Zhao Hanzhang entrusted the renovation of Prince An’s Mansion to Zhao Shen. Just then, Qiu Zhi emerged from the Court of Judicial Review, and Zhao Hanzhang had him redeem himself through meritorious service by assisting Zhao Shen.

In reality, all specific matters regarding Prince An’s Mansion were handed to him.

The dust had settled. No matter how ambitious Qiu Zhi was, it was useless. Most critically, Zhao Hanzhang had cut off his retreat. This move meant he could only attach himself to the boat that was Prince An.

But the dynasty had changed. Following Prince An meant his future prospects were ruined. Yet he had previously shouted out such words, and Zhao Hanzhang only punished him according to law—neither killing him nor removing him from office. Who wouldn’t praise her fairness and benevolence?

Only a few people knew how vicious this plan was, leaving Qiu Zhi with grievances he couldn’t express.

While arranging the hours, Guo Pu said to Fu Tinghan: “We’d better be careful in the future. If we accidentally commit an offense and earn her grudge, the pain would be bone-deep with no way to speak of it.”

Fu Tinghan: “If it were emperors of previous dynasties, when officials offended them, they would find ways to kill the opponent. That wouldn’t be hypocritical. Would you prefer such a master?”

Guo Pu was stunned, then quickly shook his head. “Never mind. Let her be hypocritical then. If she can pretend for a lifetime, that makes her a true gentleman.”

Fu Tinghan saw he had rehearsed three times and asked: “How long will you calculate?”

“Why the rush? This enthronement is like a wedding—you must select the best day, then choose two slightly lesser days for the higher-ups to choose from. One step at a time. Otherwise, I calculate days and they always have various issues to reject them. Opening divination each time is very troublesome for me too.”

After much calculation, Guo Pu finally said: “Speaking of the best day, it’s still the fifth of August. July nineteenth and September first are second-best. Report these three days for them to choose.”

Having said this, Guo Pu looked Fu Tinghan up and down. “When Zhao Hanzhang is enthroned, you should be the Empress, right? Or Emperor Consort? How about I conveniently calculate an auspicious time for your investiture ceremony?”

Fu Tinghan: …

Guo Pu looked at him and laughed heartily.

The dust had settled, but only in the capital. Reactions from various quarters would arrive more slowly.

Just then, the two letters intercepted from Liu Kun arrived.

Zhao Hanzhang first opened the letter he wrote to Zu Ti.

The letter mainly inquired about the situation in Luoyang, whether the Emperor had been wronged, and probed Zu Ti’s attitude.

Then she opened the letter he wrote to Zhao Ming.

To this day, Liu Kun believed Zhao Ming was a loyal minister, and on the path of Zhao Hanzhang seizing imperial power, they were divergent.

So in the letter, Liu Kun first asked what Zhao Ming truly thought, then tearfully asked if he could treat the Emperor well.

Zhao Hanzhang threw the letter into the brazier to burn and said to Yuan Li: “Truly a loyal minister.”

Yuan Li said: “The hidden sentries report that when he took his morning meal today, he couldn’t help but shed tears. Many scholars in Xuzhou heard about it and cried together with him.”

Zhao Hanzhang: …

“Continue monitoring. No need to do anything special. Send letters to Shu and Xiliang as well—they should know by now.”

Yuan Li acknowledged and asked: “For the grand enthronement ceremony, should we summon governors and vassal kings from each province?”

Currently there were nominally only three vassal kings: King Cheng Li Xiong of Shu, the King of Xiliang, and King of Dai Tuoba Yilu.

Zhao Hanzhang lowered her eyes in thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yes, we should summon them, but who specifically still requires discussion.”

Not everyone could leave their posts.

For instance, Beigong Chun absolutely could not move.

Erlang guarded the frontier—he certainly couldn’t leave either.

Seeing Zhao Hanzhang deep in thought with no further instructions, Yuan Li bowed and withdrew.

That evening, Fu Tinghan came to find Zhao Hanzhang to leave the palace and return home.

Fu Tinghan directly told her the days Guo Pu had divined. “Guo Pu says the fifth of August is the most auspicious.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “Didn’t he say he needed to fast before calculating?”

Fu Tinghan: “He hasn’t eaten since yesterday.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked astonished.

Fu Tinghan said: “He divined for himself a couple days ago and found it inadvisable to consume food. So forget meat—he hasn’t eaten rice or vegetables. He only drank water and a little fruit nectar yesterday and today.”

Zhao Hanzhang was impressed. Truly, those who achieve something are ruthless people.

Some people are ruthless to themselves, while others are ruthless to others.

When the court’s invitation reached the State of Dai, Tuoba Yilu was sending people to urge Tuoba Liuxiu to come see him, demanding he bring the best things from Xinping City.

Xinping City was a newly built city. When Tuoba Liuxiu arrived, there were only dozens of earthen houses without even a city wall—worse than the markets on the outskirts of Pingcheng.

Tuoba Yilu only allowed him to take his personal attendants and guards—barely a hundred people.

