Yu Han was startled. These hidden agents were all pieces the Empress had laid out for the Crown Prince. They had not been used back then, and afterward, the Empress had forbidden anyone from mobilizing them again.
After all, once they were used, it would be high treason.
They had not been used then, yet now they were being activated again? Could it be... for Prince Dai?
Though he thought this, he immediately answered, "Yes."
Then he hesitated somewhat. "Your Majesty, twenty years have passed. I fear not many will still respond."
The Empress sat there and smiled faintly.
"They once received great favor from me, and I hold leverage over every one of them. They will agree." She spoke lightly. "Besides, anyone who refuses is betraying their master, and their crime cannot be pardoned."
"Yu Han, is your blade still sharp?"
Hearing this, Yu Han bowed down, his forehead lightly touching the golden bricks. "Please rest assured, Your Majesty. Twenty years ago, this servant was your blade. I still am now."
"I am the third generation of Cold Defier!"
"I believe you!" The Empress rose and walked outside.
Beyond the outer hall, night had already fallen deep and heavy.
She gazed toward Prince Dai's Residence, unwilling to shift her eyes away for a long time.
Prince Dai's Residence
Five men patrolled with lanterns, Zheng Huai leading the way. The bustle of daytime had already faded, and the residence was gradually growing quiet.
Pebbled paths and corridors, pavilions, terraces, and chambers were all hidden within the darkness. The northern section held no palaces or houses, only flower gardens and grottoes. Though winter had arrived, one could still sense the dense profusion of trees. One secluded courtyard was now so quiet that it seemed as if no one lived there at