Yuchi Yan was so furious his eyes blazed with hatred!

The Great Emperor also glared with fury, as if he wanted to devour Yuchi Yan on the spot.

Prince Ning’s purge of treacherous ministers had forced the Great Emperor to sacrifice the Empress and abdicate to Yuchi Yan. Losing his most beloved woman and most important throne overnight – how could he not hate this revenge of wife-killing and throne-stealing?

Yuchi Yan’s mood was equally terrible. How could he have such a foolish and selfish father?

“Father Emperor, what do you need so much silver for? The war front is urgent now – fighting requires provisions for men and horses, military supplies. What doesn’t require silver? The soldiers are shedding blood on the battlefield. If at the critical moment your son cannot provide their pay, how can I command their respect?”

“Bah! They betrayed me first! Why should I still consider their lives? Soldiers dying on the battlefield, wrapped in horse hide – that’s their best ending! Didn’t they eat Great Yan’s grain while they were alive?”

“How can you say such things!” Yuchi Yan stared in disbelief. The Great Emperor was bearing a grudge against those ten thousand soldiers who had purged the treacherous ministers!

He again suppressed the disappointment in his heart and earnestly reasoned, “Even if you don’t care about them, care about your reputation! Now all the court ministers know about the imperial and national treasuries being emptied. If you persist in this course, you’ll truly incur everyone’s wrath.”

“Father Emperor, you can still turn back now. Even if you don’t think about the war, think about your reputation for posterity. Moreover, without this large sum of silver, what will happen to all the people in the city if the Huben Army besieges us?”

At this point, Yuchi Yan was nearly in tears. “Father Emperor, how could you sell all the tax grain! That grain was enough for the capital for three years!”

The Great Emperor remained silent throughout, just coldly smiling at Yuchi Yan. After a long while, he suddenly spat in Yuchi Yan’s face.

“You usurping rebel, now you dare lecture me about righteousness? Do you have any shame left! Those ignorant masses deserve their fate! A bunch of fools who can be incited by a few words to call me a tyrant? How have I wronged them?”

“Now your wings have grown strong too, spouting grand principles at every turn, learning to speak in official rhetoric, using reputation and public opinion to pressure people? You think you’re a good emperor – I’d like to see how history will record you, this disobedient and unfilial usurper!”

Yuchi Yan’s face alternated between red and white from the scolding, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word of rebuttal.

In his father’s eyes, this was his only identity from now on. Could he still hope for the already thin familial affection between them?

The fierce wind whipped the banners.

A profound silence fell.

Yuchi Yan took several deep breaths, spending considerable effort to barely contain his hurt. He repeatedly told himself “you are the emperor,” “you have your responsibilities,” “since he no longer acknowledges you as his son, what is there to hesitate about”…

Even so, when he spoke again, his voice still couldn’t help but tremble.

“The throne was abdicated to your son by Father Emperor – how can you call your son a usurper? I cannot bear the accusation of being a rebel! During Father Emperor’s reign, weren’t there enough instances of oppressing the people while bewitched by the demon empress? The demon empress dared to eat human flesh and kill innocent people, and Father Emperor not only failed to stop her but aided her tyranny. Has Father Emperor forgotten that ‘water can carry a boat but also overturn it’?”

“Ridiculous!” The Great Emperor said with bloodshot eyes, “Stop parroting those people’s slander against me! No matter how unsuccessful I was as emperor, I’m still far better than your short-sighted, accomplishment-less self!”

Yuchi Yan clenched his fists tightly, his gaze gradually turning cold. “In that case, Father Emperor, forgive your son for not allowing you to travel.”

Yuchi Yan waved his hand backward. The Golden Guards and Imperial Guards who had received the signal emerged from hiding and completely surrounded the dock.

The Great Emperor’s face turned ashen as he angrily roared, “What are you doing?”

“Father Emperor, rest assured. Your son acts this way only to protect your wellbeing. With the chaos of war outside, it’s truly unsuitable for recreational travel. What if the Zhou people capture you as a hostage? Tell me, should your son prioritize you or the war situation?”

The Great Emperor glared at Yuchi Yan through gritted teeth. His tone just now was remarkably similar to when Qin Huaiyuan spoke.

Qin Huaiyuan was the Grand Tutor he had personally appointed during his reign. Though the Great Emperor later chose to trust the Cao family’s ability to contact the Tatars, the fact that he could entrust the Silver-Masked Agents to Qin Huaiyuan to check the Cao family showed that the Great Emperor’s treatment of Qin Huaiyuan was indeed different.

But now it seemed this imperial tutor he had chosen was perhaps too responsible, actually training Yuchi Yan to oppose him!

“Was this your idea?” the Great Emperor asked Qin Huaiyuan.

Qin Huaiyuan quickly bowed. “This subject dares not.”

“You dare not?” The Great Emperor sneered. “Each of you is now kicking someone when they’re down! You can detain me, fine! But if you think you’ll learn where that silver is, impossible!”

Veins bulged on Yuchi Yan’s forehead as he gritted his teeth and said, “Escort the Great Emperor back to his chambers. The Great Emperor is elderly and needs quiet rest. Without urgent matters, no one is permitted to disturb the Great Emperor’s cultivation!”

“Yes!” The guards surrounded the Great Emperor.

The Great Emperor’s face flushed red with anger. “You dare!”

“The guards are also protecting the Great Emperor. Please calm your anger.” Yuchi Yan stepped aside to make way. “Escort the Great Emperor back immediately!”

The guards hesitated no longer, bundling the Great Emperor into a carriage and heading toward the palace.

Seeing the new emperor abandon his usual mild manner and actually have the nerve to use such thunderous methods regardless of how the world viewed him, the old ministers who were to accompany the Great Emperor on his journey were all thoroughly intimidated.

Yuchi Yan said, “You may all return now.”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, bowed and said, “Thank you, Your Majesty!” before departing the dock with their families.

Qin Huaiyuan frowned and said in a low voice, “Your Majesty, these people might know the whereabouts of that silver.”

Yuchi Yan looked back at Qin Huaiyuan in confusion. “Why does Grand Tutor Qin say this?”

Qin Huaiyuan felt powerless inside but could only say, “After obtaining such a huge sum of money, the Great Emperor planned to travel by boat, and he was bringing a group of experienced veteran ministers from various departments along with their families. Your Majesty, what do you think the Great Emperor intended to do?”

Yuchi Yan shook his head in bewilderment.

“I don’t understand.”

Qin Huaiyuan remained silent. A minister’s counsel couldn’t be too explicit. Sometimes being too direct would make the emperor feel he was showing off his intelligence, and it could easily lead to the emperor later saying he was misleading him.

Therefore, with some matters, his job wasn’t to state them directly but to guide the emperor toward correct thinking.

Yuchi Yan racked his brains, thinking for about the time it takes to burn an incense stick. Suddenly he turned back to look at Qin Huaiyuan in terror, saying in a low, hoarse voice, “Could Father Emperor be planning to flee and establish another Great Yan Dynasty elsewhere?”

Qin Huaiyuan breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the emperor wasn’t too stupid.

He nodded seriously. “Your Majesty’s guess should be correct.”