How can you rule the world if I'm just a substitute for you?

With all the officials and Emperor Qian gone, Shen Qingyi finally felt relieved and breathed a sigh of relief.

She quickly stepped forward, grabbed Lin Xuan's arm, her eyes filled with anxiety.

"Tell me honestly, where exactly did you hide the Crown Prince's body?"

Lin Xuan smiled faintly.

"It's hidden in the dungeon of the Eastern Palace."

Shen Qingyi immediately frowned and shook her head repeatedly.

"Impossible! Everyone just turned the entire East Palace upside down, and there was absolutely nothing there! You must have hidden it somewhere else!"

Her voice trembled slightly with anxiety.

"I urge you to clean this up quickly! The days are getting hotter and hotter; once the body rots and starts to stink, it will be impossible to hide. If anyone discovers it, we will both be dead!"

Lin Xuan knew her worries were valid, so he raised his hand and gently patted her shoulder.

"Don't worry, I've already made all the arrangements. Nothing will go wrong."

After saying that, he waved his hand.

"You didn't sleep a wink last night, go back and rest. I have important business to attend to."

Shen Qingyi glared at him, secretly thinking to herself, "Isn't it all because of you that I've caused all this trouble?"

She didn't say anything more and turned back to her bedchamber.

As soon as the person left, the relaxed expression on Lin Xuan's face vanished instantly.

He sat in the empty hall, quickly assessing his current situation.

Now, there isn't a single person in the entire Eastern Palace who is his own; everywhere are spies planted by the Third Prince, Lin Fu.

To gain a foothold, the first step is to eliminate all the spies in the Eastern Palace.

While he was thinking, he suddenly remembered someone.

Wang Fu, the former chief eunuch of the Eastern Palace.

This person was a loyal follower of the late empress.

After the late empress passed away, he stayed in the Eastern Palace to serve the crown prince.

She was only dismissed from her post because she repeatedly advised the Crown Prince to correct his mistakes and do good, which angered the unruly prince. He disliked her and she was eventually demoted to a sinecure in the Eastern Palace, where she has been neglected ever since.

This person is absolutely trustworthy.

Lin Xuan immediately looked up at the eunuch on duty outside the hall.

"Go and summon Wang Fu to me."

Before long, an old eunuch with gray hair and dressed in coarse gray clothes strode in.

Wang Fu was both surprised and amazed to hear about the turmoil in the Eastern Palace today, including the Crown Prince being framed for using a substitute, testifying in court, and turning the tables on the Third Prince.

After entering the hall, he knelt down and bowed respectfully, but couldn't help but offer his advice.

"Your Highness, I apologize for speaking out of turn. Although today's incident has passed, you must never be so mischievous and disorderly in the future."

Lin Xuan looked at him and understood.

He is indeed a loyal follower.

He said, "Get up."

Wang Fu was taken aback, slowly stood up, and looked bewildered.

Lin Xuan looked at him and said seriously, "I know that you have served the Empress Dowager since childhood and have served me for many years. Your loyalty is evident. I was confused and acted recklessly in the past. Now I have completely realized my mistakes. If I do not change, I will surely die without a burial place in the future."

"From this day forward, I hereby reinstate you to your post as Grand Steward of the Eastern Palace, in charge of all matters, large and small, concerning the Eastern Palace."

Wang Fu was completely stunned, his face filled with disbelief.

In the past, if he had said anything extra, he would have been reprimanded by the Crown Prince at best, and directly flogged at worst.

To everyone's surprise, the Crown Prince's temperament changed drastically today. Not only did he not punish him, but he also directly restored his power as chief steward.

Upon realizing what had happened, Wang Fu's eyes instantly welled up with tears, and he kowtowed repeatedly.

"Very well! Her Majesty, if you could see this from heaven, Your Highness has finally come to your senses! Even if I were to die, it would be worth it!"

Lin Xuan raised his hand to interrupt him.

"Don't cry, I have important business to give you right now."

Wang Fu immediately wiped away his tears, bowed respectfully, and said, "Your Highness, please give your orders. This old servant will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Lin Xuan's eyes turned cold, and he slowly spoke.

"I'm giving you three days to thoroughly investigate the entire Eastern Palace. Remove every single spy, traitor, or undercover agent planted by the Third Prince."

