"This is all thanks to Young Master Lan," Qian Qiu said. "If Lan Tingyu hadn't been so infatuated with beauty, how could he have fallen into my trap and had his life in my hands?"

Gu Yan said, "So that Su Bi is Commander Qian's man."

“Su Bi is indeed a useful person. She has not disappointed me. It is also thanks to Su Bi that I have had the opportunity to keep poisoning Lan Tingyu. Now, if it weren’t for my antidote, Lan Tingyu would have exploded and died immediately.” Qian Qiu laughed fiercely a few times. “Unexpectedly, Zhenguo Gong usually dislikes this grandson who likes to cause trouble, but when it comes to a life-or-death moment, he is unwilling to let Lan Tingyu die.”

Gu Yan smiled at Feng Guang, "Your Majesty, the Duke of Zhenguo is too protective of his son. You have no reason to lose."

Feng Guang snorted with a pout. She knew she wasn't good at political maneuvering, right? But now that she was caught, did he have to be so calm and collected as to make sarcastic remarks?

"I have already obtained the Imperial Seal. If it is announced tomorrow that His Majesty is seriously ill and I will oversee the country, I believe no one will dare to object." Chief Qian said confidently, "I have served the Xia clan for decades, and today it is time for me to take a high position."

Feng Guang gritted his teeth, "The imperial seal was kept in a secret chamber, how did you find it?"

"As long as Miss Su Xu is here, no secret pavilion in this world will ever exist."

"What do you mean?"

Qian Qiu was extremely pleased with himself. "Miss Su Xu from Su Ling Xuan cast a divination for me and said that I am the true emperor. Naturally, she also found out the location of the Secret Pavilion and helped me obtain the Imperial Seal."

"That fortune teller!" Feng Guang was so angry she was about to jump up and down. Could it be that this Su Xu really had the ability to tell fortunes and ask about fate? Only she had the key to the secret chamber!

After admiring her angry expression for a while, Qian Qiu looked at Gu Yan and said calmly, "Prince Qian, everyone says you have extraordinary talent and are as intelligent as a god. Now, are you convinced by my arrangements and schemes along the way?"

"I have to admit it." A glint of light flashed in Gu Yan's dark eyes.

Chief Qian then said, "In that case, Prince Qian should first cripple his right hand."

Feng Guang was terrified. "Chief Qian, what do you want to do?"

"Your Majesty need not worry. It's just that the prince's hand has been crippled. He is skilled in martial arts and is a troublesome person. Only by crippling his hand can I feel at ease."

"Gu Yan, don't listen to him!" Seeing that Gu Yan didn't refute her, Feng Guang shouted anxiously, but as soon as she uttered a sentence, her neck was grabbed hard by Qian Qiu.

Qian Qiu slowly increased the strength in his hand, and her small face gradually turned pale. She held his hand tightly but could not break free. Of course, Qian Qiu was a military general, and she was small and not very strong, so she could not contend with him.

Qian Qiu said to Gu Yan, "Have you thought this through, Prince Qian? Her Majesty is so pampered. I'm afraid her fragile neck will break in no time."

Gu Yan said calmly, "Didn't Commander Qian want me to cripple one of my hands? I'll do as he says."

"No..." Feng Guang managed to utter a single word with difficulty, as Qian Qiu tightened his grip on her neck, and she could only manage to say this one word.

Gu Yan drew a sword from a nearby Imperial Guard. Without blinking, he maintained a calm smile throughout and pierced his own arm with the sword in front of everyone. In an instant, blood splattered everywhere.

Soon, he calmly drew his sword again, his right hand hanging limply at his side, blood staining his white clothes. If it weren't for the layer of cold sweat on his forehead, others would probably think that he felt no pain at all.

"Chief Qian, can you release His Majesty now?"

His series of actions were so effortless that those who witnessed them were speechless with astonishment.