Is the Emperor going to make a move against the Ninth Prince?

But it doesn't look like it.

The civil and military officials immediately started plotting their own schemes.

Those officials who had sided with Liu Jin and reaped benefits were on tenterhooks.

The officials who remained neutral secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Being a loyal subject was far safer than taking shortcuts, wasn't it?

Those officials who had been sidelined by Liu Jin were moved to tears.

The sun has risen in the west; even the emperor has finally had enough of the Ninth Prince!

Especially those noble families and aristocratic clans with long-standing traditions, who have experienced much, how could they possibly look down on the arrogant and conceited behavior of a petty person like Liu Jin?

The fact that Chen Xiong, the Earl of Pingjiang, was stripped of his title and demoted for a trivial matter really stung their sensitive nerves, and they were always worried that one day this great disaster would befall them.

The sky over the capital has quietly changed.

Meanwhile, news of the secret prince spread like wildfire and quickly became a household name, turning into an undisclosed secret.

The news also reached Gu Ziyu's ears.

He recently went to the palace to plead for his father-in-law.

Lu Xingjian, however, said that he knew nothing about it.

Gu Ziyu was not surprised, and his expression became even more solemn: "Wu Jiang, the commander-in-chief of Yansui, has also been replaced by Ma Ang."

Lu Xingjian frowned.

Cao Yuan, that corrupt official, did absolutely nothing good in his position as Minister of War.

Wu Jiang personally followed him in planning the split between the left and right wings of the Northern Yuan, and his abilities and loyalty have been proven. He can be considered one of his confidants.

And that's how he was replaced.

"These matters should be considered in the long run."

Lu Xingjian did not agree immediately, but instead assigned him other more important tasks.

Gu Ziyu was stunned and didn't react for a long time.

Lu Xingjian's expression remained unchanged: "Is there a problem?"

"No," Gu Ziyu denied outright.

"Success is the only option; failure is not an option."

Gu Ziyu suddenly felt immense pressure. "Your subject obeys the decree!"

The Emperor's methods are too unconventional!

...

"Mother, why do you always have to take medicine?"

Smelling the bitter medicine, Yan Ge'er sensibly handed her the mouthwash.

When he was sick, he had to drink bitter medicine, which was very difficult to drink.

In the past, his uncle would reward him with a piece of candy after he finished his medicine, but his master would not give him candy.

He had almost forgotten what his uncle looked like.

"If Mother takes the medicine, she'll recover quickly and be able to take Yan-ge out to play." Su Wanwan smiled and kissed Yan-ge.

Lu Xingjian happened to return and saw this scene of motherly love and filial piety, and watched it quietly for a while.

Wanwan has recovered quite a bit recently.

He can't rush things; he has to wait until Wanwan recovers before making any decisions.

Yan Ge'er tensed up as soon as he saw Lu Xingjian, completely unlike his soft and sweet demeanor in front of Su Wanwan.

Lu Xingjian looked at the calligraphy practice book on the table and asked, "Have you started learning to write?"

"It's time to start the child's early education." Su Wanwan handed him a few words that Yan Ge'er had written.

"Not bad, better than Yan Ge'er's writing," Lu Xingjian commented objectively.

Yan Ge'er's eyes lit up instantly.

He has been staying with his mother these days and hasn't seen Yan Ge'er yet.

Su Wanwan paused.

Since she fell ill, she has been unable to take care of Yan Ge'er.

"How is Yan-ge'er doing?"

Now she can't even leave her bedroom.

Lu Xingjian also wouldn't let anyone easily get close to her.

Every item she used and every piece of food she ate underwent rigorous testing; she was extremely careful.

"It's alright, my studies resumed after the Lantern Festival," Lu Xingjian replied casually.

Su Wanwan's eyes dimmed slightly.

Life in the palace was truly like walking on thin ice.

One wrong move and you're doomed.

She truly escaped death this time, barely managing to stay alive.

Lu Xingjian felt a pang of pain in his heart.

He pretended not to notice her low spirits and pulled Yan Ge'er to the small kang table in front of him: "Let me see your calligraphy practice."

Yan Ge'er had only learned a few words from his mother these past few days, and he immediately became nervous upon hearing this.

"I won't."

He had already finished tracing the simple characters; his mother hadn't taught him the remaining ones.

Lu Xingjian wrote several large characters on the paper, stroke by stroke—Lu Yanzhi.

"This is your name, Lu Yanzhi."

Yan Ge'er opened his eyes wide, turned around and looked up at his face, his face full of surprise.

Isn't his name Qian Yan?

Why is there another name?

Lu Xingjian thought he couldn't write, so he held Yan Ge'er's hand and slowly taught him, stroke by stroke, with great patience.

After writing it once, he made Yan Ge'er write it again himself.

The little guy's hands were soft and tiny, and the moment Lu Xingjian held them in his hand, he was momentarily dazed.

In his memory, he had never enjoyed such love from his father.

Princess Xiuyi was personally taught and educated by the late emperor.

He had personally witnessed the late emperor teaching Xiuyi to write.

He was extremely envious.

However, the moment he appeared, the late emperor's face revealed impatience and coldness.

It's as if he's superfluous.

Everyone thought he was the crown prince, a man of great wealth and honor.

But only he knew that in the late emperor's eyes, he was a detestable person, not even as good as the eunuchs around him.

He once thought that he was not good enough and had done something wrong to displease his father.

So he studied hard and did his best in his studies, which earned him high praise from his teachers.

However, no matter how hard he tried, he did not receive a single word of praise from the late emperor.

If you don't like it, you just don't like it.

Perhaps, the late emperor never wanted him as his son at all.

The idea gradually took root in his mind, but he dared not tell anyone.

It wasn't until Empress Zhang became pregnant that Princess Xiuyi exposed all of this.

It turns out, he really was the superfluous one.

How desperate he must have been at that time.

Lu Xingjian was immersed in memories of the past.

He only snapped out of his daze when he felt someone tug at his sleeve.

Su Wanwan winked at him.

Yan Ge'er was writing very seriously and with great effort, and ink smeared onto Xiao Pang's hands.

Lu Xingjian chuckled softly, "You write very well. When I was a child, I used to smear ink on my hands just like you."

"Your handwriting is much better than mine was when I was a child."

Yan Ge'er's eyes shone like stars.

He was actually quite frustrated. These characters were difficult to write and didn't look good; they were much worse than his father's.

"Really?" He looked up at him, his dark eyes confirming with Lu Xingjian.

Lu Xingjian patted his little head.

"Of course, you can ask your mother if you don't believe me."

Yan Ge'er quickly looked at Su Wanwan.

Su Wanwan smiled and nodded, "When your father was just starting his education, ink got all over his face."

Lu Xingjian stretched out his long arm over the small kang table, flicked her nose, and began to reveal her dark history.

"You're not much better off; your hands are covered in ink, and you're crying in distress."

Sitting in his father's lap, feeling the man's body temperature and breath, Yan Ge'er had a warm understanding of the word "father" for the first time.

It turns out that Daddy and Mommy used to practice calligraphy together when they were little.