Gu Shixiong looked at Yuchi Yan, who was sitting dejectedly on a chest of silver, and his nose turned sour. Unable to restrain himself, he knelt down with tears streaming down his aged face and said, “Your Majesty, please don’t let these trivial matters damage your health. Now we are free and standing on Great Yan’s soil, and you possess this wealth. A comeback is just within reach. This old minister believes that in the future, many subjects will join Your Majesty in restoring our Great Yan.”

Yuchi Yan sniffled and stood up, moved, extending both hands to help Gu Shixiong to his feet. “Minister Gu, your loyal heart moves me deeply. It’s just that I have wronged you. To avoid arousing Li Qitian’s suspicions during this journey, I could not bring Chang’er out, nor could I bring out the rest of the Gu family members.”

Ever since Gu Shixiong had found him and they secretly planned this operation, Yuchi Yan’s heart had not known peace for a single day.

He tormented himself daily with choices. If he left, what would happen to the ministers who had once followed him? What about Li Yanyan and Gu Chang, who had remained loyal to him?

But Gu Shixiong’s words—”Those who accomplish great deeds are not constrained by trivial matters”—had finally persuaded him.

Yuchi Yan knew he was not particularly clever, lacking even the courage of his Imperial Uncle, Prince Ning.

During his days in Great Zhou, he lived in humiliation every day. The title Li Qitian had bestowed upon him constantly mocked his cowardice.

Now the opportunity to restore Great Yan lay before him, and he wanted to seize it. Because no matter how cowardly he was, he was still a man after all!

It was just that those he had left behind in Zhou Dynasty’s capital to ease Li Qitian’s mind—their future life and death were beyond his concern now.

Because he could not be certain how long it would take to establish a new regime and fight his way to Great Zhou’s capital.

Perhaps he would never accomplish it in his entire lifetime?

Or perhaps he could accomplish it, but those people would have long since become sacrifices to Li Qitian’s rage, and he wouldn’t even have a chance to find their graves.

He felt guilty. But he was also helpless.

He did not want to live his entire life in Great Zhou as a coward. He was once an emperor—how could he allow himself to spend his life crawling at another emperor’s feet like a dog, begging for survival?

“My dear minister, I…”

“Your Majesty.”

Gu Shixiong wiped away his tears with his sleeve and said in a trembling voice, “Your Majesty need not feel guilty. Never mind them—even if this old minister’s aged bones could assist Your Majesty in achieving great undertakings, what would it matter if they were torn apart and ground to dust?

“The lives of us ministers are nothing. Even if we die, we hope to see the day Great Yan is restored! Your Majesty has always been kind and benevolent, caring for your subjects, but it is precisely because you are too merciful that you torment yourself!”

These words struck Yuchi Yan’s heart, leaving him both moved and bitter.

Yuchi Yan reflected that he had never harmed anyone. Perhaps the two worst things he had done in his life were first, keeping Qin Yining captive by his side, and second, this current escape that left Li Yanyan and Gu Chang behind in Great Zhou’s capital to fend for themselves.

But why couldn’t good people in this world receive good rewards?

And why did someone like him, who found solace in books, paintings, and natural scenery, have to be born into the imperial family?

If he could have been the son of an ordinary family, with a beloved wife and two beautiful concubines, spending his days reading and painting with fragrant sleeves adding incense—how wonderful that would have been.

Unfortunately, there are no “what-ifs” in this world. The two most cruel words in existence are “what if.”

Yuchi Yan took a deep breath and forced a smile. “Since we’ve already reached this point, there is no turning back for me. If I can restore the country someday, I will have their deeds recorded in detail in the historical records.”

“This old minister…”

“Haha!”

A burst of hearty laughter suddenly rang out, interrupting Gu Shixiong’s unspoken words.

Gu Shixiong and Yuchi Yan looked toward the source of the sound in terror, only to see a group of people carrying lanterns slowly approaching along the gentle slope. The leader was tall and imposing with a commanding presence. The lamplight illuminated his handsome features from below, creating stark contrasts that carved out deep contours and made the group’s arrival seem particularly ominous.

“You, you… Pang Zhixi, You Meng, how did you…”

“Surprised?” Pang Xiao sneered coldly, looking at Yuchi Yan with contempt. “A man, regardless of whether his external affairs succeed or fail, should never step on his own woman’s corpse. A worthless coward like you dares call himself a man? Fortunately, Sister Yining didn’t follow you back then, or wouldn’t she also be left behind to take the blame now?”

Yuchi Yan’s entire body trembled. Unable to stand steady, he stumbled backward several steps, his calves hitting the treasure chest, causing him to fall and sit on the box.

Gu Shixiong’s hands shook. “You actually followed us!”

“You’re allowed to escape, but we’re not allowed to follow?” Pang Xiao pulled Qin Yining behind him into his embrace, his large palm covering her shoulder and upper arm, rubbing to warm her. “Are you cold?”

Qin Yining replied, “It is a bit chilly.”

Among the group of men, Qin Yining’s voice was soft and pleasant, but to Yuchi Yan’s ears, it was like the tolling of a bell, making his head buzz.

She had witnessed the most humiliating moment of his entire life!

What if she thought he was the kind of treacherous person who abandons his wife? Would she also, as Pang Xiao had said, feel fortunate that she hadn’t followed him back then?

But on second thought, that was indeed exactly what he had done.

Yuchi Yan, deeply devastated, hung his head and could not utter a word.

Pang Xiao glanced sideways at Yuchi Yan. Seeing his face change from merely terrified to utterly dejected upon seeing Qin Yining, he felt disgusted.

Having already done such despicable things, yet still performing deep affection here—wasn’t he ashamed!

Pang Xiao turned back to the cave entrance, wrote a message by lamplight and the faint sunlight, tied it to a carrier pigeon’s leg, and released it. Then he called You Meng over.

“General You, this prince has already sent news of finding the treasure. Since we’ve found the treasure, let’s arrange how to transport it.”

“That won’t trouble Your Highness.” You Meng smiled slightly, taking out a bright yellow imperial edict from his chest and unfolding it with a solemn voice. “His Majesty has issued an edict!”

Everyone immediately knelt to receive the imperial decree.

You Meng announced: “By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The excavation and transportation of the treasure shall be entirely supervised by You Meng. Prince Zhongshun and the Princess Consort are weary from travel and are hereby ordered to rest in place immediately, not to leave without permission, and to await further orders. So it is decreed!”

Pang Xiao and Qin Yining, kneeling on the ground, both looked up at You Meng in astonishment.

You Meng smiled and presented the edict with both hands. “Your Highness, please accept the decree.”

Pang Xiao frowned. “Impossible! His Majesty trusts this prince above all others!”

“But His Majesty’s edict is here. If Your Highness doesn’t believe it, please examine it yourself.”

Pang Xiao snatched the edict and unfolded it to examine it urgently. Immediately, as if struck by some terrible blow, he hung his head in dejection.

At this point, Gu Shixiong suddenly burst into wild laughter. “When the cunning hares are dead, the hunting hounds are cooked! It seems His Majesty doesn’t trust you very much either! Prince Zhongshun, may I ask how you feel right now? Comfortable?”