Chapter 72 is not that simple.
Song Zhimian's pupils dilated instantly after hearing what Xiao Huaijin said.
This is truly like being struck by lightning!
To think that I'd actually encountered something like an assassination attempt on the emperor—was my luck good or bad?
She could feel her hands trembling, and she managed to calm herself down after pinching her arm.
Song Zhimian knew that Xiao Huaijin had only spoken to her in a low voice, because he didn't want to cause any trouble.
Assassinate the emperor...
This is a serious matter involving the extermination of nine generations of one's family; it cannot be accomplished casually, nor can it be planned by ordinary people.
One wrong move and everyone would be beheaded.
Therefore, this matter should not be publicized or known to others.
Besides, Emperor Xiao Xuan has been assassinated countless times, and every time the outcome was that the Great Yu was blessed and safe!
But this time...
Song Zhimian also knew that if someone wanted to assassinate Emperor Xiao Xuan, they would definitely aim for a single, decisive strike and use all their tricks on him.
The others... are safe!
This is why Xiao Huaijin asked Song Zhimian to keep a close eye on the young prince.
In that situation, no one would notice a child; all the assassins' attention would be on Emperor Xiao Xuan.
In this way, the young prince should be safe.
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince, who is closest to Emperor Xiao Xuan, is also in danger...
...
As Xiao Huaijin handed the teacup back to Song Zhimian, he turned to walk into the inner room where the Crown Prince changed clothes.
He had just received the news himself.
That insider is very reliable; this information should be accurate...
He needed to tell the Crown Prince about this as soon as possible, so that the Crown Prince could prepare in advance and not suffer a loss in secret...
Just as Xiao Huaijin was about to walk inside, Song Zhimian suddenly said something in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft.
"Your Highness, please wait a moment. The tea you just drank is no longer hot. I will immediately replace it with hot tea. Please stand for a moment."
As Song Zhimian spoke, she glanced at Xiao Huaijin.
Xiao Huaijin immediately understood what Song Zhimin meant; she had something to say, and it was something very important!
"Alright, please hurry, Master Song!" Xiao Huaijin said to Song Zhimin in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft.
After saying this, Xiao Huaijin used the excuse that the room in Xingde Courtyard was a bit stuffy to walk into the courtyard.
Song Zhimian quickly took another teacup to brew tea for Xiao Huaijin.
...
Song Zhimian's mind was racing.
Her first thought was that this matter was definitely not as simple as Xiao Huaijin had described.
To assassinate Emperor Xiao Xuan at his birthday banquet? What kind of idiot came up with that idea...?
That doesn't seem right either!
Emperor Xiao Xuan was diligent in his duties, and he would either attend court meetings or read memorials in the Hall of Diligent Governance.
Except for presiding over the spring festival in the outskirts of Beijing, he never leaves the palace.
If it wasn't someone in the palace who wanted to assassinate Emperor Xiao Xuan, then they were dreaming.
So, perhaps this birthday banquet is their only chance...
but……
Song Zhimian suddenly recalled the scene she saw at Guangde Gate when she entered the palace today, the guards checking the vehicles entering the palace...
Song Zhimian seemed to suddenly understand something.
...
After brewing another cup of hot tea, Song Zhimian personally handed it to Xiao Huaijin, who was already standing in the courtyard.
"The tea is a bit hot!" Song Zhimian reminded her promptly this time.
Xiao Huaijin took the teacup; it was a little hot to the touch…
After taking the teacup, Xiao Huaijin looked at the crabapple tree in the courtyard of Xingde Courtyard.
Song Zhimian had her back to the main hall of Xingde Courtyard.
"Your Highness, when I entered through the Vermilion Bird Gate today, I passed through the Guangde Gate."
I happened to see the guards there inspecting the vehicles of those who were entering the palace to perform.
"The inspection was a bit... perfunctory!" Song Zhimian said softly.
Xiao Huaijin, who was already holding the teacup and about to bring it to his lips, paused...
"Perfunctory? How so?" Xiao Huaijin asked in a low voice, using the teacup as cover.
"I only looked inside and under the vehicle."
The suitcases carried in the vehicle were not inspected or certified.
Furthermore... the guards did not carry the special magnetite rings made by the Ministry of Works.
According to the old rules of the inner palace, when there was an important event in the palace, or when an outsider entered the inner palace, the whole body had to be swept with a magnolia stone.
"But on this day, the guards didn't use the magnetite rings," Song Zhimian said calmly.
Xiao Huaijin's eyes narrowed immediately.
He entered through the Vermilion Bird Gate today, where the guards generally do not stop the prince's carriage.
And at Guangdemen...
"I don't know who is in charge of the guards, but it must be the general's order from above."
As for whose people the Commander of the Imperial Guards is, Your Highness should know better than anyone else.
"The news today is strange. Did the other princes receive the same news?" Song Zhimian asked again.
Xiao Huaijin seemed to understand something.
Everything is very strange...
General Huangfu, the commander of the Imperial Guards, was from the Changsheng Duke's mansion; they had grown up together since childhood.
The Huangfu family also stood firmly behind their father, the Emperor.
The emperor trusted the Huangfu family even more than he trusted the Duke of Han's family.
Not only did the Emperor continue to entrust the Imperial Guard to the Huangfu family, but the Ninth Master of the Huangfu family was also the Deputy Commander of the Southwest Army.
The Huangfu family... there's absolutely no problem!
On such a day, how could the guards at Guangde Gate easily allow carriages to enter the palace?
If that's done, there's only one reason.
That means all of this was arranged by General Huangfu.
The only person who could command General Huangfu was his own father, the emperor.
In other words, even if there was an assassination attempt, it was arranged by the Emperor.
Just now, when I came to Xingde Courtyard, I saw that Prince Zhao's personal eunuch hurriedly went to Linde Hall to find Prince Zhao.
Could it be that the Emperor deliberately released this information to see how the princes would react?
What should I and the Crown Prince do?
Xiao Huaijin suddenly felt as if he had fallen into a circle.
"Your Highness, have you finished your tea? I'll take the teacup back!" Song Zhimian said, taking the teacup from Xiao Huaijin's hand.
Xiao Huaijin was a prince who grew up in the palace.
They certainly have their own judgment regarding conspiracies, tricks, or other people's schemes and plots.
All Song Zhimian could do was tell Xiao Huaijin about the suspicious points.
As for how to solve the problem and break the deadlock, that's up to the princes.
How could a crown prince who had held the position for so many years and a Prince of Qi who was favored by the emperor and was born of the same mother as the crown prince not understand the intricacies of the situation?
If I really can't think of anything...
Haha, let's not fight for that position!
...
Watching Song Zhimian leave with the cup, Xiao Huaijin immediately went to the inner room where the Crown Prince changed clothes.
If this news was deliberately leaked by Father, then what does Father want...?
Or rather, what does Father want to see...?
He needs to have a serious talk with the Crown Prince...
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