105: Royal Secrets

Seventh Princess's Residence.

Mr. Xu returned from the palace with a solemn expression, and as soon as he entered the study, he didn't even bother to drink tea.

"Your Highness, His Majesty... He believes this is... this is a means to seize the throne." Mr. Xu's voice carried a hint of fatigue and helplessness.

The Seventh Princess was holding an ancient book. Upon hearing this, her fingers paused slightly, leaving faint imprints on the pages. "Father still doesn't believe it?"

"His Majesty said that it's just empty words, a few pieces of paper prove nothing. He also said... He also said to Your Highness not to be used as a pawn by others and disrupt the court."

The Seventh Princess put down the book, a barely perceptible cold sneer playing on her lips: "Used as a pawn? Heh, this gun is aimed at the entire Dragon Vein of Great Yan. Does Father really think that some Prince has such a big appetite to dare to swallow such a monstrous disaster?"

She stood up and walked to the window, looking at the withered autumn chrysanthemums in the courtyard, only dry branches and dead leaves remaining. "It seems Father would rather believe this is a farce of brothers fighting among themselves than believe in the power hidden behind it that could overthrow the imperial authority."

"Your Highness, it has already spread in the palace." Mr. Xu was worried, "The First Prince and Third Prince are reacting very strongly. They all say that Your Highness is... is trying to seize the throne, not hesitating to falsely accuse loyal officials and fabricate charges."

"Oh? They're quite good at turning the tables." The Seventh Princess turned around, without the slightest panic in her eyes. "They jumped out so quickly, it seems that thing really hit some people where it hurts."

"People from the First Prince's Residence have already submitted several memorials, impeaching Your Highness for interfering in government affairs and harboring malicious intentions. The Third Prince has also contacted many influential families he usually gets along with, and 'spoke well' of you in court, but their words, both inside and out, were all accusing you of acting rashly and being used by others." Mr. Xu sighed, "Now, because of this matter, the rumors of the struggle for the throne in the capital are even more intense."

The Seventh Princess smiled faintly: "That's good. The muddier the water, the easier it is to catch fish. The more they stir things up, the easier it will be for some rats hiding in the dark to show their tails."

Inside the safe house where Li Dong was hiding, the System's prompts kept refreshing in his mind.

[System: Internal conflicts within the royal family have intensified. Both the First Prince and Third Prince factions are attacking the Seventh Princess.]

[System: Analyzing... The First Prince is very close to Minister of War Song Qiming. His son, Song Chengze (Luo Yi's direct superior), has recently frequented the First Prince's Residence.]

[System: The Third Prince has a close relationship with several old families in the capital, such as the Chen family and the Wang family, which have inherited for hundreds of years, jointly controlling part of the Medicinal Pill and Talisman business in the capital.]

"Tsk tsk, this water is murkier than I imagined." Li Dong stroked his chin, "Behind the First Prince are military forces, and behind the Third Prince are aristocratic families. The Seventh Princess... is weak and isolated."

A flash of understanding crossed his eyes: "These old guys from the Shadow Council are really calculating. They push the Princes to the forefront to fight to the death, while they themselves hide behind the scenes to watch the show, and incidentally, they can fish in troubled waters and accelerate their plans. Brilliant, truly brilliant!"

"However, do you think you can rest easy like this?" Li Dong grinned, "I'm not here to watch the show."

He pondered that, given the current situation, relying solely on the Seventh Princess to confront them head-on would clearly be like hitting a rock with an egg. Those old foxes have been operating in the court for many years, deeply entrenched, so how could a few pieces of evidence easily shake them?

"I need to take the initiative, create some obstacles for them, and buy myself some time."

He thought of his identity as a "Shadow Guard Commander." Although that old fox Wei Zheng put him in this position with ill intentions, this identity now seemed to be useful.

"Investigating the 'spiritual essence Theft Case'... Hmm, that's a good title, legitimate and unassailable by anyone." Li Dong made up his mind, "I should also formally contact the Seventh Princess. Fighting alone won't work, I need to find an ally."

The night was as dark as ink.

At the secluded back door of Mr. Xu's residence, a figure flashed in like a ghost.

Inside the study, the lamplight flickered.

Mr. Xu looked at the young man in front of him, who called himself "Mu Feng," still harboring some doubts. This person was the Shadow Guard Commander who had caused such a stir and was exceptionally promoted, and also the original source of that astonishing secret report.

"Commander Mu, visiting late at night, what instructions do you have?" Mr. Xu's tone was calm, but his eyes held scrutiny.

Li Dong didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point: "Mr. Xu, let's be frank. That secret report about the Soul-Devouring Demon Flower and the Dragon Vein is just the tip of the iceberg."

Mr. Xu's pupils constricted slightly: "What do you mean?"

"The real mastermind behind the scenes is an ancient organization called the Shadow Council." Li Dong's voice was very low, "Their goal is far more than simply polluting the Dragon Vein. They want to use the souls of billions of living beings and the twisted power of the Dragon Vein to perform a certain ritual beneath the capital, awakening the so-called Ancient Forbidden Power, and establishing a Theocratic Empire controlled by them. By then, the entire capital, and even the entire Great Yan, will turn into a demonic land."

