The more cowardly a person is, the more wild they are; I've driven the villainous minister craz

Yun Shang chuckled lightly: "Is that so? Then I'm afraid Your Highness will be disappointed."

As he spoke, he took out a token from his pocket and threw it on the ground. "Unfortunately, the prince's men have already been wiped out."

The token, stained with blood, was a personal token belonging to one of King Ying's trusted generals.

As Ying Wang looked at the token, he trembled all over, and the last glimmer of hope in his eyes was extinguished.

He suddenly sprang to his senses, intending to kill himself by smashing his head against the sword!

Yun Shang was prepared. Sheathed her sword and kicked Prince Ying away. "Your Highness, you should wait for His Majesty's decision."

He coldly ordered, "Take him away and keep him under strict guard!"

After Prince Ying was taken away, Li Yuanhe breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed onto the couch.

Yun Shang quickly stepped forward: "Your Majesty!"

The emperor waved his hand, indicating that he was alright.

He looked at the child in the wet nurse's arms and said softly, "Yun Qing, we owe you so much this time."

Yun Shang knelt on one knee: "Your Majesty dares not take credit. If Your Majesty had not taken precautions in advance, secretly sending the eldest prince out of the palace to recuperate, and setting up this trap to lure Prince Ying into the trap, I would not have been able to quell the rebellion successfully."

Li Yuanhe was not a fool. He had trusted Prince Ying before because of their familial bond, but over the past year, he had seen through Prince Ying's true intentions.

Now that he had seen through it, it was impossible for him to be completely unprepared.

Today's events are nothing more than a setup.

Prince Ying was his elder, and if he wanted to execute Prince Ying, he needed a solid charge, and the charge of plotting to assassinate the emperor and seize the throne was the most suitable.

Li Yuanhe coughed a few times, a trace of fatigue appearing on his pale face: "Xiao Fuzi, convey my decree: Prince Ying has committed treason and rebellion, the evidence is conclusive, and he is hereby deposed as a commoner immediately."

"Xiao Fuzi, go to Prince Ying's residence again and deliver a dagger, a white silk ribbon, and poisoned wine. As for Prince Ying's family... let them choose how to go."

Given the heinous crime of treason, Li Yuanhe could not possibly have spared the family members of Prince Ying.

Xiao Fuzi responded respectfully.

Just as he was about to bow and retreat, the Empress's urgent cry suddenly came from outside the hall, "Your Majesty, I have heard that Yu'er is not dead..."

Upon hearing this, Yun Shang lowered his head and took a few steps back. "Your Majesty, there are still some unfinished matters in the palace. I shall take my leave now."

Li Yuanhe nodded, "Thank you for your trouble, Yunqing."

His gaze shifted to the little prince in the wet nurse's arms, and his eyes softened.

He paused, then said, "Don't make a fuss about Yu'er for now. Wait until I'm feeling better before holding the investiture ceremony."

That's what he said, but Li Yuanhe knew very well that his body couldn't hold on for much longer.

As night fell and the sky began to lighten, the dramatic events that had occurred in Dazhao the previous night seemed as if they had never happened.

Yu Wan received a message from Yun Shang in the middle of the night to let him know she was safe, and was finally able to get a good night's sleep.

She slept until the sun was high in the sky, and as she dawdled as she got dressed and went out, someone pushed the door open and entered from the outside.

Sunlight streamed in from outside the door, outlining Yun Shang's tall and imposing figure.

He was dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, and his hair was still damp with morning dew, clearly indicating that he had just returned from the palace.

"You're awake?" Yun Shang placed the food box on the table. "I brought you some food from Fei Bao Lou."

Yu Wan rubbed her eyes, her nose twitching slightly: "It smells so good!"

She rushed to the table and eagerly opened the food box.

Looking at her charming and lively appearance, Yun Shang smiled gently: "Eat slowly, no one will take it from you."

"We'll go home after you've eaten your fill."

Yu Wan nodded, her mouth full, and asked indistinctly, "Have all the matters in the palace been dealt with?"

"Hmm." Yun Shang poured her a cup of tea and handed it to her. "Prince Ying has been executed. His Majesty issued an edict this morning that the ceremony for the investiture of the Crown Prince will be held in three days."

