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It was quite apparent that someone felt the Lin Family was an impediment, and thus wanted to eliminate the entire Lin Family.

Lu Chen pondered for a moment, wondering who was most likely behind this incident—was it the Crown Prince, or another Prince?

However, the likelihood was that it was indeed the Crown Prince.

As of now, Lin Gaoyuan had not made his stance clear. To the Crown Prince, Lin Gaoyuan was still one of Sum Emperor's men. Ever since the Sum Emperor fell ill, aside from the State Preceptor and those closest to the Sum Emperor, only Lin Gaoyuan and Zhao Wenhan, the two Prime Ministers, had been granted audience with the Sum Emperor.

Zhao Wenhan had already overtly sided with the Crown Prince. So for the Crown Prince, Lin Gaoyuan posed the greatest threat in the royal court. Therefore, he took this opportunity to get rid of Lin Gaoyuan as well.

This way, aside from the State Preceptor, only Zhao Wenhan would have access to the Sum Emperor, laying the groundwork for actions they might take later on.

Actions such as forging imperial edicts, or altering the will, and the like.

At this time, Liang Zong asked, "Prince, do we need to save the Lin Family?"

Liang Zong was the Commander of the Brocade Guard. As a person with access to core intelligence, he was well aware that Lin Gaoyuan was North Prince's man. Now that Lin Gaoyuan was imprisoned, the Brocade Guard was likely to take action.

Lu Chen thought for a moment and then said, "Not for the moment. My father, the Emperor, will not stand by as Lin Gaoyuan is taken down. However, if their lives are in danger, then the Brocade Guard should find a way to escort the Lin Family out of the capital city."

The Sum Emperor was no fool. Being a minister without a stance, as long as Lin Gaoyuan did not align himself with any Prince, he belonged to the Sum Emperor.

Now that the Crown Prince sought to remove his man, how could the Sum Emperor agree? It's highly likely he would step in to protect the Lin Family. After all, the Emperor was only feigning illness, not actually dead.

Liang Zong replied, "Your subordinate understands."

"If there's nothing else, your subordinate will take his leave."

"Very well, go attend to your duties."

...

Several days later.

Great Xia Dynasty, Capital City, Heaven Prison.

Lin Gaoyuan and Lin Xiuming were locked in adjacent cells. Although they were imprisoned, the jailers treated them with great courtesy and did not dare to mistreat them.

Lin Xiuming, sitting cross-legged on the ground, asked, "Father, what should we do now?"

Resting on the bed with his eyes closed, Lin Gaoyuan spoke indifferently, "We continue to wait."

Seeing his father's calm demeanor, Lin Xiuming said in confusion, "Father, even at this juncture, how can you be so unfazed? Being accused of attempting to assassinate the Emperor is a crime that condemns the entire family to death."

With a chuckle, Lin Gaoyuan responded, "What use is your worry now? Are you considering escaping from prison? If you were to actually escape, our Lin Family's guilt would most certainly be affirmed."

Upon hearing these words from Lin Gaoyuan, Lin Xiuming was stunned for a moment, then hesitated to speak.

At that moment, he clenched his fist and smashed it onto the ground, creating an instant pit.

Lin Xiuming felt extremely aggrieved in his heart. The Lin Family had done nothing, yet they were branded with the crime of regicide.

Could it really be that they could only wait for death in Heaven Prison?

Watching his son become so agitated, Lin Gaoyuan firmly said, "Xiuming, do you truly believe that those trivial pieces of evidence are enough to doom our Lin family?"

At his father's words, Lin Xiuming paused, and then said, "Father, it's the crime of regicide, and all that evidence was found in our house. Aren't those proofs substantial enough to convict us?"

Lin Gaoyuan sneered and said, "They wouldn't believe their framing and false accusations."

Lin Xiuming said, "But His Majesty now..."

Lin Xiuming didn't finish his sentence. He wanted to say that the Sum Emperor was nearly dead and couldn't look after the Lin Family any longer. It was highly likely that the Crown Prince would be judging them, and he probably didn't plan on sparing the Lin Family.

Lin Gaoyuan interrupted, "Father knows what you want to say. However, things are probably not as simple as you think. Haven't you noticed that Great Xia's Heavy Cavalry has moved to the South?"

"Why don't you think about who controls the Heavy Cavalry now?"

At first, Lin Gaoyuan also thought that the Sum Emperor might have been driven insane, but he didn't believe that the Sum Emperor was going to die so soon.

Once he learned that the Sum Emperor had deployed the Heavy Cavalry, he was even more certain of his guess: the Sum Emperor was likely fine and plotting something.

So even if the Lin Family was framed, Lin Gaoyuan wasn't worried at all. He was one of the few ministers who hadn't taken sides yet; he didn't belong to any Prince's camp—he was the Sum Emperor's man. The Sum Emperor would not stand by and watch the Lin Family be eliminated by the Crown Prince.

On the contrary, it was the faction of the Crown Prince that was about to face trouble. Poisoning the Sum Emperor, harboring delusions of seizing power and usurping the throne—Lu Yi's days as the Crown Prince were numbered.

Just then, the sound of chains clinking echoed from not far away.

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Realizing that someone else was coming in, Lin Gaoyuan stopped talking.

The next moment, a series of familiar figures appeared in front of Lin Gaoyuan and his son.

Zhao Wenhan, dressed in prisoner's garb, was shackled and chained at his feet and wrists.

Seeing this, Lin Gaoyuan burst out laughing, then said, "Zhao, how come you've come to keep me company?"

Hearing this, Zhao Wenhan glared at Lin Gaoyuan with venomous eyes and sneered, "Mr. Lin, don't get too pleased with yourself. The North Prince has already sided with the Crown Prince. Even if you get out now, you will end up back here sooner or later!"

At that moment, the jailer came to the door of the cell where Lin Gaoyuan was held, opened the door, and with a nod and a bow said to Lin Gaoyuan, "Prime Minister Lin, the matter has been investigated thoroughly. You are free to go."

Lin Gaoyuan got up from the bed without hesitation and walked straight out. Once he reached the corridor, he said to Zhao Wenhan, "Zhao, a dragon has scales that must not be touched. Touch them and you die. After decades of serving the Emperor, do you still not understand this principle?"

"Once you're in here this time, coming out will probably mean heading to the execution ground."

After these words, Lin Gaoyuan headed straight out, ignoring Zhao Wenhan's cursing.

In the following days, the Lin Family was exonerated, and Lin Gaoyuan returned to the royal court. Meanwhile, those of the Crown Prince's faction either died or were captured.

Although Lu Yi's position as Crown Prince had not been revoked and he was still regent, he was feeling an intense sense of crisis.

If the rumors were true, if there really was an Immortal Pill, then waiting any longer would mean his father the Emperor would surely return to court, and his position as the Crown Prince would inevitably be revoked!n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

No! He could no longer sit idly by!

No matter what, he had to ascend to that position!

Over the next month, Lu Yi sought to win over Situ Ce, went to great lengths to get close to the royal Grandmaster, and also rallied some Military Generals.

To avoid the same fate as Prince Lu Shuyun, Lu Yi also made early contact with Lu Chen, planning to escape to the North Country if he failed.

Finally, feeling that everything was ready, Lu Yi led his troops straight into the Imperial Palace one night.

…