Emperor Ming: Your Majesty, you have caused me so much suffering.

Zhu Qiyu went out, glanced at Xing'an, and pretended to be listless and almost fainted.

Xing'an, quick-witted and agile, rushed forward to support Zhu Qiyu before Jin Ying could, saying, "Your Highness, should we summon the imperial physician?"

"No need, the support for the orphan can be delayed!"

Xing'an understood and helped Zhu Qiyu walk slowly forward.

After walking a dozen or so steps, they found no one around.

Zhu Qiyu then whispered his instructions: "Xingbanban, there are two things. First, secretly send someone to remind my mother to be careful and to relay what is happening in the palace. If the Empress Dowager summons her, and she is indecisive, she should just cry and make a scene. Second, find out about the illegal activities of Guo Jing, the eunuch in charge of Datong Town, and deal with them immediately!"

Although Zhu Qiyu did not know much about Empress Dowager Sun, given her ability to defeat Empress Hu of Emperor Xuanzong, his own mother, Consort Wu, was probably no match for her.

If Empress Dowager Sun cannot interfere in the outer court, she will turn her attention to the palace. This is something Zhu Qiyu is currently helpless to do, since the inner palace is Empress Dowager Sun's territory.

The safest strategy would be to teach one's mother to cry, the more miserable the better, ideally making it known to everyone that Consort Wu was being abused in the palace.

Secondly, Datong must not fall into the hands of Zhu Qizhen's lackeys again. Liu An has been recalled, and Guo Jing must be eliminated to prevent Datong from being sold off, and also to prepare for the future by cutting off Zhu Qizhen's path to return.

"Yes!" Xing'an nodded and asked, "Should I spread the word about what just happened?"

Xing'an was a clever man. Having been in the palace for many years, he was quite experienced in palace intrigue. After all, Zhu Qiyu had just cried very "miserably," and it was no doubt that Empress Dowager Sun had used her power to suppress him. Since Xing'an had chosen to side with Zhu Qiyu, he could only go down a dark path.

"There's no need for that. You can just help me walk for a while longer." Zhu Qiyu decisively rejected Xing'an's suggestion; being too deliberate would only make things worse.

"Your Highness is wise!"

Upon hearing Zhu Qiyu's words, Xing'an's eyes lit up; helping him walk for a while was indeed a brilliant plan.

With so many eyes and ears in the palace, it was safer for Prince Cheng to be helped out with tears streaming down his face. Rumors would probably spread within half a day, which was much more reliable than him spreading them himself.

Inside the Wenhua Hall.

After recovering from her grief, Empress Dowager Sun regained her former champion of palace intrigue.

She carefully recalled Zhu Qiyu's behavior just now, looked at Li Yongchang, and asked, "How much sincerity do you think this Prince Cheng has? What are his hidden intentions?"

Li Yongchang cautiously replied, "This servant dares not speak recklessly, but this servant believes that we must be on guard."

Empress Dowager Sun nodded slightly, still feeling incredulous. She said, "How could a person change so much? Even with Prince Cheng sitting there, I felt a little uneasy."

Li Yongchang wholeheartedly agreed with this statement, showing a stark contrast to the seemingly wooden Prince Cheng of the past.

"Your Majesty, the Prince of Cheng is, after all, a descendant of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, the son of the late Emperor. Perhaps it was something he was born with."

Li Yongchang couldn't figure it out either, so he simply attributed it all to the extraordinary talent of the imperial offspring.

These words greatly alarmed Empress Dowager Sun, who said, "Send a golden token to invite Prince Xiang to the capital immediately. Tell him that the world is in grave danger and he must come to the capital no matter what!"

Empress Dowager Sun was at a loss. If Prince Xiang were still alive, she would not be able to strip Zhu Qiyu of his position as regent. With Prince Xiang's prestige, he might be able to restrain Zhu Qiyu.

"Here you go!"

After a moment's thought, Empress Dowager Sun instructed, "The palace must keep a close watch on Consort Wu. Prince Cheng is not acting like a filial son. If he dares to commit treason, I'll see if he's truly filial!"

"This servant will take care of it immediately!"

When Zhu Qiyu arrived at Zuoshun Gate, Cheng Jing had been there for quite some time. Upon seeing his lord in such a state, he was greatly alarmed and hurriedly stepped forward to "take" Zhu Qiyu from Xing'an's hands.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?"

Zhu Qiyu shook his head, signaling Cheng Jing not to ask any more questions. He glanced at Xing'an, then, with Cheng Jing's help, headed towards the palace gate.

As soon as Zhu Qiyu stepped out of the palace gate, Wang Zhi and Hu Ying rushed over upon hearing the news. It was unclear whether Zhu Qiyu and Xing An had walked too slowly or the palace spies had spread the word too quickly, but the two of them miraculously appeared in front of Zhu Qiyu.

"Your Highness, what has happened?"

Zhu Qiyu was both surprised and delighted. He was surprised because the palace was not completely sealed off and there were civil officials acting as informants within the palace. He was delighted because the two men had arrived at the perfect time.

