Song He stood there without moving, a far cry from his usual demeanor of sycophantic smiles and humble deference. This time, he seemed impatient.
"Master, His Majesty has already stripped you of your official position. If not for the Ninth Prince’s kind heart, you wouldn’t even have been sent back safely. He even dispatched an imperial physician to treat you. You should focus on enjoying your remaining years instead of meddling in these trivial matters."
Cao Qing’s anger flared. "How can you call this trivial? The Emperor is unworthy of the throne! He defies the late emperor’s will by recognizing a bastard child of impure blood as his son! This is intolerable!"
Song He frowned deeply.
In less than half a day, the rumors about Chu Yan’s parentage had spread far and wide.
He grimaced. "Master, please mind your words! Even if the Third Prince’s mother was a captive from Qi Nation, he is still the Emperor’s biological son! You should stop being so stubborn. The Emperor has lost two sons. Now that a legitimate heir of his own bloodline has been found, it doesn’t matter who the Third Prince’s mother was. His Majesty has every reason to reclaim him!"
After all, Mu Nation’s vast lands could not be handed over to a prince from another branch of the royal family.
Besides, with the Chu family and the Ninth Prince supporting Chu Yan, who would dare oppose this decision?
Cao Qing might have a death wish, but Song He certainly did not.
Cao Qing’s breath hitched, his body trembling slightly. "Ye Siheng... Ye Siheng, you truly are devious! Absolutely devious!"
Ye Siheng had claimed that Chu Yan’s mother was a Qi Nation captive, not only to make the court believe Emperor Muwu had been forced into the decision but also to paint Cao Qing’s objections as petty prejudice against Chu Yan’s origins.
"No!" Cao Qing panted heavily. "He’s not the Emperor’s son at all! Chu Yan is Royal Princess Huiyang’s child! That’s why the Bloody Enchanting Bug responded to his blood!"
Song He looked incredulous. "Royal Princess Huiyang? She was confined by the late emperor until her death. She wasn’t even fifteen when she died! How could she possibly have had a son?"
"Master, on one hand, you claim Chu Yan is the child of Royal Princess Huiyang, and on the other, you say he is the Prince of Jingyang from Qi Nation. Which of your statements is true?"
Cao Qing shook his sleeve angrily. "Didn’t you say Chu Yan is Qi Hong’s younger brother? While I don’t fully understand the situation, Chu Yan clearly carries both Qi Nation royal blood and the Ye family’s bloodline!"
Song He felt dizzy trying to follow his master’s logic.
After pondering for a long time, he finally sorted out his thoughts. With a raised eyebrow, he said, "Regardless, the Third Prince does carry the Ye family’s royal bloodline. Master, if that’s the case, why do you insist on clinging to this? You may not care since you have no family, but I have people to care for. I can’t afford to get dragged down with you."
The realization that Chu Yan had such a complicated background left Song He drenched in cold sweat. He began scheming on how to protect himself.
It was all his master’s fault. How could he have dared to cause an uproar in the palace without fully investigating the truth? He prayed he wouldn’t be implicated.
"You..." Cao Qing clutched his chest, his face pale.
"Master, I’ll be taking the servants with me. As for these books, consider them payment for hiring those servants." Song He gave a half-hearted bow, then snorted and left with the servants in tow.
The mansion fell silent once again.
Cao Qing clutched his aching chest, sitting on the floor for a long while before regaining his composure.
No, he couldn’t give up now.
Mu Nation’s throne must not fall into the hands of an outsider!
He couldn’t allow Emperor Muwu and his brothers to do as they pleased.
That’s it—he had to seek out Prince Zhuang.
Cao Qing set off, walking for most of the day before finally reaching Prince Zhuang’s mansion as night fell.
The guards recognized him but did not invite him in. Instead, they said, "Mr. Cao, please go back. Our lord is busy."
"How can he refuse to see me when the nation is on the brink of disaster?" Cao Qing shouted furiously.
One guard rolled his eyes dramatically. "Mr. Cao, our prince has always kept a low profile and rarely involves himself in court matters."
"He’s the late emperor’s son! He has a responsibility—"
"Ha! If things have reached this state, it’s largely thanks to you, Mr. Cao." The guard sneered. "While His Majesty is likely pondering how to formally recognize the Third Prince, you’ve actually made things easier for him! Mr. Cao, you’re an old man now. Perhaps it’s time you rested!"
With that, the guard shoved Cao Qing backward and slammed the gate shut.
From inside, voices drifted out:
"Who does he think he is? His faction was the first to mock our prince, calling him a cuckold."
"Didn’t he side with His Majesty against our prince when the late emperor was alive? And now he’s here begging for help?"
"He talks about serving the nation, but isn’t it all just about power? Without power, who would respect him? This old fool has offended both the royal family and the Chu family. It’s a miracle the emperor spared his life, yet he still stirs up trouble. He’d better not drag our prince into this mess."
The chilly night wind howled.
Cao Qing felt frozen to his core, not just physically but emotionally as well.
He refused to give up. Struggling to his feet, he muttered, "My disciples wouldn’t abandon me..."
He limped toward the homes of his former students.
At the first residence, the servant offered him a few coins and then shut the door in his face.
At the second, the door was opened, but upon recognizing him, it was promptly slammed shut.
At the third, there wasn’t even a response.
Cao Qing was in disbelief.
In the court, under the watchful eyes of Emperor Muwu and Ye Siheng, he could understand why his disciples distanced themselves from him. But why now?
His expression darkened as he walked aimlessly. Halfway down the road, he coughed up black blood and collapsed.
Passersby occasionally glanced his way, but no one stopped to help.
And so, Cao Qing died alone on the street that night.
His soul, heavy with resentment, emerged, becoming an exceptionally powerful ghost.
Before the ghost envoy arrived to escort him, Cao Qing’s spirit had already vanished without a trace.
When the ghost envoy finally arrived and found no sign of Cao Qing, he opened his ledger and muttered, "Cao Qing... Hmm, accumulated a fair amount of merit. Though he wronged his wife and children, he inadvertently restored the rightful emperor. Well, with this merit, his next life should be as a well-off young master, free from worry."
Feeling slightly guilty, the ghost envoy searched the area but found no trace of Cao Qing’s soul. Pressed for time with other spirits to escort, the envoy departed the capital.
At the Duke of Anguo’s Residence, the atmosphere in the main hall was somber.
The Grand Lady and Madam Shen had reddened eyes, quietly shedding tears.
Chu Ye, Chu Shuo, and Chu Huan were visibly distressed, their expressions betraying deep sorrow.
They had learned the truth and felt even more protective of Chu Yan.
But soon, Chu Yan would be officially recognized as the Third Prince. He could no longer stay with the Chu family, and they would no longer be his brothers.
Just then, a guest arrived—Chu Hanming, accompanied by Lady Tian.
The moment Chu Hanming saw Chu Yan, he ignored the formalities and rushed forward.
"Nephew! Second Uncle always knew you were destined for greatness!"