"Yes, My Lord!" Zhou Ji answered.

Waving his hand with a cold look, Shuo Ling ordered, "Go!"

After Zhou Ji left, Shuo Ling sneered. When the Lan Family and the Emperor were weakened by the revolt that the Lan Family started, Imperial Concubine Xiao could meddle in and reap the benefits then. What a wonderful plan!

If he had a hand in this, they wouldn't be able to present him with a good show.

So he didn't have to do anything.

At the thought, Shuo Ling turned around and walked back to his room. It wasn't as worse as he expected. He still got everything under control now!

In Lan's Mansion, Chushi Lanfu walked into Prime Minister Lan's room.

"Lanfu, have you made up your mind?" Prime Minister Lan asked when he saw Chushi Lanfu.

The latter nodded and answered, "Yes, grandfather. Let's send our army to the battlefield!"

"Great. I've expected you to say so," Prime Minister Lan said excitedly after seeing Chushi Lanfu nodding as if they had won the battle.

After a while, Chushi Lanfu asked, "Grandfather, when should we send the army?"

"Tomorrow! Because we can't wait or something may come up!" Prime Minister Lan replied.

Hearing that, Chushi Lanfu nodded and agreed after a moment's hesitation, "I see. I'll go back to prepare for it right now!"

"No need. You only have to stay in the mansion and go nowhere tomorrow!" Prime Minister Lan said right after Chushi Lanfu finished.

The latter frowned and asked, "Why?"

"I'm not completely sure that we can win. As long as you aren't on the battlefield, your father will still spare you even if we lose. Because you're his son. As for your mother, she is the empress. So the Emperor won't hurt her although we start a revolt," Prime Minister Lan explained.

Hearing that, Chushi Lanfu looked at Prime Minister Lan and asked, "Grandfather, do you want us to stay away from this?"

"This is the best plan!" said Prime Minister Lan who patted Chushi Lanfu on his hand.

Chushi Lanfu slightly frowned and said, "But..."

"Stop it. This is our final plan," Prime Minister Lan interrupted Chushi Lanfu.

Chushi Lanfu knew why Prime Minister Lan did this, so he nodded.

"You can go back now. Just leave everything to me," Prime Minister Lan smiled at Chushi Lanfu and said.

After Chushi Lanfu walked away, Prime Minister Lan put on a serious look and ordered people to prepare for tomorrow's battle!

At the same time, Yang Zijin and her fellows had already arrived in Dongling.

They might make it to the capital at noon tomorrow.

The rumor that Shuo Ling planned a revolt spread in the mansion of the duke.

Hearing that, Li Mingzi couldn't help gloating. Yang Zijin married Shuo Ling so the Mu Family might also get punished for Shuo Ling's revolt. Nevertheless, they wouldn't be severely punished. But Yang Zijin would be. Thinking of that, Li Mingzi felt so pleased.

The next morning before daybreak, Prime Minister Lan's soldiers already reached the gate.

Seeing them, gate guards quickly went back to report.

Hearing that, Chushi Youtian sneered, "Just as I expected, they made a move. Take my order! Kill them all!"

"Yes!" General Shen answered and then walked out of the palace.

When General Shen left, Chushi Youtian sighed. He was really disappointed.

How would he take the Crown Prince's title back just because of a consort? He just wanted to take this opportunity to find out how many people were coveting the throne.

How he wished that all these hadn’t happened. At the thought, Chushi Youtian closed his eyes.

People in high positions might not have trustworthy fellows. He didn’t expect those who were close to him to trick him.

Stopping before the gate, the Lan Army couldn’t get in town.

Soldiers’ cries and clang sounds made by their weapons could be heard. Residents in town were flustered and all stayed home.

"Kill them! Go!"

Hearing the order, the Lan Army rushed to the gate.

"Shoot!"

General Shen who stood on the gate ordered calmly.

Next, countless arrows flew down.

Soldiers from the Lan Army dodged. Not many got injured.

They attacked a few times and broke in at noon.

But there were soldiers in town.

Seeing that, Prime Minister Lan was shocked. The Emperor must have expected them to start a revolt so he had secretly dispatched soldiers back to the capital.

Prime Minister Lan was a bit disappointed but also felt grateful. Because he had asked people to lock Chushi Lanfu in his room.

He knew Chushi Lanfu would stay worried and go to the battlefield although he promised not to do so.

Judging from the current situation, Prime Minister Lan knew he made the right choice.

It was too late to retreat now!

Soon, Prime Minister Lan shouted, "Go!"

Then, soldiers from two armies met. At once, swords clanged and soldiers shouted.

After trying a few times, soldiers from the Lan Army didn't gain the upper hand.

Soldiers would be demoralized if their general was killed. So General Shen rode his horse and started to fight with Prime Minister Lan.

"Your Excellency, how dare you start a revolt? Your whole family will be slain then!"

