Emperor Mingyang had been busy all morning, and by noon he had instructed Deng Quan to arrange resting places for these old men. However, just as he was about to fall asleep, Deng Quan rushed in and woke him.

Emperor Mingyang was very displeased and signaled to him that "he had better have something important to do" or else he would make him pay.

Deng Quan smiled wryly and whispered to Emperor Mingyang, "Your Majesty, His Highness Prince Chen requests an audience."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Mingyang was even more puzzled. Yu Shuo had come, so why couldn't he have waited? Why did he have to be woken up now?

Tao Rong, who had been summoned to accompany Emperor Mingyang, stood up and tied his cloak around his neck, saying gently, "Perhaps His Highness Prince Chen has some urgent business. Why don't you rest after you've finished your work?"

She helped Emperor Mingyang up and said gently, "It just so happens that the soup that I had the Imperial Kitchen prepare is almost ready. Your Majesty and Prince Chen can have some."

Emperor Mingyang raised an eyebrow. "Why give it to him? It's not like he doesn't have a wife."

Tao Rong knew he was joking, but she just smiled and tidied his hair.

However, Emperor Mingyang did not go to see Yu Shuo solely because of Tao Rong. He knew his younger brother's temperament; he would not have come in such a hurry unless it was something important.

It would be better to go and take a look.

"Tell him to wait in the side hall."

Deng Quan immediately smiled and bowed over.

Before long, Emperor Mingyang entered the side hall wearing a cloak, his brows furrowed as soon as he entered.

Nothing else, except that there was a corpse lying in the side hall, and it was a stiff corpse.

He immediately looked at Deng Quan and questioned, "Why didn't you say that Prince Chen brought in a corpse?"

Deng Quan could only smile wryly, "This servant doesn't know. His Highness Prince Chen came empty-handed."

Who knows where the body came from? Why don't you ask His Highness Prince Chen? Asking this servant? How would this servant know such things?

Perhaps it was sent by the people from the Moon Tower?

Emperor Mingyang was just asking a question. He quickly walked to the corpse and felt that the person looked somewhat familiar, but he really couldn't remember where he had seen him before.

Yu Shuo gestured for Deng Quan to close the door, then said to Emperor Mingyang, "Your Majesty, this man is a secret guard from the Yuehai Kingdom."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Mingyang immediately became serious. He knew that his younger brother would not bother him unless it was something important.

Very well, it turns out to be something this serious right off the bat.

"The secret agents of the Yuehai Kingdom have actually infiltrated the capital? Weren't they completely eliminated before?"

Previously, because of Kang Lin, almost all the people from the Yuehai Kingdom in Kyoto had been wiped out, except for those who traded.

However, due to the tense relations between the two countries, there are not many people trading.

Yu Shuo shook his head, "This person has another master following him."

Emperor Mingyang immediately realized what Yu Shuo meant and understood the seriousness of the matter.

"Is his master from the Yuehai Kingdom?"

Yu Shuo shook his head. "That's not the case."

"Heh, so that means there's still a traitor in the country." His expression wasn't good. He considered himself a wise ruler who had never mistreated the people.

Why are there so many traitors? Isn't life in Da'an good enough?

"Who is that person?" he asked with a stern face.

Yu Shuo shook his head, "The evidence is insufficient, Your Majesty, please wait a little longer."

In fact, the evidence from the horse farm was enough to deal with Xue Huai'an and convict him, but Qin Su said the ledgers wouldn't be given out for the time being, so they wouldn't be given out for the time being. He felt that Qin Su must have other reasons for saying that.

Emperor Mingyang's expression was very unpleasant. "You know, I have always trusted you. Just tell me, and I will believe you."

Yu Shuo shook his head again.

Seeing this, Emperor Mingyang did not pursue the matter further.

"Very well, I'll continue to look. What other evidence do you need to provide me?"

"However... I feel this person looks somewhat familiar." He kept staring at the person on the ground, but still couldn't recognize him.

"If there's nothing else, you may leave." He was a little tired and wanted to continue resting.

Yu Shuo thought for a moment and then asked, "Please, Your Majesty, do not make this matter public for the time being, so as not to alert the enemy."

Emperor Mingyang waved his hand to indicate that he understood.

Yu Shuo then turned and left. After he left, Deng Quan came in from outside.

"Come here."

Deng Quan did as he was told and walked over. He had seen bloodshed before, so even if there was a dead body on the ground, he didn't think much of it and remained calm.

"Come and see if this person looks familiar," Emperor Mingyang said, pointing to the person on the ground.

Deng Quan glanced at the person but didn't see anything wrong. He quickly turned the person over and looked again. After thinking for a moment, he realized who it was.

"This person seems to be someone who follows Prince Xue. I've only seen him two or three times, and he doesn't seem to appear often. I remember that the person who often follows Prince Xue seems to be called Xue Qi." Clearly, this person is not Xue Qi.

"Xue Huai'an?"

Among the younger generation, Emperor Mingyang was particularly impressed by Xue Huai'an.

In the plot by Kang Lin to destroy the future of Da'an, Xue Huai'an was the only noble son who stepped forward. Later, during the hunt in Xishan, it was also because of his drunk driving that he was saved.

He also handled the affairs in Huaizhou quite well.

Would someone like that have secret guards from the Yuehai Kingdom by his side? Does he know about this? Or does he not?

Emperor Mingyang recalled what Yu Shuo had said.

Yu Shuo said, "This person has another master following him."

So, was Xue Huai'an aware of the situation, or was he unaware?

Both morally and logically, Emperor Mingyang hoped that Xue Huai'an was unaware of the situation.

He could see that Xue Huai'an was shrewd and ambitious, which he could accept, but he could not accept that such a person would choose to betray Da'an.

"Your Majesty, should I send someone to investigate?" Deng Quan asked tentatively, glancing at Emperor Mingyang.

Just as Emperor Yu Shuo had the Moon Ascension Tower, Emperor Mingyang also had his own intelligence organization.

Emperor Mingyang did not speak immediately. He thought for a while, then shook his head at Deng Quan, "Let's talk about it later."

He trusted Yu Shuo, and so far his younger brother had been quite dutiful, only doing what was required of him.

This is why he trusted Yu Shuo so much.

"This person has undergone preservation treatment; he might still be useful later."

"yes."

Deng Quan ordered his guards to take the body away. Just as they stepped out of the palace gate, they saw a girl wearing a fur cloak gracefully approaching.

She is the currently favored Consort Rong.

Deng Quan was also very respectful to her, saying, "Your Highness, please give this to me, Consort Rong."

"Be careful not to burn yourself."

Tao Rong shook her head and asked with a smile, "Has His Highness Prince Chen left?"

Deng Quan nodded. "Please go in."

Tao Rong looked regretful, "I took an extra bowl."

After this delay, it was time to deal with official business again, and Emperor Mingyang could only lament that his lunch break was ruined.

The soup was served in the warm pavilion, and Emperor Mingyang simply ordered the imperial kitchen to send more soup to warm the bodies of these old men.

Tao Rong's actions earned high praise from several senior officials, who said that His Majesty was blessed and the country was blessed, as she was an excellent and virtuous woman.

Tao Rong quickly returned to Shangchun Palace. The moment she sensed someone in the hall, she dismissed all the palace servants, leaving only the maid who had delivered the message earlier.