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  The Marquis of Wu Ding's mansion was indeed impressed, and every year-end, there were abundant New Year's gifts sent from Beiling to the Yongning Hou Mansion in Shengjing. Although they did not attend weddings and funerals due to the tight border situation, their heavy gifts never stopped.

  So, even someone as astute as Old Lady Zhu thought that the Lu family was highly valued by the Wu Ding Hou Fu, which is why when Ming Xuan was almost forced into marriage with Jian An Hou by the Hou Fu's lady, she placed her hopes in the Lu family of the Wu Ding Hou Fu.

  However, after Lu's death, the exchanges between the Wu Dinghou Mansion and the Yongninghou Mansion were like a zither with broken strings, and those beautiful and smooth melodies suddenly stopped.

  For nearly twenty years, he had been currying favor with the emperor and now had enough reason to shake off the rumors of murdering his mother. The downfall of the three branches of the Gu family provided him with a perfect excuse. If others asked about it, he only needed to feign ignorance and say with a helpless expression, "I have something on my mind, but I am powerless," and then shift all responsibility onto the emperor and Prime Minister Pei.

  Even Lian Yongning, the Marquis of Ning, did not dare to speak out for the three houses of the Gu family. There were also rumors that he was being too harsh on the Seventh Miss. His maternal uncle, who was far away in Beiling studying military affairs, didn't even ask about her well-being; what could be expected from him?

  Four years had passed since there was no contact between the Wu Ding Hou Fu and Ming Xuan.

  Even if it's a cold and distant relationship, Wu Ding Hou has committed the crime of treason this time, which is punishable by extermination of nine clans!

  Ming Xuan's heart was filled with anxiety. As the niece of Wu Ding Hou, she had already married and the emperor needed to rely on her husband. She thought that she should not be affected by this matter, even if the emperor wanted to settle accounts after autumn, it would be a future problem. However, if the emperor suspected her brother Gu Yuanjing due to Wu Ding Hou's rebellion, and at a time when they were facing a strong enemy, if the emperor issued a secret decree to remove Gu Yuanjing, the consequences would be unbearable to think about.

  As expected, the Wu Dinghou army pressed the borders of Shengjing's outer city, and a eunuch who had gained power in the palace quietly went back and forth to the southern border under the protection of a team of imperial guards.

  Ming Xuan was both shocked and fearful, worried that the eunuch had in his bosom a secret edict to put Gu Yuanjing to death.

  With the emperor's suspicious nature, he can do this. It must be known that if his trusted Gu Yuanjing is really in cahoots with Wu Dinghou, then the southern border is in danger! Gu Yuanjing and Lin Nanwang will respond from inside and outside, and they can drive straight into Pingzhou, from Pingzhou down to Shengjing, pointing directly at the imperial city, and attacking the imperial city together with Wu Dinghou. If Pei Jingxun is also persuaded to withdraw the northern army, then the emperor is like a fish on the chopping board, to be slaughtered at will.

  Pei Jingchen's expression was also very solemn, he had been in the court every day recently, and it seemed that he had heard some rumors, so he immediately dispatched a team of dead soldiers to the southern border. Hoping to give Gu Yuanshan a chance to warn him before the emperor's secret edict arrived. As long as they intercepted the eunuch and the imperial edict, at least they could ensure that there would be no trouble for the time being, and after repelling Lin Nan Wang, the emperor would settle accounts in the autumn...

  The situation is changing rapidly, and at that time, only heaven knows what will happen.

  Inside the palace, the emperor's face was pale and haggard. His heart was anxious and could not calm down.

  Although Pang Ju's northern army had dispersed the rebel forces of Wu Ding Hou, how could Wu Ding Hou, who had been planning for many years, be so easily defeated? Wu Ding Hou devised a plan to abandon his camp and escape. He led his elite cavalry to shake off the northern army and circled around to the Xishan camp. The Xishan camp was the emperor's most trusted troops, but previously a large number of them had secretly gone south under the cover of night to become the main force under Gu Yuanjing's command, so there were not many soldiers left now.

  The rebel army easily defeated the remaining soldiers of Xishan Camp and then put on the armor of Xishan Camp's soldiers, under the pretext of receiving a sacred decree to rescue the emperor. They openly entered the city of Shengjing. However, after entering the city, those people did not engage in a fierce battle with the Imperial Guards, but instead disappeared like a wisp of smoke, leaving no trace.

  For an emperor, open strife is not as frightening as secret struggles.

  The elite cavalry that had infiltrated Shengjing was invincible, but it couldn't withstand the combined forces of the Jingyiwei and the Imperial Guard. The skilled warriors of the Forbidden Guard were also a match for them, and even the various royal palaces and noble households had a certain number of brave soldiers who could be used as elite troops. Together, they would have been more than enough to deal with a few rebel troops. However, these rebels didn't launch a direct attack; instead, they dispersed throughout Shengjing, blending in with the crowds, making it extremely difficult for the authorities to find them, like looking for a needle in a haystack.

  The emperor sat on the five-clawed golden dragon throne and asked in a deep voice, "Why hasn't Han Xiuxiu come?"

  After Pei Xiang's death, the descendants of the Pei family either actively or passively withdrew from important positions in the imperial court. The emperor took advantage of this to install his own people in those key positions. The Lu family was naturally the biggest beneficiary, and the Yu family of Dingguo Gongfu also made significant gains.

