No title, no marriage? Do you think I'm some kind of lapdog?

The bluestone path was very slippery after the rain, and Su Chuang swayed, but Zhao Yun caught him.

"My lord, please be careful..."

Zhao Yun said in a low voice.

Taking advantage of the moment he stumbled, Su Chuang secretly asked: Is the tail clean?

Zhao Yun nodded almost imperceptibly.

The tension that had been building up inside Su Chuang eased a little.

He seized Zhao Yun's arm, his face contorted with the usual, somewhat cowardly, street-smart fear:

"Zilong... Father Emperor summoned me suddenly, is he going to fine me again?"

The sound wasn't loud, just enough for Grandpa Gui, who was leading the way, to hear.

Eunuch Gui glanced back at him, but didn't reply; instead, he quickened his pace.

The door to the Imperial Study was open.

Before he even reached the door, Su Chuang felt an oppressive aura rushing towards him.

It was eerily quiet inside; you could barely hear a few breaths.

He stepped across the threshold, his knees buckled instinctively, and he knelt down with a thud.

"Your subject, Su Chuang, pays respects to Your Majesty!"

The sound was particularly loud in the empty hall.

No one woke him up.

Su Chuang lay on the ground, his eyes fixed on the gaps in the gold bricks in front of him, while his peripheral vision quickly swept around.

On the left, in the civil service line, were several familiar faces.

Kong Xiangtong, that old geezer, is gone, but Li Yannian, the Right Chancellor who succeeded him, is stroking his beard.

The censors behind them already had their impeachment petitions ready in their hands.

Ye Qingyue was also present on the right side, near the military commander.

She was still wearing her silver armor, clearly having just returned from the northern frontier. She was looking at him coldly with a mocking smile on her lips.

Behind her stood several generals of the Divine Might Army, each with their hands on the hilts of their swords.

Directly in front, on the dragon throne.

Emperor Wu was not wearing a dragon robe, but only a black casual dress, and he was holding a secret report in his hand.

His face was as gloomy as the sky after the rain, his knuckles were white from gripping the teacup on the table, which had long since gone cold.

"Su Chuang".

Emperor Wu's voice rang out, not loud, but it sent a shiver down the spines of everyone in the hall.

"Your son, your subject is here..."

Su Chuang raised his head, his face showing a mixture of confusion and fear.

"I'm asking you a question."

"Do you know that Wanyan Zongbi is dead?"

Emperor Wu slammed the secret report onto the table with a "thud".

Su Chuang's eyes widened instantly, and he was stunned for a moment, like an outsider who had just heard the news.

He didn't expect Emperor Wu to find out so quickly.

It happened almost simultaneously.

"Dead...dead?"

"H-How could this be?"

"I just finalized a peace treaty with him three days ago, and he still says he wants to go back to the grasslands for the winter..."

Su Chuang's voice even changed tone.

"Died in Black Wind Gorge."

Emperor Wu stared into his eyes and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"The bodies were discovered by a woodcutter this morning, along with 56 guards; none of them survived."

A collective gasp filled the hall.

Su Chuang also took a breath, and then, as if suddenly realizing something, quickly kowtowed:

"Father, please understand! This matter has nothing to do with me!"

"Your subject has been obediently confined to the residence these past few days, not even stepping outside..."

He would never admit it, even if you beat him to death.

Besides, no matter how much Emperor Wu investigated, he couldn't find his connection to him.

"Yeah?"

Emperor Wu interrupted him, his voice even colder.

"But my secret guards reported that someone saw your guards leaving the city yesterday."

brush!

All eyes immediately fell on Zhao Yun behind Su Chuang.

Zhao Yun clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice steady:

"Your Majesty, from Chenshi (7-9 AM) to Youshi (5-7 PM) yesterday, this humble general accompanied the lord on his roll call at the Patrol Army Commander's Mansion."

"The more than one hundred soldiers in the Commander's Mansion can all testify to this."

Su Chuang, as if grasping at a lifeline, nodded hurriedly:

"Yes, yes, yes!"

"Feng Feng and Liu Guochao can both testify!"

"Your Majesty, I was just reprimanding a lazy soldier yesterday, and I fined him three months' pay..."

He spoke in a trivial manner, like a child who had been wronged and was eager to defend himself.

Emperor Wu didn't reply, he just stared at him.

That gaze seemed to see right through you.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Su Chuang's forehead—this time it wasn't an act.

He could sense that Emperor Wu wasn't bluffing him, but genuinely suspected him.

The guards might have actually seen something, but they just didn't see it clearly, or... they didn't see it all.

Time crawled by little by little.

The hall was so quiet that you could hear the soft crackling of the candlelight.

"but……"

Finally, as if he had suddenly remembered something, Su Chuang muttered something under his breath.

