In the next morning, while he was sleeping comfortably, Tantai Yu was suddenly dragged from his bed by Tantai Mingyue, who rushed in.
“What happened? Second Sister. Why are you so flurried?”
For thinking a lot these days, Tantai Yu had two dark circles under his eyes. Yesterday, he fell asleep very late. And now he had just been sleeping for less than four hours.
However, Tantai Mingyue couldn’t consider too much. Holding the clothes of Crown Prince, she urged, “Come on, get up! Father abruptly ordered to put Her Highness into Cold Palace!”
“What?!”
Tantai Yu woke up in a sudden. He asked unbelievably, “Put He Jinwei into Cold Palace?”
Tantai Mingyue nodded seriously, “I’ve been to Kunning Palace. It’s locked down by father. Nobody can see what’s going on inside.”
“Didn’t Prime Minister He protest? He Jinwei is his first granddaughter!”
Tantai Yu was utterly confused. Father feared He family in the past, so he tolerated them all the time and even let mother give the position of empress to He Jinwei. Why did he decide to do it suddenly? Wasn’t he afraid of the rebelling of He Family?
Tantai Mingyue shook her head helplessly, “I’ve just got the news for a while, so I don’t know more detailed situation. But He Family hasn’t take any actions.”
Would something terrible happen?!
Tantai Yu became serious. He put on his clothes and said seriously, “I’m going to visit father right now!”
“Well!”
Tantai Mingyue deeply agreed, because what Tantai Yu would do was the same as she wished. Forth Brother had a good relationship with Su Li, so maybe father would see him.
On the way, Tantai Yu was depressed.
He Family was the most powerful family in Tianji Country except royal family. He Tian, the head of He Family, who was over 70 years old, still possessed the vital power in the imperial court. He was above anybody except the emperor.
He Jinwei, the first granddaughter of He Tian, became the empress in Tianji Country with He Tian’s support. The youngest granddaughter He Yulan became the First Princess. If there wasn’t Su Li, He Yulan would be the next empress. At that moment, the imperial harem would be controlled by He Family. If so, was the emperor not be threatened?
Father would also consider this, so he didn’t set Eldest Brother as the Crown Prince all the time. Tantai Yu thought that father would reduce the influence of He Family softly, but it happened suddenly.
Tantai Yu considered and stepped quickly to the door. When he was about to speak, the eunuch spoke with an acute voice,
“Crown Prince, His Majesty has instructed that you can enter directly. His Majesty may have been waiting you for a long time.”
Tantai Yu was shocked and said, “Thank you, Eunuch Qian.”
“You’re welcome.”
The old eunuch smiled happily and his winkle made his eyes seen difficultly. Tantai Yu would be the emperor in the future, so he must be politer than ever before.
Tantai Yu got into the room but he didn’t find any maid around. His father was writing something.
Was it a one-on-one talk?
He felt a little bit nervous and went to his father, “Nice to see you, father.”
Tantai Feng stopped to look up and saw his “son” kneeling. He smiled, “Rise, sonny.”
Sonny?
Tantai Yu got up and felt confused for father often called him “Yu”. Why did he call him such a strange name today?
Tantai Feng found his confusion but didn’t explain. He gave an imperial edict to him, “Here you are. Arrange the following things as soon as possible.”
Tantai Yu was more confused. He accepted the imperial edict and scanned the content by accident. He was so frightened that he almost made it off his hands.
Abdication!
Father decided to let him become the emperor five days later!
“Dad, why did you…?!” Tantai Yu didn’t know what to say. He was so nervous that his forehead sweated a lot.
Tantai Feng smiled and shook his head, “Sonny, don’t worry. I know why you come here. You worried about He Family. Do you really think that I was afraid of He Family in the past that I submitted to them?”
“Wasn’t you?”
Tantai Yu became muddled completely. He wouldn’t think that it was his father if Tantai Feng was not amiable when he talked.
“Of course not.”
Tantai Feng became grim after his words, “They are just tiny ants for me. I used to be timid because of Ge. But now I’m not afraid of them. I have figured out something and didn’t worry about a lot.”
The existence of Jing Xin and the condition of Su Li could completely let him believe the real mirror spirit of Reincarnation Mirror was in the sleeping stage. Even he did something amazing, no one would stop him. So… He was much more liberal.
Tantai Yu was blank and he didn’t know what to say. He didn’t get what his father said just now.
However, it seemed that the emperor was not as close as usual to his sons. He didn’t even call himself “Zhen” (the self-address of some ancient Chinese emperors).
