Zhou Ruiyuan was shaken to his core. Young as Qiqi was, every word she spoke struck a vital point. Choosing the Crown Prince should never have been their concern in the first place. Back then, they had insisted they were acting for Great Kang's future and fought to put Long Yelin on the throne, but it was hard to say that selfish motives had played no part. If Long Yelin had not been his student, would he still have supported him so firmly? Part of the reason he had chosen Long Yelin over Long Yeqing was his fear that his own political interests would suffer if the latter took the throne. Everyone harbored selfish desires, and ministers like them could hardly claim to have had nothing to do with Great Kang's decline.
Wen Chenghuan was genuinely startled. At first, he had thought the old emperor's temperament had changed drastically after this setback, prompting him to choose Qiqi to assist him with affairs of state. Yet in just a few words, Qiqi had laid bare the causes of Great Kang's present predicament. Of course, Wen Chenghuan did not consider Great Kang his homeland. Deep in his heart, he longed for its downfall to come as soon as possible. Only then could he hold his head high, openly reclaim his former identity, restore his ancestors' glory, and comfort his father's spirit in heaven. Long Xuan'en was certainly no enlightened ruler, and Long Yelin was not even worth mentioning. By Long Tingsheng's reign, Ji Feihua's power overshadowed both court and country, and the Great Kang Realm was already teetering on the brink. Wen Chenghuan had almost been able to see the day Great Kang would fall. Yet this palace coup had unfolded without a sound, and before he had even noticed, Great Kang