"You are not Chu Yuan, who are you?" the King of Zhao reprimanded.
Chu Yuan sneered, "It seems you're not entirely foolish."
Chu Yuan wiped his face, tearing off a human skin mask. Beneath the mask was a handsome and cold face, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes filled with icy intent. "Third Imperial Brother, Uncle Zhao, for poisoning Father Emperor and seizing the throne, this is rebellion."
"You... how could you be here?" Nan Gongyan asked in disbelief. Wasn't Nan Gongyu supposed to be in Beirong? His spies had been watching him, how could he be in the imperial capital?
"The one who went to Beirong was never me, but my double," Nan Gongyu said slowly. "I knew long ago that you harbored wicked intentions and would surely make a move against me while I was away. I just didn't expect you to be so cruel as to attack Father Emperor! Father Emperor loved you the most!"
"I didn't!" the King of Chu exclaimed.
"You still deny it!" Nan Gongyu rebuked sternly. "Father Emperor has always doted on you, yet you poisoned him for power, endangering his life. How can you face Father Emperor's expectations?"
"I didn't, I didn't poison him!"
"It was you!" Eunuch Wan suddenly drew a dagger from his sleeve, stabbing Fuyou in the abdomen. He then broke free from Fuyou's grasp and ran to Nan Gongyu's side. "Your Highness Prince Qin, you must save His Majesty! King Chu secretly poisoned His Majesty, and he has been in a coma for days. King Chu has also imprisoned General Ran, all for the purpose of usurping the throne!"
"You eunuch, how dare you slander me!"
"When has this servant ever slandered you?" Eunuch Wan uncovered his clothes, revealing a body covered in scars. "My lords, do you all see? King Chu subjected this servant to torture to force the whereabouts of the imperial seal out of me. When he failed, he forged an imperial decree, and the imperial seal on that decree was forged!"
The King of Chu's face turned ashen. He had clearly been on the verge of victory, with success within his grasp, yet everything had changed in an instant. His gaze involuntarily shifted to the King of Zhao, only to find that the King of Zhao had already vanished.
"Uncle Zhao..."
Seeing the King of Zhao flee, Nan Gongyu said, "Seal the palace gates and ensure the King of Zhao is apprehended. Guards, seize the King of Chu."
"Who dares!" the King of Chu roared. "I am the Emperor, who dares to touch me?"
"Have you dreamt too much that you can no longer distinguish between dream and reality?" Nan Gongyu said coldly. "Your dream of emperorship is over. Take him down."
The King of Chu's guards surrounded him, protecting him as he tried to break through. However, in this palace, where could he escape? From the moment Nan Gongyu returned to the imperial capital, he had become a trapped beast, and Nan Gongyu was the hunter!
Nan Gongyan fled in disarray under the protection of his guards. He had been so close to victory, why had it all collapsed so quickly? Where had things gone wrong?
Nan Gongyan was both angry and anxious, yet utterly helpless. If it were only the guards of the Divine Capital Camp, he might have still struggled. The disciples of the Divine Capital Camp were all from noble families, and he had many supporting ministers. Given time, stabilizing the Divine Capital Camp would not have been an issue. But Nan Gongyu had returned!
Not only had he returned, but Nan Gongyan had received no news of it. His own men had been trailing Nan Gongyu, useless fools!
"Your Highness, this way." Fuyou, clutching his wound, led them down another path. Just yesterday, they had been thinking that after today, King Chu would be the legitimate emperor. Now, he had become a public enemy.
"Have you seen the Master?" The King of Chu finally noticed something amiss. He hadn't seen Xiao Qin all day.
"No, perhaps they got separated." Fuyou replied. His mission was to protect the King of Chu; he didn't care about anyone else's affairs.
"Fuyou, did you see Xiao Qin today?" the King of Chu asked, bewildered.
Fuyou thought carefully. He didn't seem to have seen Xiao Qin. Today was a special occasion, and he had stayed by the King of Chu's side, so he didn't know Xiao Qin's whereabouts.
"I don't think so."
"Has anyone else seen Master Xiao?"
The guards all shook their heads. They hadn't seen Xiao Qin. As King Chu's strategist, Xiao Qin held a high position and was respected in the King of Chu's mansion. On such an important day, Xiao Qin was absent!
A bad premonition flashed through Nan Gongyan's mind. He felt he had overlooked something, but couldn't recall what it was for the moment.
Suddenly, Fuyou stopped, blocking Nan Gongyan behind him. The path ahead was blocked by none other than the Duke of Chen.
The Duke of Chen, clad in military armor and wielding a long sword, looked at Nan Gongyan with cold eyes. Nan Gongyan was still wearing the imperial dragon robe, but his disheveled flight made him look somewhat comical.
"Your Highness King Chu, where are you headed?" the Duke of Chen stepped forward. "Looking at Your Highness King Chu's attire, shouldn't you be in the Hall of Political Affairs, preparing for the enthronement ceremony?"
"Duke of Chen, if you assist me, once I ascend the throne, your grandson will be the Crown Prince, the legitimate heir, and the future Emperor of Yusheng!" Nan Gongyan pushed Fuyou away and said excitedly to the Duke of Chen, "You know, Bei'er is my own grandson. If Nan Gongyu ascends the throne, do you think Bei'er will have a chance to live?"
The Duke of Chen looked at Nan Gongyan quietly. How had he misjudged him so badly back then, marrying his daughter to such a man? Despicable and shameless, heartless and cruel. To gain the King of Zhao's support, he had even harmed his daughter while she was in labor. In his eyes, there were only people to be used, no kinship, no affection. Truly a heartless member of the imperial family!
"Duke of Chen, if I successfully ascend the throne, I will grant you the title of First Class Duke of Protector, bestow upon you a thousand mu of fertile land, and a thousand households of manors."
Disgust filled the Duke of Chen's eyes. Among the princes, the Crown Prince was hypocritical, King Han was despicable, King Qi was debauched, and Prince Qin was cold. This King Chu, however, was hypocritical, despicable, and heartless all at once, truly making him loathe him to the extreme.
"King Chu, those who do much evil will perish by their own hand."
The King of Chu's expression changed. "Duke of Chen, I know you are still holding a grudge because I married Princess He An. I had no choice."
"No choice?" the Duke of Chen sneered. "What, did someone hold a sword to your neck and force you to marry?"
Nan Gongyan showed a look of grief. "I originally intended to observe three years of mourning for Qianyun, but I was schemed against by He An. If I didn't marry Princess He An, Uncle Zhao would not have let it go."
The Duke of Chen looked at Nan Gongyan, who was desperately trying to explain, a mocking smile appearing on his face. If Nan Gongyan hadn't wanted to, how could Princess He An have schemed against him? The two of them, one with intentions, the other willing, had hit it off, yet Nan Gongyan shamelessly blamed Princess He An.