Old Fang’s body trembled as he kowtowed frantically: “This old servant is only wholeheartedly devoted to Your Highness!”

“If I didn’t know you were wholeheartedly devoted to me, would you still be standing here?! You’ve been openly and secretly undermining Qin Shangzhi – do you think I don’t know?! Old Fang… I’ve considered your loyal service to me for so many years, your wholehearted planning for me, which is why I’ve always helped you suppress Qin Shangzhi! You’ve privately hinted to others to squeeze out Qin Shangzhi both openly and secretly – do you think I’m completely blind and ignorant?”

The Crown Prince angrily walked beside Old Fang, bent down, and roared at him: “I know everything! But I never questioned any of it, because… You accompanied me through my most difficult times! To me… You are more important than ten Qin Shangzhis! Even when sometimes your strategies aren’t as good as Qin Shangzhi’s, I still follow your advice completely. At worst… I make up for it afterward. Tell me yourself… how have I, a Crown Prince, treated you by doing all this?!”

“Your Highness, this old servant… this old servant is ashamed!” Old Fang wept as he kowtowed again.

“But people cannot be insatiable!” The Crown Prince stood up, looking coldly at Old Fang, who prostrated on the ground, trembling continuously. Having vented his anger, his emotions gradually calmed, and his voice lowered: “Old Fang, you are indeed getting old. You must accept your age! You must also acknowledge… Bai Qingyan’s intelligence and strategic thinking, her ability to command troops and fight battles – she simply surpasses you! Even so… I still trust you more! You know this! You are all people loyal to me… we’re on the same side. How can there be infighting and mutual destruction among our people?!”

“Your Highness! This old servant… has failed Your Highness’s trust!” Old Fang cried aloud, feeling shame at having his petty thoughts exposed, as well as gratitude that the Crown Prince said he trusted him more.

The Crown Prince closed his eyes, inevitably thinking again of Old Fang’s usual virtues. He originally wanted to reach out and help Old Fang up, but remembering Bai Qingyan’s blood-covered appearance, he instead walked behind the desk with a flick of his sleeve, sat down in the chair, and gazed at Old Fang.

“Old Fang, I hope you remember that no matter when, the person I trust most will always be Old Fang! No one can shake Old Fang’s position in my heart, but… Princess Zhenguo is also someone worthy of my trust, because she is a descendant of the Bai family. The Bai family’s… loyalty and righteousness are known throughout the realm! Since Bai Qingyan has already acknowledged me as her master, she will naturally be loyal to me! In capability, character, and intelligence, Bai Qingyan lacks nothing. Having such a person serve me loyally… Old Fang should be happy for me! Never again engage in mutual framing among our people, otherwise in the end… the one who gets hurt is me!” After speaking, the Crown Prince sighed and waved to Quan Yu: “Help Old Fang up!”

Old Fang kowtowed heavily toward the Crown Prince: “Your Highness’s words today, this old servant remembers them! This old servant’s thoughts were misguided, worried that… Your Highness would find this old bag of bones useless! But Your Highness… this old servant will say this one last time before Your Highness: Princess Zhenguo’s capabilities and intelligence are exceptionally outstanding. Your Highness… should still be on guard!”

After speaking, Old Fang bowed again: “This is the last time this old servant will say this. As long as Your Highness understands, from today forward… this old servant will never again do such things that grieve Your Highness. Since Your Highness trusts Princess Zhenguo so much, this old servant… will also trust Princess Zhenguo and will never make things difficult for her again!”

Having finally convinced this stubborn old mule, the Crown Prince nodded and wearily waved his hand: “Old Fang was also frightened today. Go rest!”

After kowtowing, Old Fang used the table to support himself as he tremblingly stood up, bowed formally, and withdrew from the Crown Prince’s study.

Seeing the Crown Prince sitting in his chair with eyes closed and silent, Quan Yu approached with small steps: “Your Highness… shall this servant attend to your bath and help you change into clean clothes?”

The Crown Prince nodded, then looked up to see Quan Yu also disheveled, remembering how Quan Yu had faced life and death with him twice today. His voice softened: “Today, I made you follow me through two life-and-death experiences. You’ve worked hard! You should also go bathe, change clothes, and rest! Let others attend to me!”

“Your Highness, what are you saying? Quan Yu is Your Highness’s servant and must vow to follow Your Highness to the death!” Quan Yu looked solemnly at the Crown Prince and bowed to him.

“I know you’re loyal, which is exactly why you cannot fall ill. You must take good care of yourself to look after me! Go! I need to see the Crown Princess first!” the Crown Prince instructed.

Having experienced life and death, the Crown Prince felt more trust and gentleness toward those who had risked their lives alongside him.

Quan Yu nodded tearfully and withdrew.

The Crown Princess was pregnant and had been frightened along with the Crown Prince today. He needed to see her first. His Crown Princess had always been timid… she surely needed him by her side, but there had simply been too many matters to attend to today…

The sky had turned completely dark, and the heavy rain had stopped.

Flickering candlelight illuminated the Crown Prince’s weary face. Thinking of the Crown Princess, he took a deep breath to gather his spirits, ordered someone to prepare the Crown Princess’s favorite pastries, then rose and walked along the corridor toward the back courtyard.

The vermilion-painted corridor with carved beams and painted rafters was rendered quiet and warm by the yellow hexagonal palace lanterns. Occasionally, accumulated rainwater dripped from the upturned eaves into pools below, creating clear, ethereal sounds.

The capital, which had been filled with battle cries all day, finally quieted down.

The Magistrate of Jingzhao’s office, having received Chancellor Lu’s orders, was brightly lit. Officers were dispatched to post notices informing merchants and citizens that the great rebellion had been quelled… while also searching for Liu Ruofu, who had already escaped from Prince Xian’s mansion.

The Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review were also brilliantly lit tonight like daylight. After all the guards at the four city gates of the capital were replaced, they were brought into the Court of Judicial Review’s prison for detailed individual interrogation, ensuring no rebel traitors were overlooked.

Fu Ruoxi removed his armor and returned to the Fu family mansion. He stood at the main gate of the Fu family for a long time before stepping through the entrance.

Luo, who was keeping vigil before Old Lady Fu’s spirit tablet with her two young sons, held her sleeping youngest son in her arms. Inadvertently looking up, she saw Fu Ruoxi standing at the doorway… Her eyes immediately widened, and tears fell like broken pearls. She hurriedly handed her youngest son to her nanny, anxiously rising to greet Fu Ruoxi, but having knelt too long, her legs were numb and she fell back down…

Fu Ruoxi instinctively reached out, but he was too far from Luo. Inexplicably… Fu Ruoxi’s eyes reddened.

Luo supported herself on a maid’s hand to stand up, enduring the numbness in her legs as she hurried forward in small running steps. When descending the steps, her legs went weak and she nearly fell. Fu Ruoxi was startled and quickly stepped forward, catching Luo as she nearly tumbled.

Luo looked up, seeing Fu Ruoxi, and immediately tears streamed down her face. But she spoke no words of resentment, only gazed at him, then touched his empty sleeve, sobbing quietly.

Afraid that her crying would make Fu Ruoxi feel worse, Luo only choked out one question: “Does it still hurt?”

Those three words shattered Fu Ruoxi’s heart. He could no longer hold back his tears, forcefully pulling Luo into his embrace.

In the past, his eyes and heart had been filled with others, never realizing how much Luo truly cared for him.

He vowed that from now on… he would definitely treat his wife well, be a good husband and good father!