He Anchang returned to his seat, still carrying a chill. Zhang Taiyan's sharp old eyes immediately noticed something amiss on his lips. The Crown Prince looked back, his gaze sweeping over He Anchang's lips, and chuckled, "Who knew such a refined gentleman could also be a romantic."

He Anchang nodded slightly, primly saying, "It's better to maintain some restraint, I've made the Crown Prince laugh."

There were indeed courtesans at this annual gathering, and to be targeted by someone with a scheme in mind could be considered a romantic entanglement. However, no one had ever heard any scandalous rumors about He Anchang, so his current appearance was truly surprising, no wonder people were constantly sneaking glances. Only Bai Jiu swept his gaze over Xie Jingsheng's seat and indeed saw that fellow joking with the Prince of Tang, startling the Prince of Tang so much he didn't even dare to eat his food.

The annual gathering was a scene of lavish music and song, cups clinked, and favors were exchanged. Xin Yi noticed Prince of Qin sitting in one spot, unmoving, not even raising his eyes, like a dead, withered statue. He hadn't been like this when the foreign envoys arrived; what exactly had happened to make a person more despondent than losing a child in old age?

Halfway through the feast, the Crown Prince led the officials in toasting the Emperor once again. On his left and right stood the Prince of Qin and the Prince of Tang, with Bai Jiu and Zhang Taiyan slightly behind them. All the officials raised their cups and shouted "Long live!" in unison. The Emperor's face was pleased; he even raised his cup to the Crown Prince, saying contentedly, "The Crown Prince is very filial."

The Crown Prince hastily said he wouldn't dare. The Emperor then turned to the Prince of Qin on one side and said, "You are also good." After speaking, he reached out to pat his shoulder. Unexpectedly, the Prince of Qin swayed and collapsed towards the Emperor. The Emperor supported him, but before he could even call out for help, there was a tearing sound, and something ignited with a whoosh. The Emperor was greatly alarmed and instinctively pushed the Prince of Qin away. A trail of fire snaked into the carpet, quickly spreading around the base of the pillars, and the smell of gunpowder instantly filled their nostrils.

No one knew who first shouted "Protect His Majesty!", as gunpowder suddenly exploded with a roar, sending the tables near the pillars flying in all directions!

Xin Yi was violently pulled and rolled to the other side. Bai Jiu shielded him under his chest, sternly shouting, "Get Prince of Qin away!"

The bang deafened everyone. In the chaos, no one moved, except for Xiao Jin who rolled out, grabbed the Prince of Qin by the collar, and desperately dragged him out of the range of the flying plates and shattered tables. But the Prince of Qin, for some reason, was already unconscious, his head bleeding from being struck by a flying wine cup, his eyes tightly closed in utter stillness.

On that side, the Crown Prince was the first to shield the Emperor, blood seeping through his back where he had been struck by debris. The Prince of Tang huddled in a corner, clutching his head and merely trembling. He Anchang had first shielded Zhang Taiyan, but the old man was still knocked unconscious by the massive blast.

"Teacher, Teacher." He Anchang pinched Zhang Taiyan's philtrum, but there was no reaction. He was greatly alarmed and was about to raise his voice. A hand reached over, picked up Zhang Taiyan, seized his wrist, and dragged him backward.

"He won't die!" Xie Jingsheng dragged the man away. The surroundings were a chaotic mess. He stood up and looked around, then was forced to crouch down, clutching his head from another explosion. Seeing He Anchang protecting Zhang Taiyan, he pushed him down, only able to shout to He Anchang, "You stay down!" 'In this chaos, if someone got trampled to death, it would be a huge mess, even the Court of Judicial Review wouldn't be able to handle it!'

Xin Yi was held tightly, his ears covered, yet he was still dazed and dizzy from the shock. Bai Jiu's narrow eyes were dark and grim. He quickly swept his gaze across the chaotic hall, his eyes landing on the Crown Prince, who was protecting the Emperor!

Then two more explosions occurred, one of the hall's pillars collapsed, and another round of screams erupted as it crashed down. Xin Yi tightly covered Bai Jiu's ears with his reversed hand, trembling slightly in tension amidst the clatter of shattered cups. Bai Jiu held him close, firmly patting his back a few times to comfort him.

