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Two super large ships quietly sailed into the harbor of the Naval Base of Yushan Kingdom. Due to the need for strict confidentiality, the Naval Base issued a lockdown order, prohibiting any information from leaking out.
Within the Naval Base, only a select few were aware that the two super large ships had secretly returned after more than half a year.
Those who knew this information were absolutely silenced; their freedom of movement was temporarily restricted, preventing them from easily leaving the Naval Base or contacting others.
At the same time, another colossal entity descended into a nearby deep mountain with the rumbling sound of grinding gears.
Aside from the high-ranking officials at the Naval Base, almost no one else was aware of this news. Not only did the Navy do an excellent job of keeping it under wraps, but the arrival itself was also shrouded in mystery, deliberately timed for late at night to ensure it went unnoticed.
Later, Lu Chen and his group disembarked and took a secret route to the Naval Minister's Residence in Dama Town to meet with Admiral Adolf and gain a more detailed understanding of the current situation within Yushan Kingdom.
Inside the Naval Minister's Residence, in a luxurious mansion where lights flickered and mist swirled, stood the entrance to a brightly lit reception hall.
Admiral Adolf's generals, Wolf Ba and Sonantu, one tall and imposing, the other short and agile, guarded the entrance like two statues, not allowing anyone to enter the reception hall easily.
Having heard that Princess Zhulan was on her way back to Yushan Kingdom and would arrive tonight, Admiral Adolf waited here all night.
Before long, Lu Chen and Princess Zhulan indeed entered the Naval Minister's Residence and arrived at the luxurious courtyard where the reception hall was located. Lu Chen's other trusted aides did not accompany them as they had already been arranged to stay in other rooms to rest.
Seeing Princess Zhulan and Lu Chen arrive, Sonantu and Wolf Ba immediately bowed and said, "Princess, the Admiral has been waiting for you for a long time. Please go in."
They then opened the door to the room. Princess Zhulan nodded and entered the reception hall with Lu Chen.
This reception hall was quite spacious and even more secluded; it was Admiral Adolf's private venue that most people might not even know existed.
When no one was around, Admiral Adolf often worked here late into the night. If it got too late, he would not return home but would usually spend the night here. Thus, this place served both as his workspace and resting area.
As soon as Lu Chen and Princess Zhulan entered the reception hall, they found that Admiral Adolf had indeed been waiting there for quite some time. He was not wearing official attire but rather bright red pants and white clothes, with his hair tied up in a bun, clearly prepared for bed.
"Princess, you finally arrived," said Adolf as he quickly stood up to greet them. His earlier tone and demeanor had hinted at fatigue, but in that moment he seemed to regain his energy and appeared robust.
Adolf was also a Qi Master with considerable martial prowess. As he released his aura, it instantly filled the entire room with a fierce masculine energy that was imposing.
"Uncle, what is the situation? I need firsthand information," Princess Zhulan said urgently. She was certainly very anxious about conditions back home since they directly related to her claim to power; success or failure hinged on every moment.
There is another reason that worries Princess Zhulan, which is her mother, March Consort, who is still in the palace of Yushan Kingdom and is likely under house arrest. Although she has the protection of Tu Youdong, there is still a risk of unexpected incidents.
"Princess, don't be anxious. Sit down and take your time. I know you are worried about your mother. I have some news to share with you. Tu Youxia came to see me half a month ago, and the accurate information is that the Tu Family's Five Tigers have all gathered to specifically protect your mother," Adolf explained.
Among the Five Tiger Brothers, Tu Youxia had passed through Naval Base half a month ago and made a special trip to inform Adolf, so he could relay the message to Princess Zhulan.
Upon hearing this, Princess Zhulan nodded and said, "Has Tu Shijie also come? That's wonderful. With the Five Tiger Brothers gathered in the Underworld, I can temporarily stop worrying about my mother. What is the current situation?"
Princess Zhulan and Lu Chen sat in two armchairs arranged by Adolf, gathering around a table where they brewed tea and began to chat.
"The situation is very complicated. Many of my informants in the Underworld have been removed, and most of my private assets have been confiscated or sealed. There are definitely many unsavory characters in my Naval Base. I plan to conduct a major sweep to capture all the spies from the Crown Prince's faction," Adolf said, clenching his fists in frustration and resentment, wishing he could crush his enemies into pulp.
In addition to being the Naval Minister of Dama Town, Adolf secretly operated some businesses to earn extra profit. Over time, his business network expanded everywhere, including in Yushan Kingdom's Underworld, which is the city where the king resides, similar to the capital of Great Zhou Dynasty.
