As the prince listened, the doubt in his eyes gradually disappeared, replaced by a greater desire for power.
He slammed the table and said, "Alright! Just as you say! Chen Xiong, you are responsible for the search. If I am alive, I must find him. If I am dead, I must find his body!"
"Mr. Gu, you are fully responsible for drafting the imperial edict and arranging the court arrangements! Be quick! Be ruthless!"
"Your Majesty obeys!"
The two responded in unison, their eyes burning with the fire of seizing power.
Tianzi Mountain Villa.
Emperor Yongchang lay on the dragon couch, dying.
The news that Zhao Muyun was attacked and fell into the river was like the last straw that broke the camel's back, crushing his already shaky spirit.
He was sometimes lucid, sometimes confused. When he was lucid, he would pound the bed and curse angrily: "Bandits... at the foot of the capital... how can this be... investigate... investigate thoroughly..."
When confused, he would grab Concubine Xiao's hand and mutter: "Qing Zhao...I am sorry for you...I shouldn't have summoned you to the capital...I shouldn't have..."
Concubine Xiao appeared to be mournful on the surface, but she was sneering in her heart. She only consoled him softly, but secretly sent information about the emperor's condition to the East Palace in the capital through special channels.
She hoped that the old emperor would die of anger so that she could carry out her next plan.
The prince had promised her that as soon as he ascended the throne, he would take her into the harem and then step by step strive for the throne of queen.
The accompanying cabinet ministers were in a panic. On the one hand, they were worried about the emperor's health, and on the other hand, they were caught off guard by this sudden change.
The orders from the Crown Prince Regent came one after another. Although they felt that it was a bit hasty, they did not dare to say much due to the situation.
Jinyang Palace.
Prince Yinzhao of Jin received detailed secret information and was playing chess with the crown prince.
His hand holding the chess piece hung in the air for a long time before he slowly placed the piece.
"Escape..."
He softly uttered these four words, a flicker of admiration in his eyes, which then turned into a deep sense of vigilance. "Excellent tactics, great courage! Risking your life to survive... Zhao Muyun, I was right about you."
Yin Ji was shocked: "Father thinks he is not dead?"
"Nine out of ten."
Prince Jin said calmly, "Although the terrain of Black Wind Gorge is dangerous, with Zhao Muyun's ability and the magical powers of his subordinate Ye Bushou, it is not difficult for them to make arrangements in advance and fake their own death to escape."
"But... this comes at a high price, and requires absolute loyalty from within, with no outsiders being able to detect it. He completely distrusts the capital, and His Majesty, and is going from open to covert."
He stood up and walked to the window. "This makes the situation even more delicate. The Crown Prince, believing he has succeeded, will undoubtedly become even more aggressive and accelerate his power grab. This will reveal more flaws and draw backlash from Your Majesty and other forces."
"And Zhao Muyun is hiding in the shadows, perhaps like a dormant venomous snake, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment. For us... this presents both an opportunity and a risk."
"So how do we deal with this?"
"Wait and see what happens, and be on guard."
King Jin's eyes were deep. "Let our people suspend all unnecessary activities and hide deeper."
"At the same time, perhaps we can secretly send a funeral gift to the deceased Lord Zhao to express our condolences and concern."
A meaningful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
"What about sister Yao?" Yin Ji was still worried about Yin Yao.
Who can accept that her husband “died” before she even got married?
"For now, don't let her know that Zhao Muyun actually faked his death, to avoid any bad consequences."
King Jin frowned, looking thoughtful.
In the face of political ambitions and schemes, his daughter's happiness took a back seat.
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