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On September 11th of the 26th year of the prosperous era, the capital city was still filled with unease.

His Majesty has been in a coma for two days due to poisoning. The imperial physicians are at a loss, and the twenty-four princes are taking their own actions, causing undercurrents to surge in the court.

In teahouses and taverns, there was a great deal of discussion.

Some say His Majesty is dying, some say he can hold on for a few more days, some say it's fate, some say it's man-made disaster.

But in the Imperial City Guard's duty room, the secret reports in front of Chen Qiao had already piled up into a small mountain.

Those secret reports came from all over the place: some from the palace, some from the residences of the princes, some from the homes of court officials, some from local prefectures and counties, and some from the Western Regions.

Each document is marked with the time, location, and source, and each document has undergone multiple layers of verification.

Chen Qiao looked through each document one by one, and after finishing one, he placed it on the left.

I looked at another one, and it was placed on the left.

His face remained expressionless from beginning to end.

Only after reading the last document did he look up and sigh softly, "It really was you."

Deputy Commander Zhou, standing nearby, asked cautiously, "Commander, has the matter been clarified?"

Chen Qiao nodded and handed him the secret report in his hand.

Deputy Commander Zhou took it and his expression changed.

It was written very clearly in the secret report—

The person who poisoned the body was none other than Marquis Anle, Chai Zongxun.

Through the Fu family, they bribed a minor eunuch at the Imperial Tea House.

The little eunuch's sister was a maid in the Fu family.

The Fu family gave him five hundred taels of silver, instructing him to put poison in the tea he brewed for His Majesty.

The poison was brought from the Western Regions; it was colorless and odorless. The poisoned person would slowly fall into a coma, and eventually their heart would stop beating.

It is said that it was seized when the Abbasid Caliphate was conquered, and that the Abbasid Caliph used this kind of poison to eliminate his political opponents.

This item was extremely difficult to obtain. The Fu family went to great lengths, pulling strings through several layers of connections, to finally buy it from a merchant from the Western Regions.

Following the secret report was a list of names.

Those from the Fu family involved included: Fu Yanqing's third son, Fu Zhaoxin; Empress Fu's nephew, Fu Lingtu; and several distant relatives of the Fu family.

Fu Zhaoxin was the mastermind, Fu Lingtu was in charge of communication, and the others were responsible for running errands and doing odd jobs.

Those “lost old bureaucrats”: several old ministers who were dismissed back then, as well as their protégés and old friends.

The leader was Wang Lun, the former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who was dismissed for corruption and had always harbored resentment.

There was also Zhang Rang, a former official in the Ministry of Rites, who was demoted for opposing the new policies and harbored resentment.

There was also Li Yi, a former censor who was dismissed for impeaching the Imperial City Guard and had always wanted revenge.

These people, using Chai Zongxun's name, secretly colluded and waited for more than a year before finally getting this opportunity.

There were also a few ambitious individuals: local powerful figures who had suffered heavy losses due to the new policies and were eager to find an opportunity to turn the tide.

The Shen family of Suzhou Prefecture, the Wang family of Songjiang Prefecture, and the Liu family of Changzhou Prefecture were all large landowners in the area. After the land tax was converted into poll tax, they had to pay several thousand more shi of grain every year, which made them grit their teeth in hatred.

They provided money and manpower to help the Fu family make connections and pass on messages.

These people formed a not-so-small conspiracy group.

They thought they were being discreet and that no one would find out.

Little did they know that the Imperial City Guard had been watching them from the very first moment they made contact.

After reading it, Deputy Commander Zhou's hands were trembling. "Commander, this...this is treason!"

Chen Qiao nodded. "It was indeed a rebellion."

"Shall we go and arrest them now? We have the list and all the evidence; we can arrest them every time."

Chen Qiao shook his head. "No rush."

"Not in a hurry?" Deputy Commander Zhou was stunned. "His Majesty is still unconscious. These people could make their move at any moment..."

Chen Qiao glanced at him.

That glance was calm, yet it sent a chill down Deputy Commander Zhou's spine. "Some things, you'll know when the time is right."

Deputy Commander Zhou dared not ask any more questions.

He worked in the Imperial City Guard for fifteen years and knew the Chief Administrator's temperament.

Everyone knows what you shouldn't ask; asking is tantamount to courting death.

Chen Qiao stood up and walked to the window.

Outside the window, the direction of the palace was brightly lit.

The imperial physicians, eunuchs, and palace maids were still going in and out, so busy they barely had time to breathe.

“They thought their opportunity had come,” Chen Qiao said softly, “but they didn’t know that this opportunity was given to them by His Majesty.”

Deputy Commander Zhou was terrified, but dared not respond.

……

The Marquis of Anle's residence in the western suburbs of the capital.

The mansion was not large, with three courtyards and three entrances, and could only be considered average in the capital.

But Chai Zongxun didn't care about size.

What he cared about was how far this mansion was from the palace...

The farther away the better, so I don't have to see those people with the surname Guo every day.

