The Regent’s Secret Chapter 77

Chapter 77

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The princes who were sent to their fiefs had done so, while those who stayed in the capital became idle princes. The Duke of Dingguo, Shen Yin, became the head of those who opposed the Prince Regent in the capital. Anyone who did not clash with Zhao Yuan bowed their heads and followed his lead.

The wife of the Duke of Dingguo went to the palace one after another with clear intentions. The Shen family firmly stood on the side of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. At present, the Prince Regent was in control, and the state of the court was worrying.

Lady Huo advised Shen Zhi, “For the sake of the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty, Duke Dingguo cannot retreat.”

Lady Huo’s efforts in flattering finally paid off, thoroughly stirring up the hatred that Shen Zhi had hidden deep in her heart.

While Li Yi was in the hands of the Emperor, Zhao Yuan did not dare to act rashly. Why not help the Emperor take down Zhao Yuan?

Heng Er told her not to trust the Princes, but the Shen family was different. They were the strongest support for her and her son.

Shen Zhi and Duke Dingguos attitude towards the Regent Prince could be described as surprisingly consistent. After several confrontations, they had become mortal enemies, and it was not easy to resolve their conflict.

“His Majesty has always been cold and indifferent since childhood, but has a nostalgia habit that I know very well. Facing the Regent Prince, he can’t bear to be too ruthless. And His Majesty and I are both widowed and orphans, without anyone to rely on to confront that fierce god.”

Since the Empress Dowager had expressed her desire to rely on Duke Dingguo’s mansion, Lady Huo quickly took the initiative to speak up and said a lot of loyal words. She was just short of swearing an oath to reassure the Empress Dowager that the Shen family could handle things properly.

After thinking it over, Shen Zhi decided to reveal a secret to Lady Huo.

“Su Wang has a hidden illness that flares up every month. You may not know about it, but take advantage of that time to act.” Although she wanted to help Duke Dingguo win, she also knew that this was a matter of great importance and did not want to say too much.

Lady Huo was surprised and suspicious. “Why haven’t I heard any rumors about this?”

Shen Zhi coldly laughed, “If others knew about it, would he still be Su Wang? Now the wind in the court has changed, and it’s just a matter of time before the Regent Prince is impeached. The threat from the Princes has also been eliminated. If you can help us get rid of this major threat, what will my brother have to worry about in the future?”

After returning to her mansion, Duke Dingguo’s wife still felt as if she were in a dream. Just when Duke Dingguo had made up his mind to suppress Su Wang, the Empress Dowager had given them a great piece of news.

Shen Yin was in his room listening to his wife recounting the Empress Dowager’s words. He pondered for a moment and said, “The people who were previously stationed in the Regent Prince’s mansion were reluctant to act, but now is the time to put them to use.”

After a few days, it was the day when the market opened outside Xuanwu Gate. Traders of all sizes came to gather, making it difficult for carriages and horses to move and for people and goods to flow freely.

At noon, the morning market was over, and the teahouse was bustling with activity. At an inconspicuous table in the corner, two middle-aged men who looked like scribes were drinking tea and chatting.

Although it seemed like an ordinary chat between friends, they were actually discussing the secrets of the Regent Prince’s mansion.

The taller one asked, “Did you never notice anything unusual before?”

Another short and chubby man sighed and replied, “I remember half a year ago, there was an urgent military report that was delivered to the mansion at night. When I personally delivered it, Zhao Xi hurriedly came out to receive the letter. I noticed that his expression was strange and I had some suspicions. After a while, Su Wang summoned me in. I saw that his face was still red, but his skin was somewhat pale. His temples were slightly damp, as if he had just broken out in a cold sweat. Since it was late at night and we were in Su Wang’s inner chamber, I assumed that he had just finished doing something and didn’t think much of it.”

“Now everything has been investigated thoroughly?”

“Everything has been investigated thoroughly, and there are some clues to pay attention to. I have figured out the pattern and will give the mansion the confirmation when the time comes. You just need to be fully prepared and take action that night.”

“That’s good. Have you brought the defensive layout of Zhou Yi’s men and the mansion’s passages?”

The short and chubby man took out a cloth bag and handed it to the tall and thin man. He cautiously looked around and then said, “I have brought everything. You don’t need to worry too much. Last time when something big happened in the mansion, Su Wang ordered all the idle people to be shot with random arrows. Although I didn’t see the thief who entered Li Yi’s room, everyone in the mansion knows that the thief managed to escape. Based on that, you don’t need to think too highly of Zhou Yi.”

The tall and thin man nodded and said, “We must be cautious.”

The two of them talked for a few more moments before leaving the tea house and going about their respective tasks.

After a few more days, Sun Changshi of the Regent Prince’s Mansion was busy early in the morning counting the rewards that had not been stored from the previous day. This time, Su Wang had won a great victory and the Emperor had given out many rewards, which were now being sent to the mansion one after another. Sun’s daily priority was to register and store them.

However, Sun’s deputy Liu Dianbu was late for an hour during this busy time. When he finally arrived, he explained that he had a headache and had gone to fetch medicine before coming. Sun knew it was an old problem and didn’t mind. He asked about Liu’s condition and they continued to command the servants and eunuchs to move the rewards into storage and register them.

That day, the night fell and dark clouds covered the moon and stars. The ground was so cold that people wanted to add more clothes. Zhao Xi prepared clean towels and clothes for Li Yi, and skillfully boiled ginseng soup and checked the utensils needed. It was already deep autumn, so there was no need to prepare ice, only cold water that had been boiled was needed.

Although he was familiar with every step, Zhao Xi still felt sad. Only at this moment did he remember that if they had not encountered the Crown Grandson, His Highness and himself might already be a pile of bones. But because of the Crown Grandson, His Highness had to endure agony once a month.

Faintly, the early morning watch had sounded outside, and it began to drizzle. The sound of autumn insects was no longer heard, only the sound of bamboo leaves and the dripping rain.

As the wind and rain rose, there was a sense of solitude between heaven and earth.

As usual, Zhao Xi retreated to the outside, stood with his head down under the lamp, and waited quietly for Zhao Yuan inside.

At the corner gate of the palace, Liu Dianbo stepped out wearing a straw raincoat, with his footsteps shallow and hesitant. The two guards at the gate smiled and said, “Mr. Dianbo, are you craving for wine again? Why are you venturing out on a day like this?”

“I won’t hide it from you. I made an appointment with the girl in the building, but I failed to keep it.”

As they were very familiar with each other, one of the guards shook his head and opened a small door for him.

In the alley, the sound of rain could be heard but there were no lights. A gust of wind suddenly came from outside the door. Before the guard could react, he fell down, and a cold and sharp dagger darted through his throat. The other guard turned around in shock, but before he could shout, he saw a knife pierce through his chest from behind.

The downpour concealed all sounds. The elite troops of Duke Dingguo’s Mansion had already come out, waiting only to capture Su Wang and report back to the Emperor.

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