun Chen."

Jiang Qingning took the ginseng soup, and the warm liquid slid into her throat, bringing a hint of warmth. She looked out the window at the gray sky, her voice as cold as ice: "Tell Xuancheng to add one more pill to Lu Bin's daily intake."

"Yes." Zhiqiu agreed, with a hint of sternness in his eyes.

The night is like thick ink, staining the entire courtyard.

Everything was silent, and the sound of the night watchman's clapperboard echoed from afar.

It’s just past midnight.

On the bed, Jiang Qingning suddenly opened his eyes.

A tall and straight figure appeared silently about ten feet in front of the bed.

In the dim light, the black uniform almost blended into the darkness, leaving only a face with clear outlines, half bright and half dark under the faint light of snow coming in from the window.

Those hawk-like sharp eyes locked onto the sleeping woman on the bed with precision, with a glint of insight and a hint of cold amusement.

Murong Feng arrived faster than she expected.

"Imperial sister." Murong Feng's deep voice rang out, breaking the dead silence in the room. "Pretending to be sick and weak to confuse people, from her sickbed she orchestrated plans thousands of miles away, manipulating the entire capital and even the imperial palace at her fingertips. What a brilliant tactic."

Jiang Qingning sat up slowly, his movements showing the weakness of a long-term illness, but he did not seem panicked at all.

She pulled a plain white robe over her shoulders, letting her long black hair hang down, making her face look even paler.

She raised her eyes and met Murong Feng's eyes that were blazing in the darkness. A faint arc appeared at the corner of her lips. Her voice was slightly hoarse from the illness, but every word was clear:

"Third Prince, you are so kind. If you hadn't sat back and watched the fight, how could Qingning's little trick have come to fruition? Ultimately, it's just a matter of each taking what they need."

She coughed lightly twice, and her fingertips brushed casually across the pillow, where a small and exquisite earring inlaid with rice-sized pearls lay quietly.

It was the only ornament left in the side hall on the night Jiang Qingxi disappeared.

Murong Feng's eyes quickly swept across the small earring, and there was a subtle undercurrent in the depths of his eyes, so fast that it was difficult to catch.

He took a step forward, and the hem of his black robe brushed against the cold floor tiles, bringing an invisible sense of oppression.

"I have been lying dormant for many days, not because I was afraid of Lu Bin's key to the city gate, but because I wanted to see clearly what step my sister has taken in this chess game."

He stopped five steps away from the bed and said, "Now it seems that the imperial sister has not only stirred up the troubled waters of the capital, but also has the snakes and rats in the waters of Jiangnan under her control."

"That idiot Xun Chen is being used as a pawn by the Imperial Sister. She's just waiting for Wei Zhai, the remnant of the previous dynasty, to lose his composure and run headfirst into the trap the Imperial Sister has already prepared. And what Lu Bing is taking every day is probably not just an elixir of immortality, but a death warrant, right?"

"It's still early. We need at least three more assassination attempts to completely break down Lu Bin's defenses and make him completely collapse."

He paused, his sharp gaze gripping Jiang Qingning's eyes tightly. "I only want to ask one question: when will the curtain rise as promised by my sister?"

"You have to understand that I want Lu Bin to die more than you do." Jiang Qingning stared into his eyes and said word by word.

One of them was sitting and the other was standing. Jiang Qingning's aura was not inferior to the other's at all, and he was even slightly more powerful than the other.

The candlelight in the inner room was dim, and Murong Feng's tall figure stood in front of the bed, casting a shadow that almost completely covered Jiang Qingning, exuding a strong sense of oppression.

Jiang Qingning leaned against the head of the bed, her plain white robe making her face look even more transparent, like glass that would break at the slightest touch, but her raised eyes were surprisingly bright.

"What's the rush?" Jiang Qingning sneered.