The Empress's words completely pulled Chu Yanxi back to reality. He had worked so hard for so long, all for that position of supreme power. Now, he was only one step away from it.
How could he stand by and watch Chu Chenyi ascend to the throne he had always yearned for, while he himself had to kneel and submit to someone he once despised? He could not accept this.
"Mother, you are right. We cannot wait any longer. If we delay further, we will all become prisoners. Our only option now is to fight with all our might."
The Empress looked at Chu Yanxi, who had regained his fighting spirit, and felt immense relief. "Xi'er, I am so happy that you think this way. Do not worry, as long as your mother is here, I will arrange everything for you. Look, this is what I prepared for you long ago."
She took out a bright yellow imperial edict from a rosewood box behind her and handed it to Chu Yanxi. To his surprise, the Empress spoke calmly, "Xi'er, open it and take a look. This is a gift from your mother."
Chu Yanxi took the edict and opened it. Inside was a decree of abdication in his favor. "Mother, where did you get this imperial edict?"
"This edict was prepared by your mother as a contingency measure. I had originally intended for your father to personally write it. However, your father's appointment of you as Crown Prince was repeatedly delayed due to the obstruction of the Grand Tutor. I always felt that something was amiss, so I imitated your father's handwriting to draft this decree. The imperial seal on it is also genuine."
"No one will be able to tell the difference. Once you ascend the throne, this fake edict will become real, and no one will dare to question it."
As long as Chu Yanxi ascended the throne, the victor would be king, and the vanquished would be the vanquished. The fake would become real, and no one would dare to object in the slightest.
"Thank you, Mother. When I ascend the throne, I will have to trouble you to read this imperial edict."
"Xi'er, you are your mother's only hope. Go ahead and do what you must. Your mother will await the day I see you on the throne, and I will personally read the imperial edict for you then."
The Empress took out a pure gold token from her sleeve and handed it to Chu Yanxi. "Go, Xi'er. Force your way into your father's sleeping quarters, subdue Chu Chenyi, and control the Empress Dowager. Once your father passes away, you will be the new emperor."
Chu Yanxi tightly clenched the token in his hand, his resolve made. After bidding farewell to the Empress, he strode directly towards the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
...
"How about I bring in one of the guards outside and have them test the medicine?"
After much thought, Chu Chenyi came up with this rather foolish idea, which earned him a glare from Feng Jin.
"I really suspect your brain is filled with mush, spouting such useless nonsense..."
If they were to bring in a guard to test the medicine, it would be like alerting the enemy. If that were the case, they shouldn't have asked Consort Qin for help with the disguise when they came in earlier. They should have just swaggered in directly.
Chu Chenyi sat on a nearby chair, frustrated and at a loss. "Then tell me what to do. I'll listen to everything you say."
Neither this way nor that way worked. He was completely out of ideas and could only do as Feng Jin suggested.
Feng Jin rolled her eyes, looking at Chu Chenyi with disdain. She knew he couldn't be of much help, so she hadn't really expected anything from him from the start.
"Only I can test the medicine."
As a physician, she could better understand the medicinal properties if she tested it herself, which would enable her to administer it more effectively to Emperor Xuanwen.
"No, before we came, I promised Ling Mohan that I would ensure your safety. How can I let you test the medicine? If anything happens to you, how will I explain it to Ling Mohan?"
He absolutely would not allow Feng Jin to test the medicine. If anything were to happen to her, it would be as good as killing Ling Mohan.
At that moment, he would surely go mad and seek him out for revenge first. It would be better for him to test the medicine himself.
"I'll test the medicine."
"No, I told you before, if the antidote fails and His Majesty has an accident, you will still need to be in charge. With you holding the fort, Dongchu will not fall into chaos. Therefore, you absolutely cannot test the medicine."
"Then you can't test it either. If something happens to you, how will I explain it to Ling Mohan? Aren't you trying to kill Ling Mohan?"
"I am a physician. If I feel any discomfort, I will find a way to save myself and will never let anything happen to me."
After much deliberation, Feng Jin believed that it was most appropriate for her to test the antidote that she herself had developed.
At this moment, there was no one else in the entire room more suitable than her. This task could only be done best by her.
"You don't need to try and persuade me anymore. My mind is made up."
As soon as she finished speaking, Feng Jin took out the medicine and was about to put it in her mouth when she was interrupted by a loud commotion outside.
Her hand trembled, and the hard-earned medicine almost fell to the ground.
Chu Chenyi's expression changed instantly, realizing that something was wrong. He rushed out.
He was stunned by the scene before him. Several guards were cut down by a single sword, and countless soldiers rushed in, surrounding the Empress Dowager, Consort Qin, and others.
"Imperial Grandmother!" Seeing the sword at the Empress Dowager's neck, Chu Chenyi's rage reached its peak. He was about to rush forward when he was surrounded by several guards.
Ultimately, two fists were no match for four hands. After a series of relentless battles, Chu Chenyi was defeated and subdued by several soldiers, pinned to the ground.
"Second Brother, it's best if you calm down. How can one person like you be a match for my tens of thousands of Imperial Guards?"
Only at this moment did Chu Chenyi see who had arrived behind him. His eyes burning with anger, he glared at Chu Yanxi, who was walking over gracefully.
"Chu Yanxi, why have you brought your men here and stormed in?"
Chu Yanxi walked to Chu Chenyi's side, sneered, and looked down at the defeated Chu Chenyi. He suddenly stomped on Chu Chenyi's back, exerting a slight force, and pinned Chu Chenyi entirely under his foot.
"You're already a prisoner, yet you dare to be so arrogant. You truly court death!"
"Chu Yanxi, what exactly do you want? You've led soldiers to storm the Emperor's sleeping quarters and pointed a sword at me. Are you trying to rebel?"
The Empress Dowager had experienced such scenes more than once. Her face remained calm, showing no emotion, as if she were accustomed to it.
The more composed she was, the more Chu Yanxi felt a hint of panic.
"Imperial Grandmother, your grandson has come here because he is worried about Father's condition."