The Empress has abandoned me? I'll support a new emperor and destroy your kingdom!

Late at night, the servants at the Marquis of Anning's residence still referred to it as "the Su residence" because the plaque designating it as an imperial residence had not yet been hung up.

It was completely silent inside.

Su Che returned to his study, not lighting the lamps, but sitting down behind his large desk by the faint moonlight filtering in from the window. The cool touch of the sandalwood gradually calmed the chaotic thoughts in his mind, bringing them into a state of cold clarity.

Everything at the Fengtai Banquet flashed before my eyes like a revolving lantern.

Lin Chuwen's outward demeanor reveals a underlying probing and alienation.

Gao Tianci made no attempt to hide his smugness and greed.

The officials' varied gazes.

And then there was the title of "Marquis of Anning," which seemed like a great honor but actually elevated him and kept him far from the core of power.

Everything was exactly the same as in my previous life.

The only difference was his state of mind, and... the backup plan he had already laid out.

The "Shadow Guards" had command authority, as well as contact methods and lists of their agents in various locations.

Following the trajectory of her past life, Lin Chu's decree will arrive soon. She will use the guise of "consideration" to say that his current status is noble and he no longer needs to get involved in these private and trivial matters, which should be handled by a "reliable person." And that "reliable person" will naturally be Gao Tianci, or a trusted confidant arranged by Gao Tianci.

Unconsciously, fingertips tapped on the smooth tabletop, producing a very soft tapping sound.

The Shadow Guard was an elite assassination, intelligence, and protection force he had assembled for Lin Chu. It numbered only three hundred, but each member was a top-tier handpicked individual. Through his rigorous training, incorporating modern special operations concepts, they were proficient in infiltration, assassination, reconnaissance, and protection. They were well-equipped, and their loyalty was, in the past, beyond question.

The hidden agents in various places are the extension of "Di Ting's" eyes and ears, infiltrating government offices, cities, merchants, and even bandits, forming a vast and secretive information network, serving as the eyes and ears in the shadows of the Tianming Empire.

These two items were the sharpest dagger and the brightest mirror he had ever crafted for Lin Chu.

Now, this dagger and this mirror will be turned against him.

How laughable, how pathetic.

However, in his previous life, he was caught off guard, heartbroken by the betrayal, and disheartened, he handed over command and part of the core list, which led to the purge, dispersal, and reorganization of the Shadow Guards, the destruction, uprooting, and replacement of the network of informants, the tragic deaths of countless brothers, and the complete loss of his last remaining intelligence and ability to resist.

In this life...

Outside the study, three almost inaudible knocks sounded very faintly. Two short knocks and one long knock were the agreed-upon signal.

"Come in," Su Che said, his voice exceptionally clear in the quiet study.

The door was pushed open silently, a dark figure flashed in, and then quickly closed the door again. The newcomer was dressed in night clothes, his figure as straight as a pine tree; it was Zhao Jianing. His face still bore the weariness of guarding outside the Fengtai Palace, but his eyes were sharp as knives, showing no signs of fatigue.

"Sir." Zhao Jianing knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in salute, his movements crisp and clean, carrying the distinctive strength of a soldier. In private, he and his core old subordinates, including Pang Xiaopan, still habitually addressed Su Che as "Sir" rather than "Lord."

"Stand up and speak. How is the situation at Fengtai Palace?" Su Che gestured for him to sit down.

Zhao Jianing did not sit, maintaining his respectful standing posture. He lowered his voice and spoke quickly: "The banquet is about to end, and His Majesty has already returned to the palace. Gao Tianci is completely drunk and was helped to a side hall by his guards to rest. His mouth... was foul." He paused, a flash of anger in his eyes, "He said many disrespectful and arrogant things about you, sir. Many sycophants fawned over him."

Su Che nodded, unconcerned: "Just a clown, don't bother with him. Is there anything else unusual?"

Zhao Jianing's expression turned serious: "Yes. Midway through the banquet, one of my trusted subordinates reported that Gao Tianci's trusted lieutenant general suddenly went to the western suburban camp and the southern city garrison in the evening under the pretext of 'rectifying military discipline and verifying quotas'."

The western suburban camp houses 20,000 troops of the capital's garrison, at least 30% of whom are mid- to low-ranking officers who were promoted by Su Che or fought alongside him. The southern city garrison is a part of the Imperial Guard directly under Zhao Jianing's command.

"Quickly enough," Su Che sneered. "And the result?"

