Chapter 596 Who's behind this?

Xuanxu nodded and continued, "It's not just Prince Ling, but also His Highness Prince Jin."

Emperor Ming sneered, "It is true. Prince Jin has been vying with Prince Ling for Jiang Ning for some time now. The two brothers even fought each other, which has completely disgraced the royal family."

Xuanxu sighed softly, feeling increasingly smug.

His expression was complex, but he calmly advised, "Your Majesty, if this demon is not eliminated, it will surely endanger the country and the imperial family! If it harms your and the nation's fortune, the world will descend into chaos, and the people will suffer..."

Emperor Ming feigned trust, looking at Xuanxu with a worried expression and asking, "What you say makes sense, Daoist, but I wonder how to get rid of Princess Ling, this fox demon?"

Xuanxu sneered, "Your Majesty, rest assured, after Dao Ancestor Qingxuan arrives in the capital, I will join forces with him to find a way to get rid of this vixen. At that time, the world will be at peace, and your health will naturally improve day by day."

"Very well, with the Imperial Advisor's words, I am relieved."

Emperor Ming stood up as he spoke, letting out a satisfied sigh. Xuanxu also quickly stood up.

"I wonder when Daoist Qingxuan will enter the palace. I will treat him well."

Seeing Emperor Ming's eager anticipation, Xuanxu smiled with relief.

"Rest assured, the Dao Ancestor will surely come to the palace to pay homage to His Majesty within the next two days."

Emperor Ming smiled and said, "Then I will wait for the Qingxuan Dao Ancestor in the palace."

A moment later, Emperor Ming returned to his study, and Xuanxu returned to the Star-Picking Tower.

Emperor Ming's face was grim and ashen as he loudly gave orders to Eunuch Su.

"Go and find out immediately what's missing from the Imperial Study."

Xuanxu's inexplicable intrusion into the imperial study must be to find something.

As for meeting the so-called Immortal Yuan Ling and finding him a way to achieve longevity, that was merely an excuse he gave.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant will thoroughly search every place."

Eunuch Su respectfully responded and personally inspected the Imperial Study inside and out.

He knew this place exceptionally well, memorizing every little detail; this was simply his daily routine as the head eunuch.

After carefully examining the items, Eunuch Su returned respectfully to report.

"Your Majesty, that Taoist priest Xuanxu rummaged through your desk and even searched through the pile of memorials under the table, but he didn't take anything with him. He must not have found what he was looking for."

Emperor Ming frowned and asked suspiciously, "What else is hidden in the Imperial Study that Xuanxu can't find?"

Eunuch Su's eyes flickered, and he lowered his voice.

“Your Majesty, have you forgotten that after Prince Ling saved you, you asked me to write down the edict establishing the Crown Prince? I hid the edict behind the plaque. I suppose that Taoist Xuanxu was searching for it.”

Emperor Ming, enraged, laughed and said angrily, "What does he want with the imperial edict?"

What exactly is this wicked Taoist priest trying to do? Emperor Ming was utterly baffled.

After a moment's thought, Eunuch Su reminded him, "Your Majesty, could it be that Xuanxu and the Empress are plotting to seize power and want to destroy that edict to legitimize their rule?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Ming's heart skipped a beat, and his face darkened as if a storm was brewing.

He clenched his fists tightly and said sternly, "If that's really the case, that slut and that stinking Taoist priest have some nerve!"

The two of them conspired to cuckold him, deceiving him for years, and now they even want to murder him, the emperor, and install the Prince of Jin on the throne.

Even killing him a thousand times wouldn't be enough to quell the hatred in his heart!

"Your Majesty, please calm down."

Eunuch Su said, "Fortunately, I hid the imperial edict behind the plaque, otherwise he might have really succeeded."

After thinking carefully, Eunuch Su said, "Your Majesty, why don't we temporarily remove the edict establishing the Crown Prince from the Imperial Study? Otherwise, they will surely try again."

Emperor Ming sneered, "Since that's the case, then I'll write a fake one for them so they can be completely at ease."

