Chapter 53: Now or Never

"Your Majesty, if we are to strike in advance, should we notify Cao Dahai and have him assist..." Xiao Anzi asked with worry, only to be interrupted by Ning Chen. "There is no need to tell Cao Dahai about the operation. Use your men from the Eastern Depot!"

"Remember, you must not leave any trace!"

"As for Cao Dahai, I want him to know that there are some things I can accomplish even without him!"

Ning Chen was well aware that Cao Dahai was an extremely intelligent man with his own hidden agenda. To make good use of such a person, he had to be kept in a state of apprehension.

If he could rescue Fan Dayou from the Empress Dowager's grasp without using Cao Dahai's imperial guards, completely unnoticed, then given Cao Dahai's cleverness, he would certainly realize that he was not indispensable. He could be replaced at any moment, or even "made to disappear"!

This was the sense of dread that Ning Chen bestowed upon Cao Dahai.

After giving all the instructions, Ning Chen hurried back to the banquet. Although the banquet was filled with merriment, he had not forgotten the gunpowder-laden atmosphere from earlier.

While he did not know what else the Empress Dowager was plotting besides dealing with the Prince of Jing, nor why all the vassal kings had so cooperatively come to the capital, one thing was certain: the Empress Dowager and these vassal kings each had their own schemes.

He even had a vague feeling that a conflict between the two sides was about to break out soon.

Especially the Empress Dowager's use of gentleness to overcome rigidity and advancing by retreating when facing the Prince of Jing and the Prince of Ning, which only reinforced this premonition.

The Empress Dowager had brazenly told a bald-faced lie, claiming that tomorrow they would jointly discuss whether to fight or to make peace!

This was clearly a tactic to buy time!

Yet, what exactly was she buying time for...

Carrying these doubts, and worried sick about Fan Dayou, Ning Chen played the role of the obedient attendant by the Empress Dowager's side, while meticulously observing everyone present every single second.

Ning Chen could not find the answer for the time being. The only thing he could be sure of was that the Empress Dowager would definitely strike against the Prince of Jing ahead of schedule.

And if the Empress Dowager made Fan Dayou meet the Prince of Jing, regardless of the outcome of their game of wits, Fan Dayou was bound to die!

Therefore, Fan Dayou had to be rescued, and it had to be done before the Empress Dowager made her move against the Prince of Jing.

As for the Prince of Jing, until he had gathered sufficient strength, Ning Chen did not want either the Empress Dowager or the Prince of Jing to fall just yet, as that would break the existing balance.

When he had previously employed the strategy of deflecting disaster onto another, pinning the cap of the mastermind on the Prince of Jing, it was merely to intensify the conflict between him and the Empress Dowager.

This would distract the Empress Dowager and keep both sides locked in a continuous struggle.

As long as Fan Dayou was successfully rescued, depriving them of the most crucial human witness, the Empress Dowager could not do anything to the Prince of Jing!

Thus, the Prince of Jing would not suffer any actual loss, yet his confrontation with the Empress Dowager would continue to escalate.

In this way, he could sit back on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, exactly as he had originally planned!

More importantly, as long as the Empress Dowager and the Prince of Jing kept fighting each other, he would have much more room to maneuver in the future...

There is no banquet in this world that never ends.

However, to Ning Chen's surprise, the Empress Dowager took the initiative to end the banquet early. After a few brief polite pleasantries, she led her people back to the Fengyi Palace.

The guests dispersed one by one, which only made Ning Chen's anxiety grow even deeper.

What worried him even more was that the moment he returned to the banquet, he had already noticed that the elderly matron by the Empress Dowager's side was missing.

He did not know if Xiao Anzi's men had made their move yet, or if it had gone smoothly.

He had no idea whether Xiao Anzi and his men would make it in time!

Even after returning to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he continued to pace back and forth nervously!

It was like licking blood from the edge of a blade; success or failure hung on this single action!

If Fan Dayou were rescued, he himself might be completely exposed before the Empress Dowager.

Furthermore, should the Prince of Jing realize that he was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes, he would undoubtedly turn his guns and point them straight at him...

Meanwhile, inside a room in a remote corner of the imperial palace.

With disheveled hair, wearing foot shackles and hand cuffs, Fan Dayou was bent over a desk, writing something.

Although the period of imprisonment had left him skin and bones, his deep eyes remained full of vitality!

With a squeak, footsteps slowly echoed as someone walked in.

It was none other than the elderly matron from the Empress Dowager's side!

"Oh, Magistrate Fan, you really are relentless with your writing!"

"Even after all this time, you're still writing your commentary..."

Without even lifting his head, Fan Dayou let out a cold laugh. "I must thank the Empress Dowager and all of you. If you hadn't imprisoned me here, I wouldn't have had so much time to dedicate myself to scholarship!"

The matron smiled as well and said, "Magistrate Fan, let's go. As long as you behave well tonight, you'll have plenty of time in the future to focus on your scholarship!"

Fan Dayou's hand stopped mid-air, and he turned to look at the matron. "Go? Where to?"

