Holding the script, I want to give up.

Inside the council hall, the Eastern Emperor was furious upon seeing the sudden influx of memorials impeaching Mu Rongyi. Mu Rongyi knelt on the ground, silent.

"Your Highness, how dare you!"

"Look at all the good things you've done!"

"How do you explain all these impeachments against you?"

Donghuang angrily picked up a stack of memorials and threw them on his shoulder.

"Father, are you so suspicious of your son based on these baseless trivial matters?"

"They're just a bunch of rabble. Give your son some time, and I will definitely resolve this matter."

He picked up the memorial, glanced at it, and then sneered.

"I will investigate this matter thoroughly, but you also need to reflect on your own actions!" the Eastern Emperor warned.

"My son, I obey."

Mu Rongyi kowtowed, stood up, smiled faintly, bowed, and left. Turning around, she gave a sinister smile; her change of expression was remarkably fast.

"Imperial Preceptor, what is your opinion on this matter?"

Donghuang got up and went to the hidden compartment, where he saw the young national advisor kneeling in front of the chessboard, playing chess alone.

"It cannot be said; there is a divine will in the dark."

"Your Majesty, would you like to play a game with me?"

The Grand Tutor's eyes dimmed. He waved his hand, scattering the chess pieces, and then began to tidy up the remaining pieces on the board.

"This position is ultimately too cold; no one will accompany me to the end, not even you..."

Donghuang sighed and sat down opposite the Grand Preceptor.

"Ha! That's just sophistry!"

"You've killed everyone who cared about you, so what are you pretending for?"

"If you let me go, I will feel that you still have a shred of humanity left."

The young imperial advisor looked at the Eastern Emperor with disgust, his hand unconsciously tugging at the collar around his neck. He really wanted to break the collar that bound him, but it was simply impossible.

It was a soft gold necklace with the same construction as the gold bracelet Shangguan Zitong had worn before. Though beautiful, it kept the young man confined to the deep palace.

"It suits you well, so why are you still arguing?"

"It represents my favor towards you, and you despise it so much?"

Donghuang rested his face on one hand on the chessboard.

"Ha! Pampering? I'm nothing more than your plaything."

You disgust me!

“My father entrusted me to you, yet you harbor such thoughts toward me.”

"I'm just a boy with feminine features and good looks, is that why you're so disgusted by me?"

The young imperial advisor coldly mocked the Eastern Emperor's hypocritical face; he had had enough of this life. Hidden deep within the palace, undiscovered, he was imprisoned here under the guise of being the imperial advisor.

"You really want to leave?"

"I can protect you for the rest of your life and give you countless riches. Aren't you even a little bit tempted?"

"I am simply following your father's dying wish and taking care of you diligently."

"Don't be ungrateful. I've been patient enough with you."

Donghuang leaned closer, grabbed his chin, and said in a harsh voice.

"I'd rather be dead!"

The boy turned his face away, not wanting to look at Donghuang. He had thought about many ways to die and even tried them, but each time he was discovered in time and saved.

"Stay here and don't go out."

"I need to investigate this thoroughly; something is very wrong."

"You'd better not leave this palace today; my men will protect you."

Seeing his attitude, Donghuang did not press the matter. He got up, closed the door of the hidden compartment, and left the palace, sending people to investigate the situation.

A dark and windy night, the perfect time for murder and arson. All is silent, except for the howling wind that sweeps through the palace corridors. A dramatic palace coup is brewing.

Within the palace, the struggle for power has been long-standing, marked by constant open and covert infighting. Now, ambitious ministers and disgraced concubines have joined forces to plot a coup to seize power.

In the dead of night, they stealthily infiltrated the emperor's bedchamber and launched a surprise attack while he slept. Amidst the flashing swords and the clash of blades, the guards and rebels engaged in a fierce battle. The stench of blood filled the air, and chaos reigned within the palace.

The Eastern Emperor was startled awake and stared in astonishment at the scene before him. He fought back fiercely, but outnumbered, he gradually found himself in a predicament. Under the protection of his guards, he went to a hidden compartment in the council hall, activated a mechanism to open it, and checked if the Imperial Advisor was still inside.

At the critical moment, a loyal general led a troop of soldiers to the scene and engaged in a fierce battle with the rebels.

The battle lasted for several hours, and the rebellion was eventually quelled. Peace was restored to the palace.

......

No, no, no, you think it's over with just these little changes? The real show is just beginning!

