After the ghost-hunting master descended the mountain, his fame spread throughout the capital.

Xie Dai raised his head and met the late emperor's gaze with composure. Although he did not speak, his silent eyes had already given the answer.

The late emperor gazed at the distant sky outside the window, his eyes becoming weary, as if a great deal of his energy had been drained away in an instant, aging him by ten years.

"Minister Xie, there are some things that I cannot do, not because I do not want to, but because I cannot, at least not now."

He paused, each word seemingly carrying a heavy burden, "I am the emperor, the ruler of the Chu dynasty. I... must first ensure the stability of this empire, the peace of the nation, and that hundreds of millions of people are free from the suffering of war."

The late emperor's gaze fell back on Xie Dai. "In the royal family today, he is the only prince who is capable, qualified, and of age enough to shoulder great responsibilities."

"The other princes are either too young and ignorant, mediocre and unfit for the task, or... they have already become his pawns, unable to achieve anything, or even able to protect themselves."

"If I were to take action against him now, what reason would I have? And who would replace him?" The late emperor's voice was even lower, yet every word struck a chord in people's hearts, "Only based on palace secrets?"

"Once this matter is made public, the royal family will lose all face, and where will my authority be? How will the forces in the court that are dependent on him react? How will the local warlords and the neighboring enemy states that are eyeing us with covetousness seize this opportunity to launch an attack?"

The late emperor sighed deeply, a sigh filled with helplessness and sorrow at being unable to control his own destiny:

"With the foundation of the nation shaken, the court will inevitably descend into turmoil, even disintegration. Surrounded by foreign enemies and beset by internal and external troubles, how many days of peace can this Great Chu empire enjoy?"

"I... cannot afford to gamble, nor can I risk the legacy of my ancestors and the well-being of the people for a moment's pleasure."

His eyes revealed deep weariness and helplessness. "Therefore, as long as the Crown Prince can still maintain the last shred of integrity in matters of state and still possess the love for the people that a ruler should have, even if only a little; as long as he... has not truly shaken the foundation of the country and committed any calamity that would enrage the heavens and the people, and would be so outrageous that it could not be concealed..."

The late emperor's voice was barely audible, "I can only turn a blind eye. This is the helplessness of a ruler, and also... the sorrow of a father."

He spoke the last few words with great difficulty.

As an emperor, he had to prioritize the stability of the country over personal feelings and even ethical norms.

Xie Dai listened quietly, his heart feeling as if it were being immersed in ice water or being roasted on a fire.

He got it.

In the late emperor's heart, the stability of the country and the nation was far more important than the innocence and happiness of a daughter, and even more important than basic ethical principles.

He asked no further questions, but simply stood up and bowed deeply: "Your subject understands."

The scenes of memory flowed through my mind once again.

To conceal Chu Mingzhu's increasingly obvious pregnancy and avoid any unforeseen complications, the wedding date was set for a month later.

This was the most rushed timeframe allowed within the bounds of royal protocol.

The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and the Ministry of Rites were busy day and night preparing for the grand wedding.

During this month of intensive preparations, Xie Dai felt as if he were walking on a knife's edge, suffering countless assassination attempts from the shadows.

A cold arrow pierced the air, grazing his temple and embedding itself in the carriage.

Spending the night at the inn, poisonous smoke silently seeped in through the cracks in the doors and windows.

Even walking through the most bustling streets of Changling, seemingly unexpected frightened horses would charge straight at him...

His opponent clearly hated him to the core and wielded considerable power, enabling him to act so recklessly within Changling City.

Xie Dai knew perfectly well who the mastermind behind this was.

He never made a fuss, but quietly strengthened the defenses, deployed more guards around the area where Chu Mingzhu might appear, and swiftly eliminated several deeply hidden spies.

The memories, tinged with a suffocating stickiness, shift to a room with ambiguous decor.

Xie Dai awoke from a severe headache. His mind was not yet fully clear, but his body's instincts had already detected the abnormality.

A warm touch that didn't belong to me came from beside me, along with extremely faint breathing sounds.

He suddenly opened his eyes, and his gaze instantly returned to clarity.

Xie Dai turned his head to the side, his gaze sweeping coldly across his surroundings.

A young, unfamiliar woman lay beside him.

Her hair was disheveled, with a few strands of black hair clinging to her sweaty forehead. She wore only a rumpled undergarment, the collar slightly open, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin.

She was looking at him with her eyes brimming with tears, her gaze filled with unease, a desperate resolve, and even a hint of barely perceptible guilt.

The only thing missing was the shame, indignation, fear, and helplessness that an ordinary woman would feel when faced with such an accident.

Upon seeing Xie Dai awaken, the woman spoke first, her voice trembling slightly yet exceptionally clear:

"The general is awake? I am Bisheng, a courtesan from Yicui Pavilion."

She paused, looked directly into Xie Dai's suddenly sharp eyes, and continued:

"What happened last night was orchestrated by my friend and me. The wine the general drank was laced with a mild but potent sleeping potion."

"I am unwilling to entrust my virginity to those fat, pleasure-seeking patrons. Moreover, I have just heard that the General and Her Highness the Princess's wedding is approaching, and... His Highness the Crown Prince seems to be quite interested in the General."

Her eyes flickered slightly when she mentioned His Highness the Crown Prince.

"The common woman then wished to use the general's name to escape from this place."

She was surprisingly candid.

There was no crying or claiming coercion, no emphasis on innocence; he directly revealed the conspiracy, along with his motives and possible escape routes.

Xie Dai struggled to sit up, his brow furrowed as he felt dizzy from the hangover and the drug.

He glanced around the room and saw his outer robe lying haphazardly on the floor.

Xie Dai turned his gaze back to the woman who called herself Bi Sheng, his eyes cold and devoid of warmth, as if he were looking at an inanimate object.

"You dare to say that." His voice was hoarse, with a low, unpleasant quality from just waking up, yet it sounded even more piercing.

Under his gaze, Bi Sheng involuntarily shrank back, lowered her head, and spoke in an even softer voice:

"I know I deserve to die, and I dare not deceive the General. I know that the General is a great hero who would not kill the innocent. My actions are truly despicable. I only beg the General... to consider that I have no other choice but to give me a way to live."

Xie Dai closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and suppressed the surging anger and intense nausea in his chest.

He could almost immediately conclude that the Crown Prince was behind this, and that the woman was indeed being coerced by the Crown Prince and was actually playing along with his scheme.

Xie Dai quickly gathered his thoughts and said coldly, "I will give you enough money to live comfortably for the rest of your life, and send someone to escort you away from Changling to a place where no one knows you and start over. But..."

His tone was resolute and uncompromising: "I will never take you as a concubine, nor will I even acknowledge any relationship with you. In my heart, from beginning to end, there has only been room for one person."