Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

Cai Hui then spoke frankly, "Fourth Prince, I have no other requests, except that you acknowledge me as your mother, honor me as the Empress Dowager... and allow me to enjoy the rights befitting an Empress Dowager! And then, please support my family..."

"That's all. Don't worry, I won't interfere with you in any way... You'll be in charge!"

Xiao Tao said, "That's it?"

Cai Hui nodded: "This is more than enough!"

Xiao Tao spoke up, "Consort Hui, could you give me a moment to consider this?"

Cai Hui nodded: "Of course! I can give you one night! If you don't agree after tonight, I believe someone else will... Although the others aren't as outstanding as this one, with the help of my 'benefactor,' they will also be able to succeed!"

Xiao Tao nodded, then said, "Consort Hui, are you sure I'll let you leave?"

Cai Hui said, "Of course...you don't know yet, do you? Part of the reason I'm looking for you is because of my 'benefactor'...If you dare to lay a hand on me...you'll soon regret it! I'm not bluffing..."

Lu Yao, who had been following Cai Hui without saying a word, said, "Of course, we still have those explosive devices on us... If you want to take us away, we are confident that we can also exchange you for us!"

Cai Hui added, "Of course, I believe...you wouldn't make such a foolish choice..."

"Let's go rest now. I'm exhausted from walking all this way!"

After listening to Cai Hui's words, Xiao Tao nodded, and then sent someone to deliver them...

After Cai Hui and the others left.

Xiao Tao asked Cai Man, "Military Advisor Cai, do you think this is a coincidence? Why are all those so-called firearms appearing in such large groups?"

Cai Man shook his head: "It shouldn't be a coincidence...and it's quite obvious they're not on the same side..."

Wu Wenjin asked Cai Man, "Military Advisor Cai, who do you think we should follow now... should we advance or retreat?"

Cai Man said, "Personally, I would suggest following Cai Hui. What she said was quite sincere... Of course, if we follow them, they will have to pay some conditions!"

Xiao Tao asked, "Military Advisor Cai, what conditions do you suggest we propose?"

Cai Man smiled and said, "Actually, it's not difficult... It's very simple. Just get them to equip General Wu's 200,000 troops with firearms... If they can offer that much, then it's clear that Cai Hui's benefactor is more powerful than Xiao Xiangqing."

"Moreover, the influential person Cai Hui mentioned is clearly more confident... When we have weapons in hand, we won't be afraid of them... If Cai Hui's request is simply to support the Cai family and then ask for the position of Empress Dowager... we'll grant it! Of course, if they want to cause trouble... then we won't hold back and will deal with them directly!"

Xiao Tao said, "So, Military Advisor Cai, have you made up your mind?"

Cai Man nodded: "Of course, it still requires Your Highness's and the General's approval!"

Wu Wenjin waved his hand and said, "Didn't we already reach an agreement? I'll only handle matters on the battlefield... As for decision-making, you and the prince can decide that!"

Xiao Tao said to Cai Man, "Strategist, I'll listen to you too..."

Cai Man said, "You should agree to their request... Of course, there's a condition..."

Xiao Tao nodded: "Of course, that means equipping our army with those weapons!"

The two exchanged a knowing smile.

Cai Man then told Xiao Tao not to worry and to go find them first thing tomorrow morning.

...

At this moment, Cai Hui and Lu Yao were in a military tent.

Lu Yao said with lingering fear, "Consort Hui, do you think... we might have come to the wrong person... Just now, when we were outside, I smelled something that smelled the same as our weapons."

"Clearly, the explosion that preceded ours also came from that side. Moreover, they weren't as surprised as I expected when they saw the firearms. It's obvious they'd seen them before us!"

Cai Hui nodded: "I think so too. Who could it be? Could it be someone other than a benefactor..."

Before Cai Hui could finish speaking, he suddenly looked enlightened.

It seemed as if he had thought of something.

So Lu Yao and the other person said in unison, "You mean Xiao Ce!?"

The two nodded almost in unison!

Was it Xiao Ce who arrived before us?

Cai Hui nodded and said, "It's very likely that Xiao Ce's men came..."

Lu Yao nodded in agreement, saying, "It seems everything is out in the open now! No wonder they weren't very surprised when you mentioned Xiao Ce earlier..."

Cai Hui nodded with a worried expression.

Lu Yao asked, "Consort Hui, are you worried that they won't agree? If they do, they'll definitely kill us to curry favor with Xiao Ce."

At this moment, Cai Hui took out a string of Buddhist prayer beads from her pocket...

He took out the Buddhist prayer beads and examined them, then said, "I trust Mr. 'Benefactor.' He sent me here because he has a good chance of winning! Moreover, I believe that Mr. 'Benefactor' can definitely protect us."

After Cai Hui finished speaking, Lu Yao nodded seriously and affirmatively.

