Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

Deguang Hall.

Holding a bright yellow imperial edict, the Empress Dowager protected the eldest grandson of the emperor on the dragon throne, looking down condescendingly at the officials below.

"The late emperor's edict is here. Do you intend to rebel?"

Xiao Zong gave Dou Zhao a wink, and a gap was opened in the safety circle formed by heavy armor. The left and right prime ministers were in front, followed by several scholars and ministers.

Prime Minister An bowed and said, "Empress Dowager, we also have the late Emperor's handwritten edict of succession. Commander Xiao's imperial sword was also bestowed by the late Emperor, and he left an oral instruction ordering him to assist the cabinet in protecting the new emperor's ascension to the throne. It is equally undeniable."

He paused, a mysterious smile playing on his lips, "Now, let's see which imperial edict comes first."

Seeing his composure, the Empress Dowager vaguely guessed that their edict came after hers.

Hmph, how much did his son hate his maternal relatives that he had to betray her even on his deathbed?

"How to prove it?"

"Before the late emperor passed away, he was always served by Eunuch Xu's side. Why don't we summon him over for questioning?"

The Empress Dowager looked at Zhao Xuanguang, who nodded slightly to her and picked out one of her private soldiers to search for the person.

Xiao Zong drew his sword to block the man, then faced the elegant old woman above him. "This man looks unfamiliar. He must have just entered the palace and may not know Eunuch Xu."

He glanced at the Imperial Guard leader, who looked conflicted and unsure which side to help, and said, "Commander Shao, please make this trip."

Commander Shao was taken aback. "Ah, okay!"

As soon as Prince Kang walked from the back hall to the side of the screen, upon hearing this, he quickly went out through the side door and went to find Xu Dahai's hiding place with practiced ease.

We must eliminate him before Commander Shao finds him!

Li Ji thought to himself.

Inside the Vermilion Bird Hall, Xu Dahai trembled and hid under the desk. The intense fear made his teeth chatter, crunching like a rat in a stinking cement ditch gnawing on food scraps.

"Snapped!"

He slapped himself hard across the face, warning himself not to make another sound, or today would become his death anniversary.

Swah——

The yellow curtain was suddenly lifted, revealing a bearded face that gradually loomed larger. The man smiled, but his eyes were sinister, as if he wanted to skin the huddled person alive.

"Eunuch Xu, I've been looking for you everywhere."

Xu Dahai begged for mercy, "Your Highness! Your Highness, please spare me! I really don't know anything!"

Li Ji pulled the man out, patted the dust off him, and laughed, "Why are you so scared? I just want you to be a witness. Come on, follow me to the Deguang Hall."

Xu Dahai dared not walk in front, and Li Ji kicked him, "No manners! You expect me to lead the way for you?"

"This servant wouldn't dare! This servant wouldn't dare!"

Xu Dahai walked ahead cautiously, his legs so weak he could barely stand. Li Ji sneered and silently took the yellow jade paperweight from the table.

As he raised his arm, he suddenly saw the person standing outside the door and exclaimed in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

Li Huai scooped up Xu Dahai, who was about to bow to him but nearly fell over, and said calmly, "Father, you stayed in the Deguang Hall for half an hour. Didn't you hear the imperial edict read out by the cabinet?"

"My name was written on the late emperor's edict of succession!"

Li Ji was shocked. He thought that the Empress Dowager had the late emperor's edict, and that the eldest grandson's ascension to the throne was a matter of course. So he waited for news of Chu Xia in the back hall and did not pay attention to what was happening in the front hall.

Previously, Xiao Zong had met the late emperor unharmed, leading him to deduce that his elder brother knew about the Empress Dowager's proposal to establish an heir, and that Xiao Zong had instigated this. Keeping Xiao Zong alive was a pretext to use the Leopard Guard to destroy his grand plan to seize power!

He devised a plan, had Chu Xia take his warrant, and mobilized the Five Cities Garrison to block Xiao Zong and the Leopard Guard outside the palace gates.

But for some reason, he waited for a long time and still didn't receive any news.

Anxious and distraught, he ran to the front hall, only to hear the Left Prime Minister say that they also had an edict of succession. Then he heard Xiao Zong's voice. Shocked, he instantly realized that it was all a scheme orchestrated by his elder brother.

However, understanding something doesn't mean you can control it.

