Before going to see the Empress, Xiao Jin had a heartfelt conversation with the Emperor. The Emperor harshly criticized him, saying that his methods in handling the inner court affairs were too lenient. Knowing that the Crown Princess was not up to the task, he still trusted her blindly without any precautions, and he did not make proper arrangements for the pregnant Lady Xu before leaving the capital.

 

The Emperor also told Xiao Jin that while it was right to give the legitimate wife the respect she deserved, when it became evident that she was lacking in capability and others had borne children, he should decisively take control of the inner court affairs in secret to prevent any unforeseen incidents. One must remember that people were merely human, not saints, and jealousy could be a terrifying thing.

 

Of course, there was no such thing as absolute security in this world. Sometimes, even with meticulous preparation, one may not be able to guard against the malice of others. However, taking such measures at least prevents regret. Xiao Jin should give Liu Jingyi the respect she deserved while also being cautious of her.

 

The Emperor discussed inner court affairs with Xiao Jin for the first time, making Xiao Jin more acutely aware of his shortcomings. The Emperor remarked that fortunately, the deception did not escape his notice, and he did not blindly follow one path regarding Liu Jingyi.

 

Before Xiao Jin could reflect on the Emperor's words, the Emperor dropped another bombshell on him concerning the Empress. The Empress mentioned that Consort Lan also knew the truth about Old Master Gu's death but never spoke of it.

 

Xiao Jin naturally understood that these words were aimed at Xiao Shan.

 

His first reaction was to look at the Emperor with a tone of disbelief, "Does Father Emperor believe that Third Brother is such a person?"

 

This time, the Emperor neither confirmed nor denied it. He looked at Xiao Jin and said calmly, "How I view Xiao Shan is my concern. The key is, how do you see this matter?"

 

"You are the future Emperor. How will you treat your ministers or even your brothers?"

 

"Your son does not believe that Third Brother would do such a thing," Xiao Jin replied without hesitation.

 

The Emperor said, "You should say that to the Empress. Whether you believe it or not, she does not."

 

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jin bowed to the Emperor and then headed straight to the Empress' palace.

 

When he saw the Empress, Xiao Jin did not even perform the customary greeting. Instead, he looked directly into her eyes and asked, word by word, "Mother Empress, do you really have no place in your heart for Third Brother? Must you drive him to his death?"

 

The Empress slammed the table hard upon hearing this. She angrily said, "Crown Prince, what nonsense are you spouting? When have I ever wanted to drive him to his death? I had your maternal grandfather investigate this matter before reporting it to the Emperor. That day, Gu Yan did indeed visit your grandfather. If he hadn't said something treasonous, your grandfather would not have died from a sudden illness."

 

After saying this, the Empress softened her tone and said, "You are the Crown Prince, the future Emperor. An Emperor is destined to be a lonely figure!"

 

Xiao Jin laughed twice at these words, then closed his eyes and said, "Mother Empress, you have always been in the inner palace. The Gu family is in mourning; how did you come by this information?"

 

The Empress did not want to fall out with Xiao Jin over this matter, as she still needed to maintain their mother-son relationship.

 

So, she mentioned the names of Liu Jingyi and the Old Madam An.

 

Then, with a somewhat weary tone, she said, "I know you can't accept this right now, so I've kept it from you. I did not deliberately wrong anyone. I indeed had people investigate thoroughly. It is a fact that Consort Lan's sudden visit to her family was suspicious. If you must blame someone, blame Consort Lan for having thoughts she shouldn't have had."

 

"‘I should blame’…" Xiao Jin said, his smile complex and enigmatic. He looked steadily at the Empress and asked, "Does Mother Empress truly wish to blind herself and believe that Third Brother harbors disloyalty?"

 

The Empress remained silent, her face cold.

 

Xiao Jin nodded, indicating that he understood the Empress' stance. He said, "In that case, I will certainly give Mother Empress an explanation."

 

With that, he turned and left.

 

The Empress stood up and called his name. Xiao Jin stopped but did not turn around. Instead, he said softly, "Mother Empress, if Consort Lan truly had ulterior motives, why has the second branch of the Gu family fully supported me all these years without any other actions? Why is there suddenly evidence now? Has Mother Empress never considered how Consort Lan and the second branch of the Gu family have treated you and me?"

 

The Empress was silent for a moment, then hardened her heart and said, "Perhaps this is a case of knowing a person's face but not their heart."

 

Xiao Jin replied, "If that is what Mother Empress believes, then I have nothing more to say. I still maintain that I will give Mother Empress an explanation for this matter."

 

The Empress watched his departing figure, feeling an emptiness in her heart.

 

***

 

When Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui left the Xie residence, Xie Zhui was in a bad mood.

 

Xiao Shan naturally understood his mood; they had seen Xie Sui asleep, no, rather in a coma.

 

Xie Chen couldn't see, and his descriptions couldn't compare to seeing with one's own eyes.

