Chapter 003: Striving to the Best of One's Ability in Seizing the Lord's Position

The officer put away the silver and lowered his voice, saying: "Third Uncle! The issue of silver is secondary; the key point is that your little nephew is serving here, and it is a matter of life and death. If it weren't for the fact that you have taken care of me many times over the years, I truly wouldn't dare to accept this risk of losing my head, especially since a command just came from Chief Steward Feng, stating that assassins have been discovered in the Eastern Palace, and they are on high alert now."

Eunuch Gu seemed to be quite familiar with these two beauties, leading them forward a few steps: "Lord Dai! I have come to introduce you to these two, one is Consort An, and the other is Lady Zhao."

At this moment, Master Gu had already opened the lids of two large boxes; one box was filled with gleaming gold ingots, while the other was entirely filled with dazzling jewels

This scoundrel Gao Gong, so hastily jumping out to prepare for the emperor's funeral, fervently reciting the will, establishing the third prince while disregarding the fifth prince, what benefits could he possibly gain from this? Unbeknownst to him, he is merely being used as a pawn by Consort Li and the Crown Prince, acting as if he is the most formidable person in the world. Truly, he has reached the height of foolishness; it would be best to eliminate him along with the Crown Prince.

Dai Cai chuckled lightly: "Master Gu, we are currently in a tumultuous season! It would be wise for us to exercise caution! If Consort Zhang has any instructions, please feel free to speak plainly!"

Elder Gu knocked on the door vigorously, and the guards came over to stop him. He did not say much, but took out a golden token from his bosom and handed it over: "Give this to your steward, and promptly inform Minister Dai that we have urgent matters to discuss."

Upon reaching the small gate, soldiers emerged to block the way. The leading officer, upon seeing the man in the long robe, was momentarily taken aback, then dismissed the soldiers and leaned in to whisper, "Master Gu, are you planning to leave the palace?"

Dai Cai's expression changed slightly: "How many people have they brought?"

The exclamation that Dai Yong let out upon seeing the *illustrated* book was even greater than before; even the well-informed Dai Cai, upon encountering such a beauty, couldn't help but let out a sigh.

He was taken aback: "Good nephew! What is this?"

No wonder the four burly men were struggling to carry the sedan chair just now; it turned out that there were two people inside, along with two large boxes.

... ...

Elder Gu closed the lids of the two large boxes and raised his voice: "This is it! These two..."

Eunuch Gu let out a chuckle, lifted the curtain of the sedan chair, startling Dai Cai and Dai Yong, who both gasped in astonishment.

The officer finally revealed a smile, gathered all the silver, and said, "This is excellent! Third Uncle, safe travels!"

Eunuch Gu gave a somewhat flirtatious smile and said: "As the saying goes, without grain, there are no troops; without water, there is no camp. In these times, one cannot find a place devoid of shiny gold and silver, so I kindly ask Lord Dai to accept this."

He quickly walked to the side of the sedan chair and pulled a thin rope on the side. With a "whoosh," a whole piece of gray cloth fell from the top of the sedan chair! As a result, the entire top became light gray, and the royal sedan chair transformed into a common sedan used by wealthy families outside.

However, Gao Gong is a person of great understanding and is by no means an ordinary individual. In recent years, he has leveraged his position as the Prime Minister to operate deeply within the court and beyond, having established his influence in many areas. Furthermore, with the taciturn and profoundly strategic Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, the Second Minister Zhang Juzheng, the two have reached a consensus regarding the establishment of the Crown Prince, leaving those who support the Fifth Prince Zhu Cunxiao in the minority.

The steward should go as commanded

Dai Cai quickly composed himself and said: "Please inform Concubine Zhang that since Dai Cai has pledged allegiance to the Fifth Prince, he will remain steadfast and unwavering, following his orders without question! This endeavor to seize the throne must succeed and cannot fail! Once the matter is exposed, we are all in the same boat, and no one can escape. We must do our utmost with our lives; I understand this principle!"

Minister of War Dai Caifu's residence

Dai Cai also understood that this was not the time to decline, and he gently cupped his hands: "In that case, Dai Cai will accept it first, which can be considered as raising funds for the next battle"

With his prolonged tone, the two individuals in the sedan chair stepped down.

Elder Gu followed his gaze and quickly slapped his forehead: "Oh dear! You are indeed more thoughtful; I rushed out earlier and almost forgot about this matter!"

At the moment they entered the secret chamber for a private discussion, turbulent undercurrents were also surging outside the palace.

The steward replied: "Five in total, one leading, four carrying the sedan chair, and it is estimated that there is someone inside the chair."

Hmm! Dai Cai turned around and glanced back, finding that only his close steward Dai Yong remained by his side. He then smiled and said: "This is a person of absolute trustworthiness, so rest assured. Feel free to speak your mind!"

A person dressed in a long robe arrived at the small gate of the outer city. Despite the scorching heat, he was attired in such a manner, leaving one to wonder whether he had caught a chill or was suffering from some other ailment

... ...

The two women, seeing that Dai was speaking insincerely, couldn't help but smile slightly. Half-turning their bodies, they supported his arms and said, "Lord Dai, there is no need for such formalities. You have just said that we are all family, so there is no need to stand on ceremony!"

Ah! Master Gu, the two princesses are here. Why did you not mention this earlier? You have kept them waiting in this sedan for so long. Is this not a breach of propriety for us, the subjects? I beg the two princesses for forgiveness; Dai was blind and failed to recognize the great mountain.

No wonder the two women are so beautiful; it turns out they are the beauties of the emperor's harem

He was deep in thought when Eunuch Gu and others had already arrived at the entrance of his residence.

