Meng Jiuyu silently stared at his son.
The boy had one eyebrow raised, clearly enjoying the show, practically wearing “I’m enjoying your misfortune” on his face.
“……”
Resigned, Meng Jiuyu adjusted his sitting posture and asked, “Speak. What do you want me to do this time?”
Since Meng Xizhao had come with a request, he naturally didn’t bother arguing over a slip of the tongue. He smiled and stepped closer, even dutifully rubbing Meng Jiuyu’s shoulder.
“Father, every time you act like I’m about to harm you. Be honest with yourself—have I ever actually harmed you? Which time wasn’t I doing something for our entire Grand Council government?”
Meng Jiuyu: “…………”
How do you even say something like that with a straight face.
Forget it. He no longer had the desire to argue with Meng Xizhao.
With a numb expression, Meng Jiuyu urged, “Get to the point.”
Seeing his reaction, Meng Xizhao studied his expression for a moment. Feeling that his attitude had softened considerably compared to before, he changed his approach as well.
No more circling around. He spoke directly.
“His Majesty is now harboring resentment toward the Gan family, and toward Grand Tutor Gan in particular—great anger and disgust. Father, think of a way to use this to make His Majesty bring down the Gan family.”
Meng Jiuyu looked at him.
Meng Xizhao blinked back.
After the incident with Qiu Sumin, no matter how turbulent Meng Jiuyu’s inner thoughts were, he could still maintain a calm exterior.
He even asked in an even tone, “How do you know all this?”
Meng Xizhao replied without changing his expression, “The Crown Prince told me.”
Meng Jiuyu: “You and the Crown Prince did this?”
Meng Xizhao quietly observed his father’s expression, then continued to lie without hesitation. “We only added a bit of fuel to the fire.”
Even though Meng Jiuyu was his biological father, he could not directly say that the Emperor’s illness had been caused by him—and that he not only wanted the Emperor ill, but also wanted him to die from it.
No matter how indulgent Meng Jiuyu was toward his children, even willing to clash with the entire court for them, as someone who had studied Confucian teachings for decades, he could never accept his son attempting to harm the Emperor.
Most people did not possess the resolve to rebel or overthrow authority. Even if the Emperor slaughtered their entire family, they would not dare to act against him—or even dare to think about it. That was the deterrence of imperial power.
But a Grand Tutor Gan did not have that kind of divine protection. Against him, killing one or ten made no difference—Meng Jiuyu would not hesitate.
Meng Jiuyu sat in silence, slowly digesting the shock that surged through him like a tidal wave.
Then, surprisingly, he even had the mood to reflect.
As expected, he had thought it before—this boy would not let things rest so easily.
See? It really was happening.
“You are certain His Majesty no longer has any mercy for the Gan family?”
Meng Xizhao nodded firmly. Then, after a pause, he shook his head.
Meng Jiuyu: “……What does that mean?”
Meng Xizhao smiled a little sheepishly. “What I mean is, at present it looks that way. But I can provoke discord with words, and Grand Tutor Gan can naturally do the same. He has, after all, served beside His Majesty for over a decade. If he sheds a few tears and recalls old bonds, there’s a chance His Majesty might grant him mercy—strip him of office, allow him to retire home, and let him enjoy his old age. I cannot accept that outcome. Father, I want their entire family sent to the execution ground.”
Meng Jiuyu: “…………”
He looked at Meng Xizhao with suspicion, yet only saw an expression of complete sincerity. He choked slightly and couldn’t help recalling the miserable state of Li Hua from some time ago.
That was the only real grievance their family had with Grand Tutor Gan. As for earlier conflicts, those had already been settled by Meng Madam herself—who was entirely independent and had personally gone to resolve the matter long ago.
If Meng Jiuyu were asked, he did dislike Grand Tutor Gan, and he didn’t care for his arrogant descendants, but he had never considered exterminating their entire household.
He glanced at Meng Xizhao again and could only conclude that his son was too close to Li Hua, and had likely inherited quite a bit from his mother’s temperament—paying back grievances in full, never suffering losses.
What could he do? His son had already formed such ideas, and clearly had already begun acting on them before coming to him. As his father, he could only follow along.
With that thought, Meng Jiuyu considered it seriously for a moment, then shook his head.
“Grand Tutor Gan is not like Qiu Sumin. He is older than your maternal grandfather and a veteran of many reigns. No matter what, His Majesty must spare his life.”
