“Xie Wushi!”

Pei Xiao’s anger surged up.

“Yan Sanhe might not understand, but don’t you understand Huairen’s current situation? Though he’s the Crown Prince, he doesn’t have that much power.”

Persuade the new emperor to announce it to the realm? What kind of joke was this?

Xie Zhifei took a deep breath. “If we don’t try, how will we know?”

Pei Xiao really wanted to punch him in the face. “Not everything can be tried. What if trying causes problems?”

Xie Zhifei: “What if the attempt succeeds?”

“You…”

“Stop arguing, both of you.”

Zhao Yishi: “Miss Yan, informing people on a small scale is already the limit of what I can do. If you want to announce it to the realm, even if I’m willing, the court won’t agree, and His Majesty won’t agree either.”

“It’s not me who wants to announce it to the realm.”

Yan Sanhe’s eyes suddenly curved—she actually smiled.

“It’s this heart demon that wants you noble people to announce it to the realm. If you can’t even accomplish this step, don’t expect those warhorses to become vigorous again, much less… go to the battlefield.”

Irritability rose in Zhao Yishi’s heart, his tone carrying the severity and pressure of someone in a position of authority.

“Miss Yan, if we announce it to the realm, will the warhorses immediately become vigorous? Will the wronged souls of the Zheng family disperse? Will this matter be completely and cleanly concluded?”

“I don’t know, and I can’t guarantee it.” Yan Sanhe met his gaze fearlessly.

“Since Miss Yan cannot guarantee it.”

Zhao Yishi said decisively: “Then I even more cannot take this risk.”

It won’t be up to you!

Yan Sanhe’s smile was somewhat cold.

“From… the former Vice Minister of Justice Qian Chengjiang, to the former Commander of the Imperial Guards Yu Shengyan, to An Ran who used the alias Shen Erlang—with this chain of people, can Your Highness truly not guess who the real culprit is?”

Zhao Yishi’s entire body retreated a step.

“I’m just suffering from lack of evidence. If there were any…”

Yan Sanhe’s expression suddenly became sharp. “I’m afraid the one on the throne would still have to issue an edict of self-blame!”

Zhao Yishi couldn’t utter half a word, his throat seemingly gripped by an invisible large hand.

Yes.

In this world, those who could command Yu Shengyan and Qian Chengjiang were very few, but…

“Yan Sanhe, why would he do this?”

The anger in Zhao Yishi’s eyes couldn’t be suppressed, even his voice trembled.

“The Zheng family was utterly loyal to Hua Kingdom. Old General Zheng killed enemies for the nation in the Northern Territories. It would be too late for him to protect them—why would he do something so harmful and without benefit to himself?”

Because of me!

I am the crown prince’s orphan!

Because of him.

He was afraid!

Since all the evidence from back then had been erased, she must find another way to prove it.

Yan Sanhe looked at Zhao Yishi before her and gave a desolate smile. “Why he did this—that’s precisely what I intend to investigate next.”

Everyone’s faces changed in unison.

Zhao Yishi’s jaw clenched tight: She actually wants to investigate the late emperor?

Pei Xiao clutched his pounding heart: Goddess, your courage is too great!

Only Xie Zhifei quietly watched the person before him. After a moment, he slowly lowered his eyes, concealing the complexity within them.

She was burning her boats.

She would walk this desperate path to the very end.

For the one hundred and eighty wronged souls of the Zheng family who died because of her, she had no regard even for her own identity or life and death.

As Xie Zhifei, he wanted to stop her.

As Zheng Huaizuo, he wanted to accompany her.

What should I do—Xie Zhifei asked himself over and over in his heart.

…

The meeting ended unhappily.

Walking out of Duanmu Palace, Pei Xiao pulled Xie Zhifei aside. “Come with me to Jietai Temple.”

“What for?”

“Burn incense, pray for blessings.”

Pei Xiao smiled at Yan Sanhe. “Sanhe, you go back to the separate courtyard first. Chengyu and I will be right back.”

Yan Sanhe silently glanced at the two of them, then lifted the curtain and climbed into the carriage.