 

Xiao Shan's first reaction upon seeing the person on the bed was that this was not a human being at all. He was tormented by the Gu poison within him to the point of him not resembling a human. He looked like a dried-up tree root lacking water, a root that could break at any moment.

 

The person guarding Xie Sui was the Northern Rong man who adopted a Da Zhou name for himself, Ouyang Jing.

 

Ouyang Jing had half Da Zhou blood, but perhaps due to living in darkness for many years, his eyes were shadowy, and his entire being was filled with a sinister aura. He stood there silently, not speaking.

 

Due to time constraints, Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui did not stay long in the room.

 

Before leaving, Xie Zhui thanked Ouyang Jing.

 

The Da Zhou and the Northern Rong were enemies.

 

He killed countless Northern Rong people to protect the citizens of Da Zhou's northern territories. But to the man who saved his father, he expressed his gratitude.

 

Even as they left, Ouyang Jing remained silent.

 

Xiao Shan held Xie Zhui's hand, noticing that it was somewhat cold.

 

Upon returning to the prince's residence, he had Ji An bring hot water. He then placed Xie Zhui's hands in the warm water, and only after feeling the warmth did he take a soft towel to dry his hands.

 

Xie Zhui's hands warmed up, and so did his heart. He looked at Xiao Shan and said, "Such a big incident happened in the Eastern Palace; Your Highness should go and take a look."

 

"It doesn't matter. Whether I go or not, Second Brother won't mind," Xiao Shan replied. "A lot has happened today. I'll stay in the prince's residence with you."

 

"I'm not that delicate," Xie Zhui said. "You should go. I'm really fine."

 

Xiao Shan thought for a moment and then said in a deep voice, "Although I don't believe Father Emperor is someone who would kill loyal subjects, if it turns out that he is responsible for Father-in-law's situation, I will certainly seek justice for him."

 

He always held this belief deep down: heroes who shed blood should not be wronged.

 

Xie Zhui nodded firmly and said, "Elder Brother doesn't truly believe it was Father Emperor either; otherwise, he wouldn't have spoken so frankly. We will definitely uncover the truth behind this."

 

Xiao Shan acknowledged with a sound.

 

He didn't believe such a melodramatic situation would occur between him and Xie Zhui, so these matters needed a resolution.

 

Before heading to the Eastern Palace, Xiao Shan reviewed some findings that Xie Chen uncovered in Jiangnan. These findings were somewhat within his expectations.

 

However, Xiao Shan did not immediately present these findings to Xiao Jin. This matter needed to be brought before the Emperor. He needed to carefully consider the best approach.

 

When he arrived at the Eastern Palace, Xiao Jin had already returned from the Imperial Palace.

 

Seeing Xiao Jin's troubled expression, Xiao Shan thought he was upset about the Crown Princess.

 

Xiao Shan approached him, unable to find comforting words, and simply asked, "Second Brother, would you like to drink? I'll join you."

 

Xiao Jin shook his head and said, "What time is it to be drinking? Drinking too much will harm the stomach. Just talk with me."

 

Xiao Shan agreed and sat down beside him. However, once seated, Xiao Jin kept staring at him without saying a word.

 

Feeling uneasy under his gaze, Xiao Shan asked, "Second Brother, what's wrong?"

 

Xiao Jin replied, "Do you know much about the Marchioness of the Marquis of Anguo?"

 

Hearing the words "Marquis of An," Xiao Shan's heart skipped a beat. He asked, "Why is Second Brother bringing her up?" Moreover, his tone seemed quite displeased. In the past, Xiao Jin always referred to the Marchioness of Anguo* as "Great Aunt."

*Apparently… the Marquis of An title is still in effect on Old Madam An’s husband… and hasn’t been passed… I unknowingly used Dowager… I’m so sorry. If I am in a great mood, I’ll read this novel all over again and then make corrections.

 

Pondering the current situation, Xiao Shan added, "I don't know much about her, but we don't get along. The first time I took Xie Zhui to the Gu residence, she used her status to reprimand me. However, she didn't gain any advantage over me."

 

"Did she offend you, Second Brother?"

 

"Offend?" Xiao Jin sneered repeatedly. "She did more than just offend me." After saying this, he looked at Xiao Shan and said, "Xiao Shan, Mother Empress told me that as the Crown Prince and future Emperor, I am destined to be a lonely figure. But I don't intend to be that lonely figure. We grew up together, and among our brothers, our bond is the deepest, and we understand each other the best. If you trust me, I must live up to that trust."

 

Xiao Shan found his words very strange and asked, "Second Brother, what are you talking about?"

 

This time, Xiao Jin did not hide anything from him and revealed the matter of the Empress accusing Consort Lan and him of harboring disloyalty.

 

Xiao Shan was stunned. He truly hadn't expected such a situation, as Consort Lan never mentioned any of this to him.

 

Xiao Jin looked at him with a bitter smile and said, "Mother Empress has already brought this matter before Father Emperor. If there is no resolution, won't we brothers end up killing each other?"

