It wasn't long before the Second Prince was suspended and sent to the temple to pray for a month, but this was enough time for Xi Ming to put his plans into action. Quite a number of nobles had defected to his side, including the Prime Minister, whom he had promised to retain in his position, as the Prime Minister could sense the Emperor was looking for reasons to depose him.
In a dimly lit room, Xi Ming sat at the head of a large table, flanked by his most trusted generals and advisors, people he had trained over the years. By his side was Ye Jin, her face serious as she studied the large map rolled out on the table before them.
It was a map of the capital and imperial palace, littered with markings and indicators: red lines tracing potential entry and exit points, and black dots representing the stronghold locations of loyal allies within the city.