“Why is my father so angry?” Long Xuan stepped out of the study, not rushing to Changming Hall, but calling Eunuch Wu over to ask.
“I don’t know,” Eunuch Wu said.
“You really don’t know?”
Long Xuan’s tone was too cold, causing Eunuch Wu to unconsciously take a step back and say, “I wasn’t in the hall, I only heard His Majesty shouting at the Crown Prince.”
“What did he shout?” Long Xuan asked.
“His Majesty called out Prince Jin’s name.”
Long Xuan descended the steps. It was once again because of Luo Wei. Was this Long Yu really so clueless? Always getting scolded for Luo Wei, why did he go to Changming Hall to mention Luo Wei again? Long Xuan used to think that Long Yu was just a bit naive, but now it seemed he was truly stupid.
The physician called to see Consort Chang was also waiting outside the hall at this time. When he saw Long Xuan approaching, he quickly bowed and addressed Long Xuan.
“Is the Consort’s condition serious?” In front of everyone, Long Xuan still stopped to ask.
The physician spoke a lot, confirming that Consort Chang’s condition was indeed not good.
“You have worked hard,” Long Xuan patiently listened to the physician’s words before saying, “Fu Yun, reward him.”
The imperial physician thanked him, but when he raised his head to say more, he found that Long Xuan had already walked a few steps away.
Arriving at Changming Hall, Long Xuan saw physicians waiting in a row outside the hall.
“Don’t stand here anymore!” Inside the hall, Emperor Xingwu’s scolding could be heard clearly even from where Long Xuan stood outside the courtyard.
“Father!” The Crown Prince’s voice carried a hint of stubbornness.
“Now you want to climb onto my head?” Emperor Xingwu’s voice grew even louder.
“I dare not!”
“Dare not? I’ve seen through you!”
…
Long Xuan stood in the courtyard and listened for a while, but he couldn’t figure out what the father and son were arguing about.
Zhao Fu came out of the hall with a pained expression. Seeing Long Xuan standing there, he approached and said while bowing, “Please go into the hall quickly.”
“Why are the physicians here too?” Long Xuan asked.
“His Majesty is feeling unwell,” Zhao Fu replied.
Long Xuan muttered quietly, “When will this trouble end?”
Zhao Fu stepped aside to invite Long Xuan into the hall. Emperor Xingwu’s health had deteriorated day by day since Luo Wei went to Northern Yan. Zhao Fu never expected that a perfectly healthy person could suddenly fall ill. How long would this go on? Zhao Fu thought everyone knew the answer. As soon as Luo Wei returned from Northern Yan and called Emperor Xingwu “Father” again, everything would be resolved.
Inside the hall, Emperor Xingwu lay on the couch, while the Crown Prince knelt before it. Imperial Physician Wei was whispering something to Emperor Xingwu. Long Xuan didn’t need to listen to know that Physician Wei was once again advising his father not to get angry.
“Father,” Long Xuan knelt down and bowed to Emperor Xingwu.
“You may leave,” Emperor Xingwu didn’t even look at Long Xuan, instead addressing the Crown Prince, Long Yu.
“Father,” Long Yu said, “You’ve already sent an official letter to Northern Yan. If you want to retrieve Xiao Wei, don’t you need to wait for Northern Yan’s reply? If you send an envoy now and cannot bring Xiao Wei back, what should we do? Do you really want to fight Northern Yan again?”
“You!” Emperor Xingwu, if not held back by Physician Wei, would have jumped off the couch. “Get out!” He shouted at Long Yu, followed by a fit of coughing.
Physician Wei hurriedly administered acupuncture to Emperor Xingwu, while pleading with Long Yu, “Your Highness, please say a few less words.”
“Elder Brother,” Long Xuan also tugged at Long Yu’s sleeve, shaking his head at him.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Emperor Xingwu calmed down as the coughing fit passed, and addressed Long Yu, “You’re afraid that Wei’er’s return will overshadow you, afraid he’ll take your place.”
“Father!” Both Long Yu and Long Xuan shouted this time.
The brothers, hearing each other’s voices, almost simultaneously turned to look at each other.