"At the western suburban camp, three captains were arrested on the spot for 'receiving pay without working and neglecting training,' and have been imprisoned in the military's black jail. The southern city garrison, being directly under the command of a junior officer, didn't dare to be too outrageous, but still, under the pretext of 'assisting with verification,' they transferred nearly half a year's worth of troop rosters and pay records." Zhao Jianing clenched his fists, his knuckles white. "Those three captains are old brothers who fought alongside us in tough battles; they are upright and honest, and there's absolutely no question of them receiving pay without working! This is clearly a frame-up, intended to purge them!"

Sure enough, just like in my previous life. He started by targeting those in the military where he had the most influence, clipping their wings.

"How did our people react?"

"The brothers are all furious, but I received instructions from you, sir, that each unit must remain at its post and not act rashly, so... we've suppressed it for now." Zhao Jianing looked at Su Che, his eyes filled with confusion and urgency. "Sir, are we just going to stand by and watch that scoundrel Gao Tianci run rampant and frame loyal officials? Those three captains, I'm afraid they're in the dark prison..."

"Don't worry, they won't die anytime soon." Su Che interrupted him, his voice calm and even. "Gao Tianci's move is intended to test us and provoke us. If we jump out to resist now, it will be considered 'forming cliques and opposing the court,' giving him a pretext to expand the purge. Those three captains are not high-ranking and don't carry enough weight. Keeping them alive is more useful to Gao Tianci than killing them. They are bait to lure us in, and also to show His Majesty his achievements in 'being diligent in his duties and rectifying military discipline.'"

Zhao Jianing was taken aback, then realized what was happening, but her anger hadn't subsided: "Are we just going to let him control us?"

"Of course not." Su Che stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the deep night outside. "But now is not the time for a head-on confrontation. Our foundation is not in the court, nor in these soldiers. Jia Ning, how is the process of secretly screening and contacting the reliable old subordinates I asked you to do going?"

Mentioning this, Zhao Jianing perked up and said in a low voice, "As instructed by you, sir, without any formalities, I and a few absolutely trustworthy old brothers have secretly contacted 147 brothers scattered across various armies, departments, and even local areas under the guise of private visits and gatherings. All of them have been tested by life and death, are utterly loyal to you, sir, and currently hold positions that are neither too high nor too low, making them unlikely to attract special attention. The list is here."

He stepped forward, took out a wax pill from his pocket, crushed it, and inside was a roll of extremely thin silk paper, on which his name, current position, and simple contact information were written in tiny characters.

Su Che took the list and quickly scanned it by the moonlight. He recognized many of the names on it; they were indeed key figures he could entrust with his life. He memorized the contents, then released a burst of internal energy from his fingertips, instantly turning the silk paper into dust, which spilled out through the window cracks and dissipated in the night wind.

"Very good. Tell them to remain silent as usual. But be prepared to leave at any time and await further instructions. As for the family arrangements, they can contact Pang Xiaopan; he will handle it properly through the business channels."

"Yes!" Zhao Jianing nodded, then said worriedly, "Sir, Gao Tianci is purging the army, and I'm afraid his next target will be 'Di Ting' and the Shadow Guards. We..."

Before the words were finished, a series of slightly hurried footsteps suddenly came from the outer courtyard of the study, along with the butler, Old He, reporting in a deliberately raised, anxious voice:

"My lord! My lord! A decree has arrived from the palace! It's from Eunuch Chen, who serves His Majesty!"

coming.

It seems to be half an hour earlier than in the previous life.

It seems that Lin Chu's unease was greater than he had anticipated. Or perhaps, Gao Tianci's influence over him was becoming more pronounced.

Su Che and Zhao Jianing exchanged a glance.

A flash of anger appeared in Zhao Jianing's eyes, which then turned into a serious expression. He nodded slightly to Su Che, and his figure retreated quietly like a cat, disappearing into the shadows of the inner room of the study, his breathing almost inaudible.

Su Che straightened his perfectly wrinkle-free clothes, the coldness on his face instantly vanishing, replaced by an expression of slight weariness and surprise. He then cleared his throat and raised his voice:

"I understand. Please wait in the front hall for a moment, Eunuch Chen. I will change my clothes and come immediately."

"Yes, Lord Marquis." Old He's footsteps faded into the distance.

Su Che calmly lit the candle on his desk, its dim light dispelling the darkness of the room. He looked at his pale, tired face reflected in the bronze mirror, bearing just the right amount of marks from a relapse of his old ailment, and a satisfied smile curled at the corners of his lips.

Then, he slowly walked out of the study and headed towards the front hall.