Consort Hui leaned over the small wooden box, examining it closely. "Huh? That's not right," she exclaimed. "Why has this worm suddenly grown so large?"
Previously, the Gu worm had been only as thick as a little finger, but now it was almost as thick as a thumb.
Granny Xing also looked on with curiosity, murmuring, "Your Highness, you worry too much. This thing feeds on human essence and blood every day; of course, it will grow quickly. I've heard that Gu worms can grow as large as a snake!"
"Who told you about these heretical practices?" Consort Hui shot her a glare. "In all my years, I've never heard of such a massive Gu worm..."
She always babbled nonsense.
"Go and stand guard at the door!" Consort Hui ordered.
Granny Xing responded with a muffled sound and went to the entrance of the secret chamber.
She glanced around, feeling a prickle of unease. Why did the atmosphere of this secret chamber feel so wrong?
It was as if someone had been here before.
Xiao Junbao crouched on the beam, staring intently at Consort Hui, his hand already ready with a hidden projectile.
A moment later, Consort Hui clasped her hands together and began muttering incantations before the Gu worm.
After a string of incantations, Consort Hui finally revealed her purpose.
"Your Majesty, it's already dawn, why haven't you deposed the Crown Prince yet? If you don't hurry, I will be angry!"
The Gu worm wriggled in the wooden box, as if responding to Consort Hui's request.
"Your Majesty, I've heard that Prime Minister Yang has served as an official for many years, committing all sorts of wicked deeds and accumulating immense evil. You should bring him to justice first, to kill the chicken and warn the monkeys, showing those ministers the consequences of daring to betray Your Majesty!"
Xiao Junbao: "..."
Well, you conniving creature, your calculations are quite shrewd.
Consort Hui intended to depose the Crown Prince first, then execute the loyal ministers around Emperor Cheng, and finally establish her son, Xiao Yue, in the palace.
Without clearing the obstacles ahead, even if Xiao Yue became emperor, no one would submit to him.
Consort Hui muttered a few more things. Seeing that there was no more useful information, Xiao Junbao suppressed his breath and quietly slipped away through the secret passage.
As dawn broke, the night turned white.
In the Yun Manor in the capital, a group of ministers stood outside the study, looking at each other, bewildered.
Only Prime Minister Yang and a few military ministers entered the study to discuss countermeasures with Xiao Jinheng.
"Your Highness, your humble subject believes we should detain Consort Hui as soon as possible to prevent the situation from escalating!" Prime Minister Yang suggested softly.
Upon hearing this, Minister Li stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Your Highness, Consort Hui colluded with Marquis Jingnan to plot against Your Majesty. Such crimes are enough to warrant their deaths ten times over. The longer you delay, the more detrimental it will be to His Majesty."
"Exactly. The urgent matter is to immediately send people to Fahua Nunnery to capture Consort Hui and her accomplices!"
The ministers voiced their opinions, but none of the suggestions satisfied Xiao Jinheng.
"Haste makes waste!"
Xiao Jinheng stood up, his expression stern. "Since we want to cast a long line to catch a big fish, we cannot be too hasty. After all, my fourth brother and Marquis Jingnan have not made any moves yet. If we alert them now, all our previous efforts will be in vain."
In the end, Xi Tian's advice was still the best.
By stalling Consort Hui, they could lure out the scoundrels behind her.
Prime Minister Yang pursed his lips. "But, but the Seventh Highness has been delayed in his return, and we don't know if he managed to steal the Gu worm, so, so..."
"I'm back!"
As Prime Minister Yang finished speaking, a shout was heard from outside the study.
Everyone turned to look and saw Xiao Junbao swaggering in with a bundle on his back.
"How was it?" Xiao Jinheng hurried to meet him. "Did you get the Gu worm?"
Xiao Junbao rolled his eyes at him and patted the bundle on his shoulder. "Such a small matter, of course, it's all handled. But you should be mentally prepared; this thing has become quite disgusting."
Saying this, Xiao Junbao was about to open the bundle to take out the Gu worm.
"Hold on!" Xiao Jinheng stopped him and said seriously, "There's no need to take it out for now. Let's hurry to the palace and kill the mother Gu in front of Father, so that Father can regain his senses."
He knew that the little village boy was timid and disliked these soft worms, so there was no need to display them.
Xiao Junbao grunted, his eyes glancing at Prime Minister Yang. "I also heard something!"
"What is it?" Xiao Jinheng asked.
Xiao Junbao pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the fine sweat from his face. "Consort Hui plans to have Father get rid of Prime Minister Yang. That way, her own people can replace him."
Prime Minister Yang: "???"
What? I can suffer misfortune even while sitting down?
Indeed, the higher one stands, the colder it gets.
If he had known Consort Hui was so insidious, he should have made preparations and planned his escape route.
Xiao Jinheng sneered upon hearing this. "Good, let him be gotten rid of!"
It was all an act for her anyway, so it wouldn't matter if Prime Minister Yang faked his death.
The trembling Prime Minister Yang was completely taken aback. He fell to his knees with a thud. "Your Highness, your humble subject doesn't want to die yet. If you find me displeasing, I can apply to retire from my post to the Emperor right now, alright?"
He was so easily threatened with death; his heart couldn't handle such a shock.
"Prime Minister Yang, I have already explained to you and the other ministers. Whatever Consort Hui wants now, we will give it to her. It's all an act from beginning to end. What are you afraid of?" Xiao Jinheng said calmly.
Prime Minister Yang muttered to himself, "Even if it's an act, what if the fake becomes real, and I still die?"
Eunuch Zhao stood at the door and glanced at the clepsydra on the windowsill, reminding Xiao Jinheng, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, it's getting late. Shouldn't we go to the palace?"
He had wandered around outside all night, too scared to return to the palace. Only by returning with the Crown Prince and the ministers did he feel less uneasy.
Xiao Jinheng grunted and looked towards the inner room of the study. He saw little Xi Tian curled up in the Grand Tutor's chair, covered with a blanket, sleeping soundly.
The young monk guarded her side, leaning on the table, drooling as he slept.
"Let's go!" Xiao Jinheng gently closed the door and walked out first.
The ministers dared not delay and quickly followed.
Unexpectedly, as everyone reached the doorway, little Xi Tian and the young monk chased after them. "You rascal, I'm going with you..."
Even though she could barely keep her eyes open from sleep, little Xi Tian was still worried about the Emperor.
Especially at such a critical juncture, if Xiao Jinheng said something wrong, the Emperor might change his temperament and beat him to death.
Xiao Jinheng looked at little Xi Tian and, after a moment of thought, nodded. "Alright!"