They realized that if they didn't go all out and take a gamble, what good days would they have left once the Third Prince ascended the throne?
Consort Chu had spent half her life competing with the Empress in the harem. When she was a favored concubine, it was common for her and the Empress to scheme against each other.
She also suppressed everyone else who was of lower rank than her. If she couldn't put the Empress under her feet, what good would come of it for her in the second half of her life?
Besides, her son has had his share of clashes with the eldest and third sons. If the third son were to rise to power, her son would likely not have a good ending.
And that vicious woman Xie Yushu actually dared to force her sister to kneel down in Tianshui City, it's simply outrageous!
She'll send these people to be buried with Chu Mingzhu sooner or later!
Consort Chu was already resentful about the Chu Mingzhu incident, and after being provoked by the Third Prince's appointment as Crown Prince, she became even more desperate about Emperor Qingyuan. Men were indeed unreliable; he had favored her and the Fifth Prince so much back then, and had even personally taught the Fifth Prince his early education.
That exclusive favor and special affection made her believe that sooner or later she would sit in the position of empress and the fifth prince would inherit the throne.
But reality slapped her hard in the face, making her and her daughter a laughing stock.
The thought of the Third Prince's smug expression and the Empress's disdainful gaze filled Consort Chu with a burning hatred. She desperately wanted to ascend to a high position, wield the power of life and death, and trample all those who mocked her underfoot.
Influenced by her, the Fifth Prince also had an extraordinary obsession with the throne. From the time he was old enough to understand, Consort Chu told him that he would become the Crown Prince and then the Emperor. So, when the Third Prince suddenly became the Crown Prince, he was somewhat dazed for a few days.
I don't know what I am.
When they saw Consort Chu again, neither mother nor daughter were willing to accept their fate, so they decided to fight back.
However, the mother and son are currently outnumbered and have little chance of success, so they directly enlisted the help of the eldest prince.
The eldest prince's mother, Consort Hui, was the daughter of Zhao Gou, a third-rank provincial inspector.
In other words, the eldest prince has a maternal grandfather who is in charge of the capital's judicial and criminal justice system!
If we mobilize the judicial staff, it would take at least two thousand people.
Moreover, Consort Hui, though seemingly unassuming and unambitious in the harem, was well-informed and knew all the necessary information, which shows she was no innocent or naive girl.
In addition, his cousin was a captain in the city garrison, with two thousand men under his command.
The Fifth Prince has three thousand palace soldiers, plus three thousand private soldiers he received during his last visit to the border. These private soldiers are currently hidden in the hunting grounds of the North Mountain outside the city. They were hunted there last autumn, and no one will go there until next autumn. Keeping the private soldiers there makes them very easy to mobilize.
Adding to this the 10,000 troops of the Xiao family army who are loyal to Consort Chu, the total number is 20,000. If they were to infiltrate the capital with the crowds coming to see the lanterns, and attack a palace with 20,000 men, and if there were an inside agent in the palace, it would be very likely that they would succeed. At that time, they could shift the blame onto the eldest prince, and he could ascend the throne under the pretext of saving the emperor.
As for the Third Prince, swords have no eyes; he died in the fight, and he can only blame his bad luck.
What if troops from other places hear the news and rush over?
By then, the country had already changed hands, and if they took any action, it would be considered a rebellion.
Consort Chu and the Fifth Prince wanted to make the First Prince a scapegoat, but little did they know that the First Prince also wanted to use them to achieve his goals and reap the benefits.
They joined forces with the intention of using each other.
So they each began to make their own plans.
When Han Zhongyu and his group arrived, they happened to witness the Fifth Prince secretly meeting with the leader of his private army and giving instructions.
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