Otherwise, he would be drowned in condemnation from the scholars of the realm.
Meng Xizhao asked in surprise, “Even if His Majesty hates him to the bone?”
Meng Jiuyu replied, “Even if His Majesty hates him to the bone. You said you were stirring discord between them, so this matter cannot be something that shakes the foundation of the state. If the scholars of the world do not accept it, then His Majesty cannot act so rashly, lest he chill the hearts of the people.”
He did not say the rest aloud.
More importantly, the ministers would also strongly oppose it. Because this was not merely about Grand Tutor Gan’s life—it was about precedent.
Once such a precedent was set, how could other officials guarantee they would never err? And if they did err, would they also end up like Grand Tutor Gan?
If even a Grand Tutor could not save his own life, what would the rest of them do?
So for that reason alone, they would insist the Emperor withdraw his decree.
Meng Xizhao’s expression clearly said: this is exhausting to listen to.
In his modern life, he had at least been a university student, able to call himself a literary youth. Yet in this era, every time he thought of these so-called cultured scholars, he only felt… utter disdain.
He paused for a moment, then Meng Xizhao accepted this reasoning.
“Then let him live. But send his entire family to the execution ground, forcing them to watch as the Gan household falls from a family of wealth and splendor—one that once lived amid bells and ritual vessels—into nothing but dust and ruin. That kind of fate, worse than death, would surely torment him far more than simply killing him.”
Meng Jiuyu: “……”
So you’re not even pretending anymore. You’re openly talking about killing and psychological torture right in front of your father.
But… thinking about that scene, Meng Jiuyu actually felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
With a faint smile, he agreed to Meng Xizhao’s request. “So you want His Majesty to strike against the Gan family? If what you say is true, I can properly maneuver this matter. It should be enough to severely damage their vitality. You go back first, and I will think of a flawless plan. By the end of the year—when His Majesty’s condition has improved, and court affairs are at their busiest—I will submit a memorial then, leaving that old Gan with no room to resist.”
He stroked his beard, looking every bit like a seasoned statesman calmly orchestrating matters from within a war tent.
But Meng Xizhao, staring at his father’s fully “cultivated expert” demeanor, did not leave. Instead, he reminded him lightly.
“But Father… by the end of the year, it’ll already be too late.”
Meng Jiuyu’s hand froze.
He widened his eyes. “What, you want me to submit a memorial in the twelfth month?”
Meng Xizhao looked at him sincerely. “I want you to submit it tomorrow.”
Meng Jiuyu: “…………”
Tomorrow?!
He stared at his son in utter disbelief. “Do you even know what you’re saying? Bringing down a Grand Tutor—do you think it’s that simple? He’s not Qiu Sumin. He has countless handles on people like strands of hair! Ordinary charges won’t touch him! If we act so recklessly, the one who ends up in prison might be your father!”
Meng Xizhao sighed. “Father, have you forgotten what I said earlier? His Majesty now deeply despises Grand Tutor Gan. When has His Majesty ever judged someone purely by evidence? Isn’t it all about mood? This is the best possible moment. If we delay and let His Majesty calm down—if he realizes Consort Gan and Grand Tutor Gan are two different people who shouldn’t be lumped together—then this opportunity will be gone.”
He leaned slightly forward.
“You are a favored minister before His Majesty. A heavy, serious matter like this is most suitable for you to raise. But if you refuse, I won’t let this chance slip either. Worst case, I’ll go myself. I’ll take the punishment. I’ll take the beating. I don’t care. He can’t kill me anyway, right?”
Meng Jiuyu: “You little brat, are you threatening me?”
Meng Xizhao smiled, showing a few teeth. “You can guess whether it is or not. You’ll find out in a couple of days.”
Meng Jiuyu: “……”
He was already thinking about teaching his son a lesson with a stick. But before he could even find one, a sentence from Meng Xizhao suddenly resurfaced in his mind.
In an instant, he turned back, eyes flashing sharply.
“You just said—Consort Gan?”
Under Meng Jiuyu’s confused and startled gaze, Meng Xizhao gave a small, amused laugh.
＊
By the time he left Meng Jiuyu’s study, it was already noon.
Meng Xizhao Meng Xizhao returned from the Imperial Censorate. He had come back to have lunch with the county princess when he ran into Meng Xizhao Meng Xizhao, who paused for a moment.