“Father,” seeing Long Yu’s gesture of silence, Long Xuan knelt and bowed to Emperor Xingwu, “How can the Crown Prince bear what Father’s words? This son and minister implores Father not to be angry, and not to say any more angry words.”
“I’m not speaking out of anger,” Emperor Xingwu’s calm voice sent chills down people’s spines, “Your elder brother has such intentions, not only him, but also the people around him!”
“Your son has no such intentions,” Long Yu bowed deeply, almost ready to sacrifice himself.
“What did Zhou Ningwen say to you yesterday? Do you think I don’t know?!” Emperor Xingwu, seeing Long Yu still defending himself, finally sat up.
“Father, no!” Long Xuan, sensing Emperor Xingwu’s intentions, rushed to stand in front of Long Yu and took a kick from Emperor Xingwu.
“Second brother!” Long Yu shouted, anxious and fearful, seeing Long Xuan take the blow for him. Emperor Xingwu knew about his meeting with Zhou Ningwen yesterday in the Eastern Palace. This meant his father was already monitoring his every move, not trusting him at all?
Long Xuan got up from the ground and hugged Emperor Xingwu’s legs, his voice choked with tears as he pleaded, “Father, if you have something to say, please say it carefully. The Crown Prince has always been kind to his brothers. This matter with Sixth Brother must also weigh heavily on the Crown Prince’s heart.”
“See for yourself!” Emperor Xingwu threw a black-leather-covered book at Long Yu, his face full of anger. “Read it to your second brother!”
Long Yu picked up the book and opened it, but after a few glances, he dropped it to the ground.
“Elder brother?” Long Xuan pretended to be puzzled.
“Too ashamed to read it?!” Emperor Xingwu glared at Long Yu.
Long Yu’s forehead was pressed against the ground.
“Zhao Fu,” Emperor Xingwu called to Zhao Fu who was standing at the door of the hall.
Zhao Fu hurried over and responded, “Your servant is here.”
“Come and read it!” Emperor Xingwu pointed to the book on the ground.
“Father!” Long Yu finally cried out, “This is absolutely not what your son intended. Your son has never meant any harm towards Sixth Brother!”
Long Xuan stretched out his hand to stop Zhao Fu who was about to pick up the book, and said to Emperor Xingwu, “Father, no matter what Minister Zhou said to His Highness the Crown Prince yesterday, it must have been Minister Zhou’s idea. You cannot blame the Crown Prince for his words.”
“You don’t need to speak up for him!” Emperor Xingwu softened his tone a bit towards Long Xuan, and said, “Do you know what they said?”
Long Xuan said, “Your son does not know.”
“If you don’t know, don’t try to mediate!” Emperor Xingwu said, “Your elder brother won’t listen to your plea! How can he still have people like us in his heart? The Zhou family are his true kin! Useless thing!” Emperor Xingwu’s anger flared up again, cursing Long Yu, “Letting a woman control you! Are you going to follow Zhou Ningwen’s words? If you don’t want to be named Long, you might as well change your surname to Zhou!”
This time, even Physician Wei and Zhao Fu knelt down.
Long Xuan knelt behind Long Yu. Zhou Ningwen wished for Luo Wei’s death in Northern Yan. When it came to Luo Wei, he would not have good words for him. Long Xuan looked at the black book lying on the ground, wondering if Zhou Ningwen, that old fool, had really gone to the Eastern Palace to persuade Long Yu to kill Luo Wei.
“With you like this, can I even die in peace?!” Emperor Xingwu continued to scold Long Yu loudly. The thought of his eldest son’s father-in-law going to the Eastern Palace and saying that he would do everything possible to stop Luo Wei’s return, even resorting to eliminating Luo Wei in Northern Yan, made Emperor Xingwu furious. Zhou Ningwen deserved to die, and this Long Yu was no good either! If they were truly loyal brothers, why would he let Zhou Ningwen speak such treasonous words? Why didn’t he punish this man who deserved death on the spot?
“Father,” Long Yu cried to Emperor Xingwu, “Your son will never harm his brothers for the throne. Your son would never do such a thing. If your son has such evil intentions, heaven and earth will not tolerate it!”
“Then you might as well abdicate!” Emperor Xingwu said harshly, “So you can show me your sincerity!”
Boundless Dao 
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