  He thought that now the world is at peace, the people are living in happiness and prosperity, even if these people may not be able to take on these positions for a while, but as time goes by, they will eventually adapt. What's there to fear? Who would have thought that Prince Lin Nan actually harbored evil intentions, directly rebelling against the imperial court and colluding with Marquis Wu Ding to attack the Imperial City of Shengjing! In the midst of chaos, he suddenly realized that these newly promoted officials, who could maintain order in a peaceful world, were not up to the task in times of turmoil.

  Now the emperor can rely on and trust only Dongping King, Jian'an Earl Liang Ji, Cheng'en Marquis Lu's father and son, and Ping Zhang Zheng Shi Han Xiu. When he received the news of Wu Ding Hou's rebellion entering the city, he immediately sent someone to summon these four confidants to the Huangji Temple for a meeting.

  Dongping King, Jian'an Earl Liang Kun and Cheng'en Marquis Lu's father and son all arrived, only Han Xiu's seat was empty.

  The eunuch who had gone to the Ping Zhang government office to deliver the edict hastily kowtowed and replied, "In reply to Your Majesty's words, at the Ping Zhang government office, someone came down with dysentery a few days ago. Although it was discovered in time, yesterday several young servants from outside the palace also contracted it. Dysentery is contagious, so Lord Han is afraid that if he enters the palace for an audience, the disease will spread to others."

  He presented Han Xiu's handwriting, "This is Mr. Han's letter."

  The emperor's eyebrows were tightly knotted, he signaled the eunuch beside him not to go and receive, but said in a low voice, "This place is not an outsider, read it out."

  Although dysentery is not a difficult disease to cure, it has a certain contagiousness. If someone in an ordinary family gets this disease, they should be avoided. The emperor is the master of the Zhou Dynasty, and he knows that his body is precious and cannot be easily ill, especially at this time when he is busy with the rebellion of the Marquis of Wu Ding, and he does not want to take any risk to his body. If he falls ill, then the throne will be in danger.

  Han Xi's letter did not contain many grand words, but rather a detailed explanation of the reasons for his inability to attend, as well as his views on the current situation. He instructed the Five Cities Garrison and the City Defense Command to conduct a thorough search within the inner city, and requested that the Imperial Guard and the Feathered Forest Army be dispatched to clear the palace of any potential threats. The Inner Palace Guards also strengthened their defenses, and that was all.

  The emperor was uncertain whether Han Xiuying's illness was real or fake, but as the letter said, since the enemy is in the dark and we are in the light, there is not much he can do, only to make every effort to set up an iron defense. Even if Han Xiuying really came, it would not be possible for him to have any constructive opinions.

  He thought to himself, and then put aside the matter of Han Xiuzhi, turned his head to ask Jian'an Bo Liang Qi and Cheng'en Hou Lu Shi father and son: "At present, the situation is critical, I think all of you have already known, I invite you to come, is to discuss countermeasures, in addition to Han Xiuzhi's words about doing his best to defend, are there any other methods? Wuding Hou is stubbornly entangled outside the imperial city, and it is unknown how much confidence the northern army has in capturing Lu Tong brothers. That spy who sneaked into the imperial city also doesn't know where he is hiding, what he wants to do, really makes me feel uneasy!"

  If Nanjing Gu Yuanjing is really in cahoots with Lin Nan Wang Yiqiu, then turning the gun around and responding from within and outside, Shengjing will be in danger, the mountains and rivers will be in danger!

  The King of Dongping's face was calm as water, extremely serene.

  For him, whether he was crowned as Emperor or King of Lin Nan, it didn't make a big difference. He remained the King of Dong Ping, and this outcome wouldn't change.

  His father and the previous emperor were paternal cousins, and also paternal cousins with the King of Lin Nan. In terms of closeness or distance, they are actually the same, without much difference. Even if the King of Lin Nan's iron cavalry broke through the gates of Shengjing, and the King of Lin Nan ascended to the throne, in order to maintain the recognition of the clan, he would not take action against the already scarce imperial family of the Zhou dynasty, lest he be criticized by the people for being "unrighteous". On the contrary, he would only increase his efforts to appease them, in hopes of gaining their recognition.

  When the emperor cast his gaze upon him, the Duke of Dongping said, "I believe Lord Han's words are not in vain. For now, we can only do our best to defend and absolutely cannot let any of Wu Dinghou's people have any chance of sneaking into the palace. The five-city troops and city defenses must be inspected, but the imperial guards within the palace must also be strengthened."

  He thought for a moment and then said, "In order to ensure safety, Your Majesty should also send more elite guards from the Imperial Guard!"

  "According to my humble opinion, the saying 'catching a thief first catches the king' applies here. The hundreds of bandits who entered the city are nothing to worry about, as it's impossible for them to enter the palace. However, if Wu Ding Hou can capture those two rebels, this wave of rebel forces will naturally collapse without a leader. Unfortunately, the one resisting Wu Ding Hou is now Peng Gu, the commander of the Northern Army, who is said to be an old subordinate of Xiang Chu Wang and only listens to An Ping Wang's orders."

  He sneered coldly, "The Northern Army is also the Emperor's soldiers, and they should directly obey the Emperor. Now, they only recognize Anping Wang, a young and insignificant prince, as their commander, and do not put the Emperor in their eyes. Such an army, I think, is very unreliable. If Anping Wang also has rebellious intentions, wouldn't that be sending sheep into the tiger's mouth? Your Majesty must not forget, Wuding Hou Lu Tong, that old traitor, is Anping Wangfei's uncle! Who knows what kind of conspiracy they have in secret?"

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