Chapter 45: Breaking Through the Defense

"Your Highness, please take a look at this."

Cheng Yu, the Judge of Kaifeng Prefecture, hurried over to Zhao Guangyi with a newly issued official document in his hand, his voice urgent and his expression grim.

Zhao Guangyi was somewhat curious as to what could possibly have reduced Cheng Yu to such a state.

Could it be... that his imperial elder brother was abandoning all rules of fair play, claiming outwardly that the matter would be shelved for further discussion, while secretly and actively beginning preparations to relocate the capital?

He reached out and took the document. After reading just a few lines, his expression changed drastically!

With a sudden, violent movement, he tore the official document into shreds, crumpled it into a ball, and hurled it fiercely to the ground.

In an instant, his entire being seemed on the verge of an explosion.

The document was not as he had imagined—it was not an arbitrary order from Zhao Kuangyin to move the capital to Luoyang, passed only in consultation with a select few.

Yet, to him, the contents of this document were even more agonizing than that!

The document was a notification of the latest personnel appointments: the Emperor was actually transferring Zhao Pu, the Military Commissioner of Heyang and courtesy name Zeping, from his local post back to the capital to be reappointed as Chancellor!

The current Vice Chancellor, Xue Juzheng, would remain in his position, while the current Chief Chancellor, Shen Yilun, would be demoted to Vice Chancellor.

Furthermore, Zhao Pu was ordered to arrive at the capital to report for duty before the turn of the year.

This sudden appointment struck directly at Zhao Guangyi's most vulnerable spot, driving him into a towering rage.

Zhao Pu was his number one political rival. This was the man who had rendered monumental service in helping his imperial brother successfully don the yellow robe and ascend the throne, and subsequently in stabilizing the realm; their relationship had never been a pleasant one.

Following the founding of the Song Dynasty, conflicts between himself and this dog Zhao Pu had grown increasingly frequent.

Zhao Pu showed not the slightest bit of respect to him, the Prince of Jin.

The crucial point was that this wretched fellow, who had served as sole chancellor for a full decade, had on more than one occasion submitted proposals to his imperial brother.

He had urged the Emperor to settle upon an imperial heir at the earliest, designating Zhao Dezhao as Crown Prince to secure the peace of the state!

To bring down this primary political adversary, Zhao Guangyi had paid a heavy price, expending immense effort before finally causing Zhao Kuangyin to withdraw his trust in Zhao Pu.

Zhao Pu had been stripped of the chancellorship and banished by the Emperor to a local post.

This had been a massive victory for his faction.

With Zhao Pu—a chancellor whose power shook the court—brought down, his own days had suddenly become much smoother.

His sphere of influence had expanded rapidly, and no one else dared to openly oppose him as Zhao Pu had done.

Yet now, without the slightest warning, Zhao Kuangyin had directly recalled this scoundrel Zhao Pu.

As if the recall weren't enough, he was actually going to reappoint Zhao Pu as chancellor!

What on earth did this mean?

It required no elaboration; it was a blatant targeting of his own flesh and blood, his very own younger brother!

Using Zhao Pu's return to counterbalance him!

He truly deserved to die!

He was his own blood brother, yet the Emperor could be so devoid of trust, targeting him at every turn!

Of course, had Zhao Pu been recalled to the chancellorship solely because of the capital relocation issue, it might have been somewhat easier for him to accept.

The crucial issue was that this fellow Zhao Pu supported Zhao Dezhao as Crown Prince.

Thinking back on Zhao Kuangyin's recent promotions of that fool Zhao Dezhao, his heart could not help but churn with distress and trepidation.

He feared that this wretch Zhao Kuangyin harbored malicious intentions, moving directly toward the goal of establishing Zhao Dezhao as Crown Prince.

This was the part he found most difficult to accept.

What a fine Zhao Kuangyin, truly no better than a beast!

Despite his constant outward display of respect, calling him eldest brother to his face,

the Emperor had plotted so deeply and meticulously just to deal with him!

He was truly less than human!

He had never witnessed anyone so heartless and devoid of affection!

At this moment, Zhao Guangyi hated Zhao Kuangyin with a venomous hatred.

He wished nothing more than to take a knife and chop this beastly elder brother into seventeen or eighteen pieces and throw them out to feed the dogs!

He had never seen anyone bully another so ruthlessly, casting aside all bonds of fraternal affection.

