The autumn wind has become a little cold, but the Changqiu Palace located to the west of the Yangdu Palace is still so magnificent. In front of the high golden steps, famous varieties of flowers carefully cared for by gardeners are in full bloom, complementing the red walls and golden tiles.

However, this magnificent and luxurious palace is now covered with an invisible haze.

Early this morning, the old emperor issued an imperial decree to the court and conveyed it to all the nine provinces, adopting the little Prince of Zhao and making him the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace!

Queen Kun, wearing a gorgeous golden and red palace skirt with a pattern of birds paying homage to the phoenix, dragged across the spotlessly clean white marble flower bed. She stopped and looked back. The cold and fierce look that flashed across her sharp phoenix eyes at that moment made all the palace servants present silent, and they all lowered their heads and retreated to the edge of the garden.

"Brother, His Majesty has made that brat the crown prince."

Yesterday and today, when Empress Kun thought of the overt and covert prying eyes that made her feel uneasy at the banquet, she felt burning with hatred. She pinched the blooming rose in her hand and crushed it to pieces!

Bright red juice oozed out from between her fingers and was thrown to the ground by her. Empress Kun looked stern and walked quickly into the hall, followed closely by Uncle Kun.

Uncle Kun also showed a cruel look on his face: "How much have we, the Kun family, sacrificed for the late emperor and the present emperor? Now at the end of the day you want to eradicate us completely? Dream on!"

When the previous emperor was a minor clan successor to the major clan, his status was unstable, and he relied on the full support of the Kun family. Later, when the current emperor ascended the throne, their support and assistance were also indispensable. The Kun family devoted themselves to two generations of emperors. The old emperor's two empresses were both daughters of the Kun family. It can be said that it was a blessing, but was this the reason why the old emperor particularly admired the daughters of the Kun family?

fart! !

Two generations of Kun's daughters entered the palace, and the aunt and niece shared the same husband. It was not that the Kun's daughters were infertile. This was not their fault at all!

After paying so much, what's wrong with wanting to succeed an imperial heir with Kun's bloodline? !

This was also agreed by the emperor, otherwise, Prince Qian’s youngest son would not have been brought into the palace to be educated.

And now? As soon as the little Prince of Zhao was born, Kun was swept aside. From being a loyal minister, she was transformed into a trouble that must be eliminated. Who could be willing to accept this? !

How could the Kun family's hundreds of years of foundation be defeated by these brothers and sisters! !

Okay, let’s stop talking nonsense. Queen Kun and her siblings are indeed unwilling to accept this and are indeed determined to succeed to the throne. They have been working hard for this for many years. Now that the three kings have fled, the Kun family is in the limelight. Who will be the winner next? Let’s see what they are capable of!

Anyway, it is impossible to surrender. The Kun family is well-established and has been the emperor's right-hand man for so many years. It is not so easy to be defeated in a short time. It all depends on who has the more powerful means in the end!

Be it disloyalty or disloyalty, it all depends on who wins and who loses!

But we have to hurry up. The longer we delay, the more unfavorable the situation will be for the Kun family.

Queen Kun sat down: "Brother, what are your plans next?"

She had some ideas in her mind, but she decided to listen to Uncle Kun first.

Uncle Kun said solemnly: "Unite vertically and horizontally to take the initiative."

The brother and sister looked at each other and exchanged a knowing look.

…

The situation has reached this point in today's situation. Any path the Kun family can take is a path of disloyalty.

For example, unite forces and then force the emperor to abdicate.

Uncle Kun and Empress Kun, one with long experience in officialdom and the other holding a high position and overlooking the court for many years, are both very sensitive and courageous people. The lesson of the three kings is still before their eyes. If they defend for too long, they will lose. Resistance is not a good strategy. Who knows when the old emperor will die? Every time he looked sick and about to die, he would eventually come back to life.

Leaving the lives of an entire clan and one's own fate to chance is too unreliable.

The Kun family may not be able to hold on until that time.

What’s more important is that even if the old emperor really died as he wished, unless there were any accidents, he would definitely leave an imperial edict to sentence Empress Kun to death.

We still have to strike first!

You must know that the Kun family has advantages that the other three kings do not have. Uncle Kun is the emperor's confidant, Kun's daughter has been the queen and in charge of the harem for decades, and Empress Kun is the mother of the country. Once the old emperor passes away and the little Prince of Zhao also passes away, Empress Kun can legitimately adopt the youngest son of Prince Qian and help him ascend the throne.

As soon as the old emperor showed signs of turning his attention, the brother and sister made the same decision in their hearts without saying it out loud!

But it is not easy to accomplish this task. First of all, the old emperor is very wary of the Kun family. Although the Kun family is powerful, it is still not strong enough against the Emperor.

Therefore, it is necessary to form alliances vertically and horizontally and first win over the necessary support.

