Li Zhaoting slowly closed his eyes.

In his mind, he once again outlined that dusty past he hadn’t been able to participate in and the people involved.

That woman hidden in a remote place, whom he could only secretly glimpse once a year during his travels, who later died in melancholy—his birth mother; the deceased Emperor Taizong; the humble Prince Jin who should have inherited the throne; the former Emperor Dejing who ultimately ascended…

Later, Prince Jin died. Among Prince Jin’s supporters, both open and hidden—Wei Chenghui who had secretly received life-saving grace from Prince Jin in early years, and poor scholar Feng Shaoqing who received Prince Jin’s support when traveling to the capital for examinations—the former hid among the people, the latter concealed himself in court. One watched over Prince Jin’s young son; the other created a new identity for the child, contacting Prince Jin’s former subordinates like the Si family who had escaped the capital before the house raids…

Years later, the child took the current Prime Minister’s teacher Tingyu as his master and joined the Prime Minister’s faction, ascending to court with his new identity.

But Minister Feng had changed his original intentions.

The child, grateful for his kindness, yielded again and again, but the minister didn’t know when to stop… Thinking this, his eyes snapped open with a layer of viciousness, saying slowly: “Don’t say any more. The death of Minister Feng’s family ultimately cannot be separated from us. No matter what, he once saved my mother and me. Today, I’ll save Feng Suzhen once more. Of course, if Feng Suzhen truly becomes my stumbling block, I’ll kill her, and that person too—when the time comes, absolutely cannot be spared.”

Hearing this, Wei and Si were immediately relieved. This young master’s temperament was absolutely not like his refined appearance—he was someone who could handle great affairs, with decisiveness far exceeding that Scholarly Prince of years past.

As the two got off the carriage, Li Zhaoting instructed quietly: “Over these years, Teacher has built neutral factions in court, gaining and losing with Lian Yu. Lian Yu has long been wary and guarded against Teacher… Teacher should stop here, but Lanfeng is different. Lian Yu assigned you as Assistant Minister under Teacher—actually to have you monitor and constrain Teacher. You’re Lian Jie’s student, and Lian Yu is close to Lian Jie, so he’ll certainly use you in the future. Of course, Lian Yu is cautious, still in an observational period with you, so he doesn’t include you in confidential matters like the national case for discussion. You must remain steady, not let him have the slightest suspicion, and quickly gain his trust. Having you oppose me—I deliberately took this move to get you into his inner circle.”

“Compared to my senior brother, Lian Yu is more difficult to deal with. Look at this palace examination and national case—how deep this person’s thoughts are… He’s demonstrating his abilities to all court officials, gathering hearts. Next, how to find a breakthrough—I need to think carefully. Let my senior brother continue fighting with Lian Yu. Here, until we don’t have a foolproof chain strategy, we cannot move. Now, with three-way constraints, no one can defeat anyone—it seems like an unsolvable situation, but it’s also greatly advantageous to me.”

Hearing this, Si Lanfeng and Wei Chenghui were both invigorated, knowing his analysis was correct, and solemnly agreed.

The carriage rolled away, disappearing into the night.

Here, Li Zhaoting suddenly ordered Little Four to turn the horse’s head and head toward the Prime Minister’s residence instead.

There was still one matter to do for Feng Suzhen—but if she angered him again, he could no longer… show mercy.

Over there, Si Lanfeng was about to bid farewell to Wei Chenghui when he saw complex emotions in Wei Chenghui’s eyes and asked: “Does Teacher have other instructions for Lanfeng?”

“Nothing,” Wei Chenghui said. “Just feeling emotional for a moment—even dead, that old fox Feng Shaoqing makes people guard against him.”

Si Lanfeng was slightly surprised: “What does Teacher mean by this?”

“I always wondered why, having already developed rebellious intentions, he still wanted to marry his daughter to the young master. The young master didn’t like that girl originally—he only accepted her for Minister Feng’s sake.”

Hearing this, Si Lanfeng smiled—back then, when the Huai County magistrate’s wife miscarried, this woman was a shrew while the magistrate was henpecked and dared not take concubines. Minister Feng and Wei Chenghui thus chose them as the young master’s new family. On a cold night, they secretly delivered the child to their courtyard. The couple, surprised and delighted, kept it secret and treasured this child of unknown origin as their own son.

Several years later, Minister Feng purchased property nearby and moved there, deceiving the Li-surnamed magistrate into arranging a childhood engagement. When the child grew up and understood the scheme, it was too late to back out.

Thinking this, his mind suddenly brightened: “Childhood sweethearts—even if he died, he wanted the young master to be unable to bear it and protect his daughter completely.”

Wei Chenghui nodded, his gaze darkening: “He calculated everything perfectly, but forgot one thing—since ancient times, dynastic changes have all revolved around four words: rivers, mountains, and beauties. However, beauties always come after rivers and mountains. Moreover, that Feng family girl isn’t even a beauty. But still, she is Old Feng’s daughter. Looking at her journey, she’s quite clever and has managed to keep some of the young master’s attention.”

Si Lanfeng thought this “first rivers and mountains, then beauties” was indeed correct. Grand Tutor Wei was ruthless his whole life and implemented this thoroughly—marrying one daughter to Chao Huang and one to Lian Yu.

Also, one mountain cannot contain two tigers. Grand Tutor Wei and Minister Feng were both comrades and enemies. Over the years, neither submitted to the other. But dead people ultimately can’t compete with the living—the minister was dead after all, and the young master had made his position clear.

Some believe the living can’t compete with the dead, because the dead are wounds in one’s heart that can never heal—things you can never obtain are most precious.

Others believe the dead can’t compete with the living—as long as you’re alive, there are opportunities.

Actually, sometimes the boundary between life and death is so blurred.

That night, after Lian Yu returned to the palace, Ming Chuyan came to report that Miss Gu requested His Majesty visit her quarters, saying she had something to ask of His Majesty.

Coming back from Suzhen’s place, he was already displeased. He flipped through the consorts’ name tablets, but ultimately put them away and went to Shuangcheng’s quarters.

Before stepping into the courtyard, he heard qin music floating toward him.

He immediately stopped, for a moment seeming to face an invisible barrier that prevented him from taking another step. He could only clench his fists and listen intently to this piece.

This was a piece that a woman named Gu Xiluo had loved to play many years ago.

Ten Li of Spring Breeze.

“Your Majesty, shall this slave go in to announce you?”

Ming Chuyan, leading numerous palace attendants, also changed expression and quickly stepped forward, asking carefully.

But Lian Yu scolded sternly: “Fool, don’t make noise!”

Ming Chuyan was rebuffed, shrinking his shoulders and quickly falling silent. He saw the Son of Heaven standing with hands behind his back in the cold night, his eyes deep and fierce as if wanting to devour Shuangcheng’s entire courtyard, yet between his brows seemed to be faint traces of a smile, letting those water-like memories submerge him.