Even the crown prince is getting a marriage of convenience? Why are you in such a hurry to stop bein

Xiao Lie disagreed, believing that with Elder He's skills, he could eventually recover his health through gradual treatment.

Those who aspire to great things must be willing to make some sacrifices.

"As long as you keep your mouth shut and don't secretly send messages to Grandpa, he won't know." Sixteen and Seventeen were both personally trained by Xiao Tianze and kept by his side.

They were loyal to him, but occasionally they would pass on messages to Xiao Tianze.

It wouldn't exactly be considered "betrayal".

Sixteen and seventeen are both very clear-headed; they know what can be said and what cannot be said.

Xiao Lie instructed Sixteen to inform the steward to prepare a simple banquet in the hall, as he wanted to invite guests to his home.

When Gu Mingheng and Lin Yu arrived, they also brought him a secret piece of good news.

"Guess what our people discovered?" Gu Mingheng kept them in suspense. "Shen Qingge didn't come with us today; she went to keep watch herself."

Lin Yu also looked mysterious, but they couldn't suppress the joy in their eyes.

Shen Qingge was someone they had only recently recruited.

He and Shen Qinglan were from the same clan but different lineages; their fathers were distant cousins.

Therefore, they are both from the Shen family's Qing generation.

"Shen Qingge is now with us and has become your right-hand man. Even Shen Qinglan is doing things for you."

"Shouldn't you at least offer something in return?"

Gu Mingheng's boastful look made Xiao Lie unable to suppress a smile.

"Look at your pathetic self." Xiao Lie raised an eyebrow. "You guys brought Shen Qingge in, it's your achievement, that's for sure."

"But Shen Qinglan was someone I recruited. Although their two families are distant relatives, they don't have any dealings with each other, so they can't be compared."

"Stop beating around the bush, tell me quickly, what did you find out?" Why Shen Qingge was chosen to keep an eye on things was something Xiao Lie couldn't figure out no matter how hard he tried.

"Shen Qingge used her own abilities to get a lucrative job, which was managing a city gate."

"Since the Third Prince was imprisoned in the Imperial Prison, the Fifth Prince thought his chance had come and has been frequently leaving the capital recently."

"After this happened several times, Shen Qingge became suspicious and had his men follow him."

Gu Mingheng became more and more excited as he spoke, "Guess what he saw?"

"You want me to guess again? I'm not guessing." Xiao Lie urged him, "Hurry up and tell me."

Gu Mingheng became serious and truthfully told Shen Qingge what she had discovered.

The Fifth Prince Jiang Yun's ambitions grew, and he went out of the city to pay respects to the generals of several surrounding cities.

He wanted to win them over and make them work for him.

Xiao Lie's eyes flashed. "Isn't he being far too impatient? Is he even thinking of starting a rebellion?"

"That's not all. Because the emperor was quite indifferent to him and rarely paid him any attention, it gave him an opportunity. He even went to several handover fortresses and secretly contacted many deputy generals guarding the border."

What absurdity!

The Fifth Prince was foolish enough to think that his actions could really escape the Emperor's eyes and ears.

The emperor is not taking any action against him now because he believes that these petty tricks of his are not a threat.

"Let's leave the Fifth Prince aside for now and have Shen Qingge keep an eye on him." Xiao Lie then asked, "I've already told you all about this before; the plan is about to begin."

Have you thought this through?

While it may seem like the question is directed at the two of them, it is actually a question about what their families plan to do.

"Brother Xiao, we are friends who have risked our lives for each other. Whatever you do, we will support you wholeheartedly."

Noble families like theirs are never afraid of changing emperors; what they fear most is that the ruler is not wise enough.

We cannot lead them to a peaceful and prosperous era.

"With you all here, I can go ahead and do it." His trip to the frontier was precisely to make that decision!

The group exchanged glances, and in each other's eyes, they saw a determination to die for each other.

"Brother Xiao, then you have no choice but to go to the palace to see the Emperor?" Lin Yu couldn't help but worry. "When you first 'woke up,' the Emperor was eager to summon you to the palace. Now that you've been awake for a few days, I'm afraid you can't refuse anymore."

She was also somewhat indignant, "The Third Prince has his lifeline strangled this time. So many unforgivable crimes have been laid bare, yet the Emperor still can't bear to touch him."

"It seems that the position of crown prince is undoubtedly his."

The third prince's conduct is even more dishonest, and he is short-sighted; how could he possibly be fit for such an important task?

These aristocratic families absolutely did not want to see the throne fall to the third prince.

"Let's secretly plan ahead and let the Third Prince and the Fifth Prince fight first." When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits.

After the three finished their secret meeting, Gu Mingheng and Lin Yu had just left when Deshun personally came to invite him to the palace.

"Xiao Lie, I've heard that your health has improved recently and you're even able to receive guests at home." The Emperor looked at Xiao Lie with gentle eyes. "I've also thought of summoning you to the palace many times to see how you're doing."

"Physician Zhao said that you were not awake for long periods each day, which is why he did not insist on seeing you." Every word the emperor spoke showed his concern for his condition.

Xiao Lie knew perfectly well that the emperor was putting on such a show just to get him to bring it up and ask for the release of the Third Prince.

The more the emperor wanted something, the less Xiao Lie would let him have it.

Whenever the conversation veered towards the Third Prince, Xiao Lie would cover his face with his sleeve and cough incessantly.

A hint of coldness flashed in the emperor's eyes, but he could only forcefully suppress his anger.

He then asked, "You're so ill, has your grandfather written to you?"

The emperor wanted to inquire about his grandfather, Xiao Tianze.

Xiao Lie's eyes reddened, and his face turned several shades pale. "Grandpa wrote a letter, he's going crazy with worry about my illness."

"He tried many times to send someone to bring me back."

"They were afraid I would die in the capital."

The emperor could easily understand the unspoken meaning behind his words; it was simply that his grandfather was trying to intimidate people.

It seems the Third Prince will have to suffer a bit more in the Heavenly Prison.

"I see you're tired too, go back and rest." If Xiao Lie's condition worsens after seeing him, Xiao Tianze might suspect that he did something to Xiao Lie.

By then, even if he had a thousand or ten thousand mouths, he still wouldn't be able to explain it.

Xiao Lie got up and left, even skipping the kneeling ceremony.

Outside the main hall, he was somewhat surprised to run into Shen Qinglan.

She was followed by a group of elders from the Shen family clan, all of whom were influential figures who could speak with the emperor.

Shen Qinglan lowered her voice and said to him, "The Third Prince's crimes have been exposed, and the clan wants me to divorce him."

"We've come to meet the Emperor."

Xiao Lie was somewhat surprised; he hadn't expected that his plan would actually help her.

The area outside the main hall was not a suitable place for discussions, so Xiao Lie, supported by Sixteen, quickly left.

Even from a distance, he could still hear the emperor's furious questioning voice, "Does your Shen family truly intend to force Shen Qinglan to divorce the Third Prince?"

"You shouldn't even dream about it. I absolutely will not agree to this."