He naturally knew that Prince Dongping was undoubtedly his son, but masculine pride still made him extremely disgusted that Grand Consort Fan had used such a tactic. Han Zhengqing had nearly used Prince Dongping to poison him to death. Thinking of this, he felt piercing pain drilling into his heart, and his chest felt severely congested again.

After Prince Dongping had calmed him down, by the time he emerged from the Crown Prince’s bedchamber, the sky was already filled with sunset clouds. The clouds where the sun was setting at the horizon were especially thick, with the golden-rimmed sun wrapped in lake-green clouds—so beautiful it was dazzling to the eyes.

Coming out from the Crown Prince’s bedchamber, he went straight to the study. Qian Ying was already waiting for him. Seeing his dejected expression, she couldn’t help but ask: “What happened to Your Highness?”

Prince Dongping told her what he had said to the Crown Prince, then looked at Qian Ying and sighed: “Father still wants to scheme for me. How could I dare harbor such thoughts? Naturally I had to dissuade him, but one thing led to another… and I ended up telling him everything about what happened before.”

Not speaking of it had left his heart truly unbearably stifled. Every day it felt as if an enormous boulder hung suspended in his heart, so heavy it could crush someone to death. His heart truly couldn’t bear it anymore.

Qian Ying knew all this, but the Crown Prince—the Crown Prince’s heart wasn’t exactly broad-minded to begin with. Hearing such words, wouldn’t he be angered into some mishap? Qian Ying lowered her eyes. After a long pause, she sighed, glanced at Huang Yiqing who was similarly lowering his eyes, then nodded at Prince Dongping: “That’s as it should be, only Your Highness should have been more tactful. After all, His Highness the Crown Prince hasn’t fully recovered yet.” The implication was that she simply felt Prince Dongping should have spoken more euphemistically, though the words themselves weren’t wrong.

Today Zhou Weizhao had led the hundred officials to perform the Sacrifice to Heaven. Next year on the twenty-first of the second month, he would be enfeoffed as Crown Imperial Grandson. The Ministry of Rites was anxious as ants on a hot pan over this matter. With everything already set in stone, if the Crown Prince still interfered, it would simply be seeking a faster path to the King of Hell’s palace for Prince Dongping.

She looked at Prince Dongping and sighed somewhat helplessly. What a pity—to have such a mother.

Consort Fan was simply too self-important. A woman’s petty schemes were barely concealable. Having a bit of cleverness, she thought herself truly capable, playing Han Zhengqing like a fool, yet forgot to consider the consequences.

If she hadn’t made this scene, if Han Zhengqing hadn’t been so deranged, Prince Dongping would at least still have qualifications to compete. Now, what was there to compete with? It was truly too foolish.

Yet Qian Ying couldn’t help feeling fortunate. Thank goodness Prince Dongping wasn’t foolish—not only could he listen to advice, but he himself wasn’t the type to be possessed by delusions. Neither Han Cheng nor the Fan family’s successive attempts at persuasion had been able to move him.

Thinking of this, her eyes finally showed some relief: “However, better a short pain than a long one. Now that Your Highness has spoken openly about it, it’s also a good thing. Covering it up and concealing it—if later someone with ulterior motives leaked it to the Crown Prince’s ears, that would be quite different.”

How furious would the Crown Prince be then? Qian Ying felt somewhat alarmed in retrospect: “If Your Highness has nothing pressing, you should still attend the Crown Prince’s side daily. Just in case.”

Her words were somewhat vague. Prince Dongping raised his eyebrows.

Huang Yiqing then analyzed for Prince Dongping: “Your Highness should know what news the Fan family’s people brought back. Han Zhengqing still has people around His Highness the Imperial Grandson… If he makes a move through the Imperial Grandson’s people and the Crown Prince were to die… at that time, though the Imperial Grandson would certainly be condemned by all and in grave danger, you would be in similar straits.”

They were now grasshoppers tied to the same rope again. The Crown Prince staying alive benefited them all. Better he stay alive.

Prince Dongping understood the reasoning and nodded. Having spoken all the fear and worry pent up in his heart, he felt much better. Pursing his lips, he asked them: “Speaking of this, that person from the Fan family also said the entire Northwest has now fallen into Han Zhengqing and Prince Gong’s hands. What is Cui Shaoting doing? Could he have been finished off too?”

Once they grasped the Northwest, they would be completely established. Even if the court sent troops to attack, it probably wouldn’t show results in just a year or two. It was truly headache-inducing.

“This isn’t for us to worry about, though.” Qian Ying set down her teacup: “News of movements on their side can reach the capital. The Imperial Grandson has also received your warning—there will always be methods to consider.”

Prince Dongping made an acknowledging sound, both hands bracing against the chair arms, feeling utterly exhausted.

In the Northwest, they said even Marquis Dingyuan had died at Han Zhengqing’s hands, and Prince Zhennan’s whereabouts were also unknown. If Cui Shaoting couldn’t withstand them either, wouldn’t the Tartars drive straight in, serving as vanguard troops for Prince Gong and Han Zhengqing all the way?

Prince Gong and Han Zhengqing were truly deranged to be able to do such things.

Marquis Dingyuan, whom he thought dead, was actually still alive and well. Moreover, up to now, he was living fairly decently—Han Yang could still speak with some weight before Prince Gong. Though Han Zhengqing didn’t think much of this son, Prince Gong and his people all treated him as Han Zhengqing’s son. Since he was an ally’s son, naturally they had to give him more face.

Therefore, when Han Yang clamored to help subdue the thirteen thousand guards at Weihai Wei, after several days of hesitation, Prince Gong decided to assign him this task after all.

In any case, Weihai Wei was a stubborn stone—unyielding and intractable. Bai Guan, for some reason, had a particularly excellent touch in commanding troops and managing subordinates. With Bai Guan’s death so unclear, those men absolutely refused to surrender. Assigning it to Han Yang was fine—it would consume this person’s time.

Though Wu Feng was still nominally attached to it, the task had ultimately been given. Han Yang was so excited he couldn’t contain himself. After a few days, he went to Han Yu’s place again to tell him this good news.

Lu Ran was silent for a long while, then said: “Pick a time to depart. Marquis Dingyuan and I will go with you.”

Han Yang was somewhat dazed: “You two are… thorns in Prince Gong’s side. Now there’s news from somewhere saying you’ve fled to Taiyuan. Recently he’s had Wu Qianli investigating very strictly. If you’re discovered then, it’ll be a dead end!”

His words had barely finished when the subordinate keeping watch outside suddenly rushed in frantically. In such cold wind, he was sweating profusely from urgency: “Trouble! Trouble! Young Master, Commander Wu is leading people outside!”

Commander Wu? Han Yang only felt his neck turn ice-cold. Looking at Han Yu, Marquis Dingyuan, and the others who were equally shocked and looking over, he jumped up from his stool in anxiety: “Why are you looking at me? I’ve already been extremely careful! It’s been several days since I took on this assignment before I came here! What is that bastard doing here?!” After cursing, he asked again: “Which Commander Wu came?”

He couldn’t quite distinguish the assignments led by Wu Feng and Wu Qianli—both were commanders anyway.

The door outside was already being pounded with thumping sounds. Wu Feng’s voice penetrated in, ice-cold: “Open the door!”