"There are some things I should have told you."

Qin Zhao spoke slowly, "Many years ago, during the reign of the late Emperor, a prince of a different surname was granted the title of Prince Rong. Prince Rong's family had three generations of loyal and righteous men, and his father and mother had both been loyal and meritorious officials. Born into a powerful family, he was well-read from a young age and was highly appreciated by the late Emperor, who even became close friends with him, regardless of age difference."

"Later, the late emperor became addicted to drugs and became seriously ill and bedridden. During his illness, power fell to others, and the Empress's direct descendants took advantage of the situation to win over court officials with ulterior motives. During that time, chaos reigned both within and outside the court. Even Prince Rong's family was implicated, and his father was imprisoned. He went to the late emperor to plead for mercy, but he told him, 'Others can save you temporarily, but not forever.'"

Jing Li raised his head and blinked.

Why does this sound like shirking responsibility?

Is this something an emperor should say?

"You think there's a problem, too, right? But he had no choice at the time." Qin Zhao sighed. "Thinking back, the late emperor probably had already anticipated what would happen next. When it comes to imperial power, his level is far beyond the reach of the future regent or the current emperor."

"After that day, the late emperor issued an imperial edict, naming his only son, the twelve-year-old prince, as Crown Prince and handing him over to Prince Rong for his education and upbringing."

Jing Liming came over and asked, "Is he balancing?"

"Yes," Qin Zhao said, "The power of the Queen's direct line is growing stronger and stronger. The only solution for the late Emperor is to cultivate a force that can rival it."

Prince Rong was definitely the first choice at that time.

It's not only because of his talent, but also because if he doesn't overthrow the Queen's lineage, he won't be able to save his family's lives.

Moreover, we have to admit that the conditions offered by the late emperor were very tempting.

Prince Rong was arrogant and spoiled back then. For him, the late emperor gave him a chance to save the country and the people and prove himself. No one could resist the temptation of power, fame and fortune.

"But the late emperor didn't calculate one thing correctly." Qin Zhao said softly.

Jing Li: "What?"

"He didn't live to see the day his plan succeeded."

Prince Rong lived up to expectations and soon gained power that could rival the Queen's direct line. However, the late Emperor was too ill and passed away shortly after issuing the edict.

The late emperor passed away, and the young prince successfully inherited the throne. Prince Rong, the young prince's teacher, was ordered to rule the country and became the regent, reaching the peak of his power. The power of the empress, who became the empress dowager, was completely destroyed, and no one in the court could compete with the regent.

Qin Zhao's tone was very steady as he told this story. Jing Li just looked at him quietly until he finished speaking, then asked in a low voice: "So... were his family members rescued?"

Qin Zhao closed his eyes: "No."

"Many people died in that power struggle. Many things are beyond human control. Prince Rong's entire family consisted of nearly a hundred people, but in the end... he was the only one who survived."

Jing Li's eyes instantly turned red.

He lowered his head and buried it in Qin Zhao's arms, his fingers clutching the quilt tightly, as if trying to cover up some heavy and suffocating emotions.

"Don't be sad." Qin Zhao stroked his hair, his voice still gentle. "He has a new family now, someone he wants to protect. There's nothing to be sad about. I think maybe it's because he's too afraid of losing, so he doesn't want the people he cares about to be involved in those disputes."

"He was so eager to protect his loved one that he even ignored her feelings, causing her to worry and feel sad for him."

"He knows he's wrong now, Xiaoyu, can you forgive him one last time?"

.

Jing Li ultimately didn't manage to sleep. Qin Zhao had so much to tell him, from past experiences to his recent plans, that he spent the entire afternoon talking.

It wasn't until a little kid came running over and scratched the door that the two of them came to their senses.

As soon as I opened the door, I saw Ah Qi standing at the door with an embarrassed and apologetic look on his face.