Special Agent Rebirth: The Omnipotent Goddess of Quick Transmigration
Chapter 996 - 984 Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Character (18) First Update

Chapter 996: 984 Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Character (18) First Update

Zhaoying finished speaking and waited for Ye Shaohua’s reaction.

Ye Shaohua glanced at him, "Oh."

"..."

Zhaoying, who was previously a Dark Guard, didn’t understand much about Ye Shaohua’s affairs. Now that Song Shuyun had brought him into the open, he naturally came to know many things.

Among them, he was very clear about the matters concerning Ye Shaohua, Su Junling, and Ning Zhao.

Zhaoying brought up the matter mainly to see Ye Shaohua’s attitude. Now, her reaction... was indeed cold.

Ye Shaohua did react after listening to Zhaoying’s words.

After speaking to the kitchen, she went up to the top floor, first lit a stick of incense, and then started to write.

By the time she had written a page, the window gently moved, and a young man carrying a birdcage jumped in, "Lady Ye, it wasn’t long since the crown prince asked me about you, and now you’ve come to find me."

After finishing, he recounted the current affairs of the Royal Court.

What Zhaoying knew was only what had surfaced at the Royal Court, and he had spent all his words on Su Junling.

However, the young man was relaying the crown prince’s words, and he knew every detail clearly.

Although the outside world was talking about Su Junling, the emperor in fact supported the crown prince’s reform initiatives, "It’s just that the emperor’s health has been deteriorating lately, and he ended the morning court session early today. Moreover, His Majesty is still practicing alchemy."

After listening to the young man’s words, Ye Shaohua finished writing the letter. Once the ink had dried, she handed it to him.

She also sent a message through the young man, a single word: "Wait."

**

In March of the following year, the emperor fell gravely ill, and the Imperial Examination was overseen by the high officials of the Ministry.

Song Shuyun passed the preliminary examination in February, then the palace examination in March, and was decreed by the emperor as the Number One Scholar.

This news, once it spread from the Imperial Palace, shocked half the empire.

Old Madam Song and Song Family’s Second Master had been anxiously awaiting Song Shuheng’s results, only to hear shortly afterward about the grand procession of the Number One Scholar and the runner-up through the streets.

A Number One Scholar emerges only every few years, and in many years the Royal Court only produced a handful of them. Old Madam Song and the Second Master both came out to watch the spectacle.

But when they saw the procession passing by on horseback, they were startled to their very souls.

It was Song Shuyun, who just last year was lying unconscious in bed. Although it’s complicated how Old Madam Song and Second Master felt about him waking up, considering that the Song Family was now aligned with the crown prince.

And Song Shuheng had become an apprentice to the Prime Minister, firmly on the side of the third prince.

Both watched as the Song Family’s business grew larger and larger, eventually choosing not to return, clearly distancing themselves from the Song Residence.

But to their dying day, they never would have expected that Song Shuyun, who previously showed no particular talent in his studies and had only secured a position through donation, not only luckily passed the preliminary examination but actually succeeded in the palace examination as well! And even became the Number One Scholar!

Even seeing it with their own eyes, the two of them couldn’t believe it.

Especially the Second Master, who even asked whether there had been some mistake.

How could it be Song Shuyun?

Those around who heard the Second Master’s words gave him an odd look; the emperor’s words were inviolable, and now that the parade was underway, how could there be a mistake?

Upon realizing the identities of the Second Master and Old Madam Song, people came to an understanding.

Old Madam Song stood at the street corner, watching the bustling crowd follow the new Number One Scholar.

For a moment, her mind went blank.

The family servant had just come out with Song Shuheng’s ranking; Song Shuheng was lucky to pass the preliminary examination, but in the palace exam, he was listed at the very bottom of the third tier.

For decades, the Song Family had not produced a scholar, and Old Madam Song had originally thought Song Shuheng would be different from the rest of the family. Under normal circumstances, she would have been delighted with a third-tier ranking.

