On the long paper was written a line of powerful, clear characters!

Originally written on the paper was the phrase “Falling snow knows not what year or month, at that moment, no one wore garments.” Jingrong added several characters in the blank spaces before and after.

It became “In the courtyard there is falling snow knowing not what year or month, at that moment, no one wore garments, and there was no one.”

Nineteen large characters!

Without the slightest sense of discord.

But the meaning was completely different!

Wei Yi’s eyes startled, his expression astonished. After three seconds he immediately returned to normal, looked at those characters, and said, “Falling snow knows not what year or month, at that moment, no one wore garments—when We wrote this phrase, the original meaning referred to human hearts being kind. How is it that after you added a few characters, it became cold and heartless!”

His words carried a contemplative tone!

Jingrong remained impassive, his ice-cold gaze still resting on that paper.

Silent!

Wei Yi looked at him and said, “They say that the poetry written reflects the true feelings and portrayal of what’s in a person’s heart. We were thinking of the common people of the realm and composed this poem. The poem expresses kindness, but you…”

His words came to an abrupt halt!

Was he trying to say that because Jingrong’s heart held evil, the poem he wrote was evil?

Jingrong furrowed his brow, turned his eyes to meet Wei Yi’s puzzled gaze, and seriously corrected him: “In the meaning of poetry, good and bad can be seen.”

“Good and bad?” Wei Yi also corrected him. “Throughout history, poetry has no good or bad—merit and meaning determine superiority or inferiority. As for the good and bad you speak of, We don’t quite understand.”

So he said!

But how could his heart not understand Jingrong’s meaning?

From the characters Jingrong had added, he understood.

Jingrong was silent for a long moment, his gaze glancing at the eunuchs in the hall.

Wei Yi immediately comprehended and waved his hand. “Put this calligraphy away properly. All of you may withdraw.”

“Yes!”

The four eunuchs placed the calligraphy back on the table, pressed both ends down with wooden rulers, and then bowed and left.

In the hall, only the two of them remained!

Wei Yi became serious and asked, “There are no others here. If you have anything you want to say to Us, then speak.”

His tone was still so pleasant.

Polite and courteous, like a Confucian scholar full of learning.

The corner of Jingrong’s brow lifted slightly, imperceptibly.

He said, “This minister only wishes to use the poem Your Majesty wrote to remind Your Majesty.”

“Remind?”

Such a serious word!

Wei Yi didn’t understand. “What do you want to remind Us of?”

Jingrong said, “The poem Your Majesty wrote was kind, but after this minister added a few characters, the entire meaning changed. A good poem, if someone with ulterior motives adds a few strokes, becomes another kind of meaning! Being a person is like writing poetry—between good and bad, there is only a thought’s difference.”

When he said these words, Wei Yi’s back tensed very tightly.

His gaze at Jingrong also inadvertently dodged.

Then he laughed and said, “With your explanation, it turns out there is so much learning in writing poetry. We have been taught.”

Humbly accepting.

Wei Yi walked to that table and looked at the calligraphy spread before him.

Appreciating it.

Then he raised his head and asked, “Presumably, you have other things you want to say to Us?”

Jingrong’s expression was grave as he spoke. “This minister has already reviewed the files of those officials Your Majesty promoted to court.”

Uh!

Wei Yi’s expression stiffened. “So what were the results of your review?”

“Their files appear clean and clear, and they all rose through the imperial examinations. Their ancestral generations were all court officials.”

“We said those officials are all loyal ministers. So you can be at ease.”

“But some things only show their first aspect, not their second.” Jingrong said, “Although their backgrounds are clean, when it comes down to it, they are all a bunch of demons and monsters. When serving in local positions, they should have supervised their own responsibilities. As the saying goes, if you’re not in that position, don’t seek that governance. Take Master Yuan, whom Your Majesty promoted to court, for example. As a provincial inspector, he repeatedly used his authority for personal gain, oppressing the local common people. In order to become an official in the capital, he even went so far as to bribe minor clerks in the Ministry of Personnel to add his name to the nomination roster. His background is clean, but he is a profit-seeking petty man. What qualifications does such an official have to enter court?”

Ah?

A trace of shock flashed through Wei Yi’s eyes, as if he doubted his words somewhat. “Is this true?”

“Your Majesty can send people to investigate.”

“If this is truly the case, then it is Our oversight. Shortly, We will order people to verify everything one by one. If it is as you say, We will certainly handle it impartially and show no leniency.”

The manner of an imperial household.

He also appeared somewhat ashamed!

But—

This clearly wasn’t what Jingrong truly wanted to say.

His eyes tightened slightly as he walked to the table and asked, “This minister also wants to ask Your Majesty a question.”

Wei Yi was straightforward. “Ask.”

“This minister wants to know whether Master Qin’s death is related to Your Majesty?”

What?

Wei Yi’s expression changed drastically—or rather, he was startled, extremely shocked. He hastily said, “Why would you ask such a thing? Jingrong…”

“Your Majesty only needs to tell me—yes? Or no?”

“Of course not!” Wei Yi didn’t hesitate in the slightest. “Master Qin devoted his entire life to duty, establishing great merit for Da Lin. How could We kill him? If We truly had such intentions, We wouldn’t have allowed him to leave the capital. We even wrote on his memorial ‘An old horse knows the way,’ hoping to retain him. But Master Qin’s mind was made up and he refused to stay. After he left the capital and was killed by mountain bandits, We were also deeply pained and immediately ordered those bandits captured and all sentenced to death by hanging.”

He was wronged!

He was even somewhat angry that Jingrong suspected him.

But at this moment, in Jingrong’s eyes, which were clear as a mirror in his heart, Wei Yi was merely wearing a hypocritical mask, speaking words that went against his wolf’s heart. He truly wanted to tear off that false mask right now and take a good look—to see what kind of face was hidden behind that gorgeous and noble mask? And beneath that skin, what kind of heart was hidden? What had transformed a kind and innocent person into what he was now?

“Beyond recognition”!

Jingrong’s emotional fluctuations weren’t very large. Almost all his emotions were hidden in his eyes. Hearing Wei Yi’s defense, his eyes full of disappointment, he sighed, “Today’s Your Majesty has ultimately changed.”

“…”

Wei Yi looked at him.

“Back then, that Wei Yi who held kindness in his heart would absolutely never be so vicious. But in the end, no matter who it is, in the face of imperial power and status, one will always become suspicious and jealous. The late Emperor was so, Duke Yuguo was so, and now, you are no exception either.”

“These words…”

“You are the Emperor, the Son of Heaven of Da Lin. Court ministers and common people bow beneath you. A single word from you is an imperial decree—no one dares oppose!” Tears welled in Jingrong’s eyes.

He had thought Wei Yi would become a good emperor, beloved by the people, becoming a fine tale for the ages.

He had thought that giving the throne to him was his way of making amends to him.

He had thought that he and Ji Yunshu could henceforth leave the capital far behind and live freely and at ease.

But—

He was wrong!

Terribly wrong.

Because, in the face of power, it turned out everyone would change. Even Wei Yi was the same!