Emperor Mingde sat in his chair in a daze, thinking that he had already handed over the political affairs in his hands, and it was time to clean up everything that needed to be cleaned up.

It was the last thing he could do for his children.

Once all obstacles are cleared, he will definitely take the queen to enjoy the happiness of family.

There is not much time left for them.

Emperor Mingde felt a pang of pain in his heart when he thought about how he had privately summoned Envoy Song to question him after Jiang Qianruo collapsed last time.

"Your Majesty has been ill from overwork. All the hidden ailments of the past few years have now erupted. You have been secretly taking medication for two years, but... Your Majesty has told no one to tell, and Your Majesty has not asked, so this old minister..."

Emperor Mingde's mind was buzzing at that moment.

He didn't expect that the queen, who looked as strong as an ox, was already in a state of despair.

——

When Zhongli Zhou arrived at the door, he happened to meet Gongye Hong and his group who were leaving.

After entering the door, he looked at Ji Changying: "What are they doing here?"

Ji Changying motioned him to sit down, poured him a cup of tea and pushed it towards him: "Looking to buy potatoes and sweet potatoes."

"Sweet potatoes? You mean those red potatoes?"

Zhongli Zhou thought for a moment and quickly realized what she was talking about.

"Well, it's not the same crop as potatoes, but its habits are somewhat similar. The taste is completely different. I think you've tried it, right?"

Zhong Lizhou nodded: "I have eaten it, it is indeed different. How did they find you here?"

Ji Changying recounted what had happened, and Zhong Lizhou understood: "So I know you have it. What do you say?"

She smiled slyly, "I think the benefits of this deal outweigh the drawbacks. First, these things can be exchanged for a large sum of money, filling the national treasury and just easing the financial strain after last year. Second, even if they have these things, there's nothing to worry about. I haven't told them how to grow them."

"...it's still possible! Did you agree to give it to them?"

"Not really. I plan to leave them alone for a few days and discuss this with you. After all, you're involved in this."

Zhonglizhou looked at the smile on her face, and his expression gradually became complicated.

"I asked you about the Lai family last time, why didn't you tell me?"

Ji Changying was stunned for a moment, then realized what he was talking about. She looked at him and shrugged: "You didn't tell me when you knew my mother's life story before!"

Zhongli Zhou stared, somewhat speechless.

"So, you know?" Ji Changying asked him tentatively.

Zhonglizhou nodded and said, "Guess what Grandfather Huang said at the court this morning?"

"What?"

"He wants to make my father the crown prince and me the eldest grandson of the emperor, to govern the country on his behalf!"

Ji Changying widened her eyes in astonishment: "So decisive?"

It's only been a few days since you found out the truth? You've already made the decision so quickly?

"I don't know either. I just found out the truth today and I'm a little overwhelmed. This outcome is something I never expected."

A trace of confusion flashed in Zhonglizhou's eyes. He told Ji Changying the content of the conversation between Emperor Mingde and him, waiting to hear her opinion.

Unexpectedly, Ji Changying glanced at him and said, "Why are you being so pretentious? Just take it if I give it to you. You didn't steal it, and you've been given time to prove yourself. Then prove it to everyone! Use your strength to shut others up!"

"Could it be that even though I gave you the chance, you couldn't make use of it?"

Zhong Lizhou was so offended that the discomfort in his heart disappeared. "What a joke! I'm useless? I'll let you take a good look at me and see if I'm really useless!"

"That's right! If you're given something, then take it. Isn't it better to control your own destiny than to have it controlled by others? If those two princes ascend to the throne, do you think you and your uncle, who have such great military achievements and hold great military power, would be considered a threat to them?"

"It's come to this. Life and death are indifferent. If you don't agree, just fight! Come, let's discuss how to bring down those two."

Ji Changying spoke half in an encouraging and half serious tone.

Zhongli Zhou was actually moved after hearing this, and the two of them began to talk about serious matters in whispers.

The news that Prince Ping was about to take over as regent on behalf of the emperor spread like wildfire to every mansion.

Many people were wondering in disbelief where such an outrageous rumor came from.

Who doesn't know how much the emperor dislikes Prince Ping and his son?

But when the next day, Emperor Mingde handed all the memorials from various places to Zhonglizhou for review in front of everyone, and gave him the imperial seal, they had to believe it.

"Damn it! Father actually did this to us!"

After King Xuan returned, he was in a bad mood and smashed everything in his study to pieces.

"Since you don't care about our lives, don't blame me for being disrespectful! It's all your fault! It's all your fault!!!"

King Xuan smashed a few more things with a ferocious look on his face as if to vent his anger.

"I can help you."

At some point, a person appeared silently in the room.

King Xuan suddenly turned around and looked at the man in black who had appeared in the study room out of nowhere. He was shocked and angry. "Someone come here!"

The guards who were originally guarding outside the door seemed to have disappeared at this moment, and no one responded.

King Xuan approached the door in a panic.

The man in black chuckled and said, "If you wanted to harm the prince, you would have been lying on the ground by now. I am here to help the prince."

King Xuan forced himself to calm down and asked, "How do you want to help?"

The man in black chuckled: "I can help you kill the emperor."

King Xuan was shocked: "If you have this ability, why do you cooperate with me?"

"Because I can't enter the palace, there is some personal vendetta between the Emperor and me, and I just want to join forces with His Highness to kill him. As for other things, I'm not very interested."

"How can I trust you?"

"I know that Your Highness has a large number of private soldiers stored in Wuhe Mountain, and I also know where His Highness's hidden weapons are. It is because I know Your Highness's strength that I want to cooperate with you, but it does not require you. Your Highness Prince Yi is also a good choice. I will come again tomorrow, and I hope that Your Highness will have considered it clearly by then."

After the man in black finished speaking, he opened the door and walked out.

King Xuan chased out of the door, but found that the man had disappeared.

The guards on the ground also woke up in a daze. Seeing Prince Xuan standing there, they shuddered: "Prince, what's wrong?"

King Xuan frowned and looked at his two guards: "Did anyone come over just now?"

The guard looked at him in confusion: "I have been guarding here the whole time and didn't see anyone else coming."

King Xuan's heart sank. "Order the study to be cleaned up and the things inside to be disposed of quietly, without drawing attention to themselves."

"yes!"

The two guards immediately agreed solemnly.

——

In the Eastern Palace, the Crown Princess hugged Zhongli Tao and sobbed, "My son! Why are you so miserable?"