The next day, Prince Rong’s Manor.

Early in the morning, Jingrong changed into his court robes, preparing to enter the palace.

Before leaving, at the manor gate, Ji Yunshu held him back and urged, “Your hand is injured, you must be extremely careful.”

“Alright.”

“Although I don’t understand court matters, no matter what, you must be cautious with every step and must not take a wrong move.”

“Alright.”

“If things take an unexpected turn, you must promise me to protect yourself and return safely.”

She wasn’t exactly a sentimental person, but her heart imagined many possibilities, almost all of them bad.

To call her overly anxious wouldn’t be wrong either.

Jingrong tightly grasped her hand and smiled slightly.

“If you’re so worried about this prince, even if I truly end up besieged by all the ministers, I will definitely keep one last breath to come back and see you, absolutely won’t…”

“Don’t talk nonsense!” She covered his mouth, her brows knitted tightly.

Jingrong’s brows relaxed. He removed her hand from his mouth, lowered his head, and gazed at her worried eyes.

He said seriously, “Yunshu, you must trust this prince.”

She pursed her lips, let out a soft sigh, and nodded.

“I trust you.”

“Good girl.”

Lu Jiang by the carriage at the gate reminded, “Your Highness, it’s time to enter the palace.”

He nodded in acknowledgment, then patted Ji Yunshu’s head before boarding the carriage and departing.

Ji Yunshu chased after for two steps, then stopped, watching the carriage get farther and farther away, more and more blurred…

Before long, a fine drizzle began to fall.

She stood at the gate, unwilling to move a single step.

Waiting!

Waiting for his return.

Jingrong’s carriage moved slowly forward through the fine rain. By the time they reached outside the south gate of the imperial palace, the rain had stopped.

Just as he stepped down from the carriage, he happened to run right into Jing Yi.

Enemies on a narrow road!

The two exchanged glances, then entered through the south gate together.

Walking side by side!

The several guards stationed at the palace gate were dumbfounded. At this time, who didn’t know that the relationship between Prince Rong and Prince Yi was extremely sensitive? These two opposing figures were now walking side by side together—how could people not be dumbfounded?

After entering the palace gate, the two headed toward the Golden Throne Hall.

On the way—

In the end, it was still Jing Yi who spoke first.

He kept his eyes straight ahead, his lips curved in a sinister, cold smile, walking while saying, “I truly didn’t expect you would still enter the capital.”

“Very surprised?”

“Surprised! Yet also within expectations.”

“I must thank you for sending assassins to kill me. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been the matter of assassins being killed in the Court of Judicial Review, and Father Emperor probably wouldn’t have conceived the idea of summoning me back to the capital.”

Hmph!

Jing Yi’s eyes darkened, then he laughed again, “So what if you won one step? The current court situation is already set. The Crown Prince position is in my pocket. Even if you return to the capital, you can only watch helplessly as I receive honors and promotions.”

Such arrogance!

Jingrong maintained his neither cold nor warm demeanor, his gaze looking straight ahead as he responded, “The final outcome is still unknown. You think the court situation is set, but now that I’ve returned to the capital…” He suddenly stopped walking, turned his head sideways, and continued, “I’ve come to break your so-called status quo.”

As his words fell, he smiled.

Uh!

Jing Yi’s expression momentarily froze.

Who would have known that the next moment, Jingrong reached out and actually began straightening his slightly wrinkled court robe collar, the corners of his mouth carrying an wickedly cold smile. While adjusting it, he said, “Repeatedly plotting to harm imperial prince brothers, inciting ministers, instigating the Crown Prince to surround the palace and commit regicide—just these three crimes alone, even if you were thrown into the heavenly prison for lifelong imprisonment, it still wouldn’t be enough to repay your sins in this lifetime.”

Uh!

Jing Yi felt something stuck in his throat, unable to say a word for a moment.

Seeing him like this, the corners of Jingrong’s mouth curved upward, his expression wicked. Then with a flick of his hand, he released his collar.

The originally wrinkled collar became even more wrinkled.

He turned and walked away.

After quite a while, Jing Yi finally reacted—he had been outmaneuvered.

He forcefully swung his sleeve.

He could only quicken his pace to catch up.

Inside the Golden Throne Hall.

All civil and military officials had already gathered.

The two entered one after the other, with barely a step between them.

The court ministers glanced at Prince Rong who had returned to the capital, exchanging looks with each other.

After a short while, they all bowed and said, “Greetings to Prince Yi / Prince Rong.”

Neither spoke, both wearing stern expressions, standing on the left and right sides of the hall respectively.

Behind them, the sound of people softly discussing in whispers could be heard.

Not very clearly!

It was nothing more than about Jingrong’s return to the capital this time.

On the high platform of the Golden Throne Hall, Zhang Quan stood to the left of the dragon throne and shouted loudly, “Court is in session.”

Immediately after, Emperor Qizhen emerged from the door on the left side of the high rear, wearing dragon robes and a tall dragon crown. Despite his advanced age, he still appeared imposing and majestic.

He swept his robes and sat down.

Below, everyone bowed, “Your Majesty, may you live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years.”

Emperor Qizhen raised one hand, “All beloved ministers, rise.”

They rose.

Emperor Qizhen glanced at Jing Yi, then at Jingrong, before his gaze turned to everyone.

Finally, it settled on Ji Li.

“Minister Ji.”

He called out.

Ji Li stepped forward and stood in the center of the hall.

“This subject is here.”

“Your duty is to protect the capital and protect the imperial palace. If there are treasonous rebels plotting rebellion, you need not request this emperor’s permission—you can directly send troops to suppress them. But how do you explain yesterday’s incident outside the city?”

Questioning.

Ji Li glanced at Jing Yi, then immediately withdrew his gaze, “This subject learned that Prince Rong was entering the capital, so I sent troops to intercept.”

“Only to intercept?”

“Your Majesty’s oral decree stated that if the disaster relief silver was not found, Prince Rong could not return to the capital. But this time, Prince Rong entered the capital without Your Majesty’s edict permission. As Minister of War, duty-bound, I could only send troops to intercept, but… I waited and waited for Your Majesty’s edict without success, and with Prince Rong insisting on entering the capital, this subject had no choice but to issue an order…”

“What order?” Emperor Qizhen pressed aggressively, his eyes fierce.

Ji Li bowed his head and slowly uttered a phrase, “Kill without mercy!”

Bang!

Emperor Qizhen flew into a rage!

His large hand slammed heavily onto the dragon table before him.

“When did this emperor give you the command to ‘kill without mercy’? The one entering the capital is a prince personally enfeoffed by this emperor.”

His voice thundered like a bell!

Echoing throughout the hall.

The people below were silent as cicadas.

Emperor Qizhen’s face flushed red with anger as he continued, “Even if he weren’t a prince, since he holds the late emperor’s edict, you cannot issue a ‘kill without mercy’ order.”

“This subject knows his error. It’s just that at the time, I didn’t know whether the imperial edict in Prince Rong’s hands was real or fake. For a moment, fearing other incidents might occur, I issued the order based on my duty. If Your Majesty wishes to punish, this subject willingly accepts the penalty.”

Just as he finished speaking, Jing Yi said, “Father Emperor, Minister Ji was rash in issuing the order—this is his fault, but he was also thinking of the imperial city and Father Emperor. Moreover…” He glanced at Jingrong. “Prince Rong came to no harm. I implore Father Emperor to spare Minister Ji this once.”

Immediately after—

The ministers echoed.

“We beg Your Majesty to spare Minister Ji this once.”

A pack of lackeys!

Following behind Jing Yi’s rear as if they could pick up bones with meat on them.