Emperor Tai’an was so shocked by this news that his vision swam, enormous waves surging in his heart.

A beautiful-looking boy suddenly appeared in his mind.

That was Qi Ming, his nephew, his elder brother Emperor Pingle’s legitimate eldest son.

Emperor Tai’an steadied his mind, slowly sitting back down, his expression barely recovering calmness.

Cheng Maoming tactfully made no sound, giving His Majesty time to adjust his emotions.

Not knowing how long had passed, a low, hoarse voice sounded: “Where is he?”

This “he” naturally referred to Yang Zhe.

As Emperor Tai’an spoke, the oppressively heart-palpitating atmosphere was broken. Cheng Maoming secretly breathed a sigh of relief and cupped his hands: “In response to Your Majesty, Qi—”

In the end, he decided to use the surface identity first: “Compiler Yang disguised himself and prepared to leave the city. Your subject led men to intercept him in time. He is currently also in the Jinlin Guard.”

“Well done.” When Emperor Tai’an said this, he was distracted, his entire mind occupied by Yang Zhe’s true identity.

Next came another long silence. Cheng Maoming carefully used his peripheral vision to observe the Emperor’s expression.

“Go bring him here. We wish to see him.”

Cheng Maoming accepted the decree and left, escorting Yang Zhe to the palace under tight security.

Emperor Tai’an sat upright on the dragon throne, looking down at the young man standing below bound by ropes. His heart was far from as calm as his face appeared.

At the palace examination in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, this top scholar elegant as jade in the wind had entered his sight. He regarded him as someone who could assist the new emperor in stabilizing the nation in the future, and betrothed a princess to him. After bearing suspicion of poisoning the Crown Prince, given his usual methods, even after proving innocence, he couldn’t allow him to live—yet he had still shown tolerance out of appreciation for talent.

Who would have thought this young man who gained his favor was his nephew?

“Seeing Us, don’t you know to show proper respect?” Emperor Tai’an suppressed the激荡 (surging emotions) in his heart and asked lightly.

Yang Zhe looked at the middle-aged man on the throne whose temples already showed white frost, the corners of his lips slightly lifting: “This nephew greets Fourth Uncle.”

One phrase “Fourth Uncle,” openly and honestly admitting his identity.

Emperor Tai’an looked at Yang Zhe—no, it should be Qi Ming—and asked in a deep voice: “Are you truly Qi Ming?”

Hearing these two words from Emperor Tai’an’s mouth made the curve of Qi Ming’s lips flatten at once.

He had imagined many times the scene when his imperial uncle discovered his identity.

Back then, that terrified little Crown Prince who fled the capital under guard protection—in order to help his father-emperor reclaim the throne and reclaim his own heir apparent status, he had willingly let the cold blade pass inch by inch across his face, transforming him to look like another person.

And relying on his completely new identity and natural talent, plus secret instruction from a great scholar who fled with his father-emperor, he smoothly became a child student, a successful candidate at the county level, a successful candidate at the provincial level, a tribute student, and even a top scholar whose name spread throughout the Great Zhou.

After that, he relied on secret medicine to help Prince Wei escape the trouble of obesity, successfully winning Prince Wei’s trust, thereby waiting for the opportunity to poison the new Crown Prince.

This was something those chess pieces lurking in the capital for many years could not accomplish.

He understood his imperial uncle’s suspicious temperament, so he used a great gamble to exchange for clearing suspicion and withdrawing unscathed.

With the Great Zhou falling into the awkward position of having no heir, facing internal troubles of being attacked from both sides by Northern Qi and Yuliu, as long as he remained the top scholar and could still approach the center of imperial power, he wouldn’t worry about lacking opportunities to coordinate from within and without with his father-emperor to reclaim what rightfully belonged to them.

At that time, when his imperial uncle as a prisoner learned his true identity, how shocked would he be?

What he had imagined was all after success, never this moment of failure.

