Gu Yanxi returned to the palace but abruptly halted his steps outside the imperial study. He closed his eyes briefly, reminding himself not to be impatient—three feet of ice forms not in a single day, and resolving this would require more than one day's effort.
"Yanxi?"
Gu Yanxi pushed the door open. The Emperor, covered in golden needles, smiled upon seeing him. "I knew it was you from your footsteps."
Suddenly, Gu Yanxi understood A Zhi's words. He felt heartache seeing his own family suffer even a little—how much more must A Zhi have suffered when the Hua family was exiled thousands of miles away? A Zhi wasn't born and raised in isolation, nor was she naturally this exceptional. It was the fertile soil of the Hua family that allowed her to grow so strong.
She must harbor resentment—toward the Emperor, perhaps even toward all those bearing the Gu surname.
Lowering his gaze to Shaoyao carefully applying medicine and inserting needles into the Emperor's chest, he reconsidered. Perhaps not entirely—she cherished Shaoyao too much to blame her.
The Emperor narrowed his eyes. "What happened?"
Gu Yanxi collected himself. "The eldest is restless again."
"If he truly wishes to die, grant him his wish."
"I was thinking of an alternative approach."
Meeting his uncle's gaze, Gu Yanxi proposed, "Exile him—without any privileges."
The Emperor sneered, "Do you think he'd honestly labor elsewhere? Given a new location, he'd still use the royal blood I gave him to stage a comeback. As long as he bears the Gu surname, this is inevitable."
"Then... what if we strip him of that surname?"
The Emperor paused, contemplating for a moment with narrowed eyes. "Draft an edict: strip Gu Chengde of the imperial surname, exile him..." His thoughts grew muddled, so he closed his eyes. "You choose the place—the harsher, the better."
"As you command."
Shaoyao began withdrawing the needles, frowning slightly at their discolored tips—the results were poorer than expected.
"Yan Ge, when will Master arrive?"
"In about ten days. Why?"
The siblings exchanged glances. Shaoyao rolled up her needles. "I'm missing one ingredient. Master has all the reserves."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor said, "The inner vault holds many rare medicinal herbs. They usually sit idle. Lai Fu, take Shaoyao to select what she likes."
"Unlimited quantity?"
"Unlimited."
Having gone a day without good food, Shaoyao finally showed a hint of joy. She swiftly packed her things and followed Lai Fu to the vault.
"Yanxi."
"Yes, Imperial Uncle." Gu Yanxi stepped forward to help the Emperor sit up and straightened his clothes.
"Starting tomorrow, you'll oversee court affairs for a while. My mind... is too foggy." The Emperor tapped his forehead wryly. Less than two months of the poison had such an effect—he dreaded to imagine what two more months would do. Would he meet the ancestors directly?
In the past, Gu Yanxi would have tried every means to decline, unwilling to become a target. But now, after hearing A Zhi's words, he agreed readily, surprising the Emperor.
"How unusual."
"You wouldn't make this request unless truly unable to cope."
The Emperor smiled bitterly again. During today's discussions in the imperial study, he'd repeatedly forgotten what he was saying mid-sentence. Those shrewd old ministers had likely noticed. Rather than struggle on, it was better to let Yanxi stabilize things—the Seven Constellation Bureau of Daqing had always commanded formidable authority.
"Rest well, Your Majesty. Leave court matters to your servant."The Emperor rose and patted his shoulder. "Go rest now. Tomorrow will be busy."
"Yes."
Shortly after escorting the Emperor back to Haoyue Hall, Gu Yanxi waited in his own quarters for Shaoyao.
"Yan Ge, you know that in terms of medical skills, this golden needle technique is my ultimate trump card. Even Wu Yong's poison would show some reaction after one session of treatment. Yet today, after performing two sessions on the Emperor, there was hardly any effect."
"None at all?"
"Very minimal, almost negligible."
Gu Yanxi's heart sank. "Are there any other methods?"
Shaoyao neither confirmed nor denied, only saying, "I must wait for my master to arrive."
"I'll send a letter to urge him." Gu Yanxi lowered his voice. "What is the worst possible outcome?"
"It will affect his lifespan."
This outcome was indeed dire. Gu Yanxi poured himself a cup of cold tea and drank it. "Think of another way."
Shaoyao nodded. After all, she bore the surname Gu as well, and in this matter, she felt a sense of responsibility.
The next day, a wide chair was added below the Dragon Throne. Gu Yanxi attended court in his capacity as the head of the Seven Constellation Bureau, shocking the entire assembly.
Gu Yanxi paid no heed to the reactions. He sat in the wide chair and, without the usual announcement of "Those with matters to report may speak; if not, the court is dismissed," directly issued his first decree: "The day after tomorrow is the execution day. The Third Prince, Gu Chengwen, shall serve as the supervising official, with Minister of Justice Zheng Han accompanying to oversee the proceedings."
Gu Chengwen, suddenly named, looked up in shock. Among the thirty-two condemned, not all were supporters of the First Prince; some had aligned themselves with him. If he were to oversee the execution...
Gu Chengwen immediately stepped forward, cupping his hands. "Father previously..."
"I am not negotiating with you. This is an order. The Third Prince need only carry it out." No one could see Gu Yanxi's expression behind his mask, but the courtiers watched as the Third Prince, pale-faced and resentful, accepted the order and retreated to his position.
"The First Prince, Gu Chengde, is stripped of his surname and exiled to Yinshan Pass."
This declaration caused an uproar. They had assumed that being demoted to commoner status and confined to the prince's residence was the harshest punishment for a prince. No one expected he would be stripped of his surname and exiled a thousand miles away!
This was a prince! Did the Emperor know about this?
Gu Yanxi's gaze fell upon the Second Prince, Gu Cheng'an, whose expression shifted slightly. Although the First Prince had never satisfied the Emperor, he was no fool. Throwing him to Yinshan Pass might not prevent him from uncovering something. At the very least, it would further muddy the waters. Gu Yanxi wanted to see what other moves the Second Prince had in store.
If the Second Prince truly acted against the First Prince, Gu Yanxi's lips curled slightly. He would avenge the First Prince after his death.
In the Palace of Blessings and Longevity, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager sat facing each other.
Seeing her eldest son looking increasingly aged, the Empress Dowager felt a heavy weight in her heart. "Look at you, in the end, you were even outmaneuvered by your own son."
The Emperor could only smile bitterly.
Knowing he was troubled, the Empress Dowager did not press further. "I heard you've entrusted Yanxi to govern in your stead?"
"Who else can shoulder this burden? The Second Prince? Or the Third or Fourth?" The Emperor shook his head. "If only Yanxi were my son."
"If he were truly your son, he might not have grown into the man he is today. People are shaped by their circumstances. Different positions bring different pressures, different experiences, and thus, different outcomes."The Empress Dowager let out a long sigh. "I won't ask what you're pondering—it's beyond my control anyway. I merely remind you: if you search through every member of the Gu family, you'll likely find only Yan Xi who would care for you wholeheartedly. Don't let his heart grow cold."
"I understand, Mother. Rest assured, I cannot bear to do so either."
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