At this moment, Chai Zongxun was sitting in his study, with several people standing in front of him.

Fu Zhaoxin, Fu Yanqing's third son, is in his forties and has a shrewd look on his face.

He was the most active member of the Fu family in this generation, with a wide circle of friends and excellent information.

He was one of the masterminds behind this incident.

Fu Lingtu, Empress Fu's nephew, is in his early thirties with a glint in his eye.

He was in charge of liaison, running around busily.

Wang Lun, the former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was over sixty years old, with gray hair and a gloomy face.

After being dismissed, he remained unemployed at home, harboring a deep resentment.

He offered a lot of advice on this matter.

Zhang Rang, a former official in the Ministry of Rites, was in his early fifties, lean and capable.

He was demoted for opposing the new policies and harbored deep hatred for that person.

In this matter, he was responsible for contacting those "lost old bureaucrats".

There were also several people in plain clothes, of all ages, who were their accomplices.

“My lord,” Fu Zhaoxin said, “news has come from the palace that the person has indeed been poisoned, and the Imperial Hospital is at a loss. Physician Qin has been watching over him for two days and two nights without leaving his side, but the person just won’t wake up. Countless bowls of medicine have been given and countless acupuncture needles have been inserted, but it’s all to no avail.”

Chai Zongxun's eyes lit up. "Are you sure?"

"It's confirmed. We have informants in the Imperial Hospital who saw it with their own eyes. Imperial Physician Qin is extremely anxious, and the other imperial physicians are also helpless. At this rate, that person won't last more than a few days."

Chai Zongxun nodded. "What about Zhou Jun's side? Any movement?"

Fu Lingtu continued, "Everything is normal on Zhou Jun's side. Cao Bin is training his troops as usual, and the generals below him are doing their drills as usual. There are no major movements from the Imperial City Guard either. Chen Qiao is working as usual, and his men are patrolling as usual. It's just like any other day."

Chai Zongxun frowned. "Everything as usual?"

"Yes. I also found it strange, but after checking several times, everything is indeed as usual."

Chai Zongxun was silent for a moment, then asked, "What about the princes?"

“Chaos.” Fu Zhaoxin laughed. “The twenty-four princes are all making their own moves. The Prince of Qin is summoning his advisors for meetings every day. The Prince of Jin is sending people everywhere to contact officials. The Prince of Zhao is sending people to the army to win over his old subordinates. The Prince of Yan is quiet, but the people from the Imperial City Guard say that there are many people coming and going from his residence. The others are all making moves too. Some are contacting court officials, some are winning over local officials, and some are sending people to the Western Regions to deliver messages. They are all busier than the last.”

Chai Zongxun's eyes lit up even more. "Good. Let them keep busy. The busier the better, the busier they are, the more chaotic things will become."

He stood up and walked to the window.

Outside the window, the sky over Beijing was overcast, as if it were about to rain.

The imperial city in the distance was faintly visible in the twilight.

“I’ve waited twenty-eight years,” Chai Zongxun said softly, “from the age of six to thirty-three, from ignorance to a heart full of hatred. Finally, this day has come.” The people behind him looked at each other, their faces beaming with joy.

Wang Lun stepped forward and lowered his voice, saying, "My lord, now is not the time to be happy. Although that man has fallen, those princes are still here. Once they realize what's happening, they might join forces against us."

Chai Zongxun nodded. "Old Wang is right. We have to wait, wait for them to start fighting each other. The fiercer the fight, the better, until they both suffer heavy losses."

Zhang Rang said, "Don't worry, my lord. Those princes are all like wolves and tigers. Their usual brotherly talk is just an act. When it comes to vying for the throne, all that brotherly affection is nonsense. It won't be long before they start fighting each other."

Fu Zhaoxin also said, "Our people are already spreading the news that the Prince of Qin and the Prince of Jin are vying for the position of Crown Prince, that the Prince of Zhao is going to lead troops into the capital, and that the Prince of Yan is colluding with the Imperial City Guard. Once these messages spread, it will be difficult for them not to fight."

Chai Zongxun nodded. "Alright. Keep spreading the word. Let them suspect each other, be wary of each other, and eventually fight amongst themselves."

He turned around and looked at the people in front of him. “Gentlemen, if this matter is successful, I, Chai Zongxun, will not forget you. Those who deserve official positions will be given official positions, those who deserve silver will be given silver, and those who deserve land will be given land. As long as I sit in that chair, you will all be founding heroes.”

The group bowed in unison, saying, "Thank you, Lord Marquis!"

"I am willing to die for you, Lord Marquis!"

Chai Zongxun waved his hand, "Go ahead and get busy! Remember, be careful and don't give yourself away."

The group of people responded and withdrew.

Only Chai Zongxun remained in the study.

He walked back to the window and gazed at the distant palace.

He had been to that city when he was a child.

He was only four or five years old at the time and didn't understand anything. He only knew that his father was holding him and pointing to the palaces, saying, "Zongxun, all of these will be yours from now on."

Later, my father died.

After that, he never allowed anyone to go in again.

