Raising an eyebrow, Cui Xingdi asked, “Although I don’t know what you’re talking about, it sounds interesting. Please, do tell.”
Seeing that his brother wouldn’t admit defeat until faced with irrefutable evidence, Cui Xingzhou spoke directly, “You brought a pair of mother-child Gu from Miao territory and needed to breed them into multiple pairs. You didn’t delegate these secret tasks but performed them yourself. Unfortunately, while you learned how to cultivate and use the Gu, you didn’t know about its power to rebound on the user.
Prolonged Gu cultivation causes blood spots to appear on the fingernails, resembling tiny black dots. If I’m not mistaken, your wife also helped you cultivate those Gu, didn’t she? When she visited my residence to pay respects, Miantang noticed some barely visible black spots on her fingernails during their casual conversation, which aroused suspicion about you and your wife.
When your wife inquired about my whereabouts, Zhao Quan and I were already on our way to the capital. We managed to cure His Majesty’s Gu poisoning before you and Shi Yikuan could act, exposing your treacherous plot! You claim innocence, but do you dare extend your hand so we can examine your fingernails?”
Cui Xingdi knew that his fingernails indeed had a few barely visible bruise-like spots. He hadn’t paid attention to them before, nor had he closely examined his wife Lian Shilan’s fingernails.
What he hadn’t anticipated was that the mystic the Marquis of Zhennan had befriended in Beihai was truly a Gu master. This mystic had shared all his knowledge with Zhao Jiayü, who had saved his life.
So while the Marquis of Zhennan had never used Gu to harm others, he was very familiar with its principles and had informed the Prince and Princess in detail about how to identify secret Gu cultivators.
Miantang’s keen eyesight, which had once discerned the intricacies hidden in a bug’s eye in a painting, naturally noticed the tell-tale signs on Lian Shilan’s fingers.
Thus, Cui Xingdi’s carefully planned scheme of many years was exposed due to this tiny flaw in his fingernails.
When Miantang sent a pigeon message to inform Cui Xingzhou of her discovery, he was shocked.
However, upon reflection, he realized that during the power struggle among the Cui family’s children years ago, this seemingly frail fifth brother must have played a significant role in addition to his machinations.
Following this lead, uncovering Cui Xingdi’s secrets became relatively simple.
After having Zhao Quan cure the Emperor’s Gu poisoning, Cui Xingzhou also mentioned the leak of the Artillery Ministry’s cannon blueprints to the Japanese. Emperor Liu Yu, aware of the Hidden Dragon Guard’s identity, naturally suspected Cui Xingdi.
Cui Xingzhou also learned of his fifth brother’s other identity from the Emperor’s mouth.
Thinking carefully, he realized that Cui Xingdi still possessed the typical pride of Cui family men. He had spent half his life in hiding, using the character “Wei” as his pseudonym for painting.
“Wei” – the ghost of the Cui family. Perhaps this was Cui Xingdi’s self-mockery of his identity.
At this point, Cui Xingdi probably knew he had been exposed. No longer arguing, his face, similar to Cui Xingzhou’s, showed a sneer. Suddenly, he let out a desolate laugh.
However, just as the Emperor called for someone to bind him, Cui Xingdi suddenly pulled out twin blades from his wheelchair. With a powerful push of his legs, he sprang from the wheelchair, leaped onto a beam, punctured the roof, and escaped through the hole.
Having schemed for years, he had naturally prepared for various contingencies. The wheelchair was equipped with a spring-loaded mechanism for jumping and hidden blades – truly unpredictable.
Guards outside rushed in, calling for ladders to chase after Cui Xingdi.
But when Cui Xingzhou turned to look at Liu Yu, he found the Emperor’s face calm, showing no signs of panic or surprise.
After a moment’s thought, Cui Xingzhou immediately knelt and said, “Your Majesty, my family has been unfortunate to produce such a treacherous official. Please punish me severely for failing to manage my household properly.”
Liu Yu stood up and personally helped Cui Xingzhou to his feet. “What crime have you committed, beloved minister Cui? You traveled day and night to bring me the antidote, your loyalty as clear as the sun and moon. Moreover, your recent pacification of Beihai is another great achievement. What crime is there to speak of?”
Cui Xingzhou then asked, “Should we seal off the capital to capture this traitor?”
Liu Yu shook his head. “The Hidden Dragon Guard was established by the previous emperor as a secret organization, with the expectation that all members would be utterly loyal to the royal family. However, the previous emperor, aware of the unpredictability of human nature, naturally set up safeguards… These Hidden Dragon Guards were selected as children, and a hidden poison was implanted in their bodies. If they remain loyal for life, they can die peacefully of old age. But if they harbor ill intentions or disrespect the royal family, their death will be unbearably painful and miserable…”
As he spoke, the young emperor’s face displayed an icy coldness.
Cui Xingzhou remained silent, standing respectfully to the side. However, his mind recalled what Zhao Quan had said after returning from curing the Emperor: “His Majesty wasn’t poisoned at all. Why did he pretend to be poisoned and lie in bed for over a month?”
When the Prince of Huaiyang heard this news, he asked Zhao Quan if he had revealed this fact. Zhao Quan, wiping cold sweat from his brow, replied, “Do you think I’m that stupid? Even if His Majesty said he had diarrhea, I’d have to pretend I smelled it. Of course, I didn’t reveal anything. I just followed the procedure, prepared the antidote, and gave it to the Emperor… Old Nine, do you think His Majesty… might kill me to silence me?” By the end, Zhao Quan’s voice was trembling.
At the time, Cui Xingzhou couldn’t be sure of Zhao Quan’s fate. But now, upon his return, he could reassure his friend.
Their young Emperor had experienced a palace coup in his youth and had subsequently allied himself with various factions, constantly feigning weakness and goodwill to eventually ascend to the throne.
Unfortunately, after taking the throne, he found himself constrained by various forces, unable to fully implement his ambitions. The Emperor, who had relied on nepotism, likely possessed even greater patience than Cui Xingzhou’s fleeing fifth brother.
However, those who can endure tend to be more suspicious. If Cui Xingzhou’s guess was correct, the Emperor had likely discovered Cui Xingdi’s plot early on but chose to keep silent, even cooperating by pretending to be “poisoned by Gu.”
This was the Emperor’s test – testing the Shi family, perhaps the Empress, and even Cui Xingzhou himself.
If Cui Xingzhou had arrived in the capital too late or withheld the antidote, he would have failed the Emperor’s final examination.
The consequences of failing this imperial test, as seen with Imperial Father-in-law Shi and Cui Xingdi, meant no chance of redemption.
For an emperor, being suspicious should be considered a virtue. If this Emperor of Great Yan remained healthy, he should be able to maintain a stable reign.
Ten days later, Miantang finally arrived in the capital. While in Zhenzhou, she had chosen someone with a similar build to Cui Xingzhou. Although he wore a wide-brimmed hat and rarely left the cabin, Miantang frequently showed herself, deceiving Cui Xingdi’s spies.
However, she hadn’t anticipated the earth-shattering changes that had occurred in the capital during their journey.
Upon her arrival in Beijing, Empress Shi, immersed in the grief of losing her father, summoned Miantang to the palace for an audience.