When Zhao Yishi neared the Qianqing Palace, he saw the young attendant Zhang Ping huddled in a corner, furtively looking about.

Zhang Ping had just turned sixteen this year. Because he was clever and could read a few characters, he’d been selected to serve the Emperor.

Once a person became clever, they inevitably attracted jealousy. Someone deliberately dug a pit for Zhang Ping to fall into. It was Zhao Yishi’s few words that saved the head on his neck.

Zhang Ping hurried forward. Before he could bow, he leaned close to Zhao Yishi’s ear.

“This afternoon while cleaning Eunuch Yan’s quarters, three old memorials from five years ago were found in a hidden compartment at the corner of the bed.”

Zhao Yishi’s expression changed drastically.

Yan Ruxian had once served as the Director of Ceremonial’s Chief Protocol Eunuch. All memorials had to pass through his screening before they could reach the Emperor’s desk.

“Whose memorials were they? What did they say?”

“This subordinate couldn’t find out those details. This subordinate only knows that after His Majesty saw them, he immediately summoned Imperial Consort Li. Supposedly when Imperial Consort Li left, tears were still streaming down her face, and when she returned she…”

So that was it!

Zhao Yishi briefly closed his eyes.

Zhang Ping quickly said loudly, “Your Highness, the imperial physicians said it’s anger attacking the heart, plus yesterday’s heavy rain caused some exposure to wind and cold. It’s nothing serious—a few days of rest will be fine.”

Zhao Yishi flicked his sleeve and strode up the steps.

Reaching the warm chamber, besides several imperial physicians, Chief Protocol Eunuch Yuan Fei of the Ceremonial Directorate also stood to one side.

Yuan Fei’s complexion wasn’t very good, tinged with a grayish pallor.

Before the dragon bed, Noble Consort Wang was helping the Emperor take his medicine.

The Empress had died of illness several years ago. The Emperor hadn’t named a new empress, entrusting all palace affairs to Noble Consort Wang.

“Your Majesty, the Imperial Grand Grandson has come to see you.”

“Where is the Crown Prince?”

Zhao Yishi stepped forward. “In response to Your Majesty, Father’s legs are inconvenienced, but he’s already on his way.”

The Emperor waved away Noble Consort Wang’s outstretched hand. “Grand Grandson, stay. Everyone else, leave.”

“Yes.”

Everyone withdrew from the warm chamber. Zhao Yishi picked up the medicine bowl, first tasting it himself before bringing the spoon to the Emperor’s lips.

The Emperor waved his hand and gestured with his chin toward the small table. “Take a look.”

Three memorials lay quietly on the small table.

Zhao Yishi set down the medicine bowl and picked up one. With just a brief glance, rage surged in his heart.

This memorial was written by former Shaoxing Prefect Ding Han.

The memorial impeached Ningbo Prefecture Magistrate Li Shen and Wenzhou Prefect Li Huai for manipulating tax revenues—seventy percent submitted to the national treasury, thirty percent pocketed for themselves.

Li Shen and Li Huai were precisely Li Xing’s two sons.

“Thirty percent of tax revenue?”

Emperor Yonghe slammed the bed board with a bang. “How dare they?”

Zhao Yishi quickly calculated mentally.

Jiangsu and Zhejiang had been prosperous regions since ancient times. Even if the two prefectures submitted five hundred thousand taels in annual taxes, thirty percent would be one hundred fifty thousand taels.

Li Shen and Li Huai, the two brothers, wouldn’t dare swallow this one hundred fifty thousand taels alone. They must have offered tribute layer by layer upward. The lion’s share probably went to Yan Ruxian.

Without Yan Ruxian’s protective umbrella, the Li family wouldn’t have dared to be so brazen.

The second and third memorials both impeached the Li family brothers.

“Your Majesty, execute them.”

Zhao Yishi said through gritted teeth, “If we don’t execute them, our Zhao family’s empire will surely be ruined by these people.”

Emperor Yonghe looked at the Grand Grandson sideways, nodding with extreme satisfaction.

Being an emperor was like commanding troops in battle. Attack when you should attack, retreat when you should retreat, kill when you should kill—not a hint of indecisiveness allowed.

“Then let the Grand Grandson unsheathe the sword for me in Zhejiang’s officialdom.”

“Your grandson accepts the edict.”

