Gu Yanxi returned to the palace, but stopped abruptly outside the Imperial Study, closing his eyes to tell himself not to rush. Ice three feet thick does not freeze in a single day, and resolving it would not be the work of a single day either.

“Yanxi?”

Gu Yanxi pushed open the door and entered. The Emperor, seated with golden needles covering his body, smiled upon seeing him. “I could tell it was you just from your footsteps.”

Gu Yanxi suddenly understood what A’Zhi had meant. Even seeing a family member right before him suffer a little caused him heartache — yet the Hua Family had been exiled a thousand miles away. How much must A’Zhi’s heart ache? A’Zhi was not born from the heavens, nor was she born with such excellence. It was because she had the fertile soil of the Hua Family that she had grown into who she was today.

She must carry resentment in her heart — resentment toward the Emperor, perhaps even toward everyone of the Gu surname.

He lowered his gaze to Shao Yao, who was carefully dabbing medicine on the Emperor’s chest as she placed the needles. Most likely not everyone — A’Zhi was too busy worrying about Shao Yao to think of blaming her.

“Something happened?” The Emperor narrowed his eyes.

Gu Yanxi composed himself. “The eldest is acting out of line.”

“If he truly no longer wishes to live, then grant him his wish.”

“I was thinking whether there might be another approach.”

Meeting his Imperial Uncle’s gaze, Gu Yanxi said, “Exile him — an exile stripped of all privileges.”

The Emperor laughed coldly. “You think that once he reaches the outside he will honestly go and do his labor? In another place, he can still use the bloodline We gave him to make a comeback. As long as he still carries the Gu surname, that outcome is inevitable.”

“Then — what if his surname were stripped from him?”

The Emperor paused, narrowing his eyes in thought for a moment. “Draft the decree. Strip Gu Chengde of the imperial surname and exile him to…”

His mind felt muddled. The Emperor simply closed his eyes. “You pick a place — the harsher the location, the better.”

“Yes.”

Shao Yao began withdrawing the needles. Observing the color at the needle tips, she furrowed her brow slightly — the results were poorer than she had anticipated.

“Yanxi, when will Master arrive?”

“About ten days or so. Why?”

The siblings exchanged a glance. Shao Yao rolled up the needles and said, “I am missing one medicinal ingredient here, and my remaining supply is with Master.”

The Emperor heard this and said at once, “The inner treasury holds quite a few precious medicinal herbs — they simply sit there otherwise. Laifu, take Shao Yao to pick through them. Whatever she fancies, she may take.”

“No limit on quantity?”

“No limit.”

Shao Yao, who had not eaten anything good all day, finally showed a hint of happiness. She swiftly packed up her things and followed Laifu off to the treasury.

“Yanxi.”

“Yes, Imperial Uncle.” Gu Yanxi stepped forward, helped the man sit up, and tidied his robes.

“Starting tomorrow, you will preside over court affairs for a period of time. My head — it has been quite muddled.” The Emperor smiled bitterly and tapped his temple. After barely two months of consumption, it had already taken such a toll. He truly dared not imagine what would become of him after another two months — whether he would simply go to join his imperial ancestors.

In the past, Gu Yanxi would have done everything in his power to avoid such an arrangement, as he had no wish to make himself a target for all sides. But now, having heard A’Zhi’s words, he accepted without hesitation — so swiftly that even the Emperor was taken aback.

“That is rare indeed.”

“You would not make such a request unless you truly could not manage.”

The Emperor smiled bitterly again. During today’s court deliberations in the Imperial Study, he had several times begun speaking only to forget what he had been saying. Those sharp old ministers had surely already detected something was amiss. Rather than press on stubbornly, it was better to send Yanxi out to hold the court in check — the Seven Lodges Division of the Great Qing Dynasty had always commanded formidable authority.

“Rest and recover well, Your Majesty. The affairs of the court are in this minister’s hands.”

The Emperor rose and patted his shoulder. “Go and get some rest. You will have plenty to keep you busy tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

Shortly after seeing the Emperor back to Hao Yue Hall, Gu Yanxi waited in his own quarters until Shao Yao arrived.

