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

"What way?"

Xiao Jinyan pursued relentlessly, his eyes flashing with determination, as if he was prepared to forge ahead no matter how difficult the road ahead might be.

Huan Rongzu took a deep breath, his gaze resolute: "Support the Prince of Guangling to ascend the throne and become emperor, stabilize the court, and then plan for the future."

Upon hearing this, the tent fell into a deathly silence once more, with only the sound of the wind outside seeming to grow even stronger, as if foreshadowing the impending storm.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan frowned, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He knew this was not merely a test of loyalty, but a final challenge to his wisdom and courage. But in this turbulent time, for the greater good, for the peace of this land, he had to make a choice. And this step would determine the fate of countless people, and rewrite the chapters of history…

Luo Chuan looked at Huan Rongzu with a solemn expression, his tone tinged with reproach and incomprehension: "Huan Rongzu, how dare you utter such treasonous words?"

Huan Rongzu's face was exceptionally resolute. His gaze was piercing, and his voice was deep and powerful: "Luochuan, you are unaware of the truth. The Crown Prince has been brutally murdered, and the situation is currently turbulent. Only the Prince of Guangling can stabilize the current chaos. Although the Prince of Guangling murdered his brother to seize the throne, a heinous crime, his safety is now crucial to the stability of the Song Dynasty. If anything were to happen to him, the Song Dynasty would likely be plunged into an abyss of destruction. In that case, the world would be in chaos, and how could the people live in peace?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan frowned, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound, as if he were contemplating some important decision.

Yes, although the Prince of Guangling is cruel and ruthless and deserves to die, what has the Song Dynasty done wrong, and what have the people done wrong? Judging from the current situation, only if the Prince of Guangling ascends the throne can the chaos be quickly stabilized, the Song Dynasty be ensured to be stable, and the people be spared the suffering of war.

Furthermore, if the Crown Prince is killed and the Prince of Guangling is also implicated, a power vacuum will emerge in the center of the Song Dynasty. At that time, the princes will fight for the throne, war will break out, and internal strife will arise. Wouldn't that be exactly what Yang Rong wanted?

Furthermore, while the Prince of Guangling's act of killing his brother to seize the throne was unethical, if he had been able to govern diligently and benefit the people after ascending the throne, it might not have been a bad choice. Historically, Li Shimin also seized the throne through the Xuanwu Gate Incident by killing his brother, but he later ushered in the prosperous Zhenguan era, propelling the Tang Dynasty to its zenith, which was undoubtedly a blessing for the nation and its people…

After a moment, Xiao Jinyan slowly raised his head, his eyes flashing with a resolute light: "Rongzu, your idea is exactly what I want. The Great Song Dynasty cannot be in chaos, and the Prince of Guangling must be protected."

Upon seeing this, Luo Chuan hurriedly stepped forward: "General..."

Xiao Jinyan stood up, put his hands behind his back, and paced back and forth in the tent, each step seeming unusually heavy: "Luo Chuan, you must go to the palace again immediately. Be careful and find out all possible information. Report to me immediately if there is any disturbance in the palace."

Luo Chuan accepted the order with a firm expression: "Yes, General."

After saying that, he turned to leave, but paused slightly, as if he still had something to say.

Xiao Jinyan seemed to see through his thoughts and gently waved his hand: "Go, be careful. Remember, you can only gather intelligence, and you must never reveal your whereabouts."

Luo Chuan's lightness skill was first-rate, earning him the nickname "Grasshopper," so the intelligence he gathered could often be delivered to Xiao Jinyan as quickly as possible.

After Luo Chuan's figure disappeared outside the tent, Xiao Jinyan turned around and looked at Huan Rongzu with deep eyes: "Rongzu, you and I need to plan carefully how to help the Prince of Guangling ascend the throne and stabilize the court in the current chaos."