 

"Throughout history, many have reached the throne by committing patricide and fratricide*, stepping over countless corpses. But I cannot turn my blade against a brother who has always been good to me. I cannot commit fratricide. If I did, I would be haunted by nightmares for the rest of my life, and I would never find peace."

*Committing patricide means killing one's own father, while committing fratricide means killing one's own brother. These terms are often used to describe extreme acts of betrayal and violence within a family, particularly in historical or royal contexts where power struggles can lead to such tragic outcomes.

 

Seeing his demeanor, Xiao Shan felt that he was planning to do something very dangerous.

 

Xiao Shan wanted to find a topic to divert his attention, so he said in a deep voice, "Second Brother, besides wanting to have a drink with you today, I have important news to share, concerning Jiangnan..."

 

"Don't say it," Xiao Jin interrupted him. "Let's not talk about these things. You'll have the opportunity to handle them in the future."

 

Xiao Shan wanted to speak again, but Xiao Jin grabbed his arm and said, "If you still consider me your Second Brother, then keep quiet."

 

Naturally, Xiao Shan acknowledged him, so he said nothing more.

 

Having poured out his heart, Xiao Jin seemed much more at ease and then told Xiao Shan to go back.

 

Xiao Shan glanced at him and stood up, saying, "Second Brother, I'll head back now."

 

Xiao Jin nodded.

 

As Xiao Shan left the Eastern Palace, he stood at the gate and looked towards the area where the concubines resided in the inner palace. He adjusted his clothes and then turned to leave.

 

When he returned, Xie Zhui already sent messages by carrier pigeon to Yin Tong and Xu Guang.

 

Xiao Shan did not tell Xie Zhui about the mess in the palace. He knew his own expression wasn't very good and simply said it was due to his concern for Xiao Jin.

 

In truth, his words weren't entirely false, as he was indeed very worried about Xiao Jin.

 

That night, Xiao Shan had insomnia for the first time.

 

Lying in bed, he pondered Xiao Jin's intentions, thinking that if Xiao Jin really wanted to do something, he would choose an auspicious day.

 

After calculating, he concluded that the second day of the second month would be the best.

 

***

 

Xiao Shan had imagined many scenarios of what Xiao Jin might do, but he never expected that on the second day of the second month, Xiao Jin would go to the Emperor and request to be deposed as Crown Prince.

 

When Chang Le came to deliver the decree summoning him to the palace, his face was so wrinkled with worry that he hardly looked human. Despite the cold weather, he was sweating profusely, pacing back and forth, and urging Xiao Shan incessantly, "Your Highness, you must go to the palace quickly. The palace is in chaos. The Emperor is so angered by the Crown Prince that his heart condition has flared up. The Empress and Consort Lan have both rushed over. The Emperor is in a state of fury."

 

Chang Le didn't dare to say that right after Xiao Jin made his request, the Emperor, in his fury, slapped him and said he was deeply disappointed. He declared that a Crown Prince with no sense of responsibility deserved to be deposed.

 

The Empress was rushing over at that moment and nearly fainted upon hearing this.

 

Seeing the urgency of the situation, Xiao Shan said to Xie Zhui, "I need to go to the palace. You go to Elder Brother's place and wait for me."

 

Xie Zhui replied, "Shouldn't I go with you?"

 

Xiao Shan shook his head and said, "No need to rush. Father Emperor is already enraged, and I have matters to report as well. Since things have come to this, we might as well tear the sky open. I will present everything to Father Emperor. You and Elder Brother should be prepared."

 

Xie Zhui shook his head and said urgently, "You know Father Emperor is angry, so why provoke him at this time?"

 

Xiao Shan replied, "It's fine. You go find Elder Brother quickly."

 

Chang Le, unable to wait any longer, stepped forward and pulled Xiao Shan towards the door. "Ancestor, I'll call you Ancestor if it helps! Let's go quickly, or it will be too late."

 

In his urgency, Chang Le's strength was considerable, and he managed to get Xiao Shan onto the carriage.

 

On the way to the palace, Chang Le glanced at Xiao Shan repeatedly and sighed deeply. "I've served by the Emperor's side for many years, and this is the first time I've seen him this angry. He even took two heart pills. The Emperor is getting old and can't handle such anger. Your Highness, when you enter the palace, you must try to calm him down."

 

Xiao Shan remained silent, only urging the driver to go faster.

 

This time, the journey to the palace indeed took less time than usual.

 

When Xiao Shan arrived at Qianming Hall, the palace attendants and guards were standing at a distance, their expressions puzzled. It was clear that the Emperor did not want outsiders to know too much about what was happening inside.

 

Xiao Shan entered Qianming Hall, with Chang Le waiting outside.

 

The atmosphere inside the hall was far more serious than outside.

 

As Xiao Shan walked in, he immediately saw Xiao Jin kneeling on the ground, a clear handprint on his left cheek.

 

The Empress and Consort Lan were kneeling nearby, both crying silently, not daring to make a sound.

 

Seeing Xiao Shan, Xiao Jin managed a smile and said, "Third Brother, you're here."