Empress Xu wept for a time, then stilled herself, and spoke in a low voice: “I have managed palace affairs for many years — I still have a few people I can use. Though the Emperor has swept away more than half of them, several do remain. Lean your ear closer; I will tell you their names. They may prove useful in the days ahead.”

Prince Yan murmured his agreement, leaned in, and brought his ear close to Empress Xu’s lips.

Empress Xu spoke several names.

Prince Yan’s gaze flickered, and a slight surprise moved through him. He had not imagined that these particular people were Royal Mother’s.

What he was setting out to do was exceedingly dangerous — a gamble with his very life. At a time like this, the more support the better.

When Empress Xu had finished saying all of this, she seemed to have exhausted every last reserve of her strength, and her voice weakened again: “A’Qi, Royal Mother is useless — this is the last of what I can do for you. If the day of success ever comes, do not forget your sister Changping, who is still suffering in the Ciyun Convent.”

Prince Yan’s face showed no superfluous expression, and his voice was resolute and composed: “Royal Mother, rest assured — I will not forget.”

Neither Empress Xu nor Princess Changping were good people. Yet they were his mother and his elder sister — the people in this world who were closest to him. Ties of blood were deep, and he could not cut them loose.

For the sake of his own future, and for their sakes, he would absolutely not retreat!

After this, Empress Xu asked nothing more.

Mother and son kept each other company through the last night of the old year and welcomed in the new.

When the first light of dawn broke and the morning glow began to blossom, Prince Yan rose to his feet and said quietly: “Royal Mother, Father Emperor should be rising at this hour. I ought to go to Zichen Palace to attend him.”

Empress Xu gave a quiet sound of acknowledgment, and watched Prince Yan’s figure recede into the distance.

Only when Prince Yan’s form had disappeared from her sight did Empress Xu close her eyes.

The new year had begun, and in the affairs of court there was nothing of great consequence.

At the Crown Prince’s estate, visitors came and went in a constant flow, with officials and their families presenting calling cards and paying respects every day.

Crown Grandson’s Consort Jiang Rongyue was already five or six months into her pregnancy, her body growing heavier by the day; she was in no condition to be exerting herself with worry and fatigue. All the affairs of the estate thus fell entirely upon the Crown Prince’s Consort.

Over this past year, the Emperor had scarcely held court — nearly all governing affairs had been handled by the Crown Prince and the Crown Grandson. The Crown Prince’s reputation grew greater by the day, and officials who had previously remained neutral began drawing closer to him. The number of people coming to pay calls at the Crown Prince’s estate this year was more than double that of any year before.

Even the Crown Prince’s Consort, accustomed as she was to managing such affairs, found herself somewhat overwhelmed this year.

After barely making it through the Lantern Festival, she fell ill from overexertion.

With the household affairs unable to go without supervision, Jiang Rongyue had no choice but to haul herself up despite her heavy, awkward frame to manage the domestic matters. Within only a few days, she had disturbed the fetus — giving everyone around her quite a fright.

The Crown Grandson immediately sent someone to summon Imperial Physician Wei from the palace.

Wei Yan examined Jiang Rongyue’s pulse and prescribed a fetal-settling remedy.

When he had finished attending to his duties, the Crown Grandson summoned Wei Yan and inquired: “Imperial Physician Wei, there is no danger to Rongyue’s health, is there?”

Wei Yan replied respectfully: “The Crown Grandson’s Consort’s constitution is fundamentally sound. However, a woman with child ought not to exhaust herself with labor and worry. The Consort’s months are now advanced as well — she must not disturb the fetus, or it will be detrimental to the child and may even risk a premature birth. This official humbly advises that the Crown Grandson’s Consort rest in bed quietly to settle the pregnancy in these coming days.”

In this era, women giving birth required no physician — experienced midwives were called upon. If something went wrong during the delivery, there was the possibility of both mother and child being lost — a tragic outcome. To call childbirth a passage through the gates of death was not an exaggeration in the slightest.

The Crown Grandson, hearing this, wore a gravely serious expression: “Thank you for your counsel, Imperial Physician Wei. This prince has understood.”

