Shang Xiche doesn't know what bad luck he's encountered today. Starting from when he woke up this morning and his hand was bitten by a rat, he's had all sorts of unlucky things.

Chaoyang Palace!

The place in the entire palace that was cleaned most diligently and guarded most heavily was infested with rats, which even crawled into his dragon bed!

Even more outrageous, in the Golden Palace, the most solemn and majestic place in the Great Zhao Dynasty, the lamp oil spilled at the entrance to the rear hall, and the scalding oil splashed all over his hands, burning him so badly that his skin was torn open on the spot!

This disturbance meant that the morning court session was naturally canceled.

After Shang Xiche returned to his palace and had the imperial physician treat his wounds, which were then bandaged, a swarm of wild bees suddenly appeared out of nowhere and rushed into the palace, heading straight for his sleeve, as if he had hidden a beehive there.

After another round of chaos, Shang Xiche's hands were finally riddled with holes and swollen so much that he couldn't move them. Enraged, he chopped down several unlucky palace servants who had run into him.

The Empress remained silent for a long time after hearing this.

The people the emperor beheaded were all people planted in the palace by the Duke of Chen's family.

Could it be that the emperor has really sensed something and is giving them a warning?

"Someone must be trying to harm me, someone must have deliberately arranged this." Shang Xiche leaned against the dragon bed, his swollen hands aching terribly, making his anger even more difficult to quell.

On the ground, a large number of people, including Grandpa De, were kneeling.

Gao Chengwei personally led a team to inspect the surrounding area and then came in to report: "Your Majesty, there is nothing unusual inside or outside the Chaoyang Hall and the Jinluan Hall."

"So, these rats and wild bees just wandered in on their own? Is it because you dogs didn't clean properly that these snakes, insects, and rats were attracted?!" Shang Xiche was both angry and in pain, and felt dizzy. "Guards! Drag all the people who were responsible for cleaning yesterday out and beat them to death!"

"Your Majesty, spare us! Your Majesty!" The dozen or so palace servants on the ground immediately burst into tears and cries.

But no one dared to plead for them at this time, nor was anyone willing to plead for them because of their lowly status.

It took Shang Xiche a while to calm down before he could barely suppress his anger. He dismissed the remaining trembling palace servants, leaving only Gao Chengwei behind.

His face was dark and gloomy, and his voice was as cold as ice: "It seems that the Ninth Prince did not attend court today. Go and find out what he is doing."

Gao Chengwei was slightly taken aback. Would the Emperor suspect that the Ninth Prince was behind all of this?

With Ninth Prince's abilities, he could indeed do these things, but Ninth Prince is the kind of person who goes to great lengths just to prank people.

That's not like Ninth Prince's usual style.

But the emperor was in a fit of anger, and Gao Chengwei couldn't argue with him. He simply bowed and obeyed, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Just as he was about to leave, he heard Shang Xiche instruct, "Send some people to the East Palace and the Prince Consort's residence to see what they are doing."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Gao Chengwei accepted the order without any surprise.

Since Shang Xiche ascended the throne, Gao Chengwei had been assisting him; he knew his emperor all too well.

The phrase "There are always treacherous subjects trying to harm me" perfectly describes Shang Xiche.

If there's even the slightest disturbance in the palace, Shang Xiche will send people to investigate all over the world; he's become accustomed to this.

Not long after, Gao Chengwei received the important news that "the Ninth Prince had secretly left the city".

Gao Chengwei was immediately taken aback. What else in this world could be worth the Ninth Prince using a woman as a cover and doing "sneaky"?

After careful consideration, Gao Chengwei decided to personally lead a team to investigate.

He was determined to nip any potential threat to the Emperor in the bud!