Xiao Jue returned to the Xiao Mansion in the evening.

It was getting dark, and He Yan saw him as soon as he walked to the gate of the yard. He asked hurriedly: "Xiao Jue, do you know Mr. Wei..."

Xiao Jue said, "I just came back from Wei's house." Then he went into the inner room.

He went to the Nanfu Army outside the city for training early this morning, and then learned about Wei Xuanzhang's death and hurried back. When he came back from Wei's house, he didn't even have time to change his clothes.

"I'm going out tonight," he said.

He Yan's heart skipped a beat and he looked at him: "Xiao Jue..."

He walked over to He Yan and asked, "Is the black jade I gave you still there?"

He Yan paused, took off the jade pendant from his waist and held it in his hand.

"I will leave some people at home. If I don't come back tomorrow morning, you can take this jade and leave the city to find Shen Han of Liangzhou Guard."

"Xiao Jue," He Yan did not answer him directly, but grabbed his hand, looking uncertain, "Are you..."

She didn't say the rest. Some things are tacitly understood and can be understood without words.

Xiao Jue looked down at her. He knew that although He Yan was bold, he had never done anything out of line in these years. But...

"Time is running out." After a moment, he covered the back of He Yan's hand with both hands and spoke in a calm voice.

He Yan was silent for a long time, then nodded: "I understand."

Once you have decided to do something, don't look back. Besides, it seems that it is a matter of time and will happen sooner or later.

I just didn't expect it to come so soon.

"Don't worry, go ahead." She looked up at Xiao Jue, her expression becoming relaxed again. "I will stay here to protect the Xiao family for you, and no one can get past my sword. But Xiao Jue, you have to remember that my sister-in-law is pregnant and can't stand the shock, so tomorrow morning," she held Xiao Jue's hands tightly with her backhand, "you must come back. If you don't come back, I will bring my sword into the palace to find you."

Xiao Jue was startled and said angrily: "You dare?"

He Yan was unmoved, "See if I dare."

The girl's eyes were firm. She was always stubborn and never regretted what she had decided. After a long stalemate, Xiao Jue finally gave in and said, "I promise you."

He Yan smiled and said, "It's a deal."

…

The night enveloped the entire palace.

In the Golden Palace, Crown Prince Guangyan was walking slowly.

All the palace people were dismissed, leaving only a few trusted men to guard the door. He slowly walked up the steps, until he reached the end of the steps, in front of the dragon throne, and finally stopped.

On the armrests of the bright yellow dragon chair, there were real golden dragons carved. He reached out his hand and very slowly stroked the dragon's whiskers and scales. It was clearly cold, but it made the blood flowing all over his body boil.

Guangyan turned around and sat on the dragon throne.

He looked up at the steps below, and it seemed as if he had seen the scene of all the officials bowing and ministers kneeling before him. He was the emperor, and the whole world should submit to him. As long as he thought of this, Guangyan felt proud and extremely happy.

"Father..." he murmured in a low voice, "I, your son, have finally taken this position."

This world is finally his!

Ever since he was born, everyone has told him, either explicitly or implicitly, that Emperor Wenxuan would eventually hand over the throne to him, and that he would become the emperor of Wei. So Guangyan always believed this, but he didn't know when he realized that the situation had changed.

A Guangshuo appeared who was more suitable to be the emperor than him.

Emperor Wenxuan's partiality for Concubine Lan and her son made him uneasy, and his reluctance to draft the edict of succession made Guangyan feel betrayed. An emperor like Emperor Wenxuan, who was indecisive and had a poor sense of judgment, was not worthy of being an emperor. Guangyan thought that he had not originally intended to kill his father and the emperor, but only by doing so could everything be restored to the way it was before.

He was simply taking back what was his.

but……

Guangyan looked at the empty hall without any joy in his heart. He knew that the reason why he had so many followers in the court was actually largely because of Xu Jingfu. Now that Xu Jingfu was gone, many of his former followers had changed their minds and joined Guangshuo.

He Rufei was already dead, and he was even a fake from the beginning. If Xiao Huaijin followed Guangshuo, he would not have the troops to fight against Guangshuo, and could only rely on the Wutuo people. This was why he insisted on agreeing to make peace with the Wutuo people and agreeing to their ridiculous condition of opening a market in Wei.

