Chapter 740: The Second Prince and Lord Xi Have Same Thoughts
That day in the Imperial Palace, Li Qiang reached very early.
It was because Zhao Zhuang Chen had asked him yesterday to do so. The prince had said that he was going to give him some kind of plan he was making.
Li Qiang looked around continuously as he waited for the prince.
He was afraid to be seen by anyone. He had told the prince the same thing.
Though he was not the head of Li Clan, he was a very good martial artist. Even his father who had been a great martial artist had approved of that though he had said that Li Heng was more capable of being the head of the clan.
However, Li Qiang was still a great martial artist in the whole of Li Clan.
Even when he had come to meet Qin Wenya for the first time, he could feel the presence of the shadow guards around him. It was a very light feeling and he was not sure if he was right or not.
However, he didn't want to take any risk.
Even yesterday, he dared to meet Zhao Zhuang Chen secretly because he could not feel any presence around him. But he could feel it in Li Manor.
Li Qiang came out of his thoughts when he heard a sound.
He sighed in relief when he saw that it was Zhao Zhuang Chen who was walking toward him.
Zhao Zhuang Chen also didn't stay for long because they needed to go to Imperial Court soon.
"This is the plan, Minister Li."
Li Qiang took the paper Zhao Zhuang Chen gave him and opened it immediately. His face was emotionless as he looked at the marked passages and then looked at the prince again.
"Your Highness, when are we going to implement it?"
Zhao Zhuang Chen's face also didn't say anything but inside his mind, he was slightly frustrated.
To implement his plan, he was waiting for some special kind of opportunity. He wanted many people to be there in the Imperial Palace on such a day when he would implement his plan so that the suspicion of killing Zhao Wang Lei as well as his dear son would not fall on him.
It would already make him stand in a difficult situation if both of them were killed, however, he wanted to create a kind of situation where he would not be implicated at all.
He could make a few people disappear and then show that those were from the neighboring empire that had already sent his people once to kill Zhao Zhang Wei. As for him, he could also say that he was also attacked. It was his luck that he was saved.
And hence, he will come out clean.
However, such a day was probably difficult to come in the near future.
That was what he thought.
But maybe till then, he could just increase his manpower.
Zhao Zhuang Chen didn't tell all this Li Qiang. He instead asked Li Qiang.
"Do you have a few soldiers working under you? And by your soldiers, Benwang means…the soldiers who are completely loyal to you."
Li Qiang was silent for a moment before he nodded his head and said
"Yes, Your Highness."
Zhao Zhuang Chen sighed in relief and asked again
"How many?"
"Around twenty to thirty."
Zhao Zhuang Chen had wanted to click his tongue in disapproval but then thought that something was better than nothing.
So he nodded his head and then said coldly
"You will be informed a day before when Benwang will implement the plan. Just come wherever Benwang will ask you to with your soldiers."
The expression on Li Qiang's face could not be deciphered for a moment. In the end, he could only nod politely. But he still told Zhao Zhuang Chen.
"It is just a request. If possible, Your Highness can try to inform this servant a little earlier. This minister will also have to train the soldiers accordingly."
Zhao Zhuang Chen merely nodded his head and walked away.
.
.
.
When General Li reached the Imperial Court, he immediately asked Li Qiang when he left Li Manor and how did he not get to know about it.
Li Qiang only told his brother that Li Rong had not been feeling well for the past few days and hence he had come to take the medicine from the Imperial Physician.
General Li nodded his head.
The relations between First and Second Households had not been good these days.
However, he didn't want anything to affect his relationship with his brothers.
The Imperial Eunuch announced the arrival of the Emperor and hence both the brothers stood straight and then kneeled down with other ministers.
After the Emperor had ordered everyone to get up and sit on their seats, the first matter that was brought up in the Imperial Court was what the Imperial Court had ended at yesterday.
It was Minister Xin who stood up. The ministers had already asked him to do so.
"Did Your Majesty think about what should be done with the vacant Empress throne?"
Zhao Wang Lei was silent for a few moments. His phoenix eyes were cold as he silently looked at the center of the hall and then said
"Yes. Zhen thought about it."
Then he went silent again.
