Chapter 73: Crisis

“Unless Gu Qin is dealt with, the court will never know peace!” Xiao Ming turned his head, hands clasped behind him, his expression dark and serious. “Those who achieve great things don’t sweat the small stuff. Gu Qin is cunning and unpredictable. Only by controlling Xia Tong can we find his weakness. Otherwise, we will face endless troubles.”

Seeing the ruthlessness in the man before her, Shen Xin took two steps back, a hint of distance in her eyes. “If you can’t even trust those around you, how can you expect to gain the trust of the world?”

Xiao Ming clenched his fist and suddenly turned to face her, his gaze fierce. “The biggest obstacle to controlling the imperial city is not Xiao Jing, but Gu Qin. Do you still not understand this?”

“Is it that I don’t understand, or do you simply want to seize that position?”

The atmosphere in the tent grew tense, their eyes locked in a fierce debate. It was the first time they had argued so passionately after knowing each other for so long. Shen Xin felt a pang of disappointment; perhaps Xia Tong was right. In this world, there is no true distinction between good and evil. Everyone has their own desires. At least Gu Qin’s ambitions were laid bare for all to see, while others’ ambitions remained hidden deep within.

Xiao Ming pursed his lips and suddenly stepped forward, grasping her arm seriously. “Since my mother passed away, I have never trusted anyone. You are the first and the last. Everything I do is not just for revenge; it’s about fulfilling my own desire for justice. Gu Qin and the Grand Tutor’s residence are key to the corruption in the court. Why can’t you understand me?”

“Stop pretending to be concerned. No matter what, I will never allow you to harm Xia Tong.” Shen Xin shook off his hand, disappointment clear in her eyes. “Perhaps you never believed in me either.”

The tension in the air thickened. Watching the disappointment in her eyes, Xiao Ming’s grip tightened. Just as Shen Xin turned to leave, he suddenly struck her neck with a swift motion. As she fainted into his arms, he laid her down gently on a nearby small couch.

“Bring someone in!”

In an instant, a soldier rushed in. “Your Highness, what are your orders?”

Xiao Ming glanced at the exquisite outline of the unconscious woman and then closed his eyes, speaking coldly. “Keep a close watch on Miss Shen. Without my permission, she is not allowed to step outside the tent.”

*

The night was pitch black, and snow fell heavily, blanketing the palace. The ground was littered with countless footprints, and a squad of imperial guards hurriedly moved with torches, not knowing where they were headed. Only a few palace servants passed by occasionally, and the atmosphere was somber and heavy.

Inside the council hall, several seasoned ministers were heatedly discussing something. At the head of the table, Xiao Jing frowned as he read through documents, anger evident in his expression. Meanwhile, Gu Qin sat leisurely sipping tea, appearing completely at ease.

“Report!”

A member of the imperial guard rushed in, interrupting the lively debate. Kneeling, he spoke formally, “Your Majesty, we’ve discovered traces of rebels five miles outside the city. It’s dark, so my men can’t tell how many rebels there are.”

“What should we do?”

The Minister of War immediately started pacing nervously, wanting to say something but hesitating, seemingly cautious of Gu Qin. He did not understand why the Emperor insisted on keeping the regent present. Who knew if the regent and the Fifth Prince were in cahoots? If they turned against the court at a critical moment, it would be disastrous.

“Yes, now the people of the Shenji Camp have been dispatched, and the nearest troops from Yangcheng are two days away from the capital. There are only twenty thousand Imperial Guards left in the city. If the rebels have a large force, we won’t be able to hold the city gates!”

The people below were as anxious as ants on a hot pan, while Xiao Jing furrowed his brows, putting down the document and turning to Gu Qin. “What does the regent think?”

At that moment, all eyes turned to the man at the top, who appeared lazy. Setting aside Gu Qin’s brutal reputation, he was known for his exceptional leadership skills, having once risen through military achievements to defeat an enemy force of one hundred fifty thousand with a much smaller army!

The man took a sip of tea, gently rubbing his jade ring, and replied nonchalantly, “I am but a simple man; when soldiers come, we will fight, and when floods come, we will build dikes.”

His words were virtually meaningless, leaving the others disappointed. They realized that if they didn’t come up with a strategy soon, the capital would be in dire danger.

“There are still some troops from the Shenji Camp. If we dispatch them now, we should still be able to make it in time.” Xiao Jing stated resolutely.

Upon hearing this, the people below seemed to find a glimmer of hope, but Gu Qin merely chuckled lightly, saying indifferently, “What the Emperor can think of, the rebels can also anticipate. Do you think they won’t prepare for it?”

“What can we do? We can’t really let the rebels break through the city gates!”

The others were walking around anxiously. They were all from Xiao Jing’s faction. Others might find a way out, but if they surrendered, the rebels would not spare them. They had no choice but to fight fiercely against the odds.

Unlike the others who were anxious, Xiao Jing did not look too worried. After a while, he suddenly said, “After my father passed away, I expected that some people would be restless, so I secretly transferred 50,000 troops from Yangcheng the day before yesterday. They are now stationed ten miles southeast of the city. Although I don’t know how many troops the enemy has, as long as we guard the city gate and wait for the people from the Shenji Camp to outflank us, we have a chance of winning.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the people below reacted as if they had seen hope, eagerly praising the emperor’s foresight and confidently declaring that the rebels would surely fall apart.

“The Regent should stay here. I need your assistance.” Xiao Jing suddenly turned to the person beside her.

The issue was not with the people outside the city but with Gu Qin’s attitude. For now, the best course of action was to keep him here to prevent him from making any further moves.

Hearing this, the other party merely smiled lightly, “I will certainly obey the Emperor’s orders.”

The night was deep and tranquil, a stark contrast to the solemn atmosphere of the palace. Meanwhile, within the Wang family courtyard, it was as warm and harmonious as ever. Xia Tong had just finished embroidering half of a hat when her mother criticized her harshly, pointing out how poorly it was stitched and saying such a thing was unfit for anyone to wear.

Xia Tong didn’t dare to speak up. She certainly didn’t possess the original owner’s skills, and managing to embroider it this well was already quite good. Moreover, it was her heartfelt intention. Children didn’t care much about looks, they just needed something to wear.

“You must not have made a single piece of clothing for the prince since coming to the regent’s residence. How fortunate the Prince is not to disdain you! You’re always throwing tantrums with him, and I wonder who indulges you.” Madam Liu shook her head and reached to throw the hat away.

Xia Tong hurriedly snatched it back, hiding it behind the cushion on the sofa. “This is something I embroidered myself. No matter how beautiful something is, it cannot compare to a mother’s heartfelt intention. You should understand that.”

“You just insist on being stubborn!” Madam Liu playfully tapped her on the head. As she looked outside, she added, “The medicinal food from the kitchen should be ready soon. You must finish it before you can rest.”

Xia Tong: “…”

Watching her mother walk out, Xia Tong felt utterly despondent. Drinking this every day was driving her mad.

Meanwhile, Qing’er and the others couldn’t help but chuckle. Xia Tong was about to scold the two gloating troublemakers when suddenly, Xifeng’s voice came from outside.

“Has the princess rested yet?”

Since he had come to find her, it must be for something important. Xia Tong immediately instructed Fang Yu to open the door, wondering how Gu Qin was doing now.

As the door opened, she saw Xifeng close it with a serious expression. After scanning the surroundings, he stepped forward and whispered, “The master sent word for you to wait for him in the secret passage of the study today.”