He thought there was a big secret. But he could just learn a little part from his father’s mind.
After wondering for a while, Tantai Yu couldn’t hesitate to ask, “Father, why are you so strange today? You make me feel…”
“You feel that I act as an outsider?”
Tantai Feng laughed suddenly. Tantai Yu changed his face, “I didn’t mean that.”
“You did.” Tantai Feng smiled, “To be honest, your little guys are the real outsiders. Our old guys want to be outsiders, but… we can’t.”
Tantai Yu became more confused. Seeing this, Tantai Feng sighed and shook his head, “Sonny, don’t think more. You’ll know the truth later. Now… It’s too early to tell you.”
“Your mom is going to be awake after two days. I’ll make her my empress again and then you’re the next emperor! You can decide to do anything in Tianji Country. I will just stay with your mom to enjoy our life. Don’t bother us unless the country faces death.”
Tantai Yu was delighted and he didn’t notice his dad’s strange face when he said “your mom”. Tantai Yu said happily, “My mom is going to be awake? That’s great. I’ll prepare now.”
While talking, he began to leave. When he stepped to the door, he realized that he forgot his original aim to here.
“Father…”
He turned around. When Tantai Yu was ready to say something in detail, Tantai Feng lowered his head and said, “After you become the emperor, you can cope with matters of He Family by yourself. Commander Xu would tell you the details and his Black-scale Guards will belong to you.”
Black-scale Guards?
The most mysterious and powerful desperados of Tantai Family!
Father decided to use the Black-scale Guards!
Tantai Yu was shocked and his worry was removed.
“Yes, dad!”
…
Tantai Yu left the Imperial Study soon. When he went out from the Imperial Garden, he saw Commander Xu standing seriously in front of the palace. Commander Xu ran to Tantai Yu quickly and welcomed him politely,
“Crown Prince!”
Tantai Yu was stunned for a while. He recalled that this man was disappointed and disdained him when he took Su Li to the palace in the past. But now it was another story.
When Commander Xu was about to bow to him, Tantai Yu held his arms to let him up and said instantly, “Get up, please. Commander Xu, I will rely on you and your Black-scale Guards!”
Commander Xu was a little shocked but continued to bow. He replied, “Saluting is necessary.”
How could Tantai Yu’s cultivation overwhelm Commander Xu? After Commander Xu saluted, he said,
“Commander Xu, my father had told me to cope with the matters of He Family. What’s going on now?”
Commander Xu was serious after hearing this. He made the following guards off. Seeing this, Tantai Yu made eunuchs off. So, only they were left on the palace road.
“Crown Prince, the matters of He Family has almost been dealt with.”
Commander Xu took a gentle breath, telling a truth that made Tantai Yu amazed.
“Why didn’t that old Prime Minister resist?”
Commander Xu remembered what he saw yesterday and he looked terrified. He explained with a slow voice,
“Here is the thing. Yesterday, all the people of He Family who could decide something disappeared secretly, including Empress Jinwei at the Cold Palace.”
“What did you say?!”
Tantai Yu opened his eyes wider and said with a high tune.
He Jinwei was his father’s concubine. How could she disappear easily?
At that moment, Tantai Yu thought of “Mr. Li”, who could do so many things beyond people’s imagination, so the shock on his face immediately faded.
“It seems you understand it.”
Commander Xu said, “I heard that there was a man in Linli Building and he had some resentment with He Family. After he was put in an important position by Mr. Li, he made a massacre to He family. People of He Family were killed cruelly. And no one escaped from death.”
“Yesterday, men from Linli Building took He Jinwei away from the palace as well as He Tian from his mansion at Tantai City. The rest of them lost their leaders, so they would be easy to be arrested after your orders! You would make a great contribution in fighting against He Family by doing this!”
Commander Xu was really excited when he said the last few words. His eyes were filled with expectation. Though he didn’t have the chance to choose his head, he could test whether the future emperor had the ability to succeed.
Tantai Yu closed his eyes and sighed gently. He was a little upset. Just less than half a month, all things changed not as usual. Finally, Su Li’s smile face appeared in his mind.
At this moment, even if he was bovine, he must had realized that it was Su Li, his sister apprentice, who assisted him behind him.
Even though he didn’t know what the relationship was between Mr. Li and Su Li, he was grateful to her support…
Tantai Yu was in anger and ordered seriously,
“Add army! Kill the rest people of He Family!”