Or rather, he was unwilling to think about failure.

Longing for success was what gave him the strength to bear another’s face and carry this heavy burden forward.

In the end, he had failed. He wondered how his imperial uncle planned to deal with him?

Qi Ming looked at Emperor Tai’an’s complex expression and gently nodded: “It’s me.”

Emperor Tai’an closed his eyes for a moment, stale air stifled in his chest: “Changing you into this appearance—was it your father’s idea?”

His imperial elder brother wasn’t skilled at being emperor, but he had novelty when it came to these schemes.

“The one who changed me into this appearance—wasn’t it Fourth Uncle?” Qi Ming’s tone was flat, finally revealing a trace of resentment.

This dignified and steady uncle had once stroked his head when he was small.

After a moment of silence, Emperor Tai’an sighed: “Forget it, saying these things is meaningless. Qi Ming, now that your identity is exposed, you should understand the situation. Reveal the spies lurking in the capital and your father’s hiding place. We will enfeoff you as prince and ensure your lifelong comfort.”

These words weren’t Emperor Tai’an deceiving him. Toward different people, based on different considerations, naturally there were different methods of handling things. Keeping the former Crown Prince alive was far better than killing him.

“Those who had contact with this nephew—haven’t they all been discovered by Fourth Uncle? As for other people, this nephew doesn’t know.” Qi Ming refused decisively, a mocking gleam flashing through his eyes as he looked at Emperor Tai’an. “If Fourth Uncle doesn’t believe it, by all means hand this nephew over to the Jinlin Guard. Aren’t they the most capable?”

When would this imperial uncle of his, whose heart was as deep as the sea, realize that Master Mingxin was far away yet close at hand?

Thinking of this, he somehow didn’t feel quite so dejected.

Standing to the side playing invisible person, Cheng Maoming’s mouth twitched.

The uncle and nephew were chatting just fine—why suddenly drag in a mere Jinlin Guard commander?

Seeing that Emperor Tai’an had no intention to kill him, Qi Ming somehow felt as if a fire had been added to his usually cold heart: “Rather than putting thought into interrogating this nephew about matters he doesn’t know, Fourth Uncle might as well focus on external enemies. The Crown Prince’s death should have spread by now, I imagine.”

“Silence!” Emperor Tai’an was provoked to anger, but looking at Qi Ming’s cold and clear face, he calmed down again. “We ask you—Princess Lingque’s death, did you have a hand in it?”

The timing of killing Princess Lingque and framing Princess Yi’an was too coincidental, and this nephew of his had happened to capture the hearts of both princesses.

“Just something done in passing.” Qi Ming’s tone was flat. The two princesses who had successively been betrothed to him seemed to be mere passersby to him.

“What a ‘just something done in passing’!” Emperor Tai’an laughed coldly. “Qi Ming, did you ever consider the consequences of killing a Yuliu princess?”

Qi Ming stared fixedly at the angry emperor, sighing in his heart, but his mouth showed no retreat: “Those consequences are precisely—what is poison to you is honey to me.”

“You—” Emperor Tai’an’s fury reached its peak. Under the gaze of those eyes that seemed to smile yet didn’t, he swallowed the words he was about to say.

Saying more was actually meaningless. From the moment he took his place, to his elder brother’s branch, they probably would rather have what was taken from them destroyed by outsiders’ hands than let it benefit him.

Emperor Tai’an waved his hand: “Take him away. Guard him well.”

Cheng Maoming walked to Qi Ming’s side: “Master Qi… let’s go.”

Seeing Qi Ming walk to the doorway, Emperor Tai’an stared at his tall and upright back and asked a question: “Qi Ming, if you succeed, do you think your father will leave what he reclaims to you in the future?”

Qi Ming’s steps halted. He turned to meet Emperor Tai’an’s gaze.

“Fourth Uncle need not try to drive a wedge between my father and me.”

Having said this, he strode out with large steps.