...

The next day.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Xiao Xiangqing went to find Xiao Zhan.

The same words, the same routine, the same demonstration—all repeated once.

Xiao Zhan's side also retreated very decisively.

So Xiao Xiangqing went back satisfied.

Once these rebellious kings are persuaded to return, they can resume their studies and improve their skills.

Meanwhile, Xiao Tao got up early and went to find Cai Hui.

After finding Cai Hui, he followed her to indicate that he had agreed.

Then, he told Cai Hui about what they had discussed the day before.

After listening, Cai Hui asked Xiao Tao, "How many soldiers do you have?"

After a moment of silence, Xiao Tao said, "Two hundred thousand!"

Xiao Tao had originally thought that if equipping them with 200,000 worth of equipment was too difficult, then less would be acceptable, at least 100,000.

This was also something we had discussed with Cai Man.

Whenever Cai Hui refused, Cai Man would reduce his demands.

After all, they knew very well that it would be extremely difficult for them to produce 200,000 sets of cold weapons immediately.

Not to mention, asking them to produce 200,000 sets of firearms...

However, to everyone's surprise...

Without a second thought, Cai Hui immediately agreed: "No problem! Two hundred thousand sets of firearms, as long as you set off, will definitely be delivered to you in three days at the latest!"

"However, Your Highness, you should know! You must have absolute control over the power of these firearms with your subordinates... otherwise, you will be devoured by them..."

Xiao Tao nodded and said, "Don't worry about that! But, Consort Hui, are you sure 200,000 sets are fine?"

Cai Hui smiled and nodded: "Of course, no problem... I told you before, I came here with sincerity!"

Just then, Xiao Tao said, "Then let's have a pleasant cooperation! Consort Hui!"

After hearing Xiao Tao's words, Cai Hui smiled faintly and then said to Xiao Tao, "Xiao Tao, since we've had a pleasant collaboration, isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to still call me Consort Hui?"

Xiao Tao, ever the smooth operator, immediately knelt down before Cai Hui with a thud...

After kneeling before Cai Hui, Xiao Tao said, "Your subject Xiao Tao greets Your Majesty!"

Hearing Xiao Tao's words, Cai Hui smiled and nodded, "Good...good...good boy, get up. From now on, I will definitely treat you like my own son!"

Xiao Tao nodded and echoed, "Mother, I will treat you as I would my own mother from now on!"

After exchanging pleasantries, Cai Hui asked Lu Yao to leave.

Cai Hui followed Xiao Tao's words, saying that Lu Yao had gone to deliver a message...

After they made their decision, Cai Hui stayed here...

Xiao Tao treated Cai Hui with great politeness and respect.

...

Meanwhile, after leaving the capital, Xiao Yang rushed towards the Western Regions without stopping.

He didn't encounter any trouble, but he was still a little worried about his mother.

What he didn't know was that his mother no longer wanted to acknowledge him as her son.

Then he went and adopted another son.

In Kyoto.

Empress Dowager Yun and Xiao Wenqin's health deteriorated day by day.

The Imperial Guard Commander was originally tasked with finding the person, but he managed to find them and they were nowhere to be found.

After leaving, they never came back because they couldn't find anyone.

They also took the Imperial Guards with them.

They tried to find various imperial physicians, but they were completely helpless and had no way to treat the poison they had been afflicted with.

Fortunately, Wang Guanzhong was here with his army; otherwise, their palace would have been completely unguarded.

Even cats and dogs can enter the palace now.

Consort Yun immediately summoned Wang Guanzhong back.

At this moment, Consort Yun and Xiao Wenqin were lying beside the bed.

"General Wang... tell me... have you found the person?"

Wang Guanzhong's expression was not good at this moment. He shook his head and said, "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, we have not found anyone..."

"Then...then...is there any news from Lu Yao's side?" Yun Fei was utterly despondent at this moment, and it felt like she was expending too much energy to say even a single sentence.

Wang Guanzhong shook his head and said, "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, there is still no news of Eunuch Lu... I actually asked my men, and they haven't seen the so-called 'nobleman' Eunuch Lu. Could it be that he ran away!"

Consort Yun waved her hands and said, "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! He is the person I trust most..."

Wang Guanzhong cautiously said, "It's precisely because he's the person you trust most that you had the opportunity to poison him... The imperial physicians have said more than once that this poison is extremely difficult to administer, didn't you ever have any doubts..."

Before Wang Guanzhong could finish speaking, a series of hurried footsteps and shouts came from beside him: "Empress Dowager! They're here! They're here! Eunuch Lu is back!"

Originally, he looked like he was about to become Consort Yun, but suddenly a glimmer of brilliance flashed in his cloudy eyes!

A voice, stronger than ever before, burst forth from his throat: "Your Majesty, we are saved! We are saved!"