Huangfu Yuxuan saw Prince Liang’s overly cautious demeanor. Despite his inner disdain, he didn’t show any of it on his face; instead, he spoke warmly, "Father, the reason I’m asking you this isn’t for anything else, but back when someone pulled you down from the position of Crown Prince, do you now wish to be Crown Prince again?"

To be Crown Prince? Of course, that would be great!

Prince Liang recalled the days when he was Crown Prince. Except for his father scolding him, everyone else had to treat him with utmost respect. Even his current fear-inducing son once used to speak to him with great respect, right?

He nodded with a bit of yearning and muttered, "Who wouldn’t want that? But it’s not something you can just wish for and get, especially for someone like me; it’s even harder!"

Huangfu Yuxuan, with a faint smile, said, "As long as you want it, leave the rest to me!"

Prince Liang widened his eyes in disbelief, even forgetting to drink his wine. He asked with uncertainty, "You... you mean you can deal with the current Crown Prince? You can pull the Third Prince down and restore me to the position of Crown Prince?"

Seeing Prince Liang’s expression, Huangfu Yuxuan knew that even the most timid person couldn’t help but crave power and status in the face of it without considering if they were capable. But that didn’t matter; having a capable son was enough for him!

He said, "Our first step is to bring down the Third Imperial Uncle; whether you can return to the position of Crown Prince will depend on your own performance in front of the Grandfather!"

Since the matter had already been brought up, it was time for his useless father to make a move. Some things had to be revealed to him now!

After Huangfu Yuxuan left, Prince Liang remained stunned, unable to recover for a long time. Were all the things he had just heard true? Could he return to the position of Crown Prince just by doing what was required?

After spending over a year as an ignored Wealthy and Leisurely Prince, he truly understood how hard it was to go from prosperity to decline. The feeling of being looked down upon with disdain by those who once admired him could drive anyone insane!

As long as he could return to being Crown Prince, back to his former glory, he would do his utmost!

The entire Imperial City was enveloped in a somber atmosphere due to the news of Prince Cheng’s Heir being assassinated.

It wasn’t that they had deep feelings for Prince Cheng’s Heir; it was just a shared fate. If even the life of Prince Cheng’s Heir couldn’t be ensured, what about theirs? Was the Capital City still safe?

This put immense pressure on the Capital Guard, Capital Governor, and officials at the Ministry of Justice.

They were given a deadline to solve the case, but without any leads, how could they break the case?

All that was left were the bodies of assassins, but none of them carried any identifying marks. They couldn’t ascertain their identities, didn’t know where they came from, or who was behind them!

In utter desperation, the Capital Governor even considered buying information from the Shadow Pavilion!

The Shadow Pavilion, known for its all-encompassing information, surely knew who the culprit was!

However, to their disappointment, the Shadow Pavilion responded, saying the matter involved the Imperial Family, and they wouldn’t intervene, nor had any information to sell!

They could only honestly investigate on their own!

Crown Prince Mansion.

Days passed, and the funeral for Huangfu Jing was conducted, removing the thorn in the side—Prince Cheng’s Heir, Huangfu Jingchen. Although Huangfu Jing’s death brought some sadness to Huangfu Hanyu’s heart, among his many sons, this eldest son by a concubine didn’t seem that important.

Now, he could finally be at ease.

Destiny had returned!

At night, Huangfu Hanyu blissfully held his recently wedded concubine in his arms and fell asleep.

However, he suddenly awoke from his dream.

In his dream, someone caught him, cut him open, and ripped out his heart, leaving him in a gruesome state, amidst chilling laughter. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t see the face of his tormentor, only sensing vaguely that it was a very young person.

Everything felt so real, so much so that when he sat up in panic, he could still vividly remember the pain of having his heart removed. Cold sweat drenched his clothes!

Huangfu Hanyu’s sudden panic also startled his concubine beside him.

The concubine, seeing him with bloodshot eyes and drenched in cold sweat, was somewhat frightened. Nonetheless, she quickly leaned in; after all, it was just a nightmare. As long as she could comfort His Highness, he’d surely cherish her more. Once His Highness became the Emperor, her status would surely elevate.

However, despite her good intentions, Huangfu Hanyu didn’t cast away the nightmare to continue being tender with her as she expected.

Still in panic, with someone suddenly approaching and even snuggling into his arms, his fear amplified, and without thinking, he pushed her away heavily and swiftly drew the sword by the bed, striking down with it.

The concubine, heavily pushed, fell to the side of the bed. Just as her scream began to escape, a flash of white light passed, and her head was severed.

Pain, fear, disbelief... all these emotions lingered on her face, but her head had already rolled to the ground.

Huangfu Hanyu’s strike was incredibly swift; his hand’s action was faster than his mind’s reaction.

By the time he heard the concubine’s scream and realized something was wrong, it was already too late to retract his hand.

He dropped the long sword in his hand, momentarily dazed. The nightmare lingered vividly—his miserable state in the dream was far worse than the concubine’s condition.

He gritted his teeth, darkened his face, and shouted, "Someone, come!"

The guards came and were greeted by this bloody scene.

With a stern face, Huangfu Hanyu said, "She suddenly had a nightmare and attempted to assassinate this prince!"

Assassinating the Crown Prince? Such a crime meant not only would this concubine die, but her family would too. The Eastern Palace guard said, "Your Highness, since she dared to attack, she likely planned it for some time. Should we immediately apprehend her family?"

Huangfu Hanyu waved it off, saying, "She just had a nightmare and lost her mind. No need to involve her family! Forget it!"

"Someone, help me change my clothes!"

The servants had no idea what the Crown Prince wanted to do, but their job was to obey.

After changing, Huangfu Hanyu immediately led his men out the door.

Staying outside the palace had its advantages.

If he were in the Eastern Palace, the palace gates would be locked at night, preventing his exit.

But now, he could go wherever he wished.

He intended to head to the Astronomical Observatory.

This nightmare unsettled him deeply; he had to consult Mr. Gongyang. Otherwise, he couldn’t find peace.

Hadn’t he already gotten rid of Huangfu Jingchen? Why did he still have such nightmares? They were so real, so terrifying, so bloody.

The helplessness and despair in the dream were etched vividly and profoundly in his mind.

It was a time when everyone else was deep in their dreams, but he couldn’t afford to wait.

Without clarification, his heart couldn’t rest.