son, don't mess around

As winter sets in, the weather grows increasingly cold, with biting winds howling and spreading.

In the capital, an invisible pressure gradually spread and enveloped everyone's hearts. Beneath the seemingly calm surface, undercurrents were surging.

No one knew what had happened, but secretly, some people sensed that something was wrong.

Some noticed the changes in the palace and speculated whether something had happened. Especially after a group of imperial guards were replaced, and even many eunuchs and maids in the palace were not spared from this purge, an uneasy atmosphere was palpable.

Immediately following this, news spread that Prime Minister Zhao hurriedly entered the palace to meet the Emperor.

Afterwards, Prime Minister Zhao stayed in the palace for the entire day, only returning to his residence after dark. Once back at his residence, he remained inside, refusing to see anyone.

This news is even more unsettling!

What happened?

What changes have occurred in the palace?

Your Majesty, what has happened this time?
No one knows.

But as news of the war in the north intensified and the situation in the capital gradually spiraled out of control, everyone realized that something even more serious might be about to happen.

Especially after hearing that... His Majesty's health is poor and he may not have much time left.

Although the news circulated only in a small circle, it was enough to cause turmoil.

His Majesty has no heir, and the consequences of his passing would be unimaginable. For the officials of this dynasty, this would be nothing short of a severe test.

They faced not only the situation of having no heir to the dynasty, but also the turmoil of the rebellion led by the Prince of Xu in the north, who joined forces with the third prince.

If the dynasty fails to select an heir, the Third Prince, who is currently still in rebellion, may suddenly become a candidate for succession.

Therefore, countless officials submitted memorials requesting His Majesty to appoint an heir as soon as possible in order to appease the people and quell the rebellion.

But now, His Majesty is seriously ill and has no heir. Deciding on an heir is another difficult matter!
Since Your Majesty has no heir, the successor should naturally be chosen from among the collateral relatives. However, looking at Your Majesty's collateral relatives, there is not a single one who can shoulder this heavy responsibility.

After the late emperor's death, the princes were granted the title of king and sent to their fiefdoms. However, most of these princes were mediocre and incapable of being of any real ability.

And now, the few princes who are capable of succeeding to the throne have rebelled...

As a result, the selection of an heir naturally became a major headache and point of contention.

Before any news even reached the palace, the various factions in the court were already arguing fiercely over the selection of the heir.

Meanwhile, undercurrents were swirling within the capital.

Lin Jiangnian didn't pay too much attention to the political climate in the court. His most important task at the moment was to find Chen Zhao, who had been injured, escaped, and gone into hiding.

Lin Jiangnian couldn't sleep if he didn't eliminate such a top-tier master.

However, finding Chen Zhao was no easy task. Even though Chen Zhao was injured, his martial arts skills remained unfathomable.

Not to mention that he has connections everywhere and controls countless clandestine forces within the capital, which undoubtedly makes the search for him even more difficult.

However, what is certain is that Chen Zhao is most likely still in the capital, perhaps hiding in some unknown corner.

It's even possible that they could be hidden back inside the palace.

He had been lying in wait in the palace for a year, all for this assassination attempt. Now that Lin Jiangnian had ruined his plans, he was naturally unwilling to give up. Therefore, his next target might still be Li Cining, or perhaps… Lin Jiangnian!

Therefore, Lin Jiangnian has not gone out in the past two days.

Not only did he not go out, but he was also extremely careful, strengthening the guards in his residence while making sure not to reveal his whereabouts easily.

Meanwhile, he stayed at the Jiang residence to recover from his injuries while keeping an eye on news from the outside world.

Chen Zhao is still alive, posing a threat not only to Lin Jiangnian but also to the Emperor. Besides Lin Jiangnian, Li Cining had already ordered a search for Chen Zhao's whereabouts.

However, the news did not spread, and everything was done in secret.

At this moment, Lin Jiangnian received a message from the guards at his residence.

Chen Changqing is awake!
So, Lin Jiangnian went to the side courtyard of the Jiang residence.

Inside the side courtyard, guards were heavily on duty. Lin Jiangnian entered the room and saw Chen Changqing, who had just woken up.

At this moment, in the quiet room.

Chen Changqing lay on the bed, his body wrapped tightly in bandages, his eyes glazed over. Having just woken up, he was still somewhat unaware of what had happened.

His injuries are very serious!

I almost lost my life!

Upon waking, Chen Changqing gradually came to his senses. His gaze, unfocused and bewildered, swept around his surroundings before landing on Lin Jiangnian, who had appeared beside the bed.

"Your Highness, Your Highness..."

Chen Changqing's voice was hoarse, and he struggled to get up, somewhat agitated.

