Prince Zhennan looked at his son. Ye Jingchuan was young and acted rashly, always eager to sacrifice himself heroically, harboring a chestful of lofty ambitions and aspirations, wanting to be a hero. He had always felt his son lacked experience with storms and winds, holding overly idealistic fantasies about worldly affairs. But now it seemed his son’s perspective on matters was instead pure and rational.

He exchanged a glance with Ye Jingkuan, and suddenly they both smiled. He heavily slapped the table: “Good lad! Well said!” He smiled, looking at Ye Jingchuan, stepped forward and patted his shoulder: “Indeed, a tiger father begets no dog of a son. Although you don’t know why your elder brother and I also stand on the Song family’s side, this mindset is proper. You’re right—’As heaven’s movement is ever vigorous, so must a superior man ceaselessly strive along; as the earth’s condition is receptive devotion, so must a superior man with generous virtue carry all things.’ No matter what, that you can maintain this innocent heart is already rare and precious.”

With this innocent heart, he wouldn’t do foolish things like Shen Xiaohai and Shen Qingrang, nor would he be scorned by others. They were military generals who fought in battles—what use did they have for so many convoluted schemes?! Sacrificing oneself heroically, being wrapped in horsehide after death—this was what a true man should do!

Before Ye Jingchuan could speak, Ye Jingkuan also smiled and said: “Since you truly like Sixth Miss Song so much, rather than continuing to test and probe back and forth, in a few days have Mother personally make a trip to their door and openly make things clear. We’ll be completely candid. The Earl Changning Manor are not coy people either. Whatever their attitude is, they should at least give us an answer.”

Zhou Weizhao and Song Chuyi sat in the pavilion at the Earl Changning Manor. Bamboo screens hung all around, with a small flat boat by the lake. Wine was warming on the stove beside them. Zhou Weizhao lifted his wine cup, merely sniffed it before setting it back down, then raised his head to look directly into her eyes: “Matters have escalated greatly.”

They truly had escalated greatly—even the Director of the Imperial Observatory had run out to say she was a disaster star bringing calamity to the nation and people. If this were in the past, she would have long been dragged out as an evil creature and burned to death in a fire.

“Fortunately I asked for your help in advance, Your Highness the Grand Prince.” Song Chuyi smiled, revealing two small canine teeth, the dimple by her cheek deeply indented. Looking at Zhou Weizhao, she asked: “Your Highness, please teach me how to break this deadlock.”

The wound on her cheek had not yet healed. With this scar stretching across her snow-white face, it truly affected her appearance somewhat. Zhou Weizhao couldn’t help but recall Song Chuyi’s devastated appearance that night.

For an instant, he seemed to see himself in Song Chuyi—that self who had just arrived at Longhu Mountain, always liked to cling to his master’s leg, yet was thrown overnight into the deep mountain forest to spend a night alone.

He often recalled later how he got through that night. At first he seemed to cry, feeling abandoned. When it grew darker, he began to feel afraid. That hair-raising feeling seeped bit by bit into his bones.

He had been truly bewildered then, not understanding why he, clearly a Grand Prince, had to suffer such hardship, why his mother consort was so heartless as to send him to keep company with a group of Daoists, not understanding why his master would throw him alone in such a frightening place, not fearing at all that wild beasts would mercilessly devour him.

Even though he later learned that his master had actually kept watch over him from a nearby tree all night, that feeling of abandonment was deeply carved into his heart, difficult to forget.

So that day, his heart had been suddenly illuminated—he understood what Song Chuyi was thinking. She must also have fallen into painful memories from the past and needed someone to wake her.

Zhou Weizhao came back to himself from his contemplation and shook his head at Song Chuyi, seeming somewhat helpless: “You’ve already thought everything through, yet you still come to ask me.”

Song Chuyi tilted her head to look outside. The sun was setting in the west. The weather was gloomy, as if it might rain. The icy wind stirred the bamboo screens and poured into the pavilion. She reached out to grasp the warming stove, then suddenly broke into a smile toward Zhou Weizhao.

“No matter what, I still must thank Your Highness for being willing to help me.” She paused, revealing an expression completely unsuited to her age: “At the latest by the day after tomorrow, Empress Niangniang will summon me.”

The next day, Elder Song Chengru requested to resign from office during the morning court session at Taiji Hall, saying that his ancestors lacked virtue and were unfit to occupy an important position, that his family was unfortunate and unfit to bear heavy responsibility, and requesting to resign from his posts as Minister of Personnel and Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall.

The entire court was in an uproar. Emperor Jianzhang’s face was hidden in light and shadow, his expression indiscernible. After a long while, he faintly said “Oh” and asked him what was meant by “family misfortune.”

Song Chengru removed his official hat and knelt on the ground, his attitude utterly sincere: “Master Yuanhui asserted that this old minister’s granddaughter has the fate of a star of heavenly calamity and solitary misfortune. The Director of the Imperial Observatory also said she has a star-illuminated destiny that presages chaos in the realm. In any case, it is because this humble minister’s family lacks virtue that heaven sent down this female to bring punishment…”

Vice Minister Wang’s complexion turned deathly pale in a flash. He widened his eyes and glanced at Song Chengru on the ground, his heart pounding violently.

This old fox! He actually twisted matters to being about lacking or not lacking virtue. If Song Chengru lacked virtue, then what did it say about Emperor Jianzhang, under whose rule this disaster star appeared while he sat on the dragon throne?!

He lowered his head, so nervous his legs went weak, his thighs trembling, nearly unable to stand.

Indeed, as soon as Song Chengru spoke these words, various people in the hall rebuked him one after another: “How can one fully believe in talk of ghosts and spirits?! If Elder Song speaks thus, does that not mean all the ministers present lack virtue? Otherwise, why would heaven not bring disaster solely upon your family, but also implicate the Pingxiang and Linjiang areas? Speaking this way, do you perhaps think the common people of Jiangxi deserve their fate?”

Cen Biliang coldly snorted: “Elder Song has grown old and actually begun believing in such unfounded nonsense! What talk of ghosts and spirits, what heaven-sent disasters—if one truly speaks thus, would not the common people of Pingxiang and Linjiang all lack virtue before heaven and earth, and therefore heaven and earth sent down disasters to punish them?”

Song Chengru prostrated himself on the ground, straightened his spine and declared in a clear voice: “This minister considers himself to have acted without shame before heaven and earth, and toward His Majesty also with complete loyalty. Yet Master Yuanhui and the Director of the Imperial Observatory both speak thus. Could they possibly be deliberately making things difficult for a small child in my family? In any case, there must be some truth to it…”

Cen Biliang glanced at Chief Grand Secretary Chang, then immediately took up the thread with righteous words: “Elder Song also underestimates His Majesty far too much. Could it be that His Majesty is one who ignores the common people to ask about ghosts and spirits?! Right now the entire court is busy with the snow disasters in Jiujiang and Linjiang, yet Elder Song wants to resign from office over such unfounded nonsense to avoid responsibility and enjoy leisure… This is truly being rather womanishly emotional!”

Ignoring the common people to ask about ghosts and spirits! If Emperor Jianzhang allowed Song Chengru to resign, he would confirm this irresponsible reputation of ignoring the common people to ask about ghosts and spirits!

Elder Chen gained some understanding and instinctively held back the words about to leave his mouth, warily sealed his lips tight, and decided to stand aside and watch the show.