Jiang Zhizhou had heard something of the past of the Marquis of An's Residence, but he had never imagined that one day he would examine that history himself.
In his memory, that part of their history amounted to no more than a few scant words.
Indeed, Jiang Zhizhou had thought that his father's lofty ambitions had long since been worn away by day after day of comfortable living.
Now that Yang Qing had suddenly brought it up, Jiang Zhizhou's heart trembled in secret.
Was there truly more to the Marquis of An's Residence than met the eye?
"In your view, aside from avoiding the danger of achievements so great they threatened the sovereign, why else would my father have retired to a quiet life at the height of his fame?" Jiang Zhizhou asked Yang Qing.
Yang Qing looked at him calmly. "What you said was certainly one reason. But there was another. Do you remember Northern Liang's Prince Ding, Duan Hongxing?"
"Duan Hongxing?" Jiang Zhizhou frowned slightly. The name sounded unfamiliar, yet he seemed to have heard it somewhere before.
Suddenly, Jiang Zhizhou remembered someone. He raised his head in astonishment. "You mean His Majesty's third imperial uncle, Duan Hongxing, who was Prince Ding under the previous emperor?"
Yang Qing said, "Yes, that very man."
"Prince Ding..." Jiang Zhizhou paused, then quickly continued, "I have little recollection of him."
"Besides, when he withdrew from the raging current of court life in his prime, it shocked the entire court and the country. He vanished into the distant martial world, and that was the last anyone heard of him."
Yang Qing said, "Yes, that was the last news of him known to the public. Do you know where he went afterward?"
Jiang Zhizhou slowly shook his head. "No."
He paused, then hastily