To put it plainly, he was the one who did the dirty work for Gan Sheng. This organization originated in the previous emperor's era, founded by the late emperor himself, and later passed down to Gan Sheng.
It could be said that the four ministers present both hated and feared Dai Ping'an.
Dai Ping'an stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, my people have successfully entered the capital city. To get close to the princess, however, will take some effort."
That legitimate princess was no pushover. She was already wary of everyone in the envoy delegation, let alone those who had just arrived from Nanyue. They couldn't get anywhere near her.
Though the royal siblings had not yet openly fallen out, they were secretly scheming against each other, each trying to destroy the other.
It could be said that Dai Ping'an, as Gan Sheng's true confidant, was the only one present who knew he had been poisoned.
"I want to hear of her death within a month!" Gan Sheng knew that if Zhao Quan'an couldn't find the antidote, he probably wouldn't last more than two months. So before dying, he was determined to drag Gan Tang, the root cause of all this, down with him.
The bed curtains hung low, and curls of aloeswood smoke rose from the golden censer, dissipating before reaching the apricot-yellow brocade.
Hearing the emperor's murderous resolve, those who knew of the plan lowered their heads even further. Though the sun blazed brightly outside, a chill pervaded the room, settling on the shoulders of their crimson and purple court robes.
After these words, a long silence followed—so long that their hearts began to grow numb. Dai Yongxing lifted his eyes slightly, catching sight of a withered hand beneath the curtain, fingers waxy pale, resting on the bright yellow satin coverlet.
Suddenly, that hand moved. "Dai Aiqing..." a voice came from behind the curtain, dry as wind through withered reeds. "Where is Gan Tang's dowry procession now?"
Dai Yongxing bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, the princess's dowry has entered Dayan and will reach the capital in about seven or eight days."
"Prime Minister Li, how are the peace talks going? Has Dayan agreed to withdraw its troops?" Even at this point, Gan Sheng still thought Dayan's attack on Nanyue was merely retaliation—a show put on for the world, or rather for Yue Fuguang.
No one in Nanyue had ever imagined that Dayan's campaign was aimed at swallowing the entire country. It had been so long since the six kingdoms split that they had forgotten they were once of the same root.
"Your Majesty, the peace talks are not going well. However, the auspicious wedding date for the princess and Dayan's Sixth Prince has been set—one month from now."
Prime Minister Li and the other ministers hadn't understood why their sovereign had initially insisted on the Fifth Prince as a marriage partner, only to suddenly change his mind within a month, agreeing to the Sixth Prince and ordering the Bureau of Astronomy to pick the nearest auspicious date for a quick wedding.
Now, seeing the emperor's failing health, it became clear: he knew his time was short and wanted to marry off the princess, the one capable of returning to fight for the throne!
Among the emperor's many children, not one was of age. If a succession struggle broke out, it was uncertain whom the court would support.
Those loyal to the nation would of course back the adult legitimate princess, or even the imperial uncle, for the throne. But there were also ambitious types eager to seize power through a young ruler, naturally preferring a child emperor or empress.
Li Jie's peripheral vision swept over the eldest prince, who stood to one side in silence. A child—easy to control!
As for whom Li Jie himself hoped would ascend... only he knew best.
"Prime Minister Li, I have drafted the edict appointing the eldest prince as the Crown Prince. Review it, and if there's no issue, announce it to the realm."
"Appoint the Crown Prince?" The ministers exchanged startled glances. "Yes, Your Majesty!"
Li Jie respectfully took the imperial decree handed over by Jixiang. The seal and signature were all in place.
"Your son thanks you, Father!" Gan Minghao, tears in his eyes, performed the kowtow to Gan Sheng, his small frame trembling uncontrollably.
"Haor, learn well from Prime Minister Li and the other officials. They are all pillars of Nanyue."
"Yes, Father. Your son will remember!"
Gan Sheng then turned to another man. "Wu Jiang, the army..." Having spoken even this much, Gan Sheng clearly felt his strength failing. He couldn't finish his sentence before gasping for breath.
Though the emperor's words were incomplete, Wu Jiang, the Minister of War, understood what he most wanted to know.
He bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, our 80,000 troops engaged the Dayan army outside Weicheng yesterday. We... suffered losses of over 20,000 men, and Weicheng... Weicheng has also been taken."
"Weicheng... taken!"
Pfft! Gan Sheng coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining the embroidered satin coverlet.
"Your Majesty!" Jixiang hurriedly caught the tottering emperor. "Your Majesty, you must take care of your Dragon Body!"
"Yes, Your Majesty! Even if Weicheng is lost, we can take it back. You must not harm yourself over this!"
"Father, when I grow up, I will surely conquer vast lands for Nanyue!"
Gan Sheng waved his hand weakly, furious at the loss of territory and even more so that no one had informed him voluntarily. He wasn't dead yet, yet these ministers had already stopped taking him seriously as a sovereign!
"Crown Prince, what do you think of Prince Cheng's defeat and loss of territory?"
Gan Minghao, suddenly addressed as Crown Prince, froze in surprise for a moment. Not just him—no one had expected the emperor to set the title so hastily.
Gan Minghao couldn't help but tremble. Less than twelve years old, he hadn't yet learned to hold his nerve like the old foxes in court.
He knew his father wasn't asking about his view of the military defeat and loss of land, but about the delayed reporting to the sovereign itself—what did he, the future heir, think?
On the surface, not informing the emperor seemed to spare a seriously ill ruler from worsening his condition, but in reality, even the underage Gan Minghao understood a thing or two.
Who commanded those 80,000 troops?
The late emperor's youngest brother, the emperor's own uncle, Prince Cheng Gan Chengyuan, now thirty-eight years old—and secretly supported by many in court to succeed the throne.
His defeat and loss of a city invited criticism, but no one dared reprimand him harshly, fearing he might use it as an excuse to start an armed rebellion.
Now a Crown Prince, Gan Minghao was even more wary of this royal uncle who might vie for the throne. Faced with his father's question, he wanted to say, "Outright or sideways, Prince Cheng's defeat deserves death." But thinking it was one thing; forming words was another.
"Father, your son believes that victory and defeat are common in warfare. As the officials say, losing a city is a small matter. As long as our court and our people stand united, I am confident that under your leadership, we can soon retake Weicheng.
What matters most is that you take care of your health. Do not let this harm you. Your son awaits the day you lead us to strike back—and maybe even take all of Dayan!"
Whether Gan Sheng was satisfied with the new Crown Prince's answer remained unclear. He turned his head again to Wu Jiang. "Didn't Uncle's last report claim his deployment was foolproof? How did we lose Weicheng in just a few days?"
He had reviewed the matter himself. Gan Chengyuan's defensive arrangements for Weicheng and its surroundings seemed largely sound. How could a single battle cost them the city?