Emperor Youning knew that Xiao Changtai was the mastermind behind the tomb robbery and Li Yanyan was an accomplice.

Precisely because he knew this, Emperor Youning understood that someone as cunning and vicious as Xiao Changtai would never rashly enter the capital unless forced. Xiao Changtai had been trapped by someone – the person who truly knew His Majesty’s birth date and time.

Without extraordinary abilities, Crown Prince Xiao Huayong, who had attended Empress Dowager for twelve years, was the most suspicious.

Perhaps His Majesty had suspected Xiao Huayong long ago, but Xiao Huayong’s various actions hadn’t crossed his bottom line. This time, however, Xiao Huayong had produced a voodoo doll – something utterly intolerable to an emperor.

“As long as my poison remains uncured, he’ll continue playing the role of a loving father,” Xiao Huayong reassured Shen Xihe.

His Majesty knew well about the poison in his body. Why make a big fuss when he could let him die naturally, damaging what little mother-son affection remained between His Majesty and the Empress Dowager?

Shen Xihe nodded. Though His Majesty might not know the exact symptoms of Xiao Huayong’s poisoning, he was certainly convinced the strange poison remained uncured. “Why won’t Princess Consort Dai speak?”

Even if Li Yanyan couldn’t understand what Emperor Youning wanted to know, His Majesty would surely have people hint at it. She could have followed His Majesty’s wishes and revealed how Xiao Huayong had plotted against Xiao Changtai, but she hadn’t.

Not only that, since she had truly been the one who kidnapped Ye Wantang, her confession was flawless – even questioning Ye Wantang would reveal no inconsistencies.

Only now did Shen Xihe understand why Xiao Huayong hadn’t personally kidnapped Ye Wantang but insisted on using Li Yanyan – this way, there was no trace of his involvement.

“She hates His Majesty,” Xiao Huayong said. “Her country fell, her family was destroyed, and she became a pawn to control the Li clan of Xiliang. If she died, the Li clan of Xiliang would continue their desperate resistance until they were exterminated. She can’t die, so she can only endure.

These years, Third Brother has treated her with complete devotion – how could she, being human, feel nothing? But the Third Brother is His Majesty’s son, the son of her mortal enemy, which makes her hate His Majesty even more.

She welcomes anyone who threatens His Majesty.”

Li Yanyan desperately wanted someone to deal with Emperor Youning. If she hadn’t fallen for Xiao Changzhen, she wouldn’t have chosen to cooperate with Xiao Changtai. She would have stirred up ambition in Xiao Changzhen, making all the princes restless, letting Emperor Youning watch in his later years as the empire he protected fell apart due to the princes’ power struggles. Only that would satisfy her and help her let go of her hatred for losing her country.

So that was it. Shen Xihe had thought that since Li Yanyan was Xiao Changtai’s collaborator, and Xiao Huayong had caused Xiao Changtai to lose everything, which also wasted Li Yanyan’s years of planning, she should hate Xiao Huayong.

Perhaps she did hate Xiao Huayong for ruining her plans and making her a prisoner, but Xiao Huayong’s hidden threat to Emperor Youning was greater. Comparing the two, she would rather cover for Xiao Huayong and wait for Emperor Youning’s eventual downfall.

“How will His Majesty deal with her?” Shen Xihe asked.

“After ten years, the Li clan of Xiliang no longer poses a threat. His Majesty could kill her without worrying about Xiliang,” Xiao Huayong pondered for a moment. “But His Majesty won’t take her life – he still has fatherly affection for his sons.”

Yet this fatherly affection would crumble when faced with matters of state.

Xiao Changzhen’s heart held only Li Yanyan – for Xiao Changzhen’s sake, His Majesty wouldn’t take Li Yanyan’s life.

Just as last year, he hadn’t taken Lady Gu’s life, for Xiao Changqing’s sake.

While Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong were discussing Li Yanyan, she was meeting with Emperor Youning, who had personally come to the Imperial Clan Court.

“I ask you one last time – think carefully,” Emperor Youning said.

“If Your Majesty doesn’t believe my words, why ask again?” Li Yanyan sat cross-legged in her cell, disheveled and dirty, twisting straw pulled from her bedding. “I held Lady Ye captive because Xiao Changtai ignored me. I wanted to teach him a lesson. Xiao Changtai came to the capital for Lady Ye’s sake. As for when we were discovered and who acted against us, I know nothing.”

Emperor Youning silently watched Li Yanyan playing with the straw for a moment, then ordered Liu Sanzhi: “Bring the Third Prince in.”

Xiao Changzhen, haggard and pale, was brought in: “Your Majesty, please show mercy to Yanyan.”

“You know well her crimes. I give you two choices: either a cup of poison wine or take a new primary consort,” Emperor Youning said expressionlessly.

Xiao Changzhen knew Li Yanyan had helped Xiao Changtai with the unconscionable tomb robbery case – there was no defending that now. But he hadn’t expected His Majesty to give him two impossible choices.

Li Yanyan was a princess – how could she become a concubine? Even being a secondary consort would be unacceptable, more cruel than death.

“Xiao Changzhen!” Li Yanyan glared at him coldly.

If Xiao Changzhen truly chose to demote her to concubine, she would hate him to death.

She was the hope of the Li clan of Xiliang. If she died, she could guess what those people would do – undoubtedly follow her in death. For those clan relatives, she had to live, even if enduring humiliation.

Xiao Changzhen looked at Li Yanyan. He knew she would rather become a secondary consort and live, to let the Li clan royalty wear down their resistance and live peaceful lives. After ten years, when they had completely set aside their royal pride and accepted reality, even news of Li Yanyan’s death wouldn’t provoke extreme reactions.

She had always valued the Li clan royalty over him – he had always known this, but it still felt like a knife twisting in his heart.

Turning away from Li Yanyan’s intense, warning gaze, he fell to his knees: “Please grant me the wine, Your Majesty.”

He had said he would never betray her in this life, would never marry another. Whether she believed it or not, he would keep his promise.

“Xiao Changzhen—” Li Yanyan lunged forward, grabbing the cell bars, her eyes filled with disbelief and hatred.

At Emperor Youning’s signal, Liu Sanzhi quickly brought a cup of poisoned wine.

“Please, Your Majesty, let me give her the wine myself,” Xiao Changzhen requested.

Emperor Youning had the cell door opened. Li Yanyan quickly backed away to the stone wall, like a young beast ready to be provoked at any moment, guarding against Xiao Changzhen.

Xiao Changzhen walked in step by step, watching Li Yanyan press her hands against the wall behind her. Holding the poisoned wine, Xiao Changzhen smiled. His fingertip flicked a bead torn from his clothes, striking Li Yanyan and making her body go limp, her limbs instantly numbing.

Xiao Changzhen crouched down, took her hand, and as she was powerless to resist, made her grip the wine cup, firmly restraining her hand. Some wine spilled slightly as he said: “You once said you dreamed of killing me with your own hands…”

Before he finished speaking, he smiled sadly, and using her hand to bring the cup to his lowered lips, drank it all in one gulp.