At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

Crown Prince Xiao Yunfeng stood before the ranks of officials, his body stiff, his face ashen, his eyes filled with utter despair, frustration, and regret. He seemed to have lost all his energy and spirit, utterly powerless.

In just half an hour, everything changed, and the world turned upside down!

All the previous signs indicated that he, the Crown Prince, was about to establish himself firmly and seize power.

He originally thought that as long as he took advantage of this situation to completely overthrow Su Mu, he could completely control the court, wait to ascend the throne, and rule the vast land of the Great Qian Dynasty.

But who could have predicted that in the blink of an eye, everything would be lost!

The seemingly secure emperor was actually a treacherous imposter!

What seemed like a golden opportunity turned out to be a dead end that would destroy everything!

With his sharp eyes, Su Mu exposed the shocking deception in public. He used his unparalleled martial prowess to suppress the traitor and kill the fake emperor. He also severed Li Yuan's most capable right-hand man and destroyed the Eastern Palace power that Su Mu had built up over the years!

In less than half an hour, he went from being the powerful and glorious Crown Prince to the biggest loser in the court, utterly humiliated and distrusted by everyone, with all his wings broken!

An endless mix of frustration, resentment, and anger surged within me, yet I had nowhere to vent it and could only suppress it deep inside.

At this moment, he was completely panicked.

With Li Yuan dead, there was no one in the court to help him, no one to devise a plan for him, and no one to support him; all his reliance had collapsed.

Now his only chance of survival, his only hope, lies in his missing father, Emperor Xiao Jinghuan!

The Crown Prince frantically calculated in his mind: as long as his father was still alive and safe, when his father returned, considering their father-son relationship and his past status as Crown Prince, he would still have a chance to turn the tables and retain his position as Crown Prince.

But if his father had already been murdered and died elsewhere, then he would have no chance of turning things around!

In the imperial court, Su Mu was unparalleled in prestige, held military power, and enjoyed popular support. His third uncle, Xiao Jingyu, was wise and virtuous, deeply trusted by the court officials. His sixth brother, Xiao Yunchuan, was intelligent, composed, and upright, and no one criticized him.

By then, the decision to depose the eldest son and establish a worthy successor, and to change the heir apparent, would be a foregone conclusion. There would be absolutely no chance that the future emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty would fall into Xiao Yunfeng's hands!

His lifelong pursuit of imperial power and dominance will ultimately come to naught!

Just as the Crown Prince was feeling utterly dejected and disheartened, a gentle figure slowly stepped forward.

The Second Prince, Xiao Yunshan, raised his hand and gently patted the Crown Prince's shoulder, calmly advising, "Brother, things have come to this, the dust has settled, try to take it easy."

"Fortunately, the great chaos has been quelled today, the traitors have been executed, the false emperor has been eliminated, and our Great Qian Dynasty has been preserved. We are already extremely fortunate."

What appear to be comforting words are actually words of indifference and detachment.

Xiao Yunshan already understood everything.

After this earth-shattering upheaval, Crown Prince Xiao Yunfeng's weaknesses—his tendency to protect treacherous officials, his shortsightedness, and his narrow-mindedness—were fully exposed. He had already completely lost the trust of officials in the court and the country, and the hearts of the people, the army, and the courtiers had all turned against him.

His path to becoming crown prince has been completely cut off, with no possibility of him ever reaching the top again.

As early as a month ago, Xiao Yunshan had already seen through the treacherous and cold-blooded nature of the struggle for imperial power. He took the initiative to withdraw from the competition for the crown prince and was willing to be a leisurely prince, not vying for power, not seizing influence, not caring about the court's intrigues, and only seeking a peaceful life.

He knew perfectly well that with his elder brother Xiao Yunfeng's character—obsessive, impatient, stubborn, and unable to judge people—if he were to truly ascend the throne, he would only befriend sycophants, alienate virtuous ministers, disrupt the court, and lose the hearts of the people, ultimately leading the vast Qian Dynasty step by step towards decay and decline, never to recover.

Now that the crown prince has lost power, it is actually a blessing in disguise for the country and its people.

