Thunder

Imperial Palace, Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Curls of green smoke emanated from a gilded dragon-shaped incense burner, filling the hall with a faint scent of sandalwood, yet the air was overwhelmed by a faint, new, and strange, medicinal aroma. Emperor Xiao Yan, dressed in bright yellow formal attire, half-reclined on a soft couch. His complexion seemed slightly more rosy than a few days ago, but his eyes still held the deep, elusive weariness characteristic of an emperor. He had just taken the "magic pill" that Feng Bao had carefully presented to him.

Feng Bao stood by, his hands hanging low, feeling a sense of unease. While the elixir was the same as usual, he felt there was something strange about the presentation today. The sudden appearance of the parrot was too coincidental. But after a careful inspection, he found nothing wrong with the elixir, the brocade box, or the wax seal. He could only suppress his unease.

"This pill... seems a little different from the previous ones," the emperor said slowly, his voice barely audible, "After entering my stomach, it felt warm and peaceful, unlike the burning and turbulent sensations of the past."

Feng Bao's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the immortal master of Yongquan Temple said that this is a sign that the elixir is about to be completed and its medicinal properties are reaching perfection, which is extremely beneficial for nourishing the dragon body."

The emperor hummed a sigh of relief and said nothing more, closing his eyes to rest. The hall fell into complete silence, with only the ticking of the clock.

Feng Bao quietly raised his eyes, observing the emperor's expression. Seeing that his breathing was steady, his face was normal, and even the gloom between his brows seemed to have dissipated a little, he felt a little relieved. Perhaps he was overthinking it.

However, this calm did not last long.

A few days later, urgent military reports arrived from the border crossing 800 miles away! This time, it wasn't bad news, but a great victory!

General Wei Zheng, the Northern Guard, set an ambush at Luoyingyuan, crushing the main force of Hu Yanzhuo, the Left Wise King of the Northern Di, slaying the enemy chieftain in battle and capturing countless prisoners! The military report details Wei Zheng's exploitation of the terrain, his use of a serious injury as bait to lure the enemy deeper, and his coordinated efforts with reinforcements to ultimately crush the invincible Northern Di cavalry in one fell swoop!

The news of victory spread, and the entire capital was in an uproar! The pro-war faction was elated, and praise for Wei Zheng and the border soldiers filled the streets. Even more shocking was that along with the victory report, a secret memorial from Wei Zheng and a sealed iron box were also delivered to the emperor.

The atmosphere in the Golden Palace was eerie. The joy of the victory report had barely faded when the contents of Wei Zheng's secret report cast a heavy shadow over it.

The emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, his face sullen. He clutched Wei Zheng's secret memorial, his knuckles white from the strain. Within the palace, all the civil and military officials held their breath, sensing a looming storm.

"Good... what a good Yongquan Temple who is loyal to the emperor and defends the country! What a good Uncle An who cultivates his character! What a good Third Prince who shares my worries!" The emperor's voice was not loud, but it was like ice chips scraping across everyone's heart, bringing a biting chill.

He suddenly threw the secret memorial down the imperial steps, and his eyes like a sharp sword swept across the Third Prince, whose faces suddenly changed, and several ministers who were attached to him.

"Minister Wei has issued a secret report! The reason Hu Yanzhuo, the Left Wise King of the Northern Di, is advancing alone is because he disagrees with the political views of the Northern Di royal court and is eager to gain merit and consolidate his position! Secret letters between his army and officials of our dynasty were discovered! The letters mentioned that someone promised to help him seize the throne in exchange for allowing him to launch this southern invasion, disrupt the border, and divert the court's attention!"

The whole hall was in uproar! Collaboration with the enemy! This was a heinous crime!

The Third Prince fell to his knees with a thud, his face pale. "Your Majesty, please understand! I am innocent! This must be a frame-up by Wei Zheng! He commands an army and acts with such authority, he deserves death, Your Majesty!"

"Frame-up?" The emperor sneered. He took the iron box the eunuch had found, opened it, and pulled out a thick stack of letters, account books, and... a golden pill (a real pill) that emanated a hint of evil. "Are these also frames?"

He picked up a letter and his voice, like thunder, echoed through the hall: "Hu, the steward of Prince An's Palace, has been exchanging secret letters with officials from the Third Prince's Palace, discussing the use of the canal to smuggle banned drugs from the Western Regions!"

He picked up another account book and said, "A detailed list of medicinal herbs purchased from the Western Regions by Yongquan Temple. Many of these herbs have been identified by the Imperial Hospital as the main ingredients for refining the mind-deceiving Bliss Powder and the so-called 'Immortal Pill'!"

Finally, he picked up the pill, his eyes filled with rage and fear. "And this! This is the elixir presented by Yongquan Temple, the 'Dragon Nourishing' elixir! The director of the Imperial Hospital has verified that this pill contains Bliss Powder and a variety of overbearing and potent drugs that cause hyperactivity and overdraft of vital energy! Long-term use will lead to insanity, exhaustion, and death!"

The truth exploded like thunder above everyone's head!

Collaborating with the enemy! Framing the princess! Refining a poisonous elixir to murder the emperor! Any one of these is a heinous crime punishable by the death of all nine generations of the clan!

Prince An's face turned pale, and he collapsed to the ground. The Third Prince trembled and spoke incoherently. They could never have imagined that Wei Zheng would deliver such a fatal blow during such a great victory at the border! Even more so, they could never imagine how the evidence they thought was so secret had fallen into Wei Zheng's hands!

"I'm not dead yet!" The emperor stood up suddenly, his hair and beard standing tall, and his imperial majesty enveloped the entire hall. "Are you so impatient?!"

"Capture these two traitors! Strip them of their hats and robes, throw them into the Heavenly Prison! Interrogate them rigorously! No one implicated in this crime shall be spared!"

"Yongquan Temple, seal it off for me! All Taoists, arrest and interrogate them!"

"Order the Northern Guard General Wei Zheng to immediately escort the Northern Di captives and all the witnesses and evidence involved in the case back to the capital to report on his duties!"

A series of orders came down like thunder, shaking the entire court. The once-proud Prince An and the Third Prince were imprisoned in the blink of an eye.

The Seventh Prince’s Mansion, Hengwu Courtyard.

When the news arrived, Lu Qinglan was pruning a pot of orchids. Her hands were steady, and the scissors fell with precision, slicing away the extra branches and leaves.

"Princess, it's done!" Fu Yu couldn't hide her excitement, her voice trembling. "Prince An and the Third Prince are imprisoned! Yongquan Temple has been sealed! We...we won!"

Lu Qinglan put down the scissors and gently wiped her fingertips with a handkerchief. Her face didn't show much joy, only a sense of calmness, a sense of having settled down, and a subtle hint of fatigue deep in her eyes.

"Win?" She shook her head slightly. "It's just the first crack. The real battle has just begun."

She walked to the window and gazed at the clear blue sky. The emperor, enraged, had punished Prince An and the Third Prince, but what about the "noble lady" hiding even deeper within the palace? Would the emperor, for the sake of the royal family's reputation, keep this matter under control? How would the Third Prince's maternal family and their followers react? While Wei Zheng's actions were meant to restore order, would his meddling in the imperial strife, his control of border troops, and his interference in state affairs, arouse the emperor's suspicion?

All of this is still unknown.

Although thunder has begun to appear and has washed away some of the filth, the dark clouds have not completely dissipated and may even be brewing a bigger storm.

She knew she couldn't let her guard down even a little bit. She needed to be even more cautious with every step forward.

Because the road to the pinnacle of power is always full of thorns, and one wrong step will lead to an abyss.