Imperial Palace, Imperial Study Room.
Qi Yun was flipping through a book called "Strange Tales" when Chen Zhong rushed in and whispered a few words in his ear.
Qi Yun’s eyes grew cold, and he sneered, "Old dog, do you think this is their final plot?"
Chen Zhong bowed slightly: "This old servant does not know! However... with Your Majesty’s wisdom and prowess, no enemy conspiracy can escape your eyes!"
Qi Yun looked at him, pointed, and said with a smile, "You old dog, always know how to please with your words, huh!"
Though he said this, a rare smile appeared on Qi Yun’s face.
"Your Majesty, good news, great news, Luosha has found the Seventeenth Prince who has been missing for twenty years, and he has already entered Shengjing City!"
At this mont, a eunuch’s joyful voice ca from outside the door.
This was Eunuch Xiao Chen, Chen Yan.
He was also loyal to Qi Yun, sharing in his worries and concerns, so upon learning this news, he couldn’t wait to report it.
Qi Yun’s eyes narrowed slightly, and a deep murderous intent flashed in his eyes, before he burst into loud laughter: "Hahaha, good, good, good!"
He repeated "good" three tis, his face showing an incredibly excited expression, it has co, it finally has co!
Others seeing Qi Yun’s excited deanor might think he was thrilled to have found his long-lost son, but his confidant Chen Zhong quietly lowered his head.
Only he knew that His Majesty the Emperor was not excited because his son was found.
"Old dog, quickly change my clothes, the Imperial City gates, he should be arriving soon, I want to see my precious son, hahaha!"
"Yes, this old servant will do so at once."
Chen Zhong responded respectfully.
"Giddy-up, giddy-up!"
Along the long and wide Zhuque Street, horses galloped swiftly.
Zhuque Street was very spacious, and the middle was an official road for use by nobility and carriages, so no matter how fast the horses galloped, they wouldn’t harm pedestrians.
Traveling unimpeded, they soon arrived at the palace gate.
"Quickly inform His Majesty the Emperor, we have safely brought the Seventeenth Prince back!"
A spy from Yulong Pavilion said.
The guard at the gate bowed and imdiately went inside to report.
This was the protocol, even if it’s the Seventeenth Prince outside the palace gate, entrance needed the emperor’s consent.
"No need!"
A cheerful voice suddenly rang out, as Qi Yun personally ca out to et them.
The Yulong Pavilion spy was visibly stunned, then imdiately bowed and kneeled.
The other two spies behind him quickly kneeled on one knee, but Qian Yi stood there, astonished, looking at this Emperor.
But it was only for a mont, then he quickly reacted and kneeled to pay his respects.
Qi Yun looked at this young man, his pupils slightly contracted.
This young man, just from his etiquette earlier, clearly showed that he was well-mannered, and his behavior and deanor were extraordinary, indeed suitable to be Qi Yun’s son.
Qi Yun nodded slightly: "You are Qian Yi?"
"Yes! I grew up in Qingshui Village."
Qian Yi was a scholar, so in front of the Emperor and officials, he did not need to call himself a commoner and could refer to himself as a student, subtly elevating his status.
Such an adaptability...
Qi Yun narrowed his eyes and nodded slightly.
"Good, good!" he said, and then looked at the spy: "Do you have evidence?"
"Your Majesty, the evidence is here."
The spy took out a brocade box and respectfully presented it.
Qi Yun opened it, and inside the brocade box was a child’s swaddle and a Purple Jade Bracelet.
The bracelet radiated a purple glow, appearing as if thousands of stars twinkled within when held up to the light—an incredibly beautiful and uppermost treasure, the most precious tribute from the Western Regions back in the day.
To have given such a rare treasure to Yun Ruoxiang showed the royal favor.
Kneeling on the ground, Qian Yi felt an imnse thrill in his heart, seeing how much the Emperor loved Princess Consort Yun, so if he perford well enough, could he truly aspire for the throne?
If he indeed seated himself on the Emperor’s position, wouldn’t that be...
Gasp! He drew a sharp breath, feeling as if the sky was shimring with golden light.
But why had they not allowed him to rise yet?
The ground was so cold, so very cold? Was it that he had been exposed? Could it be? It shouldn’t be suspected, it shouldn’t!
Just as Qian Yi’s heart was filled with doubts and anxiety, Qi Yun’s stuttering yet excited voice ca from above, "Quick, quickly get up, my good son, the ground is too cold, rise at once, don’t catch cold!"
Qi Yun spoke as he reached out to personally help him up.
"Thank you... Father Emperor!"
"Ah, good, good indeed! My son, these years, while you were outside... you’ve suffered!"
Qian Yi slowly rose, which was a show of respect to the Emperor and elders, and Qi Yun lightly patted his shoulder and looked him over, a father’s excitent and concern at seeing a son after a long absence, wanting to see if he had put on or lost weight, if he had lived well or not?
This was a scene of fatherly kindness and filial piety.
In the distance, atop a high wine restaurant.
A middle-aged man was leaning against the railing, observing this deeply moving scene within the palace, and couldn’t help but let out a series of cold laughs.
It was done, finally done!
As long as he was placed inside the Imperial Palace, then his plan could be better implented.
People all thought he was Chen Country’s most loyal Minister, yet little did they know, his true allegiance was not to Chen Country, but instead...
Hahaha, these foolish people have all been deceived by him!
He was quite pleased, extrely pleased!
At this mont, a black-clad figure appeared at his side: "Master, the mission at Luanshi Ridge failed!"
"Failed?" The man’s pupils contracted, "How did it fail?"
"They brought an army with them, surrounded but didn’t attack, and then poisoned the water source at Luanshi Ridge, thus breaking through."
"Bang!"
The middle-aged man struck the railing with a palm, and said sharply, "An army? How did they have an army? Didn’t the Emperor only grant him fifty old and weak soldiers? How did an army co?"
"Prince Lingjiang lent them three thousand, and the Cao Family contributed five thousand! Under the pretext of mobilizing forces from the Lingjiang Imperial Mansion to quell the mountain bandits, since the number was under ten thousand, there was no talking point."
A vassal could mobilize eight thousand troops to suppress bandits, making it reasonable, so long as the numbers didn’t reach ten thousand, it couldn’t be called out.
The middle-aged man’s face turned ashen, he couldn’t have imagined they had colluded with Prince Lingjiang?
Indeed, back then the Princely Heir of Prince Lingjiang was quite close to Li Qingmu!
"These two, truly are like a stubborn disease, their existence severely impacts our plan! They deserve to die! Since Luanshi Ridge failed to kill them, then I’ll use a borrowed knife to kill!"
The middle-aged man slowly turned around, looking at his subordinate: "Qian Yi harbors a deep-seated grudge against Li Qingmu, when our Luanshi Ridge plan got overheard by him, though he said nothing, I understand he didn’t want Li Qingmu to die there, he wanted to personally humiliate him, since he wants that, why not give him this chance?"
"Go, tell him! The massacre at Qingshui Village should now fernt!"
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