Wearing a yellow robe?

The bloody smell of the palace coup has not yet dissipated, but a power vacuum has already emerged.

The Third Prince, Xie Wujiu, was imprisoned in the Imperial Clan House's water dungeon, tortured day and night in an effort to track down the regicide accomplices and the whereabouts of the imperial edict. The Empress Dowager passed away from "excessive grief," and the Ministry of Rites, despite the lavish funeral rites, could not conceal the eerie atmosphere that permeated the palace. Crown Prince Xie Wuchen, though rescued, became somewhat dazed and stunted by the series of shocks, remaining cooped up in the Eastern Palace, preventing even the coronation ceremony from proceeding smoothly.

The court was leaderless. Prince Jing, Xie Wuqi, was most notable for his role in rescuing the emperor. He commanded a large military force, held unprecedented prestige, and was poised to assume the role of regent. However, patriarchal rituals prevailed, and the crown prince was the legitimate heir apparent. Even if he was weak and incompetent, as long as he lived, he held the legal throne.

Princess Huixi frequently entered and exited the Eastern Palace under the pretext of "assisting her uncle, Prince Jing, in stabilizing the imperial court and caring for the Crown Prince," becoming the Crown Prince's closest and most influential figure. Dressed in simple palace attire, her brow etched with a delicate touch of sorrow and worry, she acted with impeccable care, maintaining impeccable order within the Eastern Palace and earning the favor of many court officials.

However, the undercurrent never stopped surging.

Deep inside the water dungeon of the clan house, it was dark and damp.

Xie Wujiu was chained to the stone wall, his body covered in wounds, his once flamboyant face twisted and hideous. The prison door opened, revealing a slender figure standing against the light.

She is Princess Huixi.

She carried a small food box and walked lightly towards him, as if she was visiting an ordinary old friend.

"Third brother, how are you?" Her voice was soft, with a hint of sigh.

Xie Wujiu suddenly raised his head, staring at her with bloodshot eyes, like a beast ready to devour its prey: "Bitch! It's you! You and Xie Wuqi teamed up to harm me! And the Queen Mother... Are you also the Queen Mother..."

"My Royal Brother, why must you speak so harshly?" Princess Huixi interrupted him, slowly opening the food box. Inside was a pot of wine and several plates of exquisite side dishes. "The victors are kings and the losers are bandits. This has been the case since ancient times. Mother... she voluntarily followed Father to avoid being alone in this world."

She picked up the wine jug, filled a cup, and handed it to Xie Wujiu's lips, her eyes calm and unwavering: "Royal brother, have a good journey. This sister... will see you off."

Xie Wujiu looked at the glass of clear liquid in her hand, his pupils suddenly contracted, and his face revealed extreme fear and madness: "Poisoned wine?! You want to poison me?! Huixi! I'm your biological brother!"

"Brother?" Princess Huixi chuckled softly, her laughter filled with ice. "When you and Mother decided to poison Father with Gelsemium elegans, and I became the expendable pawn in your chess game, did you ever consider that I was your biological sister?"

Her eyes suddenly became sharp and resentful. "This cup of 'Qian Ji' tastes exactly the same as what my father drank. My royal brother, why not try it yourself? I know how much pain my father must have felt before his death!"

After saying that, she ignored Xie Wujiu's frantic struggle and curses and forced the cup of poisoned wine into his mouth!

Violent convulsions and painful howls echoed in the dungeon, and eventually fell into dead silence.

Princess Huixi looked expressionlessly at the curled up and twisted corpse on the stone wall with its eyes open. She gently straightened her slightly messy sleeves, turned around and left, as if she had just completed a trivial task.

On September 12, the 23rd year of the Yongxi reign, the third prince Xie Wujiu committed suicide in the water prison of the clan house out of fear of punishment.

One less obstacle.

The next day was the auspicious day selected by the Imperial Astronomical Observatory for the crown prince to ascend the throne.

The night before, the lights in the East Palace bedroom were brightly lit.

Crown Prince Xie Wuchen, wearing bright yellow pajamas, sat beside the dragon couch. His eyes were still somewhat dull, and he muttered, "I will ascend the throne... I will ascend the throne..."

Princess Huixi walked in with a bowl of warm soothing soup and sent her attendants away.

"Royal brother," she said, sitting next to the crown prince, her voice so gentle it could drip with water, "Tomorrow is the day you ascend the throne. Are you nervous?"

