Chapter 51: Cunning and Calculated

Yang Zhan hurriedly shook his head. "That won't do!"

Empress Xiao frowned. "What? Does my daughter not deserve you?"

"It's not about deserving or not—we share the same surname!"

"Hmph, the same surname? Do you think you're part of the royal family?"

"Well, as the saying goes, perhaps five hundred years ago we were one family."

Yang Zhan’s head ached at the thought of the Fifth Princess. He broke out in a cold sweat just thinking about that unruly, willful, and lawless woman whom he had always kept his distance from.

At this moment, Yang Wu also chimed in, "Yang Zhan, to be honest, the Empress makes a good point. If you become my son-in-law, wouldn't that make us family?"

Yang Zhan was speechless. "Old man, my surname is Yang. You can consider me family too. I’ll take the loss and call you big brother!"

That remark caused Yang Wu’s old eyes to widen in shock.

Empress Xiao’s face turned icy cold.

Yang Xing covered his face. This second master really wants to be his second master.

Then Yang Wu said sternly, "If I grant you a surname, you will no longer be called Yang!"

"..."

Yang Zhan was at a loss for words.

However, after this exchange, the atmosphere in the Wende Hall was no longer so oppressive and grim.

Moreover, Empress Xiao’s earlier suspicion had now given way to a flicker of hope in her eyes.

After all, Yang Zhan’s demeanor and tone made it seem like he was telling the truth!

Before long, Xu Jin, who was undoubtedly a first-rank martial warrior, returned swiftly with the corpse despite the long distance.

Empress Xiao looked at the body and tears immediately streamed down her face.

She stepped forward herself, extending a trembling hand to gently touch the corpse’s face.

Then she scraped lightly with her finger, revealing a crease.

Her eyes widened in panic as countless white ashes fell from the corpse’s face under her trembling hand.

Finally, Empress Xiao confirmed that this was not her son.

Suddenly, she looked up at Yang Zhan. "Where is Jin’er?"

Yang Zhan replied, "Don’t worry. He’s very safe. No one can find him!"

Previously, when Yang Zhan captured the Third Prince, it was based on information from Qiu Yun.

But Qiu Yun seemed so well aware of the Third Prince’s whereabouts that it puzzled Yang Zhan further: if she knew so much, how could she not know what the Third Prince was planning? How could she not know he intended to make a move tonight?

Had she told him earlier, the Eastern Palace wouldn’t have been so caught off guard when besieged!

Sensing something was amiss, Yang Zhan used one of the Third Prince’s loyal bodyguards, employing threats and bribes to coerce cooperation. For the sake of the Third Prince, the guard had no choice but to comply.

---

Thus, Yang Zhan instructed Lin Jiang to use an ancestral technique to disguise the guard as the Third Prince.

Originally, the guard did not need to die!

But no matter how carefully they planned, they did not foresee that the Third Prince’s alchemist disciple, furious over the deaths of two apprentices, would go into a blind rage and even kill the Third Prince himself.

Fortunately, Yang Zhan had held back a trump card; otherwise, the Third Prince would have truly perished.

Though the Third Prince's death might not be entirely bad, the conspiracy proceeded exactly as the mastermind had arranged.

Now, the Empress had lost her son and was drowning in grief, willingly manipulated into forcing a palace coup.

If not for Yang Zhan’s secret move, he might have escaped, but the emperor and crown prince would likely have died there.

The Great Xia dynasty was on the brink of ruin.

This was not what Yang Zhan wanted to see.

Suddenly, Empress Xiao stood and knelt before Yang Wu. "Your Majesty, I accept my death sentence, but please spare the lives of those outside!"

Yang Zhan approached Yang Wu and whispered to Han Zhong, "Your Majesty, sparing their lives is sparing your own."

Yang Wu glanced at Yang Zhan. "I don’t understand?"

Then Yang Wu walked away, and Yang Zhan looked at Han Zhong.

Yang Wu’s demeanor at this moment did not resemble an old man nearing death.

His commanding presence was unmistakable, his voice loud and clear, carrying far:

"You all acted on orders, loyal to the Empress. Though you committed grave errors, it is understandable. Now, leave the Heavenly Saint Palace; no one will stop you, and I will not hold you accountable!"

Long moments passed, but no one moved.

Empress Xiao stood and walked to the door. "Li’er, take out my savings and distribute it to everyone. Thank you all. I caused this. Take the gold and silver and leave. Jin’er is alive; I care for nothing else!"

Suddenly, Xu Jin, who had gone to retrieve the body, spoke solemnly, "If we leave, what about Your Majesty?"

Outside, voices rose in unison.

"We will stand with Your Majesty through thick and thin and never flee!"

Empress Xiao said nothing.

But Yang Wu spoke: "This is my Empress; I will not kill her. The Empress will go with the Third Prince to his fief. If you are loyal, you may escort them or follow to the Third Prince’s domain."

Empress Xiao looked at Yang Wu, tears streaming again.

"Your Majesty, I—"

"No more words. The matter has come this far," Yang Wu said coldly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Empress Xiao knelt again, then pointed at Han Zhong. "Your Majesty, Han Zhong is not my man; he belongs to Prince Wu!"

"And it was Prince Wu’s men who forced me to stage this coup and ordered you to execute Yang Zhan and the Crown Prince!"

Hearing this confirmed, Yang Zhan felt a pang of sadness.

After all, that man had once saved him and even guided him—Prince Wu!

Yang Wu glanced at Yang Zhan, then helped the Empress to her feet.

"Go back. Your men are loyal to you. I said I won’t pursue it, and I won’t."

After saying this, Yang Wu seemed to age several years, looking even more frail.

Empress Xiao left with her followers.

Yang Zhan did not expect the Empress to have such devoted followers.

It truly made him look at her in a new light, as no one fled—they all seemed prepared to share life and death with her.

The hall fell silent.

Han Zhong was already kneeling on the ground, trembling all over.

Yang Xing spoke, "Father, I will send for the imperial guards."

Yang Wu shook his head. "No need."

Yang Xing frowned. "Father, what if Prince Wu still—"

"Hmph!"

Yang Wu said coldly, "If I were unprepared, would I be allowing this to escalate?"

Then Yang Wu commanded, "Lin Buhuan, come out!"

Immediately, a cabinet door slid open from within, and fully armed imperial guards emerged.

Leading them was the chief captain of the imperial guards, Lin Buhuan, a martial warrior of Sacred Martial Realm!

Yang Zhan glanced at the cabinet—it was forged from mysterious iron, which was why no one outside could sense those inside.

Among those who came out were first-rank martial warriors, ninefold Heaven alchemists, and numerous warriors above fourth rank.

A total of one hundred and three men!

Damn!

Yang Zhan couldn’t help but curse under his breath.

This old emperor was truly a master strategist, a genius among geniuses!

The key was, why didn’t he use so many men earlier, forcing Yang Zhan to face things alone?

As for Yang Xing, his mouth hung open in shock, and the look in his eyes was full of admiration, as if he wanted to kneel again.

Sure enough, Yang Xing knelt on the ground, excitedly saying, "Father, your foresight and brilliance inspire me deeply. My respect for you shines like the sun and moon, eternal and unending..."

Yang Zhan shuddered at the flattery exchanged between father and son. The royal family’s internal competition was fierce indeed!