After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

The wind howled outside, causing the white tents to rise and fall repeatedly, making a "thump-thump" sound as they were blown by the night wind.

Inside the main general's tent.

A map of Miaofeng Mountain was hanging directly in front of them, marking six entrances to the mountain. Around 300 sentry posts of various sizes were set up around the mountain, making it completely impenetrable. The patrol routes of the 800 cavalrymen at the foot of the mountain were also clearly visible.

Han Chang stood before the silk map, his face turning deathly pale with surprise and panic.

On the wooden table in front of him, the flames of two oil lamps flickered slightly, the oil swirling restlessly from his slap.

Beside the oil lamp were piles of military intelligence reports from various military newspapers, as well as lists of pilgrims residing in the major temples on the mountain, for the purpose of investigation.

Huang Zhongcai knelt on the ground, his head covered in sweat, and the cotton-padded coat on his back was already soaked through.

Boom, boom.

The Han Chinese commander of the Plain Yellow Banner kowtowed twice forcefully and said in a mournful voice:

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty is seriously injured and unconscious. Minister of War Ortai has told me that Your Majesty... Your Majesty is very likely to... suffer something unspeakable!"

Something too painful to talk about?

Han Chang narrowed his eyes, slammed his fist on the table, and said in a cold voice:

"What did you say? Father Emperor is in his prime, blessed by Heaven! Huang Zhongcai! How dare you!"

"Your Highness!"

Huang Zhongcai raised his head, looking at Han Chang with eyes filled with extreme fear, but instead of explaining, he said,

"This servant dares not... dares not... such a major matter, even if this servant had the greatest courage in the world, I would not dare to speak nonsense... Your Highness... this is why... the Grand Councilors and Prince Yi sent this servant to find Your Highness."

Han Chang emerged from behind the desk, his brow also covered in sweat, staring intently at Huang Zhongcai. His pupils narrowed, and his tone was stern and anxious.

"Commander Huang, what do you mean by this? What secret orders did the lords give you?"

He clenched his fists nervously.

Huang Zhongcai kowtowed and said:

"Your Highness, you are the Emperor's eldest son, and the first prince personally appointed by the Emperor... The Emperor's life is hanging by a thread, and the Fourth Prince has already entered the palace. The officials have sent me to inform Your Highness that they urge you... urge Your Highness to return to the capital immediately to take charge of the nation's affairs!"

Huang Zhongcai spoke the last few words in a trembling voice.

Being unconscious means that the emperor is unable to entrust important matters to him.

eldest son.

The first prince.

To take charge of the overall situation.

...This means that the Grand Councilors and Prince Yi have made their final preparations.

The meaning has been fully expressed.

Thump, thump, thump.

Huang Zhongcai's heart pounded as he awaited the prince's decision.

Han Chang took several rapid breaths, his body seemed to go limp, and his voice was extremely weak:

"What else is there to say? I'll prepare the horses immediately and return to the capital with you at once, so I can fulfill my filial duty to Father Emperor!"

"Your Highness,"

Huang Zhongcai's heart almost stopped, and he said in a trembling voice:

"Lord Ortai said... please, Your Highness... take at least three thousand soldiers, each with two horses, and return to the capital overnight... just in case... just in case..."

……

……

"Do you think he'll bring his troops back?"

Inside the Yangxin Hall's sleeping quarters.

Yinzhen's face was slightly pale as he lay on the bed, his voice weak.

bedside.

On a cushioned rosewood chair, Prince Yi, dressed in a thick mandarin jacket and looking sickly, gave a bitter smile.

"Your Majesty, Prince Duan is very filial. I think that if Prince Duan hears that Your Majesty is ill, he will definitely come back."

"Ha," Yinzhen said disdainfully, "I'm asking whether that beast will bring his troops back."

If he brings his troops back.

That means they have ulterior motives and a desire to usurp the throne.

If they don't bring the troops back...

Yinzhen's eyelids twitched slightly. So at least he was still a member of the royal family, and could be considered his son.

They were not bewitched by that scoundrel Han Qing.

