The palace, in a side pavilion. "Zheng Longtu, you're the one who has poisoned me and plotted against me? Your family's rise to prominence has been entirely due to my support. If I perish, what benefit will you gain from it?" Zhang Yuanqing's back pressed against the lattice door, motionless. Though the Yuanshishen has weathered countless trials and tribulations, even at the brink of death, he never falters in courage—yet now he is a weak, indecisive emperor. Honestly, the unfolding plot has once again surpassed his expectations. Logically, Zheng family, as imperial relatives, rely on the emperor. Zhao Shun has no heir; upon his passing, the new sovereign will inevitably diminish Zheng's power. Therefore, Zheng has no motive to plot against the emperor. "What benefit?" Zheng Longtu sneered. "The great benefit is the vast realm of the Southern Dynasty. Don't worry—I won't kill you with a single sword stroke. Only you and I are here in this hall. If you fall beneath my blade, I'll jump into the Yellow River and still be unable to clear my name." With that, he withdrew his long sword and grasped Then, Zheng Longtu reached into his cloak and produced a wooden box, opening it with a crisp snap. Inside lay a purple pill the size of a dragon eye. "Your Majesty," he said, "as the sovereign of the realm, your death at the hands of sword and blade is not befitting. I shall ensure you are laid to rest with dignity. Should you pass away from the poison of the assassin, it shall be my duty—no more, no less." Zheng Longtu gently pried open the emperor's mouth and pressed the pill into his throat. Zhang Yuanqing struggled, his throat constricted, refusing to swallow. Zheng Longtu took the water pitcher from the table, pressed his nose firmly against the emperor's, and forcefully poured the water into his mouth. "Ah, ah—" Zhang Yuanqing coughed, spluttering, then suddenly ceased resisting. His throat rolled, and he swallowed the pill. Zheng Longtu set the pitcher down with satisfaction. Holding onto the table, Zhang Yuanqing coughed violently before drawing a deep breath and gasping, "You've gone mad, the Zheng family! The northern dynasty's armies are already marching on the capital. With my death, the court will surely fall into chaos, and the Zheng Longtu glanced out the door, seeing that the battle was still ongoing, and then continued: "The frontline forces won't be able to return. The Northern Dynasty will hold Dang Ce back for us." "Has the Zheng family been secretly allied with the Northern Dynasty? Isn't that like trying to bargain with a tiger—afraid we'll be devoured, bone by bone?" Zhang Yuanqing sat at the table, clutching his throat, his face pale. "All this is due to Your Majesty's own actions," Zheng Longtu said solemnly. "After the Empress Dowager's passing, you favored the Empress and promoted the Yang family, appointing Yang Ce as Commander-in-Chief of the Army despite our opposition. If Yang Ce holds the city of Linxia and repels the Northern Dynasty's forces, the situation of the Zheng and Yang families will completely reverse—then the Zheng family will have to begin planning for the future. "Only when Your Majesty falls victim to the assassin will the Zheng family be able to seize control of the court, with the Imperial Guard at their command and the entire court full of high-ranking officials who will have no choice but to support them." “Chang Yuanqing sneered, ‘How amusing. The imperial guard troops of the Imperial City Office are my royal elite—not your private forces under the Zheng family. They follow you solely because you hold the rank of commander-in-chief. Once you rise against the throne, they will become your enemies.’ Zheng Longtu smiled and said, ‘Then, Your Majesty need not worry—there is already the Grand Abbot standing firmly behind the Zheng family. Moreover, the many absurd things you’ve done over the years have stirred widespread public resentment and grievances among the officials. They all long for your early passing. My father’s ascension to the throne was a natural development, in line with both the times and the people’s will.’ Grand Abbot? Who is the Grand Abbot? Chang Yuanqing had no memory of such a figure, yet Zheng Longtu’s confident demeanor suggested this man was indeed a major figure. ‘Even if the Grand Abbot supports the Zheng family, what about the northern dynasty’s army? What grounds do you have to believe you can defend the capital?’ Chang Yuanqing asked. Zheng Longtu smiled gently, ‘My father has already secretly negotiated an agreement with Tuoba Guanghe. Upon his ascension, he will represent the Southern Dynasty in "Tuoba Guanghe rose too quickly; he had numerous political rivals within the court. He needed military achievements, yet he feared that the northern dynasty might abandon him once the northern forces were weakened, leaving a severely drained southern dynasty—something that would only benefit him." That's the classic "nourish the enemy to preserve oneself," isn't it? Zhang Yuanqing mused internally. "Huh..." Zheng Longtu stared in astonishment at the incompetent emperor, furrowing his brows. "Why hasn't the poison taken effect yet?" As he spoke, he suddenly began to cough violently—his chest convulsed with pain, his forehead blazing hot, and every breath carried a scorching warmth. No, it's not just that—it's a plague! He staggered to his feet, drawing his sword from his waist, his eyes filled with bewilderment. "Drip—" A drop of water fell from above, landing on the back of his hand. Zheng Longtu looked up. Through the intersecting beams, he saw a steady, fine flow seeping from the roof tiles, like a slow leak. These droplets quickly gathered on the ground and coalesced into a robust, broad-shouldered woman. Her face was round as Wanren extended her palm, pressing against Zhang Yuanqing's chest and abdomen, and gently brushed upward. Zhang Yuanqing coughed, expelling a poisoned pill wrapped in tea. The pill had remained enveloped in tea throughout, which was why Zhang had not succumbed to the poison—though he lacked the ability to control the water, it was Wanren who, in secret, used her mastery of water manipulation to encase the pill. Zhang had sensed the tea's unusual quality as he was swallowing, so he had swallowed the pill confidently and without hesitation. Wanren had been summoned by one of his eunuchs. The actions of the three beauties attempting to assassinate him indeed came as a surprise—on one hand, their time within the realm had been relatively short, and the intelligence gathered was still limited. On the other hand, no one could have anticipated that among his teammates, one would be tasked with assassinating him. This went beyond mere wisdom; it required foresight, something no one could have predicted. Yet, as the Yuan Shi Tian Zun—having repeatedly conquered S-tier realms—upon the very moment he escaped his palace, he had already begun pondering: who among the agents was the true It's clearly not the three beauties. As teammates in a cooperative dungeon, they can't be mortal enemies—this doesn't align with the spirit realm's mechanics. Someone else must be the spy. Thus, the crisis that lasted 24 hours has not yet truly concluded. Zhang Yuanqing then recalled the story of Wan Beauty—the strong, capable woman who could stand on her fists and gallop on her arms. When Zhao Shun fell into the water, she rescued him before the imperial guards could reach him. Ordinary people, no matter how talented, couldn't possibly outperform seasoned military officers. Therefore, Wan Beauty must be no ordinary person. Moreover, she had once saved him and thus stands as a trusted bodyguard to the indifferent emperor—this is a clear hint embedded in the quest. Indeed, as he anticipated, Wan Beauty is the emperor's trusted bodyguard, a bodyguard bestowed upon him by the quest. Only by grasping this subtle hint can he navigate the crisis without any mishap. Watching Zheng Longtu gasp with severe coughing and his limbs growing weak, Zhang Yuancheng smiled and said, "I've suspected something was amiss with you all along. It was only because My Consort Wan was not here that I kept playing it cool, avoiding direct confrontation. Thank you, General Zheng, for sharing so much information with me." The plot's main storyline now became clear. During the day, Zhang Yuancheng had carelessly glanced through the memoranda—filled entirely with accusations against the Yang family and Yang Ce—and the feedback from those memoranda revealed that the Zheng family was particularly urgent, eager to suppress the Yangs. Just now, when Zheng Longtu had pulled him into the side hall, he hadn't even arranged for the imperial guards to stand watch outside—this alone indicated that his intentions were not merely protective. Thus, Zhang Yuancheng had sensed something was wrong with the Zheng family, though he hadn't yet considered the possibility of espionage. When Zheng Longtu pressed his sword against Zhang Yuancheng's chest, the latter was indeed startled, drenched in cold sweat. Zheng Longtu gritted his teeth and said, "Foolish emperor! I will kill you!" and then raised the iron sword to strike. The graceful lady stepped in, shielding Zhang Yuanqing's body as the sword pierced her heart, sending a faint splash of water. "Sire, step back!" She turned and pushed, sending the frail, helpless emperor sprawling to the ground. Holding onto Zheng Longtu's wrist, she instantly caused a thin layer of white mist to form in the surrounding air, seeping into her mouth and nose. Water deprivation! Zheng Longtu's skin quickly wrinkled and shriveled. He struggled violently, his face growing increasingly desperate—then, within moments, that desperation froze into stillness. He became a complete dry corpse.