Huan Rongzu nodded, his expression equally grave, and said, "General, although He Jian currently commands a large army within the palace, most of these troops are subordinates of the former Commander-in-Chief Jiang Zhan, and their loyalty to the Crown Prince is insufficient. Furthermore, with the Crown Prince dead, their morale is undoubtedly low, and they will not be willing to fight. In addition, Lian Cheng's Imperial Guards are protecting the Prince of Guangling, which can hold out for a while. Therefore, the Prince of Guangling should be safe for the time being."

Xiao Jinyan sat upright at the desk, his brows furrowed in deep thought. His voice was low and powerful: "The key is Han Xiu."

Han Xiu is currently serving as the Protector General, and is Xiao Jinyan's immediate superior.

Upon hearing this, Huan Rongzu's expression hardened, and he nodded, his eyes gleaming with an all-knowing light: "Indeed, Han Xiu's imperial guards are not only numerous, but many are also former subordinates of He Jian, and they are utterly loyal to the Crown Prince. Once Han Xiu learns of the Crown Prince's unfortunate death, he will surely be filled with grief and indignation, and lead his troops into the palace. This is the greatest threat to the Prince of Guangling."

Xiao Jinyan gently stroked the map on the table, his gaze deep, as if he were weighing every possible variable.

After a moment, Xiao Jinyan slowly spoke, his voice carrying an undeniable determination: "Rongzu, go to the Protectorate Headquarters immediately and invite Han Xiu to the Tiger Guard Camp. Tell him that I, Xiao Jinyan, have recently had a stroke of inspiration and have developed a new type of weapon with tremendous power, and I would like him to come and see it for himself."

When Han Xiu took over as the Protector General, he learned from He Jian that Xiao Jinyan had developed many ingenious and advanced weapons in the Tiger Warrior Camp. Han Xiu was not only very interested in these weapons, but also looked at Xiao Jinyan with new respect.

Upon hearing this, Huan Rongzu's eyes flashed with surprise, which was quickly replaced by understanding and excitement. He whispered, "General, do you mean to set up a trap in the Tiger Warriors camp to capture Han Xiu alive and seize his military power in one fell swoop?"

Xiao Jinyan smiled faintly, a smile that contained both the cunning of a wise man and the decisiveness of a military general: "That's right. Han Xiu is exceptionally brave, and only with a well-thought-out plan can we capture him in one fell swoop."

Upon hearing this, Huan Rongzu felt a sudden sense of relief and a surge of pride welled up within him. He stood up straight and said firmly, "Good! General, rest assured, I will go and invite Han Xiu over immediately."

After saying that, he turned around and strode out of the tent, his figure quickly disappearing, leaving only a series of firm and powerful footsteps.

Inside the tent, Xiao Jinyan gazed in the direction Huan Rongzu had left, a complex expression flashing in his eyes. He thought to himself, "General Han, I'm sorry, but I, Xiao Jinyan, absolutely cannot allow you to lead the Song Dynasty's Imperial Guards into the palace to fight the Prince of Guangling. That would not only shake the foundations of the Song Dynasty but also cause many innocent soldiers to lose their lives in vain."

For the sake of those innocent soldiers, for the stability of the Song Dynasty, and to spare the people from the ravages of war, you had no choice but to be sacrificed...

At this very moment, within the majestic and solemn imperial palace, He Jian's and Lian Cheng's armies clashed fiercely like two surging torrents. The deafening shouts of battle echoed through every corner of the palace, threatening to tear even the stone walls apart. The air was thick with the stench of blood, and the blood on the ground flowed like rivers, reflecting the last rays of the setting sun and turning the battlefield a shocking crimson.

Clad in silver armor, He Jian's eyes blazed like torches as he shouted hoarsely, "The Prince of Guangling has murdered the Crown Prince! This is an outrageous crime! Soldiers, follow me and kill! Slay the traitor!"

His voice pierced through the raging flames of war, inspiring the soldiers around him and making them never back down, even in the face of death.