Ji Lingchuan lifted the curtain and looked out. His eyes immediately grew hot.

“Oh my, uncle, please don’t—there are two others over there!”

Pei Xiao pointed to the side. “See them first before you cry.”

“Get lost.”

Ji Lingchuan struggled to jump down from the carriage. After straightening his clothes, he limped to the pavilion and was about to kneel when Zhao Yishi stopped him.

“There are no outsiders here—no need for excessive courtesy.”

“Your Highness, just let me kneel one more time!”

Ji Lingchuan pushed away Zhao Yishi’s hand, prostrated himself on the ground, and earnestly kowtowed three times.

After kowtowing, he struggled to get up again, turned to face Xie Zhifei nearby, and bowed deeply. This startled Xie Zhifei, who quickly supported him.

“Uncle Ji, what are you doing?”

“First, to thank you for making that long journey to Yunnan for the Ji family. Second, to thank Miss Yan on my behalf. She…”

Ji Lingchuan opened his mouth, wanting to say something but unable to form words. He only gripped Xie Zhifei’s hand tightly.

Xie Zhifei saw that in just a few short days, he’d become so emaciated as to be unrecognizable, with not a single black hair on his head. Many words stuck in his throat.

“Lingchuan, don’t be too sad.”

Zhao Yishi said, “In a while, a new prefect will take office in Nanningfu. I’ll instruct him to look after you discreetly.”

Xie Zhifei, hearing these words, casually glanced at Pei Xiao.

Pei Xiao stood behind Zhao Yishi, also looking his way.

Their eyes met, and both confirmed one thing in their hearts: news of Zhou Ye’s death had reached the capital.

Ji Lingchuan released Xie Zhifei’s hand and turned around. “Lingchuan thanks Your Highness.”

“Rest assured about the capital too.”

Zhao Yishi patted his shoulder. “Lie low for a few years—there will be a day when you can hold your head high.”

Hearing these words, Ji Lingchuan smiled faintly.

“Your Highness needn’t be too concerned about the Ji family. Being idle people may not be their misfortune.”

“After walking through life and death, Lingchuan seems to have thought everything through.”

Ji Lingchuan looked toward the distant horizon, as if speaking to Zhao Yishi, yet also as if talking to himself.

“In the past, I strove relentlessly, thinking only of getting ahead, bringing honor to my wife and children, glorifying the ancestors. Later I came to understand—living a lifetime, in the end there’s only yourself.

In the past, I didn’t understand what ‘sorrow’ meant. I thought crying your heart out was sorrow. Later I learned that true sorrow cannot be spoken, cannot be called out, cannot be cried out.”

For a moment, Zhao Yishi didn’t know how to respond.

“The Yangtze’s waters can carry a boat but also capsize it. The Yellow River’s waves ferry people but also ferry ghosts.”

Ji Lingchuan’s voice was low as a bell.

“Your Highness, Lingchuan speaks presumptuously—whether in the heights of the court or the distances of the rivers and lakes, power cannot be used to its limit, blessings cannot be enjoyed to their fullest, and deeds cannot be done to their extremes.”

Hearing these words, Zhao Yishi felt secretly alarmed.

“You three, take care of yourselves!”

Ji Lingchuan’s lips pulled into a smile. Cupping his hands, he limped back to the carriage without looking back again.

In the dust and ash, the carriage gradually disappeared.

After a long while, Zhao Yishi sighed. “Has he achieved enlightenment?”

Pei Xiao said, “He should have achieved enlightenment.”

“Not only achieved it, but thoroughly understood it—that’s a good thing.”

Xie Zhifei smiled faintly and withdrew his gaze to look at Zhao Yishi. “Huairen, we met Prefect Zhou Ye of Nanningfu. Where has he been transferred?”

“He self-immolated.”

“Self-immolated?”

Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao spoke almost in unison, their faces full of shock, though their hearts breathed long sighs of relief.

Self-immolation was good!

Everything turned to ash—impossible to investigate even if one wanted to. Clean and done.

“I heard he contracted a serious illness. The replacement candidate has already been arranged.”