But after arriving at Xinping City, he quickly established a firm foothold. With Zhao Hanzhang’s covert assistance, Xinping City developed rapidly. It became a gathering point for people in the southern region, with a growing population and increasingly numerous buildings.

Wu Sheng’s merchant caravan made a point of passing through Xinping City on every northern journey, both to do business and to maintain relations with Tuoba Liuxiu.

Therefore, Xinping City’s economy was quite good, and Tuoba Liuxiu had some valuable items.

Before the year’s end, he had paid dearly for a fine horse colt that could travel five hundred li per day. He had excitedly shown it off to everyone.

When Tuoba Yilu specifically instructed him to bring his best possessions, Tuoba Liuxiu knew he wanted his fine horse.

In the past, he definitely wouldn’t have given it.

But thinking that Auntie was about to be enthroned and the State of Dai would certainly need to send gifts, this horse colt would very likely be for Zhao Hanzhang, so he brought the horse along.

He and the court’s invitation arrived at Pingcheng together.

The messenger delivering the letter even specifically mentioned to Tuoba Yilu: “Your Majesty is very concerned about the eldest prince. When this lowly official was leaving the capital, she mentioned ‘my eldest nephew’ several times. When the Great King goes to the capital, he may bring the eldest prince along.”

Tuoba Yilu’s murderous intent intensified. If he brought Tuoba Liuxiu to the capital like this, would Zhao Hanzhang directly enfeoff him as heir apparent?

What chance would Biyan have then?

He smiled and agreed. After the messenger withdrew, he frowned at Tuoba Liuxiu and asked: “Did you bring the gifts I told you to bring?”

Tuoba Liuxiu said: “Your son brought a fine horse colt. Though it cannot travel a thousand li per day, it can travel five hundred li.”

Two days of galloping from the State of Dai to Luoyang—extremely fast.

Tuoba Yilu said: “Your younger brother is about to come of age but doesn’t have a presentable horse colt. Give this horse to him.”

Tuoba Liuxiu was stunned by these words and angrily refused. “I won’t give it! This is my horse!”

Tuoba Yilu slapped the table. “Impudent! I told you to bring gifts. Since you brought them, why won’t you give them?”

Tuoba Liuxiu’s eyes widened like saucers, glaring back fiercely. “The horse can be given to Auntie, but to give it to Third Brother—I won’t agree!”

“Fine! You won’t give it to him, then give it to me. I am your father. I’m asking you for the horse colt—will you give it or not?”

Tuoba Liuxiu said decisively: “I won’t! Don’t think I don’t know—once the horse is in your hands, you’ll immediately give it to Third Brother.”

“Since the horse is mine, I can give it to whomever I want.”

Tuoba Liuxiu: “Right now the horse isn’t yours—it’s mine!”

Father and son parted on bad terms. Tuoba Liuxiu left in anger, while Tuoba Yilu summoned his attendants and said to them: “With him being so defiant and unfilial, how can I pass the royal position to him? I don’t even dare take him to Luoyang, fearing he’ll embarrass me outside.”

Not all of Tuoba Yilu’s people were submissive to him. Among the crowd nodding in agreement, Wei Xiong advised: “Great King, we Han people select heirs by first choosing the legitimate eldest, then younger sons. The eldest prince holds both seniority and legitimacy. Your treating him so unjustly will only destabilize the State of Dai. It will only harm the third prince without benefiting him.”

Tuoba Yilu: “Tuoba Liuxiu has been fierce and rebellious since childhood, not listening to his parents’ teachings. I truly cannot manage him. Choosing such a son as heir, I fear it would shorten my life by twenty years.”

Wei Xiong: “Even so, you shouldn’t take the eldest prince’s possessions to give to the third prince. Governing a family is like governing a state—the concern is not scarcity but inequality. The eldest prince is the elder. Having him guard Xinping City while keeping the third prince in Pingcheng is already biased. To also seize his beloved possession—doesn’t this make the two princes enemies?”

Unfortunately, Tuoba Yilu at this moment wanted precisely to make them enemies. Best if he could force Tuoba Liuxiu to commit some defiant act, so he could justifiably abolish his status or even kill him.

He understood this son better than anyone. Tuoba Liuxiu had a bad temper from childhood—he was not someone who could endure.

Wei Xiong saw him thus and couldn’t help but continue advising when Ji Tan suddenly interjected: “Great King, we need to arrive in Luoyang before the third of August. When do you plan to depart, and who will accompany you?”

After leaving the great hall, Ji Tan pulled Wei Xiong aside. “Knowing the Great King is displeased, why continue advising?”

Wei Xiong: “This is our duty as ministers.”

Ji Tan sighed. “Since your uncle passed away two years ago, the Great King has rarely been able to listen to our advice. Look at his harshness toward the eldest prince—you can see he’s determined to establish the third prince. The Xianbei have no order of legitimate sons or seniority. Discussing legitimate eldest inheritance with the Great King is like playing music to a cow.”

Tuoba Yilu’s harem had no distinction between wife and concubines—all were his wives. Only Tuoba Liuxiu’s mother followed him first, so she was the first lady, but the other ladies’ status was not beneath hers.