The first two names on Uncle Kun’s list are Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao.

As new nobles in the court, the two of them have gathered a large part of the power of the Four Princes' Palaces and the Six Princes' Palaces, and can now be said to be among the most powerful ministers. What's more important is that Ji Yuanhao is a member of the royal family, while Yang Yanzong's identity is more subtle. Uncle Kun knows vaguely that he has some connections with the old emperor. If this is used well, they may be able to infiltrate the old emperor's inner circle, which will be of great benefit to them!

Taking all factors into consideration, it is imperative and very important to win over these two people.

Uncle Kun's eyes were like eagles, and his mind was clear. "It would be best to find a way to encourage them to take the initiative to get along with each other."

Queen Kun frowned slightly: "Do we need to find someone to contact them?"

"No hurry," Uncle Kun narrowed his eyes, "Let's observe for a few days first."

First find someone to contact, if things go well, that's good, but if not, then trying other methods will be like forcing a melon, which is not beautiful.

This is extremely unfavorable for subsequent cooperation.

The intentions of these two people can be seen by observing them for a period of time and asking them indirectly.

The old emperor is getting older and older, and he is acting more decisively and drastically. Apart from Kun, they might be the next ones to take the throne.

Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao were both smart men, and they must have known it well.

…

So what are the intentions of Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao?

Of course I won’t get involved.

Yes, the two of them knew it very well. After the old emperor dealt with the Kun family, his next goal would be to purge the cliques if nothing unexpected happened.

But with the deliberate efforts of the two, they drastically reduced the number of people who doubted them and were overly loyal to the original Four Kings and Six Kings. Now the Party of Four Kings and Six Kings is much thinner and weaker than before, and is no longer the same as before.

Both of them were people who thought three steps ahead before taking one step, and they found the right balance, somewhere in between the two, where the old emperor could tolerate if he was a little loose, but couldn't bear it if he was a little tight.

Seeing that the old emperor did not take action against them, but instead adopted appropriate conciliatory measures among the court officials, the effect can be seen.

There is also a lot of room for maneuver in the future.

First of all, the old emperor looked really old, and he couldn't wait to make the young Prince of Zhao the crown prince and was so eager to target Kun that it was hard not to wonder what the condition of his health was.

The Kun family has deep roots and has always been the emperor's confidant. Their forces are intertwined, and it is not easy to eradicate them in a short period of time.

Even if we take a step back, the old emperor really managed to hold on.

But the young King of Zhao is so young. Even if there are regents, who can guarantee that these currently loyal ministers will not develop ambitions in the future and become another powerful official or clique that holds the young king hostage?

It would be better to keep Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao, or perhaps reduce their power appropriately to create a situation where all parties restrain each other.

The way of an emperor is about balance. For a young emperor who wants to rule the country himself, a united faction is much more difficult than several parties.

Anyway, there is still room for maneuver in the future.

It is definitely much safer and easier than colluding with the Kun family to force the emperor to abdicate.

"No matter which direction the wind blows, you and I remain unmoved."

Ji Yuanhao picked up a glass of wine, clinked it with Yang Yanzong on the other side of the long table, drank it gracefully, and after finishing the business discussion, he stood up and left.

Neither of them is a loyal subject. If pushed too hard, they might force the emperor to abdicate, but it is unnecessary in the current situation.

After Ji Yuanhao left, Yang Yanzong stood up and stood on the steps of the Daguang Pavilion. The autumn night breeze was cold, and his robes fluttered slowly. A Kang carefully poked his head out: "Master, shall we go back to the study, or... the backyard?"

These days, the personal guards around Yang Yanzong have been trying to speak to the main court in this way, which makes him angry. How much benefit has she given to the people around him? !

Yang Yanzong glanced at A Kang coldly, "If you dare to speak like this again, you will be punished with fifty military sticks!"

“All of them!!”

He turned away, A Kang stuck out his tongue, not daring to say a word, and hurriedly followed him.

…

However, even if Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao did not intend to move, it would be difficult for the two new nobles with military power to avoid being drawn into the center of this vortex.

"Since they won't move, let's find a way to make them move."

Uncle Kun slowly turned the two mutton-fat jade balls in his palms and said lightly.

He was not surprised at all about the actions of Yang Ji and the other two, so he did not intend to let anyone try to contact them from the beginning.

Queen Kun sat on the left side of the agarwood couch, while Uncle Kun sat on the right side. As they talked, they looked up at a small door on the side of the warm room. Queen Kun raised her sharp phoenix eyes and said, "Let him in."

Maintain your troops for a thousand days and use them for a moment.

This chess piece has been put aside for so many years, and now it's finally time to use it.

After a while, the vermilion curtain of the small door moved, and a man in a black cloak came out. He bowed his head silently and said, "My queen, this is the king's uncle."

