Puppet Emperor, the Empress Wields All Power and Calls a Deer a Horse

Chapter 38 The Feudal Princes of Various Places Want to Rebel! Qingjun Side!

The turmoil in Qingzhou and the invasion by the barbaric beast tribe’s massive army spread across all of Shen Zhou, causing an uproar.

Soon, various regional princes and imperial sons of the Great Zhou Dynasty received the news, gathering secretly to discuss the unrest in Qingzhou.

…

In the fief of Wang Liang, at the mansion of the eldest prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty, a grand and opulent palace stood, where eight imperial sons gathered, seated across from one another.

The eldest prince, Gu Chengdao, wearing a python robe, sat solemnly in the main seat, his expression stern as he scrutinized the other princes. Beside him was the second prince, Gu Wuqing, with a rebellious expression and cold, unsettling eyes.

Compared to them, the third prince, Gu Wudi, was tall and heroic, exuding a domineering aura, like a king.

Aside from these three, the remaining five princes were also extraordinary figures, each regarded as peerless geniuses among the younger generation of Shen Zhou.

At this moment, all eight imperial sons wore serious expressions, discussing the turmoil in Qingzhou.

“The court has just issued an imperial decree, commanding the regional princes of Great Zhou to send troops to Qingzhou to suppress the rebellion. What do you think, should we go?”

The eldest prince, Gu Chengdao, asked in a low voice, his face expressionless.

Upon hearing this, the other princes exchanged glances and shook their heads.

Sending their armies to Qingzhou to confront the massive army of the barbaric beast race would lead to great losses, even if they were victorious. Ultimately, they would be doing the court’s bidding at their own expense.

None of them were willing to send their forces.

“If none of us lend a hand, it will be hard for the ninth brother to suppress the unrest alone. The entire Great Zhou Dynasty could fall into chaos.” Gu Chengdao said with concern as he frowned, seeing the other princes’ reluctance.

“Heh, that’s exactly what I want.” Gu Wuqing sneered coldly.

“It will show the ninth brother that the throne of Great Zhou is beyond his reach. I still can’t understand why, after Father’s death, the throne was passed to him.”

Thinking about their father’s will, Gu Wuqing felt resentment. He had no intention of helping his ninth brother in this crisis.

The other princes also remained silent, their expressions unpleasant, as they shared the same dissatisfaction with the late emperor’s decision to pass the throne to the ninth prince, Gu Changsheng.

Any of them could easily overpower the ninth prince. Why would the emperor choose him?

“The emperor was wise throughout his life. He must have had his reasons for passing the throne to the ninth brother. He’s not as simple as we thought.” Gu Chengdao said gravely.

“For eighteen years, he hid under the guise of a useless prince, but as soon as he ascended the throne, he demonstrated a commanding presence, opposing even the Empress Dowager.”

The other princes frowned at his words. They had always considered the ninth prince to be a non-entity, a mere shadow.

But after ascending the throne, his intelligence and tactics became clear, making him unpredictable and dangerous. Even the powerful Empress Dowager had suffered several defeats at his hands.

“Given his ability to keep such a low profile for eighteen years, he’s far more dangerous than we thought.” Gu Chengdao said, his tone tinged with apprehension.

“This unrest in Qingzhou might be an opportunity for us,” Gu Wuqing interjected. “If Qingzhou falls, the beast tribe will invade the heart of Great Zhou, and the ninth brother will be seen as an incompetent ruler. That’s when we can raise our armies, march to the capital, and purge the court.”

The room fell silent, the faces of the princes darkened, and they gasped in shock. Gu Chengdao glared at Gu Wuqing.

“Are you suggesting rebellion?” he asked, his voice low.

Gu Wuqing scoffed, “Rebellion? Brother, you misunderstand me. If the court is in chaos, and the emperor is incompetent, it’s our duty to restore order. How is that rebellion?”

The other princes remained silent, but it was clear that the throne of Great Zhou tempted them all.

“The throne belongs to the most capable. Let’s eliminate the ninth brother first, and then we can fight for it fairly.” Gu Wuqing said, looking around at the others.

The third prince, Gu Wudi, nodded in agreement. “The throne should go to the strongest. I’m ready to fight for it.”

The other princes exchanged glances and, one by one, agreed. “We’ll deal with the ninth brother first, then compete for the throne.”

As for Qingzhou, they decided to only send a token force to appease the imperial decree.

…

Meanwhile, the movements of the regional princes were quickly reported to the Empress Dowager in the Cining Palace.

As the news arrived, the Empress Dowager, Lin Yaoji, lazily reclined on her phoenix chair, a cold smile playing on her lips. Her trusted minister, Prime Minister Liu Wu, spoke humbly beside her.

“Your Majesty’s prediction was correct. The new emperor’s decree to send troops to Qingzhou has been met with only token efforts from the regional princes. Qingzhou’s fall is inevitable.”

The Empress Dowager sneered, “Let’s see if the emperor can turn things around this time.”

Her eyes gleamed with a cold light. “When the emperor sends his strongest to suppress the rebellion, we’ll strike. I trust you’ll be ready, Prime Minister?”

Liu Wu nodded solemnly. The plan was clear: once the emperor sent his forces to Qingzhou, leaving him unprotected, they would make their move.

“We must lure him out of the palace first.” Liu Wu advised.

The Empress Dowager agreed. “I’ll make sure he leaves the safety of the palace. Then we’ll act.”

They both knew that striking within the palace could risk alerting the reclusive elders of the imperial family, so the right moment was crucial.

Once Gu Changsheng left the palace, it would be the perfect opportunity to eliminate him.