Yunxiang sighed and said:

"Your Majesty, Prince Duan and his wife had a difficult childhood, surviving for many years in a bandit's den. Yet now, they have helped Your Majesty eradicate the Heavenly Principle Sect. Prince Duan's wife has also saved Your Majesty's life today. In my humble opinion..."

Yinzhen remained noncommittal, then waved his hand. Yunxiang understood, and stopped speaking.

"Let's take another look," Yinzhen said. "Take a look at this one too. You take a look with me as well."

Yunxiang hummed in agreement and nodded, his eyes slightly lowered.

"call……"

Yinzhen slowly exhaled from his heart, "Hongchang... if Hongchang dares to appoint generals and lead troops back to the capital."

Huang Zhongcai would then produce a secret order personally bestowed upon him, and neither the Imperial Guard nor the Green Standard Army would listen to Hongchang. Huang Zhongcai would then escort him back to the capital.

As for the remaining bandits of the Heavenly Principle Sect on Miaofeng Mountain, they will be eliminated by Ortai.

Hongchang solemnly promised that the Southern Dynasty envoys in Miaofeng Mountain would also be brought back by Ortai.

As he pondered this, the emperor felt a sharp pain in his chest.

Su Peisheng was cleaning the eunuchs and palace maids in the palace.

Yinzhen felt a little heavy-hearted.

He still can't understand why the old eunuch who had lived in the palace for forty years wanted to assassinate him.

If it weren't for... if it weren't for Hongchang's wife...

If the disabled woman hadn't been so close, just as the old eunuch's blade pierced his chest, she would have rushed over faster than the guards, pulled out their swords, and with one stroke severed the old eunuch's hand, and with another, cut his throat.

Such formidable skills are truly unexpected in ordinary times.

"His merit in saving the emperor..."

Yinzhen slowly closed his eyes. Before Hongchang made his decision, he decided to stop thinking about these things and only sighed softly:

"Thirteenth, you say that I have worked tirelessly for years, governing the country and reducing taxes and corvée labor for the people. The people's livelihood is more than ten times that of the former Liang dynasty. Why... why... are they still not loyal to me..."

Prince Yi, Yunxiang, looked quite sickly, even somewhat sallow. Seeing his elder brother, who had been working diligently to govern the country, showing signs of fatigue, he felt a pang of pity in his eyes.

The trusted prince with an iron hat reached out and tucked the blanket around his elder brother, whispering:

"Your Majesty, please do not blame yourself. Throughout history, how many have harbored such wolfish ambitions? The praise or criticism of one person does not reflect the praise or criticism of the whole world; the disloyalty of one person does not reflect the disloyalty of the whole world. How could the Han people be without the likes of Wang Mang and Cao Cao?"

"If the Emperor is so worried about people like Han Qing and Wang Siyi that he becomes unwell, the people of the world will inevitably be in a state of panic and mistakenly believe that the Emperor is taking his anger out on them."

"At that time, how innocent will the people be? How can the Emperor bear to do it?"

Wang Siyi was that old eunuch; Yunxiang had already read the resume that Su Peisheng had sent him.

This eunuch entered the palace forty years ago and served successively as a kitchen servant, a kitchen cook, and a seventh-rank official in the imperial kitchen. In his middle age, he was promoted to deputy head of the imperial kitchen and a few years ago he was promoted to the fifth-rank head eunuch and was granted a crystal hat.

There was an incident in the palace tonight, and Wang Siyi led a group of eunuchs to protect the emperor. Even though the emperor had made prior arrangements, he still greatly admired Wang Siyi's loyalty and bravery.

unexpectedly.

The dagger that this man originally intended to use to protect the emperor ended up piercing the emperor's chest.

Yinzhen's chest sank slightly, and he opened his eyes.

I banished the image of Wang Siyi's resolute and hateful expression from my mind.

He glanced at his younger brother by the bedside and chuckled, giving a sarcastic remark.

"Having served as Minister of Revenue for so many years, the Thirteenth Brother's flattery skills have certainly improved."

Yunxiang laughed and said, "I learned it from the Emperor's ministers."

Yinzhen laughed heartily.

At this time.

A young eunuch announced from outside the palace: "Your Majesty, Lord Mu Shu requests an audience, saying that there has been a result regarding the Ning Baixuan matter."