Chapter 1559: The True Colors Revealed

"Mother Empress?" Rong Mo was initially bewildered, taking a moment to realize the other person was referring to the Empress.

As the Crown Princess's personal maid, she naturally knew that the relationship between the Crown Princess and the Empress had always been strained. It was hardly surprising; good mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationships were rare in the world. Moreover, the Empress was not the Crown Prince's birth mother, yet she put on airs as an elder. Both women had strong personalities, so it was natural for them to dislike each other.

"Excellent!" Rong Mo's eyebrows shot up with delight. She thought of letting the Crown Princess witness Zu An's embarrassing disloyalty, wondering how he would ever win the Crown Princess's favor after that.

Soon, Bi Linglong, accompanied by a group of palace maids and eunuchs, arrived at the Empress's palace. They were quickly stopped by the outer guards. "Greetings, Crown Princess."

"I heard that Mother Empress has returned from her villa," Bi Linglong said in a flat tone. "As a junior, I came to pay my respects."

"Yes, we will go and inform her," the Empress's maids said, exchanging glances. They knew the Empress and Crown Princess had only an average relationship. The Crown Princess usually only visited on a few specific ceremonial days; she had never come on any other occasion. Had the sun risen in the west today?

Bi Linglong frowned. "What are you doing guarding outside?"

The maids replied, "Her Majesty is a bit tired and needs rest, so she instructed us to stay outside."

Bi Linglong glanced into the palace. "No need to trouble yourselves. I'll just go in with you."

With that, she walked directly inside.

The maids dared not stop her, so they scurried ahead to give notice.

As the Crown Princess, Bi Linglong maintained her dignified status and could not run inside. She could only walk with small, measured steps.

Upon reaching the Empress's bedchamber, a faint voice from inside said, "Ah, Linglong. This Empress was just sleeping. Please wait a moment."

Bi Linglong felt a pang of doubt. Why did the Empress's voice sound so alluring today? And why did her breathing seem a little shaky? However, she attributed it to just waking up and didn't think much of it. "I apologize for disturbing Mother Empress's rest."

At the same time, her eyes discreetly scanned the surroundings, but she saw no sign of Zu An. Thinking this, she chuckled inwardly. How could the Empress possibly have Zu An in her bedchamber? Her initial anger gradually subsided as she realized this. She couldn't help but glare fiercely at Rong Mo. It was all that girl's loose tongue that almost made her wrongly accuse a good person.

Rong Mo also felt greatly wronged; she had indeed seen Grand Eunuch Lu call Zu An away just moments ago.

Just then, the Empress emerged, fully dressed. For some reason, Bi Linglong felt that even though the Empress wasn't as elaborately dressed as usual, she looked much more beautiful than on an ordinary day. She was radiant, her skin fair with a rosy glow, as if she were a young maiden. Even Bi Linglong had to admit, it was no wonder she could be the mother of the nation; she was indeed a beauty among beauties.

"Linglong, what brings you here today?" the Empress asked with a smile. Beneath her robes, her body trembled almost imperceptibly. She was simultaneously recalling the recent afterglow and resenting Bi Linglong's sudden arrival. Of course, she showed absolutely no hint of this on her face.

"Having heard that Mother Empress has returned to the palace, I naturally had to come and visit," Bi Linglong said. "I also recently acquired some valuable herbs and brought them for you." She motioned for her maid to present the gift, her words and actions impeccable.

"Linglong, you are too thoughtful..."

The two engaged in a subtle battle of wits, exchanging formal pleasantries for a while. Eventually, Bi Linglong couldn't help but ask, "Oh, why don't I see Lord Zu?"

The Empress's heart pounded, but she showed no hint of anything amiss. "I did call Lord Zu over earlier to ask a few questions, but he left a short while ago. I imagine he's probably waiting at the Imperial Study now." She did not deny it. Since the other party could ask such a question, they clearly had a source of information about Zu An being there. A flat denial would only make her seem more suspicious.

"I see," Bi Linglong said, feeling relieved. After chatting casually for a few more moments, she found an excuse to take her leave.

The Empress made a few insincere attempts to persuade her to stay, and then the two parted ways.