"Naturally, to see the mastermind behind you!" the matron said with a triumphant smile.

Fan Dayou was suddenly startled. "Y-You mean the Prince of Jing..."

The matron smiled and said, "That's right. When you see the Prince of Jing later, you just need to tell the truth about how he instructed you to use the young emperor against the Empress Dowager. Don't be afraid; this is the imperial palace, the domain of the Empress Dowager..."

Fan Dayou's hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

He was not afraid of death; what he feared was that all the painstaking planning by the young emperor would be seen through by the Empress Dowager because of him.

He knew all too well that once he met the Prince of Jing, it would be impossible to keep anything hidden any longer.

When that time came, the Empress Dowager would never grant the young emperor any more time...

At this thought, his gaze quietly drifted to the inkstone resting on the desk, his expression turning gradually sorrowful yet filled with unyielding determination!

Yet!

Just as Fan Dayou was about to grab the inkstone and smash it fiercely against his own head, a few muffled cries of agony suddenly echoed from outside the room.

Immediately following that, several figures instantly burst through the door!

The matron let out an immediate shriek. "W-Who are you people? W-What are you trying to do..."

Elsewhere.

On the way back to the Fengyi Palace, the Empress Dowager beckoned, and Chief Eunuch Li Lianying trotted over. The Empress Dowager instructed, "Go, pass down the word. Have the Prince of Jing come to the Fengyi Palace immediately; I have matters of great importance to discuss with him!"

Watching Li Lianying's retreating figure, the corners of the Empress Dowager's mouth curled up involuntarily.

"Prince of Jing, oh Prince of Jing, did you really think I was unaware of your little tricks?"

"Ridiculous! If I couldn't deal with you, how could I have ever climbed from a mere palace maid to the position of Empress Dowager..."

Returning to the Fengyi Palace, the Empress Dowager dismissed everyone and fell into deep thought alone.

However, as time slowly ticked by, she gradually grew restless and uneasy.

"Strange, why hasn't that old thing brought Fan Dayou over yet?"

Just as she was thinking this, a hurried voice came from outside the door—it was the matron's subordinate. "Your Majesty, it's terrible, something has gone terribly wrong..."

The Empress Dowager was startled and stood up in an instant. "Come in! What is there to be so panicked about?"

The person immediately fell to their knees and said nervously, "Your Majesty, it's bad. Fan Dayou has been rescued, and the matron, she..."

"What!"

The Empress Dowager's expression changed instantly, and she made to rush out of the room.

Yet at that very moment, the voice of Chief Eunuch Li Lianying rang out as well. "Your Majesty, the Prince of Jing has arrived..."

The Empress Dowager froze. After hesitating for a fraction of a second, she forcibly suppressed the surging anger in her heart, regained her composure, and commanded, "Issue the order: lock down the imperial palace!"

"Every single person entering or leaving must be thoroughly inspected by my orders. Absolutely do not let Fan Dayou escape the palace..."

The subordinate quickly received the order and left, crossing paths with the visibly impatient Prince of Jing.

A short while later.

At the East Gate of the imperial palace.

The guards, having received the orders, were meticulously inspecting everyone entering and exiting the palace.

At this moment, a convoy of carriages slowly approached.

"Halt! Routine inspection, everyone get down from the carriages..."

"Good sir, we are from the Miaoyin Troupe. His Majesty ordered us here to perform songs and dances..."

"It doesn't matter who sent you, get down! This is the command of the Empress Dowager!"

"In the middle of the night like this, the girls are wearing thin clothes. If they catch a chill, it will affect the..."

"Stop talking nonsense! All of you, get out of the carriages and submit to inspection!"

Just as the guard was speaking, the curtain of the lead carriage was suddenly pulled back. "Well now, since when did the guards of our Great Ning lose all appreciation for feminine grace?"

Before the words finished, a handsome face poked out.

Recognizing the person, the guards immediately dropped to their knees in unison. "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Yong!"

Ning Xuanzhi, the Prince Yong, smiled and said, "Rest assured, everyone inside the carriage is like an immortal maiden; I have already inspected them on your behalf!"

"Let them pass!"

Soon, the convoy of carriages left the imperial palace, slowly driving into the night.

However, no one noticed that from the very last carriage, two figures flashed out and swiftly vanished into the darkness...

Deep into the night.

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Ning Chen was still pacing back and forth.

Finally, Xiao Anzi returned.

Ning Chen rushed forward impatiently. "Well? Has Fan Dayou been rescued?"

Xiao Anzi smiled and nodded, saying, "Rest assured, Your Majesty, he is already safe!"

Ning Chen let out a long breath, murmuring, "Good, very good. At least I did not fail him!"

Seeing this, Xiao Anzi could not help but look deeply moved.

At that moment, a thought inexplicably flooded his mind:

If one day he were to find himself in danger, would the young emperor worry about him just as much?

Yes, the young emperor surely would...

With that thought, Ning Chen asked once more, "By the way, what is the situation with the Prince of Jing and the Empress Dowager?"