Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 1197: Chapter 1107: Lady Chancellor 45

The person on horseback rode closer and closer, eventually pulling the reins to stop beside Yin Shuangshuang’s carriage, and it was the spirited and heroic Wei Yingnan, dressed in men’s clothing.

”Grandfather told me about your situation. We are good sisters; how could you not call me when you have something going on? I’ll go to the Capital City with you; your safety will be in my care.”

Wei Yingnan laughed boldly and freely, not at all like a lady from a prestigious family, more like a spirited and heroic female knight of the world.

”This journey to the Capital City is fraught with danger. Even I am uncertain about the road ahead, so how could I let my younger sister Yingnan take the risk with me?”

Yin Shuangshuang was very grateful for Wei Yingnan’s loyalty, but the journey was fraught with perils, and Yin Shuangshuang was reluctant to involve her good friend Wei Yingnan in the risks.

Wei Yingnan jumped off her horse with nimble movements and entered the carriage, sitting directly across from Yin Shuangshuang.

”You don’t need to worry about that. They’re still afraid to easily challenge my identity. Besides, if anyone without insight wants to harm me, there’s the Empress Aunt to protect me. Following you won’t be as dangerous.”

Wei Yingnan insisted on following Yin Shuangshuang, and after a few more persuasions, Wei Yingnan turned around and covered her ears, pretending not to hear, refusing to leave. Yin Shuangshuang had no choice but to accept Wei Yingnan’s goodwill.

The group of twenty-five Yan Team members rode on tall horses, protectively surrounding Yin Shuangshuang’s carriage. The group majestically left the county, heading towards the Capital City.

Along the way, Yin Shuangshuang was not just on a simple journey. She had sent Yan Qi, Yan Ba, and Yan Jiu out in advance to scout for information along the route.

The three of them were originally scouts, most adept at concealing their tracks and gathering information, and they were also eloquent and persuasive.

The information obtained along the way might not be useful, but Yin Shuangshuang did this as a precaution, intending to gather all the information she could hold.

After the carriage had traveled about ten miles, Wei Yingnan suddenly remembered something, took out a letter from her bosom, and handed it to Yin Shuangshuang.

”Oh, right, before coming out to find you, my grandfather gave me this letter to hand over to you, saying it would be useful to you.”

Yin Shuangshuang took the letter and opened it. Inside were various pieces of information about the Capital City compiled by Mr. Nameless based on his contacts.

No wonder Yin Shuangshuang hadn’t seen Mr. Nameless these past two days; he was probably busy compiling this letter.

According to Mr. Nameless’s letter, the waters in the Capital City were indeed unusually deep.

Though the Emperor is in his prime, his health isn’t great, frequently falling ill, and with the Princes gradually coming of age, the struggle for succession has already begun.

Currently, the three oldest Princes—the Eldest Prince, the Second Prince, and the Third Prince—are the most likely to advance in court, with the younger Princes rallying behind these three.

The one who defeated Wang Zhongxuan this time, Xie Wenhao, is aligned with the Eldest Prince, and it is almost certain that Xie Wenhao will be the next Prime Minister. Although he hasn’t been appointed yet, it’s only a matter of time.

Wang Zhongxuan, on the other hand, was backed by the Second Prince, who has recently been scolded by the Emperor several times. Wang Zhongxuan is the Second Prince’s greatest asset.

Wang Zhongxuan’s defeat is not only his personal failure but also represents a tremendous loss for the Second Prince in the struggle for succession, as he suddenly lost significant influence.

It’s not only Xie Wenhao’s faction that wants Wang Zhongxuan dead but also includes the Eldest Prince.

After all, Wang Zhongxuan’s allies are largely the forces of the Second Prince, and a significant portion of these forces relies on the Second Prince because of Wang Zhongxuan.

If Wang Zhongxuan were to die, his followers would scatter like monkeys falling from a toppled tree and would no longer pose a threat.

But as long as Wang Zhongxuan is alive, the Second Prince can still potentially use him, and if Wang Zhongxuan ever turns things around, those forces would become an asset to the Second Prince.

Letting the snake live instead of killing it, releasing the tiger back to the mountain, is something the Eldest Prince and Xie Wenhao would never allow. So they now insist on having the Emperor execute Wang Zhongxuan.

The Emperor’s attitude is vague, not stating clearly how to handle the situation, allowing the factions of the Eldest and Second Princes to debate and argue endlessly in court.

Since the ministers are unsure of the Emperor’s intentions, they can only continue the struggle, hoping the Emperor will stand on their side.

Yin Shuangshuang speculated that the Emperor’s reluctance to express his opinion likely stems from dissatisfaction with both sides.

Ultimately, both the factions of the Eldest Prince and the Second Prince have his two sons eyeing the throne beneath him.

This is the Emperor’s taboo spot. Even if they are his sons, he won’t tolerate them coveting his position while he’s alive.

Thus, the Emperor deliberately watches as both sides fight, letting them whittle down each other’s power.

Recently, the Emperor has demoted many officials, most of whom are from the factions of the Eldest and the Second Prince, with the Eldest Prince suffering significant losses.

Unfortunately, the Eldest Prince, being in the midst of it, has not realized the critical point and continues to act recklessly and energetically.

Meanwhile, the Third Prince’s people are adding fuel to the fire, making the waters even murkier, hoping to seize an opportunity for advantage amid the chaos.

This doesn’t include whether other semi-mature Princes with budding ambitions have commanded their followers to mix into the fray.

Amidst such chaos, the Emperor still refuses to express a stance, causing the Capital City’s political scene to become a storm center where anyone even slightly involved risks being swept away.

Yin Shuangshuang put down the letter, rubbed her forehead, feeling quite a headache.

She knew that going to the Capital to rescue Wang Zhongxuan would not be an easy task, yet she still underestimated the complexity.

Among the murky waters filled with such a wide array of power struggles, the chances of Wang Zhongxuan emerging unscathed are very slim.

Yin Shuangshuang decided, upon entering the Capital, it best to follow opportunistic strategies, assess the depth of these waters before making any moves. Avoid acting rashly, lest she gets entangled herself in the process.

She is merely a small fry in the face of so many powerful figures, easily squashed by anyone with a flick of a finger, making it practically impossible to create a splash.

No matter what Yin Shuangshuang thought, the distance to the Capital City grew shorter by the day. One day, her convoy passed by a reasonably large town.

Since hitting the road, dining and sleeping in the open, and without proper rest for many days, Yin Shuangshuang was extremely weary and likely to fall ill if she didn’t have a good rest soon.

Falling ill while traveling is no small matter. Under Wei Yingnan’s strong insistence, Yin Shuangshuang decided to rest for a day in the town.

However, early the next morning, while setting off, they were blocked on the road out of town.

A row of a dozen ox carts carrying large barrels slowly entered the town one after another.

Yin Shuangshuang and her group were stuck there for over an hour before they could move on. Shortly afterward, Yan Qi returned to report back to Yin Shuangshuang.