Zhou Zhenghai looked intently at Zhou Ye.
Seeing that Zhou Ye's gaze was resolute and that he did not seem to be putting on an act, he could not help sighing.
"If His Majesty cared even a little for old affections as you do, the Zhang Family would not have fallen to its present state."
With that, Zhou Zhenghai asked Zhou Ye, "Since you've chosen to enter the struggle for the throne, have you made any arrangements in the palace?"
Delight appeared on Zhou Ye's face.
He understood that Zhou Zhenghai was no longer going to stand by and watch, but would truly help him plan.
So he held nothing back and told him how he intended to use the second prince and the empress to pave the way for Wei Mingxiu.
After listening, Zhou Zhenghai pondered for a moment, then said, "There's nothing broadly wrong with your plan, but you must carry it out in the proper order. You mustn't mix up the steps."
"From what you've said, the phoenix seal is currently in Noble Consort Shu's hands. Is that right?"
Zhou Ye nodded. "After the eleventh month, a cold spell struck in the spring. Her Majesty the Empress was in poor health and caught a chill. Noble Consort Shu took the opportunity to offer a few words of concern, and His Majesty ordered the empress to hand the phoenix seal over to her."
"But the empress has recovered now. She's mentioned the phoenix seal to His Majesty several times, but he always makes excuses. She still hasn't gotten it back."
"Our emperor knows perfectly well what he's doing, but pretends otherwise," Zhou Zhenghai said. "The Feng Family stands behind the empress. Grand Preceptor Feng has served three reigns, and even today's learned scholars and great Confucian masters address him respectfully as their teacher. His eldest son is the current minister of rites, while his youngest son holds an important post in the Patrol Camp. Like the tangled roots of a great tree, they cannot easily be shaken in court."
"Back when the Zhang Family's case arose, Grand Preceptor Feng did everything he could to stop it, but he still couldn't change His Majesty's mind. He even fell gravely ill because of it."
"Afterward, the matter became a thorn in the hearts of both the Feng Family and His Majesty."
"His Majesty is now looking for every possible way to weaken the Feng Family. That's also why he's letting Noble Consort Shu keep the phoenix seal."
"And right now, countless eyes in the harem are probably watching the empress, just waiting for her to make a serious mistake so His Majesty will have a legitimate reason to depose her."
After listening to Zhou Zhenghai's analysis, Zhou Ye was inwardly startled.
He asked Zhou Zhenghai, "So, Father, do you mean I can't make use of the empress?"
"Quite the opposite. That was exactly the right move."
Zhou Zhenghai answered, "Suppose a tiger is locked in an iron cage, with one person inside the cage and another outside. If the person inside asks the one outside to open the cage and save him, the one outside certainly won't do it."
"But if both people are inside the cage, they'll open the door at once and work together to escape."
"Right now, His Majesty is the tiger, and our Marquis of Zhenbei's Household and the Feng Family are those two people."
"Father, you mean...?"
"The first thing we must do is help the empress regain the phoenix seal. After that, we won't need to do anything else. The Feng Family will approach us on its own to cooperate."
Zhou Ye narrowed his eyes and thought it over carefully, then smiled.
"Thank you for the guidance, Father."
"Even if I hadn't pointed it out, you would have thought of it yourself sooner or later."
With that, Zhou Zhenghai waved Zhou Ye out. "Hurry up and get some rest. If you stay here any longer, your mother will come barging in, grab me by the ear, and scold me for not letting you rest."
"As you command~"
After nightfall, a small figure slipped into the Southern Spring Courtyard.
It was Xiao Wu, who had just come from the Elegant Music Palace.
Wei Mingxiu opened the door for him, then immediately shut it again.
The two of them crouched by the door and listened for a while. Only after making sure no one was there did they speak.
"Your Highness, Miss Xiao Tao gave this to me." Xiao Wu took a small piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Wei Mingxiu.
He said, "It seems Junior Preceptor Zhou has arranged everything. From now on, Consort Xian will have Miss Xiao Tao pass information to us."
"Mm." Wei Mingxiu unfolded the paper and carefully examined the information.