Hehe! Dai Cai stroked his beard under his chin, a hint of radiance appearing on his face: "Thank you, Imperial Concubine Zhang and the Fifth Prince, for your trust! However, abolishing the Chancellor and establishing a cabinet is a rule set by Emperor Taizu, so it should be retained. If I am appointed as the Chief Assistant, I can propose candidates for the other secondary and tertiary assistants."

Dai Cai nodded: "Yes, instruct the guards to strengthen their vigilance and conduct thorough checks around the main gate. We must not allow any spies to gather information. Bring this sedan chair into the front hall, and do not let the person inside disembark!"

Dai Cai was startled and exclaimed, "Oh? Where?"

Elder Gu nodded vigorously: "Yes, yes! With Lord Dai's determination, Concubine Zhang and the Fifth Prince have already been reassured! Concubine Zhang specifically instructed me that if the Fifth Prince can successfully ascend to the throne, she will certainly support Lord Dai as the Prime Minister of the current court, or even abolish the cabinet and restore the position of Chancellor, with you as the Chancellor, truly becoming one beneath one person and above ten thousand others"

Dai Cai was taken aback, taking a step forward as if to kneel down, yet his eyes remained fixated on the two extraordinary beauties.

Eunuch Gu reined in his smile and said in a low voice: "Although we suffered defeat at noon, it can still be considered a wake-up call for the Crown Prince and others. Imperial Concubine Zhang entrusted me with a message: we must not give up halfway or be content with superficial efforts..."

It was perhaps the first time in his life that he had seen so much gold, silver, and jewels. The steward Dai Yongfa let out a gasp, while Dai Cai appeared unfazed, as if he had seen it all before, and calmly remarked: "They are all our own people; why is Concubine Zhang being so courteous?"

After speaking, he reached out and shook the officer's hand, passing over a large ingot of silver from his sleeve.

Elder Gu turned around to glance at the bearers of the sedan chair, signaling them to set it down. The bearers understood the gesture, placed the sedan chair down, and then left.

Dai Cai had just returned from the Qianqing Palace, cursing Gao Gong in his heart a hundred times.

Elder Gu led these individuals to carry the sedan chair into the main hall, where he saw Lord Dai stepping out from the back hall, and hurriedly approached him: "Lord Dai!"

Dai Caizheng made a gesture of invitation, preparing to lead him to the inner hall: "Master Gu, be careful, there may be ears on the other side of the wall. Let us speak inside."

The steward pushed the door open and handed the sign to him

These are indeed two unparalleled beauties. Just now, they were obscured behind the box by Master Gu, making it difficult to see their faces. Now, as they step out from behind the box, they are simply breathtaking.

This guard is also a clever person; upon seeing this item, he immediately recognized it as belonging to the palace and hurriedly found the steward to whisper a few words to him

Elder Gu smiled gently and handed over two large ingots of silver from his sleeve: "Good nephew! I assure you, your uncle will never harm you. The Fifth Prince is the younger brother of the current Crown Prince! If you successfully handle this task for him, there will be plenty of wealth and honor in the future. As long as you allow us to pass smoothly, I will speak to Concubine Zhang and ask her to find a way to promote you further."

It is suspected that a celestial being has descended to the mortal realm, and a glance back with a smile surpasses the brilliance of the stars

Behind this person, there are four individuals carrying a sedan chair, which has a yellow canopy, appearing to be a sedan chair reserved for concubines

The officer pulled up his sleeve and quietly pointed to the sedan chair behind him: "Forgive me for speaking bluntly! The top of this sedan chair is clearly something only found in the inner court. Once we leave the palace, it will be quite conspicuous in broad daylight, making it easy for others to suspect us. If it is discovered by the undercover agents placed by Chief Steward Feng, we will all be in serious trouble"

Dai Cai's hands touched Er Mei's skin, which was as smooth as cream, and his heart in his chest almost leaped out, yet he did not shy away, allowing the two of them to support him. His gaze began to sweep across their beautiful faces with increasing boldness.

He calculated the days and estimated that they would propose to officially hold the coronation ceremony after January. Time is already tight, with only one month left. They have already lost the first battle, and the subsequent matters are complicated; they must ensure that the next battles are fought well.

Upon hearing this, the steward hurriedly took the sign and went to the inner hall where Dai Cai was located, calling out softly from outside the room: "Sir, someone from the palace has arrived"

The delicate silk fan adorned with white orchids, the slender waist dances in the heavenly gauze

The officer extended his thumb, and then Master Gu handed him a silver ingot. With a wave of his hand, the four men quickly lifted the sedan chair and exited through the small door

Elder Gu laughed: "Lord Dai is truly far-sighted, I admire you!" As he spoke, he pointed to the sedan chair that was parked in the middle of the hall: "By the way, Lord Dai, I have already sent away the bearers who accompanied us just now. Can you trust the people around you?"

Most importantly, the surprise attack on the Eastern Palace that I had agreed upon with Consort Zhang has fallen through. It seems that the chief eunuch Feng Bao, who closely follows the Emperor, is now completely aligned with the Crown Prince. This complicates matters; we must tackle them one by one and strive for at least one victory.

Dai Caijian was taken aback at first, then hurriedly approached to whisper, "Master Gu, why have you come in person?"

Whoever wants to take advantage of the situation smiled and held him back: "In other places, there might be ears behind the walls, but you, my lord, are the Minister of War and the Grand Marshal of the armies. Who would dare to set up spies here? I truly believe no one has the courage to do so"

Eunuch Gu waved his hand, signaling the bearers to hurry, but the officer suddenly stopped him: "Third Uncle! Wait!"

Elder Gu nodded and said: "Dali! Fortunately, it is your turn to be on duty today. I have an urgent matter that requires you to assist the Fifth Prince. Here is a small token of appreciation; please buy some refreshing fruits for the brothers to enjoy."