“Second brother, when did you return?”
Meng Xizhao smiled at his elder brother. “Half an hour ago. I went to the palace to see His Majesty, and after coming out, I came home to see Father and Mother.”
Meng Xizhao Meng Xizhao: “……”
He didn’t think his younger brother was being disrespectful, but hearing it from his mouth somehow felt… strange.
Carefully, he asked, “Is Father alright?”
Meng Xizhao replied flatly, “Of course. It’s not like I came back just to anger him.”
Meng Xizhao Meng Xizhao didn’t believe him at all.
Since the Emperor had fallen ill and stopped attending court, the censors had basically lost their main battlefield. He hadn’t seen his younger brother in days.
He pulled Meng Xizhao back to his courtyard and insisted he stay for lunch.
The county princess had passed her early pregnancy discomfort and looked much better now. Seeing him, she even smiled warmly.
But Meng Xizhao felt a little awkward—this was clearly a young couple’s meal, why was he intruding?
Meng Xizhao Meng Xizhao, however, refused to let him leave. The county princess also supported the idea. She had never seen Meng Xizhao’s earlier “idle aristocrat” phase, so from their first meeting she had already concluded that he was the smartest, boldest, and most promising member of the household—someone who never failed and was deeply unfathomable. So whenever she noticed the brothers hadn’t interacted for a while, she would even urge her husband to look after him more.
Sitting at the small dining table, Meng Xizhao ate rather cautiously, only picking at the dishes in front of him.
Both the couple across from him frowned.
Meng Xizhao Meng Xizhao: “Second brother, when did you become so picky?”
The county princess added, “Second brother has been living on his own for a while now. Back in his own home, he’s actually shy? I’ve only heard of married daughters becoming distant after leaving home, not that a young man who moved out would become estranged so quickly.”
Meng Xizhao Meng Xizhao sighed. “As the older brother, I’m truly heartbroken.”
The county princess sighed as well, gently touching her abdomen. “I wonder if, after the child is born, they will still be able to call second brother ‘uncle.’”
Meng Xizhao: “…………”
It used to be one person lecturing him—now it had become a husband-and-wife tag team.
He twitched the corner of his mouth, stretched his arm out to grab a favorite dish, and muttered under his breath, “You two are really annoying.”
The county princess laughed. Meng Xizhao Meng Xizhao, not particularly easygoing by nature, was about to lecture him properly about manners and respect.
Then he was kicked under the table by the county princess.
Meng Xizhao Meng Xizhao: “……”
Fine. He wouldn’t say it.
But business still had to be discussed.
“Today you went to see His Majesty. How did it feel?”
Meng Xizhao replied, “Nothing special. A sick man is still a sick man. The Emperor may be noble, but he cannot escape birth, aging, sickness, and death.”
Meng Xixiang: “…Watch your words!”
What do you mean “die or not die”? That word simply cannot be used in reference to the Emperor!
Meng Xizhao shrugged. “There’s no one else here. Why are you so worked up, big brother?”
Meng Xixiang said, “Even if there’s no outsiders now, I’m worried you’ll get used to saying it. Then one day when there are outsiders, you’ll still say it like that.”
Meng Xizhao chuckled. “Big brother, you really underestimate me. If I didn’t even have that bit of self-control, I wouldn’t still be sitting here today—I would’ve long been dragged out to the marketplace and executed.”
Meng Xixiang: “……”
What he disliked most about his younger brother was precisely this loose tongue—he never seemed afraid of karmic retribution. Anger rising, he instinctively turned to look at the County Princess. But the County Princess was calmly eating her food, completely unconcerned.
…You really don’t care at all?!
The County Princess ignored his accusatory gaze as if she didn’t see it. Not everyone believed in superstition, and she just happened to be one of those who did not believe much in gods or spirits.
She wiped her mouth and said to Meng Xizhao, “The Prince went to visit His Majesty a few days ago. He sent word back saying that His Majesty’s temperament has changed drastically—his anger is overwhelming. The Imperial Physicians, in order to help him rest and stabilize his mind, have prescribed him calming medicine. Second Brother, you should be careful while you are in the palace.”
Meng Xizhao nodded. “Don’t worry, Sister-in-law. I understand. Although His Majesty is often filled with rage these days, he still retains his rationality. When he becomes angry, there is always a reason for it—and I am not among those reasons.”
