The imperial seal lay half-tilted at everyone’s feet.

Purple sleeves brushed against golden belts, all faces dark with displeasure—it was impossible to tell whose expression was blacker or more unsightly.

Everyone was speechless.

…

Years ago, when the realm was divided into five parts, there was Emperor Xi in the east and King Huan in the west. Though originally sworn enemies, they joined forces amidst the smoke of war between the five nations. With spears crossing and horses standing tall, they drenched mountains and plains with blood—subduing the South, destroying Central Wan, and subjugating North Jian. Four nations were torn apart, while two dynasties stood face to face. Yet all the life-and-death achievements of a lifetime could not overcome the deep entanglement of two hearts. Who yielded their realm to whom? Who took whose world? Who could truly say with certainty?

Prince Ping had been a formidable ruler throughout his life, commanding a region and looking down upon thousands. Knowing his severe injuries were beyond recovery, he handed the unified realm to his lifelong beloved. Though he lost the imperial title and kingdom, he gained her and the flourishing prosperity of the Great Ping Dynasty.

Although called Prince Ping, since the fourth year of Qiande when court officials requested that he be honored as the “Auxiliary Divine Martial Leveling Emperor,” everyone at court knew that His Majesty was willing to give the realm and the world to Prince Ping.

For these senior officials of the Eastern Faction who had campaigned and governed with Prince Ping for half their lives, even though the dynasty name had been changed for twenty-five years, in their hearts, only Prince Ping was their true sovereign.

The Crown Prince was indeed Prince Ping’s only son, but from a young age, he had been closer to His Majesty’s trusted old ministers—Shen Wuchen, who had once secretly advised His Majesty to kill Prince Ping to eliminate future trouble, had for many years taught the Crown Prince to understand the people and govern; the Privy Councilor Fang Kai, who had once accompanied His Majesty on imperial campaigns, explained military affairs of various regions to the Crown Prince. Since the age of fourteen when the Crown Prince began participating in court politics, he had often held opposing political views to these Eastern Faction officials loyal to Prince Ping. Although open court debates had not yet occurred, senior officials led by Gu Qin understood this clearly.

At present, the great power of the court was divided between east and west—Gu Qin as the Left Assistant Minister of the Department of State Affairs and Prime Minister, while Fang Kai as Privy Councilor, solely controlled military power. The remaining positions of governance commissioners and the three departments and six ministries were also equally divided between the two factions. However, if His Majesty were to abdicate and the Crown Prince ascend to the throne, no one knew what would become of this east-west division of senior officials at court.

The senior officials understood this, the new court favorites understood this, and His Majesty and Prince Ping understood it even more clearly.

Yet His Majesty remained silent, Prince Ping did not mention it, and the senior officials all engaged in factional struggles behind the scenes—this thin paper window had never been pierced.

But who could have imagined that today, right here in the Inner Court, in front of officials from both sides, the Crown Prince would personally tear apart and crumple that paper, directly unleashing his anger at Gu Qin and the others?

…

In complete silence, someone suddenly gave a light cough.

The senior officials turned their heads, their gazes converging on a slender figure in the corner. Their expressions changed slightly as if only now discovering that a female official was standing in the room.

Ying Gua also glanced over.

Meng Tinghui was seen drawing in her sleeves and stepping forward, carefully making her way between several purple-robed senior officials. She walked to his desk, bent down to pick up the imperial seal, held it in her hands, wiped it with her official sleeve, and then gently placed it back on the desk.

She looked up, corners of her mouth lifting, eyes full of smiles, and gazed at everyone staring at her. She said softly, “This junior official Meng Tinghui is attending the Inner Court for the first time today. If the honorable ministers have any matters, please feel free to instruct this official.”

Gu Qin raised an eyebrow and looked her up and down.

This was not the first time he had heard the name, but it was the first time he had seen this woman.

A flash of memory crossed his mind—a spring day a year ago in the flower pavilion of the Gu residence when Shen Zhili had spoken to him with lowered eyes and soft words.

