Chapter 17
Before sending Qi Junyou out of the palace, the Emperor summoned Yang Jinglei and Qi Junzhuo.
To Yang Jinglei, the Emperor's instruction was to follow Prince Jin's (Qi Junzhuo) orders and guard Prince Ping's safety with utmost care.
To Qi Junzhuo, the Emperor's admonition was that since they were heading to Qingzhou, a place unfamiliar to them, he was granting him an imperial sword—should anyone with ill intentions do something that harms others and themselves, Qi Junzhuo had the right to execute them on the spot.
At the same time, the Emperor remarked that Prince Ping had always excelled at his studies since childhood, with no one ever teaching him martial arts—clearly a scholar who couldn't even truss a chicken. Qi Junzhuo, on the other hand, had loved playing with swords and spears since youth and was reasonably skilled in combat, so he must protect his elder brother Prince Ping at all times along the journey.
The Emperor said all of this right in front of Qi Junyou, whose handsome and spirited face flushed bright red. The Emperor was practically telling Qi Junzhuo outright that this trip to Qingzhou was meant to place Qi Junyou under house arrest.
Qi Junyou might have dared to ask that question outright, but the Emperor was not like the late Emperor Jing, who would punish anyone for a single word that displeased him. In Qi Junyou's eyes, his third brother had always been rigid and stubborn by nature, cautious in all matters, and insistent on evidence for everything, big or small.
Who would have thought that becoming emperor could change his character like this—utterly shameless.
Qi Junyou was certain that if he asked, Qi Junmu would nonchalantly nod in acknowledgment, then turn around and bring up the Zhou family of Qingzhou to jab at both him and his mother.
Since it would only bring humiliation upon himself, he naturally refrained.
After giving his instructions, Qi Junmu looked at Qi Junzhuo, with so much he wanted to say, yet in the end it all condensed into one sentence: "Travel safely along the way, and never wrong yourself in anything. If anyone in Qingzhou makes you uncomfortable, I will make their nine clans wish they had never been born."
This was a threat—a naked threat—and Qi Junyou knew it was clearly meant for his ears.
Lin Xiao, who had been fidgeting uneasily for quite some time, finally could not hold back at this point: "Your Majesty, Prince Jin and Prince Ping are only going to Qingzhou to survey the disaster situation—there won't be any real danger. Your Majesty need not worry too much."
How could an emperor speak like this? It was no different from doting on a femme fatale who brought ruin to a kingdom, or lighting beacon fires to toy with the feudal lords just for a lady's smile. The problem was, Prince Jin was hardly a femme fatale. If word of this got out, what would become of the Emperor's reputation for wisdom?
Even the history books would record this, and future generations would surely have their own judgments. In that moment, Lin Xiao felt that all his worrying for the Emperor had aged him prematurely.
Qi Junzhuo's slightly unusual eyes held a faint smile as he quickly said, "Your Majesty, my second brother knows Qingzhou well—he will certainly look after me."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Qi Junyou added through gritted teeth.
Qi Junmu nodded. "I trust my second brother."
After the three had left, Lin Xiao held back and held back, but finally couldn't help saying, "Your Majesty, is Your Majesty not placing too much trust and favor in Prince Jin?"
A trace of warmth entered Qi Junmu's eyes. He said, "Back when I was suddenly framed—accused of imitating the late Emperor's handwriting, with imperial robes found in my place—I was charged with harboring ambitions for the throne. You know the late Emperor's temper—he couldn't stand even a hint of suspicion. Even though everyone knew I had been set up, the Empress Dowager and I had no way to prove my innocence at the time. It was Ah Zhuo who stepped forward and confessed to everything, claiming that he was the one who had overreached and schemed to seize the throne. Everyone knew he was innocent, but for my sake, he was thrown into the imperial prison and tortured day and night. And because he was close to me, naturally there were plenty of people who took the chance to make things even worse for him."
"I investigated day and night, and eventually uncovered that the perpetrators were supporters of the late Emperor's deceased brothers, who had schemed to make father and son tear each other apart. This also proved Ah Zhuo's innocence. But he had already endured two months of torture in the dungeon. When I went to bring him back to the palace, there wasn't a single unblemished spot on his body."
"Do you know, Uncle, at that moment I swore to myself that if I ever ascended the throne, I would make him the envy of all. So what harm is there in a little favor now?"
"Your Majesty's devotion to those who stood by him is a blessing. The Empress Dowager and the Lin family also remember that debt of gratitude," Lin Xiao said, then gave a wry smile. "But though this may be unpleasant to hear, I must still say it—Prince Jin carries the blood of the Eastern Yi Yunhai Kingdom in his veins. Back when Yunhai was about to be destroyed, they sent envoys to beg for aid, but the late Emperor refused to send troops. It so happened that Consort Rong was giving birth in the palace that very day. When she heard the news, she flew into a rage and died in childbirth, cursing the late Emperor for his heartlessness to her very last breath. Consort Rong was, after all, Prince Jin's birth mother. Now that he holds the title of prince, too much power and favor may not be a blessing—sometimes one must still be on guard."
Perhaps this was the tragedy of being emperor—no matter how much he trusted someone, he still had to guard against them.
Qi Junmu did not respond to Lin Xiao's words directly. Instead, he asked, "From your perspective, Uncle, was the late Emperor's decision not to send troops the right one?"
Lin Xiao was silent for a moment, then said, "Our Da Qi's navy has always been weak—holding our eastern border securely is already a stroke of fortune. In practical terms, sending troops to Yunhai back then would have been futile and would have sent our soldiers to their deaths. But emotionally speaking, the late Emperor couldn't even be bothered to make up a lie to put Consort Rong's mind at ease—that truly was too..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but Qi Junmu knew what he meant—heartless.
This was exactly what Emperor Jing was criticized for—everyone said that even if he had only pretended, Consort Rong would not have died in childbirth. Qi Junzhuo, born into this world and never valued by Emperor Jing, was often bullied.
Had he not met Qi Junmu, it was entirely possible he would have died unnoticed in the palace. Consort Rong was, after all, his birth mother—did he harbor resentment toward Da Qi and Emperor Jing? And could that resentment shift? No one could say for certain.
"I am in no position to judge the late Emperor's actions," Qi Junmu said calmly. "But I once heard the Empress Dowager say that the late Emperor had issued an order forbidding anyone in the palace from mentioning the matter of Yunhai. So how did Consort Rong come to learn of it on the very night she gave birth?"
Lin Xiao was slightly taken aback. Who could say for certain about matters within the palace? Even a man of iron will like Emperor Jing couldn't guarantee harmony in the rear palace—let alone others.
Qi Junmu continued, "As for my fourth brother, I have a clear conscience. If one day he truly resents me because of Consort Rong's story, then it simply means we were never fated to be brothers. But until that day comes, since I have trusted him, I will not doubt him and break his heart."
His final words rang out with resolute force, and even Lin Xiao was momentarily stunned.
After a brief daze, Lin Xiao smiled. "Your Majesty's trust will surely be felt by Prince Jin, and I believe he will not betray it."
After saying this, he hesitated for a moment, then changed the subject: "Why did Your Majesty want Prince Ping to go to Qingzhou today? And with such... startling reasoning?" He said "startling," but that was a euphemism—he simply could not believe that the shameless words just spoken had come from Qi Junmu.
Qi Junmu was the Emperor, the sovereign of all under heaven—using someone's mother as leverage was the conduct of a petty villain.
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