"very good."

Queen Kun waved her hand and stepped forward in a black cloak. She turned her face to the side, her red lips moved slightly, and she whispered something in her ear.

After hearing this, the black cloak repeated it carefully again. The three confirmed that it was correct. The former took a step back and said, "I obey your orders!"

The man raised his head slightly, revealing a smooth, beardless jaw. Judging from his frame and body shape and the sound of his voice, he was a eunuch.

The faint candlelight shone on the lower half of his face, slightly illuminating a pair of black eyes. This was an acquaintance, Eunuch Zhang.

——The eunuch Zhang, the chief attendant of the Supervisory Office, Tong Jie’en’s confidant, who had dealt with Yang Yanzong and Su Ci when they were looking for silver in the northwest.

The plan of Uncle Kun and Queen Kun is complicated and simple at the same time. Aren't Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao not moving? Then they force them to move.

The most effective and powerful way is to borrow the old emperor's hand! Anyway, the old emperor is high and mighty, and although he is temporarily lenient towards Yang Ji and the other two, everyone knows that it won't last long.

Surveillance and fabrication of false evidence made the relationship between the two sides tense, and even Yang Ji and the other two made many enemies, many of whom were eager to take revenge day and night. The old emperor was lax in his manpower, acquiesced, and even condoned or took advantage of the situation, secretly detaining the families of Yang Ji and the other two and using them as bargaining chips when necessary.

Eunuch Zhang has people in his hands, so he can get this done. He just needs to leave just the right amount of clues for Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao.

"It is said that Yang Yanzong loved his wife very much and took her with him on many missions abroad."

"And Ji Yuanhao's wife, Ren, has been with him through thick and thin for many years, and now she has a first son, so that's enough."

Uncle Kun said, “Let’s first invite them to stay at our villa in Yunzhou for a few days.” After the alliance is formed, we can “rescue” them back.

…

Uncle Kun and Queen Kun designed everything, and the plan was flawless, but in fact, they failed to anticipate subsequent developments.

In the cold starry sky of September, the flowing water felt icy. Queen Kun leaned over, and the cold stream water leaked from her fingers painted with bright red paint. She smiled coldly.

After twenty years of marriage, now it's a life-and-death battle!

As for the crisscrossing palace alleys behind the Changqiu Palace, Eunuch Zhang responded solemnly and then quietly returned through the small door along the same route. He was very cautious and made a big circle, changing several identities before finally returning to his duty room.

He took off the black cloak quietly, handed it to the young eunuch and nodded, who then took it back and burned it.

Eunuch Zhang changed back into a silver-blue bullfighting suit, and became the emperor's confidant again, one of the top five powerful figures in the Supervisory Office.

He had been a member of the Kun family from the very beginning. He had taken refuge with the Kun family when he had a hard time making a living in the palace. Later, he worked hard and stood out. Later, under the promotion of the Kun family, he moved closer to Tong Jie'en, and finally followed him to the Supervisory Office.

To be honest, he is powerful today and may not be willing to wade into this muddy water, but he and Kun each have their own means of restraining each other, and his status does not allow for any flaws. He has to be loyal even if he wants to, so he might as well be completely loyal.

But he had been preparing for a long time, and with a quick mental calculation, he could ensure that the plan was carried out without exposing himself.

But when Eunuch Zhang walked quickly out of the door and headed towards the second hall of the Supervisory Office, he was slightly stunned.

In the past, the lights in the second hall were always off at this time, but today, I glanced out of the corner of my eye and saw a faint candle flame, flickering dimly and swaying in the wind.

He frowned and continued walking inside. When he was halfway there, he realized something was wrong because none of the guards on duty in the second hall were there today.

The whole yard was empty. In the dark night, the wind blew the shadows of the trees rustling, and there was an inexplicable feeling that I was about to be swallowed by the darkness.

Eunuch Zhang has been through many hardships for many years and has witnessed many bloody deaths. He is not a timid person, but for some reason, his heart skipped a beat and he had an ominous premonition.

At this moment, the door behind him closed silently! Eunuch Zhang turned around suddenly and exclaimed, "Who is playing tricks here? Do you know where this place is?!"

“Get out!!”

A sharp and fierce voice echoed in the courtyard. Eunuch Zhang walked step by step along the corridor towards the main hall. He suddenly rushed out, turned sideways and looked up, but his heart suddenly exploded! The strength in his limbs seemed to be suddenly drained away. He was so scared that he broke out in a sweat and stood there with his eyes wide open.

Inside the main hall, there was a dazzling bright yellow dragon robe. The old emperor was leaning on a high chair with his eyes slightly closed. The room was surrounded by the imperial guards. On the left of the old emperor sat Tong Jie'en, and on the right stood the trusted eunuch who had just burned his cloak black! !