Zhao Yishi’s words took a turn here. “How are those two lawsuits coming along?”

Xie Zhifei’s lips curved up. “What can be done? Delay.”

Pei Xiao snorted. “Next time we see that bastard, we’ll have to call him Eunuch Xu!”

Zhao Yishi smiled briefly, then immediately sobered. “Wushi.”

“Mm?”

“When you move against Xu Sheng, take care of Xu Lai as well!”

Xie Zhifei’s heart jumped as he instinctively looked into Zhao Yishi’s eyes.

“A mad dog—I’ve tolerated him too long. It’s time to pull out his dog teeth and break his dog legs.”

In Zhao Yishi’s dark, deep eyes, there wasn’t a trace of emotion.

…

The Crown Prince’s Duanmu Palace was in the eastern city, while Prince Han’s Chonghua Palace was in the southern city.

One east, one south—the difference in status was clear at a glance.

Before Chonghua Palace, Prince Han Zhao Yanjin’s carriage stopped. Suddenly a guard leaned in. “Your Highness, Minister Xu has been waiting for some time.”

Again?

Zhao Yanjin’s expression darkened slightly. “Lead him to the side hall first. Call Boren to the study.”

“Yes.”

He alighted from the carriage and changed to a palanquin.

The palanquin was carried all the way to the study’s courtyard gate. An attendant hurried forward. “Your Highness, the Master is already waiting in the study.”

Zhao Yanjin strode inside.

A white-haired middle-aged man by the window turned around and bowed to Zhao Yanjin. This was Prince Han’s most trusted advisor and strategist, Dong Xiao, courtesy name Boren.

“Boren, no need for excessive courtesy.”

Zhao Yanjin made a token gesture of support. “Xu Lai has come again. Tell me, how should this matter be handled?”

Dong Boren smiled coldly. “Does Your Highness still remember what I said about Xu Lai three years ago?”

How could he not remember?

Three years ago, when he wanted to place Xu Lai in the position of Criminal Justice Ministry Vice Minister, Dong Boren hadn’t voiced opposition but had only said lightly:

“This man dotes on his son excessively—not a good thing.”

Over the years, Xu Lai as Prince Han’s dog had indeed been dedicated and dutiful, beyond reproach. But his son Xu Sheng was truly not a worry-free master!

What kind of person was Xie Daozhi?

Someone he, Zhao Yanjin, had been intent on winning over.

That Xu Sheng, of all the women in the capital, had to set his sights on Xie Daozhi’s newly adopted daughter.

Setting his sights wasn’t enough—he had to try to abduct her in broad daylight…

Calling him a beast would be insulting to beasts.

“Boren, let’s not discuss the past. See how this matter should be handled.” Zhao Yanjin stirred his tea lid and sighed.

“Having one’s line cut off—that’s a catastrophe for anyone.”

Dong Boren was silent for a long time before suddenly asking, “How to handle it still depends on Your Highness’s intention.”

“What do you mean?”

“The matter involves the Xu and Xie families. Xu Sheng’s abduction is an established fact that Xu Lai himself admitted to Your Highness. But Third Master Xie’s assault—there’s no evidence, just speculation by the Xu father and son.”

Dong Boren continued, “If Your Highness still wishes to win over Xie Daozhi, then you cannot let Xu Lai act recklessly. Order him to swallow this humiliation. If Your Highness holds no hope for Xie Daozhi…”

“Xie Daozhi.”

Zhao Yanjin snorted coldly. “This prince has extended his hand for over three full years. He only plays deaf and dumb—clearly not of one heart with this prince.”

“Since not of one heart, then let Xu Lai do as he pleases. Even if it can’t be contained in the end, with Xu Sheng’s manhood blocking the way, it can’t be traced back to Your Highness.”

Dong Boren added, “If Xu Lai can bring down Xie Daozhi, leaving a vacant Cabinet seat, we can seize the opportunity to place Du Jianxue inside. This way, the situation would be greatly favorable to Your Highness.”

“Excellent!”

Zhao Yanjin clapped his hands, his eyes suddenly brightening.

“Someone, invite Minister Xu inside!”