“Unless the realm no longer bears the surname Wei”—these words did not come easily from Luo Sheng.

In her view, saying this sentence meant the two of them formally stood on opposite sides with no room for turning back.

Rather than stating conditions for returning to the capital, she was making the man opposite her give up completely.

If he gave up, then she would give up too.

She looked at him, wanting to know his reaction upon hearing these words.

Wei Han’s expression didn’t change much. Looking at her seriously, he said: “If the person sitting in that position can bring peace and prosperity to the nation and people, what surname the realm bears isn’t important.”

At least, it wasn’t important to him.

Light appeared in Luo Sheng’s eyes: “Does Your Highness truly mean this?”

Wei Han smiled: “I would never lie to you.”

Luo Sheng’s cheeks grew somewhat hot, her heart somewhat flustered, yet uncontrollable joy sprouted within.

She lowered her eyes, gripping the teacup tightly, momentarily forgetting words.

Then confusion arose: Even if Emperor Yong’an was cruel and tyrannical, others from the imperial clan could inherit the realm. Prince Kaiyang was after all a member of the Wei imperial family—did he care nothing for his clan?

In fact, Emperor Yong’an had treated his younger brother Prince Kaiyang quite well…

She didn’t believe Prince Kaiyang was the type to disregard everything for someone he fancied.

Nor would she admire such a person.

Looking at the person before her, more doubts surged up: Back when Prince Kaiyang discovered she’d shot and killed Prince Pingnan, he’d been cold as a stranger, showing not a trace of brotherly feeling.

Yet she hadn’t heard of any enmity between them.

“Why does Miss Luo keep looking at me without speaking?” Wei Han asked.

Luo Sheng collected her thoughts and looked at the man with clear eyes.

He appeared simple and pure, yet she couldn’t fathom him.

“Does Your Highness truly not care what surname the realm bears?”

“I don’t care.” Wei Han answered even more easily, then asked: “Does your esteemed father… intend to claim the throne?”

“No.” Luo Sheng shook her head in denial, then hesitated before saying: “My younger brother has such plans.”

Wei Han was momentarily stunned and spoke honestly: “There seems to be no difference.”

Don’t they both bear the surname Luo?

Having come this far in the conversation, Luo Sheng didn’t intend to conceal further. Looking at him steadily, she said: “There is a difference. My younger brother doesn’t bear the surname Luo.”

Doesn’t bear the surname Luo?

Wei Han’s heart stirred as he asked: “Is Luo Chen the orphaned heir of Prince Zhennan?”

This time it was Luo Sheng who was stunned: “How does Your Highness know?”

Wei Han smiled: “I guessed.”

The moment Miss Luo said Luo Chen didn’t bear the surname “Luo,” past puzzles found their explanation.

Like his encounter with Miss Luo at Prince Zhennan’s former residence, like Miss Luo’s hostility toward Prince Pingnan’s manor…

“Your esteemed father was among those who besieged Prince Zhennan’s manor over ten years ago, so naturally had the opportunity to rescue Prince Zhennan’s orphaned heir.”

Luo Sheng curved her lips: “Your Highness is truly clever.”

“But I’d still like to hear Miss Luo explain in more detail.”

“Back then…” Luo Sheng recounted the story unhurriedly, finally mentioning that secret edict from the late Emperor. “The ancestors of the Wei and Qi families were sworn brothers who had risked their lives together. The first Prince Zhennan was the elder brother, the Wei clan’s Grand Ancestor the younger. The Grand Ancestor and court officials originally pushed for Prince Zhennan to be the founding sovereign, but Prince Zhennan, believing himself lacking in governing ability, yielded the position to the Grand Ancestor… Your Highness should have heard of this past event?”

Wei Han nodded slightly: “Yes, it’s recorded in history.”

This connection between the Wei and Qi clans had once been celebrated as a fine tale, though in newly compiled histories this story had been reduced to a single passing sentence.

