Grand Tutor Jing had never done anything he felt ashamed of in his entire life. A man of unwavering integrity, he found it deeply humiliating to have to trouble the Crown Prince and the Emperor and Empress in his old age for the sake of his eldest grandson.
After dealing with Jing Fengjie, the old man requested permission from the Emperor to retire to his hometown: "The Crown Prince has grown up, and there is nothing more I can teach him. I am now advanced in age and miss the affairs of my academy. I beg Your Majesty and the Empress to allow me to return to my old residence. I wish to spend my remaining years in peace in my hometown."
When Grand Tutor Jing was first invited by the Emperor to serve in the court, he was a spirited old man, always holding his own in debates with scholars. Now, nearing ninety, he could barely walk a few steps with his cane without feeling as though his old bones might fall apart.
It seemed that the wisdom of the Jing family had reached its peak with him. The generations that followed were all dull-witted and unperceptive, and if this continued, they would only be digging their own graves.
The Emperor, the Crown Prince, and even the Empress still held some affection for the Jing family, but that was only out of respect for the late Emperor's mother and for Grand Tutor Jing himself.
Once he was gone, how long would that goodwill last if the younger generations of the Jing family continued to act recklessly?
It would be better to retire gracefully while the Emperor and the Crown Prince still respected him, ensuring that the Jing family's wealth and status could endure for a few more generations.
The Emperor and Jiang Xinyue exchanged a glance. Of course, they would offer some words of consolation.
But Jiang Xinyue thought that Grand Tutor Jing's decision was actually beneficial for the Jing family. She truly did not want the Jing family to continue acting so presumptuously after the Crown Prince ascended the throne, forcing the royal family to turn a blind eye to their foolishness out of respect for Grand Tutor Jing.
However, human patience has its limits.
One day, if the Crown Prince grew tired of such tolerance, he would eliminate the Jing family altogether.
The patience of an emperor is not to be tested.
Since Grand Tutor Jing had brought it up himself, it was the perfect opportunity to agree to his request.
After the Jing family left the palace, only the third prince, the fifth prince, and the Crown Prince remained in the study.
The three brothers stood facing each other, and the Crown Prince looked at the third prince with guilt. "Third Brother, are you really going to travel across the Great Yan? Is it because you fear I might harm you?"
The third prince couldn't help but laugh. "If the Crown Prince wanted my life, why would he wait until now? Back in the Fengxian Hall, if it weren't for your care, my health would have deteriorated long ago. I fear no one, least of all you. I truly want to travel and see the world."
As for that cousin Qingqing, he thought she was better suited for the fifth prince.
The Crown Prince glanced at Jiang Xinyue, and only after she nodded did he set aside his doubts. "Then I must say this: you may travel wherever you wish, but you must return for the New Year's banquet every year. Fourth Brother and I need to ensure your safety."
Among the princes, the fourth prince was the closest to the third prince. They had grown up together, fought, and even hated each other at times, but those were the misunderstandings of childhood. After reconciling, they had always cared for each other.
"Ah! Fourth Prince, slow down!"
Shen Mingman, wearing small court boots, walked faster and faster. "I shouldn't have gone hunting for rabbits today. I didn't catch many, and now something big has happened in the palace. Third Brother, why does he suddenly want to travel far away? How is this any different from being sent back to the Fengxian Hall?"
It was the same—hardly seeing him all year.
The eunuchs exchanged glances, silently thinking that it wasn't their fault the fourth prince had insisted on going to the royal hunting grounds today to catch rabbits.
Hadn't he been the one who heard about the new long-eared rabbits in the hunting grounds, claiming their fur was soft and carried the scent of grass, and insisted on catching them before anyone else to make a pair of earmuffs for the Empress?
"Fourth Brother!"
Shen Mingxuan had just closed the door when he saw Shen Mingman rushing in, out of breath. "Weren't you hunting rabbits? Where are they?"
"The rabbits..."
No!
This wasn't the time to worry about rabbits.
The fourth prince pulled the third prince aside. "Shen Mingxuan, what's going on? Why are you leaving the palace again to wander the world? Tell me the truth—did that Jing family boy frame you? Are you leaving because you're afraid the Crown Prince will misunderstand? Don't worry, the Crown Prince and I are close. If I put in a good word for you, he'll listen to me."
The third prince hadn't spent much time with the Crown Prince lately and didn't understand his temperament.
In truth, the Crown Prince was just like their mother—soft-hearted and kind. If someone treated him well, he would return that kindness tenfold or even a hundredfold.
Of course, if someone treated him poorly, schemed against him, or tried to harm him, he would repay them a hundred or a thousand times over.
This was how their mother had taught them to conduct themselves—never be the one to harm others, but never allow yourself to be harmed either.
"Enough, stop worrying about me," Shen Mingxuan pushed him away. "Don't you remember? When we were kids, I told you my dream was to travel the world. Now that Father has unified the empire, isn't it safer than ever? If not now, when?"
Shen Mingman couldn't recall what they had said as children.
He had always thought those childhood dreams were just child's play. Besides, as people grew older, their aspirations changed.
When he was young, he had wanted to be a great general defending the nation, but now, with no wars to fight, he simply wanted to be a carefree prince, staying close to his mother and the Crown Prince.
The third prince's attitude made it clear that his decision was final, and no one could change his mind.
When the princes gathered again to talk, the Emperor's decree was announced.
"Why did the Emperor suddenly confer the title of Prince Zhao on the third prince? Is it related to the recent rumors?"
"But the Emperor doesn't seem to be punishing the third prince. The title 'Zhao' isn't given lightly. It seems the Emperor still holds affection for the third... Prince Zhao."
"His fief is in Xunyang, a prosperous region. The Emperor is still protecting Prince Zhao. This matter must be more complicated than it seems."
"I think it might be related to the Jing family. I heard that Grand Preceptor Jing's family is packing up and planning to move back to their hometown. Do you think the Empress encouraged the Jing family to frame Prince Zhao and the fifth prince, and the Emperor is warning the Empress?"
"That can't be. The Emperor has doted on the Empress for so long. He wouldn't let this cause a rift between them."
The common folk could speculate all they wanted, but the Jing family and Jiang Xinyue paid no heed. The Jing family's move back to their ancestral home was a done deal.
Within three days, the Jing family's mansion was empty.
The Jing family had always been staunch supporters of the Crown Prince, so the Emperor's actions inevitably led to speculation that there might be discord between the Emperor and the Empress.
However, the Crown Prince's birthday on the twelfth day of the fourth month gave the Emperor an opportunity to show his support for Jiang Xinyue and quell the rumors.
