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

The Emperor left Chu Zhisheng's palace and returned to his study.

Stepping into the study, he went straight to the desk, sat down slowly, his gaze falling on the spread-out bright yellow Xuan paper, but his thoughts drifted away involuntarily.

He knew in his heart that, according to the order of seniority, Chu Zhiyi, as the elder brother, should have the advantage; and in terms of merit, Chu Zhiyi had fought in the south and north, made great contributions to the Chiyan Jiangshan, resisted foreign invasion, and protected the people's peace, which was unmatched by anyone.

In contrast, although Chu Zhisheng was intelligent and quick-witted, he was still young and lacked experience. He had not accumulated enough experience in either governing the court or fighting on the battlefield.

However, the emperor favored Chu Zhisheng, and the fact that the empress had been deposed made him feel indebted to this young son, which strengthened his resolve to make Chu Zhisheng the crown prince.

Now, the most pressing problem is how to draft this edict of investiture in a way that will convince the people and avoid criticism from court officials and the common people.

He stroked his beard, his brow furrowed, lost in thought.

Two quarters of an hour later, still unsure how to begin, he simply summoned the eunuchs and asked them to invite Wang Hong, Lin Peng, and several other ministers to come and discuss the matter.

After Wang Hong and the others gathered in the Imperial Study, the Emperor spoke solemnly: "My beloved ministers, I intend to appoint Sheng'er as the Crown Prince. I have summoned you here today to discuss the details of the edict."

This edict must both demonstrate the imperial authority and inform the people of the profound meaning behind my decision to establish an heir; there must be no errors whatsoever.

Upon hearing this, Wang Hong stepped forward first and respectfully said, "Your Majesty is wise. His Highness the Second Prince is intelligent, kind, filial, and virtuous, and is indeed the most suitable candidate for Crown Prince."

Lin Peng immediately chimed in, "Lord Wang is absolutely right. Although His Highness the Second Prince is still young, as long as His Majesty teaches him carefully, he will surely grow into a wise and benevolent ruler as soon as possible."

Everyone chimed in with their own opinions, engaging in a heated discussion about the contents of the imperial edict.

From the wording of the edict and the use of classical allusions to the polishing of every detail, everything was carefully considered.

The emperor would sometimes nod slightly, indicating his agreement with certain suggestions; at other times, he would frown and ponder, raising his own doubts.

As they continued their back-and-forth conversation, before they knew it, the sky was getting dark, and the light in the study was becoming increasingly dim.

Upon seeing this, the eunuchs quickly stepped forward to light the candles.

In the flickering candlelight, the figures of the group appeared somewhat tired, but their discussion remained lively.

By evening, after several rounds of revisions and improvements, an edict appointing the crown prince was finally finalized.

The Emperor rubbed his slightly sore temples and said slowly, "Let's stop here for today. My dear ministers, you have worked hard. Think about it carefully when you get back. If there is anything else you can add, please report it to us at tomorrow's morning court."

Wang Hong and the others knelt down to receive the order, then left the imperial study and returned to their own residences.

However, within a quarter of an hour, all of the Emperor's words and actions that day were reported to Chu Zhiyi by the Golden Armor Guards without missing a single word.

Although Chu Zhiyi had long known that the Emperor favored Chu Zhisheng, he never expected that the Emperor would disregard the overall situation and make Chu Zhisheng the Crown Prince at this time.

Chu Zhiyi clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force, his eyes filled with disbelief and resentment.

In his mind, the stability of the Chiyan Empire was the most important thing, and the position of crown prince was related to the rise and fall of the country, so a virtuous person should be chosen to establish it.

"Why? Just because he is favored by the Emperor, does that mean he can get everything without lifting a finger? And I, who have devoted myself to Chi Yan and risked my life, deserve nothing in return?"

Chu Zhiyi's dark eyes turned bloodshot with anger. He slammed his fist hard on the table in front of him, and the table shattered with a crack.

"His mother used despicable means to take away the empress's position that originally belonged to my mother, causing my mother to suffer endless torment in the cold palace."

Now he wants to seize the crown prince position that rightfully belongs to me! Is the realm of Chi Yan truly going to be thrown into chaos by this mother and son?!

Chu Zhiyi murmured to himself, his voice filled with sorrow and resentment. The emotions that had been suppressed in his heart for a long time surged out like a flood breaking through a dam.

Although he hated Chu Zhisheng and his mother, he hated the Emperor even more at this moment.

Thinking of the Emperor's actions over the past two days, he couldn't help but clench his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, yet he felt no pain at all.

Xiao Yichen stood aside, watching the usually composed Chu Zhiyi lose his composure, his heart filled with worry.

He stepped forward and advised, "Your Highness, things have come to this point; you must remain calm. Acting rashly now might lead you into a trap set by treacherous individuals."

Chu Zhiyi took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, but her clenched fists still trembled slightly.

"Mr. Xiao, how can you expect me to remain calm? Over the years, I have risked my life on the battlefield, all for the sake of the people of Chiyan living in peace and prosperity, and for contributing to the stability of this land. I have devoted myself to public service, yet I have been treated so unfairly in return!"

Xiao Yichen sighed, "Your Highness's achievements are evident to all the people. But His Majesty... Now that he has made his decision, we must plan carefully and find a proper way to turn the situation around."

Chu Zhiyi looked intently at Xiao Yichen, "Mr. Xiao, I will go see my father now and ask him directly why he made this decision."

This position of crown prince is crucial to the rise and fall of the nation; it must not be easily placed in the hands of the inexperienced Chu Zhisheng.

Xiao Yichen looked troubled. "Your Highness, His Majesty has made up his mind. If you go to see him now, you may anger the Emperor, and the consequences will be unimaginable."

"If I don't go to see him and let things develop, Chi Yan will be in grave danger! As a prince, I bear the heavy responsibility of protecting the country and its people. How can I back down? Zhi Mo, take my musket and come with me to Qianqing Palace!"

After Chu Zhiyi finished speaking, he strode resolutely toward the door.

Helpless, Xiao Yichen could only watch him leave.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, the Emperor had just finished bathing and was resting in bed with the help of his eunuchs.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by a eunuch rushing in, kneeling down, and reporting in a panicked manner: "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! His Highness the First Prince has forcibly broken into the palace and is almost at your bedchamber!"

The Emperor's expression changed drastically, and he immediately sat up straight. "What is he doing here in the middle of the night?"

The eunuch replied in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, this servant does not know. I only heard that His Highness the First Prince had a face full of anger, as if he harbored a great grievance."

The emperor frowned, thinking to himself: Could it be that this rebellious son has found out about my decision to establish an heir and has come to interrogate me?

As he pondered a solution, Chu Zhiyi strode into the palace.

He was dressed in black, with sharp eyes, a musket in his hand, and an aggressive aura.

The Emperor, feigning composure, rebuked, "Yi'er, what do you mean by this? Breaking into my bedchamber in the dead of night, what kind of behavior is this!"