The prince is fierce: Who dares to steal my woman?

Wei Wuji sighed deeply, his gaze deep, as if recalling the past or weighing the pros and cons: "Your Majesty, you do not know, but this old minister has also been dismissed by His Majesty and ordered to retire to his home. Now, this old minister is confined to his residence and cannot be of any help in the affairs of the court. I am powerless to do so."

Wei Wuji had long been a member of the Guangling Prince's faction, a fact the emperor was well aware of. In order to ensure the smooth succession of the crown prince and stabilize the court, the emperor simply removed him as well.

Upon hearing this, Liu Kun's heart sank even further, as if a boulder were pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe. He abruptly stood up, pacing back and forth, his anxiety evident: "What should we do? Must we really just stand by and watch the Crown Prince ascend the throne and put me to death?"

Wei Wuji's eyes were as cold as frost, and a resolute smile appeared on his lips as he slowly spoke: "Of course we can't just stand by and watch the Crown Prince ascend the throne smoothly. Once he sits on that throne of supreme power, not only Your Majesty, but even my head will be in danger."

Upon hearing this, Liu Kun's expression changed drastically, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He paced anxiously, his voice trembling slightly: "There is still Yu Jin, the Chamberlain, in the court. Perhaps we can only rely on him now."

Wei Wuji sneered, his eyes filled with a profound insight into human nature: "Yu Jin? That old fox is nothing but a weather vane who changes with the wind. If Your Majesty gains power, Yu Jin will surely be pragmatic and help push things along. But if the Crown Prince gains power, he will not hesitate to switch sides and become the Crown Prince's most loyal lackey."

Upon hearing this, Liu Kun's heart sank, as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing down on him, making it difficult to breathe: "Then... then what should we do? Right Minister, you and Jiang Zhan have both been dismissed from your posts and lost your voice in the court. And that old fox Yu Jin is unreliable. Are we really helpless and can only sit and wait for our doom?"

Wei Wuji's eyes flickered in the dim light as he spoke in a low but firm voice: "Your Majesty, do not panic. Although Jiang Zhan has been dismissed, he has cultivated deep roots in the Imperial Guard for over twenty years. Even though he is no longer in power, his former cronies are still lurking in every corner of the Imperial Guard, loyal to him. These people may be the key to our turn of events."

A glimmer of hope flashed in Liu Kun's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by doubt: "But... can we really rely on those people? After all, they are just some mid- to low-ranking officers in the Imperial Guard. How can they possibly contend with the powerful Crown Prince's forces?"

Wei Wuji shook his head slightly, a deep smile playing on his lips, as if everything was under his control: "Jiang Zhan has been dismissed by His Majesty. Once the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he will inevitably lose power. How could he not hate him? And what about Jiang Zhan's cronies? Once they also lose power, how could they not hate him? Right now, the Crown Prince's ascension to the throne seems like the situation is settled, but in reality, undercurrents are surging. Beneath this imperial city lie countless unknown secrets and forces. As long as we cleverly plan and utilize Jiang Zhan's influence in the Imperial Guard, uniting with those discontented generals, we might just be able to stir up a storm and rewrite this predetermined fate."

Upon hearing this, Liu Kun seemed to wake from a dream, and said slowly and deliberately, "Right Minister, do you mean... our most urgent task now is to win over Jiang Zhan's cronies in the Imperial Guard and launch a counterattack against the Crown Prince?"

A sharp killing intent flashed in Wei Wuji's eyes: "Your Majesty, this is our only chance."

As night deepened, their conversation echoed in the silence, a tense atmosphere thick with the impending storm. Wei Wuji and Liu Kun knew that this step would mean certain death, but for survival, for the refusal to be controlled by fate, they were willing to gamble everything for that sliver of hope. Beneath the walls of the imperial city, a breathtaking contest was quietly unfolding…

---------

That night, the moonlight was as clear as a wash, its silvery glow gently spilling onto the bluestone streets of Jiankang City, draping the ancient city in a veil of mystery and tranquility. Yang Rong sat gracefully inside the ornately decorated carriage, the breeze outside the window softly ruffling her long, black hair. The carriage moved slowly forward, each contact of the wheels with the ground seeming to foreshadow the coming storm.

Just as the tranquility was gently enveloped by the night, a sudden, rapid, heavy thud of hooves shattered the silence. Immediately afterward, Wei Kui, leading a troop of fully armed soldiers, appeared silently like ghosts in the night, blocking the carriage's path. Their armor gleamed coldly in the moonlight, and the dust kicked up by their hooves was particularly glaring in the dim moonlight.

The carriage came to an abrupt stop, and Yang Rong, still thrown off balance, nearly crashed into the door. Enraged, she flung open the door, her gaze meeting that of the disgusting man before her.

"Wei Kui, what are you trying to do?"

Yang Rong's brows furrowed, and her body trembled slightly.

Wei Kui's lips curled into a greedy smile, his eyes filled with desire and madness: "Yang Rong, today on the streets of Jiankang City, an indescribable impulse surges within me, and I wish to settle things with you. What do you say?"

"Wei Kui, don't do anything reckless!"

Yang Rong's tone carried a hint of warning, but more so a fear of the unknown.

"What, Yang Rong, you shameless slut? You can make that bastard Xiao Jinyan do those inhuman things in front of the people of Jiankang, but you can't make me have my way?"

"Wei Kui, how dare you!"

"Yang Rong, you filthy bitch, what am I afraid of? Today, I'll show you what I'm capable of!"

Wei Kui's tone left no room for argument. He slowly raised his hand, signaling his men to take action.

Two soldiers in iron armor with cold, hard faces roughly dragged Yang Rong off the bumpy carriage. Her delicate body staggered uncontrollably a few steps due to the sudden impact, and the gold hairpins and jewelry on her head scattered all over the ground, making a crisp and desperate sound.

The night was as dark as ink, and the moonlight was thin, yet it could still faintly illuminate Yang Rong's face, which was filled with fear and helplessness, and her eyes were glistening with tears of pleading for help.

Wei Kui's lips curled into a lewd smile, his eyes gleaming with greed and excitement. He strode forward like a hungry beast, ruthlessly pinning Yang Rong to the ground. His hands gripped her arms tightly like iron pincers, the force almost crushing her bones.

"Wei Kui, you bastard, let me go!"

Yang Rong's scream shattered the silence of the night, her voice filled with endless fear and despair, echoing through the streets of Jiankang, yet it seemed no one was willing to lend a helping hand. Wei Kui, far from showing any restraint, was instead spurred on by the piercing cries for help, his smile growing even more ferocious.

Wei Kui frantically tore at Yang Rong's outer garments, each tear accompanied by the sound of ripping fabric, like the sound of a heart breaking, particularly jarring in the silent night. Yang Rong struggled with all her might, but her strength seemed so insignificant in the face of Wei Kui's absolute advantage. She could only watch helplessly as her clothes were stripped away piece by piece, her heart filled with unprecedented humiliation and despair.