“As for those around me.”

Emperor Yonghe’s expression turned solemn as he slowly clenched his fist. “I will handle them myself!”

Just as he finished speaking, a voice came from outside: “His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived.”

Emperor Yonghe’s words were interrupted. His face showed some impatience. “Your father always has to be a beat slower than everyone else!”

Zhao Yishi didn’t know how to respond, only remaining silent.

“You may withdraw.”

“Your Majesty, take care of your dragon body. Your grandson takes his leave.”

Zhao Yishi bowed and backed out of the warm chamber.

Just as he crossed the threshold, he happened to see the Crown Prince being supported by two attendants as he descended from the sedan chair. He quickly went forward and extended his hand. “Father, be careful.”

Zhao Yanluo steadied himself and caught his breath. “The Grand Grandson is truly swift!”

Zhao Yishi froze.

Zhao Yanluo’s deep eyes looked at him and said lightly, “Yesterday in the heavy rain, the Grand Grandson stood inside the vermilion gate, not emerging for the longest time. Today when His Majesty’s dragon body is unwell, the Grand Grandson is first to arrive. Truly filial.”

“Father, I…”

“As a father knows his son, the Grand Grandson need not say more.”

Zhao Yanluo smiled and was helped away by the attendants.

Zhao Yishi felt a chill rise from the soles of his feet, as if even his blood had frozen.

He slowly turned around, watching that corpulent body struggle across the threshold, and a sense of grievance suddenly surged up fiercely.

Father, do you know what I wanted to say?

I actually wanted to tell you that the scholar incident was pushed along behind the scenes by Lu Shi. If His Majesty asks about it, you need to respond carefully.

I actually also wanted to tell you that being swift is because I fear being beaten by others. Many things—only by being first do the benefits fall to us.

Most of all, I wanted to tell you that we father and son share glory and ruin together.

But unfortunately, you’ve never been willing to patiently listen to your son’s heartfelt words.

…

“The Crown Prince has arrived.”

“Your Majesty, this subject has come late.”

Zhao Yanluo walked to the bedside while bowing. “This subject begs Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”

Emperor Yonghe pointed at the stool before the bed. “Sit.”

Zhao Yanluo sat somewhat timidly. “What did the imperial physicians say? Which medicines did they use?”

“Just some headache and fever, nothing more.”

Emperor Yonghe was unwilling to say more. “My mouth is bitter. Crown Prince, peel me an orange.”

“Yes.”

Zhao Yanluo’s legs might be inconvenienced, but his fingers were quite nimble. In a few swift motions, he had it peeled.

Emperor Yonghe took it and tasted a piece, then asked, “Regarding yesterday’s scholar incident, the Crown Prince handled it very well.”

Zhao Yanluo quickly said, “These are all things this subject should do.”

Emperor Yonghe glanced at him. “Did the Crown Prince investigate why these scholars were causing trouble?”

Zhao Yanluo answered very carefully. “This subject did investigate. They wanted the court to severely punish Yan Ruxian. Now that Yan Ruxian is dead, they should know Your Majesty is a wise ruler.”

“What else did you find out?”

Zhao Yanluo was stunned for a moment. “This subject has only uncovered this much so far.”

Emperor Yonghe set aside the orange and wiped his hands with a handkerchief. “But I also discovered that the old censor contributed to the scholar incident.”

“How is that possible?” Zhao Yanluo was so shocked the words almost burst out.

After speaking, he realized his mistake and quickly tried to remedy it. “Lord Lu has been upright his entire life. This subject feels it’s unlikely he’d be involved in such matters.”

“So the Crown Prince means I’ve wrongly accused him?”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yanluo was so frightened he tried to brace himself against the chair to stand up, then kneel on the ground.

But his body was far too corpulent. Without a cane or something similar, even using all his strength, his face and neck flushing red, his buttocks hadn’t budged an inch.

Zhao Yanluo grew frantic. He could only lunge forward, rolling onto the ground like a ball.

Emperor Yonghe had followed the Late Emperor in military campaigns since childhood, spending nearly half his life on horseback fighting on battlefields.

On the battlefield, only the most robust and nimble soldiers could carve a bloody path through enemy swords and blades.

Seeing the Crown Prince’s disgraceful appearance, he wished he had a whip in hand to strike him with it.

“Look at yourself!”