Chapter 45: Turmoil in the Capital

"Damn it, this old thing doesn't have much time left, why hasn't he announced the edict even now!"

Second Prince Shen Ce paced back and forth within his own residence, his heart filled with impatience.

Recently, the struggle between the brothers had reached a fever pitch.

The officials in the imperial court had also begun to choose sides one after another.

They were all striving to become subjects who followed the dragon to secure wealth and status.

"Your Highness, the Minister of War, Lord Sun, has been in frequent contact with the Third Prince recently, and Lord Sun's son has also been entrusted with important responsibilities by the Third Prince!"

"What? That man surnamed Sun is now in cahoots with the Third?"

The intelligence from the secret agent could not help but make this Second Prince feel astonished.

He had visited this Minister of War many times before.

Yet now, this fellow had actually hooked up with the Fourth.

"Besides that, the Minister of Revenue visited the Third Prince yesterday, Wu Commander stated he would only follow the orders of the Emperor, the Left Chancellor remains behind closed doors, and as for the Right Chancellor, he has now defected to the Third Prince!"

"Even the Imperial Guards have been infiltrated by the Third Prince's men."

"Abominable!"

Upon learning the intelligence provided by the secret agent, Second Prince Shen Ce was instantly enraged.

He even kicked over the golden nanmu table in front of him.

"Rebellion, they've all rebelled, damn them!"

Shen Ce's eyes were completely bloodshot with anger at this moment.

Everything he had painstakingly built up was now about to become a wedding dress for someone else.

There was no need to mention the Left Chancellor; that old thing had never shown any stance from beginning to end.

The Right Chancellor was different; this fellow had been his man from the very start.

Now, this fellow had turned around and actually defected to the command of his third younger brother.

With the long period of peace, he believed the power he had grasped was being hollowed out by his other brothers.

"Your Highness, at this moment we have no way out; as long as the Emperor does not announce the edict, we will always be living targets for others."

"As time drags on, our forces will be completely infiltrated by others, and by then I will be completely out of the game!"

Hearing this news, Shen Ce instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

He had plotted for so long for the sole purpose of ascending the imperial throne.

If the person who ultimately sat on this imperial throne was not him, then what had he been plotting for all this time?

"If that is the case, strategist, what should we do?"

"The only plan now is to strike first to gain the advantage; while we still control the majority of the power, we must control the Imperial Palace and then..."

The strategist made a throat-slitting gesture.

Second Prince Shen Ce understood instantly.

This was asking him to commit patricide.

As for what to do afterward, Shen Ce naturally knew.

"Since that is the case, we shall launch our operation tonight. Strategist, gather the men and follow me into the palace immediately!"

"Yes!"

The personnel in the residence were quickly gathered together.

Most of them were people Shen Ce had secretly cultivated, and each possessed unique skills.

The strategist had just informed them of the mission.

As long as they succeeded, endless glory and wealth would await them.

"Move out!"

Shen Ce walked out of the residence first.

The rest of the men followed one after another, heading straight for the Imperial Palace.

The Donghua Gate of the Imperial Palace.

"Who goes there, daring to trespass into the Imperial Palace!"

Peng Wu, the general guarding the Donghua Gate, saw someone approaching and immediately ordered his men to prepare for battle.

The archers immediately drew their bows and nocked arrows, waiting only for Peng Wu's order.

"I am the Second Prince; I have urgent matters today to enter the palace and see the Emperor!"

Seeing that it was Second Prince Shen Ce, Peng Wu immediately ordered his men to put away their weapons.

"Open the gate and let the Second Prince in!"

Peng Wu immediately gave the order to open the gate.

He had long since taken the side of the Second Prince, which was why he had always held the duty of guarding the Donghua Gate.

After entering the Donghua Gate.

Shen Ce immediately led his men straight toward the sleeping quarters of Wei Wen Di.

Inside the sleeping quarters.

Wei Wen Di was currently bloodless, relying entirely on medicine to hang onto his final breath.

"Old thing, you're like this and still won't abdicate and yield to the worthy!"

Shen Ce muttered to himself.

He then turned his head to look at the eunuch beside his imperial father.

"Hehe, Eunuch Liu!"

Shen Ce cupped his hands in a salute.

The other party was a close attendant to Wei Wen Di, having followed by Wei Wen Di's side since he was a youth.

"Second Prince, do you really intend to do this?"

