Chapter 66: Chapter Sixty-Six The Prince of Qi Has Rebelled

Chapter 66: Prince Qi's Coup

The imperial palace was engulfed in flames, blades tearing through flesh and bone. Limbs lay severed, bodies mangled, and the air hung heavy with the nauseating stench of burning corpses.

With the emperor absent, more than half of the imperial guards had been withdrawn. The remaining guards and attendants, overwhelmed, were almost entirely wiped out. Defenseless palace staff shrieked and scattered, only to be seized by the bloodthirsty rebels and cut down like melons.

In the imperial study, a eunuch, his arms severed, clung to life, eyes wide with terror.

"Where is the imperial jade seal?"

Wei Yan stomped on his head. The eunuch wailed, "This servant... this servant doesn't know!"

Terrified, the eunuch's legs trembled, and the sudden stench of urine filled the air.

Wei Heng snorted, a flick of his wrist sending his long sword into the eunuch's throat before he pulled it out. Crimson blood spurted, staining his ivory-white outer robe.

Without the imperial jade seal or an abdication edict, even if he seized control of the palace and the capital and declared himself emperor, his claim would be illegitimate.

He would have to make a trip to the Virtuous Prince’s residence.

***

Leaving Chengyu Hall, Wei Zheng's thoughts returned to that servant. The more he considered it, the more something felt amiss. He raised a hand, summoning a servant. "Go, tell Secondary Consort Yun that I won't be returning tonight, then come back and report to me."

The servant was bewildered; it was the first time he'd been asked to report back after delivering a simple message.

Not daring to question further, he accepted the order and departed immediately.

He headed straight for the main hall, explained his purpose to the gatekeeper, and was granted entry to the inner courtyard.

"Secondary Consort Yun? Secondary Consort Yun, are you asleep?"

The hall was dark, the lights extinguished. The servant called out several times from outside but received no reply. He wondered: Had Secondary Consort Yun already retired?

Considering the hour, it was indeed time for lights out.

He dared not call again. If Secondary Consort Yun was truly asleep and he woke her, she might take offense and have him punished—that would be a terrible loss.

Frustrated, he withdrew from the main hall. As he passed the gatekeeper, he cautiously inquired, "When did Secondary Consort Yun go to sleep? His Highness asked me to deliver a message, and if I fail, I'll have a hard time explaining myself."

The gatekeeper recalled, "Around the second watch of Xushi, the lights went out."

Not too early, not too late—just the time for an oil lamp to burn out.

Content with this answer, the servant returned to report.

Meanwhile, Wei San, disguised as a servant, had already made his way to Ruan Xingji's courtyard. Using his familiarity with the layout, he slipped into the backyard, knocked out a sweeping servant, stripped him of his clothes, and put them on himself. After a quick disguise, he tossed the unconscious servant into the bushes.

Ruan Xingji’s courtyard was unusually chaotic, teeming with people, the commotion making his head throb with irritation. In a fit of anger, he expelled all non-essential personnel, including the unhelpful physicians and the overly emotional Crown Prince.

The old emperor didn't dare stop him but remained outside, standing grim-faced with his hands clasped behind his back, lost in thought.

Amidst the confusion, Wei San seized the opportunity, leveraging his disguise to enter the courtyard. Blending in with the outermost circle of palace maids and eunuchs, his presence went unnoticed.

Wei Zheng arrived late. He first bowed to the old emperor, who, in no mood for pleasantries, merely gave a slight nod in acknowledgment. As for the Crown Prince, he naturally offered no courtesy, but Wei Zheng still paid his respects. Without waiting for a response, he straightened up and moved to the side.

It was then that the servant returned to report. Only after receiving Wei Zheng’s signal did he dare approach, lowering his voice to whisper, "When I arrived, Secondary Consort Yun was already asleep. The gatekeeper said the lights went out around 7 PM. I feared disturbing her rest, so I took the liberty of returning to report."

Wei Zheng frowned, his sense of unease deepening. But Wei San usually went to bed early—perhaps he really was asleep.

He didn't want to suspect Wei San, but that servant's figure lingered in his mind. He dismissed the servant and called for Li Dan instead, instructing him to notify Wei Er to enter the inner hall and investigate.

Li Dan hesitated, but he knew Wei Zheng's nature: if he didn't get a definitive answer, he might not be able to resist going back to check himself.

The Prince valued Wei San so highly—was this a good thing or a bad thing?

Li Dan could only sigh to himself, accept the order, and withdraw.

The gate to Ruan Xingji's courtyard remained tightly shut. The young imperial grandson's fate was still unknown, and for various reasons, all those waiting outside were anxious.

Clouds gradually obscured the crescent moon, and a chill wind began to stir. Unnoticed, midnight had already passed.

The tightly shut door was pulled open, and the exhausted Senior Imperial Physician emerged side by side with Ruan Xingji, instantly surrounded by the anxious crowd.

"Doctor Ruan, how is Min'er?"

No one was more anxious than the Crown Prince, the child’s father. With his only legitimate son's life hanging in the balance, he forgot the old emperor was present and somewhat improperly rushed forward to grab Ruan Xingji’s wrist.

Ruan Xingji wanted to shake him off, but out of respect for the other’s status, he suppressed his disgust and patiently said, "The young imperial grandson has been poisoned with the rare Shu Nan toxin 'Wangyou.' For now, he is out of immediate danger, but the poison hasn't been neutralized. To fully cure him, I need to go to Shu Nan to retrieve the key ingredient for the antidote."

"If Doctor Ruan leaves, who will save Min'er if the poison acts up again?" The Crown Prince strongly objected to his departure and arbitrarily ordered, "What is the ingredient? I'll send people to find it. Doctor Ruan should stay in the capital and focus on treating Min'er."

Ruan Xingji said, "I could choose not to go, but the ingredient is extremely hard to find. It only grows in miasma-filled swamps. Even if I describe it, the people you send may not recognize it, let alone know how to preserve it."

"The young imperial grandson’s condition cannot be delayed for long. If too much time passes, whether he can be saved is one issue, but even if he survives, his health will likely be permanently damaged. You need to consider this carefully."

Ruan Xingji’s words were not particularly polite, and the Crown Prince’s face turned pale then flushed. Wei Zheng interjected, "Since Doctor Ruan has made this decision, it must be the best choice. The most urgent matter is to send Doctor Ruan to Shu Nan as soon as possible. Does His Highness not want Min'er to recover quickly?"

Wei Zheng smiled coldly, his dark, deep eyes seeming to see through everything. The Crown Prince, unsettled by his stare, reluctantly said, "Of course I want Min'er to recover quickly."

He had no choice but to let go. The old emperor took charge, assigning a team of imperial guards to escort Ruan Xingji and ordering him to set off for Shu Nan immediately.

Ruan Xingji gathered only a few belongings and followed the imperial guards out of the courtyard. But before he had taken more than a few steps, the courtyard gate was violently forced open, and a man covered in blood stumbled in, shouting hoarsely: "Prince Qi has launched a coup!"

With these words, the man breathed his last, stunning everyone in the courtyard.

A firework exploded in the night sky, and the evening wind suddenly intensified, carrying with it a thick, nauseating smell of blood.