"The Emperor has gone to great pains, and it is this younger brother who is ignorant and incompetent." Ji Weiqiu stood with his head bowed, his thin lips pressed tightly into a line. "Your younger brother has failed to live up to the Emperor's grace and requests to have his title demoted. I wish to renounce worldly life and practice spiritual cultivation at Qingfeng Temple, to pray for the well-being of the Emperor and the Mother Empress."

Ji Su acted as if he hadn't heard, his head buried in the documents on his desk. Ji Weiqiu stood there, waiting for the verdict.

He had figured it out. He wouldn't play this game anymore, that should be fine, right? Qingfeng Temple was a royal temple. Although it was from the Late Emperor's era, there was no harm in reviving it. He could build a garden inside. At worst, it would be a bit desolate and inconvenient to go out, but it was still better than being in Yanjing, living in constant fear as if treading on thin ice.

Ji Weiqiu repeated himself: "Your younger brother has failed to live up to the Emperor's grace and requests to have his title demoted. I wish to renounce worldly life and practice spiritual cultivation at Qingfeng Temple, to pray for the well-being of the Emperor and the Mother Empress."

Ji Su finished the last stroke, set down the imperial brush, and said, "This is the result of your three days of thinking?"

"Yes!" Ji Weiqiu said resolutely. "Your younger brother has grown tired of Yanjing's splendor and only wishes to immerse himself in the mountains and waters."

Ji Su looked down at him. Ji Weiqiu had stayed in the side hall for three days without leaving. Looking at him today, his face had thinned considerably. Ji Su's tone was calm and collected: "Are you resentful of me?"

"This subject dares not," Ji Weiqiu said respectfully.

"You dare not?" Ji Su retorted.

Ji Weiqiu had already made up his mind to become a monk and couldn't be bothered to get entangled with Ji Su. Ji Su had taught him to serve the sovereign with the rites of a sovereign, not with the rites of a brother, lest the ruler not act like a ruler and the subject not act like a subject, creating a mockery. However, when Ji Su asked this, he really couldn't hold back. What was wrong with a few sarcastic remarks? "Yes, how could this subject dare to resent the Emperor? This subject, dares not!"

"It's that you dare not, not that you do not," Ji Su said.

Ji Weiqiu remained silent. What was there to argue? Whether he resented him or not, was it for him to decide? He saw Ji Su's gaze fall upon him, as if sizing up what remaining value he had, and an indescribable anger instantly welled up in his heart.

He knew the bigger picture was important. He knew he shouldn't be trying to renounce the world and become a Daoist priest right now. He also knew he should take the way out Ji Su was offering, kowtow to Ji Su a few more times, express his tearful gratitude, state that his own management was lax, thank the Emperor for his sharp discernment, and then continue to act out the drama of brotherly affection and respect to demonstrate the harmony of the royal family... But he just didn't want to take this way out.

He really couldn't figure Ji Su out.

Sometimes Ji Su made him feel that he was still Ji Su, that he was still that cold but constantly concerned elder brother, the brother who would save him from peril, teach him calligraphy, teach him to read, the brother who had accompanied him in the deep palace for more than a decade.

Even after he left the palace to establish his own manor and they had little contact, his brother was still his brother. That wouldn't change, right? When he was sent to Jiangnan or to be married to Prime Minister Wang's family, he thought his brother had changed. But then he was brought back midway, and was taught the art of managing people, and he felt his brother hadn't changed after all.

But now, it seemed he had changed after all.

Now, everything he did was wrong, and doing nothing was also wrong. What was he to do? What should he do? He felt like he had been thrown into the middle of the sea by Ji Su. Ji Su had given him a boat with a hole in it, and he could only stay on that boat, watching helplessly as the water rose. He could only stay in the middle of the boat, using his body to try and plug the hole. Doing anything else would only hasten his demise. Even so, he was powerless to change the fact that this broken boat would eventually sink.

A person lives for their pride, a tree for its bark. If a person loses that pride, is he still himself?

Then he might as well be wrong to the very end!

Even if he had to die, he wanted to choose a picturesque lake, not an empty sea.

