374 Fishing

On the day of the wedding, some were sad, and others were worried.

Master Liu, true to his word, cured Liu Baixue's illness on the wedding day, thus keeping his promise.

That day, Zhao Yu drowned his sorrows in wine. He drank a great deal and, in a drunken stupor, stumbled to the Bai Clan's mansion. There, he saw Liu Baixue and Bai Siyuan, discovering they had not consummated their marriage. He even overheard them mentioning something about "putting on a show."

Instantly, Zhao Yu felt as if a great weight had been lifted; the wine seemed to evaporate from his system. He was so overjoyed he almost tumbled off the roof. He then dashed home, as joyful as a child.

Seeing Xiao Ge's emotions fluctuate so dramatically, Zhao Zhitong grew bewildered. Could he be so heartbroken that he's gone mad? she wondered, before asking aloud, "Xiao Ge, are you alright?"

Zhao Yu, quite excited, exclaimed, "Sister, guess what! Little Snow didn't consummate her marriage with Bai Siyuan! It was a fake wedding! Little Snow must be hiding something from me. I knew she wasn't that kind of person. I'll go ask her tomorrow. She must still have feelings for me!"

Hearing this, Zhao Zhitong was stunned. How did Xiao Ge find out?

Without a moment to spare for thought, Zhao Zhitong hurriedly stopped Xiao Ge, who was determined to get to the bottom of it. She had no choice but to reveal the plan. "Xiao Ge, we didn't mean to hide it from you. This plan is extremely dangerous. If Master Liu were to find out, Little Snow would be in grave danger."

After much persuasion, Zhao Zhitong finally managed to calm Xiao Ge, helping him stabilize his turbulent emotions.

「Three days later,」 a large contingent of scholars from Anyang County began arriving in the Capital City.

Meanwhile, Qiao Muchen had already corresponded with Zhao Yue in the Capital City. Together, they laid a trap, waiting for the "fox" behind the scenes to reveal itself.

After the army entered the Capital City, Master Liu took Liu Baixue and the Young Master of the Bai Family hostage. Disguised as a merchant caravan carrying a large shipment of porcelain—which, in reality, concealed weapons—they infiltrated the city.

Once all preparations were complete, Gongsun Wan, a great favorite of the emperor, suddenly hosted a flower appreciation banquet in the Imperial Palace, summoning the families of all the ministers.

On that same day, Prince Liang, Pei Yuanqing, abruptly led his troops in a direct assault on the Imperial Palace.

Witnessing another nephew's rebellion, the emperor seemed to have anticipated it. Unsurprised, he sat calmly, looking at Pei Yuanqing. "Finally tired of playing the role of the carefree prince?"

Pei Yuanqing sneered. "Your Majesty, you should write the abdication decree now."

The emperor looked up, enunciating each word clearly, "You wish."

Pei Yuanqing did not grow angry. Instead, he laughed. "Your Majesty, have you still not grasped the situation? The entire Imperial Palace is now filled with my people, and the families of your ministers are all in my hands. Who among them would dare to defy me?"

Just then, Gongsun Wan entered. The emperor looked at her, his sharp gaze filled with disappointment. "I have not treated you unfairly."

Gongsun Wan knelt before the emperor, her head bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty has been very good to Wan'er."

The emperor continued, "Unfortunately, it seems that was not enough for you. Some people's ambitions can never be sated."

Gongsun Wan did not argue, merely saying, "Your Majesty, please write the abdication decree. Prince Liang has promised to honor you as the Retired Emperor and allow you to live out your days peacefully in the palace."

"Hmph!" The emperor scoffed, a cold smile playing on his lips. "You all seem remarkably confident."

His words had barely faded when, before Pei Yuanqing could ponder the source of the emperor's confidence, the sounds of battle erupted in the distance. Startled, Pei Yuanqing rushed to the doorway to investigate. But at that very moment, the soldiers who had been surrounding the palace with him suddenly turned, their swords now pointed at him!

Gongsun Wan cried out in panic, "What—what's happening?"

The next instant, Qiao Muchen, Zhao Yue, Zhao Yu, and their contingent charged in on horseback, brandishing their swords at the head of a large force. Their arrival was the clearest answer: the rebellion had failed.