In the seventeenth year of the Kaihuang era, I wrote my will in the examination hall.

Conquering Liaodong? Yang Yong suddenly brought this up at this critical juncture?!

Looking at Yang Yong's face, which was filled with the thought that "I want to turn the tables," Yang Yan felt a strong sense of absurdity.

He could almost guess what Yang Yong was going to say next.

Choosing a consort and then taking another concubine is nothing compared to his current thoughts. His current thoughts are a death warrant that could send the Crown Prince to his grave!

"What does Father intend to do?" Yang Yan asked calmly, though his voice was somewhat dry, and his hands, hidden in his sleeves, were already clenched tightly.

Yang Yong waved his hand dismissively, displaying an air of authority: "I intend to volunteer in court tomorrow to lead the army into battle!"

"Your second uncle was able to pacify the Southern Chen, and I, your father, am able to pacify Liaodong, expand our territory, and establish unparalleled achievements. Let's see who dares to say that I, the crown prince, am weak and incompetent! At that time..."

Yang Yong became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he could already see himself wearing golden armor, returning in triumph, and receiving cheers from the people.

"Absolutely not!"

A sharp shout, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, directly interrupted Yang Yong's reverie.

Yang Yan could no longer keep up the act.

He took a sudden step forward, and the sharpness that had been hidden beneath his mild exterior for years suddenly erupted. His eyes became extremely serious, even with a hint of fierceness.

"Father, you must never even consider this again!"

"This isn't an opportunity; it's blatant suicide!"

Yang Yan's voice echoed in the empty study, while Yang Yong's smile froze instantly.

"Sending yourself to your death? Yan'er, what do you mean by this?"

Yang Yong was somewhat annoyed, but even more puzzled: "Father is currently furious. Without a great achievement, how can we win back his favor?"

Looking at his still naive father, Yang Yan felt a sense of helplessness, but he had no choice but to bite the bullet and explain things to him in detail.

"Father, Gao Boshe's strategy this time is simply to force Goguryeo to retreat and create a deterrent effect. There won't be a major war, let alone a large-scale northern expedition. Didn't you consult Gao Boshe for advice?"

Yang Yong shook his head with a wry smile.

"If you are truly to lead the troops into battle, Your Highness must achieve victories!"

Yang Yan's voice was even colder, like shards of ice: "Liaodong is bitterly cold, Goguryeo is entrenched in the mountains, and now is not a good time to send troops. The transport of supplies is difficult, and defeat is highly probable. Besides, do you have any experience in commanding troops?"

"As your father, I was not without experience in commanding troops when I led them to defend the city."

"Father, defending a city and leading troops into battle are entirely different things and should not be confused. You are the Crown Prince, representing the future legitimate successor of the Sui Dynasty. You cannot afford to fail. If the war becomes protracted or you suffer a major defeat, it will be a disgrace to the nation and a loss of troops!"

"This will confirm your crimes of being 'unworthy of your position' and 'incompetent in ruining the country'! At that time, