These past few days had been the most turbulent Han had seen. The Fourth Prince, Han Yu, had been arrested and imprisoned on conclusive evidence of plotting to assassinate Crown Prince Han Bai; Left General Zi Yan had withdrawn on grounds of illness and recommended the Marquis of the Crimson Blood, Bai Yifei, for the position of Great General. Several officials had been dismissed on various charges, leaving everyone at court gripped by fear.
Before long, King Han An fell gravely ill after a fit of rage. Crown Prince Han Bai temporarily took charge of state affairs and appointed the Marquis of the Crimson Blood, Bai Yifei, as Great General, with Chancellor Zhang Kaidi and Great General Bai Yifei jointly assisting him.
Half a month later, King Han An passed away, and the entire nation donned mourning white.
Inside Xinzheng Prison, the Fourth Prince, Han Yu, had long since lost his former dignified bearing. His hair hung loose and disheveled, but the gleam in his deep, icy eyes remained undiminished.
Han Yu gave a self-mocking smile. "Ninth Brother, did you come here specifically to laugh at how far I've fallen?"
There were only two people in the prison, making it eerily quiet. Han Fei spoke in a low voice. "Fourth Brother, Father passed away a few days ago. The Crown Prince has now succeeded him."
To Han Fei, King Han An's death had been far too sudden and suspicious. Yet almost no one besides him paid any attention to its cause. Even Chancellor Zhang Kaidi avoided the subject, as though afraid of inviting disaster.
After all, the new king had already taken the throne. Discussing the late king's affairs would inevitably displease the current King of Han, so even if there were more to King Han An's death, they could