Yu Ruyan did not dare to delay for a moment. Fang Jin mobilized the guards and rushed to the capital day and night.
With Yu Ruyan's advice, it is too eye-catching to take the official road. Although it is difficult to take a detour to take the mountain path, it is easy to hide. Han Cheng's army is also on the way to the capital. Fortunately, these veteran generals have a heart to protect the country and eliminate traitors. Even if they don't have a weapon, they can deal with it expediently. They hurriedly dispatch troops to escort the prince.
The task of the Hancheng Army and the Guard Army is to ambush the garrison of the capital city together with the miscellaneous army composed of servants of the families when they are unprepared in the first seven nights. If some of the defenders in the capital are disillusioned, they can also be included in it. Those who are stubborn can be temporarily detained, and even killed on the spot.
As for the imperial guards in charge of guarding the imperial city, they were all controlled by the queen, so they had to wait for Yang Chuting and Zhao Xuanfang's confidants to form a team to approach the imperial palace.
On the way, Yu Ruyan and others arrive at Yongcheng. The guards and Han Chengjun had secretly arrived in the capital to meet Yang Chuting's troops. Zhao Xuanfang stayed in the capital, and Yang Chuting secretly rushed to Yongcheng.
With the efforts of Deputy General Yang Jun, he has already contacted the Prince, which makes everyone feel relieved.
Yu Ruyan was most worried about the situation of the prince and asked: "Deputy General Yang, how is the prince now?"
Yang Jun said, "Don't worry, the crown prince is not in any serious trouble, but he is under house arrest. I killed a maid by the way of the crown prince, put on her clothes and pretended to go in. Although there are not many soldiers to defend, the people of the demon queen are very strict about the crown prince. What should we do next?"
Xiao Feiqing asked, "Since there are not many soldiers, General Yang, can your trusted followers take the opportunity to attack and forcibly rescue the crown prince?"
Yu Ruyan questioned, "Is this a way to scare the snake?"
"What shall we do then?" Yang Jun asked. "After all, we must welcome the prince back to the capital to regain the throne."
Yu Ruyan said, "We can't rob, we can steal."
"Steal?" Everyone wondered, "How can you steal?"
Yu Ruyan said: "In fact, on the way to the palace, I have thought that if we boldly rescue the prince from the palace, if the news leaked, we would only be trapped in the passive. In this way, since Deputy General Yang has been to the palace once, I think we must have mastered the situation of the palace. This time we sent some elite people to steal the prince. We'd better find someone to take the place of the prince, pretend to be seriously ill without seeing anyone, and keep it as long as we can, so as to buy us as much time as possible. "
The crowd nodded, which can be regarded as a better way than robbing in a crisis moment.
"By the way, Deputy General Yang, is the little eunuch next to the prince Xiaomuzi?" Yu Ruyan asked.
Yang Jun said, "Little Muzi is really in the palace, but he doesn't wait on the prince. The prince is replaced by the empress dowager."
Yu Ruyan said, "It's easy. Little Muzi is not around and won't attract others' attention. Besides, he is about the same age and stature as the prince, so he can just pretend to be the prince."
Yang Chuting said, "The meaning of Taifu is to let Xiao Muzi pretend to be the crown prince, and then steal the crown prince after pretending to be seriously ill."
Yu Ruyan nodded and said, "Yes, it's better to let the prince change into Xiao Muzi's inner prison clothes, so it's easier to mix with Deputy General Yang. There are water tankers in the palace every day, and the time to get in and out of the palace is the same as that of the imperial palace. At that time, please ask Deputy General Yang and the prince to grievance and hide in the water tankers."
Yang Jun said, "I don't care. I just wronged the prince."
Xiao Feiqing said, "An expedient measure can only hurt the Crown Prince. I have a jade pendant here. You can take it to buy the water delivery eunuch, and say you want to smuggle some palace utensils for sale. Surely no one will stop you."
Yang Chuting said, "Lord Xiao is right. I also heard that the palace maids often smuggle some small things out to sell. The palace is not more strict than the imperial palace, so we can easily get hold of them here."
Everything was arranged properly. Xiao Feiqing and Yu Ruyan stayed in the other courtyard of Yongcheng, Zhao Xuanfang, and waited anxiously.
Xiao Feiqing comforted: "The Taifu should not worry too much, General Yang, they will surely succeed. Besides, we have a backup plan. If Yang Jun fails to rescue, General Yang will rush in with people to rob the prince. In short, we will save the prince."
Yu Ruyan sighed, "I hope everything goes well, too. The ancestors of the State of Chen are on top. Please bless the crown prince for an early escape."
It was getting dark outside, and Xu Shi was the time when the waterwheel came in and out. Everyone was very worried.
It was not easy to wait until after Xu Shi, the most nervous time came. Whether the prince can be saved depends on tonight. After tonight, there are less than two days left to go back to the capital to regain the throne!
