After being exiled for eighteen years, the prince returned to the capital as a veritable immortal.

Royal palace, back garden.

Empress Wei and the Crown Prince once loved this place very much and often came here to play.

After the Crown Prince case, Empress Wu never came again.

As the chief eunuch, Jiang Chong loved this place the most; it was practically his private domain.

As the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he issued most of his orders to the guards from this location.

Today is his fiftieth birthday, and the eunuchs and guards have prepared a grand banquet in the garden to celebrate his birthday.

……

At the entrance to the garden, beside the winding stream pavilion.

The Third Prince, Zhou Yan, wore a robe with a four-clawed golden dragon. He was tall and slender, with a gentle and refined appearance.

Standing by the lotus pond and under the red pavilion, his gaze kept sweeping towards the garden entrance, as if he were waiting for someone.

soon.

The Fifth Prince, Zhou Chang, also dressed in a black python robe, strode in with a vigorous and energetic air.

The Third Prince beckoned, and the Fifth Prince immediately stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said:

"Greetings, Prince Yan!"

"Your Highness, you're too kind. There's no need for such formality between brothers like us, is there?"

"Hahaha...that's true."

The Fifth Prince asked, puzzled, "Third Brother, why did you summon me here?"

"..."

The third prince paused for a moment, as if there were some things he found difficult to say.

After a moment's consideration, he said, "My fifth brother's maternal uncle is the Grand Marshal, and Prime Minister Qu has also formed a marriage alliance with the Grand Marshal through their children."

"With such a background, why would Fifth Brother need to celebrate the birthday of a mere servant?"

Zhou Chang was taken aback, not expecting the other party to be so blunt, and asked in return:

"Third Brother, didn't you come too?"

After another moment of silence, the Third Prince said:

"The order of seniority is established according to the ancestral system of the Great Qian Dynasty: the position of crown prince shall be established by the eldest son of the legitimate wife."

"Fifth brother, I will succeed to the throne, and you will command the million soldiers of the Great Qian Dynasty."

"To kill wherever one pleases, wouldn't that be exhilarating?"

The Fifth Prince laughed loudly: "Hahaha..."

“Then let me be the emperor, and my elder brother will be the prime minister to lead all the officials.”

"Isn't it quick?"

The two brothers looked at each other and smiled, then said in unison:

"Then, we'll just have to rely on our own abilities."

The Fifth Prince turned to leave, but the Third Prince continued:

"Fifth brother, sometimes we must unite against external threats."

"Third Brother, are you saying we should take down the Sixth Prince together first?"

The third prince shook his head.

The fifth prince was puzzled and said, "It is widely rumored that my sixth brother has the potential to become Emperor Yao."

“He has been decadent for many years and has become a complete alcoholic. Father will definitely not approve of him,” the Third Prince said.

"Thanks for Lao Liu's self-degradation, hahaha..."

"Giving up on yourself? Fifth Brother, didn't you ever consider when Sixth Brother started to become decadent?"

The Fifth Prince pondered for a moment and said, "When...he wanted to exonerate the Crown Prince...could it be...Father?"

"Father has always thought highly of his potential as Emperor Yao, how could he possibly depose him?"

"Third Brother, who is that?"

A hint of disdain flashed across the Third Prince's eyes.

With that kind of brain, he still wants to compete with him for the position of crown prince.

"Fifth brother, think about it, who is most afraid of the Crown Prince's case being overturned?"

"Father... Emperor, no, it's Jiang Chong!"

The Fifth Prince's eyes showed disbelief: "Sixth Brother wants to settle the Crown Prince's case, and Jiang Chong is afraid, so..."

His expression was solemn, and his face changed several times.

Finally, he smiled:

"Third Brother is really cunning; is he trying to scare me away?"

"..."

The Third Prince, exasperated, prompted, "Who wiped out the Crown Prince's entire family?"

"Jiang Chong".

"Who drove my second brother insane?"

"Jiang Chong".

"Who drove my sixth brother to such despair, making him drown his sorrows in alcohol every day?"

"...Jiang Chong."

After sorting everything out, the Fifth Prince finally believed it and exclaimed:

"They were all... beaten down by Jiang Chong."

The Third Prince patted the Fifth Prince on the shoulder:

"Fifth brother, of the six sons of Father Emperor, only you and I remain. The bloodline of the Martial Emperor cannot be lost to that servant."

