Even emperors have it tough, so don't be too picky about the entries.

Chen Shao returned to his palace, and Eunuch Wei immediately ran over to help him change his clothes.

He kept muttering to himself.

"Your Majesty, you're finally back! I couldn't eat or sleep these past few days without you. Look how thin you've become."

"This old servant heard that His Majesty went alone and brought back 20,000 men, and the whole palace is in an uproar."

"All the civil and military officials are waiting for you to attend court."

Chen Shao was filled with mixed feelings. He simply opened his arms and let Eunuch Wei help him change his clothes, not wanting to say a word.

Eunuch Wei looked down and exclaimed, "Hey! Why does His Majesty's aura seem so strong again after just one trip?"

Just then, the palace doors were pushed open from the outside.

A burly, bearded man, shirtless and carrying thorny branches on his back, stepped across the threshold.

Holding a carved brocade box in both hands, he strode into the hall.

Eunuch Wei immediately flew into a rage, his orchid-like fingers raised.

"Who is this? Why is he shirtless when he came in? What are the guards outside doing?"

Wu Song ignored him and knelt down.

He held the brocade box high in the air.

"Your Majesty, I, your humble servant, have killed the Emperor Emeritus and have come to beg for forgiveness!"

"Find His Majesty if you commit murder..."

Eunuch Wei was taken aback, then sat down on the ground with a thud.

"Killed...who? The retired emperor? Whose name is the retired emperor?"

"What!" Chen Shao turned around abruptly, his face turning deathly pale in an instant.

He rushed to Wu Song and looked down at the brocade box.

My fingers trembled slightly as they hovered in mid-air. It took me a while to grit my teeth and lift the lid of the box.

Chen Yuan's head lay quietly in the brocade, his eyes wide open, unable to close in death.

He slammed the lid of the box shut, staggered back two steps, and braced himself against the imperial desk with one hand.

"You! You...you've really put me in a terrible situation!"

"Your Majesty!" Eunuch Wei hurriedly got up to help Chen Shao.

Wu Song raised his head, his eyes showing no regret, only a dignified acceptance of death.

"I know my crimes are unforgivable, and I am willing to pay with my life!"

After saying that, he drew a short knife from his waist and slashed it across his own neck.

"Damn...did they overact?" Chen Shao hurriedly grabbed a teacup from the table and smashed it.

With a clang, the dagger flew out of his hand.

The blade left a shallow bloodstain on Wu Song's neck, but it did not hit any vital organs.

"Who wants you dead!"

Chen Shao, feeling utterly helpless, rubbed his forehead and walked over to Wu Song's side.

He personally closed Chen Yuan's eyes.

"The Emperor Emeritus brought this upon himself; it is not your fault."

"Although you act rashly, your loyalty is undeniable."

Chen Shao sighed. "Get up and talk."

Eunuch Wei was completely puzzled.

He hadn't been by Chen Shao's side recently and didn't know what had happened.

But how can the crime of murdering the retired emperor be forgiven?

Has His Majesty taken a fancy to this mighty and valiant man?

Wu Song was also taken aback. He thought that Chen Shao wanted him to kill Chen Yuan so that he could be a scapegoat and give an explanation to the world.

"His Majesty?"

Chen Shao suddenly bent down and beckoned to the two of them:

"This matter is known only to Heaven, Earth, you, and me; not a single word of it must be uttered."

Chen Yuan must die, otherwise Chen Shao will not be able to sleep peacefully.

As long as he lives, there will be ambitious people who will exploit his identity.

Only when he dies will the world be at peace.

But the news of his death... doesn't necessarily have to be spread now.

"The Emperor Emeritus is enjoying his remaining years in Yongshou Palace. Chen Yuan cannot die now, do you understand?"

The two didn't understand, but nodded subconsciously.

"He can only die when I need him to die."

"His death can be made into a big deal; it can also be considered that Father Emperor did his last for the country."

Eunuch Wei couldn't help but blurt out:

"Your Majesty, you were clearly grief-stricken just now, why are you like this now..."

The meaning is obvious: why would they even exploit their own father's death?

"The grief is real, and the need is real. What's the conflict? If you can't express yourself properly, then speak less."

Chen Shao suddenly felt much better:

"It's good enough that there are no organ donations."

"By the way, I am deeply grieving today. I have instructed the imperial kitchen to prepare an extra meal for me. I will be hosting a grand banquet."

......

The Prime Minister's residence, study.

A heated argument was taking place inside.

"Prime Minister Han, you must settle the final payment today!" Ximen Gucheng said angrily.

"You still have the nerve to ask for the final payment?"

Han Cao smiled coldly:

"You don't even dare to show your faces, and you dare call yourselves an assassin organization?"

"That's because your intelligence was wrong. You said there would only be a few dozen people, but it turned out to be tens of thousands!"

"We had hundreds of brothers lying in ambush in the cesspool for a whole day, and they were all well-known masters in the martial arts world. If I don't pay the final bill, I simply won't be able to explain it to my brothers."

"You have the nerve to say that! There are so many places you choose to grope in. Is there something seriously wrong with the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion?"

The map of the isolated city at Ximen was finally revealed, revealing the true nature of the dagger.

"So, Your Excellency is planning to renege on your debt? Then I have no choice but to go all out and expose this matter, even at the cost of my reputation."

"We'll all fight to the death, and we'll all perish together."

Han Cao stared intently at Ximen Gucheng's old face.

He usually looks like a wise and sage, but now those wrinkles seem like a giant python coiled on a chrysanthemum.

Ugly! Absolutely hideous!

He finally waved his hand helplessly.

"Let's go to the accounting office to settle the bill."

All the anger on Ximen Gucheng's face vanished instantly.

He chuckled:

"Prime Minister Han is indeed straightforward; I admire him. However, Prime Minister Han, please don't worry too much. I have a Plan B. Would you like to discuss this again?"

"What kind of crazy plan?"

Ximen Gucheng turned his palm over and said in a serious tone:

That's exactly what I mean.

"In my younger days, I traveled to the West to assassinate a great man and learned a little foreign language."

"I see," Han Cao said, pointing to the door.

"Get as far away from me as possible."

"Minister Han can contact me anytime if needed."

Ximen Gucheng didn't make a fuss, but left with a smile and his hands behind his back.

The whole world fell silent.

Han Cao slumped into the armchair.

He stared blankly at the candlelight on the table.

I felt that my fate, like that candle flame, was teetering on the brink of collapse.

If the coup fails, Chen Shao will certainly not let him off the hook.

Continue the rebellion?

The scholar's rebellion failed after ten years.

Without military power, how can they rebel?

The only thing he could leverage was his prestige in the imperial court.

But I wonder if that bastard Chen Shao will disregard everything and just make a move.

In his view, Chen Shao was capable of doing things like paralyzing the country rather than letting the entire court be wiped out.

"It's over, it's all over."

Just then, a clear voice rang out from outside the door.

"What is it that Prime Minister Han is troubled by?"

Wu Xingyun!

Han Cao immediately sat up straight.

"You still have the nerve to show your face? What, do you have some kind of coercive plan of yours?"