When the explosions stopped, everyone's ears were still ringing, and for a moment, they didn't know if there would be another sudden blast. Bai Jiu raised his voice, "Xiao Jin, immediately summon the Capital Guards to enter the courtyard and protect His Majesty!"

Xiao Jin scrambled to his feet to run, but Bai Jiu grabbed him again and gently pushed Xin Yi towards him. "Get the Young Master out!"

Xin Yi suddenly looked back, but Bai Jiu's face was grim and terrifying. He whispered, "Go home and wait for me."

Xin Yi's chest heaved, his teeth aching from clenching. But what could he do if he stayed? Today's incident would surely have widespread implications. Perhaps tomorrow, the Emperor's wrath would lead to rivers of blood. He currently had no power or position, bore the burden of Beiyang's 300,000, and had long resided in Bai Manor, making him a living target.

He understood everything clearly, yet at this moment, he felt an unusual reluctance, the same reluctance as when he was sent alone to Shanyin all those years ago. Unwilling to have lived until now, only to still be utterly powerless! Unwilling to leave Bai Jiu alone amidst the flashing blades and clashing swords!

He opened his mouth, squeezed Bai Jiu's hand, and murmured hoarsely, "I'll wait for you."

Xiao Jin took the people and headed out. Half of the hall door had been smashed, so they could only squeeze through the remaining gap. He dragged Xin Yi and ran. The cold night was chilling, and as he ran, he realized that Xin Yi behind him was utterly silent. But Xiao Jin had no time to think carefully, because he found that despite such a huge commotion, no one from the Capital Guards Bureau had arrived. It wasn't until they reached another layer that he saw the Capital Guards being blocked outside by another group of people. Xiao Jin stepped forward, pulled out his waist token, and shouted, "Where are the Capital Guards Bureau! Follow me quickly to protect His Majesty!"

"My lord!" The stopped vice-envoy pushed aside the person in front of him. "This man is blocking the way!"

The man blocking the way turned around. He was also dressed in Capital Guards Bureau attire, but his face was one Xiao Jin had never seen before. Seeing that Xiao Jin didn't salute, he merely said, "Forgive this humble officer's rudeness, but without the Crown Prince's imperial decree, no one may enter!"

Xiao Jin narrowed his eyes. "I am the Commander of the Capital Guards, and I've never heard of taking orders from the Crown Prince's imperial decree!"

The man raised his head. "This humble officer is indeed a subordinate of the Crown Prince. Tonight's annual gathering is an extraordinary time; without the Crown Prince's order, no one may enter!"

Xiao Jin's temper flared. However, before he could act, Xin Yi suddenly brushed past him. The man only saw an unimportant young master step forward, and in the blink of an eye, a fist smashed into his nose! Immediately afterward, a sharp pain shot through his abdomen. The saber at his waist was drawn out. He tried to retaliate, but unexpectedly, Xin Yi grabbed his belt, flipped him to the ground, and threw him into the snow! The long saber clanged as it was plunged into the snow right next to his neck, and a line of blood instantly appeared.

Xiao Jin immediately said coldly, "The heir has come by order, who still dares to block him?!"

The crowd recoiled in alarm. Xiao Jin immediately led his men back. Before leaving, he didn't forget to tell Xin Yi, "Next time, just slit his throat! Lackey, bah!" Xin Yi pushed him, telling him to hurry up and leave. Only then did Xiao Jin whisper, "The carriage is outside, I'll have someone escort you all the way. This matter is no small thing. By leaving, you'll avoid trouble. Although the Prince of Pingding didn't explain, it's mostly for your good. Xin Yi, the time isn't right yet, you must endure even if you don't want to!"

Xin Yi glanced at him, his expression clearly saying 'I understand'. Xiao Jin rubbed his hands, which were numb and bluish from the cold, and smiled at him. Xin Yi also smiled, then punched him on the shoulder again. Seeing that no one was paying attention to them, he said, "I'll go back on my own, the lord is still waiting, hurry up and go."

