Married To The Cruel Crown Prince

General Wang opened the message that he had received a few minutes after coming to the Imperial Palace. He opened the small piece of folded paper and found that the ink was invisible. He walked to the candle and put it above the candle flame.

When the words became visible, Wang Hao read the message. His eyes grew bigger upon learning about Sheng Li's condition. "The Emperor is severely wounded," he mumbled as it shocked him completely. He read more, where the First Prince had ordered him to spy on the Empress Dowager and her son.

He quickly burned the page and threw its ashes away. Wang Hao was not supposed to tell Ying Lili or anyone about it.

'Prince Nianzu can never be behind this attack. However, his mother can be the one. How could she do this? The Emperor put his faith in her and spared her life that time,' Wang Hao thought and deep frowns appeared on his face.

"General Wang, Eunuch Xing-Fu is here to see you." A soldier informed Wang Hao, who hummed and left the room. He came to see Xing-Fu, who bowed before him.

"Her Majesty wants to see General Wang," Xing-Fu delivered the message to Wang Hao.

"Let's go," Wang Hao said and walked past him while Xing-Fu followed him. Wang Hao was not supposed to reveal it to anyone, especially the Empress.

Soon, they reached the Northern Palace. Ying Lili was delighted to see Wang Hao and asked him about any message from Sheng Li.

"I am afraid, Your Majesty, but there is no news from Changying. I think His Majesty and the others have gotten busy solving the matter. It is almost a week, so His Majesty may want to solve it as quickly as possible to return," Wang Hao asserted.

Ying Lili was a little upset about not getting any message from Sheng Li. "If anything comes, please inform me," she urged.

Wang Hao felt bad for lying to Ying Lili, but it was the only way to keep her free from stress at this time. "I will surely inform Her Majesty first," Wang Hao said. He had been spying on the ministers upon the orders of the Empress but nothing useful he found out. Everyone was tense about Changying's situation and wanted the safe return of Sheng Li.

He left for the residence because he wanted Huo Jin to help him. Huo Jin was the most trustworthy around him and no one would suspect him.

He hopped on the horse and pulled the reins on it. Soon, he reached the residence and asked about Huo Jin.

"Young Master is with Lord Wang," the servant told Wang Hao.

"Tell him when he will get free, meet me in my study room," Wang Hao told the servant, who was outside Wang Fuxing's manor. He bowed while Wang Hao left for his study room.

He closed the door and walked to the first shelf where a few scrolls were stacked up. He picked the one which was placed at the top.

Coming towards the desk, he opened the scroll and studied the secret route which was constructed beneath the palace. "I need to use this route to get inside the Empress Dowager's manor. She might harm the Empress too. I need to increase the security around the Empress's manor," he murmured and marked something on the map.

Scrolling the map up, he sat down on the chair and picked the white sheet. Writing a message on it, he let it dry and then used a paste to hide the message.

When it dried, he folded it well and put it inside his pocket.

"General Wang, may I come inside?" Huo Jin asked from outside the door.

"Come in," Wang Hao said and Huo Jin pushed the door to get in. He closed them behind him, before bowing his head.

"Have a seat," Wang Hao told him while asking him about his wound.

"It's healed a little. It will be healed completely in a few days," Huo Jin replied. "General Wang looks tense. Is everything good?"

"Huo Jin, it needs to be between us two only. The Emperor is gravely injured," Wang Hao informed him. "He is Changying. However, the First Prince has ordered us to spy on the Empress Dowager and the Fourth Prince," he completed his words.

"That's a serious problem. But General Wang, why did the First Prince order to spy on Prince Nianzu? The Fourth Prince can never plan to harm the Emperor. It must be the Empress Dowager, judging by her previous heinous acts," Huo Jin affirmed, rejecting the order to spy on the Fourth Prince.

"I also think the same. However, an order is an order. We have to follow it. We have less time. If Empress Dowager is behind this, then she might have also gotten the news of His Majesty's health," Wang Hao concluded.

"I will spy on the Empress Dowager. I cannot spy on the Fourth Prince even if it's an order from the royalty," Huo Jin stated.

"Sure. Let me explain a few things to you about the route from where we will enter her manor," Wang Hao said.

"Yes, General Wang. The Empress Dowager can harm the Empress too," Huo Jin said.

"I will make arrangements to tighten the security in Her Majesty's manor," Wang Hao assured him and discussed the plan with him.

"Will General Wang spy on the Fourth Prince?" Huo Jin queried. "In my opinion, he should not. Prince Nianzu always wants to support and serve the Emperor," Huo Jin opined.

"I know, but as a General, I have to accept the orders. I cannot refuse them," he proclaimed and stood up from the chair.

~~~~~

Jian Guozhi's anger was at the seventh sky. "Don't you dare make any mistakes in the Emperor's treatment. I will behead you along with your entire family," he said in a fit of rage.

"Your Highness, the wound is deep and in the center of the chest. Probably, that's the reason His Majesty is taking a longer time than usual to wake up," the physician answered calmly.

"You are not sure about it either. Throw him out of my sight. Commander Yao, find a new Physician," Jian Guozhi ordered him.

"Your Highness, please calm down," Commander Yao said. "This Physician is the best here," he affirmed, "his majesty will surely wake up."

Jian Guozhi clenched his fists and glared into the eyes of the physician. "The Emperor shall gain consciousness till evening. Do anything. I won't listen to any excuse," Jian Guozhi threatened him and walked out of the room.