The number one rebel of the Great Wu

Eunuch Zhou knelt on the ground, glanced at the secret memorial that had been burned to ashes, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

"Your Majesty, this old servant is foolish and truly does not know what His Highness the Second Prince wrote."

"but."

He paused, then said cautiously, "Since His Highness the Second Prince has submitted a secret memorial, it must be of great importance. His Majesty's health is paramount; perhaps... we could summon His Highness to the palace to inquire?"

Xiao Jingtian remained silent.

He looked at Eunuch Zhou with a deep gaze.

That old man deliberately got rid of him so that he could seize power faster and avoid being held back by others.

Now that they've returned to my side, it's clear that someone is secretly manipulating things.

That person probably wanted to use some old people... to control the government.

This alone has already stepped into Xiao Jingtian's minefield.

However, he is not ready to turn against him directly.

Sometimes, having an old eunuch whose background you don't know is more useful than getting rid of him.

At least, through this person, he can spread the message he wants others to know.

Get up.

"I will handle this matter myself; you need not mention it to outsiders."

"This old servant understands, this old servant understands."

As if granted a pardon, Zhou Gonggong quickly got up.

"Then this old servant will take his leave..."

Eunuch Zhou bowed and left the imperial study, carefully closing the door behind him.

Only Xiao Jingtian remained in the hall.

He sat back on the dragon throne and closed his eyes in deep thought.

He had already read the words on the secret memorial.

Although I only glanced at it, every word was etched into my mind.

Beiqing Temple. Secretly gathering followers. Bribing soldiers.

It seems that the people from the Fourth Prince's residence have dealings with the people from Beiqing Temple.

He was silent for a long time.

The second child has really changed.

The second brother, who used to be reckless, foolish, and only knew how to solve problems with his fists, was actually able to find out these things.

The fact that he thought of reporting in secret instead of in person shows that he has learned to be patient.

The fact that he thought of tearing up his own bestowed painting to write a secret memorial shows that he knew the urgency of the matter.

The fact that he could not mention anyone's name in his secret report and only state the facts shows that he had learned to protect himself.

This kid has finally figured it out.

Xiao Jingtian's lips curled up slightly, but he quickly suppressed it.

Beiqing Temple.

That was a place he always passed through on his inspection tours.

Is someone keeping weapons in his temple?

What audacity!

Xiao Jingtian tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the dragon throne, his mind racing.

Who is it?

Was the second prince falsely accusing the fourth prince? Probably not. He doesn't have the brains for that. He was already the crown prince; there was no need for him to take such a risky step.

The third prince's counter-espionage plot? Impossible. The third prince has just obtained the power of regent; he has no reason to cause trouble when he is about to take power.

Based on this, the contents of the secret report are probably 80% true, and no one was deceived or taken advantage of.

That idiot fourth brother thinks he can turn the world upside down just because he has a few generals under his command.

Xiao Jingtian originally intended to issue an imperial decree to investigate the matter directly.

But he held back.

He thought back to thirty years ago.

He thought of his father, the late emperor.

I was reminded of that struggle for the throne.

He recalled all the shady things he had done to ascend the throne.

The Gate of Wonderful Sounds.

Those who died for him.

After that night, he secretly vowed that the throne would be passed down legitimately from now on, without any more bloodshed.

If the second, third, and fourth princes were to actually fight each other, then every emperor after the Great Wu Dynasty would face the same dilemma: princes killing each other, and the country becoming weaker and weaker.

His bottom line is: no one can die.

Princes may fight and contend with each other, but they must not draw their swords.

Once that line is crossed, he won't hesitate.

but now……

Xiao Jingtian looked at the pile of ashes on the table.

Now that the second son has already found out about Beiqing Temple, he wants to see how far his son can go.

He decided to proceed with his southern tour as scheduled.

The prayer ceremony at Beiqing Temple will not be cancelled.

He wanted to see what kind of trouble these people would cause while he was away from the capital.

It also serves as a quick test of the second son's abilities and temperament.

If the fourth brother really dares to make a move while he's praying.

A cold glint flashed in Xiao Jingtian's eyes.