If he was afraid that the Wutuo people would leak the news and displease Emperor Wenxuan before, then now it was because he had reached a condition with the Wutuo people, and the price those Wutuo people had to pay was to help him eliminate the people in Guangshuo and to have Huai Jin in his sight.

It's fair, Guangyan thinks, nothing is more important than gaining this world.

Guangyan couldn't help laughing out loud when he thought that after tomorrow, when he ascended the throne, everyone in the world would bow down to him and respect him with awe.

"My father's body has not yet been buried in the imperial mausoleum, and Your Highness has not yet ascended the throne, so how can you sit on the dragon throne?" An abrupt voice interrupted his laughter, "I'm afraid there is something wrong?"

Guangyan looked ahead in surprise. At the entrance to the main hall, two of his trusted men were holding Guangshuo back, preventing him from entering.

Guangxiao looked at him calmly.

"Let him in." Guangyan smiled viciously, "My fourth brother."

The confidant loosened his hand and Guangshuo walked in.

Guangyan stood up from the dragon chair and looked at him with interest. "Tomorrow is the day when Concubine Lan will be buried alive with her. My good fourth brother is the most kind and filial. Why don't you seize the last opportunity to talk to Concubine Lan more, and come here?" He said meaningfully, "Could it be that fourth brother also wants to sit on this chair?"

"When my father was alive, he never mentioned the matter of burying people alive with their dead. The will that Your Highness mentioned may not be true." Guangshuo was unmoved.

"Why is it not true?" Guangyan sneered, "Speaking of which, it was also Concubine Lan's blessing that my father was buried in the imperial mausoleum and let Concubine Lan be buried with him. My father had always doted on Concubine Lan, and after his death, he was afraid that he would never find a close friend like Concubine Lan again, so he took her away with him. Why do you sound like you are complaining about it, fourth brother? With the edict in your hand, how can you prove that it is fake?"

"Your Highness knows whether it is true or not, but it is not important anymore." Guang Shuo sighed.

"Not bad!" The prince clapped his hands. "It doesn't matter whether it's true or not. Fourth brother, you finally said something useful."

"I have more to say than that." Guang Shuo looked at Guang Yan standing on the stairs, his eyes calm: "I also want to talk about your highness's crime of patricide and regicide, and usurping the throne for power."

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole hall fell silent.

The servants guarding the door stared at Guangshuo as if they were facing a powerful enemy. Guangshuo just stood there quietly. He had no weapons on him, and from his appearance alone, he looked like a powerless scholar.

Guangyan stared at him closely. "What did you say?"

"I say," Guangshuo's eyes met his, not giving in at all, "Your Highness, you killed your father and the king, and you sought power and usurped the throne."

Guangyan looked at the man in front of him. In the past, Guangshuo had always been cautious and taciturn in front of him, and never participated in court affairs. Although he disliked Guangshuo, he also believed in his heart that Guangshuo would not cause any waves. But now, he didn't know when it started, but this man's eyes were no longer as timid as before. When he looked straight at him, it was as if there was an invisible fire burning, and there was also the unbridled arrogance unique to the royal family.

"What a joke!" Guangyan said sarcastically, "I am the crown prince, and the world belongs to me. Why would I kill my father and the emperor? It's a thankless task. If anyone wants to usurp the throne, it should be you, right?" He said grimly, "Fourth brother, haven't you always hoped that father would depose the eldest son and enthronize the youngest son? Why, now that your plan has failed, you want to slander me out of thin air?"

"Your Highness, how could you think that the world belongs to you?" Guang Shuo suddenly smiled, "Did your plan fail?"

Guangyan's smile froze at the corners of his mouth, and he asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Guangyan just smiled and said nothing.

He suddenly realized something and shouted, "Someone, come—"

Indeed, someone came, but they were not his people. Soldiers in golden armor rushed in from outside, and the leader was Yan He.

"General Gui De?" Guangyan was startled, then angrily said: "Are you crazy? Do you know that this is rebellion! This is collusion to cause chaos!"

Guangyan did not deliberately suppress Yan He. First, the Yan family was a new noble family and they had always been cautious in the court struggles. It was better for the Xiao family to attract attention. Second, Guangyan also heard that Yan He and Xiao Huaijin were not on good terms, and the enemy of my enemy was my friend. Guangyan once wanted to recruit Yan He for his own use. However, Yan He was away from Shuojing for many years, and Yan's father was as cunning as a fox. He promised a lot, but he never really got the upper hand.

