Torches illuminated the path ahead, while the surrounding imperial guards cast shadows like bronze walls.

Chu Zhao held Xiao Yu’s hand, following Deng Yi through the inner palace.

“Master Deng, you know about what’s happening outside, don’t you?” Chu Zhao asked softly.

Deng Yi said: “I’ve guessed.”

“Meeting the Little Prince was unexpected for me too,” Chu Zhao said. “I never imagined—”

Deng Yi raised his hand to his lips and made a gentle hushing sound, interrupting Chu Zhao.

“Miss Chu, whatever you have to say, say it when you see His Majesty,” he said.

It seemed that trying to speak more with Deng Yi to build rapport wasn’t going to work. Chu Zhao looked at the man walking in front of her, no longer the dust-covered minor official who had appeared at the post station.

Grand Tutor, huh? The Grand Tutor who even dared to strike the Emperor’s face. Chu Zhao pouted slightly, but as soon as she did, she noticed the Grand Tutor glancing back at her, and hurriedly curved her lips into a smile.

Deng Yi naturally caught the girl’s little gesture and said: “Miss Chu, is it appropriate to smile at a time like this?”

Chu Zhao responded awkwardly: “Your admonishment is correct, sir.”

Deng Yi stopped pressuring the girl, turned his gaze away, and looked ahead.

His letting her in was quite amusing.

They didn’t speak further, walking in silence until they reached a palace hall that was much brighter than other areas.

Imperial guards stood like a forest outside the doors, eunuchs gathered like clouds, surrounding the hall so tightly that not even air could pass through.

Deng Yi didn’t slow down at all, nor did he need to request permission. He walked step by step, and wherever he went, guards and eunuchs respectfully made way.

Chu Zhao followed behind him, holding Xiao Yu’s hand. None of the guards questioned or stopped them. The eunuchs, seeing Xiao Yu, showed surprised expressions—

The eunuchs here naturally all recognized the Emperor’s eldest grandson.

By all rights, seeing the Emperor’s eldest grandson should have excited the eunuchs, especially at a time like this, but these eunuchs only showed shocked expressions. No one called out, and no one rushed forward.

The Grand Tutor is impressive, Chu Zhao thought, tightening her grip. The small hand in hers moved slightly, and Chu Zhao quickly loosened her hold, looking down at Xiao Yu with reassuring eyes. Xiao Yu also looked up at her.

Deng Yi entered the hall and turned to look at the two children, one large and one small. Without asking the hall’s master for permission, he decided on his own: “Come in.”

Chu Zhao suddenly felt nervous. Was the Emperor still inside? Alive or dead?

Chu Zhao held Xiao Yu’s hand and stepped in without hesitation.

The hall was brilliantly lit. At first glance, she saw an elderly man reclining on the dragon bed, holding a scroll and reading. He wore the dragon robe and jade crown, his posture leisurely yet carrying imperial majesty.

Chu Zhao was somewhat surprised.

In that lifetime, she had, of course, seen the Emperor before. After entering the palace with Xiao Xun, she went to pay her respects. The Emperor had been sickly, lying down with an ashen face. When he heard her name, his eyes had been frightening, and she had lowered her head, not daring to look again.

Later, when she saw him again, it was when the Emperor had passed away—a corpse on the dragon bed. Even dressed in the dragon robe and ornate decorations, the decay couldn’t be concealed.

In this lifetime, the Emperor was surprisingly spirited.

Deng Yi looked at the Emperor, also somewhat surprised, and glanced at a eunuch standing nearby.

Your Majesty, why are you dressed up?

The eunuchs made helpless expressions—His Majesty wanted it this way.

His Majesty wanted it this way? Why would he want to look like he was receiving guests—

Did His Majesty know guests were coming?

Deng Yi’s gaze returned to the doorway. Guests? He looked at the two still standing at the door, one large and one small.

“Who is it?” The Emperor seemed to only now notice someone had entered, but didn’t seem concerned. He held his scroll without raising his head, asking in a flat voice.

Deng Yi turned back and bowed: “Your Majesty, it is Chu Wei’s… daughter, who has escorted the Little Prince back.”

Whether it was his imagination or not, from the corner of his eye, he saw His Majesty’s body stiffen, as if he was about to sit up straight, but the next moment, he slumped back weakly.

“Chu Wei’s daughter…” the Emperor said slowly, putting down the scroll and raising his head to look toward the door. He seemed unable to see clearly, yet also seemed to be looking with great effort.

