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The Crown Prince consoled himself with various reassurances for over an hour before finally opening the door and instructing the butler to begin setting up the altar according to the instructions on the cloth. The items needed for the altar were rare, expensive, and hard to find. After much effort, the butler managed to gather everything, thanks in part to the Censor, who had discreetly placed some items in the residence beforehand to ensure the Crown Prince's plan could proceed smoothly.
The Crown Prince was pleased with the speed of the servants. As the time approached, he felt particularly tense, rehearsing his actions in his mind dozens of times. When it came time to execute his plan, he managed to carry himself with a certain flair and poise that made it seem convincing.
Throughout the residence, people were hidden away—not just the Censor and the Dragon Guard, but also experts from the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of War, and other officials who had come to gather evidence. When the Crown Prince boldly declared his intention to seize the fate of Xuande Emperor, even mentioning the emperor's name directly, everyone could no longer delay. They revealed themselves and swiftly apprehended everyone present in the Prince's Mansion.
There were many people involved in this operation, and the capture happened in an instant. The Crown Prince barely had time to react; he shouted a few defiant words before realizing he was in danger. He wanted to backtrack but found himself under everyone's watchful gaze. He had incited rebellion and used witchcraft against none other than the current emperor. Having just shouted so loudly moments before, he understood that it was all over for him.
Panic surged within him as he stammered incoherently, pleading not to be captured. "I was wrong! It wasn't me speaking just now; I feel like I've been controlled by someone!" he cried out. "You're hurting me! I'm a prince—the eldest son of my father! I was just deceived! If my father knew you dared treat me this way, he would have your heads for my sake!"
Despite committing a grave crime and being caught red-handed, no one dared to enforce the law against him. The Crown Prince was imprisoned, but his fate would ultimately depend on when the emperor awoke or who would ascend as his successor.
After the Crown Prince was captured, Song Yiyi took her last breath, and Gentle provided her with a simple coffin. She was a key figure in this case, yet Gentle did not interrogate her. A person unafraid of death and without any ties would only waste time unless she chose to speak up herself. Moreover, they had already uncovered most of the truth behind those pulling the strings.
Qi Xiaomian received a message from Sang Qingxiao through Wen Xinggui, confirming that it was indeed Great Yu Emperor behind everything. Those who learned this news unanimously decided to keep it secret because once it spread, it would lead to national enmity and war between their countries.
With Xuande Emperor falling ill multiple times and Great Jing Kingdom in turmoil, it was not an opportune moment for war—especially without solid evidence. If Great Yu Emperor turned things around against them, Great Jing would be at a disadvantage.
Fortunately, Qi Xiaomian also mentioned that Wen Xinggui had compromised and that Xuande Emperor would awaken soon. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and continued to wait patiently.
On the day Qi Xiaomian received this news, despite having developed some animosity towards Xuande Emperor, he still felt soft-hearted. After all, Xuande had protected him for several years; though their relationship wasn't entirely pure-hearted, Qi Xiaomian had benefited greatly from it.
Thus, he immediately took action.
After entering Dayu, Wen Xinggui was treated as an honored guest by Great Yu Emperor. His needs were met with equal status as that of the Monarch. Great Yu Emperor even spent an entire night discussing matters with Wen Xinggui by candlelight. The next day during court assembly, Great Yu Emperor's previously gloomy demeanor finally brightened after months of darkness; this newfound clarity persisted.
Later on, Great Yu Emperor summoned Wen Xinggui multiple times and even initiated grand construction projects like building Stargazing Tower. On its completion day, Wen Xinggui ascended to its peak in Dayu Kingdom.
The construction of Stargazing Tower mobilized much of the capital's workforce; citizens worked tirelessly day after day. Yet even then, the Monarch felt it wasn't fast enough and brought in more laborers from other provinces while extending working hours for citizens—leading to widespread discontent throughout the capital.