The prince looked at her blankly, nodded, and then shook his head.

"Drink a bowl of calming soup and have a good sleep so that you will be energetic tomorrow." Hui Xi handed the bowl of soup to his mouth like a caring sister.

The prince opened his mouth obediently and drank the medicine bit by bit.

Watching his Adam's apple roll as he swallowed the last bit of soup, a very fast and cold light flashed in Princess Huixi's eyes.

She gently stroked the prince's hair, her voice like a dream, "Royal brother, this throne... is too cold, and too tiring. You are so kindhearted, if you sit on it, you will be gnawed to the bone by those tigers and wolves. Why not... let me carry it for you?"

The prince seemed to realize something, his body trembled slightly, a brief flash of clarity and fear flashed in his eyes, he opened his mouth, but no sound came out, and he fell down softly, his pupils quickly dilated.

Princess Huixi sat quietly, watching him breathe his last, her face expressionless, only a calmness as still as dead water.

She reached out her hand, gently closed his eyes, and whispered, "Go in peace, my royal brother. I will watch over this vast land for you..."

On the night of September 12, the 23rd year of the Yongxi reign, Crown Prince Xie Wuchen "suddenly fell ill and died suddenly" in the Eastern Palace.

Overnight, the royal bloodline was almost cut off.

The next day, it was still dark.

The urgent ringing of bells and the sound of mourning once again resounded throughout the capital!

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has passed away!"

The capital city, which had just experienced a palace coup and had not yet recovered, was once again plunged into great shock and panic!

The Crown Prince died suddenly! Just before he ascended the throne!

How is this possible? !

Inside Prince Jing's mansion, Xie Wuqi received the news and suddenly stood up from behind his desk, his face terribly gloomy. He immediately realized that this was no accident!

"Prepare the horses! Enter the palace!" He gave the order sternly, the ominous premonition in his heart becoming stronger and stronger.

When he arrived at the Eastern Palace, it had been "protected" by Princess Huixi's men. Huixi was dressed in mourning and weeping bitterly. When she saw Xie Wuqi, she burst into tears:

"Seventh Uncle! My brother...my brother...was fine last night, how could he...how could he just pass away like this? He must have been frightened and injured last time! It's my niece's fault for not taking good care of my brother! I'm guilty!"

She cried so passionately that she almost fainted.

Xie Wuqi watched her performance coldly, his eyes as sharp as a knife, as if he wanted to penetrate her disguised grief and see the cold ambition hidden underneath.

He didn't expose her, but simply asked in a deep voice, "Did the Crown Prince have any last words before his death? Or...who did he meet?"

Princess Huixi raised her tearful eyes and shook her head blankly, "No... My brother only drank a bowl of tranquilizing soup last night and then fell asleep... The palace maid on night watch discovered him this morning... Seventh Uncle, now that my father, mother, my third brother, and my brother the Crown Prince are all dead... What shall we do with the Great Zhou?"

Her words were like a heavy hammer, hitting the hearts of everyone present.

Yes, the emperor passed away, the empress dowager passed away, the third prince was executed, and the crown prince died suddenly... The only descendants of the late emperor left were... Prince Jing Xie Wuqi and this Princess Huixi!

According to the ancestral system, the younger brother will inherit the throne after the elder brother dies, and the uncle will inherit the throne after the son dies...

Everyone's eyes were involuntarily focused on Xie Wuqi.

Princess Huixi also raised her tearful eyes and looked at Xie Wuqi. The look in her eyes was complex and difficult to discern, with sorrow, dependence, and even a subtle, snake-like temptation and... provocation.

Xie Wuqi met her gaze, his heart chilled.

He finally understood that Princess Huixi's real goal was never to assist anyone, but... herself!

She poisoned the Queen Mother, eliminated the Third Prince, and now killed the Crown Prince, eliminating everyone who stood in her way one by one! And this uncle of hers, who held a large military force and held the highest prestige, had become her last and biggest stumbling block!

What a Hui Xi! Such ruthless tactics! Such deep scheming!

Now, the royal family is declining, and the country relies on the eldest prince. He, Xie Wuqi, seems to be the only choice.

However, the road to becoming emperor is destined to be paved with the blood of loved ones and endless conspiracies.

He looked at Princess Huixi's pitiful yet vicious face and knew that this game of power was far from over.

In fact, it may have just begun.