The imperial summer planting season was hastily concluded, and the huge imperial carriage and the procession of civil and military officials meandered back to the capital.
There seemed to be invisible thunder hovering over the capital, and the midsummer sun also carried a hint of anxiety.
Marquis Yongding Jiang Dinglian only stayed in the mansion for two days.
Urgent news arrived from the border that the Rong and Di people were making unusual movements. Before the Marquis could comfort his worried wife and children, he put on his armor and mounted his horse again.
The sound of hooves faded away and disappeared in the yellow dust raised outside the city gate.
Almost at the same time as the sound of the Marquis's horses leaving the capital, shocking news spread from deep within the Forbidden Garden: the Fourth Prince Xinyi Zigu was stabbed and seriously injured while hunting in Xia Miao, and one of his eyes was gouged out!
This news was like a huge stone thrown into a stagnant pond, and the waves it stirred up instantly swept across the entire powerful class in the capital.
Everyone was horrified, whispering: Who could have dared to do such a cruel thing to the prince? Was it the Second Prince, Xin Yiwei, who fought back despite being cornered? Or was it the Fourth Prince's political enemy, who was taking advantage of the situation?
The confrontation between the Second Prince's Party and the Fourth Prince's Party in the capital city suddenly escalated to a fever pitch.
In the imperial court, memorials flew into the cabinet like snowflakes every day, with accusations, impeachments, and attacks coming one after another, all targeting important official positions held by the other party's cronies.
The atmosphere in the six ministries was solemn and grim. Officials were in a hurry and spoke in low voices.
The frequency with which the Jinyiwei and Dongchang guards moved through the mansions of dignitaries and the streets of the capital increased significantly, and everyone in the court and the country smelled a strong smell of blood.
I don’t know on whose hat the next drop of blood will splash.
The students of Bailu Academy no longer had the heart to speculate on the struggles among the princes. They kept their nerves tense and buried themselves in mountains of books and seas of examination papers, making the final sprint for the upcoming autumn examination.
However, Jiang Jinzhao, the son of the Marquis of Yongding, was destined to have no chance of competing for fame and fortune.
Rumors about Crown Prince Jiang Jinzhao's serious injury had already spread quietly before the royal procession set out for the capital. Initially, it was said that he had been attacked by a wild beast while hunting, injuring his arm.
But after being exaggerated countless times in the streets, this rumor had become so distorted that it was shocking by the time it reached the ears of the powerful circles in the capital and the women of the Yongding Marquis's mansion.
"Have you heard? The prince of Yongding Marquis is crippled! I'm afraid his entire right arm is gone!"
"More than that! The imperial physician who returned from the enclosure privately said that when he was carried back, he was nearly dead, covered in blood, and his bones were all broken."
"Tsk tsk, what a pity! He had great hopes for the Autumn Examination this year!"
"The Yongding Marquis's family has few descendants. If anything happens to this prince, what will happen?"
When these increasingly terrifying rumors finally reached the ears of Lady Xu, the wife of the Marquis of Yongding, and Jiang Songyi, the Princess of Jiaqing County, the final version had evolved into: "I'm afraid that the Marquis's son, Jiang Jinzhao, is not going to make it!"
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