Under Zhou Yun'an's scheme, Prince Rong barely managed to save his life, but the emperor had already secretly stripped him of his real power and placed him under house arrest in the palace.
On the surface, Prince Rong was still a noble prince, but in reality, he was like a fish on a chopping board, waiting for the emperor to obtain conclusive evidence before he would be completely eliminated.
Prince Rong was both angry and afraid, but he was at a loss for what to do.
He paced anxiously in his mansion every day, hating the emperor's ruthless methods, the incompetence of the aristocratic families, and even more so, how he had fallen to such a state.
Just when he needed help the most, his "strategist" Zhou Yun'an suddenly disappeared.
"Damn it! Even he ran away?!" Prince Rong roared, overturning the table with a vengeance, his eyes blazing with fury. "Zhou Yun'an, you're nothing but a treacherous opportunist!"
It turns out that Prince Rong has misunderstood Zhou Yun'an.
Because Zhou Yun'an did not flee voluntarily, but was forcibly taken away by a group of mysterious people.
That night, several dark figures silently sneaked into the mansion.
Xiao Cheng reacted quickly, immediately drawing his sword to meet the attack. However, his opponent's martial arts skills were extremely high, and he was forced back in just a few moves.
Just as Xiao Cheng was preparing to fight to the death, the leader revealed a token.
Xiao Cheng's pupils contracted, his movements froze, and he subconsciously looked at Zhou Yun'an.
Zhou Yun'an remained calm and simply said, "No need to resist, go with them."
Zhou Yun'an was led by the group to a secluded mansion in the capital. The mansion was dimly lit and the atmosphere was very tense.
In the hall, a middle-aged man stood with his hands behind his back, his back stern and cold, exuding an aura of authority without anger.
Hearing footsteps, he slowly turned around, revealing a face that bore a seven-tenths resemblance to Zhou Yun'an, but was even more stern.
It was Zhou Yun'an's father, Zhou Zhao.
"Father." Zhou Yun'an bowed his head in respect, his tone humble but devoid of any affection.
Zhou Zhao slowly turned around, his face cold and his gaze sharp as a knife.
He stared at Zhou Yun'an, then suddenly raised his hand and slapped him hard across the face!
"Snap!" The crisp sound was particularly jarring in the quiet room.
Zhou Yun'an was knocked to the side by the blow, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, but he didn't even flinch, as if he was already used to it.
It's hard to imagine that father and son, who are related by blood, would meet like this after so many years.
"Kneel down," Zhou Zhao commanded coldly.
Zhou Yun'an remained silent, kneeling on the ground with his back straight and his eyes calm to the point of indifference.
Zhou Zhao looked down at him, his voice icy: "Everything you've done lately has utterly disappointed me."
"They instigated a rebellion by powerful families, but ultimately failed."
"Supporting Prince Rong only turned him into a cripple."
"It didn't even manage to disrupt the political situation in the imperial court in the slightest!"
Zhou Zhao sneered and continued, "I thought you could at least disrupt half of the country, but look at you now! The emperor has secured his throne, the poor are rising up, and the people's hearts are with you, while you—can't even escape unscathed!"
With each word he spoke, his tone grew colder, until finally he almost shouted, "Useless trash! How could my Zhou family have a son like you!"
Zhou Yun'an lowered his eyes and remained silent, letting his father scold him, but the knuckles in his sleeves tightened slightly involuntarily.
Zhou Zhao walked up to Zhou Yun'an, reached out and pinched his chin, forcing him to look up and meet his gaze. His voice was low and oppressive: "The Zhou family has nurtured you for so many years, not so that you would become a defeated general."
A hint of suppressed sharpness flashed in Zhou Yun'an's eyes, but he ultimately did not refute her.
Zhou Zhao shook off his hand, his tone softening slightly, but still carrying an undeniable air of control: "Remember, your life, your worth, are all given by the Zhou family. If you disappoint me again..."
He paused, then gave a meaningful, cold laugh. "You know the consequences."
Zhou Yun'an slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he had regained his composure and whispered, "Son... I understand."
Seeing his obedience, Zhou Zhao snorted coldly, turned and left, leaving only the words: "Go back and think carefully about what to do next."
Only after Zhou Zhao's figure had completely disappeared did Zhou Yun'an slowly stand up, raise his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
Xiao Cheng stepped forward, hesitating to speak, but then Zhou Yun'an said calmly, "Let's go."
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