As if afraid that the two of them hadn't seen his "miserable state," he deliberately covered his forehead with his hand.

"I was walking too fast and tripped, but fortunately I'm not seriously injured." Zhu Qiyu seemed unconcerned. "Ministers, please make arrangements for the vacant officials as soon as possible. I'll head back to my residence now."

It would be strange if the two of them believed Zhu Qiyu's lie. Wang Zhi frowned and asked, "Your Highness, are you truly alright?"

Zhu Qiyu said with utmost sincerity, "I am unharmed, but matters of state are of utmost importance. The two ministers must not be distracted."

After saying this, he got into the carriage with Cheng Jing's help and headed towards the Prince's Mansion.

Even with his excellent self-control, Wang Zhi was slightly angered at this moment. He glanced at the palace gate, flicked his sleeves, and left, saying, "The Emperor's words are truly insightful!"

Hu Ying stood there stunned. He naturally understood that Wang Zhi meant that the empress dowager should not interfere in politics. One was patient and responsible, while the other was ignorant and arrogant. In comparison, the difference in their abilities was obvious.

Hu Ying sighed sadly, "It's hard to be a loyal minister!"

In the Prince of Cheng's mansion, Wang Lingshu was startled to see Zhu Qiyu return in such a miserable state.

"Your Highness, this is..." Wang Lingshu reached out her delicate hand, but dared not touch Zhu Qiyu's forehead, her eyes reddening with heartache.

It wasn't like they were going to receive an imperial decree; it looked like they'd been beaten up.

"This is just a temporary measure, don't worry!" Zhu Qiyu briefly told Wang Lingshu about the affairs in the palace.

Hearing this, Wang Lingshu's eyes widened. Was this really her husband?

"Ling Shu, are your uncles any capable?" Zhu Qiyu suddenly asked with a serious expression.

Wang Lingshu's father, Wang Ying, was the eldest son, and he had four younger brothers.

"My second uncle is calm and steady, so he can be of use. My fourth uncle is clever, but he is still young."

"I will write a letter and instruct your second uncle to take the official seal and travel south swiftly to the camp of Marquis Ningyang, Chen Mao, to personally deliver it to Chen Mao."

Historically, the imperial court ordered Chen Mao to return to the capital immediately, but he was unable to do so. During this period, some officials impeached Chen Mao for failing to supervise the war in the south and for not returning to the capital in time, and he should be punished.

By the time Chen Mao returned to the capital, the Oirat Mongols had already been driven back. This took about two months, and what happened during that time remains unknown.

As the only surviving meritorious official of the "Jingnan Campaign," Chen Mao's prestige among the nobles was unmatched after the Tumu Crisis. If he could return, he would serve as a pillar of stability.

Zhu Qiyu had thought about this matter carefully, and there were only two reasons why Chen Mao could not return in time.

Firstly, the court officials, especially the civil officials, did not want Chen Mao to return. If Chen Mao were to become the commander-in-chief again and win this battle, and if he were to advance further, his prestige and achievements over the years would make him unstoppable, and the balance between civil and military affairs would be restored.

Secondly, there was the issue of Chen Mao himself. He was not confident that he could lead a motley crew to victory in this hasty battle. Defeat would tarnish his reputation in his later years, or even lead to his death. If he remained in the south, the capital would inevitably fall, forcing the court to move south, leaving him with no choice but to rely on him, thus consolidating his power.

Stay on the sidelines and watch; you're guaranteed to win!

Secondly, Chen Mao must have harbored resentment towards Zhu Qizhen. He had been stripped of his title for many years and restricted for several more, wasting more than a decade of his life during what was almost his most capable period, without achieving any merit. For a veteran general, this was an extremely cruel thing.

With the southern mutiny and the situation deteriorating, Zhu Qizhen had no choice but to reinstate Chen Mao and send him south. Chen Mao quelled the rebellion in just two months, and then refused to return to the capital, citing the repeated rebellions. He even refused to participate in Zhu Qizhen's northern expedition.

It is truly inconceivable that such a great general, who had accompanied Emperor Taizong on several northern expeditions, repeatedly achieved meritorious service, and whose prestige shook the northern deserts during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, would refuse to participate in the northern expeditions.

Zhu Qiyu was determined to bring Chen Mao back to oversee things, as a balance between civil and military officials was what he desired, and Chen Mao possessed the ability to counterbalance the civil officials.

Zhu Qiyu was not worried about Chen Mao's growing power. The reason was simple: Chen Mao was already seventy years old, and the civil officials would keep a close eye on him. Moreover, Chen Mao was not entirely loyal to Zhu Qizhen. This was the key point, and Zhu Qiyu was confident that he could control this man.

Upon hearing Zhu Qiyu's words, Wang Lingshu knew that he was about to entrust something important, and couldn't help but ask, "May I send Father along?"

"No, if my father-in-law goes, he will surely be noticed by those with ulterior motives."

Wang Lingshu nodded: "I will listen to you!"