Chapter 175 Something bad happened
After discussion, Gu Mengzhen instructed Xiao Fuzi to invite Gu Nianting back to the main hall of Di Sheng Palace.
Fang Zhixuan avoided it and left.
In the hall, apart from the secret guards of the Tongshitai hiding in the dark, there were only Gu Mengzhen and his son.
Gu Mengzhen's expression was cold and indifferent, his dragon eyes were calm.
"Between father and son, just speak frankly and don't be shy about anything."
"Tell me, what do you want in exchange for handing over the prescription?"
Gu Nianting thought he had succeeded and was secretly pleased, but on the surface he was still respectful.
"Father, the Holy Ming."
"I am researching the prescription, not to make a deal, but to share your worries with your father."
"I wonder if the affairs of the Secret Service are ever...too busy to handle?"
"If it is too busy, I am willing to do the hard work. I hope your Majesty will approve it."
Gu Mengzhen's dragon eyes were dim, and contained an unfathomable look.
"It is very troublesome to hand over the secret office. It is better to be direct. I will hand over the key of the national treasury to you and announce it to the world. You are in charge of it."
"how?"
Gu Nianting was slightly startled and smiled in confusion.
"I didn't expect Father to be so direct?"
"Father, do you know what the consequences of this action will be?"
Gu Mengzhen smiled faintly, his eyes showed both indifference and calmness.
"Of course I know."
"You are in charge of the secret council. Isn't your ultimate goal also the national treasury?"
"Since there will be a battle between us, what difference does it make whether we arrive early or late?"
"I can give you this opportunity, but whether you can grasp it depends on your own ability."
Gu Nianting glanced at him in disbelief, and then reminded.
"The Fengzhengtai has already sent people to keep a close eye on the Secret Office and the National Treasury. If your Majesty wants to quietly transfer everything after handing over the keys, I would like to offer a kind word of advice to your Majesty, please give up this idea as soon as possible."
Gu Mengzhen said calmly.
"I didn't mean that. You misunderstood."
Gu Nianting asked suspiciously and inquiringly.
"Father, are you really willing to give me this opportunity?"
Gu Mengzhen gave a hint of slyness at the right time.
"Ah."
Then, he reminded in a deep voice.
"Once I announce it to the world, the princes and princesses will definitely take action. If you want to rebel, you must do it as soon as possible."
"Otherwise, the stormy seas will make you unable to bear it."
Gu Nianting's suspicion gradually disappeared, and he raised one corner of his mouth with certainty.
"Don't worry, father. I will take care of it."
Gu Mengzhen smiled leisurely, opened the box on the coffee table, took out a key and gestured to him.
"You recognize the key to the treasury, right?"
Gu Nianting was used to being polite, so he just raised his eyes slightly, confirmed it, and responded respectfully.
As he spoke, he forgot himself and gradually revealed everything.
"Yes."
"I've seen it several times since I was a kid, and I've never forgotten it."
Gu Mengzhen generously handed over the key.
"If you send someone to watch over it, I won't have time to change the locks."
"Here is the key, take it."
Seeing this out of the corner of his eye, Gu Nianting quickly stepped forward, bowed politely, and took the key with both hands.
"I will personally deliver the prescription for the old illness to the Imperial Hospital and give it to Lord An."
"Then check the treasury."
There was an imperceptible hint of ill intention on Gu Mengzhen's lips.
"Very good."
"The imperial edict will be sent by Xiao Fuzi to Prince Chen's Palace for reading, and then announced to the world."
Gu Nianting knelt three times and kowtowed nine times, and every move he made was impolite.
"Thank you very much, Father."
Gu Mengzhen gave him a firm hand, his dragon eyes still showing a hint of arrogance.
"I should thank you for your filial piety."
Gu Nianting did not stand up, but just bowed and left.
"My son, please retire."
Gu Mengzhen waved his sleeves, remaining calm as always.
"Go."