Especially Tuoba Biyan’s mother—she was especially favored. When the other ladies came before her, regardless of status or age, they could only bow their heads.

Tuoba Yilu quickly proved Ji Tan’s words with his actions.

He had people prepare tribute gifts for Luoyang, then went to the rear courtyard and threw a tantrum, saying Tuoba Liuxiu’s mother had ruined the gift he was preparing for Zhao Hanzhang, and directly deposed her.

Tuoba Liuxiu was furious and powerless. He could only go receive his expelled mother, planning to take her back to Xinping City.

His mother held him back. “I’ll wait for you in Pingcheng. You are the eldest prince. The new Emperor’s enthronement is a major matter, and that sworn aunt of yours is very fond of you. You should go to Luoyang with your father.”

“Mother, don’t you see clearly yet? He won’t take me to Luoyang,” Tuoba Liuxiu said. “I won’t stay here to suffer his anger either. Let’s return to Xinping City. I can write to Auntie and have her send me another invitation. Then I’ll go to Luoyang myself.”

Lady Zao hesitated. “Your relationship with your father is too strained. In the long run, there’s only harm, no benefit.”

“I no longer expect any benefits,” Tuoba Liuxiu said. “I know his thoughts. He won’t establish me as heir apparent. Auntie twice mentioned fulfilling her promise to establish a crown prince for the State of Dai, but he always said I was unfilial. Clearly, he’s determined to hand the State of Dai to Tuoba Biyan.”

“I don’t absolutely need the State of Dai. Auntie is about to become Emperor—I’ll go to Luoyang to follow her, serve as her general, and still have a career.”

Lady Zao thought for a moment and felt the possibility of reconciliation between her son and husband was very low. Finally she nodded in agreement. “Alright, let’s return to Xinping City.”

Tuoba Liuxiu immediately had people prepare, planning to leave that very day. He entered the palace to bid farewell to Tuoba Yilu.

Actually, he didn’t even want to come say goodbye, but everyone around him advised: “The Great King may lack kindness, but the eldest prince cannot lack filial piety. No matter what you think inside, you must maintain appearances. So when you take your leave, be respectful and don’t quarrel with the Great King again.”

Tuoba Liuxiu was pestered endlessly. Plus, he thought that to serve as an official under Zhao Hanzhang in the future, he would need a good reputation. He knew that Han people had many rules—if a person was unfilial, they basically had no chance of entering officialdom.

So he could only suppress his temper and go bid farewell to Tuoba Yilu.

Tuoba Yilu had already decided to depart in three days. Seeing him arrive, he immediately summoned Tuoba Biyan and had him stand before Tuoba Liuxiu. “Since you’re leaving, perform a bow to your younger brother.”

Tuoba Liuxiu: !!

He glared fiercely at Tuoba Biyan, frightening him into retreating two steps before saying: “He’s my younger brother. He should bow to me, not me to him.”

He absolutely refused to bow.

Moreover, this time he remembered his confidants’ words—he couldn’t lose his temper. Everything was for his future prospects. Once he freed himself from the State of Dai in the future, he could find an opportunity to take revenge.

With such constant mental reinforcement, Tuoba Liuxiu actually suppressed his anger and didn’t explode on the spot, much less lose composure.

Seeing he neither agreed to bow nor lost his temper, Tuoba Yilu frowned in displeasure. After wrangling for some time, he could only give up and waved him away.

After he left, Tuoba Yilu asked his attendants: “When does he leave the city tomorrow?”

“The hour of the dragon.”

Tuoba Yilu nodded. “I’ll go see him off tomorrow.”

When this word spread, forget the furiously departing Tuoba Liuxiu—even Ji Tan and Wei Xiong found it surprising. “The Great King is actually going to see off the eldest prince?”

Though he didn’t know what his father was plotting, Tuoba Liuxiu’s anger dissipated considerably. Those around him also said: “Even a vicious tiger won’t eat its cubs. He is your father after all. This time he’s not taking you to Luoyang—perhaps he feels guilty and wants to compensate you.”

“The affection between father and son comes from mutual concessions. You were too mischievous before and always confronted the Great King head-on, which created this enmity between father and son.”

“Now that the Great King has thoughts of making amends, why not show a respectful attitude? You are his eldest son after all. As long as you’re willing to improve, show filial piety to the Great King, and brotherly affection toward your siblings, I believe you can repair the father-son relationship.”

Tuoba Liuxiu pondered this thoughtfully. The next day he deliberately waited at the city gate. Sure enough, around the hour of the dragon, Tuoba Yilu’s procession arrived.

People around him nudged Tuoba Liuxiu, saying delightedly: “The Great King has taken a step forward. The eldest prince should reciprocate.”

Tuoba Liuxiu then stepped forward, knelt on one knee, placed his hand over his heart in salute. “Your son pays respects to Father.”

The curtains of the procession suddenly swept open. Tuoba Biyan stood with hands on hips, laughing uproariously.

Tuoba Liuxiu jerked his head up, looking at Tuoba Biyan in shock. Fury instantly drowned his reason.