After a long time, Ji Su finally said, "The Empress Dowager is of advanced age. How can she bear the pain of parting? Prince of Rui, if you wish to pray for the Empress Dowager's well-being, you may do so by cultivating in your manor."

Ji Weiqiu said coldly, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. The Mother Empress has already approved of this matter."

Three days ago, he had asked the Empress Dowager what he should do.

The Empress Dowager had stroked his head and said with a smile, "Logically, you should go to your Imperial Elder Brother to apologize and express your gratitude... But our Ah Qiu has never suffered such grievances since he was a child. If you don't want to go, then don't. Could your Imperial Elder Brother really kill you? If that day truly comes, tell him to kill the Mother Empress first... Do whatever you want. Mother Empress will always be behind you."

Ji Su's expression slowly turned cold. "You can't even find peace in the capital. Do you really think you can achieve peace under heaven just by becoming a monk?"

Ji Weiqiu didn't speak, merely standing there quietly, his original intention unchanged.

Ji Su stared at him for a long time before saying, "...Fine. Since you are so intent on seeking death, then go."

Hearing this, Ji Weiqiu's anger flared. He heard himself say in a sarcastic tone, "That's still better than being locked up in the capital waiting to die."

"Insolent." Ji Su's expression flickered. After a moment of silence, with an emotion unknown to Ji Weiqiu, he looked at him coldly. "Who taught you to be so outrageous?"

"Naturally, it was you." Ji Weiqiu knew he should hold back, but he just couldn't. He truly didn't understand how two perfectly fine brothers had ended up in this situation. Ji Su was even acting as if it was all his fault. What had he done wrong?! Was it because the imperial seal and dragon robe were found in his manor?! Or because of Qian Zhiwei's death? Or because he had unintentionally sent a spy on two errands?

So he should just stay still, say nothing, and act like a dead man, is that it? He had transmigrated into a book, not gained omniscience. How was he supposed to know who was a spy and who wasn't when it was just a passing mention in the book?!

"Of course it was you, Imperial Elder Brother." Ji Weiqiu wanted to laugh, but couldn't. "I am useless, and I am stupid, but I'm not that stupid. We brothers were perfectly fine, then Imperial Elder Brother suddenly wanted me to go to Jiangnan. Fine, fine, you wanted to investigate Prime Minister Wang and use me as a cover, I know. I'll go. I'll endure any assassinations and poisonings. Why did you bother having me brought back? You've repeatedly suspected me of having traitorous intentions. Do I have them or not? Don't you know?"

"Since we were young, whenever you asked, when have I ever lied to you?" Ji Weiqiu's eyes stung, and he blinked hard. "The throne—not everyone treats it like a treasure. Can't I be allowed not to care for it?"

"The dragon robe, the imperial seal..." Ji Weiqiu said woodenly. "Who found them? Who delivered them to Imperial Elder Brother? Who made the fabric? Who found the jade? Who were the craftsmen? On what day was the order received? Whose order was it? ...Imperial Elder Brother, is this interesting? I am a Prince with no power or influence. If you're afraid of upsetting the Mother Empress, just lock me up. You know me, I would definitely not dare tell the Mother Empress... Why put on one face in public and another behind my back?"

For the first time that day, Ji Su was visibly moved. "Is that what you think?"

"What else?" Ji Weiqiu retorted. "Who else has such capability? I was away from Yanjing for less than a month, and the dragon robe and imperial seal were prepared so easily? And they could even be delivered into my manor? Who is in my manor? Don't you know better than I do, Imperial Elder Brother?"

Those items, even if not made by Ji Su, were probably tacitly approved by him.

Ji Su said, word by word, "...Idiot."

"I am an idiot!" Ji Weiqiu flew into a rage. "I am an idiot, I have never been smart! The Emperor's heart is like an abyss, I really can't guess it! If the Emperor didn't do it, then who did? No matter who it was, if you thought it was a frame-up, why didn't you tell me? You suppressed it quietly, and then you want me to explain myself? What do I explain? I don't even know what happened! How can I explain?"

