Chapter 54: Zhao Guangyi Driven to the Brink of a Breakdown

With a loud bang, the door was violently shoved open!

The sudden commotion startled Zhao Guangyi, who had been in high spirits, causing him to leap straight up from his chair!

Instantly, an instinctive urge to retreat washed over him.

However, upon seeing that the intruder was his trusted confidant, Cheng Dexuan, he halted his steps.

His face sank accordingly.

He began to wonder if he had been too lenient and overly courteous to people like Cheng Dexuan lately.

That was why they dared to act so presumptuously before him!

Throwing all decorum to the wind!

Daring to burst in without even knocking!

"Your Highness, t-the situation is critical! After leaving the Emperor's presence, Zhao Pu... he summoned officials from all departments to d-discuss matters..."

Seeing the Prince of Jin's expression, Cheng Dexuan realized that his reckless action had displeased his master.

Yet, he could not afford to care about that now. Gasping for breath, he blurted out the news he had just received to Zhao Guangyi.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Guangyi's dissatisfaction with Cheng Dexuan deepened even further.

Was that it? Was this really worth making such a fuss over?

Discarding even the most basic protocol and manners?

It was entirely expected that Zhao Pu would be kept behind alone by Zhao Kuangyin after the conclusion of the morning court session, given his reinstatement as chancellor today.

As for summoning officials from various departments to discuss affairs after leaving Zhao Kuangyin, that was also within reason.

A newly appointed official was bound to make sweeping changes, let alone someone like Zhao Pu, who had served as sole chancellor for a decade and was now returning to the post.

With all the preparations he had made in advance, Zhao Pu would not be able to stir up any significant trouble.

At the very least, he posed no threat within the year!

And this Cheng Dexuan, having followed him for so long—he had foolishly considered him a reliable man in ordinary times.

It now appeared that his expectations of him had been somewhat too high.

Merely the return of a single Zhao Pu had completely unglued him!

He was just about to utter a sharp reprimand to teach Cheng Dexuan a lesson and cure him of such panicky, uncomposed behavior.

"Z-Zhao Pu said that all departments must cooperate fully with him to p-prepare for the upcoming Grand Investiture Ceremony. The Emperor is going to confer a princedom upon Zhao Dezhao on the twenty-sixth."

What?!

The words poised on the tip of Zhao Guangyi's tongue instantly choked back down. His anger, his dissatisfaction, and his absolute confidence of victory all vanished in an instant.

He stood frozen in place for a dozen breaths, then lunged forward abruptly, grabbing Cheng Dexuan by the collar and shaking him violently.

"What did you say? Say it again!"

His voice had somehow turned raspy.

"Your Highness, Zhao Pu said... on the twenty-sixth, the Emperor is going to c-confer a princedom upon Zhao Dezhao!"

Cheng Dexuan repeated, his expression fraught with anxiety and boundless panic.

"Impossible! Where did you hear this nonsense? Spouting such falsehoods here!

How could a princedom possibly be conferred upon Zhao Dezhao?!"

Zhao Guangyi roared, sounding as though someone had suddenly stepped on his tail.

This news was simply too shocking!

It was shocking to a degree he found utterly unacceptable!

He had never believed that Zhao Dezhao could receive a princedom—at least, not within three years after employing his current stratagem.

He had supreme confidence in his own methods, and an equally thorough understanding of his swine-like elder brother, Zhao Kuangyin.

Yet the end result was that Cheng Dexuan was telling him Zhao Dezhao was about to be made a prince!

And on the twenty-sixth, no less—mere days away!

This news was altogether too stimulating, far exceeding his wildest expectations!

Cheng Dexuan simply allowed the Prince of Jin to grip his collar and shake him fiercely.

Seeing His Highness the Prince of Jin, who usually appeared so composed and seemingly in control of everything, lose his composure to such an extent, he felt not a shred of surprise.

After all, the news was indeed far too sudden.

