Abandon

In the capital, the undercurrent has turned into a raging wave.

When Xie Wuqi, Xu Xianyue, and their companions secretly arrived at the villa outside the capital, Crown Prince Xie Wuchen had already been waiting, like an ant on the hot pan. He had lost a lot of weight compared to a few months ago, his eye sockets were sunken, and even the gorgeous Crown Prince's formal attire couldn't hide his perpetual fear.

"Seventh Uncle! You're finally back!" Upon seeing Xie Wuqi, the prince practically rushed over to him, his voice tinged with tears, "Third Prince and the Queen Mother... they're trying to force me to death! Father... Father is now in the Western Inner Courtyard, with no news from him, and I can't even see him! The ministers in the court are opportunistic, and most of the troops in the capital are controlled by them! Seventh Uncle, you hold the military order for the northern border, so you must help me..."

Xie Wuqi expressionlessly dodged the Crown Prince's hand that was trying to grab his sleeve, and interrupted him in a cold voice: "Your Highness, the most important thing now is to confirm the safety of His Majesty and stabilize the court, not to cry here."

His gaze, sharp as a knife, swept across the prince's pale, frightened face. "Before Your Majesty passed away, did you leave any instructions? Or did you give the tiger talisman and seal to anyone?"

The Crown Prince shuddered at his gaze, his eyes flickering as he stammered, "Father...Father's coma was sudden, and he didn't...he didn't leave any clear instructions. The Tiger Talisman...The Tiger Talisman has always been in the care of Father himself..."

Xie Wuqi sneered inwardly. As expected. The emperor was suspicious, even the crown prince wasn't completely trusting. Now that he was unconscious, he hadn't made any clear arrangements, which gave the empress dowager and the third prince an opportunity to exploit.

"Since there's no clear decree, the Crown Prince's role as regent is legitimate," Xie Wuqi said in a deep voice. "The most urgent task is to immediately summon the court officials who remain loyal to Your Highness, control the Nine Gates, issue a public notice to reassure the people, and at the same time, try to contact the Western Inner Court to confirm Your Majesty's safety."

His words were calm and clear, with an unquestionable power that calmed the panicked prince down a little.

"Yes, yes! Uncle Seventh Prince is absolutely right!" The Crown Prince nodded repeatedly, as if grasping a life-saving straw. "I'll do it right away! I'll do it right away!"

Watching the Crown Prince's hurried departure, Xie Wuqi's eyes flashed with a subtle hint of disdain and solemnity. With such a character, how could he shoulder the responsibility of the country? But right now, the Crown Prince was the only legitimate banner, and he had to hold him steady.

After settling the Crown Prince, Xie Wuqi did not stop there. He needed to go and meet the audacious nephew of the Third Emperor in person.

The third prince Xie Wujiu did not live in his own palace, but lived in Chengxin Hall adjacent to the Western Inner Courtyard in the name of the empress dowager, as if he had regarded himself as the crown prince.

Xie Wuqi only brought Jingzhe with him and went straight into Chengxin Hall.

Inside the hall, Xie Wujiu was discussing matters with several of his trusted aides. When he saw Xie Wuqi come in, he did not stand up, but simply raised his eyelids with a smug, complex smile on his face that was a mixture of provocation and fear.

"Seventh Uncle, how are you? The climate and soil of Jiangnan are good for health. Uncle looks healthy." Xie Wujiu played with a white jade pendant in his hand, his tone lazy.

Xie Wuqi ignored his provocation, his eyes as cold as ice, piercing him: "Xie Wujiu, His Majesty is still here, and you dare to privately mobilize troops, besiege the Western Palace, and imprison your father. Are you planning a rebellion?"

"Rebellion?" Xie Wujiu sneered, stood up, and walked over to Xie Wuqi. "Uncle, you're being too serious. My father is seriously ill, and the Crown Prince is incompetent, leading to chaos in the government and the dominance of treacherous officials. The Queen Mother and I are simply following our ancestral family rules and practicing 'clearing the court of officials' to ensure the safety of the country and restore order. How can you call it a rebellion?"

He paused, his eyes turning sinister. "Uncle, instead of serving as your Inspector General in Jiangnan, you returned to the capital without permission, bringing that woman of unknown origin with you. What are your intentions? Could it be that... you also want to wade into this mess?"

He deliberately mentioned Xu Xianyue with temptation and threat.

Xie Wuqi's aura instantly became dangerous, and his eyes were filled with murderous intent. "It is not your place to interfere with my actions. Immediately withdraw the guards from the Western Inner Courtyard and welcome back His Majesty, otherwise..."

