The seven princes, upon hearing Liang Xiao's response, were instantly filled with despair.
"Why would our father treat us like this…" the four younger ones wailed.
The older ones, Mu Qing and Mu Ning, wore bitter expressions.
Only the third prince, Mu Xuan, scowled and said gravely, "I presume it is thanks to Marquis Anguo that we are to continue staying in Da Gan?"
"What has it to do with me?" Liang Xiao feigned innocence, though his heart was heavy with sorrow.
The mighty emperor who had expanded their territory, had fathered seven sons, yet not one was any good. It was even possible that all seven brothers were believers of the Huichun Cult.
They were either pampered beyond measure or possessed perverse temperaments, utterly lacking in empathy for the common people.
Despite the seven brothers' pleas, Liang Xiao refused to help.
In the end, the four younger princes wept into their hands, while the three elder brothers wore looks of anger.
All the princes, except for Mu Xuan, departed dejectedly.
Only then did Mu Xuan cup his fists towards Liang Xiao and say, "Should Marquis Anguo assist me in returning to my country alone, you shall receive a great reward, both officially and personally! If I become the new monarch of Da Liang, I shall cede the three northern prefectures and henceforth acknowledge Da Gan as our suzerain, giving you whatever you desire. We will expend Da Liang's resources to please Da Gan!"
Liang Xiao frowned and coldly stated, "You said much the same to our Emperor. Do you take the rulers and ministers of Da Gan for three-year-old children?"
Liang Xiao had initially intended to ignore Mu Xuan, but Mu Xuan's final remark finally stirred a inexplicable disgust within him.
Mu Xuan's hopes shattered, he glared at Liang Xiao and declared hatefully, "Should I return to my country and inherit the throne in the future, I shall lead our entire nation's army across the river to the north and challenge you, Liang Xiao, to a decisive battle!"
Those present, like Yue Qingtian, who had initially held some contempt for Mu Xuan, immediately became vigilant.
Liang Xiao merely cast a glance at Mu Xuan and replied indifferently, "War is merciless. You cannot bear its cost."
Upon hearing this, Mu Xuan gazed at Liang Xiao as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
He knew he could not escape the capital of Da Gan, and thus could only utter a few harsh words to vent his inner dissatisfaction.
But the moment he truly faced Liang Xiao's cold gaze, he still felt an inexplicable panic.
He had thought he could enrage Liang Xiao, but instead, Liang Xiao clearly paid him no mind…
Mu Xuan dared not meet Liang Xiao's gaze any longer and sheepishly departed Marquis Anguo's mansion.
Liang Xiao specifically went to the palace to remind Xiao Qing to keep a close watch on Mu Xuan and by no means allow him to return to Da Liang.
Three months had passed since Liang Xiao concluded his visit to Da Liang. Thousands of miles away, the Emperor of Da Liang, Mu Cheng, was constantly annoyed by his ministers' memorials urging him to bring back his princes.
In the sleeping chambers, Su Wanqing, cradling her son, the eighth prince, hesitated to speak.
"The reason I am not in a hurry to have them return is because I have other plans," Mu Cheng said with profound meaning.
"Whatever the Emperor's decision, this concubine will fully support you…" Su Wanqing said softly.
Mu Cheng merely nodded with a smile, then suddenly coughed violently, spitting out blood.
"Summon the imperial physicians!!"
On this day, the health of the brilliant monarch of Da Liang finally collapsed completely.
Zhi Rou and Su Wanqing sat by Mu Cheng's sickbed, weeping uncontrollably, yet powerless.
Qin Feng, Ye Chengxiu, and Cheng Qing stood at the doorway, gazing at Mu Cheng, whose eyes were half-closed, their faces etched with worry.
"Chengxiu, are the Xuan Wei outside?" Mu Cheng suddenly spoke.
Ye Chengxiu nodded, "Your Majesty, the guards are strict, all are absolutely trustworthy Xuan Wei. The officials are waiting outside the palace!"
Mu Cheng smiled in satisfaction, then opened his eyes and looked at Qin Feng, murmuring,
"My greatest regret in this life is not being able to raise a good son, one like Liang Xiao or like my son-in-law would have been good enough…"
Qin Feng stepped forward and clasped Mu Cheng's hand, overcome with grief.