And the blow it dealt to people like them was simply too heavy!

Nearly a quarter of an hour passed before Zhao Guangyi finally loosened his grip, his emotions settling slightly.

"What... what title of princedom are they giving him?" he asked in a dry voice.

"I heard it's the Prince... the Prince of Qin!"

Boom. Another thunderbolt crashed down.

The meager trace of color that had just returned to Zhao Guangyi's face vanished once more.

His left hand clenched so tightly that his fingernails dug deep into his flesh, yet he remained utterly oblivious to the pain.

The Prince of Qin?!

It was actually the Prince of Qin?!

That dog Zhao Kuangyin, what on earth was going through his mind?!

Suddenly conferring a princedom on Zhao Dezhao was already excessive enough, but to make him the Prince of Qin on top of that?!

This was the title of the Prince of Qin! Bestowed upon Zhao Dezhao, Zhao Kuangyin's eldest surviving son?

What was he trying to accomplish?

The implication behind this could not possibly be any more blatant!

This was not merely a matter of conferring a princedom; it was tantamount to cementing Zhao Dezhao's status as the crown prince!

How could this be?

How could it possibly be like this?!

Had Zhao Kuangyin not always favored him?

In what way was he not ten thousand times superior to Zhao Dezhao?

The position of crown prince belonged to him!

By what right could Zhao Dezhao compete with him?

What on earth had happened to bring about such a turn of events?

In such a short span of time, that scoundrel Zhao Kuangyin seemed like a completely different person!

His actions in every respect had become utterly incomprehensible to him.

Clearly an infallible tactic against Zhao Kuangyin, yet once put into practice, it had turned out to be completely useless!

Not only useless, but Zhao Kuangyin had even escalated his retaliation against him!

"Your Highness, w-what should we do next?"

Cheng Dexuan looked up at Zhao Guangyi and asked, consumed by anxiety, his voice trembling slightly.

The situation was too urgent, and the stakes were far too high.

Why did people like them follow the Prince of Jin and work for him in the first place?

It was simply because they desired the supreme merit of assisting in a sovereign's ascension.

No achievement surpassed saving one's sovereign, and second only to that was aiding a dragon's rise.

Given his position and level of trust with the Prince of Jin, once the Prince ascended the throne, he would undoubtedly soar to unprecedented heights!

His destiny was, so to speak, deeply intertwined with that of the Prince of Jin.

They would flourish together, and perish together.

Prior to this, no matter how one looked at it, the Prince of Jin had been the most likely candidate for the imperial succession.

Who could have foreseen such a dramatic upheaval overnight?

How could he not panic?

How could he not be anxious?

He was anxious for the Prince of Jin, and equally anxious for himself.

This was the merit of a dragon's ascension; once missed, it could never be attained again in this lifetime.

Beyond that, what was even more fatal was that things had reached such a stage for the Prince of Jin. Even if he wished to step down and withdraw from the succession, it would likely be a skin-ripping ordeal.

If even the Prince of Jin faced such a plight, what kind of favorable outcome could followers like them possibly expect?

Forget about prospects; whether they would even be able to preserve their lives in the end remained highly questionable.

What was to be done?

Zhao Guangyi gave no answer.

He merely stood there in silence, madness surging in his eyes...

...

"Father, by suddenly conferring upon me the title of Prince of Qin, I fear Third Uncle will find it difficult to bear and will harbor resentment..."

In the Hall of Longevity, Zhao Dezhao expressed concern for his third uncle.

Hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin smiled and said, "Rest assured, your third uncle is not a man of such narrow measure.

Even if he feels somewhat aggrieved in his heart over this matter, he will not show it.

He can definitely bear it."

As Zhao Kuangyin spoke, his hand caressed the jade battle-axe...

...

"I! WILL! KILL! HIM!"

Silence reigned for who knows how long, before Zhao Guangyi's voice finally rang out!