After listening, Emperor Youning’s expression darkened: “Wang Zheng, you think the Crown Prince is behind all of this? Would I still be standing before you now?”

This was another point Wang Zheng couldn’t explain. Perhaps one or two of these incidents were the Crown Prince’s doing, but they couldn’t all be – otherwise, the Crown Prince would already have enough power to secretly assassinate His Majesty and legitimately ascend the throne.

“Your Majesty, this polo ball poisoning incident was not my grandson’s doing.” Wang Zheng could only try to clear his grandson’s name first.

“Wang Erlang threw himself against the wall in prison,” Emperor Youning said flatly. “Your Wang family is a noble household that values reputation above all. Before this matter was even concluded, he committed suicide. What should I make of this?”

What was there to make of it? Other than dying to seal his lips, what else could it be?

His death this way meant there would be no testimony, and this matter could no longer be thoroughly investigated.

“Your Majesty, Erlang would never commit suicide!” Wang Zheng didn’t believe it.

“I allow you to seek the best coroners and physicians, to bring forth evidence telling me Wang Erlang did not commit suicide.” Emperor Youning simply handed this matter over to Wang Zheng, then had Liu Sanzhi bring a letter to give to Wang Zheng, “Wang Zheng, look at this carefully.”

After Wang Zheng received and opened it, his expression changed dramatically. This was a logical analysis of the chaos created during the Lantern Festival, pointing directly at him. Wang Zheng steadied himself and said: “Your Majesty, this servant doesn’t know why there are such absurd theories!”

This was just speculation, not concrete evidence.

“Whether it’s true or not, I won’t pursue it – investigating further may not yield evidence anyway,” Emperor Youning’s tone revealed neither pleasure nor anger. “Others implying you are absurd theory, but you implying the Crown Prince expects me to believe your words without proof. Wang Zheng, you are not Gu Zhao.”

Gu Zhao – a taboo name for the emperor, someone he had executed and then posthumously pardoned, someone the emperor must both love and hate.

They had known each other in youth when His Majesty was sent to the northwest, Gu Zhao had accompanied him for thousands of li.

Later, when the previous emperor grew increasingly erratic, the Gu family had internal strife. Some advocated overthrowing the Xiao family and establishing a new ruler, but Gu Zhao advocated bringing back His Majesty and Prince Qian, deeply believing the Xiao imperial family’s destiny was not yet exhausted.

The Gu family’s decline could be said to have started under these circumstances. Though Gu Zhao ultimately prevailed, taking control of the Gu family at a young age, the outcome proved his judgment accurate. Although it wasn’t Prince Qian who ascended the throne, the result wasn’t too far outside expectations.

During the years when the eunuchs were tyrannical, His Majesty and Gu Zhao were of one mind as ruler and minister. Their discord began after the court factions were purged, when His Majesty wanted to strongly promote commoners, repeatedly holding special imperial examinations for two years, with waves of common-born scholars being heavily employed.

Talented and capable noble sons were suppressed as His Majesty’s desire to control the noble families grew stronger daily. Gu Zhao, as the leader of the noble families who had united them in strongly supporting His Majesty back then, now had to explain to the noble families about His Majesty’s ingratitude.

This led to various conflicts afterward. Gu Zhao bared his sharp fangs, at his most unyielding directly ordering the Three Departments to prevent His Majesty’s edicts from being sealed.

At that time, Wang Zheng was just the second son of the Wang family, not particularly valued. He would never forget Emperor Youning’s expression that day.

An emperor, forced by his chief minister to do as commanded!

In this game between ruler and minister, there was no right or wrong, only conflicts of interest.

His Majesty had experienced many upheavals since childhood. When he first ascended the throne, he was surrounded by hostility, so naturally, he needed to strongly support his trusted followers, cultivating his people to make his throne more secure.

But Gu Zhao, as the leader of the noble families, had the responsibility to protect their interests and prevent their power from being divided and eroded.