"On one hand, you demand that I be a Prince who knows nothing, and on the other hand, you demand that I know everything. How can I possibly do that? I can only place my life in your hands, guessing today what I did to make you angry with me, and tomorrow wondering what I did to arouse your suspicion! I don't want to live this life of being caught in a dilemma anymore! Just give the word, Your Majesty. Whether you want to kill me or torture me, this subject will accept it! If this subject dies, aside from letting down the Mother Empress, it will be good for everyone!"

Ji Su gazed at him, so calm he hardly seemed alive. He asked, "Are you finished?"

"I'm finished!" Ji Weiqiu said coldly. "Is the Emperor going to punish this subject now?"

Ji Su said, "Come here."

Ji Weiqiu stood his ground without moving. "If the Emperor has something to say, just say it. This is Qingning Hall. There can't be any more spies here."

Ji Su said lightly, "Come here. Don't make Us say it a third time."

Ji Weiqiu glared, unwilling to go over, but Ji Su's authority had been long established. In the end, he wavered and stepped forward.

Ji Su lifted his chin slightly. Ji Weiqiu paused, then sat down—why wouldn't he sit? Everything was out in the open anyway. The worst that could happen was death. The words had been said, and regret was useless! Sit!

Seeing him drain the tea in his cup in one gulp, Ji Su said slowly, "I was wrong."

"..." What did he just hear?!

Ji Su actually said he was wrong?! He wasn't hearing things, was he?!

Ji Weiqiu's eyes widened, but he still couldn't resist retorting sarcastically, "How could the Emperor be wrong? Everything is this subject's fault."

"Don't be angry." Ji Su said calmly, "...I was wrong."

A faint sense of absurdity rose in Ji Su's heart, but looking at the young man he had raised with his own hands, he still said patiently, "Don't be angry."

He hadn't intended to let him know, but if he didn't explain things clearly now, he was afraid this child would not be able to get over it.

"The items discovered in your manor were allowed to run their course by Us," Ji Su told him. "But it was not Our intention."

"Why did you let it run its course?" Ji Weiqiu asked with a cold smile.

Ji Su's gaze swept lightly over his face. He said, "We are not omniscient or omnipotent. Without taking a look, how would We know what it was? You were in the palace."

Besides, it was also time to take the opportunity to clean up the Prince of Rui's Manor.

Ji Weiqiu suddenly understood Ji Su's meaning. Because he was in the palace, it didn't matter what appeared in the Prince of Rui's Manor; it wouldn't harm him. He found it absurd. "Then why did you question me like that?"

Ji Su looked at him pointedly. Ji Weiqiu pointed at himself in disbelief. "You provoked me on purpose?"

Ji Su retorted, "Shouldn't I have?"

Ji Weiqiu was at a loss for words. It seemed like he should have. After all, it had been two years since he left the palace to establish his manor. He really didn't manage the affairs of his manor, relying entirely on Xingbo. Regardless of whether it was a dragon robe and imperial seal or letters planted on him, he, the master, was completely unaware, and Xingbo, the actual manager, also didn't discover it. It was his problem.

Although there was nothing more deadly than these few items, circumstances mattered. If they could plant an imperial seal today, couldn't they poison him with arsenic tomorrow? From Ji Su's perspective, he had to be taught a harsh lesson so he would remember the loss he suffered today and take this matter to heart in the future.

Was it still all his fault?

Ji Weiqiu suddenly recalled the Li Yunxiu Case that Ji Su had made him study before, and he only felt it was absurd.

Author's Note:

OOC Small Theater:

Brother: ... 'The Prince of Rui's Manor is a mess.' 'I'll teach him some skills in managing people so he can use them later.'

Younger Brother: ...? 'My brother is warning me to treat him as the emperor!'

[Generally, when the author's notes have a small theater, it's basically OOC, so I won't repeat this reminder in the future. For example, yesterday I said 'The future Empress Dowager: ... [slaps thigh]'. If it were really written in the story, when she finds out the brothers are together, she'd do more than just slap her thigh in anger—it would be more like she'd break their legs.]