The next day, news of the Crown Prince leading troops to the Liangzhou battlefield spread like wildfire, and the people felt reassured and placed great trust in him.
When Shen Mingyi heard the news, he was copying books for someone on the street.
He had already left the Shen family, and his reputation was ruined. He couldn't go back to his old profession, so he had to condescend to do the kind of work he used to look down on.
Halfway through copying, Shen Mingyi was still restless, so he put down his brush and ran to the Song residence.
Before he even reached the Song residence, he heard Song Zhiyu's voice in the Huisheng Hall and immediately stopped in his tracks.
"You must be careful of Prince Li." Knowing that Song Zhiyu wouldn't want to talk to him, Shen Mingyi said succinctly.
Although he made a foolish mistake regarding Shen Jinshu, he is usually quite shrewd.
When Shen Jinshu mentioned General Ling's seal that day, he guessed that it might all be related to Prince Li.
Although it's unclear what Prince Li is planning, that man is extremely cunning, and Song Zhiyu has offended him terribly, so it's hard to guarantee that he won't resort to any means of revenge.
Song Zhiyu looked up in surprise, not expecting Shen Mingyi to come and say these things to him.
She had heard about what happened at the gate of the Prince's Mansion that day. She had to admit that Shen Jinshu was really ruthless. If her mother hadn't arrived in time, she would have watched helplessly as Shen Mingyi was crippled by the people from Yinzi Village.
But evil people will be punished by evil people. Shen Mingyi is no good either. He has only himself to blame for his current predicament.
Seeing that Song Zhiyu was just looking at him quietly, but didn't seem to want to ask any questions, Shen Mingyi lowered his eyes in disappointment and left, looking back every few steps.
Whether she believed him or not, Shen Mingyi's mind was racing. When he turned around again, there was no one behind him.
He stood there lost in thought for a long time, his gaze unfocused as he looked at the spot where Song Zhiyu had just stood. He gave a mocking smirk and went back to copying books for others.
*
The Imperial Palace, Taiji Hall.
Emperor Yun had just finished the morning court session and sat solemnly in the hall, a lingering sorrow etched on his brow.
The Northern Kingdom launched a fierce offensive, possessing a powerful army and receiving assistance from several other kingdoms; they were determined to capture Liangzhou.
Although the Crown Prince and Su Jinyang went to the Liangzhou battlefield, which slightly mitigated the disadvantage, it was ultimately not a long-term solution.
Furthermore, the weapons wielded by the northern soldiers were incredibly sharp, capable of cutting through iron like mud, which was a great asset.
He needs to think of a way.
As the Cloud Emperor was thinking this, he stood up and suddenly felt a darkness before his eyes. He stumbled and almost lost his balance.
"Your Majesty, you haven't slept for days because of the Liangzhou campaign. How can your body withstand this?" Chief Steward Li hurriedly helped him up and offered a few words of heartfelt comfort.
Emperor Yun waved his hand and straightened up. "It's alright. The matter of Liangzhou is more important right now."
His right eyelid had been twitching non-stop for the past few days, and he had a vague sense of foreboding.
"Your Majesty..." Chief Steward Li wanted to persuade him further, but before he could finish speaking, a deafening exclamation came from outside.
"Your Majesty, a report has come from Liangzhou that the Crown Prince has gone missing."
"What did you say?"
With a thud, the memorial in Emperor Yun's hand fell to the ground. He could hardly believe his ears and had the person repeat it.
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince was ambushed by the Northern Kingdom during the battle and fell off a cliff. His fate is now unknown." The soldier kneeling in the hall suppressed his grief; the tall, burly man's eyes were bloodshot.
That's a sheer cliff; the chances of survival are extremely slim.
Even if they didn't want to believe it, they had to accept this fact.
Emperor Yun slumped onto the dragon throne, his face deathly pale, his heart pounding violently once more.
"Your Majesty, what's wrong? Quickly summon the imperial physician!" Chief Eunuch Li's expression changed drastically. Looking at Emperor Yun with his eyes tightly closed, his unease grew even stronger.
Fortunately, after being treated by the imperial physician, Emperor Yun's health was temporarily fine. However, he was overwhelmed by the shock, anger, and grief, and his body could not withstand it, which caused him to faint.
Upon hearing this, Steward Li breathed a long sigh of relief, finally feeling a huge weight lifted from his shoulders.
His Highness the Crown Prince has just gone missing; Your Majesty absolutely cannot afford to have anything happen to him, or the court will truly descend into chaos.
There are only a few princes of marriageable age in the palace now, but they are all of mediocre quality and unlikely to be able to shoulder great responsibilities.
The only prince who was both literate and martial, and exceptionally intelligent, was demoted to a commoner by His Majesty, thus losing his chance to ascend the throne.
Now all he can do is pray that His Highness the Crown Prince is safe and sound and returns to the capital as soon as possible.
The news of His Majesty's coma must not be spread yet, lest it cause unrest among the people. Chief Eunuch Li stayed by Emperor Yun's side all night. During this time, all the concubines who came to bring porridge and soup were turned away, and the entire Taiji Palace was sealed off completely.
Seeing that Chief Steward Li looked exhausted, the young eunuch following behind him immediately stepped forward, looking as if he wanted to share Chief Steward Li's burdens.
"Godfather, you must be tired after taking care of His Majesty for so long. Let this servant take care of the rest."
"His Majesty cannot be left alone." Chief Steward Li did not budge; in these special times, he should be the one guarding His Majesty.
The young eunuch chuckled shyly, his eyes flickering slightly. "Godfather, I know. But haven't you always wanted to groom me to be your successor? Now is the perfect time, please give me a chance."
Everyone has the desire to climb the social ladder, and seeing his attitude, Steward Li was relieved and, after much deliberation, finally relented.
"Alright, then I'll leave it to you for now. I'll come back after a cup of tea."
If His Majesty doesn't wake up soon, he'll have to find a way to get the message to the Princess's residence.
*
Song Mansion.
"Miss, something terrible has happened! His Highness the Crown Prince is in trouble!" When Lu Bai received this news, she rushed back almost without stopping.
The Crown Prince's disappearance means that something bad is about to happen to the entire court.
Lu Bai dared not be careless and immediately ran back to the mansion to report, fearing that if he was a step too slow, something unexpected might happen.
Song Zhiyu paused in her work with the herbs. "What exactly happened?"
"It is said that His Highness was ambushed by the people of the Northern Kingdom..." Lu Bai didn't finish her sentence, but how could Song Zhiyu not understand what she meant?
She instinctively took two steps back, her hands gripping her skirt tightly at her sides, forcing herself to calm down.
Zhou Xingzhi is not such a reckless person, and he would never easily fall for the Northern Kingdom's conspiracy. The best news is that there is no news now.
Song Zhiyu calmed down, threw the shovel in her hand into the herb field, and got up to walk towards the pharmacy in the yard.
"Lu Bai, continue to inquire about news from Liangzhou. And what's the situation in the palace now?"
Lu Bai followed Song Zhiyu with small, quick steps. "His Majesty is still unconscious, and Princess Chang has already entered the palace."
Even if she was slow to realize it, she could sense the impending danger.
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