Yu Wan paused, "So fast? What about His Majesty's health..."

"Old Feng looked over here and said he can only hold on for another month at most..." Yun Shang's throat bobbed, and his voice was somewhat hoarse.

Yu Wan paused for a moment, and Li Yuanhe's death time was probably around the same as in the original novel.

So, in that case...

Yu Wan raised her eyes, her gaze brightening slightly.

Yun Shang will soon be appointed as regent.

……

Three days later, the emperor, who had not appeared in court since falling seriously ill, suddenly came to court holding a child. Under the astonished gazes of his ministers, he announced that the child he was holding was the eldest prince, Li Yu.

The ministers were so shocked by this earth-shattering news that they were speechless.

The Minister of Rites was the first to react, asking in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, this...this eldest prince is already..."

Li Yuanhe's face was pale but his dignity remained: "The eldest prince was born weak, so I secretly sent him out of the palace to recuperate. The child who died was just an orphan I brought back from outside the palace."

An uproar erupted in the hall.

Even if the ministers didn't believe what the emperor said, they dared not contradict him to his face.

Moreover, unless the emperor is insane, he would not hold a child who is not related to him by blood and claim that the child is the eldest prince.

Several veteran officials were so moved that tears streamed down their faces, and they all knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Heaven bless the Great Zhao! Heaven bless our Great Zhao!"

They were not unaware of Prince Ying's wolfish ambitions, but the emperor was seriously ill and had no children. Prince Ying fought and snatched away the throne, and they had no choice but to comply.

Looking at his excited ministers below, the emperor casually announced, "I have decided that, effective immediately, Li Yu shall be appointed Crown Prince. However, the Crown Prince is too young to handle state affairs independently. Yun Shang."

Yun Shang, standing below the hall, was slightly taken aback and took a few steps forward.

The Emperor said, "I hereby appoint you as Regent, to assist the Crown Prince in governing the country together with the Grand Secretary and the Vice Grand Secretary, until the Crown Prince comes of age and is able to handle affairs independently."

Upon hearing this, the court fell silent.

This news left the assembled officials momentarily speechless.

Even Yun Shang was taken aback for a moment.

Li Yuanhe never mentioned this to him.

After the initial shock, voices of opposition arose one after another.

"Your Majesty, although Lord Yun has made outstanding contributions, he is still young and I'm afraid he is not up to the task..."

"Your Majesty, please reconsider. I believe this matter is inappropriate!"

"My mind is made up." Li Yuanhe coughed twice, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials with piercing intensity. "The Ministry of Rites will jointly organize the investiture ceremony for the Crown Prince and the investiture ceremony for the Regent."

"I am tired. Court is adjourned."

Upon hearing this, all the officials fell silent.

As the emperor was helped away by Xiao Fuzi, the officials remained silent for a long time, each with their own thoughts.

After the court session, the emperor summoned Yun Shang to the imperial study alone.

The young prince had been taken to nap by his wet nurse, leaving only the emperor and his minister in the palace.

“Yun Qing…” Li Yuanhe coughed violently, his handkerchief stained with small spots of scarlet blood.

He gave a bitter smile: "My time is running out."

"His Majesty……"

"Let me finish." The emperor smiled with difficulty. "I still remember when I first met you, you asked me how much money it would cost to buy a human life."

"I haven't said anything yet, and you're already speaking—"

"Now that Your Highness can buy an innocent life with money, will you risk innocent lives for money in the future?"

"What do the lives of ordinary people mean to Your Highness?"

"Now, I would like to ask you this question again."

"If one day you hold great power, even more power than the young prince, will you remember these things?"

"Power can bewitch people. I've only been emperor for a few years, and sometimes I forget the vows I made in my youthful arrogance. I don't know what you'll be like in ten years, but Yun Shang..."

"I hope you will always remember that those who rule and hold power are for the people and the country, not for their own selfish interests."

"If Li Yu proves useless and incompetent in the future, and you are unwilling to return the power, I will not blame you. I only hope that the Great Zhao Dynasty can become better and better in our hands."

"The lonely and destitute can rely on each other, and the poor can endure hardship. I hope I can see this day."