In the center of the main hall, the chaos gradually subsided, and the officials returned to their positions, each with a solemn expression.

Han You, the Grand Commander of the Imperial Guards, strode forward and bowed deeply to Su Mu and the Third Prince Xiao Jingyu, his expression solemn and earnest.

"Third Prince, General Su, now that the false emperor and the fake eunuch have been executed, the traitors have been temporarily quelled, but the greatest hidden danger remains unresolved..."

"The real emperor remains missing, his fate unknown, and the mastermind behind it all still lurks in the shadows!"

"A country cannot be without a ruler for a day, and a court cannot remain without a leader for long. What should we do next?"

As soon as he finished speaking, all the civil and military officials looked worried again and nodded in agreement.

At this time, the country is leaderless, people are restless, and the government and the people are in a state of panic. If no one takes charge for a long time, it will inevitably breed chaos and shake the foundation of the country.

Minister of War Wang Ben stepped forward, bowed, and said loudly, "The great chaos has just been quelled, and the court and the people are in turmoil. We urgently need capable ministers to stabilize the situation!"

"General Su dedicated half his life to protecting the nation, his achievements were unparalleled, his prestige was unmatched, and the army's hearts were with him; the Third Prince was wise and benevolent, governed effectively, and loved the people like his own children!"

"We earnestly request that you two temporarily assume the reins of government, preside over the overall situation, lead the officials, and stabilize the court and the country, so that Your Majesty may return to court safely before relinquishing power!"

"We earnestly request that you two preside over the administration of the court!"

The Minister of Rites followed closely behind, bowing deeply in earnest request.

Immediately afterwards, all the civil and military officials in the hall bowed their heads, their shouts resounding loudly and uniformly throughout the entire Golden Palace!

The entire court, both civil and military, is united in heart and mind!

The officials all knew the truth: in the court, only Su Mu and Xiao Jingyu had the ability, prestige, and virtue to stabilize the broken and turbulent Great Qian Dynasty.

Su Mu held military power over the entire country, winning countless battles and establishing the dynasty. He was the cornerstone of the Great Qian Dynasty and the pillar of the people's hearts.

Xiao Jingyu was in charge of the court affairs. He was resourceful, fair, diligent and caring for the people, and the most reliable pillar of the royal family.

Only when the two complement each other and work together in both civil and military affairs can they bring peace to the court and stabilize the hearts of the people!

Xiao Jingyu turned to look at Su Mu beside him, his gaze questioning.

Su Mu nodded slightly, his expression calm and solemn, silently agreeing.

With Su Mu's tacit approval, Xiao Jingyu no longer declined. He stepped onto the golden platform, bowed respectfully to the officials below, and said solemnly:

"Since my colleagues have placed their trust in me, I have accepted this critical mission to temporarily assume the reins of government on behalf of my elder brother, to manage affairs of state and maintain order throughout the land!"

"From this day forward, all officials shall perform their duties diligently, uphold their responsibilities, maintain public order, and strictly guard the city, awaiting the Emperor's return!"

"Upon His Majesty's return, we will immediately relinquish power and will never seize authority for ourselves!"

"We obey Your Highness's command!" All the officials knelt down in unison, their presence grand and solemn.

Standing in the queue, Crown Prince Xiao Yunfeng looked at his third uncle Xiao Jingyu, who was riding high on the platform and wielding all power, and at Su Mu, who was admired and respected by all. Jealousy and hatred surged wildly in his eyes.

This supreme position, this power to control the government, and this glory of having all officials submit to him should have belonged to him!

But now, he has become an outsider, watching helplessly as everything is taken over by others!

Endless resentment nearly consumed him, but he dared not show it in the slightest, and could only endure it with all his might, pretending to silently submit.

Xiao Jingyu took in the gloom and resentment in the Crown Prince's eyes, but paid no attention to it.

The most important thing right now is to prioritize the overall situation, find the Emperor's carriage, and stabilize the country.

All other personal grudges and court intrigues can be put aside for the time being.

