Empress Shi remained silent for a moment before saying, “I understand Father-in-law’s love for his grandson. Please come with me.” She then led the Imperial Father-in-law to the Crown Prince’s quarters.
Inside, the young Crown Prince was playing with several maids. Upon seeing his mother, he leaped up, extending his arms and giggling as he bounced towards Empress Shi. The sight of the lively and adorable prince finally brought a smile to her face. She stepped forward, crouched down, and embraced the prince as he jumped into her arms, kissing his rosy cheeks several times. Standing up while holding the prince’s hand, she pointed to the Imperial Father-in-law and said, “Hong’er, your grandfather has come to the palace especially to see you today.”
The little prince, upon seeing his grandfather, pouted and hid behind Empress Shi, reluctant to come out. Although Imperial Father-in-law Shi frequently visited the palace and the young prince had seen him several times before – even receiving small toys from him – the child remained wary.
Imperial Father-in-law Shi was dissatisfied with Empress Shi, which extended to his feelings towards her son. Moreover, with the impending arrival of dragon sons from other Shi family daughters in the palace, he harbored different thoughts. His interactions with the little prince were often perfunctory, lacking the warmth of a loving elder despite his outward respect and flattery.
Children are incredibly perceptive; they can sense who truly cares for them and who doesn’t. Consequently, the prince was never particularly happy to see his grandfather.
Laughing awkwardly, Imperial Father-in-law Shi said, “I visit too infrequently, so the Crown Prince is still unfamiliar with me. I should come to see him more often in the future.” Inwardly, he cursed, “Ungrateful little brat, just like your mother.”
He took a wooden box from a nearby attendant, opened the lid to reveal several toys inside, and addressed the young prince, “Your Highness, these are some toys I’ve brought for you.”
The prince, being a child after all, became excited at the sight of new toys. He ran out from behind Empress Shi, craning his neck to look into the box. Inside were a rocking wooden horse, a Huarong Road puzzle, a Nine Linked Rings puzzle, and a small deer figurine made of crystal clay.
The Huarong Road and Nine Linked Ring puzzles were nothing new, so the little prince immediately picked up the clay deer.
As he watched the prince play excitedly with the toy, a slight smile crossed Imperial Father-in-law Shi’s face. The mother Gu was sealed within the crystal clay, and children inevitably got it on their hands while playing. He had made sure of this. Empress Shi emphasized filial piety and etiquette for the Crown Prince, requiring him to pay respects to the Emperor twice daily.
Although the Emperor’s chambers were now under surveillance, the Crown Prince could enter and exit freely. The mother Gu could survive for three hours after dehydration. As long as the prince’s hands were contaminated with the mother Gu and he approached Liu Yu, the Emperor would surely die!
Empress Shi slowly picked up a cup of tea and said to the prince, “Go on, offer your grandfather a cup of tea. He hasn’t had the pleasure of receiving tea from you yet!”
Hearing this, the little prince obediently picked up the teacup and presented it to his grandfather.
Imperial Father-in-law Shi repeatedly said he didn’t dare accept such an honor.
Empress Shi smiled slightly and said, “Although there’s a distinction between ruler and subject, you are still his grandfather. Even when he becomes Emperor in the future, he should still offer you this cup of tea. As children, we must always understand the importance of filial piety and respect for our parents and elders…”
After Imperial Father-in-law Shi left, his spy in the palace kept an eye on the Crown Prince’s movements. In half an hour, it would be time for the prince to pay his respects.
Usually, at this time, Liu Yu would receive another dose of medicine, typically administered by Empress Shi. Therefore, she would always bring the Crown Prince along.
Upon hearing that the Crown Prince had entered the palace with the Empress, Imperial Father-in-law Shi felt slightly relieved. He anxiously awaited news of the Emperor’s stroke and subsequent demise.
Once the Emperor died, his widowed daughter would have no one to rely on except her natal family’s power to support her young son’s ascension to the throne.
At that point, even if Cui Xingzhou had irrefutable evidence, he wouldn’t be able to touch Shi Yikuan.
With this in mind, Imperial Father-in-law Shi began to calmly await the news of tragedy from the palace.
However, as he waited, no one came to knock on the gates of the Shi residence.
Even if the Emperor had passed away and Empress Shi decided to keep it secret temporarily, some senior officials would need to be consulted to make decisions. How could everything remain so quiet?
Growing restless, Imperial Father-in-law Shi sent someone to inquire about the situation in the palace. However, the person he sent didn’t return even by nightfall – vanished without a trace!
