Emperor Tai’an suppressed the emotions stirring in his heart and looked at the tall young man standing before him, speaking slowly. “I sent an envoy south to negotiate peace. Can you guess what the result was?”

Qi Ming fell silent for a moment before asking, “Using me as a bargaining chip?”

Emperor Tai’an didn’t evade. “Yes, using you as a bargaining chip.”

Qi Ming lowered his eyes slightly, his tone flat. “It seems Fourth Uncle failed.”

His calm reaction gave Emperor Tai’an the rare feeling of being unable to control the situation.

Did he truly not care, or had he already guessed the outcome and prepared himself mentally?

Emperor Tai’an glanced at Liu Chuan.

Liu Chuan made a gesture to someone outside. Soon a eunuch walked forward carrying a tray. Something rested on the tray, covered by a snow-white cloth.

Following behind the eunuch was Deputy Envoy Zhao, who couldn’t control his curiosity and let his gaze fall upon Qi Ming.

So the top scholar Yang Zhe was the former Crown Prince—something completely unexpected.

“Unveil it.”

At Emperor Tai’an’s command, Deputy Envoy Zhao reached out and lifted the cloth covering the tray.

It was already the season of bitter cold, and special preservation measures had been taken, so the severed head showed little change. Shock and fury remained clearly frozen on the face.

Qi Ming glanced at it. His expression seemed unchanged, but his eyes darkened somewhat.

He had an exceptional memory. Though he and Bureau Director Yang were not in the same government office, and Bureau Director Yang was not a high official known to all in the court, he recognized him.

In fact, he recognized most capital officials regardless of their rank.

“Deputy Envoy Zhao, carefully recount everything you heard in the south.”

Deputy Envoy Zhao acknowledged and from the first meeting with General Wang Minghai to the second meeting, he repeated verbatim what both sides had said. “…That General Wang immediately accused us of fabricating the lie that the new top scholar was the former Crown Prince, saying their Crown Prince was at their lord’s side. Before Director Yang could refute him, he severed Director Yang’s head with one stroke…”

Deputy Envoy Zhao knelt on the ground, unable to hold back his tears. “Director Yang died so miserably, wuu wuu wuu…”

Emperor Tai’an waved his hand. Two eunuchs stepped forward to help Deputy Envoy Zhao withdraw. The eunuch carrying the tray also withdrew.

Emperor Tai’an looked toward Qi Ming but didn’t speak immediately.

Qi Ming remained silent, his calm expression making it impossible to guess his thoughts. If one looked closely, his tightly pressed thin lips betrayed a hint of inner turmoil.

He was naturally not calm inside, but if he couldn’t hold firm and showed vulnerability, he would become the greatest joke.

After a long while, Qi Ming spoke, his voice light and cold, like a winter breeze. “Fourth Uncle had people tell me these things—what are your intentions?”

Emperor Tai’an gazed at that face like snow jade and asked steadily, “Was it worth it?”

Qi Ming raised an eyebrow slightly.

Worth it?

Asked now, he naturally felt it wasn’t worth it.

But if he hadn’t walked this path, how would he have known that the father emperor who had once held him on his knee, that father emperor who had embraced him while weeping about his own incompetence that prevented him from remaining Crown Prince, that father emperor who had repeatedly told him that once they reclaimed the realm he would make up for everything he had lost, that father emperor he had always thought was weak and helpless—was actually so ruthlessly decisive?

So his father emperor’s weakness and decisiveness depended on the circumstances.

Only—

Qi Ming’s eyes stung with tears welling up, which he forcibly suppressed.

Only his father emperor didn’t know that he actually didn’t care that much about the heir apparent position he had held for a mere two years.

He had simply thought his disappointed father pitiful and wanted to fulfill his father’s wishes.

Qi Ming slowly exhaled, unwilling to let Emperor Tai’an see his wretched state.

“Qi Ming, tell me where your father is hiding.” Emperor Tai’an spoke gently.

Great Zhou now faced enemies on three fronts with barely enough capacity to respond—it simply couldn’t afford a prolonged war on three fronts.

The Northern Qi side required the most military commitment and couldn’t be expected to end quickly. Yuliu refused to suffer any losses—opportunistic scavengers kicking someone when they were down who would naturally back off if they found Great Zhou too tough a nut to crack. That being so, if Emperor Pingle’s side could be resolved quickly, it would become the key.

Emperor Pingle’s faction had lain low for over a decade before suddenly striking and seizing the initiative. If they engaged in real combat, early resolution would be impossible. The only option was to locate Emperor Pingle’s hiding place and dispatch an elite force to capture the ringleader with lightning speed, achieving a surprising victory.

Qi Ming didn’t answer.

Emperor Tai’an knew not to rush matters and said, “Think it over carefully. I’ll see you again tomorrow.”

Not long after Qi Ming was led away, word came from the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility—the Empress Dowager requested the Emperor’s presence.

Emperor Tai’an thought briefly and had a fair idea why the Empress Dowager summoned him. Because of this, his steps toward the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility were unavoidably somewhat heavy.

Upon arriving at the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility, he recovered his composure and smiled as he greeted the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager assessed her son’s complexion. Though he smiled, exhaustion was evident between his brows, and dark circles shadowed his eyes. She couldn’t help feeling distressed and asked about Emperor Tai’an’s meals and daily routine.

“Mother need not worry. Your son is well in all respects.”

The Empress Dowager sighed. “With so much chaos erupting suddenly, this dowager knows your difficulties, but however difficult things are, you cannot ruin your health.”

“Your son understands.”

After this warm exchange between mother and son, the Empress Dowager finally stated her purpose for summoning Emperor Tai’an. “This dowager heard… that Yang Zhe is Ming’er…”

Emperor Tai’an remained silent for a while before nodding. “Yes…”

This matter could not be kept from the Empress Dowager indefinitely.

“Yang Zhe is Ming’er…” The Empress Dowager repeated, her tone complex.

For a moment, mother and son both fell silent. Finally Emperor Tai’an took the initiative to break the impasse. “Does Mother have something she wishes to instruct your son?”

That time when he had canceled Yang Zhe and Princess Yi’an’s betrothal without consulting his mother and agreed to Princess Lingque’s willful demands had already sown discord between mother and son. Now, in the midst of overwhelming troubles, he didn’t want even the palace to become unstable.

“The Emperor is thoughtful and thorough—how would he need this dowager’s instructions? However—” The Empress Dowager paused but still spoke her words. “Ming’er is your own nephew and also this dowager’s grandson. This dowager hopes the Emperor can spare his life.”

The Empress Dowager had known this news for some time but had been holding back.

She had two sons—the eldest, Emperor Pingle, and the fourth, Emperor Tai’an. The fourth son, like other princes, had gone to his fief upon reaching adulthood, while the eldest was Crown Prince and had always lived in the Eastern Palace.

It could be said that the only grandson she had watched grow from a tiny infant into a little boy as delicate as carved jade was Qi Ming.

Whenever she closed her eyes, she saw the scene of Qi Ming calling her Imperial Grandmother.

The Empress Dowager naturally knew some words shouldn’t be spoken, but people living in the world sometimes had emotions override reason, and even she who had weathered countless storms was no exception.

Emperor Tai’an had already guessed this in his heart. He made his expression appear momentarily stunned before speaking solemnly. “Mother can rest assured. Your son will make proper arrangements for him.”

The Empress Dowager showed a smile. “Since the Emperor says so, this dowager’s mind is at ease.”

The next day, Qi Ming was again brought before Emperor Tai’an.

“Have you thought it through?”

Qi Ming looked calmly at Emperor Tai’an. “Your nephew wishes to see someone.”