Time Travel: He is My Dad!

Bloody Dawn

The palace night was filled with a suffocating silence. The darkness that enveloped the ancient palace seemed to devour all life and hope, and the entire capital seemed to be shrouded in this oppressive atmosphere. In the distance, a few faint candlelight flickered through the window lattices, illuminating a calm and resolute face—Princess Shen.

She stood in her room, her back to the window, her eyes coldly staring at a secret letter in her hand. The letter had been unfolded, and the handwriting was vigorous and powerful. It was the latest intelligence sent by Cheng Jiahong.

"Zhao Hao has made his decision," she whispered to herself, a hint of sarcasm in her tone. "He's finally decided to clean up the situation in the palace completely, leaving no room for anyone else."

Cheng Jiahong wrote in a letter: Zhao Hao issued an order in the palace to thoroughly search for all accomplices connected to the Grand Empress Dowager, including relatives, powerful officials, and even those who were once loyal to him. Zhao Hao was clearly determined to show down the Grand Empress Dowager and leave her no chance of a comeback.

Princess Shen's lips curled into a sneer. She had anticipated all this. Zhao Hao's "purge" was ostensibly aimed at completely eradicating the Grand Empress Dowager's influence, but in reality, it was intended to accumulate more power for himself. He didn't simply rely on the loyalty of his ministers; instead, through a purge within the palace, he weakened any potential threat.

However, in Princess Shen's view, Zhao Hao's plan was just a wrong move, and he failed to fully control the situation.

"It's time." Princess Shen clenched the secret letter in her hand, her eyes sharp as a knife. She knew that the best time for her counterattack was before Zhao Hao's purge was fully launched. And she had already planned everything that would happen next.

She glanced down at another note in her hand—a directive she had quietly passed to forces outside the palace with Cheng Jiahong's assistance. She had begun manipulating these external forces, wooing some of Zhao Hao's closest associates and defecting court officials to become her new "allies." These individuals, trapped by her carefully crafted "traps," had gradually distanced themselves from Zhao Hao, and some had even begun to doubt his true intentions, especially during his purge of the Empress Dowager's former followers.

The power struggle within the palace is a double-edged sword. Princess Shen knows she must quickly seize power from Zhao Hao before he completes his purge. Her goal isn't simply to defeat the Grand Empress Dowager, but to become the true master of power through her own shrewd strategy amidst this turmoil.

……

"Princess, the remnants of the Empress Dowager's forces are rapidly collapsing, but the situation in the palace is becoming increasingly complicated." Cheng Jiahong walked into the room with a hint of nervousness. "Are you ready to deal with the changes that are coming?"

Princess Shen's eyes turned cold, and she slowly turned around with a smile on her face: "Change? For me, it's an opportunity."

Her voice was as cold as ice, and her tone was as firm as iron. She understood that the situation in the palace had reached a critical moment. If she missed this opportunity, she would no longer be able to control the overall situation.

Princess Shen's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness, and a sinister smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. "Chaos? I want the situation to get completely out of control. Only chaos can expose everyone to the light of day. Who is the real enemy, who is our ally, who can be trusted, and who should be eliminated? Everything will be revealed in chaos."

She ordered in a deep voice: "Speed ​​up and inform everyone that tonight is the final decisive battle."

……

As the night deepened, the palace fell into a deathly silence. At that moment, Princess Shen's heart was filled with intense emotions. She had already arranged everything. Whether it was Zhao Hao's close associates or the forces outside the palace, they had already begun to take action. Every chess piece was in place.

Inside the palace, Zhao Hao was discussing his next plan with his confidants. He knew that the remaining followers of the Empress Dowager had nowhere to go, and he prepared a final strike to wipe out all the traitors in the palace and completely eliminate all threats.

"Zhao Hao, just wait for my final blow." Princess Shen showed a hint of sneer on her face, and she had already started to think about the next move in her mind.

Just as she was about to implement her plan, the silence was suddenly broken by the sound of hurried footsteps. Cheng Jiahong hurried into the room, his expression grim and beads of sweat on his forehead.

"Princess, this is bad!" Cheng Jiahong said anxiously, "Someone has leaked the information. Our actions have been exposed."

Princess Shen's heart sank suddenly, and her eyes were stern: "Who leaked it?"

Cheng Jiahong said anxiously, "It was a eunuch in the palace. He was connected to the remnants of the Empress Dowager. He was captured by Zhao Hao's men tonight, and he has confessed to our plan."

"Damn it!" Princess Shen clenched her fists, gritting her teeth in hatred. However, there was no panic on her face. Instead, she sneered, "What a careless mistake. But this won't affect our strategy. If Zhao Hao really thinks he can turn the situation around at the last minute, he's gravely mistaken."

She calmly commanded, "Immediately activate the backup plan. Everyone, follow the original route. No matter how Zhao Hao reacts, we must make sure he can't turn back."

……

In the palace, the situation is once again turbulent. Zhao Hao's confidant has learned of Princess Shen's plan, but he is not rushing into action. Instead, he deliberately slows down his pace, attempting to distract Princess Shen by delaying her. However, Princess Shen has long seen through this ploy. She does not intend to confront Zhao Hao head-on, but chooses to strike a fatal blow from behind.

Her plan has been completed, and the real moment of decisive battle has finally arrived.

……

Under the cover of night, the palace is serene yet perilous. Princess Shen knows the next few days will determine her fate. Every movement in the palace will impact her ultimate outcome, and she's prepared for the worst—success would redefine the power dynamics of the palace, failure would mean total loss.

This is a game of life and death, and she has no way out in her heart.

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Chapter 29: Turbulence