Watching Qin Feifan leave, Cao Zhengchun said, "Young Master, the struggle for the throne in the Longgan Dynasty is intensifying, which may disturb your peace. Why not investigate the Imperial Ancestral Temple directly?"

Meng Fan's eyes seemed to traverse the cosmos as he slowly said, "The world is vast and full of countless beings. By observing them, one can understand human nature, comprehend creation, align with the will of Heaven, and experience the myriad aspects of life. This helps to elevate one's state of mind."

Cao Zhengchun understood. Simply put, Meng Fan was just bored and looking on with amusement. As for the part about improving one's state of mind, he ignored it.

"Young Master understands the will of Heaven and sees through everything. Such a realm truly leaves this old servant in awe!"

"Your flattery is too deliberate; you need to work on it more."

"..."

Qin Feifan returned to the capital's royal palace at night. He always benefited greatly from his visits to Meng Fan.

This time was no exception; without even a sip of tea, he summoned his trusted confidants to the study to discuss matters.

"My second and third brothers, as well as my sixth and eighth brothers, are gradually targeting me, putting me in a dilemma. Do you have any good ideas?"

Qin Feifan no longer held back when facing his trusted confidants, who were all people he could rely on, and went straight up to ask them questions.

The group looked at each other, realizing that a single wrong step at this moment would lead to utter ruin, and none of them dared to speak out.

Seeing that none of them spoke, Qin Feifan said, "Today I want you to speak freely without any reservations, and I will forgive you all!"

Seeing that the conversation had progressed to this point, the group knew they had no choice but to speak. They knew that although the Fourth Prince was decisive in killing, he was still a wise ruler, so they all spoke up.

"Your Highness, if I may be so bold, although you have made outstanding achievements in recent years, your background has always been your biggest weakness. Even if His Majesty intends to pass the throne to you, he will surely have to consider the opinions of the court officials."

Qin Feifan was not angry at all upon hearing this. He even praised him, saying, "Well said, Mr. Yu, you hit the nail on the head."

The middle-aged scholar who had spoken earlier hadn't expected that his somewhat disrespectful words would actually earn praise from His Highness, and continued, "Your subject spoke in haste, and I beg Your Highness to punish me."

To everyone's surprise, Qin Feifan laughed and said, "I have said that everyone can speak freely today, without any distinction between ruler and subject. What crime has Mr. Yu committed?"

Seeing Qin Feifan's words, the others no longer held back and spoke up one after another: "Your Highness, if we may speak disrespectfully, you were born of a maid, and from birth you were already at a disadvantage. Originally, being in a remote corner and not being valued was the safest option. However, your great achievements have made the other princes see you as a huge threat. If we want to eliminate this hidden danger, we can only bring more court officials into our camp. Only then will we have room to maneuver when others use this as a reason to advise us."

"Although this is not the best option, one's background is fundamental and cannot be changed, so this is the only option available."

"The Second Prince and the Third Prince are each in their own power, so they are not a major concern. However, although the Sixth Prince and the Eighth Prince are constantly fighting among themselves, we estimate that they have already joined forces. Their apparent struggle is just to lull people into a false sense of security. When they make their move, they will sweep away all obstacles with lightning speed."

"Yes, Your Highness must be wary of the Sixth Prince and the Eighth Prince."

The group chatted incessantly, and before they knew it, it was late at night. Seeing that they still hadn't figured out what to do next, Qin Feifan immediately made a decision.

"I've decided to take the initiative and take down my second and third brothers first. You all immediately mobilize our spies to gather evidence of their crimes. Even if you can't find them, target the officials in their faction. In short, I won't make a move unless I do, and once I do, I'll make sure they can't rise again!"

"In addition, Mr. Yu should spend more time these days interacting with neutral people, no matter how much it costs, bring in as many as you can."

The group nodded in agreement. They knew that Qin Feifan was actually very capable, both in the court and the military; otherwise, they wouldn't have pledged allegiance to him.

In the past, Qin Feifan was cautious and timid. With several brothers watching him, he dared not make any rash moves, for fear that the news would reach his father and make him feel that he had some intention of forcing the emperor to abdicate.

Now that we want to take the initiative, we must make sure it's a fatal blow!

"Your Highness, what about the Emperor...?"

Qin Feifan sighed and said, "Hydrophobia. My father is in the prime of his life, but unfortunately he has been diagnosed with this incurable disease."

Mr. Yu and the others were surprised to hear this. The cause of hydrophobia has always been unknown, but without exception, all sufferers will die from the disease. Even a grandmaster is powerless to help!

"Father has already consulted many renowned medical experts, but they are all helpless. He is only holding on by relying on his profound cultivation."

Several people knew that if the emperor contracted this incurable disease, the court would soon be in chaos, and they didn't have much time left. They all felt immense pressure.

"Your Highness, if the Emperor could have held out for another year or two, our chances of winning would have been much greater. But now it seems that things are urgent. The most crucial question is who the Emperor truly considers his successor."

Upon hearing this, the others echoed, "Yes, Your Highness. If the Emperor's chosen successor is you, those who support the monarchy will surely become your allies. In this way, our power will greatly increase, and you will be able to ascend to the throne with an overwhelming advantage."

Qin Feifan pondered for a moment, then solemnly said, "You proceed according to the plan. Tomorrow morning I will go to the palace to see my father and test his intentions."

Time flew by, and it was time for the morning court session. Dozens of ministers waited in a side hall of the palace for the session. Although they knew in their hearts that they probably wouldn't attend today, that was the rule. Whether or not to attend was the emperor's business, but whether or not to come was a matter of their attitude.

The main seat in the side hall was empty, where several princes sat. The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive, forcing the surrounding ministers to hold their breath.

"By imperial decree, His Majesty, there will be no morning court session today. All princes are hereby summoned to the palace to meet the Emperor."

A hoarse voice came from the doorway, and the ministers hurriedly bowed and left, clearly not wanting to stay any longer.

The princes didn't even glance at each other, and followed the eunuch away.

When the group arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, they saw Qin Li, the current emperor of the Longgan Dynasty, lying on his sickbed, and immediately knelt down.

With the help of two eunuchs, Qin Li struggled to his feet, his face pale. He looked at the princes kneeling below and said slowly, "I know you have been fighting each other for a long time, but you must always remember that you are descendants of the Qin family, and everything must be for the greater good."

"Your subject is terrified!"

"The Longgan Dynasty is now beset by internal and external troubles. If you do not work together after my death, you will not be able to control the border officials, nor the barbarian tribes in the wilderness and the various dynasties. At that time, you will be the sinners of the Qin family for all eternity!"

After saying this, Qin Li seemed to have used up all his strength, and suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, clearly having reached the point of exhaustion.

“Listen up, I…I…I pass the throne to the Fourth Prince.”

After saying this, he passed away peacefully, and the Hall of Mental Cultivation was filled with weeping.

The sixth prince, Qin Feiming, suddenly stood up, rushed to Qin Li, grabbed Qin Li's cold arm, and cried out, "Father, Father, you must make it clear who you're passing the throne to! Father! Waaah..."