It was after a long time he announced in his deep majestic voice
"Fifteen days later, an Imperial banquet will be organized in the Imperial Palace. All the minsters are ought to send the eligible girls from their noble households to the Imperial Palace. Through the usual process, the new Empress of Xin would be selected."
Almost a cheer erupted through the excited minister's mouths when they heard the announcement.
Xi Ying smiled in mockery seeing all this.
His eyes suddenly went to Zhao Zhuang Chen as he remembered the letter from the last night,
The pair of deep black eyes narrowed when he saw a weird expression on the prince's face.
Was he planning something again?
When Xi Ying looked at Zhao Zhang Wei, he saw that the latter was also looking at Zhao Zhuang Chen.
Xi Ying realized that he needed to tell Zhao Zhang Wei about Zhao Zhuang Chen's plans. He would be able to keep an eye on Zhao Zhuang Chen more easily than him.
The rest of the Imperial Assembly just went ahead like any other normal day. The winter was about to end and soon the crop would also be cut.
Many things needed to be discussed.
Not everywhere in Xin, the soil was fertile so the grains from the villages with fertile lands were bought by the Imperial Clan and then distributed to areas with not so fertile lands.
Such things were discussed today and Xi Ying didn't focus much on this.
His mind was on the plan he needed to make to counter Zhao Zhuang Chen's plan.
After the assembly ended, Xi Ying accompanied Zhao Zhang Wei to Xinhe Palace.
He noticed Eunuch Wang looking in his direction and was sure that this news will soon reach Zhao Wang Lei's ears, however, he was not afraid at all.
He had already told Zhao Wang Lei that he goes to Xinhe Palace for his wife who was pregnant with his children.
Even if Zhao Wang Lei didn't buy his excuse, he no longer cared.
He will soon kill him. Hence the latter didn't have much time to investigate him or do anything to him.
Once inside the study room, Xi Ying took out the paper he had inside his sleeve and spread it on the table.
When he saw Zhao Zhang Wei looking at the paper with a blank face, he explained.
"This is something that Zhao Zhuang Chen has planned to kill Zhao Wang Lei."
Zhao Zhang Wei couldn't help but raise his eyebrows as he traced the marked spots with his fingers.
His phoenix eyes were sharp. It was after a few moments, that he spoke slightly coldly
"Benwang had never known that he had so much knowledge of this Imperial Palace."
Even Xi Ying had not known this.
"But how did Prime Minister Xi get this?"
Xi Ying had already expected this question and told him truthfully.
"Princess Consort Yun gave this to me."
That was another surprise for Zhao Zhang Wei. However, he frowned soon because he doubted that it was just a trap.
Maybe Zhao Zhuang Chen was planning something else.
Before he could ask more, Xi Ying continued
"Princess Consort Yun wants us to promise complete safety of hers and the young prince …if we want more information from her."
Zhao Zhang Wei frowned in confusion as he whispered
"Safety?"
Seeing Zhao Zhang Wei's confused face, Xi Ying understood that he never had the intent to kill the young prince. Xi Ying was satisfied and explained to him calmly.
"She is afraid that after we will kill Zhao Wang Lei and Zhao Zhuang Chen, we will not leave the young prince alive for the safety of the throne in your Highness's hands."
"Rubbish…"
Zhao Zhang Wei said instantly.
He had already seen the death of his two unborn children in helplessness.
He was already a sinner. How could he do the same to an already alive child who had so much to see in this world?
"Benwang doesn't care even if the young prince wishes to fight for the throne. Benwang will; simply fight with him at that time. However, killing a child is against Benwang's morals."
Xi Ying nodded his head and said
"This Lord had thought the same."
Afterward, he looked at the plan. Zhao Zhang Wei did the same.
As he looked at the pan, Xi Ying couldn't help but reiterate his wife's words.
"What does Your Highness think? Should we let him implement his plan?"
However, Xi Ying was surprised when a strong refusal came from Zhao Zhang Wei. Not only this, his words echoed the same thought he had in his mind.
"Not at all. Zhao Wang Lei will be killed by Benwang…Benwang wants to see his helpless face as he breathes his last. Benwang won't allow anyone else to have this fortune."
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