Kong Deming stood by the window, holding a cup of tea that had long since gone cold. He hadn't taken a single sip. He simply held it as his gaze rested on the sky outside, gradually brightening.
The study was unusually quiet. Only the candle flames crackled, accompanied by the dull tapping of Xu Tianran's fingertips against the armrest.
"Have you thought it through?" Kong Deming finally asked, his voice low and hoarse, weighed down by the exhaustion of a sleepless night. "If you go through with this, you could completely destroy the hard-won bond between you and your apprentice."
Xu Tianran opened his eyes and glanced at him, but said nothing. His fingers continued tapping against the armrest.
Kong Deming turned and walked to the desk. Looking Xu Tianran squarely in the eye, he asked in a strangely calm voice, "Your Highness, you don't want any descendants, and you're willing to pass the throne to Yanli's child. Why, then, are you stopping me from doing this?"
"You!" Xu Tianran gripped the armrest so hard his knuckles cracked. Anger flashed in his eyes. "Have you considered what Yanli is like? He's always valued loyalty and stood by his principles. What will he think if he finds out?"
"So what?" Kong Deming set down his teacup. "Meng Hongchen said it herself—she's doing this willingly, willingly bearing a child for Prince Xiaoyao. Why stop her? Besides, now that Prince Xiaoyao has become a god, it's hard to say whether he can even have descendants. What I've kept on hand is the best solution."
Xu Tianran stared at him, his eyes filled with conflicting emotions: anger, helplessness, and a feeling he couldn't even put into words.
"Enough!" He slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet.
"Your Highness! Who knows