Xue Qinghe wore a gentle, attentive expression as he reviewed each document with meticulous care. Occasionally, he paused to furrow his brow in thought, as though weighing some crucial phrasing.
The attendant beside him watched and nodded to himself. His Highness the Crown Prince truly was diligent.
Only Xue Qinghe himself knew that the irritation in his heart was steadily mounting inch by inch.
Xue Qinghe set down his brush and lifted his teacup for a sip.
The mild smile remained on his face, smooth as jade, without the slightest hint of emotional fluctuation.
Yet beneath his sleeve, out of everyone's sight, the fingers gripping the teacup had already turned faintly white.
He had infiltrated the Heaven Dou Empire for so many years, not to sit here and watch a bunch of old foxes write "Long Live His Majesty."
Just then, Emperor Xue Ye set down his vermilion brush and rubbed at his brow, as though exhausted from reviewing memorials.
Leaning back against the dragon couch, he turned his gaze toward Xue Qinghe. His voice carried the hoarseness of illness. "Qinghe, have affairs at court been proceeding smoothly lately?"
Xue Qinghe rose and cupped his hands in salute, his posture flawless. "In reply to Father Emperor, all is well. The six ministries are operating as usual, and there have been no major incidents at the borders."
"That is good." Emperor Xue Ye coughed twice and accepted a cup of ginseng tea from an attendant, taking a sip. "I heard that you have been disciplining Xue Beng recently?"
Xue Qinghe's expression did not change, and his tone remained gentle. "That is true. A few days ago, I happened to encounter Fourth Brother harassing civilian women in the street. I felt it damaged the royal family's dignity, so I reprimanded him. I