That was thirteen thousand people! Never mind so many people—even if it were that many rabbits passing through, there should be some commotion. How could the people just be gone?! His heart burned with anxiety, his throat itched, and he spat out a large mouthful of blood with a *pfft*. Only then did his throat and stomach feel slightly more comfortable. He stared fixedly at Wu Feng, as if trying to bore a hole through him with his gaze.

Wu Feng was conscientious and dutiful. Having already thoroughly investigated the matter, he didn’t avoid anything: “They went to Jin Province. They just caught neighboring Yuan’nan County completely off guard, using the pretense of supporting Commander Wu to trick open the city gates. Once inside the city, they captured the county magistrate, beheaded him, and arranged for someone else to serve as county magistrate. They’re heading all the way to Jin Province.”

Prince Gong was no fool. Even with his splitting headache, thinking it over he understood—Han Yang had been toying with him all along! From the beginning when he said he wanted to select people himself, from when he started quarreling with Wu Feng, his true intention all along had been to go to Weihai Guard. Not to establish merit and build a career, not to prove himself worthy before Prince Gong, but clearly to oppose him!

Yet he had performed the act so convincingly. Prince Gong thought of how he had actually agreed to let him select his own people, and had even listened to his words and provided provisions and supplies. He couldn’t help wanting to cough again. With great difficulty he suppressed it, but still couldn’t help letting out several muffled groans. His head felt dizzyingly heavy. Leaning against the pillow, no matter what he did he couldn’t calm this foul anger. Only now did he think to ask himself—why had he trusted Han Yang? Wasn’t it all because he had Han Zhengqing as his father?

Han Yang was sent by Han Zhengqing to help him, to relay messages. But thinking about it now, the messages Han Yang had relayed were useless. Calculating it all, since coming to Taiyuan he hadn’t accomplished anything of substance. And then there was Han Zhengqing—claiming repeatedly how far his influence reached, how flawless his plans were. Yet in the end, time after time, nothing ever succeeded!

Wu Feng handed over the freshly brewed medicine. Knowing Prince Gong was probably dizzy and dazed from being bombarded with all this news, he waited until he finished drinking the medicine before speaking: “If they reach Jin Province, they can form a pincer attack with the Cui family people in Jin Province.”

He was a pragmatic person. At this moment he didn’t care whether his words sounded harsh. Even seeing Prince Gong’s expression, he pretended not to notice, earnestly advising him: “Your Highness, right now we cannot necessarily rely on Marquis Jinxiang. Han Yang, no matter what you say, is ultimately Marquis Jinxiang’s biological son.”

This was the point that made Prince Gong feel most nauseated and most worried. Han Yang was ultimately Han Zhengqing’s son. For him to act this way—he couldn’t have suddenly gone insane, could he?

But why would Han Zhengqing instigate Han Yang to help the Cui family? Wasn’t Han Zhengqing also irreconcilably opposed to both the Song and Cui families, sworn enemies unable to coexist under the same sky?

He bewilderedly set down the bowl in his hand. His head spinning terribly, after putting down the bowl he instructed Wu Feng: “You lead troops to support Commander Wu.” Before he could finish speaking, someone outside reported that people had come from the front lines. He hurriedly had them brought in. The previous batch of messengers had spoken unclearly, all hearsay. In his heart he still harbored a thread of hope, hoping he had misheard.

But what came was not good news either. What they said was similar to what the previous batch had said, with an additional detail: “The Crown Prince and the Young Prince have submitted memorials… requesting to sever relations with Your Highness.”

Before he could finish speaking, Prince Gong had already grabbed the bowl at hand and smashed it down with a *crash*. The force was so great that the shattered fragments rebounded onto his hand, but right now he couldn’t care about the pain at all. His fists clenched with audible *crack crack* sounds. Even his lower abdomen twisted with pain. His five internal organs seemed to have all shifted out of place.

The messenger shrank back his neck and dropped to his knees with a *thud*, trembling and shivering. In his hand he still held that memorial that had all under heaven discussing it as if injected with chicken blood. After much deliberation, he finally dared to present the memorial: “This is… the official gazette received from Wu’an. This humble servant snatched it.”

It would have been better not to snatch it. Wu Feng glanced at him coldly and advised Prince Gong not to look at it: “The two young princes are ultimately not acting of their own free will. Right now in the capital, their every move is controlled by others. It’s certainly all against their wishes.”

Actually, it wasn’t against their wishes. Zhou Weiyin sat before Empress Dowager Lu’s couch wiping away tears. The small child—ever since his mother died, even his father had abandoned him and didn’t want him. Though he was young, his ability to read people’s expressions had never been lacking. How could he not know that his father had committed treasonous acts? Now the atmosphere in the palace grew more severe by the day. Even though Empress Dowager Lu cared for him very well, he still inevitably heard those gossips and rumors. His heart trembled with fear, unable to eat or sleep peacefully.

Constantly on tenterhooks—for a small child who had never suffered any hardship, it was simply too difficult. He had long since been near the breaking point. Now that his imperial grandfather and imperial grandmother had found them a way out and made the decision, his heart instead felt settled. It was just that Emperor Jianzhang wasn’t very willing to see them, which still made them extremely uneasy.

Empress Dowager Lu herself hadn’t seen Emperor Jianzhang many times since he had awakened either. Seeing these two young grandsons frightened like this made her heart ache, but heartache was heartache—right now she didn’t dare make any more decisions. Since Emperor Jianzhang wanted them to submit memorials severing relations with Prince Gong, in his heart he still remembered a bit of blood kinship. What more dared she say? Saying anything more would be futile.

Princess Rongcheng comforted Zhou Weiyin and Zhou Weiyang on one hand while handing Empress Dowager Lu a handkerchief to wipe her tears on the other: “Mother, please don’t cry. What is there to cry about? Isn’t it good for them to sever relations with Prince Gong? Their status is awkward after all.” Speaking to this point, she looked solemnly at her two still childishly innocent nephews and sighed: “Although you’re both still young, circumstances are stronger than people. You should understand right from wrong. This matter—do you blame us for it?”

Zhou Weiyang still needed to be held in someone’s arms and was confused and befuddled by her words, not understanding at all. Zhou Weiyin understood a bit more, though still limited. Hearing Princess Rongcheng’s words, he hurriedly shook his head—the nannies had already explained the reasoning to them. It was their prince father who didn’t want them. It was their prince father who raised troops in rebellion wanting to kill their imperial grandfather and the others. Though he was young, he still knew what rebellion meant.

Princess Rongcheng also felt some heartache. Seeing him shake his head, her heart felt both comforted and gratified. She nodded and praised him: “Good child. When your prince father abandoned you in the capital, he never thought about your circumstances either. Just consider your father-son fate shallow. From now on, never mention him again.”

Empress Dowager Lu pressed her lips together and looked over, still somewhat worried. Facing her own daughter, she didn’t need to be as evasive as with others. After thinking, she asked: “Have you heard the Prince Consort mention anything about what will happen to these two… in the future?”