A look of delight flashed in Eunuch Su's eyes, and he said with a smile, "Your Majesty is wise."

Afterwards, he personally ground the ink and served Emperor Ming by writing another imperial edict.

But a few more lines were written in the inner lining of the imperial edict.

After he finished writing, Emperor Ming burst into laughter.

He said, "Eunuch Su, you continue to hide this fake imperial edict behind the plaque. I want to see just how many dogs dare to steal my things!"

Eunuch Su chuckled and asked, "Your Majesty, would you like to...?"

After spending many years together, Emperor Ming immediately understood.

He pondered for a moment and nodded.

Eunuch Su went out and brought back some things, which he sprinkled on the imperial edict.

Then he moved the ladder, climbed up again, and stuffed the fake imperial edict behind the plaque.

But the real imperial edict was kept in his bosom.

Meanwhile, Xuanxu returned to the Star-Picking Tower.

He glanced coldly at the boy beside him, picked up a brush and wrote a line of small characters, then put it in the box and instructed the boy.

"Take this to Minglan Palace. Remember, you must give it to the Empress. Tell her that this is a elixir that I specially made for her."

Xiao Dantong respectfully accepted it, "Rest assured, Grand Preceptor, I will go right away."

Before long, the Empress received the elixir in Mingluan Palace.

The Empress opened the brocade box containing the elixirs and looked inside, finding the note that Xuanxu had sent.

That day at Qianqing Palace, Emperor Ming was already displeased with the intimacy between the two, so Xuanxu deliberately did not come to Mingluan Palace for the past two days.

Messages were only exchanged via notes or by having someone else relay them; there was no further face-to-face interaction.

Granny Jin looked on expectantly and asked with concern, "Your Majesty, what did the Imperial Preceptor say?"

The Empress read it twice, and her expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

She tossed the note to Granny Jin and said sarcastically, "Xuanxu is useless too. The Imperial Study is only so big, yet he couldn't even find the Crown Prince's edict and almost let the Emperor discover his secret."

Granny Jin took it and looked at it, a hint of schadenfreude flashing in her eyes.

"Is the Imperial Advisor backing out? Or is he too afraid to go a second time?"

Xuanxu's words all spoke of the dangers of the Imperial Study, how he was almost caught by Emperor Ming, and how he managed to get away with it with great difficulty.

However, they didn't mention the Crown Prince's edict at all, and there was no definite answer as to when it would be available.

The Empress looked annoyed and said unhappily, "He is, after all, just a Taoist priest, and he has no real skills. I shouldn't really place my hopes on him."

After a moment of contemplation, Granny Jin spoke, her eyes flashing.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor still trusts us quite a bit. Even if we can't find the imperial edict, we still have ways to ensure that Yuwen Jue will never have the chance to succeed to the throne."

The Empress narrowed her eyes, looking at Granny Jin with suspicion, and asked, "What's your plan?"

Granny Jin gave a sinister smile.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will arrange it."

Seeing the confident and composed Granny Jin, the Empress nodded with satisfaction.

"Granny Jin, you are still the one who puts my mind at ease the most."

Granny Jin smiled respectfully, "Of course. I've been by your side since I was a child, and my duty in this life is to share your burdens."

The Empress, moved, took her hand and said, "When Prince Jin ascends the throne and I become the Empress Dowager, you will be the greatest contributor."

Granny Jin lowered her eyes and smiled, concealing the emotions in them.

"Your Majesty is too kind. Although I can play a small role, I would never dare to take credit for it."

The greatest contributor? If I remember correctly, that's what the Empress also said to Xuanxu.

At that time, Xuanxu was also very happy, feeling that the Empress trusted him completely, and he worked even harder.

Now, the Empress is using the same tactic on her again...

Unfortunately, she knew what kind of person the Empress was and what tricks she used to manipulate people, so she wasn't very excited.

She was just doing her duty, and naturally, she was also trying to prove herself and show Xuanxu how powerful she was!

As night deepened, Yuwen Jue and Jiang Ning finished interrogating Lin Shi and Jiang Yuanshan before returning to the Ling Prince's Mansion.