“Yanxi, you know that in terms of medical skill, this set of golden needle techniques is my most prized ability. Even against Wu Yong’s poison, a single session of needling would show results. But today I performed two sessions for the Emperor and there was hardly any effect.”

“None at all?”

“Extremely faint — as good as nothing.”

Gu Yanxi’s heart sank. “Are there other methods?”

Shao Yao neither confirmed nor denied, only saying, “I need to wait for Master to arrive.”

“I will write to urge him to come faster.” Gu Yanxi lowered his voice. “In the worst case — what would happen?”

“It would affect his lifespan.”

That was indeed a grim outcome. Gu Yanxi poured himself a cup of cold tea and drank it down. “Think of other ways.”

Shao Yao nodded. Whatever happened, she also bore the Gu surname — in this matter, she had a duty she could not shirk.

The following day, a wide chair appeared below the dragon throne. Gu Yanxi, in his capacity as leader of the Seven Lodges Division, attended court to hear and administer state affairs. The entire court was stunned.

Gu Yanxi paid no attention, settled into the wide chair, and dispensed with the usual opening words of “speak if there is business, withdraw if there is none.” He went directly to announcing his first decree. “The day after tomorrow is the day of execution. The Third Imperial Prince, Gu Chengwen, will serve as the supervising official of the execution, and the Minister of Justice, Zheng Han, will accompany him to oversee the punishment.”

Suddenly named, Gu Chengwen looked up in alarm. Among those thirty-two condemned men, not all had been supporters of the First Prince — a few had pledged allegiance to him as well. If he were made supervising official of this execution…

Gu Chengwen immediately stepped out of rank, cupped his hands and said, “Father Emperor previously—”

“I am not discussing this with you. This is a command. The Third Imperial Prince need only carry out the command.” No one could see Gu Yanxi’s expression through his mask. The assembled ministers could only watch as the Third Prince stood with a pale, aggrieved face and reluctantly complied, retreating back to his place.

“The First Imperial Prince Gu Chengde is to be stripped of the imperial surname and exiled to Yinshan Pass.”

The words fell, and startled exclamations erupted throughout the hall. They had thought that being demoted to commoner status and confined to a prince’s residence was the severest punishment a prince could receive — yet now he was to have his surname stripped and be exiled a thousand miles away!

This man was an Imperial Prince! Was the Emperor aware?

Gu Yanxi’s gaze settled on the Second Imperial Prince Gu Cheng’an, whose expression had shifted subtly. Although the eldest had never managed to satisfy the Emperor, he was no fool. Sending him to Yinshan Pass would not necessarily mean he would discover nothing at all — and more importantly, it would stir that pool of water into greater turbulence. Gu Yanxi wanted to see what other cards the Second Prince had yet to play.

If the Second Prince truly moved against the First Prince, Gu Yanxi allowed the corner of his mouth to lift slightly — he would avenge the First Prince’s death after the fact.

Inside Fu Shou Palace, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager sat facing each other.

Looking at her eldest son, who grew more visibly aged by the day, the Empress Dowager felt her heart grow heavy. “Look at you — in the end, you let your own son scheme against you.”

The Emperor could only smile bitterly.

Knowing he was feeling wretched inside, the Empress Dowager did not press the matter further. “I heard you have asked Yanxi to act as regent on your behalf?”

“Who else could shoulder all of this — the Second, the Third, or the Fourth?” The Emperor shook his head. “If only Yanxi were my son.”

“Even if he truly were your son, he might not have grown into who he is today. People are driven by circumstance — the position one occupies determines who drives them, what they encounter is different, and so the person they become is different as well.”

The Empress Dowager let out a long sigh. “This Dowager will not ask what you are mulling over — it is beyond what this Dowager can manage in any case. This Dowager only wishes to remind you of one thing: if you search through every last person bearing the Gu surname, there is perhaps only one Yanxi who would give you wholehearted devotion. Do not let his heart grow cold.”

“Your son understands. Please do not worry, Your Majesty — We too cannot bear to lose him.”