But he couldn't move.

"Your injuries are serious, you should lie down and rest."

Lin Jiangnian spoke.

Chen Changqing didn't move, but the emotions in his eyes were still very strong, and he seemed to want to say something in a hoarse voice.

Lin Jiangnian saw through his thoughts and said softly, "Don't worry, His Majesty is fine."

Upon hearing this, Chen Changqing's tense emotions instantly relaxed, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Lin Jiangnian looked at him and couldn't help but sigh.

Chen Changqing's injuries were far more serious than imagined. When he arrived at the Jiang residence, severely wounded, he was on the verge of death.

Covered in blood and barely clinging to life, he found Lin Jiangnian.

It's hard to imagine what he went through that night.

If it weren't for the exquisite healing pills in Ruyi Tower, he would probably have been crippled even if he hadn't died.

Even though he has been in a coma for two days and has now woken up, his physical condition is still very serious.

"The doctor examined him and said that the injury did not damage the foundation, but it was very serious and he needed to rest for a period of time."

It must be said that the head of the Secret Astronomical Bureau is indeed a remarkable figure with exceptional abilities.

Despite suffering such severe injuries, he only remained unconscious for two days before waking up. When he first woke up, he was still weak and unable to move, but after a short while, he gradually adapted and was able to speak.

"Thank you so much, Your Highness..."

Although he was still unable to move, Chen Changqing was already able to speak in a hoarse voice.

"No need for thanks."

Lin Jiangnian waved his hand and looked at him, who was gradually returning to normal: "Tell me, what exactly happened?"

"How did you get injured like this? And what exactly happened that night? What do you know?"

Faced with Lin Jiangnian's series of questions, Chen Changqing remained silent for a long time, a glint of light gradually appearing in his eyes. He said in a hoarse, low voice, "Yes, Sixth Prince!"

Lin Jiangnian knew immediately; it was indeed him.

Chen Changqing's voice was low and somber: "The Sixth Prince secretly colluded with others, plotting to assassinate His Majesty and usurp the throne..."

This was the secret Chen Changqing learned by sneaking into Cuiwei Residence at night. It was precisely because of this secret that he almost lost his life.

The secret he brought back was almost exactly what Lin Jiangnian had guessed.

"It seems that I was right."

Lin Jiangnian nodded thoughtfully.

No one expected that the lame sixth prince would have such ambitions.

He hid himself so well, appearing harmless on the surface, taking the opportunity to stay in the capital, while secretly plotting such a huge conspiracy.

To be honest, if Liu Su hadn't appeared in the capital and given Lin Jiangnian a heads-up, Chen Zhao might have actually assassinated Li Cining, which could have allowed Li Chang'an's plot to succeed.

Given the current situation in the capital, Li Cining has no heir, and once he passes away, there will be very few suitable successors in the capital.

And the Sixth Prince would undoubtedly be the most suitable candidate. "Over the years, the Sixth Prince has secretly colluded with many powerful figures in the capital, intending to seize the throne. The Sixth Prince set a trap for my Secret Observatory, causing it heavy losses. I wanted to go and find out the truth, but he laid a trap for me and I almost lost my life..."

Chen Changqing's gaze darkened slightly, his hoarse voice filled with coldness.

He almost died!

"There are treacherous officials in power in the court now, and there are also spies of the Sixth Prince in the palace."

As if realizing something, Chen Changqing looked at Lin Jiangnian with a pleading expression: "Your Highness, please take action and do not let their conspiracy succeed!"

Looking at Chen Changqing, who was clearly seriously injured but still concerned about the emperor, Lin Jiangnian sighed inwardly, feeling quite gratified.

This proves that his initial judgment was indeed correct; Chen Changqing was indeed an ambitious, idealistic, loyal, patriotic, and compassionate person.

He did not betray Lin Jiangnian's trust after he helped him rise to power.

"Don't worry, everything is peaceful in the palace at the moment."

Lin Jiangnian looked at him and said, "You should stay here and recover from your injuries first. We can talk about the rest after you've healed."

Chen Changqing paused for a moment, then nodded.

Just as Lin Jiangnian was about to leave, Chen Changqing called him back.

"Your Highness, I have another question to ask."

"go ahead."

"Was His Majesty in danger that night?"

Chen Changqing asked the question.

Lin Jiangnian nodded.

"who is it?"

Chen Changqing's voice was hoarse, and his gaze sharpened: "Who exactly is the person that the Sixth Prince is colluding with to plot against His Majesty?"

Faced with Chen Changqing's questioning, Lin Jiangnian unexpectedly looked him up and down before speaking.

"Chen Zhao!"

