"Grand Tutor." The Crown Prince knew all too well how soft-hearted the Grand Tutor was. He called out stiffly, unsure how to offer comfort.
"I will avenge them." Hua Zhi lifted her head, then turned around after a moment. "This subject will visit Ling Wang's residence."
The Crown Prince hurriedly stopped her, "That won't do. If the Grand Tutor wishes to see someone or has matters to attend to, this crown prince will have someone handle it."
Hua Zhi understood her physical condition. Every bit of strength she conserved now was for unexpected emergencies, and it was best not to waste any. "Then please have the Crown Prince bring Xiao Shi and her son here. Also, summon Ling Wang to the palace. Station more people in the shadows to follow them—there might be a chance to lure out that Wise Man."
"This crown prince understands."
In reality, Hua Zhi had overthought it. Those people seemed to have vanished without a trace, leaving no clues. Ling Wang and the others were escorted into the palace without any obstacles.
Following Hua Zhi's instructions, Xiao Shi and her son were confined in one room, while Ling Wang was tightly bound with a cloth gag and held outside. Both Yan Xi and Shaoyao had suffered greatly because of him, and now that she had the chance to repay the favor, she intended to do so thoroughly.
The Crown Prince remained somewhat worried, "The Grand Tutor is injured. This crown prince will accompany you inside..."
"Aren't there hidden guards? Rest assured, this subject will not gamble with her life." Hua Zhi bowed and, without waiting for the Crown Prince to say more, pushed the door open. Under everyone's gaze, she closed the door behind her.
Xiao Shi was pouring water for her son and sneered upon seeing her enter, "So it's the Grand Tutor. I've long heard of your reputation."
Hua Zhi took a seat at a moderate distance, conserving every bit of strength she could. She watched as Xiao Shi finished feeding her son water before speaking, "I hadn't realized Lady Xiao could display such maternal tenderness."
Xiao Shi sat beside her son, eyeing the woman who had ruined their plans with extreme caution. "As a mother, isn't it natural to care for one's son?"
"Forgive my poor eyesight—I failed to see it before." Hua Zhi rested her chin on her hand, her expression relaxed. "The young master is ten years old now, isn't he? Yet his mother remains an unacknowledged, illegitimate wife, and he is nothing but a son born of a concubine—an illegitimate child without even the right to compete with Yan Xi."
Gu Yanze coughed violently. Hua Zhi lowered her eyes—excellent, the young master truly harbored such ambitions. That made things easier. Today, she had no intention of employing lofty strategies; she merely wanted to play on their emotions. If she could extract some information, that would be ideal. If not, provoking Ling Wang would be satisfaction enough.
"Hua Jingyan was once a man of heroic spirit. Yet his descendant resorts to such underhanded tactics against a mere child. Doesn't the Grand Tutor feel ashamed before your ancestors?"
"Lady Xiao, you are mistaken. If my ancestors were still here, they would only regret not having eradicated the Chao Li Tribe back then, allowing you all the chance to slaughter our soldiers and invade our lands!" A coldness tinged Hua Zhi's brows, her smile icy. "Lady Xiao calls him a mere child, but he is of royal blood. Half his lineage is of Daqing, and the other half is of the Chao Li Tribe, who are currently invading Daqing. May I ask, does Lady Xiao wish for the young master to stand with Daqing and stab his mother, or with the Chao Li Tribe and stab Ling Wang?"
"The Grand Tutor repeatedly claims we are of the Chao Li Tribe. May I ask, what evidence do you have?""If I deem you to be, then you are." Hua Zhi stood up. "Aren't you quite proud of your identity as the Wise Man's daughter, Lady Xiao? To be precise, you're actually a princess of the Chao Li Tribe. What a pity—now you're nothing but a prisoner. In the face of the grand enterprise, your Wise Man father probably can't spare a thought for you. If the Chao Li Tribe succeeds, how many daughters couldn't they have? Perhaps they might even get a son to inherit the family legacy!"
Xiao Shi remained silent, her face cold.
Hua Zhi didn't mind and continued to add fuel to the fire. "Lady Xiao must have received some promise, right? Indeed, without a promise to calm your heart, how could you have brought your son into this scheme? I wonder if the young lord knows he's nothing but an already abandoned pawn?"
"Accusations can always be fabricated when one is determined to blame. Why must the Grand Tutor go to such lengths?" Xiao Shi sneered. "I know you're resentful on behalf of the Heir and want to vent his anger for him. I'm right here for you to beat or kill as you wish. Why take your anger out on my son? Aren't you afraid of tarnishing your own illustrious reputation, Grand Tutor?"
"What use is an illustrious reputation to me? I'm merely a woman—why would I need to be so upright and noble? Achieving my goal is enough." Hua Zhi shamelessly justified her actions. "The Heir is too upright and noble, which is why he wouldn't move against a woman like you, giving you the chance to grow this powerful. I imagine you're quite pleased that the Heir can't do anything to you. But even if the esteemed commander of the Seven Constellation Bureau were to assassinate you, Ling Wang, what could he do about it? What you rely on is precisely the Heir's upright and noble character, isn't it? And the young lord."
Hua Zhi smiled and looked at Gu Yanze. "You really want the Heir's position, don't you? Has Lady Xiao always told you to wait a little longer, that the right opportunity hasn't come yet? Well, this is the opportunity she's been waiting for. Unfortunately, it's not for your sake but for the eternal legacy of the Chao Li Tribe."
Though Gu Yanze was cunning for his age, he was still young and had been thoroughly spoiled in Ling Wang's residence. His occasional schemes were always directed at Gu Yanxi. Hearing this, his heart wavered. He had indeed brought up the matter with his mother more than once—he wanted to become the legitimate heir of Ling Wang's residence, not the son of a concubine. But every time, his mother's response was exactly as Hua Zhi described: she told him to wait a little longer. When he asked why, her answers were always vague. Thinking back now, it was indeed suspicious.
But he wasn't the child of an ordinary family. Even if he had doubts, he didn't show them.
Xiao Shi walked over, embraced her son, and blocked Hua Zhi's line of sight. "Such methods are truly beneath the Grand Tutor."
"Beneath me?" Hua Zhi chuckled. "The young lord is the beloved son of Ling Wang's residence in Daqing. If Daqing falls, does the young lord think he can survive? As long as one member of the royal family remains, Daqing cannot be considered completely destroyed. With half royal blood, would your Chao Li Tribe tolerate him? Or is Lady Xiao so naive as to believe your Wise Man father would prioritize your son over the grand enterprise? You say my methods are beneath me, but dare I ask—which part of what I said isn't the truth?"
Gu Yanze clearly felt his mother's body stiffen for a moment, and her arm tightened around him unconsciously. These small, unintentional details confirmed it for him: Hua Zhi was speaking the truth. In Daqing, he could enjoy wealth and honor. Even if he couldn't inherit the Heir's position, he would still receive his due share. But if what Hua Zhi said was true—that he had half Chao Li Tribe blood—he wouldn't survive!
Lowering his gaze, Gu Yanze had already made up his mind."Zer, don't be fooled by her. She's saying all this to drive a wedge between us, mother and son. You're my son—why would I ever harm you?"
"I believe you, Mother." Gu Yanze looked up. "Since we've been wronged, then everything would be resolved if Grandfather appears, wouldn't it? Mother, where has Grandfather gone? Why hasn't he shown up?"
Hua Zhi smiled. "The young master is clever. Lady Xiao, why hasn't your father appeared?"
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