CHAPTER 2004: CHAPTER 2006

"Aren’t you going to see him? The guards have come three times today."

"Not for now, finding Yangyang is more urgent."

Recently, there have indeed been many affairs with Prince Zhuang. Someone in the estate died, his son cries all day wanting his mother, the Eldest Princess was severely burned and died within days, and a few people from the imperial clan also died.

Initially, he intended to show his magnanimity by not holding grudges and his brotherly affection, planning to bury Prince Le with princely rites. However, the imperial clan, when they found out, refused to agree, saying that Prince Le didn’t deserve the rites of a prince and insisted that his princely title be abolished.

He did not agree, which caused a scene in front of the Grand Emperor.

This uproar invigorated the previously silent Grand Emperor, who now thought about returning to court every day. He didn’t want to remain as the Grand Emperor; he wanted to be the Emperor.

Prince Zhuang had a hard time eliminating Prince Le, exerting so much effort, and was unwilling to hand over the throne that was within his grasp. So, the court has been filled with daily quarrels these past few days.

Ye Zi’an has been busy looking for someone these days and hasn’t attended court.

Old Mu and the others aren’t in the Capital City, State Duke Tong’s daughter died, and he himself fell ill.

Mu Shaoling, on the other hand, wasn’t sensitive enough to court affairs. Prince Zhuang wanted to find a few people to discuss but had no one to consult with, hence he had people seek Ye Zi’an three times a day.

In the early morning, not yet between 5:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., the guards came again.

"Lord Ye, the prince requests that you attend court today."

"Why don’t you go? I’ll take people to the cliff."

Yang Chuxia thought that there was no evidence yet indicating that the two arrows were arranged by Baili Yan, so they couldn’t afford to offend.

"I still won’t go."

Ye Zi’an said to the young guard, "Go back and tell your master that I need to find someone these days. If he hasn’t figured out how to handle it yet, just feign illness, both of you feign illness together."

"But..."

"Go on, your master will understand my message."

"Yes! I’ll take my leave!"

Shortly after the young guard left, Ye Zi’an and Yang Chuxia also rode their horses outside the city, "Are you sure it’s okay not to attend court?"

"What could happen? The major matters have already been decided, what’s left are just minor issues."

Even if the older Emperor is trying to seize the throne, a serious affair indeed, but to him, it seems like mere bluster without any leverage, how to contest?

"True, even if something urgent happens, isn’t Mu Shaoling still around?"

"Him?" Ye Zi’an turned his head, "He’s also too preoccupied to manage court matters, not to mention he’s still researching medicine."

"What medicine is he researching?"

"Medicine for Prince Le." Ye Zi’an said, "He’s very interested in Prince Le’s ailment, and even though Prince Le is dead now, he hasn’t given up on the research."

"Oh, right." Yang Chuxia remembered the poison woman, "That poison woman once mentioned we could spare Prince Le’s life."

"Plans can’t keep up with changes; even if we wanted to spare him, we couldn’t. If we followed the poison woman’s suggestion, we’d have to wait for the right medicine to be developed, give it to Prince Le, and then clear out his influence. Not to mention whether the medicine could completely change Prince Le, even if it could, the Great Zhou might already be ruined by then. They had to alter the plan, but it was too drastic, Prince Le died, and he also lost a son."

However, he still had doubts in his heart; was he truly dead? Perhaps like a cockroach, with resilient vitality, having roamed the Great Zhou for many years, his sudden death seemed unbelievable.

Quickly, the group reached the bottom of the cliff again, and Yang Chuxia carefully observed the cliff walls on both sides, indeed noticing something unusual.