Meng Xixiang was stunned. “What reason?”
Meng Xizhao glanced at him, then suddenly gave him a gossipy smile.
Meng Xixiang: “……”
This matter would come out sooner or later anyway. Once Emperor Tianshou uprooted the Gan family, everyone would become curious and it would no longer be possible to keep it hidden. Meng Xizhao telling it early didn’t matter much—when others asked, he could always say it came from the Crown Prince.
With his dear Crown Prince as a scapegoat, Meng Xizhao spoke with great enthusiasm, gesturing animatedly as he recounted the story. Even though he had already told Meng Jiuyu once, saying it again still gave him an almost exhilarating satisfaction.
Even though it was false, even though the poems had all been written by him, the Emperor’s pain and shock were real. That alone made it deeply satisfying.
On the other side, both his elder brother and sister-in-law looked as though they had been struck by lightning.
Even the County Princess could not maintain her expression.
She subconsciously said, “Consort Gan… she’s far too bold!”
After speaking, she suddenly remembered Meng Xizhao’s earlier inquiries into the Ping family. Her shocked expression gradually turned subtle.
After a pause, she lowered her head, hiding her expression.
Meanwhile, Meng Xixiang looked like his soul had left his body entirely and didn’t even notice the change in her demeanor.
“To commit such disloyalty to the royal family,” he said blankly, “having the Gan family exterminated three clans would already be merciful.”
Meng Xizhao had thought the same before, but after receiving some enlightenment from Meng Jiuyu, he had already given up on such unrealistic fantasies.
“That’s one way to put it,” he said. “But matters like this cannot be made widely known, and the Gan family has deep roots in the court. To pull them out completely is no easy task. Extermination of three clans is out of the question. However, the Gan family being cast out of imperial favor is certain.”
Meng Xixiang paused for a moment, then nodded after reacting. “Yes… forget it. Being discarded is fine too. Grand Tutor Gan controls the court and has placed all his children in important positions. Their family has so many officials. In that case, they won’t be able to stir up trouble.”
The County Princess raised her head at this and added, “The Sixth Prince will also lose his backing.”
Meng Xizhao immediately looked at her with newfound respect.
As expected of someone from the imperial clan—her vision was sharp. She immediately grasped the impact this would have on the succession.
Meng Xixiang was reminded and said with sudden realization, “Yes! With his mother doing something so shameless, he is surely no longer fit for the throne. The Crown Prince’s position will be even more secure.”
Both the County Princess and Meng Xizhao shook their heads at the same time. “We can’t say that yet.”
Meng Xixiang: “……”
For a moment, he felt a sense of being excluded—his wife and younger brother were both highly intelligent people.
After a pause, he could only humbly ask, “Why not?”
The County Princess and Meng Xizhao exchanged a glance. The County Princess lowered her head to drink tea, leaving Meng Xizhao to explain.
“The Gan family is powerful,” Meng Xizhao said. “Just as you said, big brother, they have too many officials under them. If something like this happens, Grand Tutor Gan will naturally see it as a disaster for his entire family. So tell me—if this happened to the Crown Prince’s side, or to our own family, what would you do to save yourselves?”
Meng Xixiang thought for a moment and replied, “Father and I would stay behind to hold the line. You would take Mother, Sister Jiao, and Ning Niang and leave the capital immediately for the Xiongnu. Didn’t you become close with that Jin-named envoy? Have him take you in. With your abilities, you should be able to establish yourselves there.”
Meng Xizhao: “…………”
This was exactly the same escape plan Meng Jiuyu had once considered—only Meng Xixiang had replaced Bashu with the Xiongnu.
Truly father and son. Even their thinking was identical.
Meng Xizhao turned his head away without a shred of emotion, showing no trace of being moved, and asked the County Princess, “Sister-in-law, what do you think?”
The County Princess raised her eyes, glanced at the two brothers, then put down her chopsticks and said calmly, “Strike first and gain the upper hand. Force a palace coup. Help the Crown Prince ascend the throne.”
Meng Xixiang’s mouth fell open.
After his shock, his mind even blankly considered that this was indeed one way to do it. If successful, everyone would live and it would bring immense merit. If it failed, however, everyone would die without even a burial place.
In truth, both methods worked—one preserved part of the people, the other preserved everyone.
Slowly closing his mouth, seeing how calm the two of them remained, Meng Xixiang also forced himself to calm down.