"Save it. Now that I've decided to do so, I will surely make full preparations," said Prime Minister Lan who had lost his mind. Seeing that his soldiers were killed one by one, he wielded his sword and rushed to General Shen.

But he was defeated after several rounds!

General Shen looked at him and said, "Your Excellency, I didn’t know you were so stubborn...."

General Shen shook his head while speaking.

"As the old saying goes, the winner takes all. Now that I’m defeated, I won’t defy you anymore. You can punish me as you like," Prime Minister Lan looked at General Shen and said. Then he turned his head.

When General Shen put his guard down, Prime Minister Lan pulled out his dagger and stabbed himself on his chest.

Chushi Lanfu who ran out saw that and shouted, "Grandfather! Grandfather!"

He pushed his way to Prime Minister Lan.

"Grandfather, how do you feel? Are you alright?" asked Chushi Lanfu who held Prime Minister Lan and covered his bleeding wound.

Hearing his question, Prime Minister Lan frowned and asked, "Why...why are you here? Didn’t I..."

Prime Minister Lan coughed blood and then his arm fell.

"Grandfather. Grandfather," Chushi Lanfu cried and shouted.

Seeing that, General Shen said, "Your Highness, please go with me."

"I'm not the Crown Prince anymore. You don't have to call me that," Chushi Lanfu looked at General Shen, put Prime Minister Lan's body on the ground, and stood up.

Later, he followed General Shen to walk in town.

Chushi Weiming who spied on them smiled when he saw that.

After the battle, the Lan Family had been overthrown while the Emperor lost many soldiers. Next, he should...

At the thought, Chushi Weiming had a sip of water and then threw the cup to the ground.

The shattered cup was a signal.

Soon, the secret guards showed up and gathered at one place.

When all arrived, they took the initiative to attack their enemy. And other soldiers would also start to rush there.

At the same time, soldiers in town were busy clearing away corpses. They were confused and didn't know what to do when more people rushed in to attack them.

When they realized what happened, Chushi Weiming's soldiers were already close to them.

So Chushi Youtian's soldiers held their spears and fought back in haste.

In the meantime, General Shen had taken Chushi Lanfu back to the palace. No one had expected Chushi Weiming to launch another attack.

When he walked into the palace, Chushi Lanfu knelt.

"Lanfu, you really let me down. Why did you do so? Do you have anything to tell me?" Chushi Youtian looked at Chushi Lanfu and asked.

Chushi Lanfu's eyes turned red and he looked dull. He answered, "Nothing!"

"Do you admit that you are wrong?" Chushi Youtian kept staring at him and asked.

But Chushi Lanfu sneered and laughed. "Ha-ha, I did nothing wrong!"

"Nothing wrong? You planned a revolt. How could you say that you did nothing wrong?" Chushi Youtian couldn't help shouting after hearing Chushi Lanfu's reply.

Standing up, Chushi Lanfu raised his head and laughed again. "Wrong? Father, aren't you also wrong? You know I was tricked to sleep with Consort Zhen a few days ago. But for your own interests, you took advantage of me. Do you know how hurt I am because of that? Pouring my heart into helping you rule the country, I even refused to get married. Because I thought that might distract me. But look how I ended up! How I wish you had found out who tricked me! But you didn't—you didn't!"

Chushi Lanfu stood up to point at Chushi Youtian and shouted like crazy.

"Why am I wrong? When you become the Emperor, you will know you can only trust yourself!" Chushi Youtian was shocked at first after hearing Chushi Lanfu's words and then responded.

They stood in the palace and stared at each other.

Then, Chushi Youtian pulled out a sword and pointed it at Chushi Lanfu.

The Lan Family had planned a revolt. Prime Minister Lan had been killed. And Chushi Lanfu had been caught. When she was informed of these, Lanruo's mind went blank.

Quickly running to Chushi Youtian's palace, she wanted to beg him to spare Chushi Lanfu.

Right when she reached the palace door, she tripped herself and saw Chushi Youtian pointing the sword at Chushi Lanfu. Despite the pain, she cried and crawled to Chushi Youtian. Holding him, Lanruo cried, "Your Majesty, Lanfu didn't mean to do this. Please spare him...."

"Mother, don't beg him. I can take the consequences," Chushi Lanfu looked at Lanruo and shouted.

Lanruo who was crying looked at Chushi Lanfu and said, "Lanfu, apologize to your father and admit your mistake."

At the same time, Chushi Weiming and his soldiers had broken in and arrived at the palace...

"Your Majesty, something goes wrong," said Eunuch Li who stumbled while running into the palace.

Hearing that, Chushi Youtian frowned and asked, "Why are you so flustered?"

"Your Majesty, Prince Weiming...he and his soldiers have broken in and they are in the palace now," Eunuch Li took a look at Chushi Lanfu and said.