"Do not move around here. Tonight is very dangerous; it will surely be a sleepless night."

"Here's the key. I might not live past tonight. Wait until things stabilize before leaving the palace."

"Someone will take care of your daily life and escort you out of the palace."

Donghuang Xing handed the key to the young man, then closed the hidden door and left with regret.

"You gave me the key so easily?"

"It can't be fake, right?"

The boy inserted the key into the collar around his neck, the lock opened, and the collar fell to the ground with a crisp sound that echoed in his ears.

"Finally... I'm free."

The boy shed two lines of clear tears and then covered his face and wept bitterly.

Mu Rongyi's men had already stormed into the Taihe Hall, and the crowd responded to his call. He walked up to the Eastern Emperor, who was sitting on the throne, and pointed his sword at the Eastern Emperor.

"Father, it's time for you to abdicate."

"Your son will take good care of you."

Mu Rongyi stopped pretending and placed her sword against Donghuang's neck.

"You unfilial son! How could you harbor such rebellious thoughts?"

"My empire will be yours sooner or later, why do you still insist on this?"

"The outside is littered with corpses; is this the result you wanted?"

Donghuang roared at him.

"Victory or defeat hinges on this one move."

"Your Majesty, I have already lost many people."

"Quickly write the edict of succession for your son!"

"Otherwise... don't blame me for turning ruthless."

Mu Rongyi sent someone to serve the Eastern Emperor with pen and ink, hoping he would write the imperial edict properly. But he just looked at the documents and remained silent.

"Prime Minister, come out."

"I am willing to accept defeat, and the throne is yours."

The people behind the scenes in the Eastern Dynasty Palace clapped their hands.

"Accepted."

"Your Majesty, this old minister is late in coming to your rescue."

The Prime Minister sent a group of soldiers to surround Mu Rongyi and her group, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.

"Your Highness, you didn't expect this, did you!"

"Do you think you've covered your tracks perfectly?"

"My daughter is now the most honored empress of Beiji. She helped me quell your rebellion."

"As early as the last banquet, my daughter wrote to inform you of your movements."

"Those ministers and disgraced concubines are nothing but pawns to lure you."

The prime minister slowly walked out from behind the curtain, and after speaking, he took the sword from Mu Rongyi's hand and ordered two soldiers to hold him down and control the situation.

Mu Rongyi saw that his people were instantly controlled and remained silent. She just watched them quietly.

"Father, would you rather hand the throne to someone outside your family than to your son?"

"You truly chill my heart."

"Aren't you afraid that the Prime Minister will submit to Bei Ji if you hand over this empire so easily?"

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind; no one's scheme is superior to the other's."

"Father, don't be blind to the situation! Don't listen to the words of treacherous villains."

Although Mu Rongyi was being suppressed, her aura was no less than that of the Prime Minister.

"Shut up! Take the Crown Prince away immediately!"

The Empress entered the palace and went straight to the Prime Minister, standing beside him.

"Stop! I'd like to see who dares to do it!"

Donghuang slammed his hand on the table and stood up angrily.

"You are so brave!"

"Your Majesty, you've probably been secretly colluding with the Prime Minister all along! You traitor!"

"Prime Minister, this is disloyalty to a subject! You have chilled my heart."

The Eastern Emperor pointed to the Empress who was protecting the Prime Minister; there was nothing he didn't understand.

"Hehe! Your Majesty!"

"You know perfectly well that I and the Prime Minister are childhood sweethearts, yet you still have no intention of letting me go!"

Do you think I covet this Empress position?

"It was just something we had no choice about back then."

"Back then, you knew perfectly well that Song Lang and I were in love, yet you used your power to forcibly separate us! Did you have even a shred of conscience?"

"With three thousand beauties in your harem, can you remember the names of those who have fallen out of favor?"

"Or those girls you've never met, but who were sent to the palace to amuse you?"

"You just like people with nice colors."

"Don't think you're so affectionate! You're just pretending!"

The Empress calmly recounted the hardships of the past few years, her youthful beauty fading quietly with each word. "Song Lang" was her title for the Prime Minister.

"This old minister addresses you as Your Majesty only because of the Empress."

"Do you really think you can keep what happened back then from Lao Chen and Si Yi?"

"I can let bygones be bygones, but the throne must belong to this old minister."

The Prime Minister embraced the Empress in front of the Eastern Emperor, while the Empress leaned against the Prime Minister. The Eastern Emperor watched this scene with a cold smile.

......