Cui Jiulang's forced composure cracked, his face visibly etched with worry.
His elder brother would not get lost, but he was not made of steel. If assassins were chasing the Seventh Prince, his brother would surely not stand idly by. Then…
Yu Mingyue dared not think further.
This was the first time Cui Jiulang had been rendered speechless by a child's questioning. His throat felt dry, and he wanted a drink.
Mingjing, Mingjing would be fine. He was so sharp; he would be fine.
Cui Jiulang's hands trembled violently as he poured tea, leaving a large water stain on the table.
"Uncle, the Sage sent my father to Jizhou primarily to reinforce Youzhou. Otherwise, why would he leave Feng Qirui in the capital? The Seventh Prince is determined to return with military achievements this time. The Wang family's attempt to kill the Seventh Prince through the Luo family is impossible to succeed. Holding the Son of Heaven to command the feudal lords is even more so. Not to mention that the other princes have long been spoiled by the Sage. Knowing Empress Wang's disposition from her eighteen years of never leaving Qianshan Temple, she would not be a puppet. Doing so would only lead to her death."
Cui Jiulang felt a crushing sense of defeat. Yue'er was right; Empress Wang was indeed dead, and they had no way back.
Yu Mingyue knew from Cui Jiulang's expression that her guess was correct.
They were courting death, which would only hasten their demise.
Participating in rebellion was a capital offense that would lead to the extermination of their clan. If the Sage found out, the calamity for the Five Great Clans would arrive early.
When the Son of Heaven raged, millions would fall. The Sage dared not easily destroy noble families for fear of public outcry.
But when aristocratic families handed the evidence to him, why would he not deal with them?
"Is the Seventh Prince's disappearance related to the Wang family? How much is the Cui family involved?" Yu Mingyue, no longer the sweet and charming niece of usual, questioned with an edge.
"Yue'er, don't ask anymore." Cui Jiulang's voice was hoarse, his gaze complex.
The Cui family was likely in grave danger. He had to send word back to Jiangzhou quickly. He could no longer stay in the Duke's mansion, lest they be implicated.
If the Cui family fell, he could save one if possible, but he could not drag the Duke's mansion down with them.
"Uncle, it's too late to distance yourself now." Yu Mingyue saw through Cui Jiulang's thoughts.
Cui Jiulang: "..."
This girl's ability to guess people's thoughts was unerringly accurate; she was almost demonically intelligent.
"Uncle, while working together is good, sometimes cutting off a limb to save the body is also a good way to protect oneself. The alliance of the Five Great Clans should end."
Cui Jiulang didn't know when Yu Mingyue had left, but her words, "The alliance of the Five Great Clans should end," kept repeating in his mind.
This was not the first time he had heard this sentence, but it had never sounded so shocking as when spoken by a child.
...
With three of the most esteemed individuals in the Great Wei Dynasty falling ill in succession, the capital was gripped by fear overnight.
The Sage summoned Prime Minister Mo late into the night. No one knew what was said, but from that day on, the Southern Army's Sixteen Guards obeyed Prime Minister Mo's command.
In other words, the Sage had entrusted the defense of the capital to Prime Minister Mo, demonstrating his immense trust.
Consort Yao came to the Taiji Hall three times but was turned away by Eunuch Zhang, with the same reason: the Sage needed rest and would see no one.
The captured assassins made her sleepless. Her second brother had been too hasty this time. She had explicitly told him not to act at Qianshan Temple, but he had refused to listen.
Song Wei from the Qianniu Guard was a stubborn fool. He was now imprisoned in the Qianniu Guard's imperial prison. That place could make the dead speak, let alone the living.
"Your Highness, do not worry. The Wang family gained no advantage this time. His death is actually beneficial to us. Once the Seventh Prince returns to the capital…"
*Slam!*
Consort Yao threw the teacup, interrupting Yao Zhinian's words.