He immediately composed himself, his expression sharp and decisive as he began to handle the important matters. Turning to look at Han You below, he pressed him for crucial clues in a deep voice:

"Han You! You have spent years guarding the inner palace, accompanying His Majesty, and are most familiar with His Majesty's daily routines!"

"The fact that the fake emperor and the imposter were able to silently replace the real emperor and remain hidden in the deep palace for so many days is no small feat!"

"They must have seized a gap in the market, isolated themselves from the outside world, and only then were they able to succeed!"

"Think carefully back over the past month. Has His Majesty exhibited any unusual behavior, such as staying indoors or engaging in solitary meditation?"

This statement hits the nail on the head!

To secretly replace the emperor's true identity, all connections within and outside the court must be severed, and all opportunities for audience with the emperor must be cut off. Only then can the plan be perfectly executed!

Upon hearing this, Han You was startled, instantly recalling the key details, and immediately cupped his hands in a respectful reply:

"Your Highness! Half a month ago, His Majesty, together with Consort Xu, went to the Ziyun Temple outside the city for a period of seclusion and meditation, which lasted for seven days!"

"During those seven days, the temple was in seclusion, isolated from worldly affairs, and no guards or palace maids were allowed to accompany or disturb them. No one served them personally throughout the entire time!"

Han You's words instantly tore open the crack in the truth!

Xiao Jingyu's body trembled, and he suddenly turned his head, his gaze sharp as he looked at Su Mu!

Their eyes met, and without a word, they instantly understood each other perfectly!

Seven days of isolation!

The imperial concubine accompanied the emperor, and they were in a Taoist temple.

This is the perfect opportunity for the traitors to switch out and hijack the imperial carriage!

Throughout the entire process, only Consort Xu accompanied her closely, and no one corroborated or spied on her!

Consort Xu is absolutely implicated in this shocking case of usurping the throne!

It is even highly likely that this imperial concubine, who accompanied the emperor every day and was deeply favored by him, had already been replaced by the traitor and was also a top-notch undercover agent hiding deep in the palace!

Xiao Jingyu's eyes instantly turned icy cold, and a murderous aura suddenly arose. He immediately gave a stern order:

"Han You, obey my command!"

"Immediately lead the entire Imperial Guard to the Imperial Concubine's chambers! Seal off all entrances and exits, surround the chambers inside and out, seize Concubine Xu immediately, and bring her to the main hall for trial!"

"Arrest them immediately, without any leniency!"

"Yes, sir! I obey!"

Han You accepted the order in a deep voice, not daring to delay for even a moment, and turned around to stride out!

Upon hearing the sound, the Imperial Guards waiting outside the palace sprang into action, their footsteps thundering as they followed closely behind, heading straight for the Imperial Concubine's palace!

The remnants of the imperial family must be eradicated today!

Even seeing the Imperial Guards mobilized in full force, Xiao Jingyu still felt uneasy.

He knew perfectly well that the forces that could silently replace the emperor, contend with Su Mu, and have been plotting for many years were all top-notch masters with unparalleled martial arts skills.

If Consort Xu is also a fake incarnation with ulterior motives, the ordinary Imperial Guards would be powerless to restrain her. If she harbors evil intentions and launches a desperate counterattack, things could change!

"Elder Su! The situation in the inner palace is uncertain, with remnants of the regime lurking in the shadows, and the dangers are unpredictable!"

"Their opponents are all top-tier experts who have been biding their time for many years; ordinary soldiers would find it difficult to suppress them!"

"I implore Elder Su to accompany me to the Imperial Concubine's palace to oversee the situation, provide support, and help our Great Qian Dynasty to root out the remaining villains, retrieve the Emperor's carriage, and uncover all the conspiracies!"

Su Mu remained calm, his eyes flashing with a chilling light, already aware of the danger involved. He nodded slightly and calmly agreed.

"It's alright, Your Highness, please."

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Mu turned around and raised his hand, signaling Qin Hao, Xu Cheng, Zhao Tieniu, and other trusted generals to accompany him and protect him.

A group of fierce warriors followed in unison, their menacing aura and their steps firm and resounding!

The group followed closely behind the Imperial Guards, making their way to the Imperial Concubine's palace in the inner palace!