He missed the most crucial information.

His son was the heir appointed by the late emperor!

Do you want to be the emperor?

"I want it! Even more urgently than my father's desire!"

Li Ji's lips were pale. "Back then, it was you who suggested that I marry Zhao Xuanguang."

Li Huai nodded, his tone slightly lazy, "The late emperor was wary of maternal relatives. Whoever married Zhao Xuanguang would have no chance of ascending the throne."

He personally cut off his father's path to becoming emperor.

Li Ji trembled with rage and roared, "Why? We're father and son, what can't be said openly instead of scheming against each other!"

Li Huai said, "From the moment you approached the Empress Dowager, it was destined that we two were not on the same path. We cannot work together if our paths are different, that's what you taught me."

Li Ji wiped his face in anguish, his eyes filled with confusion. "Xin'er is my brother's blood relative. Why doesn't he help his own grandson and instead let you, his nephew, become emperor?"

Li Huai shook his head, looking disappointed.

"Father, don't you understand? Back then, the Empress Dowager's maternal clan held absolute power, which caused my uncle to be trapped for half his life, unable to realize his ambitions. When Xin'er ascends the throne, he will face the supreme Empress Dowager, the Zhao family that raises private armies, and you who want to kill him at any time. At that time, the maternal relatives will hold power, the court will be in turmoil, and all he, a mere child, can do is be a good, obedient puppet, allowing you to manipulate him."

My uncle, the Emperor, had personally experienced these hardships, and he would not allow the future ruler of Daqi to repeat them. Therefore, he preferred me, his nephew, and never considered appointing the eldest grandson as heir.

"So that's how it is," Li Ji murmured.

He still couldn't accept his son's betrayal, and there seemed to be tears in his eyes.

Li Huai sighed: "Twenty years ago, you and Chu Xia began planning this matter. Later, Chu Xia disappeared, so you readily abandoned the plan, married, and had children. Now that he has returned, you have remembered your former ambitions and want to use the emperor to command the feudal lords."

"Father, throughout history, those who have achieved great things have always possessed unwavering and indomitable determination. You, however, give up easily, your will is weak, and you are clearly unsuitable to be a ruler. Times have changed, Father, give up!"

Li Ji's heart wavered, and just as he moved his jaw, he saw two burly men rush over and slash their long swords down at Li Huai's back.

"Huai'er, be careful!"

He shouted, and Li Huai reacted quickly, nimbly dodging the attack.

Xu Dahai wasn't so lucky. In his daze, the blade smashed into his right shoulder, then turned and sliced ​​along the bone all the way to his neck. Blood gushed out from under his flesh, a gruesome sight resembling being slowly sliced ​​to death on the spot.

Li Huai was locked in a fight with another person and was unable to offer any help, watching helplessly as the only witness died before his eyes.

The two murderers came on strong, each strike deadly; they clearly didn't want them to leave alive.

Li Ji's face was sinister as he dodged the blades and shouted to his son, "Zhao Xuanguang's men, that woman wants to kill us!"

Li Huai's eyes darkened, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "I know."

Li Ji picked up Xu Dahai's whisk, entangled it around one of the men's blades, and kicked him in the stomach. As he ran to help his son, the man behind him suddenly sprang up and plunged a dagger into his left back.

"Father!"

Li Huai roared, his entire body surging with murderous intent. He cared nothing for the throne or the world. At this moment, all he wanted was to tear the two assailants to pieces!

He pulled his father behind him, kicked the man's dagger away, and then sent him to another man's blade. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he hooked his toe, picked up the long sword wrapped with a whisk, untied it in a few swift movements, and slashed the other murderer to death.

"Father, hang in there, I'll take you to the imperial physician!"

Li Huai helped his father up, letting him put his arm on his shoulder, grabbing his wrist with one hand and holding his blood-soaked back with the other, and staggered towards the Imperial Hospital.

Li Ji's eyes were filled with tears, he couldn't tell whether it was from being moved or from feeling gratified.

"Father is indeed getting old."

"No."

Li Huai's voice was muffled, and he awkwardly turned his face away.

A man dressed in black was walking towards them. Li Ji recognized him, but couldn't figure out his intentions.

“…Doctor Pu”.

Li Huai turned his head and saw the other person standing there nonchalantly, so he couldn't help but clench the knife in his hand.