"A man's words are good when he is about to die, and a bird's cry is mournful when it is about to die." At this moment, the emperor who had expanded his territory shed all his imperial majesty, like a dying father, "Son-in-law, my seven sons are all unworthy. In the future, if you can assist them, do so. If you cannot, I want you to take it for yourself. Can you do this?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Feng broke out in a cold sweat and knelt before Mu Cheng's bed, kowtowing ceaselessly, "Your subject has received the Emperor's boundless grace, how could I harbor any disloyal thoughts! I will surely exert my utmost loyalty and wisdom to protect the prosperity of Da Liang's empire!"
Mu Cheng shook his head and then looked at Zhi Rou, "Let's each take a step back. I want you to assist Zhi Rou in ascending the throne and becoming the Empress of Da Liang. Are you willing?"
"Father…" Zhi Rou's complexion suddenly paled, and her body trembled.
Qin Feng looked even more troubled, "Father, in truth…"
"I understand," Mu Cheng merely smiled sadly, a wry smile.
"All seven princes are unlike me. Their birth mothers had all committed adultery and were secretly executed by me… I firmly believe none of them are my offspring, but there is no proof. Therefore, as princes, they are still legal candidates for the throne. However, even if they were my flesh and blood, what of it? Their hearts do not embrace the people, and they are destined not to become wise rulers."
Qin Feng, Cheng Qing, and Ye Chengxiu remained silent.
This was precisely their thinking, which Mu Cheng had seen through long ago.
Methods like blood-testing for kinship or bone identity were unreliable and could not prove a parent-child relationship.
"Son-in-law, I ask you one more time, will you take Da Liang's empire for yourself, or will you assist my daughter in taking the throne? Are you willing?" Mu Cheng asked with a pleading tone.
"Father, this action will plunge the nation into unprecedented turmoil and division, and suffering for the people is inevitable…" Qin Feng kowtowed.
Mu Cheng looked at Qin Feng, unable to hide his disappointment.
"If it were Liang Xiao, he would have undoubtedly promised with absolute certainty," Mu Cheng sighed for a moment, then looked at Qin Feng and smiled, "But it is precisely because you are Qin Feng that Father has trusted you implicitly for over a decade, isn't it? From now on, Father shall entrust the people of Da Liang to you."
Qin Feng, filled with shame, nodded solemnly and swore to the heavens, "Your subject will certainly dedicate himself wholeheartedly to benefiting the people of Da Liang!"
Mu Cheng then said to Cheng Qing, "Prime Minister on the Right, your and Chengxiu's contributions were invaluable when I narrowly escaped death. But I want you to henceforth only serve the sovereign and the state, remain astute in all matters, and ensure the nation's stability. You need not protect anyone. Can you do this?"
Cheng Qing seemed to understand and kowtowed, "Your old servant will surely exert his utmost loyalty and wisdom, not to fail His Majesty's cultivation!"
Only then did Mu Cheng ask Ye Chengxiu to bring in the court officials waiting outside.
"I know my time is short. Today, I entrust the Minister of War, Qin Feng, with the care of the nation. I officially appoint Qin Feng as Regent, Supervisor of the State, Grand General, concurrently holding the positions of Grand Tutor, Minister of the Department of Personnel, and Minister of War. He shall command all military forces in the nation, including the Xuan Wei, the Zhen Bei Army, and the Northern King's Guards. Any minister who questions this shall be beheaded."
As the imperial decree was issued, Dong Chen, Yan Ming, and others, despite their unwillingness, could only meekly comply.
"Your Majesty, we should immediately send someone to Da Gan to welcome back our princes!" Dong Chen urged anxiously.
"Leave," Mu Cheng shook his head.
"Your Majesty!!" the ministers became anxious.
"All of you, leave!" Mu Cheng responded with anger, then began to cough blood again.
Ye Chengxiu, his face grim, drove them out again.
After being "escorted" out of the imperial palace by the shadow guards, Dong Chen and the others wore grim expressions and gritted their teeth.
"This foolish emperor, he's dying and doesn't want to welcome back the princes. What is he thinking? Is he planning to make the eighth prince the Crown Prince?"
They secretly returned to the Yan family's hidden chamber and paid their respects to Elizabeth.
"Your Holiness, the dog emperor has finally given out!!"