Xiao Jin rubbed his shoulder and pointed at him, "Today's not the time, but next time you get handsy, I'll beat you up!" With that, he stomped his foot and led his men back.

Xin Yi stood in place, watching him disappear from sight. He looked up at the vast, pale sky, the smell of gunpowder still lingering in his nostrils. His smile gradually faded, and he stood for a long time.

"Scoundrel! Scoundrel!" The Emperor had already been helped into the Hall of Heavenly Purity, pointing at the recently awakened Prince of Qin in a furious rage. "Are you trying to kill Us?!"

The Prince of Qin knelt on the ground, exceptionally numb. The wound on his head was still unwrapped, blood staining half his face. He repeatedly said, "This son does not know."

"What don't you know?!" The Emperor slammed the table, his face abnormally flushed, almost crying tears of blood and resentment. "You are Our own son, Our own son raised by Our side!"

The Prince of Qin remained indifferent. He closed his eyes, kowtowed to the ground, and said nothing. The Crown Prince on one side crawled forward on his knees, embraced the Emperor, and cried, "Imperial Father, Imperial Father watched Fourth Brother grow up. He has never had such audacity, so how could he do such a treasonous thing?"

The Emperor lifted his foot and kicked him away. The Crown Prince braced himself on the ground, the wounds on his shoulders and back glaring red. The Emperor's curses caught in his throat, then he said, "What are you doing! Kang Fu, help the Crown Prince up!" Kang Fu hurriedly went to support the Crown Prince, but the Crown Prince would not get up, pleading, "Imperial Father! This matter was absolutely not Fourth Brother's doing!"

From then on, the Prince of Qin remained prostrate and unmoving. The Emperor stepped forward and stomped on him, saying, "You did this scoundrelly thing, yet you make your elder brother beg for you! You wretched thing! Tell Us, why? Why?!"

The Prince of Qin was stomped to the ground, his body gaunt and withered, and he suddenly began to cough. He covered his cough, his eyes shifting from his father to his brother, coughing continuously, coughing up blood he couldn't hide. But he bit his tongue, refusing to utter a sound, determined to seek death.

"Imperial Father!" The Crown Prince continued to plead, "Our brothers are scattered, now only Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother remain. I beg your mercy. He has been stubborn since childhood, never speaking of his grievances, but who else has shown more filial piety to you than he? If Fourth Brother harbored malicious intentions while in the capital, when could he not have acted? Why would he choose a time that would be so easily seen through?!" The Crown Prince wailed, "This son will investigate, this son will go investigate!"

The Emperor flicked his sleeve coldly. "His presence in the capital is merely to be your eyes, isn't it?!"

The Crown Prince's face showed shock. He kowtowed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. "Imperial Father!"

"Your Majesty." Zhang Taiyan's face was pale. The old man still had lingering fear from the explosion, but at this moment, he had to speak up. "This case is extraordinary. If the Prince of Qin were the mastermind, why would he put himself in danger? I fear someone else is pulling the strings."

The Emperor's eyes blazed with shock and suspicion. He suddenly stared at Zhang Taiyan, retreating a few steps, and suspiciously said, "Are you saying We have wronged him?" Zhang Taiyan saw his expression was amiss, and knew in his heart that things were bad. Sure enough, the Emperor furiously declared, "You also wish Us dead!"

He absolutely could not accept that statement! Zhang Taiyan immediately knelt, kowtowing with a pale voice, "Your Majesty, please quell your anger!"

Bai Jiu's narrow eyes were lowered at the side. He heard the Emperor say, "Xiao Jin! Call Xiao Jin!"

He raised his head, knowing that this time, even Zhang Taiyan would likely be implicated.

Xiao Jin practically tumbled in, covered in dust and grime from his haste. But the Emperor didn't mind in the slightest, asking him, "Who did you say stopped you just now?"

Xiao Jin froze. At this moment, he dared not let his gaze wander. The Emperor currently appeared to have lost all reason, acting purely on suspicion. If he even flickered his eyes, he would likely be branded with the charge of collusion. The hot sweat on his back turned cold. Xiao Jin, not knowing the depths of the situation, could only truthfully say, "People from the Capital Guards Bureau, subordinate to the Crown Prince."