Wei Yan had said what needed to be said, and clasped his hands in a bow to take his leave.

The Crown Grandson cast a glance at Wei Yan, and said mildly: “This prince still has some words to ask of you.”

Just as expected.

Among the Imperial Physicians in the Medical Office, each had his own area of expertise. Wei Yan was most skilled in treating difficult and intractable ailments. The case of Jiang Rongyue disturbing the fetus was hardly the kind of matter that warranted summoning him with such a show — it was something of an overreaction.

Before he had even arrived, Wei Yan had had a premonition. Now that premonition was confirmed.

The Crown Grandson had gone to particular lengths to summon him. It was certainly not as simple as merely having him write a fetal-settling prescription for Jiang Rongyue.

The Crown Grandson led Wei Yan into a private chamber.

“May I ask what it is that Your Highness the Crown Grandson wishes to ask?” Wei Yan turned things over quietly in his mind, yet his face remained impassive, his manner perfectly respectful: “This official will hold nothing back.”

The Crown Grandson did not speak. He simply fixed his gaze on Wei Yan, and only after quite some time did he open his mouth: “Wei Yan, this prince had not expected it — that you would truly carry out what you once said to this prince.”

More than a year ago, right here in this private chamber, with only the two of them present, Wei Yan had been candid about his feelings for Ling Jingshu. The Crown Grandson still remembered the full force of his own fury at the time — as if something that belonged to him had been coveted by another — and he had very nearly allowed his displeasure to show then and there.

Yet what Wei Yan did next was the very last thing he would ever have expected.

Wei Yan had knelt before him and, with calm composure, laid bare Empress Xu’s designs upon himself. He also said that he would find a way to bring Empress Xu down, and that when that day came, he asked only that the Crown Grandson not compel Ling Jingshu — that she be allowed to choose her own match.

He had heard it all with surprise, and had not truly taken any of it to heart. He merely harbored the thought of gaining another person’s loyalty, and agreed to it.

He had never imagined that so many things would happen in the short span of barely a year.

Wei Yan had truly carried out every last thing he had promised!

To protect Ling Jingshu’s purity and safety, Wei Yan had even taken a reckless risk — daring to lay hands upon even the Emperor!

Faced with this all-consuming devotion, his own fondness for Ling Jingshu appeared so pale and feeble by comparison. He had lost — lost completely and utterly.

Yet he could not help feeling a flicker of lingering reluctance. And so he had taken this opportunity to summon Wei Yan to the Crown Prince’s estate.

Wei Yan gave a faint smile: “Your Highness speaks too highly of me. This official was caught between two impossible paths, and in order to break free, had no choice but to take a desperate gamble. Fortunately, fortune favored me by some margin, and the venture succeeded through sheer luck. Had there been even the slightest misstep, what awaited this official would have been a bottomless abyss.”

The Crown Grandson fell silent for a moment, then said again: “She is in Lingbo Palace. Noble Consort Wei treats her well.”

With Qiao Yun there, Ling Jingshu’s circumstances inside the palace had never been hidden from him.

After she had gone to Lingbo Palace, Noble Consort Wei watched over her with care and tenderness, and she had found herself in a peaceful, comfortable situation.

Wei Yan nodded: “Indeed. She is meticulous and thorough in her duties, capable and efficient in her work. She is now Noble Consort Wei’s right hand and left arm. Noble Consort Wei treats her well — not solely out of regard for this official. It is because she deserves to be treated that way.”

The easy familiarity with which Wei Yan spoke of Ling Jingshu, and the flash of soft warmth that crossed his eyes — it cut directly into the Crown Grandson’s own eyes like a blade.

He could barely contain the jealousy and resentment seething inside him, and asked coldly: “You care for her. And her — does she care for you?”

Wei Yan raised his eyes to meet the question, his gaze composed and direct: “What passes between this official and A’Shu is our own concern. For Your Highness the Crown Grandson to ask such things — is it quite appropriate?”

A’Shu! Such easy familiarity!

The Crown Grandson’s hands clenched into fists, and the expression on his handsome face grew increasingly cold: “Why should this prince not ask?”