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

As night deepened, the cicadas began to chirp loudly.

Inside the imperial study, candlelight burned quietly, casting a dim yellow light on the mountain of memorials.

The air was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood, mixed with the smell of ink.

Zhao Yu's fingertips lightly traced across a memorial concerning cabinet system reform. Wang and Zhang had just finished elaborating on the entire framework, their arguments clear and logical, demonstrating their maturity and strategic thinking.

"Well done. Each official has performed their duties well, and even the details of each person's personality have been taken into account. This matter will be handled according to your plan." Zhao Yu closed the memorial and placed it aside.

A smile appeared on Wang Zhang's face. He bowed and prepared to take his leave.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. It is all I should do."

At that moment, Qiu Ping's voice came from outside the door: "Your Majesty, Qiu Ping, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, requests an audience."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhang immediately stood up and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I shall take my leave now."

Zhao Yu was about to nod, but then suddenly remembered something and quickly said, "Wait."

Wang Zhang stopped, turned around, and looked at him with a questioning expression.

Zhao Yu raised his hand, gesturing for him to sit down.

"There's something that's been bothering me for a while. Let's hear what it has to say and what advice you can offer."

Wang Zhang sat down again, his expression becoming serious.

He knew that what the emperor wanted to discuss was no ordinary matter of state.

Zhao Yu didn't speak directly, but instead called out, "Come in."

crunch--

The palace doors opened, and Qiu Ping, who had been waiting outside, bowed and entered.

"Your Majesty, Your Excellency the Prime Minister."

Qiu Ping bowed first, then straightened up and looked at Zhao Yu.

Seeing Zhao Yu nod, he then began to report.

"The Imperial Guards reported back that the commanders of each battalion were still holding back their troops, and there was nothing unusual about it."

Zhao Yu was not surprised by this, and simply hummed in agreement.

But Wang and Zhang immediately knew what they were going to discuss: the mysterious force that had appeared in the imperial city and was plotting to assassinate the emperor.

Qiu Ping paused for a moment, then continued, this time with a slightly different tone.

"However... when I personally supervised the physician, I discovered something strange."

"explain."

"Last night, around midnight, Physician Miyamoto was alone in the courtyard of the side hall. Under the moonlight, he held a bronze gourd in his hand and kept muttering to himself."

He seemed to be talking to the gourd, but after trying for a long time without any response, he looked very anxious.

Bronze gourd?

Zhao Yu's fingertips stopped on the table.

A thought flashed through his mind in an instant, as fast as lightning.

Ji Yue, the coffin maker he had previously recruited, did not possess any special artifacts.

But the doctor was holding a bronze gourd.

Then, this leads to the 'general' who remains hidden in the shadows, always elusive...

"Communication equipment!"

Zhao Yu blurted it out almost without thinking.

Isn't this thing almost identical to a 20th-century mobile phone?

No wonder they couldn't catch it!

It's important to understand that warfare is essentially an information war; whoever controls the information priority has a greater chance of winning!

Wang Zhang leaned forward slightly, his face showing surprise.

"No wonder!" Zhao Yu suddenly realized, and all the doubts connected at that moment.

"No wonder that 'general' was like a ghost, and there was no trace of him at all."

It turns out they were using Imperial Weapons to transmit messages; they didn't need to meet in person at all!

He understood this, but a cold sweat broke out on his back.

It's understandable that the coffin maker doesn't have an imperial weapon.

But the doctor, having been dormant for so long, is suddenly put into use, just like a death squad trained by Zhao Yu, used and then discarded.

How could an imperial weapon fail to work on someone like that?

Imperial weapons are indestructible and cannot be easily damaged.

If we rule out the possibility of damage, then there's only one explanation left—the call was made, but no one answered.

Why is no one answering?

This thought filled Zhao Yu with dread.

It's most likely that something went wrong on Zhao Yu's side, which led to the discovery that he had Qiu Ping monitor the doctor.

If that's the case, things will get complicated.

Qiu Pingtian possesses special cultivation techniques at the Human Realm level, giving him exceptional concealment abilities, making it impossible for a physician to detect him.

But the fact that this matter was discovered means that Zhao Yu's side has a powerful channel that has gained insight into his surveillance.

Zhao Yu stared intently, deep in thought, and murmured to himself.

"This is difficult."

"Your Majesty." Wang Zhang, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, his cloudy eyes now revealing a sharp edge.

"Since it's a message, it takes time and action."

Zhao Yu looked at him.

Wang Zhang stroked his beard and said slowly, "We might as well use the same trick again."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"At the morning court tomorrow, Your Majesty may announce publicly that the hiding place of the mastermind 'General' has been located and that troops should be dispatched immediately to capture him."

Wang Zhang's voice was unhurried, yet it carried a power that seemed to understand people's hearts.

"Upon hearing this, the traitor hidden within the court will surely be terrified and will immediately want to spread this news."

He paused, a deep smile appearing on his lips.

"At that time, Your Majesty will find another pretext to keep all the ministers in the court and not allow anyone to leave."

This creates a time difference.

If the news leaks out instantly after we've brought everyone under control, it proves that the "General" is not in court.

But if the news fails to get out for a long time, and some people in the court become restless, look flustered, or even make small moves...

Wang Zhang didn't say anything more, but his meaning was crystal clear.

Zhao Yu's eyes lit up.

Brilliant plan!

This is essentially a trick on the car; the driver is about to checkmate it, forcing the car to choose to sacrifice itself to save the king.

No matter how deep the fish hides, it will be forced out by this wave!

"We shall follow the Prime Minister's plan!" Zhao Yu slammed his hand on the table, making a sharp "smack" sound, which caused the candlelight to flicker.

He stood up and paced back and forth in the imperial study, the pent-up frustration in his chest vanishing.

"Send word to Qiu Ping!" Zhao Yu's voice was filled with a chilling killing intent.

"At the morning court tomorrow, double the number of sentries to keep a close watch on every minister, not even letting them breathe."

This time, we'll make that 'general' reveal his true colors!

"Yes, sir!" Qiu Ping bowed and accepted the order, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Outside the window, the moonlight was like water, and the night breeze rustled the bronze bells on the eaves of the palace, making a soft, tinkling sound.

In the still of the night, a massive manhunt was quietly set in motion to target the traitors within the imperial court.

Just as the plan was finalized and the air was thick with murderous intent, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the Imperial Study, growing louder as they approached.

A palace maid's voice rang out from outside the door, filled with undisguised anxiety and panic.

"Your Majesty! Consort Shen... an urgent report!"