Emperor Youning’s willingness to posthumously pardon Gu Zhao was partly due to Princess Xin’s scheme, but also due to his recognition of Gu Zhao in his heart.

But Emperor Youning undoubtedly deeply feared Gu Zhao. From the sixth to the seventeenth year of his reign, for eleven full years, Gu Zhao solely wielded power in court. Emperor Youning avoided his sharp edge for eleven years before finally destroying the Gu family in one strike.

“Your Majesty, please forgive this humble servant’s presumption.” Wang Zheng kowtowed deeply.

“Withdraw,” Emperor Youning said gravely.

Wang Zheng dared not say more, and could only obediently withdraw.

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger.” Liu Sanzhi immediately offered a cup of hot tea to Emperor Youning.

Emperor Youning trusted no one more than Liu Sanzhi. After taking the tea, he asked: “Tell me, was this the Crown Prince’s doing?”

How could Liu Sanzhi dare to speak carelessly: “Your Majesty, whether this was the Crown Prince’s doing depends on whether His Highness’s eyes are truly injured or not.”

Emperor Youning held the teacup thoughtfully: “Go invite Master Xuqing to the palace. Tell him I am worried about the Crown Prince’s eyes and request him to take a look.”

Xuqing was a monk, and monks do not speak falsehoods. Moreover, Xuqing was quite knowledgeable in medicine.

The Crown Prince had grown up in a Taoist temple. Buddhism and Taoism were two separate faiths that often competed – Xuqing would never help the Crown Prince deceive anyone.

“Your Majesty, Master Xuqing is recasting Buddha statues, and the incense is being prepared by Princess Zhaoning,” Liu Sanzhi had to remind him.

“It doesn’t matter. Xuqing is highly virtuous and won’t deceive me because of this.” Emperor Youning had made Xuqing the master of Xiangguo Temple precisely because he valued his noble character and dedication to cultivation.

Liu Sanzhi went personally to extend the invitation.

In the Eastern Palace, Xiao Huayong finished his final brush stroke and set down his brush, inviting Shen Xihe over to look: “Youyou, I gift this painting to you.”

Shen Xihe came over to look and couldn’t help being slightly startled.

Apricot blossoms in misty rain, an elegant young woman under an oil-paper umbrella, her hand slightly extended as silk-fine raindrops fell with flower petals onto her fingertips.

The face was gentle, the gaze containing joy – the person in the painting loved watching the rain.

“Your Highness…” How did he know she loved watching the rain?

Shen Xihe loved rainy days, standing by the window watching the drizzling rainfall, and also loved sleeping to the sound of rain, always feeling that even breathing carried traces of sweetness on rainy days.

“Everything about you, I know,” Xiao Huayong turned his gaze, looking at her tenderly. “Even what I don’t know now, I will know in the future.”

“Thank you for the painting, Your Highness. Zhaoning will also gift today’s painting to Your Highness.” Shen Xihe brought over her painting.

Her painting was simple, finished earlier, the ink now dry.

She had painted two koi fish, one black and one red, forming a yin-yang symbol. It was meant to nurture the heart in the Taoist way – since Xiao Huayong grew up in a Taoist temple, such a painting would be fine even if he demanded it.

“These fish…” Xiao Huayong’s smile was extremely subtle.

Shen Xihe instinctively felt his unfinished words weren’t anything good, and waited for him to speak.

However, Xiao Huayong first rolled up the painting and put it away, then smiled ambiguously at Shen Xihe: “Rather suggestive of necks intimately intertwined…”

“Xiao Beichen!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Huayong immediately grabbed the scroll and ran.

He feared staying even a moment longer would result in being hit, but more importantly, he feared Shen Xihe might take back the painting and not gift it to him.

Shen Xihe chased after him for a few steps, but how could she match Xiao Huayong’s speed?

Besides, continuing to chase would look like lovers’ playful banter.

Xiao Huayong always managed to infuriate her!