As the banquet began, Jiang Yan, on the other side, also inquired about the exact time from the young apprentice boy.

It was already seven o’clock in the evening. Jiang Yan tidied up the medicinal residue left by his master for him to decoct, made up an excuse to send away the young boy, and then headed to the Imperial Garden to meet the person he was supposed to meet with.

The Imperial Garden was pitch black at this time, with only the lanterns on the corridor emitting faint light. Jiang Yan struggled to avoid obstacles along the way, but still got lost in a cluster of peculiar-shaped artificial hills.

Jiang Yan stood in place, feeling lost: …Which artificial hill is the second one?

[Jiang Yan is quite bold, he actually came when someone invited him.]

[Will Jiang Yan become the first guest to be eliminated?]

[Someone’s here!]

With no other choice, Jiang Yan wandered around the Imperial Garden, wasting quite some time. The director had to let the extras actively find Jiang Yan to ensure the completion of this part of the plot.

Suddenly, another figure appeared on the live broadcast. The audience focused intently on the livestream, trying to zoom in on the screen to see who this approaching person was.

As the person came closer, Jiang Yan also heard the footsteps and turned to look at the source of the sound. The camera cunningly shot from bottom to top, gradually arousing the curiosity of the audience. Just when their tension reached its peak, the camera revealed who the person meeting Jiang Yan was—

Zhou Ping bowed slightly to Jiang Yan, “Your Highness, I’m sorry for being late.”

Jiang Yan: ?

Live comments: ??

[The palace is really complicated, my goodness, Jiang Yan actually has such an impressive hidden identity this time!]

[Jiang Yan is really stepping up! Hurry and go compete with Emperor Xue for Ruan Qiu!]

Zhou Ping spoke softly to the shocked Jiang Yan, “Please rest assured, Your Highness. I am not affiliated with the Empress Dowager. Your identity was disclosed to me by the Fourth Prince. The Fourth Prince’s legitimate daughter, Princess Xingyu, also knows your identity, but the Empress Dowager is completely unaware.”

“The Fourth Prince said that if Your Highness wishes to reclaim the throne, he will spare no effort to assist you,” Zhou Ping said. “The Fourth Prince has already prepared a foolproof plan, just waiting for your consent.”

Jiang Yan digested the information from Zhou Ping’s words, struggling internally to make a decision.

He hesitated and asked, “How did you know my identity?”

“The Fourth Prince said that when the late Emperor passed away, he left behind two decrees of succession. One was given to the then Crown Prince, your father. However, when the Crown Prince received the decree, there was suddenly a commotion in the palace,” Zhou Ping’s eyes shimmered. “At that time, the Empress, who is now the Empress Dowager, accused the Crown Prince of patricide, prompting the Imperial Guards to execute the Crown Prince on the spot!”

Zhou Ping quickly continued, “To prevent the decree from falling into the hands of the Empress Dowager, giving her a chance to forge it, the Crown Prince threw the decree into the palace lamp, burning it to ashes.”

“After the Crown Prince’s death, Your Highness, the Crown Prince’s son, disappeared,” Zhou Ping said. “It was only recently that I found out it was the Fourth Prince who had someone smuggle you out of the palace, allowing you to live safely as a commoner until now, spared from the Empress Dowager’s clutches. Your appointment as a court physician was also arranged by the Fourth Prince, but it was unexpected that you would attract the Empress Dowager’s attention and be coerced into making various poisons.”

Zhou Ping exclaimed excitedly, “Your Highness, the moment I saw you, I knew you must be the Crown Prince’s son! I served as a lady-in-waiting to the Crown Princess back then. I even held you when you were young. I cannot be mistaken!”

Jiang Yan and the audience had a momentary distortion of expression.

[“Held you when you were young” – Oh my goodness, this line often appears in the gossip of old busybodies, it’s incredibly impactful.]

[Hahaha, Jiang Yan is about to break character.]

[Ping’er isn’t with the Empress Dowager? I’m dizzy, truly dizzy.]

[I didn’t expect Jiang Yan to be the hidden big shot. He’s definitely the protagonist of this show now.]

[I always feel like there’s something off about the Fourth Prince. He knows so much, why doesn’t he just take the throne himself instead of helping Jiang Yan?]

Jiang Yan was almost taken in by Zhou Ping’s performance, but the phrase “held you when you were young” instantly snapped him out of it, clearing his mind considerably. He asked Zhou Ping, “So, where did the other decree go?”

Zhou Ping paused for two seconds before replying, “The other decree was given to the late Emperor’s most trusted minister, Lord Yuan Xiang.”

“After the Crown Prince’s death, the Empress Dowager asked Lord Yuan Xiang to produce the other decree, but he resisted the pressure and never handed it over,” Zhou Ping said. “The Fourth Prince believes that the next legitimate heir mentioned in the decree must be the Crown Prince, and as the Crown Prince was harmed by the Empress Dowager, Lord Yuan Xiang was afraid she would tamper with the decree, so he never revealed its whereabouts. Even when the Empress Dowager had the Fifth Prince, who is now the current Emperor, ascend the throne, Lord Yuan Xiang still didn’t divulge the location of the decree.”

Zhou Ping suddenly lifted her head, her gaze burning as she looked at Jiang Yan, using an impassioned tone to draw his agreement, “But Your Highness, you are the legitimate son of the Crown Prince. You are the rightful successor, the true dragon. The one sitting on the Dragon Throne now is nothing! He usurped the throne, and now, it’s time for Your Highness to reclaim what is rightfully yours!”

“As soon as we find the decree, Your Highness can ascend the throne immediately!”

Jiang Yan almost nodded in agreement. However, as a cold gust of wind blew, he silently suppressed his surging emotions, employing the tactic of delay, “I understand. Let’s talk about it when we find the decree.”