"But what?"

"Emperor Wu asked."

"However, a few days ago, I went to the street and overheard some beggars talking about it."

Su Chuang shrank back and spoke even softer.

"It's said that the people from the Second Prince's residence often...frequently go to the Court of State Ceremonial...to drink with the Xiongnu envoys..."

"presumptuous!"

"Duke Xin! How dare you slander the prince!"

Immediately, someone jumped out from the civil servant queue.

Su Chuang shuddered in fright and quickly waved his hand:

"No, no, no!"

"Your Majesty, I was just speaking off the cuff... Perhaps those beggars were just spouting nonsense... Please forgive me!"

"Father, please forgive me!"

He started kowtowing again.

On the dragon throne, Emperor Wu's eyes flickered slightly.

Just then:

"Summon the Second Prince—to an audience!"

Gui Gonggong's high-pitched voice came from outside the hall.

The sound of footsteps grew louder as they approached.

Lin Xiao—the second prince of the current dynasty, strode into the hall in a princely robe.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty."

His expression was calm, even somewhat composed, as he walked to the emperor and bowed in greeting.

"I'm asking you a question."

Where were you yesterday?

Emperor Wu did not allow him to get up, and the chill in his voice deepened.

"Your Majesty, yesterday I was in the palace discussing with my staff the matter of rerouting the grain transport route in Jiangnan."

Lin Xiao looked up, his face showing just the right amount of confusion.

"Are there any witnesses?"

"The guards and staff in the mansion can all testify."

He spoke calmly and unhurriedly.

suddenly!

Hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall, and a guard from the Imperial Guard rushed in, kneeling on one knee:

"Your Majesty! Urgent report from the Ministry of Justice! This item has been found at the Black Wind Gorge site—"

He presented a curved sword with both hands.

The blade was still covered in mud, but the character "Xiao" on the edge was glaringly clear in the candlelight.

"Whoosh—!"

The entire hall erupted in uproar!

Lin Xiao's face turned pale instantly.

He abruptly turned his head to look at the knife, then abruptly turned back to look at Emperor Wu, his voice losing its composure for the first time:

"Father! This is a frame-up! My sword was stolen three days ago!"

"The steward and head guard of the manor can all testify!"

Su Chuang muttered something under his breath, just loud enough for the Emperor Wu on the dragon throne to hear:

"Three days ago... wasn't that the day I negotiated with the Xiongnu...?"

He spoke softly, as if talking to himself.

But the hall was too quiet.

Everyone heard it.

Lin Xiao suddenly turned his head and glared at Su Chuang, his eyes looking as if he wanted to devour him whole:

"Su Chuang! You—"

That's enough.

Emperor Wu's voice drowned out all the commotion.

He leaned on the dragon table to stand up, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Lin Xiao and Su Chuang.

That gaze was so heavy, it made it hard to breathe.

Su Chuang lowered his head even further, and his shoulders even began to tremble slightly—this time he was genuinely nervous.

Emperor Wu's eyes seemed to be able to see through all pretense.

Time crawled slowly once again.

Every breath feels like a year.

finally--

"Su Chuang".

Emperor Wu spoke.

"Your son, your subject is here..."

"You are not a direct suspect."

"But the Xiongnu envoy died within the borders of the capital, and as the chief negotiator, you cannot escape blame."

Emperor Wu's voice was weary.

Su Chuang's heart tightened.

Should we impose a fine?

A fine? A demotion? Or...?

He immediately kowtowed, his voice trembling with tears.

"Father, please forgive me! Your son knows he was wrong!"

"Your subject is willing to donate thirty percent of the profits from the winery and storybook business to the national treasury to atone for his sins!"

"I beg my father for mercy!"

Upon hearing this, the lips of several ministers in the hall twitched.

What time is it? Still thinking about money?

On the dragon throne, Emperor Wu was also stunned for a moment, and then a vein throbbed on his forehead.

He looked down at the trembling figure lying on the ground, and after a long while, he suddenly sighed.

The sigh was deep, as if it were releasing all the pent-up emotions in his chest.

"That's enough."

"The curfew is lifted."

Emperor Wu waved his hand and sat back down on the dragon throne.

Su Chuang was overjoyed and was about to express his gratitude.

"We will depart for northern Xinjiang within three days."

Emperor Wu's voice was not to be questioned.

"He was appointed as a military advisor at Yumen Pass and served with the army."

Northern Xinjiang?

join the army?

Su Chuang suddenly looked up, his expression incredibly interesting.

Three parts surprise, three parts reluctance, and four parts unconcealable heartache.

"Father, Father Emperor..."

"The northern frontier is so cold... Your son... Your son is afraid of the cold... Could you... give me a few more fur coats?"