“Father,” Chai Zongxun said softly, “you watch, your son will avenge you.”

In fact, Empress Fu had been advising Chai Zongxun to have self-awareness, but Chai Zongxun had already begun to become increasingly extreme.

Historically, Guo Wei had no biological sons, so he had to pass the throne to his adopted son Guo Rong, whom he believed was indeed very outstanding.

However, after Guo Rong ascended the throne, the first thing he did was to change the surname Guo back to Chai, having long forgotten about Guo Wei and the Guo family.

After Chai Rong's sudden death, Chai Zongxun failed to secure his throne, which was instead seized by Zhao Kuangyin and his brothers.

However, in history, Chai Zongxun's lineage was content to be the Marquis of Anle, and the Zhao family treated the Chai family quite well.

However, the Chai family remained restless and secretly engaged in shady dealings, such as in "Water Margin" where they provided aid to the scoundrels who rebelled at Liangshan Marsh.

It's obvious what the Chai family is up to. If the rebellion at Liangshan Marsh gains momentum, they will definitely need a powerful banner.

The Chai family, a former imperial family, is the most suitable banner, and the fruits of the rebellion at Liangshan Marsh will be stolen by the Chai family.

However, now that Su Ning has appeared, Chai Zongxun could allow the Zhao family to seize the imperial power, but he could not tolerate Su Ning, his uncle.

So even though Empress Fu kept advising Chai Zongxun to be more rational and behave himself, Chai Zongxun's hatred for Su Ning grew stronger with age.

Now Chai Zongxun has finally gotten his chance. In his view, the new policies have angered both heaven and man, and he believes this must be a warning from his father, Emperor Chai Rong, in heaven.

……

However, Chai Rong and his ambitious group were unaware that Chen Qiao was drafting a secret letter inside the Imperial City Guard at that very moment.

The secret letter was short, containing only a few sentences.

After Chen Qiao finished drafting the document, he carefully reviewed it to confirm that it was correct, and then stamped it with the official seal of the Imperial City Guard.

"Someone come here."

“Commander.” A trusted aide walked in.

"Send this to the National Defense Army's main camp in Beijing and personally hand it to Cao Bin, the Deputy Privy Councilor. Remember, it must be handed over personally; it must not pass through anyone else's hands."

The trusted confidant took the secret order, tucked it into his pocket, and said, "Don't worry, Commander."

He turned and left, disappearing into the night.

Chen Qiao stood up and walked to the window.

Outside the window, the direction of the palace was brightly lit.

Those lights stood out conspicuously in the night.

“Your Majesty,” Chen Qiao said softly, “the fish has taken the bait. And it’s biting very hard.”

He recalled the scene he had witnessed in the Imperial Study the previous night.

At that time, His Majesty lay in bed, his face ashen and his breath weak.

But after everyone had left, His Majesty opened his eyes and looked at him.

Those eyes were terrifyingly clear. "Chen Qiao."

"Your Majesty, would you like me to help you up and stretch a bit?"

"It's alright! How is the outside world?"

"Your Majesty, everything is under control. Chai Zongxun's faction has indeed become restless."

"What about my princes?"

"Your Highnesses, on the other hand, are relatively calm."

"Hmph! I know my sons best, and they're probably itching to take the throne right now."

"..." Chen Qiao pretended not to hear, because this was not a topic he cared about.

Then Su Ning continued, "Chen Qiao, let them keep jumping. The higher they jump, the better."

"Yes!" Chen Qiao knelt on the ground without saying a word.

He knew what His Majesty wanted to do.

This is a scheme that His Majesty has been planning for over twenty years.

From the day the capital was moved, from the day the new policies were implemented, from the day those princes were raised, His Majesty had been waiting for this day.

Wait for those hiding in the shadows to step out on their own.

Now, they finally jumped.

In the National Defense Army camp, Cao Bin sat in his command tent, with a chessboard in front of him.

He has been playing chess for three days straight, all by himself, and he hasn't made a single mistake.

Footsteps could be heard outside the tent.

A guard came in and reported: "Deputy Privy Councilor, someone from the Imperial City Guard has come and wants to see you in person."

Cao Bin didn't even look up. "Let him in."

The man entered the commander's tent, took out a secret decree from his robes, and presented it with both hands.

Cao Bin took it, unfolded it, and read it through.

Then he nodded, "Go back and tell Commander Chen that I understand."

The visitor bowed and withdrew from the command tent.

Cao Bin carefully put away the secret edict and looked back at the chessboard.

Black pieces, white pieces, only a few moves left.

“Your Majesty,” Cao Bin said softly, “I understand.”

He picked up a black piece and placed it on the chessboard.

Snapped.

That one move brought the whole game to life.

Outside the window, the night was deep.

In the distance, the lights of the capital city flickered in the darkness.

Those lights came from the palace, the princes' residences, the homes of court officials, and the homes of ordinary people.

But Cao Bin knew that the real light was not there.

The real light was on the dragon bed in the imperial study.

That person is still awake.

...(End of this chapter)