Then don't blame him for being impolite.

The Crown Prince's Residence, Miscellaneous Affairs Office.

When Chen Changgeng returned to the miscellaneous affairs courtyard with five maids in purple robes, it was just dawn.

Hyun Seok was still lying in bed, his face ashen and his breath weak.

Chen Changgeng took out the blue porcelain bottle containing the Cold Jade Pill from his bosom.

As soon as the bottle was opened, a bone-chilling cold immediately spread out.

He poured out a pill, which was crystal clear and glowed with a faint blue light. It was icy cold to the touch.

"Won't eating this stuff freeze him to death?"

Among the five purple-clad maids, the one in the lead shook her head slightly.

Chen Changgeng nodded in relief, stuffed the Cold Jade Pill into Xuan Shuo's mouth, and then poured in a few mouthfuls of water to make sure he swallowed it.

A moment later, the effect began.

Xuan Shuo's body temperature dropped rapidly, and a thin layer of white frost formed on his skin. His eyebrows and hair were covered with ice crystals, and his breath turned into white mist.

The temperature in the entire room dropped sharply.

The five purple-clad maids stepped back a few paces, but Chen Changgeng did not move.

He placed his palms on Xuan Shuo's back, channeled his yang internal energy, and slowly passed it over.

It's not about dispelling the cold—it's about controlling the degree of coldness.

The cold energy of the Cold Jade Pill was too intense; if left unchecked, Xuan Shuo's body might truly be frozen to death. Chen Changgeng used his yang internal energy to counteract the cold energy, maintaining a balance so that the cold energy could just freeze the yin energy without harming Xuan Shuo's very essence.

An hour passed.

The cold, yin energy within Xuan Shuo's body began to dissipate.

That stubborn, feminine power had nowhere to escape under the seal of the cold air and was gradually melted away.

Xuan Shuo's complexion changed from ashen to pale, and then from pale to slightly flushed.

My breathing became steady, and my pulse regained strength.

Protected by Chen Changgeng's masculine internal energy, Xuan Shuo recovered faster than expected, and soon opened his eyes slightly.

"Manager Chen...?!"

"Looks like everything's alright now."

Chen Changgeng withdrew his palm and exhaled a long breath.

He stood up, stretched his stiff arms, and was about to tell Xuan Shuo to rest properly when he suddenly reached out.

"Manager Chen, we can't let me delay things..."

"Come here, let me tell you what I saw before I lost consciousness..."

moment.

In an empty room in the backyard of the miscellaneous affairs office.

Chen Changgeng and five maids in purple robes sat around a small table.

"Beiqing Temple is located 30 li north of the capital and is built against the mountain."

Chen Changgeng dipped his finger in water and drew a simple topographical map on the table.

"My men had previously followed people from the Fourth Prince's residence to a house in the west of the city. There, they saw Brother Huiming from Beiqing Temple."

"In other words, there is a direct connection between the Fourth Prince's residence and Beiqing Temple."

"The Emperor is on his southern tour and will stop at Beiqing Temple to pray for blessings. What if those people make a move while praying...?"

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone present understood.

The purple-clad maid at the head of the group spoke.

"Manager Chen, Miss has instructed us to follow your orders. You are both brave and resourceful. Just give the orders directly."

"No rush," Chen Changgeng said.

"Reconnoiter first, then take action."

"Let's go to Beiqing Temple tonight."

"The goal is to find out three things."

"First, how many people are in Beiqing Temple, and what is their fighting strength?"

"Secondly, where are those weapons hidden?"

"third……"

He paused.

"Let's see if we can find evidence to prove that the Fourth Prince's residence is involved in this matter."

The five purple-clad maids exchanged a glance.

"Reconnaissance is fine, but what if we get discovered?"

The leader asked.

"Retreat if discovered."

"We mustn't alert them. The Emperor hasn't arrived at Beiqing Temple yet; we have plenty of time."

"But what if we find out they're planning to act ahead of time?"

"Then it's best to strike first."

Chen Changgeng stood up.

"We'll depart at midnight tonight."

"Until then, everyone should get some rest."