“Wan Wan!” Xiao Changtai cried out in anguished shock, “In your heart, am I so incompetent? Destined to fail?”

“Heh heh heh heh heh…” Ye Wantang’s laughter turned to uncontrollable sobs.

“Wan Wan, stop crying, it’s my fault…” Xiao Changtai stepped forward, wanting to embrace Ye Wantang.

Ye Wantang pushed him away again: “More than failure, I fear your success.”

Ye Wantang’s words shocked Xiao Changtai to his core.

“When your hands are covered in blood, your soul burdened with sin, wearing the imperial robe—you’ll no longer be my husband, no longer the good man in my heart.”

It seemed to take all her strength to speak these words clearly, and after saying them, she stumbled away.

One general’s success is built on countless bones; a change in dynasty is paved with blood.

At the end of this path, those closest, most trusted, and most beloved would all become unrecognizable.

Xiao Changtai had always known his wife was naturally detached from worldly desires. She yearned for a peaceful, worry-free life. He knew that one day when she discovered his ambition, she would find it hard to accept, but he never imagined she would be so resolute.

With bloodshot eyes, he slammed his fist on the table, grinding out through clenched teeth: “Xiao Changqin!”

If not for Xiao Changqin’s scheming, how would he have been exposed so early? To the point where his wife now saw no hope and had fallen into such despair?

Xiao Changtai harbored poisonous hatred for Xiao Changqin. Every time he thought of being accused of treacherous ambition by His Majesty today, he wished he could tear Xiao Changqin to pieces.

“Your Highness, Prince Ding has realized it was Prince Xin who set the trap,” Tian Yuan reported respectfully, standing behind Xiao Huayong.

As long as it didn’t involve the Princess, His Highness was still the towering, majestic deity in Tian Yuan’s eyes!

Xiao Huayong stood in the Eastern Palace’s garden, where dappled sunlight filtered through branches onto his figure. Before him was a table with several porcelain pots, beside which lay cut branches from a Pingzhong tree. Tian Yuan had no idea that his deity-like master had spent the past few days contemplating how to create a Pingzhong bonsai to gift to Shen Xihe.

“Let them push Fifth Brother’s man into the Hexi Military Commissioner position,” Xiao Huayong said as he leveled the soil and began trimming branches.

“Give it to Prince Xin?” Tian Yuan was startled. “Your Highness, the Hexi Military Commissioner controls the passage to the Northwest. Prince Xin already wants this position to help Prince Lie pursue the Princess…”

Catching Xiao Huayong’s sideways glance with its cool gleam, Tian Yuan realized his mistake.

“If she’s unwilling, no one can force her. If currying favor with the Western Prince were enough, would it be their turn?” Xiao Huayong continued his gentle trimming.

“But we still shouldn’t let Prince Xin’s man succeed. Who knows if they might harm the Northwest in the future?”

“Shen Yueshan won’t stumble twice on the same stone.” Xiao Huayong snipped off excess branches with a sharp sound, a subtle smile appearing on his lips, profoundly deep. “Having Fifth Brother’s man become the Hexi Military Commissioner will only make Fourth Brother hate him more.”

He paused, tenderness flooding his eyes: “It’s also a hint to Youyou. Since their brothers benefit most from this affair, with her intelligence, she’ll surely realize it was their brothers scheming behind the scenes. She’ll only despise Little Nine more.”

With Xiao Huayong’s explanation, Tian Yuan finally understood, becoming even more impressed by his master’s brilliance.

“More importantly… it will make His Majesty wary of Fifth Brother. The more people His Majesty worries about, the less attention he’ll have for me.”

“Yes!” Tian Yuan responded loudly and hurried off to relay the orders.

The appointment of the Hexi Military Commissioner was debated for three days. As the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration approached with no resolution in sight, Emperor You Ning grew quite displeased.

Just then, silver was discovered in Feng Prefecture. The Deputy Protector-General of An Bei deserved primary credit and should be rewarded, so Emperor You Ning transferred him to the position of Hexi Military Commissioner, promoting him from Senior Fourth Rank to Senior Third Rank.

After the court dismissed, everyone’s gazes toward Xiao Changqin and Xiao Changying changed, because the one promoted was their maternal uncle.

Some even sarcastically remarked: “How timely this silver discovery was.”

Such mineral discoveries required surveys and verification—extremely complex procedures that couldn’t be completed in less than a month.

This meant the Rong family had discovered the silver at least a month ago or earlier. The An Xi defense map incident happened after that, making it easy to suspect that the brothers Xiao Changqin had deliberately paved the way for their maternal clan.

Little did they know the brothers’ frustration. When silver was discovered in Feng Prefecture, it was initially reported to the Prefecture Governor, but unsure and afraid of causing trouble, he sought help from the An Bei Protectorate, agreeing to share credit.

Just as they confirmed the silver deposit, during the time it took to drink a cup of wine, Deputy Protector-General Rong Ce had submitted a memorial behind their backs, claiming all their credit. If they tried to explain now, they might be accused of concealing information with intent to embezzle.

So Rong Ce got his promotion, but not only did he earn Prince Ding Xiao Changtai’s deadly hatred, but he also thoroughly offended the Protector-General of An Bei and the Feng Prefecture Governor!

“So it was Rong Ce…” After hearing this news, Shen Xihe fell into deep thought.

“You were right, those brothers were thieves crying ‘stop thief’!” Shen Yun’an was furious.

Shen Xihe didn’t disagree. She also believed the An Xi defense map incident must be connected to the brother Xiao Changqin, but something felt off. If Xiao Changqin were behind it, he wouldn’t let everyone notice, and if he wanted to place someone, it wouldn’t be someone as obvious as Rong Ce.

“In this matter, I feel there’s another person pushing things along behind the scenes,” Shen Xihe said to Shen Yun’an. “Brother, investigate who’s replacing Rong Ce as Deputy Protector-General of An Bei.”

“You suspect someone deliberately misdirected attention, set up Rong Ce, and quietly made a big move by installing their person to replace him in the An Bei Protectorate?” Shen Yun’an pondered carefully, finding it possible. “I’ll send people to investigate right away!”

As soon as Shen Yun’an’s people began investigating, it immediately alerted Xiao Huayong, who had Tian Yuan watching constantly.

“Your Highness’s predictions were divine—the Young Master is indeed investigating who will replace Rong Ce as Deputy Protector-General,” Tian Yuan reported.

“Indeed…” Xiao Huayong’s smile was so warm it lent a tender charm to even the black mole at the corner of his eye. “Only she could think to this level.”

At this moment, everyone’s attention, including His Majesty’s, was focused on Rong Ce. Only Shen Xihe sensed things weren’t so simple.

“Why not the Young Master?” Tian Yuan felt his master was besotted with the Princess.

“Shen Yun’an isn’t stupid…” Xiao Huayong’s tone was languid, “but he doesn’t have this level of insight.”

Tian Yuan dared not speak further. He felt if he questioned the Princess’s intelligence once more, His Highness would surely punish him.

“Unfortunately, she’ll be disappointed this time…”

The one replacing Rong Ce was from His Majesty’s Jin Wu Guards, though that Jin Wu Guard position had been claimed by his own man.

The Jin Wu Guards—His Majesty’s personal imperial guard. When the investigation reached this point, they would naturally assume the replacement would also be His Majesty’s trusted man, and wouldn’t investigate further.