Wang Fu grinned, looking confident.

"Your Highness, rest assured! This old servant knows the ins and outs of the Crown Prince's personnel perfectly well! It won't take three days; it will be cleaned up within a single day!"

Lin Xuan waved his hand.

"Go."

"This old servant obeys the decree!"

Wang Fu bowed and withdrew, then turned to thoroughly investigate the spies within the Eastern Palace.

After Wang Fu left, only Lin Xuan remained in the main hall.

He sat in the hall, head down, thinking about what was to come.

With no one available in the Eastern Palace, the Third Prince constantly plotting to kill him, Shen Wenyuan imprisoned, and an apology banquet in three days, a host of troubles lay ahead.

Just as he was pondering this, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the hall.

The voice of the young eunuch frantically trying to stop him rang out.

"Young Master Shen! You cannot enter! His Highness is inside!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a tall figure barged in.

As soon as he entered the hall, he pointed at Lin Xuan.

"You bastard, Lin Xuan! My sister has been married to you for three years, living like a widow for three years! It's one thing for you to neglect her all the time, but now you actually dare to hit her!"

Lin Xuan was stunned on the spot.

He quickly went through his mind and remembered that this person was Shen Qingyi's younger brother, Shen Wenyuan's son, Shen Hu.

He stood up.

"Brother-in-law, what do you mean by that? When have I ever hit your sister?"

Shen Hu's temper flared even more.

"You dare play dumb! I went to the palace to see my sister today, and I noticed she was walking strangely; it was obvious you hit her! Today, I'm going to avenge my sister!"

After saying that, Shen Hu clenched his fist and slammed it, the size of a sandbag, directly at Lin Xuan.

Shen Hu was eight feet tall, with broad shoulders and a powerful build, and possessed immense strength.

Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed, and he quickly dodged to the side.

Although he was a special forces soldier in his previous life, his current body is extremely weak.

If you really take that punch, you'll definitely be seriously injured.

Shen Hu was somewhat surprised when his punch missed.

He never expected that the usually weak and spoiled crown prince would be able to dodge his attack.

Shen Hu had given up all hope at this point.

With their father imprisoned, the Shen family is on the verge of collapse, their sister is suffering in the Eastern Palace, and the Crown Prince has such a reputation; sooner or later, the Shen family will be implicated and destroyed.

Today, I might as well teach Lin Xuan a lesson and vent my anger for my sister.

Without saying a word, he threw another punch and charged forward.

Just then, Shen Qingyi rushed into the main hall and hurriedly called out to stop her.

"Tiger! Stop!"

Shen Hu turned to look at her, his face full of resentment.

"Sister! Our family is already in such a state, what's there to be afraid of! I'm going to stand up for you today!"

Shen Qingyi was both anxious and flustered.

"Aren't things chaotic enough already? He's the Crown Prince! You hit him, no one can protect you! Father's still in jail, can't you behave yourself!"

Shen Hu gritted his teeth, but finally loosened his fist.

He glared fiercely at Lin Xuan.

"I'm warning you! If you ever dare to lay a finger on my sister again, no matter if you're the prince or not, I'll beat you up!"

Shen Qingyi quickly cupped her hands in greeting to Lin Xuan.

"Your Highness, please forgive him. Hu Zi is young and impulsive. Please don't hold it against him."

Lin Xuan looked up at Shen Hu.

He was half a head taller than me, with a strong physique, and looked like he could take a beating... a real fighter.

He waved his hand.

"It's alright."

After saying that, he walked up to Shen Hu.

"You say I hit your sister, where's the proof?"

Shen Hu bluntly stated, "I noticed my sister was walking strangely. If you didn't hit her, then what did you hit her for?"

Shen Qingyi, standing to the side, blushed instantly and was too embarrassed to lift her head.

Lin Xuan slapped his forehead, instantly understanding.

As expected, he lives up to his name—a true tiger!

He looked at the honest and straightforward Shen Hu and explained in a low voice.

After hearing this, he was stunned on the spot, like a child who had caused trouble, completely at a loss.

"So... I misunderstood Your Highness."

His face turned red, and he turned to leave.

"I'm leaving now!"

"stop."

Lin Xuan grabbed him.