CHAPTER 192: CHAPTER 10: STRIFE BETWEEN LEGITIMATE AND ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING (PART 10)

Prince Rui was unwilling to give up. After some thought, he outwardly agreed to pack his things and prepare for departure. In reality, however, he secretly contacted Prince Fu (the Second Prince).

Once they left Xuanjing, they could forget about that position.

Prince Fu had once led troops into battle. Upon returning to Xuanjing, although he handed over military power, there was still a private army within Prince Fu Mansion, and Prince Rui also had some secret forces. He could silently lead those people into the Imperial Palace.

Moreover, once the matter was successful, he had a way to control Prince Fu.

Prince Fu, on the other hand, felt that his private soldiers, combined with Prince Rui’s cooperation, would not be an issue. After the matter’s completion, he could simply send Prince Rui far away.

The two harbored ulterior motives.

By November 17th, an auspicious day for travel, the Princes were set to leave Xuanjing for their respective lands.

Li Shumeng found it hard to believe until this point. Clearly, Prince Kang was to become the Crown Prince, so why were they going to their fiefs?

Prince Kang’s mother was just a palace maid, neither favored nor powerful, and the land allocated to Prince Kang was naturally not good, being in the north, cold and desolate, with its only advantage likely being its vastness.

Li Shumeng didn’t want to go at all, but she had no choice.

She dawdled over packing for a long time, until Prince Kang couldn’t stand it anymore and had the steward pack their things, telling Li Shumeng that if she couldn’t bear to leave the splendor of Xuanjing, she should stay in Xuanjing and return to the Li Family.

Only then did Li Shumeng dare not say anything else.

Prince Kang was the first to set off and was also the fastest.

Initially, if Prince Kang had even a trace of ambition left, it dissipated inexplicably after marrying Li Shumeng.

Just like when the Seventh Princess was disappointed in him, he lacked self-awareness and the ability to judge people. Given his awkward status, if he listened obediently, his father might still harbor some fatherly affection for him. He was not like Prince Rui.

Prince Shou (the Fourth Prince) also heeded his mother’s advice and left cleanly and swiftly.

Prince An (the Sixth Prince) was the youngest at only sixteen and had been married not long ago. Although he did not want to leave, he made frequent moves, even going to the palace to plead with the Empress Dowager, only to be sternly reprimanded by the Emperor.

Thus, Prince An also quietly left Xuanjing.

Prince Rui and Prince Fu left decisively, but what the other Princes didn’t know was that after leaving Xuanjing, these two Princes gathered at Qianqiu Mountain outside Xuanjing and hid there.

Deep into the night, Xuanjing was already under curfew. Yet, at this time, the north gate was quietly opened.

A group of people sneaked into the city.

As Prince Rui had said, he had the means to get his people into the Imperial Palace.

Even the palace gates were open at this time, waiting silently for them to enter.

The Imperial Palace was divided into the inner palace and the outer palace, with the harem located in the inner palace. The management of the inner palace and outer palace differed, as did the people in charge.

At this time, the Emperor was with the Empress.

When Prince Fu brought people to strike the gate of the inner palace, a little eunuch hurriedly reported the situation.

The palace gates were custom-built, and the city walls were high, so those people couldn’t get in right away.

The Emperor was infuriated and sent someone to confirm that it was led by Prince Fu and Prince Rui.

These ungrateful traitors, the Emperor had already resolved that if they were caught, he would strip them of their titles and reduce them to commoners. This time, there would be no mercy, showing them the wrath of the Son of Heaven.

The Emperor’s Hidden Guard was in Li Gui’s control, and naturally, the Emperor had ways to contact Li Gui.

In the Imperial Palace, a red firework blossomed in the sky, lingering for a long time without dispersing.

Li Gui was awakened from his sleep by a trusted aide, knowing something had happened in the palace, drenched in cold sweat he quickly dressed and rushed out with his men.

Li Shuning was cultivating in the hovercar, while in the Marquis Mansion, the puppet and Duke Dingguo were being intimate, so she returned to the hovercar.

When the firework appeared, her eyes lit up.

It seemed something had changed, making the whole situation different.

The one courting disaster was no longer the Empress, but someone else.

Li Shuning looked down from the hovercar, spreading her spiritual power, naturally knowing what was happening at this moment.

Li Shuning thought for a moment and immediately contacted the puppet.

At this time, the puppet and Duke Dingguo were at a critical moment.

Receiving Li Shuning’s command, the puppet suddenly looked outside, and for a moment, the entire demeanor changed.

"Lord Marquis, look, the sky outside is so red, it seems something has happened?"

"Little girl, not focused." Duke Dingguo kissed the puppet hard.

At this moment, a maid suddenly reported from outside.

"Lord Marquis, Xi Yu requests an audience."

Duke Dingguo had two young attendants, one named Qing Feng and the other named Xi Yu.

At this time, if it weren’t an urgent matter, they wouldn’t come here.

Duke Dingguo looked at his still swollen little brother, a bit helpless.

Seeing his wife’s gloating expression, he couldn’t help but thrust a few more times.

"I’ll punish you when I return."

After a while, Duke Dingguo took his sword and left. Before departing, he instructed Li Shuning to lock the doors and be careful.

Once Duke Dingguo left, the puppet ordered the room to be cleaned, and after the maids left, Li Shuning put away the puppet and only then walked out.

"Yi, go find the chief steward, tell him to secure the premises and deploy patrol guards, not to slack for a moment."

"Yes, madam."

The former personal maid Xiaolan had long been quietly removed by Li Shuning. Now, those around her, who had come as her dowry, were all utterly loyal.

Li Shuning went to the Princely Heir’s place, took the child, and returned to her residence.

Who knew when this rebellion would be quelled? It was still necessary to be on guard against them becoming desperate and harming the noble families of Xuanjing.

Actually, how it would end, Li Shuning didn’t need to think too much.

Prince Rui and Prince Fu were bound to fail.

A character like Duke Dingguo had such an ending in rebellion in the storyline, let alone Prince Rui and Prince Fu.

Although Prince Rui had the Prime Minister’s support, the Jiang Family was not to be underestimated either.

At dawn the next day, Duke Dingguo returned, and Li Shuning also learned the general situation.

The Crown Prince noticed something was amiss and immediately sent for Duke Dingguo.

Duke Dingguo had troops under his command stationed outside the city, a new army and an old troop of only a few hundred veteran soldiers.

That old troop was Duke Dingguo’s former subordinates. The Emperor had them train the new soldiers when assigning Duke Dingguo the task of military training.

When trouble arose in the palace, Duke Dingguo naturally went out to mobilize the troops.

In the storyline, only those veteran soldiers followed Duke Dingguo in the rebellion.

Now, for the sake of saving the Emperor, naturally the new soldiers also entered the city.

Originally, Prince Rui and Prince Fu were aware of this situation.

After entering the palace, they held the gates, thinking that as long as they captured the Emperor, those troops would be useless.

However, they were unable to fulfill their wishes. They likewise did not know that a Hidden Guard was under Li Gui’s control. They found the preceding firework strange but did not understand its meaning, missing their chance to escape.

In the end, they broke open the inner palace gates, but Li Gui had already led people through the secret passage into the palace, guarding the Emperor.

Those Hidden Guards were fearless, and many of Prince Fu’s men died. Realizing there was no retreat, they fought desperately. Just as success seemed imminent, Duke Dingguo arrived with reinforcements.