He paused, looking at Mr. Xu's suddenly changed expression, and continued: "He Tianzheng, Luo Yi, and even some higher-ups, are all just their pawns. And I, this Perfect Dao Body, am the 'living holy grail' in their plan, meant to carry that evil power."

"Absurd! That's simply a fantasy!" Although Mr. Xu was greatly shaken, he still rebuked, though his voice trembled slightly.

"Whether it's a fantasy or not, sir, you have your own judgment." Li Dong's expression remained unchanged, "The cultivation of the Soul-Devouring Demon Flower, the experiments with Artificial Dao Body, aren't these enough to explain the problem? The Seventh Princess presented the secret report to His Majesty, His Majesty didn't believe it, and the First Prince and Third Prince seized the opportunity to make trouble. Aren't all these within the calculations of the Shadow Council? They are using the internal strife of the royal family to cover up their true intentions and buy themselves time."

Mr. Xu fell silent, fine beads of sweat seeping from his forehead. What Li Dong said, combined with the various anomalies he had observed recently and fragmentary information obtained from some secret channels, subtly seemed to corroborate.

"Commander Mu... what... what do you want?" After a long while, Mr. Xu asked in a hoarse voice.

"Cooperation." Li Dong was straightforward, "I know that the Seventh Princess is weak and isolated, making it difficult to shake those behemoths. And while I have some methods, my identity is sensitive, making it inconvenient to act. I need Her Highness's support, providing intelligence and covering my actions. In return, I can find more evidence of the Shadow Council's crimes, as well as their strongholds and arrangements in the capital."

"Why should we trust you?" Mr. Xu stared at Li Dong, "You are also from the Demon Suppression Division. Who knows if you are a spy sent by He Tianzheng or Wei Zheng?"

Li Dong smiled: "If I were their person, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you now. If I wanted to claim credit, wouldn't it be simpler to report all the information directly to Wei Zheng? As for He Tianzheng, he probably wishes I would disappear immediately."

He took out an unremarkable Jade Slip from his in arms and handed it over: "These are some things I've recently investigated. Perhaps they can give you a better understanding of my sincerity."

Mr. Xu took the Jade Slip, and his Divine Sense probed it. After a moment, his expression changed again. The Jade Slip recorded several seemingly ordinary shops and residences, but the financial transactions and personnel composition behind them all pointed to some secret forces he had never noticed before, even involving some court officials.

"These..."

"These are just some of the Shadow Council's peripheral tentacles." Li Dong said, "Their true core is hidden deeper. I need Her Highness's help to dig them out little by little."

Mr. Xu tightly clutched the Jade Slip, his palms covered in sweat. The young man in front of him, his wisdom and methods, far surpassed his age. The conspiracy he revealed was even more shocking.

"This matter is of great importance. I need to report to Her Highness." Mr. Xu said in a deep voice.

"Of course." Li Dong nodded, "However, time is running out. The Shadow Council has already noticed that their plan has been leaked and is accelerating. We must act quickly."

Mr. Xu looked at Li Dong, a flicker of determination in his eyes: "Commander Mu, if what you say is true, Great Yan is in mortal danger. I will do my best to mediate with Her Highness. You can tell me what intelligence you need. But, you must also understand that the royal family is deeply entrenched, and the help we can provide is limited."

"I understand." Li Dong's lips curved slightly, "Your words are enough, sir."

He knew that the Seventh Princess was definitely on board. Because she had no other choice.

A few days later, using the intelligence Mr. Xu secretly passed on, combined with the System's analysis, Li Dong successfully located several important strongholds of the Shadow Council within the capital.

These strongholds included bustling silk shops disguised as ordinary businesses, antique shops with few customers, and even a villa under the name of a reclusive imperial family member.

"Hmph, truly a cunning rabbit with three burrows." Li Dong sneered.

What alarmed him even more was that through the Shadow Guard's channels and his secret surveillance of He Tianzheng, he discovered that He Tianzheng had been making frequent moves recently.

"This guy is actually using his authority as the Deputy Commander of the Demon Suppression Headquarters to mobilize personnel within the Division to secretly clear some obstacles for the Shadow Council." Li Dong frowned as he looked at the information displayed on the System panel.

[System detected that He Tianzheng secretly dispatched three teams of Demon Suppression Guard last night to an abandoned mine in the east of the city. The purpose of the operation is unknown.]

[System analysis: The mine has a faint connection with the capital's ley lines.]

[System warning: He Tianzheng's faction personnel have repeatedly and secretly escorted 'unprocessed bodies' to the general area of the Vortex Trap Zone recently.]

"Unprocessed bodies... Vortex Trap Zone..." Li Dong's eyes narrowed, "It seems they really are accelerating the preparations for the ritual!"

He felt an unprecedented pressure. On one side was the treacherous struggle for the throne within the royal family, and on the other was an ancient conspiracy to overthrow the world. He was like walking on a tightrope, every step had to be taken with extreme caution.

"Using strength to fight strength... Now, it depends on whose methods are more ingenious." Li Dong took a deep breath. He knew that the real contest had just begun. He not only had to expose the Shadow Council's hidden agenda but also had to find a way to secure a glimmer of hope for himself and the Seventh Princess amidst the Princes' struggle.

"This capital is getting more and more interesting." He murmured to himself, his eyes filled with icy coldness.