This was only a hypothetical situation, after all. Nothing had actually happened to them—it had happened to Grand Tutor Gan instead.
After a moment, he began to see some deeper implications.
“His Majesty’s temper is explosive,” he said slowly. “It won’t be long before Grand Tutor Gan notices something is wrong. Then he…”
Meng Xizhao said, “That’s why I came to find Father today. Father can speak in front of His Majesty. We need him to find a way to restrain Grand Tutor Gan and the others.”
But Meng Xixiang did not think this was appropriate. “The Sixth Prince is still in the palace. His Majesty would not deal with him as well. As long as the Sixth Prince is still there, Grand Tutor Gan and the others still have hope. They might even send messages out and try to turn things around.”
Meng Xizhao felt that this possibility was extremely slim. It wasn’t a movie—there was no such thing as a miraculous reversal at the brink of total defeat.
However… reality was often more dramatic than fiction.
For example, that famous “meteor rain battle”—who could have imagined something so absurd would actually happen.
Meng Xizhao frowned. This was indeed an oversight, but time was too tight. He could only focus on Grand Tutor Gan for now. As for the Sixth Prince… just have someone keep an eye on him. Without Grand Tutor Gan’s support and without Emperor Tianshou’s favor, the Sixth Prince’s real power was probably not even worth a single ant.
…No, was he becoming a little overconfident?
Meng Xixiang’s words made Meng Xizhao fall into hesitation. What had seemed like a stable situation now suddenly felt precarious. He could no longer sit still. Since he had almost finished eating anyway, he stood up and took his leave, planning to go home and think it through properly.
The County Princess and Meng Xixiang watched him leave. After he was gone, the young couple looked at each other in silence, neither of their expressions as relaxed as they had been before.
The County Princess said, “If the Gan family falls, the entire court will change.”
Meng Xixiang nodded. “Everyone will start moving in the shadows. And with His Majesty like this right now… he may not be able to suppress them, or perhaps he no longer wants to.”
The County Princess’s concern deepened. She had never witnessed her own tyrant great-grandfather, but her father had—and precisely because he had once seen him kill without hesitation in front of his grandchildren, he had been so frightened that, even as a duke, he remained timid and cautious.
With such a precedent, and with Emperor Tianshou being such an impulsive ruler, she truly feared he might also become bloodthirsty.
If he grew irritated at the chaos beneath him and began killing indiscriminately… then, to put it bluntly, the very foundations of the realm could collapse.
She herself did not particularly care whether she remained a County Princess, but she absolutely did not wish for the world to descend into chaos—especially now that she was pregnant.
Meng Xixiang noticed her expression and immediately understood what she was thinking. Pregnancy made her more sensitive than usual, and in matters like this, more pessimistic. He quickly pulled her to sit down and comforted her.
“It won’t reach that point,” he said. “Don’t forget, there’s still Second Brother and His Highness the Crown Prince. What is a disaster for the Gan family is an opportunity for them. Second Brother won’t just stand by and let others steal his momentum, nor will he allow them to become new obstacles in front of the Crown Prince.”
Indeed, pregnancy made a woman more sensitive—and sometimes, even her intuition sharper than usual.
Hearing Meng Xixiang’s firm tone, the County Princess suddenly narrowed her eyes and looked at him. “Why are you always so certain about the relationship between Second Brother and the Crown Prince? One is a sovereign, the other a subject. Don’t you ever suspect that the Crown Prince might simply be using him?”
Meng Xixiang froze.
The County Princess studied him closely. “Now that I think about it, you even worry about what material Second Brother’s bedding is made of in his new residence. Yet the fact that he has never taken a wife or concubine—you accepted that without a word, and even subtly encouraged Father and Mother to accept it too. Do you want to see him remain alone for life? Meng Lang, that doesn’t match your usual protective nature toward him.”
Meng Xixiang: “…………”
Cold sweat began to form on his back, but he still forced himself to meet her gaze, even as he felt the overwhelming urge to flee through the door.
They stared at each other in silence. The County Princess watched a bead of sweat slide down his temple, then suddenly smiled sweetly and moved closer to him.
Her voice softened. “We are husband and wife. What can’t be said between us? Meng Lang, keeping secrets must be very painful. Why don’t you tell me? Let Ning Niang help you feel better, hmm?”
Meng Xixiang: “…………”
Second Brother, help me. I’m not going to make it.