"Taifu, I asked the servant to cook some porridge, so you can eat some." Xiao Feiqing came in with two bowls of porridge, one plate of steamed buns, and three plates of dishes.
Yu Ruyan fidgeted, stroked her forehead and said, "The prince hasn't come yet. I can't eat."
Xiao Feiqing then advised, "When the prince comes back, we will return to Beijing as soon as possible. You should eat more. Otherwise, how will you survive the next war?"
Yu Ruyan nodded and said, "OK, Lord Xiao, please have some."
After they had a bowl of porridge, Yu Ruyan ate a steamed stuffed bun. After a few mouthfuls, she couldn't eat any more. Xiao Feiqing didn't force him to pick up the dishes. By this time, it was almost Haishi.
At the time of 1911, suddenly a boy's voice came from the door: "Jade Taifu, Jade Taifu!"
Yu Ruyan suddenly felt her legs weak. Xiao Feiqing's sharp eyes held her up and said happily, "The prince is here, and we have succeeded!"
"Wei Chen has met the Prince." Yu Ruyan and Xiao Feiqing saluted.
The crown prince Zhao Wenzheng burst into tears when he saw Yu Ruyan. He threw Yu Ruyan into his arms and cried, "Yu Taifu, you are finally back."
Yu Ruyan patted Zhao Wenzheng on the head and said, "Men don't tear lightly. Prince, are you all right?"
Zhao Wenzheng raised his head, touched a tear and said, "Tai Fu is right. Now is not the time for me to cry. My father has been killed, and my throne will be taken away. Now I will take it back!"
Yu Ruyan then took a closer look at Zhao Wenzheng. After three years' absence, he has grown a lot, almost as tall as himself. But he was dark, thin and much stronger.
Yang Chuting said, "Your highness, now is not the time for us to reminisce about the past. After the first seven of the first emperor tomorrow, it is time to ascend the throne the day after tomorrow. We'd better hurry to the capital."
Yu Ruyan said, "General Yang is right. We will go to the capital. I believe that Loyalty Uncle has made arrangements."
They rushed back to the capital with the prince overnight.
At dawn, people rushed to the training ground of Yang Chuting in the capital.
Many soldiers have gathered on the training ground. Some of them are Yang Chuting's and Zhao Xuanfang's close soldiers, and some of them are the family generals of courtiers who are unwilling to associate with traitors.
"See your highness, the prince." Zhao Xuanfang led the people.
Zhao Wenzheng said, "Uncle Huang, please get up quickly. Thank you for finding the Taifu in time and persuading so many people to help me."
Zhao Xuanfang said, "What is that, Prince? You are the legitimate heir of the royal family. If someone wants to kill the former emperor and seize your throne, not only the officials and relatives in the court will not agree, but also the people in the world will not agree."
"Loyal Uncle, how's it going?" Yu Ruyan asked.
Zhao Xuanfang said, "All the arrangements have been made. The Hancheng Army and the Guard Army have been ambushing in the capital, and the rest of the people are also gathering in the training ground."
Xiao Feiqing asked, "Where are those courtiers?"
Zhao Xuanfang said, "Today is the first seven days of the first emperor, and they will definitely go to the palace. If they are not there, they will be doubted. So I agreed with the officials of all ministries to gather here at night after the first seven days of the first emperor, and we will go into the palace together tomorrow."
Yang Chuting said, "What Loyalty Uncle said is reasonable. We can't let the demon queen suspect them."
The next time, Yu Ruyan and others gathered troops and horses to make a careful plan.
According to the plan, Yang Chuting is in charge of the Han Cheng Army and the Wei Cheng Army, who are responsible for holding the imperial guard of the capital, and Zhao Xuanfang is responsible for the rest of the trusted dead. Xiao Feiqing and Yu Ruyan are responsible for protecting the prince back to the palace.
Zhao Wenzheng is familiar with the route of the imperial palace. Tomorrow at Yinshi, Zhao Xuanfang is responsible for taking half of the people into the palace through the main gate. Xiao Feiqing takes some people into the palace through several side gates. Yang Jun and Yu Ruyan escort Zhao Wenzheng into the palace quietly from the most inconspicuous gate.
"Tai Fu..." Zhao Wenzheng frowned slightly and grabbed Yu Ruyan's sleeve.
Yu Ruyan looked back and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Prince, we will help you to regain the throne."
Zhao Wenzheng nodded.
Then there was a commotion outside.
"What's the matter?" Yu Ruyan asked.
Yang Jun immediately went out to investigate. After waiting for a while, Yu Ruyan was worried and followed him.
"What happened?" Yu Ruyan asked.
Yang Jun came up with an angry face and said, "Tai Fu, some people are afraid that we will not regain the throne, and some want to shrink back."
Yang Chuting asked coldly, "Who are the people?"
"We are just servants. Why should we fight for such a fate? Who is not the emperor?"
"We can benefit from the crown prince becoming the emperor. What if we fail? We will also be executed! I have a family!"
"That is to say!"
"I don't want to do the fateful job..."