As the carriage departed, Xie Zhifei clasped his hands behind his back. “No need to go to Jietai Temple. Just walk with me a bit.”

“You knew?”

“The moment you stick your butt up, I know what shit you’re going to pull.”

“…” A trace of amusement appeared in Pei Xiao’s eyes.

That’s right.

The incense burning was all an excuse.

“I just want you to persuade Yan Sanhe not to charge forward so single-mindedly. When things are close enough, that should be enough. We also need to consider Huairen’s position.”

“It’s not a matter of her wanting things to be ‘close enough.'”

Xie Zhifei: “This is a heart demon. A heart demon must be completely resolved before the matter is truly finished.”

Pei Xiao: “Whose heart demon?”

Xie Zhifei: “I don’t know.”

“There you have it.”

Pei Xiao: “We don’t even know whose heart demon it is. How can we completely resolve it?”

“Pei Mingting.”

Xie Zhifei called him by his full name. “Whether it’s a heart demon isn’t for me to say—Yan Sanhe has the final say. Whether it’s completely resolved isn’t for Yan Sanhe to say—the warhorses have the final say!”

Pei Xiao choked.

“Your head sits on your neck not just to look good, but also to be used. Say fewer foolish things in the future.”

“What about Huairen?”

The words squeezed out from between Pei Xiao’s teeth. “Have you thought about what happens to Huairen?”

This time, it was Xie Zhifei’s turn to choke.

…

Outside the window, the warm sun shone high, clouds were light and the breeze warm.

In the study.

Four cups of cold tea hadn’t been cleared away. Zhao Yishi sat motionless before the desk.

After a long while, he called out: “Shen Chong.”

Shen Chong pushed the door open. “Your Highness?”

“Have there been any changes with the Three Great Camps’ warhorses?”

“Reporting to Your Highness, no changes.”

“What does the Ministry of War say?”

“At a complete loss.”

“Has there been any news from the Northern Territories?”

“Not yet.”

Zhao Yishi waved his hand.

Shen Chong withdrew. The moment he closed the door, he turned his head back to see the Crown Prince’s dark pupils cold as ice. He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Miss Yan was being too idealistic.

Announce to the realm?

How could it be so easy!

“Not easy, but I must try.”

Inside the door, Zhao Yishi, after a long silence, muttered to himself.

Compared to the warhorses, the court’s dignity was nothing. If enemy nations took the opportunity to invade, Hua Kingdom would be in danger, the people would be in danger, the Zhao family’s realm… would be even more in danger!

“Someone come, prepare a horse. I’m entering the palace.”

…

The Imperial Study.

The new emperor looked at the Crown Prince before him, his expression gloomy. “What brings the Crown Prince to the palace at this hour?”

Zhao Yishi stepped forward. “There has been some progress in the Zheng family case.”

“Speak.”

“Your son sent people to Qi Kingdom to investigate and learned that when Qi Kingdom’s exiled monarch Wu Guanyue was in power, he changed the national flower from lotus to kapok.”

Zhao Yishi presented both waist tokens to the new emperor. “This complete waist token is the genuine token from when Wu Guanyue was in power.”

The emperor’s hands trembled as he turned over the token, his face instantly turning deathly pale.

“Where did the Crown Prince obtain this token?”

“Found among the common people of Qi Kingdom.”

Zhao Yishi: “Your son also learned that besides the waist token, Wu Guanyue’s personal items—his seal, thumb ring and such—were all carved with kapok flowers.”

The new emperor stared heavily at the Crown Prince. “And so?”

“And so.”

Zhao Yishi steeled himself. “The Zheng family case—the court truly investigated it wrongly.”

“The court?”

The new emperor furrowed his brow. “This case was presided over by me back then. Is the Crown Prince trying to say that I made the mistake?”

“Your son doesn’t mean that.”

“That’s exactly what you mean.”

The new emperor supported himself on the chair’s armrest and slowly stood, giving a cold laugh.

“You also want me to announce to the realm that I was wrong, that I’m incompetent, that I deserve death ten thousand times over!”