“This well-known past event isn’t actually the complete story. When Prince Zhennan yielded the imperial throne, the Grand Ancestor was so moved he wrote a secret edict and presented it to his sworn brother. The edict stated that if future Wei descendants inheriting the throne became cruel and tyrannical, or if there were no direct descendants to continue the bloodline, the realm would be returned to the Qi clan…”

Wei Han sighed softly: “So this was the reason Prince Zhennan’s manor met disaster over ten years ago?”

Luo Sheng smiled bitterly: “Yes. That secret edict returning the realm to the Qi clan became Prince Zhennan’s death warrant. Fourteen years ago, Prince Zhennan had a son, yet Emperor Yong’an’s several sons died one after another, leaving him without heirs for a long time…”

Sometimes thinking about it, perhaps fate had long since spread its net, waiting for everyone.

“Now the realm is already in chaos. My father was forced by circumstances to reach this point. I believe the realm would be more suitable under Qi rule. What does Your Highness think?”

If the Wei clan continued ruling this realm, even if Prince Kaiyang promised to protect the Luo family and Prince Zhennan’s manor, who could guarantee the future?

Rather than placing their fate in others’ hands, better for her younger brother to sit upon the throne.

Did she care about power and position? Not really. But she didn’t want the annihilation of Prince Zhennan’s manor to repeat itself.

Wei Han listened quietly, able to sense the heavy mood of the young woman opposite.

She seemed to deeply empathize with Prince Zhennan’s manor’s fate.

Was it because of her deep sibling bond with Luo Chen, or because of something else—

Wei Han spoke: “I said, as long as the common people can have peace, I don’t care what surname the realm bears.”

Saying this, he paused and gazed into Luo Sheng’s eyes: “But I care about Miss Luo’s thoughts. If you want the Qi clan to rule the realm, then I’ll lend Prince Zhennan’s manor a helping hand.”

Since the realm’s surname didn’t matter either way, he naturally preferred seeing the young woman he liked achieve her heart’s desire.

Having received Wei Han’s stance, Luo Sheng fell into prolonged silence.

The tea before them had gone completely cold.

Luo Sheng picked up the tea cup and took a sip. The cooled tea helped calm her down.

“This isn’t fair to Your Highness. Luo Chen is essentially my father’s adopted son. If the day truly comes when he sits in that position, how should Your Highness conduct yourself?”

Wei Han looked silently at Luo Sheng.

Luo Sheng felt somewhat puzzled by his gaze and asked: “What is it?”

Wei Han’s thin lips pressed together slightly with a hint of confusion: “Would Luo Chen really move against his brother-in-law once he became Emperor?”

Luo Sheng was stunned: “What?”

Wei Han looked at the dazed young woman and chuckled softly: “I don’t think Luo Chen is such an ungrateful child. He cares quite a lot about you as his elder sister.”

“He does care about me as his elder sister, that’s true, but—” Luo Sheng opened and closed her mouth, hardly knowing what to say.

But what did this have to do with the person before her who was singlemindedly thinking about eating minced pork noodles?

Just thinking of him calling himself “brother-in-law” made Luo Sheng’s face flush with waves of heat.

She clearly wasn’t someone who embarrassed easily—

“But what?” Wei Han picked up the conversation.

Luo Sheng suppressed her disordered heart and said coolly: “Isn’t Your Highness thinking too far ahead?”

“I’m not thinking far ahead. Miss Luo just said you like me.”

“I only said I don’t dislike you.”

“Not disliking is liking.” He looked at her steadily. “Unless Miss Luo tells me now that you dislike me.”

Luo Sheng was gazed upon tenderly by those clear eyes. Those three words turned over and over on her tongue, yet she couldn’t speak them.

She could say those words against her will, but couldn’t bear to see him hurt.

So liking someone truly made one’s heart beyond their own control.

Wei Han saw the struggle and hesitation in her eyes. After thinking, he asked: “Miss Luo, do you dislike the Wei family?”

This time, Luo Sheng answered swiftly: “Yes.”

She disliked the Wei family, yet liked him.

And thus, thinking of him bearing the surname Wei helping the Qi clan gain the realm, she couldn’t get past that hurdle in her heart.