But now, with Song Shuyun as a point of comparison, Old Madam Song just couldn’t smile.

**

The Emperor’s health deteriorated day by day, and under the persuasion of his ministers, he began to consider naming the Crown Prince.

He had a particularly high regard for Song Shuyun.

After Song Shuyun became the Number One Scholar, he was directly admitted to the Hanlin Academy, with a rank of Third Grade official.

This was the highest post ever granted to a Number One Scholar entering the Hanlin Academy in recorded history. If it hadn’t been for the First Prince’s intervention, the Emperor would have even considered promoting him one more level.

The factions of the Third Prince and the First Prince started to openly compete against each other, with Song Shuyun standing on the side of the First Prince.

Previously, outsiders only knew of his business acumen, but now they also marveled at his skilled maneuvers in officialdom. Together with the mysterious advisor behind the First Prince, they firmly suppressed the Third Prince.

As the outside world admired Song Shuyun, they were reminded of Ye Shaohua, whom the Prime Minister Residence had disdained and cunningly wedged into the Song Family.

Originally, Ning Zhao had his eyes on Su Junling, which led to the Prime Minister Residence’s decision to call off the engagement.

Now, looking at the widely esteemed Su Junling after just a few months and then at Ye Shaohua, who just stayed in the Tianxia Building, many sighed that Song Shuyun had bad luck.

Who among the talented men of the Imperial City didn’t marry a graceful and sophisticated lady?

But it was also due to Ye Shaohua’s lack of ambition.

In April, Song Shuyun and the First Prince’s faction went to manage the Yellow River floods.

Everyone knew that since the Emperor had entrusted this task to the First Prince, he already had the intention of appointing the First Prince as the Crown Prince.

Meanwhile, the Third Prince’s faction remained in the Imperial City.

In the residence of the Third Prince, strategists, ministers from the Prime Minister Residence, and Su Junling were all present.

"Third Prince, the First Prince’s forces are all outside, and their supporters within the Imperial City pose no threat. With the advantage of timing, terrain, and unity, please do not hesitate any longer," the Prime Minister was the first to kneel down.

"Right now, Song Shuyun is away with the First Prince, and the Secretaries have been dispatched elsewhere. Third Prince, please reconsider," another person bowed deeply and said solemnly.

Following his gesture, everyone else also knelt down in a flurry.

Succession struggles have always been extremely brutal throughout history. The First Prince now has two strategists in place, and most of the Royal Court stands on his side. Upon his return, he is sure to be appointed the Crown Prince, and the Third Prince’s faction will certainly be purged.

The Third Prince’s face was expressionless, but it radiated sheer arrogance.

Without responding, he simply picked up a letter from the table.

Upon opening it, the flamboyant and unrestrained handwriting inside revealed an unprecedented plan for managing the Yellow River.

It was evident that in addition to Song Shuyun, the First Prince’s other advisor was also extremely formidable.

Unfortunately, despite their meticulous calculations, they had overlooked one detail. Looking at the letter, the Third Prince neatly refolded it, "Tell General Qin to meet me at the East Gate."

A look of joy crossed the faces of the Prime Minister and his party.

Now, the Emperor was obsessed with alchemy, and the First Prince had taken troops to contain the Yellow River floods.

The Third Prince was ready to seize the throne in a do-or-die maneuver.

Their advance as unstoppable as a sweeping force, after leaving the Emperor’s Imperial Study Room, they headed towards the Tianxia Building.

"Bang—"

The door was kicked open with force.

Flares of torches instantly lit up the Tianxia Building.

A group of rebels led the way in, followed by the Third Prince dressed in dark purple, with ministers such as the Prime Minister standing beside him.

Rebels surrounded the Tianxia Building from outside.

The First Prince’s faction, who were discussing plans, were startled to their core.

As the Third Prince was about to order the rebels to capture them all, a deep voice was heard from behind.