First the relocation of the capital to the Western Capital, and now the reappointment of Zhao Pu—every single blade was aimed directly at his vital lifeline!

Zhao Guangyi clenched his teeth until they were nearly shattered, his eyes bloodshot.

"Your Highness, we must think of a way. We must by all means prevent Zhao Pu from returning!"

Cheng Yu said with a solemn expression.

"Think of a way? Matters have reached this point, what way could there possibly be?

Without consulting anyone, he arbitrarily settled the matter, issued the decree, and proclaimed it to the world. The imperial envoy dispatched to summon Zhao Pu back is likely already traveling at a gallop.

How can anyone stop this?

This time, his mind is firmly made up to oppose me!"

In his anger, when mentioning Zhao Kuangyin, Zhao Guangyi dropped the title of imperial brother, referring to him coldly as "he."

A ferocious look surfaced on Cheng Yu's face.

"It is not entirely without a way. For instance, we could arrange for Zhao Pu to die on the road.

To be killed by mountain bandits, or to suffer a fatal fall from a cliff."

Upon hearing Cheng Yu's words, Zhao Guangyi was visibly tempted.

He truly wanted to do just that; he had long wished to send Zhao Pu to an early grave.

Yet after a moment, he still shook his head.

Suppressing the impulse in his heart, he rejected Cheng Yu's suggestion.

"No, we cannot do that.

If Zhao Pu could truly be killed, I would have already sent him to an untimely death long ago.

Since he was not killed in the past, he must certainly not be killed at this critical juncture.

Otherwise, even a fool would understand that we were the ones behind it.

Should that happen, it would inevitably arouse his vigilance,

giving him a pretext to take action against our faction.

Cao Bin, Pan Mei, Shen Yilun, Xue Juzheng... so many people take orders from him.

Once provoked to fury, we would only end up the losers, and any chance of claiming the imperial succession would be utterly lost."

Cheng Yu knew the Prince of Jin's words were entirely reasonable, but was he just supposed to sit here passively and watch the Emperor press closer step by step?

If they did not find a way to resist, the position of crown prince would surely slip away from the Prince of Jin as well.

"I do have a plan here, which might just work."

After a moment of silence, Zhao Guangyi spoke up.

Lowering his voice, he explained his idea to Cheng Yu.

As he listened, Cheng Yu's face showed a thoughtful look of deep gravity.

A moment later, a trace of joy appeared on his face.

"Your Highness's plan is brilliant! If we do this, it might truly be effective!"

...

Inside Wansui Hall, several extra people had arrived.

These individuals all shared a common identity: they were imperial physicians.

"Examining me one by one, you will each conduct a diagnosis."

Hearing Zhao Kuangyin's words, the several imperial physicians were all taken aback.

Given that the Princess of Jin was gravely ill, coupled with the fact that just a few days ago the Emperor had suddenly dispatched a large group of imperial physicians to examine the Princess together,

they had all assumed that the Emperor had summoned them today to accompany him out of the palace to the Prince of Jin's mansion.

How could they have expected to hear such words from the Emperor's own mouth at this moment?

The Emperor was physically robust, walked with the stride of a dragon and the step of a tiger, and possessed a majestic bearing; although his face had a dark complexion, a healthy, rosy glow showed through that darkness.

Where was there even a half-infirm appearance?

Never before had they heard of the Emperor suffering from any ailment; why had he suddenly summoned them all today to examine him?

While harboring doubts in their hearts, one of the imperial physicians, whose mind spun quickly, suddenly made a leap of imagination.

Could it... could the Emperor be suffering from some unspeakable hidden affliction?

Once this thought arose, the more he pondered it, the more convinced he became that it must be so.

The imperial palace was not all that far from the pleasure quarters and willow-lined alleys.

It would be quite convenient for the Emperor to slip out in disguise to seek some amusement.

Besides, the Emperor was a man of military background, and having such hobbies was entirely normal.

Unthinkable! Truly unthinkable!

For the dignified Emperor to actually engage in such behavior and contract an illness as a result!

For a moment, the tall and towering image of the Emperor in Physician Qian's mind crumbled somewhat.

Harboring these sentiments, under Zhao Kuangyin's gaze, he stepped forward to begin the examination...

...

At this very moment, Zhao Guangyi had also returned to the Prince of Jin's mansion and set his own plans into motion...