Now truly unsettled, he could only send someone to find Cui Xingdi. After some time, Cui Xingdi sent a message requesting Imperial Father-in-law Shi to meet him at a long pavilion outside the city.
Under normal circumstances, Shi Yikuan would never have risked going to an unfamiliar place for such a secret meeting.
However, now that he had attempted to harm the Emperor without knowing the outcome, his family’s wealth and honor hung in the balance. He needed to consult with someone capable.
After weighing his options, Shi Yikuan couldn’t think of a better plan. He hurriedly boarded his carriage and headed for the meeting at the long pavilion.
As the carriage left the capital and crossed a wooden bridge in the countryside under cover of darkness, it reached the middle of the bridge when a sudden crack was heard. The bridge collapsed into two sections. Amidst the screams of people and whinnying of horses, Imperial Father-in-law Shi and his carriage plunged into the deep river below…
The next morning, when passersby discovered the tragic scene, five or six bodies were floating on the water’s surface, a gruesome sight…
When news spread throughout the court that Imperial Father-in-law Shi had died in an accidental bridge collapse during a night journey, the officials were shocked. Many privately discussed whether there might be more to this “accident” than met the eye.
Empress Shi was inconsolable at the loss of her father. The Emperor issued an imperial edict severely reprimanding local county officials for failing to ensure the safety of bridges in their jurisdiction, leading to this tragedy. He also ordered a lavish burial for the Imperial Father-in-law, posthumously granting him land and titles, and providing for his widow, as a show of the Emperor’s grief for his father-in-law.
However, Cui Xingdi, residing in a large mansion in the suburbs, couldn’t relax.
In truth, he was reluctant to hear that his second plan had also failed. But when Shi Yikuan’s men were captured at the palace gates, he guessed that the Imperial Father-in-law had been exposed.
Therefore, he immediately devised a plan to silence Shi Yikuan, making his death appear accidental by cutting off the trail leading to the mother-child Gu. His spies had brought news from Zhenzhou that Cui Xingzhou had already boarded a ship to the capital with Liu Miantang. By his calculations, even if they traveled day and night, it would take them ten days to reach the capital.
These ten days would be enough for him to destroy evidence and tidy up the aftermath.
However, this meant he had lost a powerful ally against Cui Xingzhou. But he wasn’t worried; the court was full of restless officials, and power struggles never ceased. Even without the Soothing King and Shi Yikuan, nothing fundamental had changed.
He could always find suitable people to use. After all, he had endured for so many years; another decade wouldn’t matter.
“Commander! The Emperor has summoned you to the palace!” At that moment, a subordinate suddenly came to deliver the message.
Cui Xingdi’s face darkened. The Emperor… had indeed awakened.
The Hidden Dragon Guard entered the palace not through the main gates, but through a secret passage leading directly to the Emperor’s study. This was how he always secretly met with the Emperor.
When Cui Xingdi arrived in his wheelchair, Liu Yu was sitting behind his dragon desk, reviewing memorials. For someone who had been unconscious for over a month, the Emperor looked remarkably well, showing no signs of weakness typical of someone who had just awakened from a long illness.
As Cui Xingdi entered, Liu Yu slowly raised his head and looked him up and down, saying, “The Cui family has been loyal for generations, yet always distrusted by the imperial family. Who would have thought that choosing you, a helpless cripple, as the Hidden Dragon Guard would result in nurturing such a disloyal and unrighteous person…”
Cui Xingdi’s heart sank as he listened. He slowly replied, “If I have done wrong, I ask Your Majesty to punish me severely. However, I truly don’t understand Your Majesty’s words…”
Just then, a figure emerged from behind a bookshelf in the study: “Fifth Brother, is there anything you don’t understand that requires my explanation?”
Cui Xingdi looked closely and saw that it was Cui Xingzhou, who should have still been in Zhenzhou, now appearing in the capital.
Cui Xingdi silently regarded Cui Xingzhou before slowly smiling and saying, “Your Majesty, I received a sacred duty that was meant to be kept secret. Why has Your Majesty revealed my identity to the Prince of Huaiyang?”
Emperor Liu Yu’s face darkened as he replied, “You still remember your sacred duty? If so, why did you harbor evil intentions, not only leaking cannon blueprints to the Japanese but also repeatedly using Miao sorcery to harm your stepmother and me?”
Cui Xingdi’s expression remained unchanged as he said, “I don’t understand what Your Majesty is saying.”
Cui Xingzhou stared intently at his half-brother, who had been operating in secret for years, and said in a deep voice, “Fifth Brother, there’s no use in denying it. You thought you had silenced everyone cleanly without leaving a trace, but in fact, you left behind the biggest clue.”