But now, no one would have expected that Yan He would actually defect to Guangshuo!

Guangyan was shocked and angry: "How dare you do this to me!"

"General Yan is not colluding with the rebellion." Guangxio said calmly, "He is just following orders to arrest traitors."

"Guangshuo, stop spitting blood at me here!"

Guang Shuo smiled indifferently and said, "Your Highness knows whether I have slandered you or not."

At this time, someone else came in from outside. It was the fifth prince Guangji who was carried by the guards. As soon as Guangji arrived in the palace, he pointed at Guangyan and shouted, "It's my brother Crown Prince! That day, I was learning calligraphy in my father's palace, and I saw my brother Crown Prince carrying a basket and entering my father's bedroom... Later, when my brother Crown Prince passed away, Chief Steward He went in and said... that my father had passed away!"

Without waiting for Guangyan to speak, Guangshuo said, "The imperial physician Lin in the palace found traces of poison in the blanket in the emperor's bedroom. That day, only Your Highness brought the ginseng soup to the emperor's bedroom."

Guangyan sneered: "Father was not poisoned to death!"

He knew better than anyone how Emperor Wenxuan died. If Guangshuo thought he could use this to convict him, he was totally wrong.

"Your Highness, whether it is true or not is not important."

Guangyan was stunned. This was what Guangxiou had said in response to his fake will just now, but now, there was nothing wrong with using it here.

Until now, no one cares what the truth is. In the royal struggle, there are only winners and losers.

The winner is the true dragon emperor, and the loser is defeated.

"Guangshuo, I'm warning you. My people will be here soon. Tomorrow is the day to enter the imperial mausoleum. I..."

"Your Highness may not know," Guang Shuo looked at him with a look of cold pity, "General Feng Yun's men have already arrived outside Chengle Palace. Your Highness's men..." He spoke word by word, "have all thrown down their armor and surrendered."

"Impossible!" Guangyan's voice suddenly became sharp. He said: "Impossible!"

But in his heart, panic and fear had gradually emerged. It was already this hour. The palace was full of people brought by Yan He. His people had not come in for a long time. If it was Xiao Huaijin's people outside...

Those Utuo people... What a joke! Those Utuo people are totally useless at this point!

Chu Zilan, a name suddenly came into Guangyan's mind. How could his plan be leaked by Chu Zilan, who knew about it beforehand? That idiot, an ungrateful person!

"Guangshuo, don't be so complacent." Guangyan was already at the end of his strength. He gritted his teeth and looked at the person in front of him, and slowly retreated. "Do you think that the world will believe your lies? I am the crown prince, the heir apparent, and the coronation ceremony is just around the corner. If you harm me at this time, the world will talk about your conspiracy. Even if you ascend to this position, your life will be illegitimate. You will inevitably be pointed out by others!"

"Your Highness, you worry too much." Guangshuo did not have any other emotions because of his words. He looked at Guangyan as if he was looking at something ridiculous. "Before this, my father had already issued an edict to change the crown prince."

"You're lying!" Guangyan's eyes were about to burst, "How is that possible?"

"The imperial edict is in the hands of a minister trusted by my father. Just because you didn't see it doesn't mean you don't know about it." Guang Shuo turned slightly, and the person behind him stepped forward and handed him a bow and arrow.

He played with the bow and arrow and spoke slowly, "In this case, Your Highness still thinks that everyone in the world will talk about me, which is not justified?"

Guangyan almost vomited blood. At this moment, he suddenly understood what Guangshuo had said at the beginning: "True or false is not important."

To stop the people from talking nonsense, all he needs to do is to produce a decree of succession. Who cares whether it is true or false? People in the world will not go to distinguish one by one. As long as the person who survived in this hall today is Guangshuo, then what others say in the future will still be up to Guangshuo.

He looked at his fourth brother who was always taciturn and slowly picked up the bow and arrow, aiming the arrow at him. Guangyan subconsciously hid behind the dragon chair and said angrily: "What do you want to do? Guangshuo, stop it——"

He didn't finish his words.

A strong wind suddenly blew over the Golden Throne Hall, extinguishing all the lights. In the dim hall, a pool of sticky blood slowly flowed down the dragon chair, staining the whiskers and head of the real dragon on the armrests exceptionally brightly.

