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Chapter 33: Clouds Appear in the Capital, Winds Fill the Palace

He stood quietly in the palace, unwilling to leave for a long time. He stayed by the emperor's bed like that, and time passed slowly, one hour after another, and he remained motionless, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Outside the palace, the guards were wandering anxiously, and finally couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

The voice sounded outside the silent palace, cautiously breaking the solemnity, but the prince seemed not to hear it and still stood there, as if he wanted to put an end to all the grievances of the past years in this silent waiting.

After a long time, he slowly raised his steps and gently pushed open the door of the palace.

The confidants outside the palace had been waiting for a long time. When they saw the prince come out, they immediately stepped forward respectfully.

The prince's eyes were sharp as a torch. He scanned the surroundings and asked in a low voice, "Have you dealt with everything outside?"

The confidant bowed slightly and replied in a calm and firm tone, "Your Highness, everything is as you expected. We have it under control."

It turned out that before the uprising today, the prince had already secretly notified a young general to dispatch troops from the border, and led the army to wait quietly outside the city of Beijing, waiting for the critical moment to take action.

In the city, the prince had already arranged for people to work together from inside and outside to quietly control the situation.

This seemingly unexpected change was actually all planned by the prince, and every step was carried out in an orderly manner according to his plan.

Li Song's father, Li Yin, the Minister of the Central Secretariat and the head of the civil officials, had already gathered all the civil officials in an orderly manner and kept them in the palace steadily.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the palace was extremely depressing, and every civil official's face was filled with anxiety and speculation.

Li Yin knew very well that the situation was changing rapidly and they had to wait here for the arrival of the prince and the issuance of the crucial imperial edict.

His eyes were as sharp as torches as he scanned every civil official seriously, and he strictly ordered them not to act rashly or pass on any information.

In this tense atmosphere, most civil officials chose to obey the arrangements, but there were still some who claimed to be ill and could not come today.

No one knows what these people are thinking.

In addition to these civil officials, there are also several old ministers and generals who hold military power in the court. They have always had an influence in the court that cannot be ignored.

"Are there any unusual movements among the ministers holding military posts in the East and West Streets?" asked the prince.

"Your Highness, Lord Lin has secretly led his troops to trap them in the palace. Those civil officials who claimed to be ill are also under control."

The well-trained soldiers of the Marquis of Yong'an surrounded the mansions so tightly that not even a fly could escape. The generals within the mansions were like turtles in a jar. Trapped within the mansions, they could neither move freely nor pass any information outside. They were like beasts trapped in a cage, possessing all their abilities but unable to display them.

The prince nodded and asked again, "Are there any unusual movements among the people in the capital?"

In this turbulent situation, the safety of the people is of vital importance, and any disturbance may lead to unpredictable consequences.

The confidant respectfully replied, "Your Highness, all is well. The Jinwu Guards, as instructed, have announced that an important item has been lost from the Eastern Palace, requiring a city-wide search. Upon hearing this, the people have taken refuge in their homes, and the streets are now almost deserted."

The prince nodded gently, his tense expression relaxing slightly. Everything was now under control. He slowly raised his eyes, staring straight ahead with a piercing gaze, his eyes revealing determination and resolve.

After a moment's silence, he opened his thin lips and said in a steady and powerful voice, "Let's go. It's time to give an explanation to those court officials."

After he finished speaking, he took the first step, his posture upright and calm, walking forward.

The trusted guards behind him immediately followed, their steps in unison and with an unquestionable momentum.

The prince has made all preparations to engage in a thrilling contest in this ever-changing court, and make a crucial decision for his own future and the direction of this court.

---

In the East Palace, time seemed to stand still. Every minute and every second was spent in agony, and no news was received for a long time.

The Crown Princess sat in her own palace, her expression solemn, arranging everything in an orderly manner. She strictly ordered all the courtyards not to act rashly, and all servants must stay in their own courtyards and not wander around at will.

Outside the East Palace, there was also dead silence, so quiet that it was terrifying, as if it hid endless unknowns and dangers.

Lin Yu, Yun Shan and Yun Jin were hiding in Shao Kun Palace at the moment. The three of them didn't dare to make a sound. They could only stay quietly, staring out the door, waiting for the news that would come at an unknown time. Every slight movement would make their hearts suddenly tighten.

After a long time, Yunshan suddenly squatted down, carefully opened the package, and took out three sets of casual clothes that she had prepared earlier.

She looked up at Lin Yu and then told him everything she and the Marquis had planned without reservation. As Lin Yu and Yun Jin listened, their expressions gradually changed from surprise to shock.

After a while, Lin Yu came back to his senses. He suddenly stretched out his arms and hugged Yunshan tightly. His voice was trembling and touching: "Thank you for planning for me, sister. I will remember your kindness in my heart."

She wiped away her tears and continued, "But the situation is complicated right now. We must not act rashly unless it's absolutely necessary. If we act carelessly, we might end up bringing trouble to our parents and brothers."

Yunshan gently patted Lin Yu's back, calming her excitement, and said softly, "I understand the interests involved. Let's just hold off and act accordingly."

After hugging each other for a moment, the three of them slowly let go, and their eyes met with a tacit understanding and determination to overcome the difficulties together.

Just as everyone was filled with fear and trepidation, the heavy door of the East Palace slowly opened. Everyone's heart instantly rose to their throat, and their eyes were all cast towards the door.

A dashing young general strode in, shouting, "Your Highness is safe. The situation is under control. Please report to the Crown Princess!"

This sudden news, like the first ray of warm sunshine in spring, instantly penetrated the haze shrouding the East Palace.

The expressions on the faces of the people who were originally terrified gradually changed from disbelief to surprise, and then the emotions that had been suppressed for a long time finally burst out as if a burden had been lifted.

The palace maids couldn't help but cheer, tears of excitement flashing in their eyes; the eunuchs whispered to each other excitedly, their faces full of relief at surviving the disaster; the guards also breathed a sigh of relief, their tense bodies finally relaxed, and the weapons in their hands no longer trembled with tension.

(End of this chapter)