She's skilled in medicine, martial arts, and even understands animal language—the abandoned dau

Upon hearing this, Chu Zhiyi was filled with rage, but he forced himself to suppress it.

"General Guo, Man'er established herself as the city lord to benefit the people of this region; she recruited soldiers and expanded the border garrison to build a powerful army to resist foreign enemies and protect our Chiyan from being bullied by foreign tribes. She did not have any ill intentions."

"I never imagined that her actions would be distorted into such a way by these despicable people. It's infuriating!" He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

Guo Zhen looked worried and said anxiously, "Your Highness, I am afraid that the Emperor will really order you to attack Miss Ding, at which point you will be in a dilemma."

If you obey the imperial decree and send troops, you and Miss Ding will inevitably break off relations, resulting in mutual destruction; if you disobey the imperial order, the Emperor may use this as a pretext to severely punish you.

Chu Zhiyi's gaze was deep. He paced back and forth in thought for a moment before slowly speaking: "General Guo, I will not let the villain's conspiracy succeed. If my father really does not care about the father-son relationship between us and forces me into such a dilemma, then don't blame me for doing something against his will."

From childhood, I was taught to strive for the stability of this sacred land, and I never flinched in the fight against the Japanese invaders, dedicating myself solely to the peace and well-being of the people. How can I now harm those who truly protect the nation because of these unfounded accusations?

As he said this, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes, as if he had already made a major decision in his heart.

Upon hearing this, Guo Zhen was startled and quickly stepped forward: "Your Highness, you must not act impulsively! Although the Emperor is angry, there may still be room for maneuver."

Let's think of another way. Perhaps we can find a way to demonstrate our loyalty to the Emperor while avoiding conflict with Miss Ding.

Guo Zhen knew that if Chu Zhiyizhen opposed the emperor, it would be a heinous crime that would plunge the entire court and even the whole country into turmoil.

Chu Zhiyi stopped and looked at Guo Zhen with a solemn expression: "General Guo, I am not acting impulsively. I have considered many options, but we don't have much time left."

Lin Peng, Wang Hong, and others deliberately framed her, and many ministers in the court echoed their sentiments. My father is also inherently suspicious; if I don't take action, Man'er's life will be in imminent danger, and I will be firmly branded as a traitor.

He took a deep breath to calm himself down, and then said, "I plan to go to the palace tonight to meet my father and explain the whole story."

If Father Emperor will listen to my advice, that would be best; if he insists that I send troops, I can only state my position: I swear I will never be an enemy of Man'er.

Guo Zhen looked troubled: "Your Highness, entering the palace late at night is too risky. If we anger the Emperor, the consequences will be unimaginable."

"General Guo, the situation is urgent and I can no longer afford to hesitate. If I do not go tonight, my father may issue an order to punish Man'er in court tomorrow, and then it will be too late."

Seeing that Chu Zhiyi had made up his mind, Guo Zhen did not try to persuade him further. He knew that Chu Zhiyi was not a person who liked to act impulsively and would definitely plan ahead before acting.

After Guo Zhen left, Chu Zhiyi went out of the palace on his own, pinned the golden armor guard token that Shen Man had given him to the most conspicuous position on his waist, and then found a teahouse, found a quiet room, and waited quietly.

Shortly after, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Chu Zhiyi said in a deep voice.

The door was slowly pushed open, and a tall, upright man dressed in black strode in, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Your subordinate is Zhao Ling, the commander of the Golden Armor Guard. Greetings, Master!"

Chu Zhiyi nodded slightly and said solemnly, "Commander Zhao, the current situation is critical. I need you to immediately mobilize the Golden Armor Guards and keep a close eye on the Emperor's every move. No matter how big or small the matter is, you must report it to me in detail without any omissions."

Zhao Ling accepted the order, his voice firm and resolute: "Your Highness, rest assured, my Golden Armor Guard will certainly live up to your mission!"

After Zhao Ling left, Chu Zhiyi didn't stay in the teahouse any longer and hurriedly returned to his residence.

Meanwhile, after the emperor finished his court session, he went straight into the imperial study.

There were many complicated matters in the court that needed to be sorted out, but he was also worried about his youngest son Chu Zhisheng's illness and the fact that the Empress's deposition would upset his son.

Left with no other choice, he only had half an hour to deal with urgent government affairs in the Imperial Study before rushing to Chu Zhisheng's palace.

He stepped into Chu Zhisheng's palace and saw him sitting alone on the bed, his eyes red and in a daze. It seemed that he already knew about the Empress's deposition.

Before coming, he was worried that Chu Zhisheng would plead for his mother again, and he even prepared his reasons for refusing.

Unexpectedly, when his son saw him, he simply obediently called out "Father" and then remained silent.

The Emperor felt a pang of sadness upon seeing this. Chu Zhisheng had always been a lively and cheerful child, but now he was so taciturn. The Emperor knew that all of this was due to the recent events.

He walked to the bedside, slowly sat down, reached out and touched Chu Zhisheng's head, and asked softly, "Sheng'er, how are you feeling today?"

Chu Zhisheng raised his head, a hint of stubbornness flashing in his eyes, and replied in a low voice, "Your Majesty, I am well."

His voice carried a maturity beyond his years.

When the Emperor saw that Chu Zhisheng did not plead for the Empress as he had feared, he felt both surprised and somewhat guilty.

He sighed and said, "Sheng'er, your mother... committed a grave mistake. My punishment of her is a last resort."

Chu Zhisheng lowered his eyes slightly, his eyelashes trembling, and said softly, "Your subject knows that Father Emperor is always fair. It must be that Mother Empress did something wrong for Father Emperor to make such a decision."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor felt even more uneasy. He had expected Chu Zhisheng to cry and complain, but his son's understanding and forbearance made him feel that he had been too cruel.

"Sheng'er, I am very pleased with your understanding." The Emperor paused for a moment, then continued, "In a few days, I will announce to the world that you have been named Crown Prince."

Upon hearing this, Chu Zhisheng's eyes flashed with wild joy, but he immediately lowered his gaze, concealing the emotions within.

After a moment, he raised his head to look at the emperor, his lips moved, but he said nothing.

The Emperor thought he was overjoyed, so he patted him on the shoulder and said gently, "Sheng'er, I know that you have been intelligent since childhood and have a heart for the country. You will surely be able to shoulder the responsibilities of the Crown Prince."

Chu Zhisheng was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your kindness, but your subject... Your subject is worried that Your Majesty will not be satisfied."

The Emperor was slightly taken aback, and the smile on his face instantly froze. He did not expect Chu Zhisheng to bring up Chu Zhiyi at this time.

In terms of talent and achievements, Chu Zhiyi was indeed a more suitable candidate for crown prince. However, he preferred Chu Zhisheng, and he would feel guilty if he could not pass the throne to him.

Seeing the Emperor's expression change, Chu Zhisheng hurriedly said, "Father, please don't misunderstand. Your son has no dissatisfaction with my elder brother. My elder brother has just returned from fighting the Japanese pirates in Rongzhou and has made great achievements. However, you have made me the Crown Prince at this time. I am worried that people with ulterior motives will take advantage of this to sow discord between my brother and me, or even disrupt the stability of the court."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor's tense expression eased slightly. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly said, "Sheng'er, your concern shows that you are meticulous and considerate of the overall situation."

However, I have also heard about the comments made in court regarding your elder brother. He now enjoys considerable popularity among the people, even surpassing my own. I must be wary.