Watching Bi Linglong's departing figure, the Empress's smile faded. She hadn't expected that Bi Linglong would know about Zu An's visit. It seemed she would have to be more careful in the future; if Zhao Hao found out, it would be extremely troublesome. *Wait a minute,* she thought. *Why is she so concerned about a mere subject? Could it be... Is she planning to use this to attack me?*

She had a good grasp of the relationship between the two of them. The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Perhaps Bi Linglong had caught wind of something from Zhao Hao and was trying to find leverage against her and Zu An. As this thought crossed her mind, cold sweat beaded on her forehead. Under the current circumstances, she really shouldn't be associating with Zu An anymore, but resuming their interactions was necessary for her to recover her cultivation. It was a true dilemma.

Meanwhile, Zu An returned to the vicinity of the Imperial Study, quietly wiping cold sweat from his forehead. It had been an extreme test for his heart; he had nearly been caught red-handed by Bi Linglong. The Empress indeed possessed a unique allure, but getting too close to her was simply too dangerous.

Just then, a young eunuch emerged. Seeing Zu An, he seemed surprised. "Lord Zu, perfect timing! The Emperor is looking for you."

Zu An's expression was odd. He wondered if the Emperor had somehow discovered what he had just been doing with his wife. But as things stood, he could only brace himself and go in. He secretly rejoiced that on his way over, he had used a water-based cultivation technique to cleanse and evaporate any scent from his body. Otherwise, if the Emperor had detected the Empress's perfume on him, he would truly have been doomed.

Upon entering, he was startled to find not only Sang Hong but also several other high-ranking court officials: Meng Yi, the Chief of the Secretariat; Bi Qi, the Left Minister of the Ministry of Personnel; Liu Guang, the Grand Imperial Uncle; and Prince Liang, Zhao Yi. Without exception, they were all core members of the Emperor's faction.

Seeing him enter, the Emperor said, "Take Lord Sang back to rest and recuperate. Furthermore, I grant you permission to have twenty Imperial Guards protect him closely."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Sang Hong, despite his injuries, bowed in gratitude.

The Imperial Guards were palace forbidden guards, primarily responsible for the security of the imperial palace, with occasional assignments to imperial envoys. They were rarely dispatched to protect an individual. While twenty Imperial Guards might not be a large number, it clearly demonstrated the Emperor's stance, ensuring that no one would dare to brazenly harm Sang Hong again.

Zu An was also happy for Sang Hong. His life was now secured. Zu An couldn't constantly guard Sang Hong by himself, but with the Emperor's public protection, Prince Qi's faction would no longer be able to harm him.

After the two left, the Emperor frowned, instinctively looking up. There was nothing on his head. Why had Zu An secretly glanced at the top of his head several times just now? And his gaze seemed to hold a hint of pity, a feeling that truly irritated the Emperor.

Just then, Prince Liang, Zhao Yi, interrupted his thoughts. "Your Majesty, Prince Qi dared to openly employ assassins within the Imperial City, a truly unforgivable crime! I implore Your Majesty to punish him for his dereliction of duty!"

Liu Yao also rose and said, "Prince Qi is utterly ambitious and his crimes go far beyond this. Previously, he secretly plotted rebellion in Yunzhong Commandery, and after its failure, he ambushed the diplomatic mission to destroy evidence. Considering all his actions over the years, he deserves execution!"

The others also stood up one after another, recounting Prince Qi's transgressions and urging the Emperor to act against him. Their faction now held the advantage, making it the best time to move against Prince Qi. However, Zhao Hao remained silent, then looked at Bi Qi and Meng Yi. "What are your thoughts?"

Bi Qi and Meng Yi exchanged glances, and finally, Bi Qi spoke. "Your servant believes that..."

"Prince Qi is finished," Sang Hong quietly told Zu An after they had walked some distance from the Imperial Study.

Zu An was startled. "Is the Emperor finally making a move this time?"

"Not necessarily," Sang Hong shook his head. "Although Prince Qi's power has significantly declined recently, his foundations are still extraordinary. If cornered, he might resort to desperate measures. The Emperor likely won't employ overly aggressive tactics, but Prince Qi will no longer have a place in the capital."

Unlike typical feudal princes, Prince Qi was vying for the imperial throne. Once he left the capital, the center of power, he would be completely out of the succession race, and his forces would gradually crumble.

At the same time, in a secret chamber within Prince Qi's manor, a meeting was also underway. The person leading it was none other than Prince Qi.

"Your Highness," one person spoke up, "given the circumstances, why not initiate our plan?"

Prince Qi's face was half-shrouded in shadow. He remained silent for a long moment before finally speaking slowly, "Very well!"