Eunuch Liu looked coldly at Shen Ce before him.

The imperial family is the most heartless of all.

He never imagined he would have to witness such a treasonous act with his own eyes.

"It is not that I insist on this, but the situation forces my hand; I have no other choice!"

Shen Ce bowed again, "If you, Gonggong, assist me in ascending the throne, I shall be eternally grateful!"

"Sigh, if that is the case, then please proceed, Your Highness; I naturally understand what must be done!"

"In that case, I thank you, Gonggong!"

Shen Ce glanced to the side, "Do it!"

Two guards stepped forward, picked up the quilt nearby, and covered the Emperor's head.

It was deep autumn, and the quilt had become thick; once covered, it was easy to make one's breathing difficult.

Coupled with the fact that Wei Wen Di was currently terminally ill, he stopped breathing after a struggle.

"Eunuch Liu, please!"

Shen Ce handed a drafted Imperial Edict to Eunuch Liu.

As for the two who smothered Wei Wen Di, they had already been disposed of.

These two were death warriors he had cultivated, used specifically for this day.

"Sigh!"

Eunuch Liu helplessly took the Imperial Edict and pressed the Imperial Seal upon it.

Before long.

A piece of tragic news spread from the palace.

Wei Wen Di had passed away!

The news quickly reached the ears of the Third Prince.

As one of the Second Prince's greatest rivals at the moment, the Third Prince naturally had planted spies within the Imperial Palace.

Upon learning of this situation, a smile could not help but appear at the corner of his mouth.

"Heh, good! Shen Ce, you truly are worthy of being my good second brother!"

"I didn't expect you to lose your patience so quickly!"

The Third Prince did not feel the slightest bit of anger at the Second Prince's actions.

On the contrary, he was exceptionally happy.

Because this way, he could justify annihilating the Second Prince under the banner of avenging his father and suppressing a traitor.

As long as he killed the Second Prince, he would be the legitimate Emperor.

"Raise the army, enter the palace, and execute the rebel to avenge His Majesty!"

Having prepared for some time, the Third Prince had already mastered a not-insignificant force.

In an instant.

Countless troops headed straight for the Imperial Palace.

They shouted to execute the rebel party and avenge His Majesty.

The Second Prince, having received word, would naturally not sit and wait for death.

The Imperial Guards were currently entirely under his control, and the various gates of the Imperial Palace were already prepared for defense.

"Third Prince, are you trying to rebel?"

Peng Wu, guarding the city wall, angrily rebuked the Third Prince.

"Heh, rebel?"

The Third Prince sneered, "The Second Prince murdered his father first and forged the imperial decree later; is he not the one rebelling?"

"Slander, this is pure slander!"

"I have no time to waste words with you, attack the city!"

The Third Prince immediately ordered his men to begin the siege.

Peng Wu immediately ordered his men to organize a defense, vowing not to let a single person in.

It was at this moment that a long blade suddenly pierced through Peng Wu's body.

Peng Wu could not believe that his own deputy general would actually stab him in the back.

"I have executed the rebel, quickly let the Third Prince into the city!"

The Donghua Gate swung wide open in an instant.

The Third Prince immediately led his troops straight toward the Imperial Palace.

Upon learning the news, the Second Prince immediately ordered the Imperial Guards to engage in battle.

The two sides fought for an entire night.

In the end, the Second Prince was outnumbered and committed suicide on the spot.

"Old Five, are we just going to sit here and wait for death?"

"What's the rush? Hasn't our eldest brother not made a move yet?"

"What, you think the Crown Prince will intervene?"

"Of course!"

Old Five took a light sip of tea,

"According to news from my subordinates, the Crown Prince has already assembled an army of one hundred thousand and is heading straight for the Imperial City. If you and I show ourselves now, we will only end up in a stalemate with Old Three. It is better to let them fight it out first, and then we can reap the rewards as the fisherman."

"Hehe, Fifth, you are still as crafty as a monkey!"

"Not at all, it is all thanks to Fourth Brother's guidance!"

The Fifth Prince flattered, "If Fourth Brother ascends to the imperial throne in the future, please do not forget to promote your little brother!"

"Haha, that goes without saying. If I ascend to the imperial throne, I shall appoint you as Prince of Equal Rank!"

"Then many thanks to Fourth Brother!"

The Fifth Prince offered a compliment on the surface, but a glimmer of cunning flashed across the corner of his eyes.