However, this time Kalan Prince suddenly took action to pressure the aging king into abdicating, controlling more than half of Yushan Kingdom's power.
In addition to his movements in the Underworld, Kalan Prince also secretly cut off Adolf's business network, leaving him without any means to profit. Furthermore, most of Adolf's informants were essentially wiped out this time, significantly diminishing his strength.
This directly affected his access to crucial information, leaving him completely in the dark about the Underworld.
He thought he had been discreet enough; little did he know that when his enemy struck, it was devastatingly effective and left him severely weakened.
This shows just how terrifying Kalan Prince's power was throughout Yushan Kingdom. When he acted, it was like pulling a thread that unraveled everything; his methods were ruthless.
In terms of laying down strategies in this game of chess, the Naval Minister was far behind Kalan Prince. The only reason Adolf could still grasp some information was that Princess Zhulan had handed over her network of spies to him before she left.
"Let's not rush into this matter. Our main focus now should be on Kalan and Melan Princes; they are key players," Princess Zhulan stated.
Adolf pondered for a moment and replied, "Melan Prince is not much of a concern. From what I know, due to Kalan Prince's significant actions causing upheaval throughout the dynasty, Melan Prince has already been thoroughly defeated. He colluded with the Minister of Works but cannot accomplish anything significant; he spends his days indulging in wine and pleasure and has long since fallen from grace."
Hearing this, Princess Zhulan shook her head immediately and said, "Melan is not that kind of person. The Minister of Works lacks much power compared to the other five ministers; it’s indeed inappropriate for him to side with Melan. Their actions seem aimed at seeking a way out; they are actually quite clever," Princess Zhulan analyzed.
There are many princes within Yushan Kingdom's palace; aside from Kalan Prince, Melan Prince also holds considerable power but is closely aligned with the Minister of Works. However, they are far from being Kalan Prince's match.
To survive in this movement for establishing a new ruler, they can only pretend to be decadent and appear as if they pose no threat to Kalan Prince. This way, they might avoid execution; otherwise, once Kalan Prince ascends to the throne, they would likely be among his first targets—if not executed outright, they would be stripped of their titles and reduced to commoners. Thus, their approach is indeed a wise strategy.
In the struggle for succession within the Yushan Kingdom, the only person capable of opposing Kalan Prince is Princess Zhulan. With the support of the Naval Minister and her exceptional abilities, she stands out among many princes and princesses.
However, Princess Zhulan's disadvantage lies in the fact that her mother is not the Queen Mother. Her mother was merely a concubine brought over as a bargaining chip through the marriage between the Demon King Dynasty and the Yushan Kingdom, making her position weaker compared to those local princesses who were granted titles.
Kalan Prince, on the other hand, is recognized as the legitimate heir. He is the son of the Old King and Queen Mother Consort Red Moon, making him the rightful crown prince. This legitimacy has garnered him a vast number of supporters, including influential figures from the Six Ministries such as the Border Minister, Cabinet Minister, War Minister, and Minister of Commerce and Politics, giving him an unimaginable amount of power.
The capital of Yushan Kingdom is called Underworld, and within the court, the most powerful ministers are part of the Ministries, which were modeled after the Great Zhou Dynasty. While the Great Zhou Dynasty refers to its capital as "du," Yushan Kingdom self-identifies as Underworld. The Six Ministries were directly adopted from this model.
Given the national situation and prevailing trends, nearly everyone believes that Kalan Prince will undoubtedly emerge as the final victor; there is almost no room for doubt.
Kalan Prince's coercion of the Old King remains largely unknown to outsiders, who only hear that the Old King has suddenly passed away. Only those well-informed or with insider knowledge understand the full details.
"The news of Father’s passing will eventually be made public. At that time, Kalan Prince will surely fabricate a false edict to deceive everyone. The question is when? We must act quickly; if things become set in stone and Kalan Prince successfully legitimizes himself with a false decree, we will have no chance left," Princess Zhulan expressed her concerns.
Kalan Prince could forcefully declare himself emperor by choosing an auspicious day for his coronation after creating a false edict regarding Old King's death. By then, if Princess Zhulan and her allies take action, they would be labeled as rebels, making their chances of success pitifully slim.
Adolf nodded in understanding of the situation's critical nature and slowly said, "The news of Old King's passing has already spread. Kalan Prince has been given a posthumous title: Great Kindness and Filial Piety Emperor, with a temple name Baozong. The edict will be issued in three days."
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