"He was best at taking advantage of the situation—using Father's authority, using the court's authority. My guess is that by tomorrow morning at the latest, the Ministry of Justice will issue an arrest warrant, and the Zhang Family will be branded traitors. Madam Zhang and her children will become wanted criminals throughout the city."
Gu Shen's pupils contracted.
He had expected Xia Qi to retaliate, but not so quickly or so ruthlessly.
Directly wielding the machinery of the state—that was the greatest difference between a prince and a subject like him.
"Your Highness, then we..."
"Are you afraid?" Xia Ting looked back at him, a faint smile on his lips.
"I was just thinking about how to turn the situation around," Gu Shen said gravely.
"You don't need to. This was part of my plan all along." Xia Ting's words left Gu Shen stunned.
Xia Ting sat back down, poured himself another cup of tea, and gestured for Gu Shen to sit as well.
"Gu Shen, do you think I sent you to rescue them just for the Firearm Blueprint?"
"The blueprint is important, but the people are more important. The skilled craftsmen throughout the Heavenly Crafts Institute, people like Zhang Qiming, who are talented but have been exploited and pushed aside by my elder brother."
"I don't want a blueprint. I want the hearts of everyone in the Heavenly Crafts Institute."
"My elder brother uses his power and threats to turn the Heavenly Crafts Institute into his private property. I intend to do exactly the opposite." Xia Ting's voice was low, yet it carried a reassuring strength. "I want them to see that my elder brother can't protect them—but I can."
"By rescuing Madam Zhang today, you made my position clear to everyone watching this matter. The more brutally