Qi Xiaomian saw the shadow of Xuande Emperor in Great Yu Emperor. Could it be that Monarchs become muddled and tyrannical as they grow older?
Great Yu Emperor had completely elevated Wen Xinggui, strengthening the guards around him. Even his own son would have to wait for a chance to see him.
However, this did not pose a challenge for Qi Xiaomian. Through Huayang's connections, he had managed to infiltrate Wen Xinggui's guards. After changing his appearance once again and exchanging places with one of his subordinates, Qi Xiaomian entered the guard team.
His subordinate, using his cleverness, managed to secure a convenient job delivering meals. When Qi Xiaomian brought the food, he finally saw Wen Xinggui after several months.
Wen Xinggui maintained his usual demeanor; whether sleeping, eating, or even using the restroom, he always held a star plate in his hands, seemingly engrossed in whatever he was observing.
As Qi Xiaomian approached, the needle on Wen Xinggui's star plate began to move on its own. Frowning, Wen Xinggui looked at Qi Xiaomian and immediately saw through his disguise.
"Are you here because you're worried I might leak your identity to Great Yu Emperor? You can rest easy; I'm not a gossip," Qi Xiaomian said as he sat across from him. He glanced at the star plate and asked, "How did you recognize me? Was it because of the anomaly with this star plate?"
Wen Xinggui replied, "This star plate has always been obedient, but it behaves like this every time you come close. I've searched through all my books and can't find a reason for it."
"This is just a small disturbance. When you brought Miss Sang into Black Flame City, the commotion was even greater; the needle nearly flew off! I couldn't calm it down and ended up consulting an oracle. In the end, the star plate that has been passed down in the Wen Family for years shattered."
"The fates of you two are indeed strange; even we in the Wen Family cannot see clearly. It seems you are both figures that should not be provoked," Wen Xinggui sighed.
After hearing this, Qi Xiaomian became curious and reached out to touch the star plate. The needle instantly stopped moving. When he released his hand, it remained still while the ground trembled violently.
"Am I really that terrifying?" Qi Xiaomian casually flicked it with his finger. "Your Wen Family's items have quite a spirit."
Wen Xinggui was worried that Qi Xiaomian might break it with too much force and kept a close watch. "Our family's items aren't sturdy; they can't handle rough play."
Qi Xiaomian tapped on the star plate and got straight to the point. "The matter regarding Xuande Emperor is related to you, isn't it?"
Wen Xinggui paused for a moment before laughing. "Aren't you two at odds now?"
Qi Xiaomian didn't confirm or deny but asked, "Xuande Emperor's troubles—what do they signify? Don't you have any idea? How can your Wen Family commit such unscrupulous acts without fearing retribution from heaven?"
Wen Xinggui smiled bitterly. "Of course I'm afraid! How could I not be? The Wen Family was once abandoned by heaven; we've endured countless hardships in Black Flame City and have had enough of that life."
"If we hadn't repeatedly sought forgiveness from above and found some hidden path to survival, our Wen Family would have long been buried in graves."
"A path to survival? This time you must summon Cheng; could it be your Wen Family's way out?"
"Sort of. Whenever faced with choices, the Wen Family consults an oracle. If the omens say it's feasible, we proceed accordingly."
"If we don't follow through... Cheng should have seen that the Wen Family learned painful lessons from our past mistakes. Heaven rarely shows mercy; we must act more cautiously and dare not defy divine will."
"Continue to ask him, so you mean that 'Seizing the Mandate of Emperor Xuande' is the arrangement of the Heavenly Dao?"
Wen Xinggui elaborated, "Before doing this, I consulted the divination twice. The first question was about how many more years the Xuande Emperor and the Dragon Fate had left; the answer indicated that the Heavenly Dao would soon disappear. The second question was whether it was possible to artificially shorten the lifespan of the Xuande Emperor, but there was no response from the Heavenly Dao.
However, based on past experience, a lack of response means there is no opposition, which means the Wen Family can proceed."
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