“My father’s name is Dongfang Qingran, the crown prince of the former Southern Han Dynasty. You dog emperor, my parents are already exiles, why do you have to drive them to their deaths?”

Emperor Hui frowned.

He's old, but he's not senile.

What is his relationship with Dongfang Qingran?

To annihilate a former dynasty's exiled crown prince in a desolate land? How come he doesn't remember?

He remembered Dongfang Qingran; this person was similar to the last ruler of the Southern Tang Dynasty, a renowned scholar.

However, after the fall of the Southern Han Dynasty, some said that Dongfang Qingran had died, some said that he went into seclusion, and some said that he traveled the world. In any case, this person rarely appeared in public.

How did it become that he was killed by Emperor Hui?

Emperor Hui did not rush to deny it, but asked Dong Qin: "So, you gathered your father's old troops to seek revenge on me?"

"Yes! Ever since I can remember, I've forced myself to memorize your name every day, and I carve three strokes on it every day!"

Hanako was furious and stomped on his broken leg. He was in so much pain that he was covered in sweat, but he didn't beg for mercy.

Struggling to continue, he said, "I built my own network and gathered all sorts of information. Later, I killed those who betrayed my father, cultivated my power, and waited for the right moment to fight you to the death..."

Emperor Hui looked at Zhou Shaoyu and said, "Jing Chen, is he stupid or not?"

As always when he was a Grand Secretary, Zhou Shaoyu replied respectfully, "If it were me, I would bide my time and conceal my abilities before I have fully developed my power. It is never too late for a gentleman to seek revenge, even if it takes ten, twenty, or even a lifetime! Once the sword is drawn, it must draw blood; once the action is taken, it must be successful."

Emperor Hui nodded: "Dongqin, I don't know who told you that I killed your parents, but I didn't kill Crown Prince Dongfang. In fact, I admire his talent."

"Wait a little longer, and I might just go and play chess with your father."

Dong Qin gritted his teeth and said, "My father is an upright man and would never stoop to drinking tea or playing chess with a treacherous and shameless scoundrel like you!"

"Dongqin, let me repeat myself patiently: I do not recall having any enmity with your father! Nor do I recall any prince or minister in the Great Gan Dynasty killing your father. How can you be so sure that I killed your parents?"

"Of course you didn't kill them openly and honestly. You gave my father's brothers and the rebel forces the opportunity to plot and murder my parents!"

Dongqin was in so much pain that he tried his best to keep his tone steady.

"My private treasury still contains the Crown Prince Dongfang's early paintings and travelogues. There is no benefit for me in killing Dongfang Qingran, so why should I kill him?"

"Tell me any lies you want!" Dong Qin said through gritted teeth, "You're a treacherous villain!"

Emperor Hui pointed to the person writing furiously at the desk behind the pillar and said, "He is Ling Xun, the top scholar of the previous year. Now I have transferred him from the Ministry of Works to my side as a court attendant. He has a photographic memory and has already reviewed my past records. Let him tell you whether I have ordered the harming of your parents."

Ling Xun stepped out from beside the desk. The top scholar, who had been expelled from the court by Empress Xie a few days ago, was dressed in the blue robes of a seventh-rank official, amidst a clear breeze and bright moon.

"I have read through His Majesty's daily records for nearly twenty years, and I swear that there is absolutely no record of him murdering the Crown Prince of the East."

Dongqin's unwavering belief began to crumble: "Impossible, my parents were killed by the Emperor of Da Gan..."

Emperor Hui: "I am the supreme ruler, my words are law. If I kill someone, I kill them; if I don't, I don't! I would never lie for a prince in exile!"

Dongqin looked up at Emperor Hui with difficulty, and Emperor Hui looked back at him firmly, "I did not lie!"

What exactly happened?

He looked at Xie Zhaozhao again, and their eyes met. Xie Zhaozhao's eyes were bloodshot as she glared at him angrily and said, "You treacherous scoundrel!"

Dong Qin and Yin Jin'an were the two people she trusted most.

She never expected Dongqin to rebel. Was the supplies he used to start his rebellion brought to him by her overseas shipping routes and her material exchange center?

With money and soldiers, he used them to kill Yin Jin'an, the man she trusted most and who most wanted to change his fate.

He led his troops to ambush and kill her husband, the father of her child.

I hate him, but I hate myself even more!!

Looking at the distraught and agitated Dong Qin, and then at Xie Zhaozhao whose eyes were red with hatred, Zhou Shaoyu said to Dong Qin, "Dong Qin, let me tell you a little story?"

"Tell me!" Dong Qin desperately wanted to know the truth!

Zhou Shaoyu turned to Emperor Hui and said, "Father, I request that Xie Zhaozhao and Xie Yu leave."

Emperor Hui looked at him, sighed, and said, "You... I grant it!"

Xie Yu and Xie Zhaozhao, brother and sister, walked out backwards.

As soon as she stepped outside, Xie Zhaozhao's body went limp.

Xie Yu was also upset, but she was grateful to Zhou Shaoyu. Knowing things she shouldn't have known would have left her with no way out.

The brother and sister stood under the eaves. In the capital city in October, all was quiet in the dead of night. The frost had fallen and the cold wind was biting.

*Inside the Imperial Study.

Zhou Shaoyu began to tell his little story.

"There was a man, full of talent, who traveled to Daqian and fell in love at first sight with a young lady from a prominent family. He asked her family for her hand in marriage, but the lady's clan thought the two were not suitable for each other and refused."

It just so happened that the palace was holding a selection of consorts, and this young lady was on the list. She had no choice but to go to the palace for the selection according to her family's arrangements, and she was selected as soon as she entered the palace.

The romance between the talented scholar and the beautiful lady came to an end, but the scholar fell seriously ill due to lovesickness and asked to see the lady one last time before leaving.

The imperial harem was always strict. When the empress learned of this, she led a group of people to ambush the two of them. The talented scholar protected the young lady and escaped, but he himself was chased by the empress.

To clear his name, the talented man immediately married the daughter of one of his former subordinates.

The couple soon had a son, and at that point, the Queen could no longer find any evidence and dropped the charges.

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