Xiao Wu sat in front of him, chin propped in his hands, looking at his face in the candlelight.
He said, "Your Highness, I don't believe what those palace servants said this afternoon about Junior Preceptor Zhou spending a night of passion at the Jade Fragrance House with that Young Master Yun-something."
Wei Mingxiu's fingers stiffened slightly.
He said, "He's called Young Master Yunshen."
"Yes, yes, Young Master Yunshen." Xiao Wu said, "The palace servants said that although Young Master Yunshen is a man, he's so exceptionally handsome that many powerful people in the capital spend lavishly on him. They said they never expected him to win over even someone like Junior Preceptor Zhou, who has always kept his distance from both men and women. He really is a peerless enchantress."
"But I don't think Junior Preceptor Zhou is that shallow."
Xiao Wu pursed his lips. "So those stories must all be rumors. They can't be believed!"
"I don't think they're necessarily rumors."
Wei Mingxiu clutched the paper in his hand, recalling the lingering smell of wine and the faint scent of spices on Zhou Ye earlier that day.
His suspicions were now confirmed.
-Zhou Ye had indeed spent the entire night drinking with Young Master Yunshen at the Jade Fragrance House.
"Huh?" Xiao Wu was shocked. "Your Highness, so you also think Junior Preceptor Zhou really likes men?"
"There's nothing shameful about liking men," Wei Mingxiu said. "Besides, this is the junior preceptor's private affair. It's best that we don't discuss it so freely."
Though that was what he said, Wei Mingxiu could not stop himself from wondering what someone Zhou Ye could like would look like.
He was even somewhat envious of Young Master Yunshen for earning the affection of someone like Zhou Ye.
Struggling to suppress the emotions in his eyes, Wei Mingxiu burned the note and said to Xiao Wu, "You may go. Don't bring this up again."
Xiao Wu could tell that Wei Mingxiu was somewhat unhappy, so he obediently fell silent.
But there was a trace of sympathy in his expression as he looked at Wei Mingxiu.
His Highness was clearly a little younger than he was, yet he spoke and carried himself much like a mature adult.
He really lived a stifled life.
He thought how wonderful it would be if, one day, Wei Mingxiu could say whatever he wanted and do whatever he wished.
The affair between Zhou Ye and Yun Shen had made him the subject of everyone's casual gossip.
At the marquis's residence, Wang Yulan shielded him from it, but outside, rumors were flying everywhere.
After Zhou Ye had enjoyed a long, satisfying sleep, he went to morning court.
The expressions on the civil and military officials' faces as they looked at him were like a palette.
Black, white, red, green-every color was there.
Zhao Junze walked up beside him and said with a smile, "I never would have guessed you liked men."
"No wonder you're so old and still haven't married or had children, or even taken a bedchamber maid. Back then, we all wondered whether you were incapable, but it never occurred to us that you simply had no interest in women."
At that, Zhao Junze glanced at Zhou Zhenghai, who was standing in front of Zhou Ye, and continued, "What a pity. I'm afraid the Zhou Family line will end with your generation."
Zhou Ye, however, was not angry.
He merely said, "I certainly can't compare to you, Commander Zhao, when it comes to producing offspring."
"But I certainly cause far less worry than you, Commander Zhao, with your wastrel sons one after another, bullying men and women and bringing trouble to the family all day long."
"You!" Zhao Junze's sore spot had been struck, and his expression turned extremely ugly.
He had married young and taken several concubines after his wife, and had fathered two sons. Yet neither of them applied himself to his studies, and they caused him trouble all day long, giving him endless cause for worry.
Zhou Ye had seized on that sore spot, so naturally he felt miserable.
"What is it?" Zhou Ye asked with a smile. "Do you finally know what it's like to envy someone like me, with no sons or daughters?"
Without waiting for Zhao Junze to answer, he continued.
"Too late."
With that, Zhou Ye went after Zhou Zhenghai, who was holding back laughter, and walked toward the Hall of Diligent Governance.
He left Zhao Junze alone, stamping his feet in anger.