Chapter 475: Uproar

"There are two Grandmasters by His Majesty's side, perhaps three."

Imperial Physician Mu spoke with a note of hesitation; clearly, he wasn't sure himself. This might have something to do with his source. As expected, Imperial Physician Mu's source was most likely the Imperial Physicians inside the palace.

Inside the palace, when it came to breadth of contact with people, aside from the great eunuchs, it was probably the Imperial Physicians.

It was no surprise at all that the Imperial Physicians knew Grandmasters guarded His Majesty. They simply had doubts about the number.

Imperial Physician Mu kept a low profile, yet his connections were remarkably wide.

"If His Majesty has Grandmaster guards, why was he still injured the day the altar exploded?"

"Don't ask me about that. How would I know? I'm not one of His Majesty's running dogs. His Majesty's affairs can only be guessed at."

Imperial Physician Mu was quite displeased—clearly annoyed that Chen Chen Guanlou asked too much and too broadly, wishing he could just have the answers fed straight into his mouth. Where in the world would such a fine thing exist?

He could tell the other party how many Grandmasters were by His Majesty's side, and that was already taking an enormous risk. Don't be ungrateful.

Chen Chen Guanlou didn't know how to write the word "content"—he wanted to dig out everything inside Imperial Physician Mu's belly.

Clearly, Imperial Physician Mu's connections inside the palace were quite well-informed. He even knew about such a closely guarded matter.

"What's His Majesty's condition now? Will he die?" Chen Chen Guanlou pressed on, unwilling to give up.

"I don't know! The situation inside the palace right now is total isolation. News from inside can't get out, news from outside can't get in. What's the point of asking around? You don't actually want to get involved, do you?"

Chen Chen Guanlou let out a sheepish chuckle. "What ability do I have to get involved? We're just chatting, right? We chat about everything. It's not taboo."

He was entirely without a care in the world. This made Imperial Physician Mu relax a little, while at the same time adding to his worry.

He worried that Chen Chen Guanlou's reckless attitude would sooner or later bring disaster.

"This is Jingcheng. In Jingcheng, when speaking and acting, one must still keep some reservations. Don't be utterly unrestrained." Imperial Physician Mu offered sincere counsel. "Hou Fu isn't all-powerful. If you stir up a catastrophe of the highest order, even Hou Fu won't be able to protect you."

"I know, I know. I have my limits. It's only in front of you that I speak so freely. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't let a single word slip. Old Mu, this is the trust I place in you—can you see that? I've bared my heart to you. Can't you just tell me a few honest words?"

"Don't you slander me. Everything I've said is the truth—everything I could say, I've said. What I can't say, don't ask."

Imperial Physician Mu's attitude was firm, unmoved by Chen Chen Guanlou.

Both were thousand-year-old foxes; neither should try to fool the other. Some bottom lines, even between good brothers, cannot be crossed.

Sigh!

Chen Chen Guanlou let out a sigh.

The hearts of men are no longer what they once were.

Since ancient times, deep feelings have never been retained; only tricks win people's hearts. The trouble is, even tricks don't work well these days.

"Old Mu, my tea tastes good, right? Really can't drop a few hints? Between us, why be so standoffish? Besides, my personal reputation is known far and wide."

Imperial Physician Mu snorted twice. "Do you understand what total isolation means? Where would you have me go to dig up news from inside the palace, or about His Majesty's condition? Do you know that's a matter of life and death? On a normal day, it would be impossible to find out, let alone in these extraordinary times."

"You don't need to dig anything up. Based on your observation and experience, what condition do you judge His Majesty's body to be in? Old Mu, this is the moment to test your experience—bring out everything you've got. Just tell me, under what circumstances would there be total isolation, with not a single Imperial Physician able to come out?"

"Exactly the current situation—it must be isolated." Seeing that Chen Chen Guanlou wouldn't let him off, Imperial Physician Mu weighed his words and added, "Based on my experience, His Majesty's condition probably isn't good. It might even be possible that…"

"Possible that he'll die?"

"That's your words, nothing to do with me." Imperial Physician Mu pulled his chair back, putting on an attitude of keeping distance—don't drag me into this.

Chen Chen Guanlou clicked his tongue. "With Grandmasters protecting him, and yet it came to this. Looks like Grandmasters aren't all-powerful either!"

Imperial Physician Mu remained silent.

Chen Chen Guanlou went on: "Everyone says Imperial Prince Zhongwangdian has the best chance, but I feel that before the final result is out, the more certain something seems, the greater the variables."

"You shouldn't have been a jailer—you should have been an official, to satisfy all that curiosity of yours. The most important thing about being a jailer is keeping your curiosity in check, and you're clearly not qualified." Imperial Physician Mu complained.

Chen Chen Guanlou waved his hand, unbothered by the complaint. "Old Mu, that's your misunderstanding of me. In front of those convicted officials, no one is more suited to be a jailer than me. I've told you—don't be so serious when we're chatting."

Imperial Physician Mu decisively found an excuse to slip away. The tea was good, but Chen Chen Guanlou kept pressing step by step, and those questions were deadly! He couldn't afford to play, so he slipped away decisively. As an old hand, Imperial Physician Mu never cared about saving face in such matters.

One day, two days… several days passed.

The officials were still trapped inside the palace. The grand meeting had gone on for days, and still no result had been discussed out.

Once again it was proven that grand meetings solve nothing—they only make problems more complicated.

Many officials, unprepared, had been trapped inside the palace for days. One by one they were exhausted, looking wretched, without even a change of clothes.

By contrast, Chen Chen Guanlou and the others had prepared thoroughly—every day they were clean, neat, bright and presentable, full of vigor.

The old Emperor still hadn't woken; the Three Camps still hadn't withdrawn from Jingcheng.

However, the Three Camps had finished their infighting. Li Xiang and the others had also promised to allocate a batch of supplies to the Three Camps, in exchange for the Three Camps' promise to obey the law and not harm the people of Jingcheng.

The Three Camps also declared they would obey the court's orders—they simply refused to leave Jingcheng. They clung to Jingcheng, clearly as a threat, as intimidation.

Recently, many people had been going in and out of the Three Camps—some openly, some furtively. No one knew how many favors had been promised, how many men had been lured over.

The princes and Imperial Princes each displayed their own abilities; the court officials were still trying to maintain stable order. The situation across the realm—for now, there was no time to attend to it.

In everyone's view, resolving the crisis in Jingcheng would stabilize the realm.

The north and south are at war—let them fight. The court's army has the strength to fight, and the commanders on both sides are loyal ministers of the court. As long as Jingcheng holds steady, the two commanders surely know what to do.

At the officials' optimistic attitude, Chen Chen Guanlou secretly laughed.

He privately contacted Yu Yu Zhaoan. "Li Xiang is old—he only knows how to seek stability, and has squandered a golden opportunity. If it were someone younger, they'd seize this chance to take bold, sweeping action and settle the realm once and for all. If Minister Yu is willing to step forward, I, Chen Chen Guanlou, on behalf of Hou Fu, will give Minister Yu our full support."

Yu Yu Zhaoan laughed heartily, but gave no commitment.

Chen Chen Guanlou wasn't disappointed either, and went on: "If Minister Yu changes his mind, you can come find me anytime. In any case, dragging things out like this certainly isn't the answer. Sometimes, great resolve is needed. Li Xiang is clearly not up to it."