Like a silent peek, or like a sneer.

The sound of the wind concealed all murderous intent. It was a cold night.

…

In the dim morning light, He Yan looked out the window at the gradually brightening sky, his expression becoming increasingly solemn.

She hadn't slept since Xiao Jue left last night. Bai Rongwei was pregnant, and He Yan didn't dare to tell her anything else. Xiao Jing was a little suspicious, but she didn't know what was going on because she was kept in the dark. He Yan stayed alone, stroking the black jade in her hand from time to time, thinking to herself, what if Xiao Jue didn't come back in the morning?

I'm afraid that going out of the city to look for Shen Han may not be completely safe.

Just as he was thinking, he heard some noise outside. He Yan stood up suddenly and rushed out the door, and saw Xiao Jue walking in.

There was still a little dark blood on the armor he was wearing. He Yan asked, "Are you injured?"

At this time, Qingmei hadn't gotten up yet. Xiao Jue frowned slightly and asked, "Did you not sleep all night?"

"I can't sleep." He Yan stared at his face. He looked a little tired, but still okay. He Yan asked: "This blood..."

"It's not mine." Xiao Jue paused, "Let's talk inside."

The two of them went into the house, He Yan closed the door, turned around and asked, "What happened in the palace last night..."

"The prince is dead." Xiao Jue looked at her.

This was expected. In fact, He Yan had had a hunch since she saw Yan He at the Wei family that day. Yan He did not answer her question directly, but many times, silence is an answer.

He Yan helped him hang the wine on the wall. Xiao Jue took off his armor and sat down at the table. He Yan poured a cup of hot tea and pushed it in front of him: "Xiao Jue, what happened last night?"

Xiao Jue looked at her for a moment, and realized that if he didn't tell her, he would not be able to leave the door today, so he sighed and told her what happened last night.

He Yan listened attentively.

Xiao Jue only learned about what happened in the Jinluan Palace last night afterwards. At that time, he led half of the Southern Army to fight with the prince's men in front of the Chengle Palace. Yan He led his men inside, and when they came out, they only knew that Guangyan was shot dead by Guangshuo himself.

"You...did you deliberately not go to the Golden Palace?" He Yan hesitated for a moment before asking.

Xiao Jue lowered his head, smiled, and said in a calm voice: "The Xiao family is different from the Yan family. The Yan family is a new noble family and still depends on the royal family. I have too much military power. If I witnessed the Fourth Prince shooting his brothers with my own eyes, even if nothing happens now, after a long time, the Fourth Prince will inevitably feel uncomfortable."

"I don't want to leave a thorn in the Fourth Prince's heart."

The power of heaven is unpredictable. Without Guangyan, the Fourth Prince will be the emperor in the future. Even if he may not be a big shot now, once he sits on that position, he may be forced to do so or something may change. It is better to be the only one who can prevent this from happening from the beginning.

"In this case, letting Yan He go is also a good choice. The Yan family does not have much military power, and they are new nobles without much foundation. The Fourth Prince can use them without any scruples." He Yan said: "I just didn't expect that Yan He would actually follow the Fourth Prince."

The Yan family had been in power for so many years, and was as cunning as a fox, but at the last moment they struck a blow to Guangyan. I'm afraid Guangyan himself didn't expect it.

"If the skin is gone, where will the hair be attached?" Xiao Jue picked up the teacup, lowered his head and took a sip, then said: "When the time comes to make a choice, even if you don't want to, you have to do it."

He Yan breathed a sigh of relief, "Anyway, I'm glad you're safe. But..." She looked at Xiao Jue and asked in a low voice, "Did His Majesty really issue an edict to change the throne to a successor? Did the Fifth Prince really see the Crown Prince poisoning himself?"

All these things happened so coincidentally that Guangshuo's ascension to the throne became a natural and uncontroversial thing.

"Whether it's true or not, it doesn't matter." Xiao Jue closed his eyes, "The prince is already dead."

Everything has settled.

－－－－－－－A side note－－－－－－－

Yanyan's home ground is still on the battlefield, not the court, otherwise this article would be called Female Prime Minister and Female Politician... There are probably still 50,000 to 60,000 words to be completed, and friends who are anxious can support the article~