Deng Yi turned to the doorway: “Chu Zhao, come forward and bow to His Majesty.”

Chu Zhao responded affirmatively, leading Xiao Yu forward. She knelt: “Daughter of Defense General Chu Wei of Yunzhong Commandery, Chu Zhao, pays respects to Your Majesty.”

Bowing on the ground, Chu Zhao felt the dragon bed’s gaze upon her, but there was a long silence. The Emperor seemed to look for a long time, to think for a long time, before finally remembering something—

“Defense General, Chu Wei,” he said slowly, his voice calm. “You may rise.”

Chu Zhao thanked His Majesty for his grace and stood up.

His Majesty still remembered her father. This could be guessed from Eunuch Qi’s words, since the Longwei Army had never been disbanded and was still maintained as before.

But it seemed he truly didn’t like her father, given his cold demeanor.

Deng Yi stood by with lowered eyes. Did the Emperor not remember Chu Wei? Did he dislike Chu Wei?

No, he thought, slightly raising his eyes to look at the child standing beside Chu Zhao.

His Majesty remembered Chu Wei and was very excited to see Chu Wei again, even if only through his daughter. So excited that he had washed, changed clothes, and dressed up. So excited that he had overlooked the Emperor’s eldest grandson standing before him.

The Emperor’s eldest grandson stood quietly beside Chu Zhao, showing no excitement at having survived a calamity.

After experiencing the nightmare of this night, the child had probably lost his wits; after all, he was only six years old, a favored child raised in the deep palace.

Deng Yi said: “Your Majesty, Miss Chu has brought the Little Prince safely here.”

The Emperor made a sound of acknowledgment and only then looked at the child beside Chu Zhao, reaching out his hand: “A-Yu—”

Xiao Yu stood still, staring blankly at the Emperor, as if he hadn’t heard.

Chu Zhao gently nudged him: “A-Yu, it’s His Majesty. You’re safe now.”

Hearing these words, the dazed child finally rushed to the Emperor on the dragon bed, burying his head in the Emperor’s embrace, whimpering, “Imperial Grandfather—”

The Emperor stroked the child: “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. Imperial Grandfather is here.”

Deng Yi glanced at Chu Zhao. Chu Zhao noticed and thought this probably meant she could speak and explain the situation.

“Your Majesty, Eunuch Qi brought the Little Prince back to the capital just in time and came to my home for refuge,” Chu Zhao said. “Coincidentally, my father had sent Deputy Commander Zhong Changrong back to the capital. During the chaos, we mobilized the Longwei Army to escort the Little Prince into the palace.”

The Emperor gently patted the child in his arms, his gaze on the girl standing before him. He seemed both distracted and intensely focused. After hearing her words, he smiled slightly.

“The Longwei Army, I had forgotten about it,” he said. “Your father still remembered.”

Chu Zhao said: “My father never mentioned the Longwei Army to me.”

Never mentioning didn’t mean forgetting; it could even mean constant remembrance.

“When Uncle Zhong mentioned it, I was shocked. I always thought my father was a nobody in the border prefecture. I never imagined he was entrusted with such an important responsibility by Your Majesty.”

These were Chu Zhao’s true feelings. She hadn’t known in her previous life, and had only just learned in this one.

The Emperor let out a laugh. His hand was still patting the child in his arms, though Xiao Yu had stopped crying.

The Emperor laughed, but his voice was cold: “General Chu, with his mastery of both civil and military arts, is capable of anything. Now, thanks to him, I have been able to preserve my imperial grandson.”

By all rights, such words from an emperor would be weighty, but strangely, Chu Zhao didn’t feel afraid at all. She raised her head.

“Your Majesty,” she couldn’t help saying, “please don’t be angry.”

The Emperor was taken aback, as if seeing that military officer standing before him again. No matter how much he lost his temper and scolded, the officer would just listen in silence, neither explaining nor showing fear. After listening, he would raise his head and say, “Your Majesty, don’t be angry.”

Don’t be angry, don’t be angry—it was enough to make him furious!

In the past, the military officer angered him, and now his daughter had come to do the same!

The Emperor was about to stand up and rebuke this girl, but as soon as he became agitated, blood rushed up, and a mouthful of blood spurted from his throat.

“Your Majesty!”

Chu Zhao was startled and rushed forward.

Xiao Yu, who had been lying against the Emperor’s chest, also sat up.

Only Deng Yi showed no surprise. This was more like it—how could His Majesty be so spirited? He had already been poisoned and couldn’t hold on much longer.