Gu Nianting handed over the prescription for his old illness. After Ansong confirmed that it was correct, he carefully put the prescription in a wooden box and then, according to etiquette, respectfully sent Gu Nianting out of the Imperial Hospital.
Afterwards, Gu Nianting took the key, went to the treasury, and opened the door of the warehouse with great anticipation.
The intricately carved dragon and phoenix patterns are lifelike, setting off the originally heavy gate and making it look even more majestic and spectacular.
As he pushed the door open, dust blew in randomly, flying in the mottled light and shadow, making Gu Nianting unable to open his eyes for a while.
The followers behind him also closed their eyes.
After the dust settled, Gu Nianting finally saw the current state of the national treasury.
All he saw were rows of messy wooden shelves, empty at a glance, with only the smell of darkness mixed with dust, as if mocking his dull wit.
Gu Nianting's body was like a stone sculpture, frozen in place in confusion and astonishment, unable to move for a long time.
As a child, he had the privilege of seeing the national treasury several times.
At that time, there were so many treasures, gold and silver, but now...
After being dumbfounded, Gu Nianting began to sneer.
"As expected of you, father emperor, hehe."
"Fortunately, the prescription for the old illness that the king sent was also fake."
"Otherwise, I will be pissed off by him!"
At this time, Wu Yan came to report.
"My Lord, something bad has happened. The real prescription is missing!"
Gu Nianting's whole body was shocked, and he was filled with astonishment.
"what?!"
Wu Yan whispered in his ear.
"Alliance Leader Qi speculated that perhaps the emperor's men had mixed in among the doctors recruited by the prince."
"The fake prescription that was originally intended to be submitted was replaced by the real one by that person during the chaos."
Gu Nianting almost lost his balance.
Wu Yan immediately reached out to help.
"Be careful, my lord."
Then, a Feng Zheng servant came hurriedly.
"My Lord, something terrible is happening!"
"Master Qi and Master Tao are facing great disaster, and Fengzhengtai will not be saved!"
Gu Nianting was so furious that his eyes almost burst out.
"what?!"
"So, I really fell into the trap?!"
Suddenly, he became so angry that he covered his chest and fainted on the ground.
His men were in chaos.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
On the other side, in the Di Sheng Palace.
Xiao Fuzi came back with a haggard face and two imperial edicts in his hands. Gu Mengzhen asked in confusion.
"Where is the imperial decree?"
"Who dares not to accept the order?"
When Xiao Fuzi left, he took three imperial edicts in total. One was sent to Prince Chen's Mansion, and the other two were sent to Fengzhengtai. They were the edicts to dismiss Qi Lei and Tao Kangping respectively.
"Your Majesty, something has happened. I'm afraid that Master Qi and Master Tao cannot be dismissed."
Gu Mengzhen stood up in shock, his brows furrowed.
“Why can’t he be removed?”
"What happened at Feng Zhengtai's place?"
When Xiao Fuzi replied, he was full of grievance and even had a little bit of crying tone.
"For some reason, the two adults each have an imperial decree in their hands."
"The Imperial Edict allows them to leave the capital, and it is justified."
"I went to convey their orders, but they refuted me and left me speechless..."
There was even more disbelief in Gu Mengzhen's astonished eyes.
"Yu's order?"
"Why would they ask for an imperial decree?"
"How could King Di Jin do as they wish?"
Xiao Fuzi lowered his head even more and kowtowed repeatedly.
"I am stupid and I don't know."
After adjusting his breathing, Gu Mengzhen calmed down a bit and slowly sat back on the dragon throne.
"It is difficult to seize the throne."
"That's fine."
"Fortunately, the prescription is in hand."
"Xiao Fuzi, tell Fengzhe to kill the three Ning girls immediately, and show no mercy!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard Ansong asking for a meeting.
After approval, Ansong came running over, fell to the ground, and reported in a crying voice.
"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened. The prescription is missing!"
Gu Mengzhen had just sat down when he was startled again.
"what?!"