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"Why should I advise him against it?"

"Oh? I had thought Lord Zhu had inherited not only Lord Zhu Cong's gift with brush and ink, but also his habit of standing upright and unbending, unafraid of power. Was I mistaken about the Zhu Residence's family teachings?"

"Since ancient times, a benevolent ruler has not questioned the histories, and a worthy minister has not feared the brush. My father did teach me that. But you also taught me through your actions, Lord Prime Minister, that my father's stubborn principles brought him no good end."

"You misunderstand me, Lord Zhu. I admired and respected your father greatly. His mistake was meddling in the Late Emperor's affairs." At the mention of the past, his eyes turned cold. Rather than look at her, he gazed toward the nearby Imperial Study. "The Late Emperor was the first truly wise and virtuous ruler of this dynasty. I will not allow anyone to presume to stand beside him."

Not even His Majesty's own father could overstep that boundary. Li Xiangfan left the words unsaid, but Zhu Bafu heard them clearly. She had long ago heard from her old man that the Late Emperor and the Prime Minister had known each other since childhood. Before the Late Emperor ascended the throne, the Prime Minister had served at his side as an adviser. After his accession, the two had become a tale for the ages: an enlightened ruler and a capable minister bringing peace to the realm. They had understood each other perfectly, without a trace of discord between sovereign and subject. No one could replace the bond they had forged over decades. And so, with no son of his own, the Late Emperor had even left the choice of his successor to the Prime Minister.

"Have you never