The Emperor's gaze instantly returned to the Crown Prince. He sneered, "You? You dare too!"

The Crown Prince kowtowed. "For the first three years, the Capital Guards Bureau was under divided command. A portion of them truly are under this son's control, but this son only ordered strict defense due to tonight's danger! Imperial Father, please be discerning!"

"You just returned to the capital and are already so impatient?!" The Emperor's chest heaved violently. Leaning on Kang Fu, he glared fiercely at everyone, saying with a touch of madness, "You all want Us dead! You! Rebellious subjects and traitors!"

Everyone knelt. The Emperor, trembling, said, "Take them away! Take them all away! You! You! Execute them all!" He pointed at the Prince of Qin and Zhang Taiyan.

He Anchang rose from behind, shocked, "Your Majesty, please reconsider!" The entire Left Faction prostrated themselves, shouting in unison, "Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

'How could killing Zhang Taiyan be permissible? This man was an elder of three dynasties, a top figure of a prominent family, with disciples all over the land, and a splendid reputation. If there was no conclusive evidence, killing Zhang Taiyan would make the Emperor a truly corrupt ruler!'

The Emperor could no longer hear. He trembled like an ordinary old man, muttering "execute them" and constantly retreating.

"Imperial Father." the Prince of Qin raised his head, his face numb and dejected. He said hoarsely, "You kill your sons as if discarding pieces, you kill your grandchildren like a cold-blooded monster. Do you never dream of Eldest Brother, Sixth Brother, and Seventh Brother?"

The Emperor was shaken. In a panic, he snatched a cup from the table and violently threw it, both shocked and furious. "Presumptuous! You, born of a lowly servant!" He then shouted, "Xiao Jin, Xiao Jin! Kill him! Drag him out! Kill him!" Seeing Xiao Jin unmoving, he slammed the table hysterically, "Didn't you hear me?! Execute this scoundrel!"

Bai Jiu suddenly stood up, stepped forward, and supported the Emperor. The Emperor was still trembling. Bai Jiu gripped his wrist, his narrow eyes cold and composed, yet his voice was gentle, saying, "Your Majesty, all involved in this case cannot escape, there is no rush at this moment. Eunuch, accompany me to see His Majesty to bed."

Strangely, when Bai Jiu held him like that, the Emperor seemed to regain some clarity. With trembling hands, he clutched Bai Jiu's sleeve, quavering, "And you, thankfully there is still you."

Bai Jiu slowly extended a smile. "Your Majesty, your health is paramount, for it is the foundation of the nation."

The Emperor followed him step by step further inside, repeating, "We are the foundation of the nation, We are the foundation of the nation..."

Kang Fu carefully helped the Emperor onto the bed and meticulously covered him with a blanket. He then saw the Emperor gripping the Prince of Pingding's sleeve as if grasping a lifesaver, pleading with an old and weathered look, "You must watch over them."

Bai Jiu leaned down, took his hand away, his narrow eyes filled with coldness. "This subject obeys your command."

The Emperor mumbled incoherently, "Don't let them come, don't let them get close to Us..."

"Eunuch."

Kang Fu bowed respectfully to the Prince of Pingding. "Your Highness's command."

"Summon Director Hong of the Imperial Academy of Medicine." Bai Jiu unhurriedly wiped the sleeve that had just been grabbed with his handkerchief, saying with a gentle smile, "Have him prescribe another good dose of medicine for His Majesty."

Kang Fu dared not look up, answering, "Yes."

When Bai Jiu came out, the Prince of Qin and Zhang Taiyan had already been taken away. He Anchang was still kneeling in his original spot, and the Crown Prince was also kneeling, raising his head to stare at Bai Jiu.

"The Prince of Pingding is truly excellent." The Crown Prince slowly rose. "This round was played exceptionally well."

Bai Jiu lowered his eyes and smiled, danger lurking omnipresently in his striking features. He softly said, "The Crown Prince has just returned, there's no need to rush."