So That Was All You Could Do-What a Disgrace! (Please Subscribe and Vote with Monthly Tickets)

Offending the emperor? That was a grave crime punishable by confiscation of the entire household's property and extermination of the lineage!

However favored Consort Chu, the Chu Lineage's greatest pillar of support, might be, her honor and disgrace, rise and fall, rested on a single word from His Majesty!

Chu Pengzhan nearly fainted from terror, his whole body shaking like chaff in a sieve. Never had he imagined that here at the frontier, he had actually crossed the reigning emperor on an incognito inspection!

Had he known that man was Emperor Li Chen, why would Commandant Cheng have needed to lift a finger that day? Chu Pengzhan would have beaten his troublemaking nephew Chu Xiang to death with his own hands!

"Brother... Brother! Save me! Save the Chu Lineage!" Chu Pengzhan all but crawled over and clutched Chu Jingsong's legs, pleading incoherently. "What... what should we do? It's all over!"

Seeing him like this, Chu Jingsong forced down his own terror and drew a deep breath. "Get up! Why are you panicking? I have, after all, met His Majesty several times and know a little of his temperament. Since His Majesty did not erupt on the spot and have you arrested to answer for your crimes, but instead let you remain safely at Cold Iron Pass, there must still be room to turn things around."

He pondered for a moment, then continued, "Our only option now is to do everything we can to make amends. I will find a suitable opportunity to take you before His Majesty and beg forgiveness. But remember this well: His Majesty is traveling incognito. His identity must never be exposed!

"When the time comes, no matter how His Majesty reprimands you, grit your teeth and endure it. Show the deepest remorse you can, and act