Upon hearing this name, Chen Changqing's pupils constricted sharply.

His eyes flashed with astonishment, and he seemed to stand there in a daze, as if he had lost his mind.

After a long while, he seemed to mutter to himself, "Indeed, just as I thought..."

His reaction made Lin Jiangnian realize something: "What's wrong?"

"Actually, I should have guessed it long ago..."

Chen Changqing's gaze was low, and his voice was hoarse: "I should have guessed that he wouldn't die so easily..."

Sure enough, it's him!
A bitter smile appeared on Chen Changqing's face.

"Since Chen Zhao's death a year ago, everything in the capital has returned to normal. But for some reason, I've always felt that there's a mysterious force watching my every move..."

"He seems to be everywhere, but for some reason, I can never find him..."

Now, Chen Changqing finally understood what this mysterious force he had been sensing all along was all about!
It's Chen Zhao!
In the past, Chen Zhao controlled the Secret Observatory, wielding immense power and influence. Even though the Secret Observatory is now under Chen Changqing's control, Chen Zhao understands the Secret Observatory better than he does.

No wonder he couldn't find Chen Zhao's whereabouts no matter what!
more importantly……

As Chen Changqing's former subordinate, he had always lived in Chen Zhao's shadow and knew how terrifying Chen Zhao was.

For so many years, he had never known that Chen Zhao possessed such terrifying martial arts skills.

The pressure Chen Zhao put on him was unprecedented.

How could such a powerful and influential eunuch die so easily?
Now, everything is indeed in sync!
Chen Zhao did not die.

He conspired with the Sixth Prince to assassinate His Majesty.
So……

From beginning to end, Chen Zhao was neither one of the Third Prince's men nor one of Xu Hong's men.

Instead...it's one of the Sixth Prince's men?!
At this moment, Chen Changqing, gradually regaining his senses, asked in a hoarse voice, "Where is he now?"

"Ran!"

Lin Jiangnian shook his head and glanced at him: "Chen Zhao is not dead. He failed to assassinate His Majesty and fled after being injured."

"But he won't give up so easily."

Upon hearing this, Chen Changqing's gaze suddenly sharpened.

still alive?

"Your Highness has not yet found his whereabouts?"

"It's not that easy."

Lin Jiangnian shook his head: "He is a big threat now. He is still injured. If we can't find him, the consequences will be unimaginable once he recovers."

A glint of light flashed in Chen Changqing's eyes. His gaze turned serious as he struggled to reach into his robes and retrieve a token.

"Your Highness, this token is the symbol of the leader of the Secret Observatory. With this token, one can command the Secret Observatory's experts to act..."

"My injuries are severe, so I entrust everything to Your Highness... Your Highness, I hope you can cultivate him to prevent future troubles!"

Lin Jiangnian glanced at the token in his hand, then at Chen Changqing, remained silent for a moment, and took the token from him.

He does indeed need the help of the Secret Celestials now.

Therefore, Lin Jiangnian did not stand on ceremony.

"Don't worry about getting better."

"..."

Lin Jiangnian left the side courtyard with the token of the leader of the Secret Heaven Bureau in his hand, and soon ran into Lin Qingqing, who had come back to report.

"Your Highness."

Lin Qingqing quickly stepped forward.

"Qingqing, how's the investigation going?"

"Your Highness, I have been ordered to send men to guard Cuiwei Residence day and night, but..."

Lin Qingqing frowned: "But the Sixth Prince has not returned and his whereabouts are still unknown. There is no news of him."

"He probably already knows what's going on in the palace and is hiding, too afraid to show himself."

Lin Jiangnian was not surprised by this result.

"It's alright, he'll show up sooner or later."

Currently, it's not just Lin Jiangnian who's looking for the Sixth Prince; the Emperor in the palace is also searching for him.

If his identity hadn't been exposed, Li Chang'an might have been able to hide in the shadows and wait for an opportunity to strike. But now that his identity has been revealed, he has no more secrets.

Once Lin Jiangnian had his eye on him, he had no chance to cause any more trouble.

"Qingqing, here you go!"

As he spoke, Lin Jiangnian handed her the Secret Heaven Division leader's token that he had obtained from Chen Changqing, and instructed her: "This is the Secret Heaven Division leader's token. With this token, you can mobilize all the experts of the Secret Heaven Division."

"Qingqing, go to the Secret Observatory and secretly gather its experts to help us find Chen Zhao's whereabouts."

"Remember, you must keep a low profile and avoid causing a commotion!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qingqing was immediately shocked.

Mitian Commander?
She immediately became serious, her gaze sharpening.

"I obey my orders!"

"..." (End of this chapter)