"Who... who would be suitable to find at this hour?"
Chu Chenyi also found himself in a difficult position, hesitating for a long time to find a suitable candidate.
Under the current circumstances, it was not as easy as before, where one could simply find someone to test the medicine. The situation was urgent, and every move they made was under surveillance, forcing them to act with trepidation.
Not to mention how difficult it was to find a living person to test medicine. Both of them fell into a dilemma.
...
"Is what Empress Dowager said true?"
Chu Yanxi looked at the Empress with surprise, his voice filled with disbelief.
"Naturally, it is true. Can Empress Dowager use this to deceive you?"
"Empress Dowager, I still find it hard to believe. Are you truly certain that Chu Chenyi and Feng Jin entered Father Emperor's sleeping quarters?"
Seeing that Chu Yanxi still refused to believe her, the Empress became as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. She impatiently sat beside Chu Yanxi and said, "Ever since your Father Emperor fell ill, Empress Dowager has arranged for people to constantly monitor your Father Emperor's sleeping quarters day and night. They personally witnessed Concubine Qin, who serves Empress Dowager, bring Chu Chenyi and Feng Jin inside."
"Concubine Qin brought them in, so it must be Empress Dowager's intention. Ever since Father Emperor fell ill, Empress Dowager has controlled the inner palace and personally guarded Father Emperor's sleeping quarters. Concubines and princes find it difficult to see Father Emperor. Now, Empress Dowager is having Concubine Qin bring Chu Chenyi in, could it be... is she planning to establish Chu Chenyi as Crown Prince!"
Chu Yanxi's heart suddenly panicked at this thought. He knew that Empress Dowager had always favored Chu Chenyi and had more than once wanted to make him Crown Prince.
The current condition of his Father Emperor was unknown. If this were truly the case, then his years of planning would be ruined. Thinking of this, Chu Yanxi slumped onto the chair helplessly.
"Xi'er, things have come to this. What are your plans?"
"What else can I do? Now that Father Emperor is gravely ill, everything is in Empress Dowager's hands. If Empress Dowager wants to establish Chu Chenyi as Crown Prince, what can I do?"
Seeing Chu Yanxi's despondency, the Empress became extremely anxious and said agitatedly, "This child of mine has truly been drained of his spirit by that little slut Feng Ruoyan. She's a vixen. Ever since you married her, look at what you've become! Where is the ambition you once had!"
"Enough, Empress Dowager. What does this have to do with Yan'er? Don't blame Yan'er for everything!"
Chu Yanxi's heart ached when he heard his mother speak of Feng Ruoyan like that. How could he let anyone insult the woman he loved so much? Not even his own mother.
"You... alas..."
The Empress sighed. She was helpless with Chu Yanxi. If she had known her son would turn out this way, she would never have agreed to let him marry the troublemaker Feng Ruoyan.
As a result, Chu Yanxi had become estranged from her. How could her son have been so rebellious towards her before? It was all because Feng Ruoyan, that little slut, had stirred up trouble between them, causing them to drift apart.
If this calamity continued to stay by Chu Yanxi's side, it would eventually lead to great disaster.
For a moment, the Empress harbored murderous intentions. The day her grand plan succeeded would be the day Feng Ruoyan met her end.
Her son would become the Emperor of Dongchu, and he could have any woman he wanted. She would never allow Feng Ruoyan to remain by Chu Yanxi's side.
"It's useless to say these things now. The most pressing matter is to find a way to contend for the throne. Xi'er, Empress Dowager has been planning for so long, enduring humiliation just for you to become the Emperor of Dongchu."
"Empress Dowager, the situation is extremely unfavorable to me. I'm afraid the outcome is already decided. What else can I do..."
Chu Yanxi sighed, listless, as if his spine had been removed. He was considerably dejected.
"For now, we can only break the cauldrons and sink the boats, and gamble for ourselves."
The Empress's words instantly piqued Chu Yanxi's interest. He looked at his mother and tentatively asked, "Empress Dowager, do you mean to..."
"I had foreseen this day long ago and made arrangements for it. Xi'er, Empress Dowager will handle all these matters. You only need to step by step ascend to that position and firmly hold onto it. You don't need to worry about anything else."
"Empress Dowager, are you planning a coup d'état? This is a crime punishable by extermination of the entire clan..."
Only now did Chu Yanxi fully understand what his mother meant. If they succeeded, they would be honored; if they failed, they would be prisoners, their lives and fortunes not even their own. Such a risky endeavor... how could Empress Dowager choose to do this?
"You are the legitimate son, and I am the Empress. This position rightfully belongs to you. If it weren't for that old woman, the Empress Dowager, interfering and repeatedly preventing your Father Emperor from making you Crown Prince, you would have been Crown Prince long ago! How could it be the turn of that bastard Chu Chenyi!"
"I should have been more ruthless and taken his life back then, instead of crippling his legs. I never expected him to be so lucky as to be able to stand again!"
This was her greatest regret. If she hadn't been merciful back then, thinking that with Chu Chenyi's crippled legs, he would be forever out of the running for the throne, and a cripple would pose no threat to Chu Yanxi's position, she would have spared his life. She never expected him to be able to stand again.
The situation had reached this point, with the enemy's swords at their throats. If they continued to remain passive, in the end, they would only be like fish on a chopping block, at the mercy of others.
"Empress Dowager, this matter is of utmost importance. Ling Mohan is guarding outside the palace. We cannot possibly succeed."
Facing Ling Mohan alone, they were no match. With Ling Mohan present, even with a thousand troops, they would be helpless.
This plan was too risky. By calculating it, they had no chance of winning.
"That is not a problem. If it were before, we would indeed not be Ling Mohan's match, but it is different now. Feng Jin is his greatest weakness. Now that Feng Jin is inside His Majesty's sleeping quarters, as long as we control Feng Jin, Ling Mohan will be nothing to fear."
If it were before, she would indeed not have dared to act. But now it was different. As long as they controlled Feng Jin, they would have no need to fear Ling Mohan.
"Xi'er, you cannot hesitate any longer. Now is the best time. If you delay further, you will forever lose your chance at the throne and can only watch as Chu Chenyi ascends to power."