When he had appointed her as the highest scorer in the Ministry of Rites examination, he hadn’t considered what kind of person this Meng Tinghui might be. Even when he heard that the two Hanlin scholars Fang Huai and Zhang Ren had jointly recommended her to fill a vacancy as Left Remonstrator in the Chancellery, he hadn’t spent much time pondering what exceptional qualities she possessed.

Yet at this moment, he realized that this female official was somewhat different.

Not to mention the female officials at court, even ordinary officials accustomed to seeing ministers of state affairs like themselves might not maintain such composure when facing the tense situation currently in the room.

Moreover, this was her first time here, her first time seeing so many high officials and important ministers.

But her simple statement instantly dissipated the previously unbearably tense atmosphere. Even the Crown Prince seated in the high position relaxed his expression somewhat after seeing her actions.

Gu Qin withdrew his gaze and took the opportunity to step forward, saying, “We officials would never dare disrespect Your Highness. However, establishing a Crown Princess is not merely Your Highness’s matter but a major affair of the state. Therefore, we earnestly hope Your Highness will reconsider…”

Ying Gua’s gaze was solemn, his lips tightly pressed together, seeming as if his anger was rising again.

“Minister,” Meng Tinghui’s voice slid in, cutting off his cold gaze, “this official has something to say and hopes the Minister will permit it.”

Gu Qin looked up, meeting her clear, untroubled eyes, and involuntarily asked, “What is it?”

She curved her lips again and said, “This official has not been at court long, unlike you ministers who have been close to His Majesty and Prince Ping. However, even so, this official has heard that His Majesty had not yet married before taking personal control of the government, and Prince Ping established his empress only several years after ascending the throne and taking control.”

Gu Qin’s expression changed slightly, but he did not interrupt her, so she continued: “Therefore, this official wonders, why must the Crown Prince marry before ascending the throne? Why not follow the examples of His Majesty and Prince Ping by first accepting the responsibility of the state and then marrying? This way, rejecting the North Jian envoy’s request would be much simpler—simply stating that the Crown Prince wishes to emulate His Majesty and currently has no intention of establishing a consort. This would also satisfy Prince Ping’s wishes.”

As her words fell, everyone in the room looked at each other, unable to respond.

Gu Qin was momentarily speechless. He hadn’t expected that despite her low position, she would be so bold as to speak such words here. Setting aside everything else, just her repeated mention of the Crown Prince ascending the throne was enough to be considered presumptuous and daring. Yet seeing that the Crown Prince showed no displeasure, he didn’t know whether to rebuke her or let her continue.

What she proposed wasn’t something no one had considered. His Majesty had only the Crown Prince as his descendant—who at court didn’t hope that the Crown Prince would take many consorts and produce many sons?

Therefore, even if some had thought of it, no one dared to say it openly, fearing they would be accused of harboring ulterior motives. They especially feared not knowing the Crown Prince’s intentions and saying something too presumptuous that might cause him to punish them directly.

Yet she had spoken without any reservations!

She turned and softly asked again, “What does Your Highness think?”

Everyone’s gaze swept toward the figure seated at the high desk, silently waiting.

Ying Gua looked at her, not answering for a long while.

She lowered her eyelashes slightly and added, “This official forgot to mention, although there would be no establishment of a Crown Princess, Your Highness could take several concubines in the Eastern Palace, as the entire court hopes Your Highness will have many sons and descendants.”

Gu Qin’s heart skipped a beat, not expecting that she could speak so thoroughly, leaving no room for criticism.

Ying Gua continued to look at her, his eyes slightly chilled. After a good while, he turned his head to look at Gu Qin and the others, saying, “His Majesty wishes to issue an edict of abdication on the twenty-sixth day of the eighth month. Before then, there is no need for the court to raise the matter of establishing a Crown Princess again.”

She narrowed her eyes, the corners of her mouth dropping slightly.

He had come after hearing His Majesty’s intentions from the imperial palace, and the senior officials had not yet heard that the date for abdication had been set. Presumably, this was the result of His Majesty’s discussion with Prince Ping after he returned to the palace.

If so, why had he been angry earlier, smashing the seal and confronting these Eastern Faction senior officials?

She found him increasingly difficult to understand.

However, the twenty-sixth day of the eighth month was his birthday.

In half a year…

He would be the Emperor of the Great Ping Dynasty.