Coincidentally, Chang Geng had a hunch that even if he could manage to put out the fire in other places, hidden in the vast ocean of the Eastern Sea must be another fatal blow.

The news brought back by the Black Eagle truly did confirm the very worst scenario he had imagined. Chang Geng took a deep breath and released the last wooden bird. He turned back and spoke to Huo Dan whose blood was already bubbling in his mouth: "Ready the horse, I want to go to the palace."

At the gate of the palace, Chang Geng was stopped by Liao Ran. The monk was weather-beaten, but his expression remained tranquil and unwavering, as if regardless of how urgent something could be, it would all be dispersed by the marks of incense on his head, blown away into ash by the words ‘Amitabha’.

Liao Ran: "Amitabha, Your Royal Highness..."

Chang Geng interrupted him indifferently: "Master needn't say more. I’m going to the palace to await orders, not to force the Emperor to abdicate."

Liao Ran’s expression changed slightly, gesturing: "The monk believes that Your Royal Highness has this proper measure."

"I don't have any sense of propriety," The Fourth Prince who was well-versed in conversations had torn away from his gentle demeanor and said bluntly, "Using Qinling Mountains to divide into north and south, the southeast and southwest are out of control. Even if I can kill Li Feng on the spot, it could not clean up the current messy state of affairs, not to mention that no one can succeed the throne at the moment. The Emperor's eldest son is nine years old; the empress is simply a useless, diseased-ridden woman with only her appearance, Zi Xi is unjustified for the position, and I..."

He sneered: "I am the son of the demonic woman of the Man tribes."

Liao Ran watched him with concern.

"Master, rest assured, I am a poison myself. If I had acted at will, I would have already begun to do harm to the country and the people. But I haven't done anything yet, have I?" Chang Geng's expression faded once again. "Now is not the time to speak of this matter, the foreign enemies have invaded. Perhaps they had planned this for a long time. This matter is not over yet, but they reacted too quickly. I suspect that inside the palace... even beside Li Feng, there are spies of the enemy. Does Lin Yuan Pavilion have anyone that could be of use in the palace?”

Liao Ran looked at him with all seriousness, he signed: "Your Highness means..."