If you're made a fake emperor, why did you change the country's name?

In the western market of the imperial city, there is a wine shop called Longjiu.

Deep inside the cellar, the air was filled with the sour, musty smell of fermented aged wine.

"Snapped!"

A teacup was smashed hard on the damp muddy ground and shattered into several pieces.

Under the dim light of an oil lamp, a face identical to the emperor on the dragon throne was contorted with extreme rage.

"Fool! My mother is utterly stupid!"

Zhao Yu paced back and forth in the narrow passageway of the cellar, the broken porcelain shards under his feet crunching under his feet.

"How could someone be so easily deceived by a beggar's few words, actually going to the Imperial Clan Court to wreak havoc!"

He kicked aside an empty wine jar that was blocking his way. The jar rolled to the corner of the wall with a dull thud.

"If this investigation continues, the coffin maker will be exposed sooner or later!"

"No, I must immediately issue a letter of divorce and have the 'General' inform the Empress Dowager, so that she will immediately cease this foolish act!"

In the shadows of the corner, a fat figure slowly stood up.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

When Eunuch Hai spoke, Zhao Yu's anger actually subsided somewhat.

"explain."

Hai Gonggong bowed:

"This old servant believes that the Empress Dowager's actions are somewhat strange."

Zhao Yu suddenly stopped and waved his hand irritably.

"What's so strange about it? She was just being overly protective of her child, and in a moment of anger, she was used as a pawn!"

"It is true that the Empress Dowager was very protective of her son."

Grandpa Hai slowly walked to the lamp, his fat face revealing no expression.

"But she shouldn't have known about the existence of the 'coffin maker,' let alone about witchcraft."

She knew it could only be that beggar emperor… who deliberately told her.

Zhao Yu froze.

Only the crackling sound of burning lamp wicks remained in the cellar.

Grandpa Hai continued his analysis, his voice completely flat:

"This old servant has thought about it carefully. If the beggar was truly trapped by the 'Dream Spell' and his mind was clouded, how could he clearly remember the caster's clothing and appearance, and even clearly see the jade pendant with the earthen dragon pattern at his waist?"

He paused for a moment, then turned his cloudy eyes toward Zhao Yu.

"He is using the Empress Dowager as a weapon to force you to reveal your weaknesses."

"The first two times, the Embroidered Uniform Guard failed to find our people, which must have aroused his suspicion and made him guess the existence of the 'General'."

"So he set this trap to force Your Majesty to make a choice."

Grandpa Hai's voice grew increasingly low, each word striking Zhao Yu's heart like a hammer blow.

"Or you can just watch as the Empress Dowager follows the clues, discovers the coffin maker's true identity, and treats him as a traitor."

"Either you send someone to stop the Empress Dowager—and that person is the one she truly wants to catch, the 'eyes' we've hidden the deepest!"

"hiss……"

Zhao Yu gasped, a chill running from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

His shirt was instantly soaked with cold sweat.

"He's trying to force me... to abandon a hidden agent!"

He finally understood.

This is not a case of using someone else to do the dirty work, nor is it about alerting the enemy; it is a completely open and aboveboard conspiracy!

The beggar in his eyes, the stand-in he casually found, was engaging in a silent battle with him across the entire imperial city.

What unsettled him even more was that this game of strategy was proving difficult for him!

If it weren't for Eunuch Hai, the most powerful trump card left to him by the late emperor, who was both capable in battle and in strategy, he probably would have fallen into a trap this time.

A terrible silence fell over the cellar.

Back in reality, Zhao Yu clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms, his face full of resentment.

General... that was a Celestial Realm expert whom he had spent five whole years and countless resources cultivating. He was the sharpest sword he had planted in the shadows.

The coffin maker was his maternal aunt, the Princess of Zhennan, who was the only person in the Great Liang territory who had mastered the sorcery of the Sun Kingdom.

If he abandoned her, how could he explain it to his uncle who was far away on the border?

Discarding either of these two cards would be tantamount to cutting off one's own arm.

"Damn beggar..."

Zhao Yu squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth, his voice filled with barely suppressed killing intent.

"He's clearly just a stand-in, a shadow of the Emperor, how could he... how could he dare to use such methods?"

After a long while, Zhao Yu loosened his clenched fist, leaving several bloody crescent-shaped marks on his palm.

When he looked up again, the shock and anger on his face had faded, replaced by a chilling coldness.

"Eunuch Hai, pass down the order to activate the 'physician'."

His voice returned to calm, but it was even more chilling than his previous outburst of rage.

"The coffin maker... is gone."

"Have her do it tonight, one last try. If she succeeds, all the better. If she fails..."

Zhao Yu paused, then gritted his teeth.

"Then tell her to keep her mouth shut and never open it again."

"Yes, Your Majesty is wise."

Hai Gonggong bowed slightly, his plump body appearing unusually submissive.

"However, this old servant has another plan, which may... turn the tide of this situation."