The fourth prince, living on the belly of a woman, was completely ignored by the two.

"Third Brother is right, let's join forces and kill that scoundrel!"

Like lips and teeth, if one is gone, the other will be in danger; the two hands firmly clasped together.

"Third Brother, we have another helper."

The Fifth Emperor suddenly said, "My eldest nephew, Zhou Yi."

"Him?" A hint of disdain rose on the Third Prince's face.

A fiefdom the size of a bird's nest, located in a desolate, barbaric borderland...

"Grandmaster! It's said that he has already advanced to the Grandmaster level."

"It's just a charade to deceive the world and create hype." The Third Prince's face was filled with dissatisfaction.

The Fifth Prince scratched his head, equally skeptical.

At the age of twenty, he was promoted to the seventh-rank Grandmaster.

The most talented Martial Emperor in nearly a thousand years only reached the sixth rank of the Cave Realm at the age of twenty.

"I have already sent people to Zhujiabao, and the truth will be revealed soon."

No sooner had the Third Prince finished speaking than a young eunuch rushed over.

He glanced at the Fifth Prince, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.

The Third Prince said, "Speak freely if you have something to say. Fifth Brother is not an outsider."

The young eunuch said, "Third Prince, there is big news coming from outside the palace."

Has something big happened in the capital?

The two princes immediately perked up.

Early this morning, the two of them entered the palace to pay their respects to the concubines and try to build relationships.

I haven't really been paying attention to news from outside the palace.

"As soon as Prince Yi of Liangzhou entered the city, he killed two Embroidered Uniform Guards..."

Slay the Embroidered-Clad Guards?

The two princes exchanged a glance, their expressions filled with shock.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards raided and exterminated the family, showing no respect even to the Prince. They had long wanted to kill them.

However, it's just a thought at most.

The grandson of the emperor was so fierce that he killed someone right there in the street.

The Third Prince shook his head: "My nephew has really offended Jiang Chong this time. It's going to be difficult."

"He also shouted highly disrespectful slogans," the young eunuch continued.

"He who kills will be killed by others! No one in the world is exempt!"

The Fifth Prince clapped and cheered:

"What spirit! Truly worthy of the Zhou family's sons!"

After the initial excitement subsided, he realized the serious consequences and said...

"Third Brother, Yi'er is the Crown Prince's orphan and also a descendant of the Martial Emperor..."

"Yes, we can't let it fall into Jiang Chong's hands again," the Third Prince said through gritted teeth.

Fifth Prince: "Alright, let's help our nephew carry the burden! It's just killing two lowly soldiers."

The third prince nodded.

Silence fell over the pavilion, and the two felt immense pressure.

Just then, another old eunuch rushed over and reported:

"Prince Yi of Liangzhou, arrest all the Embroidered Uniform Guards who raided the Feng residence!"

So fierce?

The two princes were startled once again.

They not only obstructed the Embroidered Uniform Guard from handling the case, but also arrested people.

Jiang Chong will definitely make a big fuss about it and convict her of disrespecting Empress Wu.

I really don't understand where this grandson of the emperor got such audacity.

The Third Prince's expression was grave: "It's going to be difficult to contend with the Embroidered Uniform Guard's law enforcement."

The old eunuch's next words were like a bolt from the blue, almost causing the two of them to lose their footing.

"Su Wen, the deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, has been executed by His Highness!"

"Are you sure?"

The Third Prince and the Fifth Prince asked in disbelief.

As princes, neither of them dared to even entertain the thought of killing Su Wen.

The Grandson of the Emperor was swiftly beheaded.

Back then, the Second Prince was driven to madness simply for obstructing the Embroidered Uniform Guard from enforcing the law.

The situation has become so serious that it is beyond the control of the two princes.

The Third Prince pondered for a moment and sighed:

"Let's go and pay our respects to Empress Yu Gou."

Empress Yu Gou was the most favored by Empress Wu.

If we can persuade her to step forward and plead for the Crown Prince, there might still be a glimmer of hope.

"Yes, yes, yes."

The Fifth Prince nodded repeatedly, "Even if we have to kneel and kowtow, we must beg the Empress to help us plead for the Imperial Grandson."

The two had just taken a step.

A middle-aged palace maid rushed over and said:

"The Prince of Liangzhou caused a great disturbance at the gate of Yao's mother's house."