The other person was still holding the black cloak in his hand, with a dim candlelight. He lowered his brows and stood respectfully beside the emperor.

Eunuch Zhang was so frightened that he took three steps back and fell to the ground, "...Your Majesty!"

"How can I fall into the same trap twice?"

The old emperor opened his eyes. The night was as cold as water. He said coldly.

King Zhao will never suffer such a big loss again.

He had found out who was Eunuch Zhang and who was Kun's people a long time ago.

The old emperor looked at Tong Jie'en, who drew out a white silk and stepped forward slowly. Eunuch Zhang panicked. At this critical moment of life and death, he could no longer care about anything else and shouted hoarsely: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I am willing to make meritorious contributions while serving my sentence, make meritorious contributions while serving my sentence!"

"Please give me a chance, please give me a chance!!!" He kowtowed desperately!

"oh?"

The old emperor raised his eyebrows, seeming to be somewhat interested. "Tell me, how do you want to make amends for your crimes?"

Eunuch Zhang felt relieved, he knew it! The old emperor still needs him! He is such an important chess piece, he cannot disappear without any reason, otherwise it will alert the enemy. !

He immediately revealed the plans of Empress Kun and Uncle Kun, including how to monitor and stimulate the relationship between the two parties, and finally, the most important point, how to take action against the wife and children of Yang Yanzong Ji Yuanhao.

The old emperor sneered: "I can't believe that these two insignificant figures in the past have become so powerful now that even the Kun family has to go to great lengths to win them over!"

Eunuch Zhang found it difficult to respond to this, and there was no need for him to respond. In order to highlight the necessity of his existence, he described the plan of the Kun brothers and sisters in great detail. Taking various considerations into consideration, it would be much better for the old emperor to keep him.

He had made up his mind. The moment the old emperor was willing to listen to him, he was determined. Eunuch Zhang had already begun to think about how to take advantage of the open and covert struggles between the two sides to protect himself.

He lowered his eyelashes. In fact, it would be better if Kun won. As long as he could get rid of the insider who was present today in time, the result would be the same as before.

Eunuch Zhang's mind was in a state of confusion, but before he could think more carefully, the old emperor's cold and aged voice rang in his ears: "Okay, now that we have made it clear, let's get going."

Eunuch Zhang was shocked and looked up suddenly! But then the curtain at the back door moved, and a very familiar-looking person came out.

This person was wearing a silver-blue bullfighting suit, and his stature and gait were exactly the same as his. More importantly, when this person raised his face, it was surprisingly the face of "Eunuch Zhang"!

The old emperor asked: "Did you hear it clearly?"

"Eunuch Zhang" knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, I have heard you clearly."

He stood up and said to Eunuch Zhang with a smile, "Seventh Brother, do you still remember me?"

How could the old emperor use this eunuch with a rat-like head? !

He knew exactly what Eunuch Zhang was thinking.

The old emperor had already prepared a backup plan after he discovered Eunuch Zhang's true identity.

This man also had the surname Zhang, but he was not a eunuch. He was the brother of Eunuch Zhang. The two of them had facial features that were 50% similar. Add to that the years of learning and simulation, as well as the skillful hands taught by the disguise master, so unless you look closely from close range, they look almost exactly the same!

In a blink of an eye, they looked like twin brothers, with no flaws to be seen!

Eunuch Zhang was shocked beyond words! But he no longer had the chance to shout, because Tong Jie'en found that the old emperor had become impatient. He waved his hand quickly, and two imperial guards captured him. They strangled him with a white silk ribbon, and Eunuch Zhang struggled desperately and died.

A corpse lay limply outside the threshold. The old emperor stood up, looked towards the direction of Changqiu Palace, and his expression suddenly turned stern!

"What a great move! Repairing the plank road in the open while secretly attacking Chencang!"

The old emperor sneered: "I will treat him in his own way."

The most efficient and clean way is to use the opponent's trick against them. Aren't we going to target Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao's wife and children? Okay, I'll grant you your wish!

However, the ones who will take action will be people from the Kun family.

The old emperor glanced at Tong Jien and the fake eunuch Zhang and said, "What should we do? I don't need to tell you again, do I?"

"I understand!"

"Okay," the old emperor smiled coldly. Since we are going to make an enemy, let's make a mortal enemy! Otherwise, wouldn’t it be a waste of the Kun brothers and sisters’ painstaking planning?

“No need to hold back!”

Tong Jien's fake eunuch Zhang was startled and immediately understood: "Yes!"

The old emperor was much more ruthless than the Kun brothers and sisters. Uncle Kun and Empress Kun still had some martial ethics. Since they intended to win over Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao, they did not intend to really harm the wives and children of Yang and Ji.

But the old emperor was extremely cruel, he would just take his life without holding back!