"What else?" Xie Wujiu refused to back down, his smile growing wider. "Uncle, do you still want to mobilize the northern border troops to invade the capital, earning you the eternal infamy of a traitor? Don't forget, the vast majority of the hundreds of thousands of troops in the capital are now under my control! If Uncle were sensible, he would know who is in charge of the world now!"

Their gazes met fiercely in the air, sparks flying. The atmosphere in Chengxin Hall was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

In the end, Xie Wuqi looked at Xie Wujiu coldly, as if he was looking at a dead person.

"You're on your own."

Leaving these four words, he said nothing more and turned to leave. He knew that there was nothing left to say to Xie Wujiu. Only strength could determine the final outcome.

At the same time that Xie Wuqi was confronting the third prince, the villa where Xu Xianyue was staying also welcomed an unexpected visitor - Princess Huixi.

She was still carried in a sedan chair, her face pale and her breath weak, but her eyes were no longer as empty and trance-like as before, but burning with a strange fire that was a mixture of hatred and ambition.

After dismissing her attendants, Princess Huixi leaned back on her pillow, looked straight at Xu Xianyue, and said straight to the point:

"Mr. Xu, you saved my life."

Xu Xianyue nodded slightly and waited for the next words.

"Do you know why I was poisoned by the Gelsemium elegans?" Princess Huixi's voice was filled with a hint of bitter mockery. "It wasn't the Third Prince, it was the Queen Mother! The one who always claimed to love me!"

Xu Xianyue's eyes narrowed. As expected!

"She and the Third Prince need an excuse to completely disrupt the situation, a reason to force Uncle Jing to return to the capital as soon as possible, or even to anger him. And I am the most useful chess piece!" Princess Huixi clenched the quilt tightly, her knuckles turning white. "If it weren't for you... I would have been a dried-up skeleton by now, having accomplished their 'great cause'!"

Her eyes were filled with deep hatred for being betrayed by her loved ones.

"If they are unkind, don't blame me for being unjust!" Princess Huixi suddenly looked at Xu Xianyue, her eyes burning and crazy. "Mr. Xu, I know you are no ordinary person. You have extraordinary medical skills and unknown support. I... don't want to be anyone's pawn anymore!"

She lowered her voice, like a venomous snake spitting out its tongue: "Help me! Help me get evidence that they are poisoning me and intending to usurp the throne! The third brother has fallen, and the crown prince is also a waste! This Xie family's kingdom...why can't I sit on the throne?!"

Xu Xianyue was horrified! She hadn't expected Princess Huixi to harbor such thoughts! A woman ascending the throne was simply a fantasy in this era! But the reckless madness and ambition in her eyes seemed so real.

Xu Xianyue remained silent, not answering immediately. She was weighing the pros and cons. Princess Huixi was a double-edged sword. Used well, she could become the key to overthrowing the Queen Mother and the Third Prince; used poorly, she could backfire.

"Princess," she said slowly, her voice still calm, "Do you know that this path is a thousand times more dangerous than relying on the Third Prince?"

"I know!" Princess Huixi said anxiously, "but I would rather die than be manipulated by them again! Xu Dajia, as long as you help me, after the success, I will promise you the position of Imperial Master and endless honors. Your 'Xianyue Pavilion' will be spread all over the world and no one will dare to disturb it!"

Xu Xianyue looked at the desperate madness in her eyes, and suddenly a strange feeling arose in her heart. She twisted her fingertips unconsciously, and the dark red datura flower she always carried with her, used to expel poison, seemed to warm slightly.

She raised her eyes and met Princess Huixi's expectant and nervous gaze. A hint of determination flashed in her cold eyes.

"I can help you find evidence," Xu Xianyue said, her voice low but convincing. "But whether or not you can take that position depends on the princess's own means and... destiny."

She did not promise to help him ascend the throne, but only promised to provide evidence to bring down his political opponents. This was the maximum intervention she could make at the moment.

Princess Huixi's eyes instantly lit up with ecstasy, and she struggled to sit up: "Okay! Okay! Mr. Xu, as long as you can find a way to obtain evidence, I will take care of the rest!"

After seeing off the emotionally agitated Princess Huixi, Xu Xianyue stood alone in front of the window, looking at the gloomy and depressing sky outside.

The chess game in the capital is becoming more and more complicated.

The Emperor is seriously ill, the Crown Prince is incompetent, the Third Prince and the Queen Mother are teaming up to force the Emperor to abdicate, and now there's the ambitious Princess Huixi, who's trying to take advantage of the situation...

She and Xie Wuqi have been completely drawn into the center of this vortex.

She touched the slightly warm datura flower in her sleeve, and her eyes gradually became sharp and firm.

Since we can't avoid it, then... let's face it head-on.

She is also going to make a move in this game of chess.

It all depends on who can make the better move in the end.