Watching the Emperor favor Ling Yu more and more, with his intentions becoming increasingly obvious, Prime Minister Gu was left with nothing but fear.
No.
This can’t continue.
With that thought, Gu Hengcang steeled himself and walked toward a mural hanging in one corner of his study.
He stared at it for a long time before finally reaching out to lift it aside.
Behind it was a protruding stone on the wall.
He pressed it.
Rumble…
With a soft mechanical sound, the wall slowly rose, revealing a hidden doorway just wide enough for one person to pass through.
After straightening his robes, Gu Hengcang clasped his hands behind his back and stepped inside.
…
At the Eldest Prince’s residence…
Huangfu Xiao was troubled by the very same question as Huangfu Que.
“Father’s favoritism toward Ling Yu appeared suddenly and without any apparent reason.”
“For some reason… I have a very bad feeling about all of this.”
His fingers tapped rhythmically against the tabletop, his expression dark and thoughtful.
The advisers exchanged glances, none of them knowing how to answer.
After pondering for a while, one adviser stepped forward.
“Your Highness, could you be overthinking things?”
“Surely His Majesty wouldn’t hand the throne to someone outside the imperial family.”
“That’s simply impossible.”
“An outsider?”
Huangfu Xiao smiled faintly, though there wasn’t the slightest trace of amusement in his eyes.
“It’s not just Father’s attitude that’s strange.”
“Second Brother’s behavior is equally suspicious.”
“The Black Scale Cavalry is his greatest trump card.”
“Even if Father personally demanded it, he might not willingly hand them over.”
“And yet he actually allowed Ling Yu to command them…”
“All for the sake of a single woman?”
“Every part of this is far too unreasonable.”
The adviser hesitated before offering what he believed was a plausible explanation.
“Well… Ling Yu’s wife is the Crown Princess of Feng Kingdom.”
“Perhaps the Second Prince considered that and didn’t want to create conflict between our dynasty and Feng Kingdom.”
“That may be why he was willing to lend out the Black Scale Cavalry.”
Even as he spoke, however, the explanation sounded weak.
Not only did he find it unconvincing himself…
Huangfu Xiao found it even more absurd.
Another adviser remained calm as he spoke.
“Regardless, his surname is Ling.”
“He poses no real threat to Your Highness.”
“If the ruler wishes a minister dead, the minister has no choice but to die.”
“If Your Highness truly feels uneasy…”
“Simply find a suitable pretext and eliminate him.”
Huangfu Xiao pondered for a moment before nodding.
Just then, a servant hurried in to report,
“Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress requests your presence.”
“What does she want now?”
A trace of impatience flashed across Huangfu Xiao’s eyes.
It was obvious that he held little regard for the Empress.
No…
The truth was that he had never respected her at all.
Although he had been raised in the Empress’s palace since childhood…
He had never felt any real affection toward her.
His biological mother had been the late Empress Yuan.
She had been of noble birth, married to the Emperor while they were both still young, and the two had genuinely loved one another.
It was precisely because of Empress Yuan that the Emperor had always regarded Huangfu Xiao more highly than the others.
When he was little, the Emperor often held him in his arms and told him stories about his late mother.
Influenced by those memories, Huangfu Xiao gradually developed deep admiration and longing for Empress Yuan.
He was proud to be her son.
As for the current Empress…
What was she?
Nothing more than a second wife.
Sometimes, he even suspected that Empress Yuan’s death had been caused by the current Empress.
The only reason he maintained the appearance of a harmonious mother-son relationship with her…
Was because she treated him well enough to be useful.
The servant lowered his head.
“This subordinate does not know.”
“The eunuch who came didn’t explain.”
“He only said that Her Majesty seemed extremely anxious, as though something important had happened.”
“I understand.”
“You may leave.”
Huangfu Xiao waved him away.
He did not head to the palace immediately.
Instead, he continued discussing matters with his advisers for a while longer.
Only after changing into fresh robes did he leisurely make his way toward the imperial palace.
As for the “important matter” the Empress had mentioned…
He hadn’t taken it to heart in the slightest.
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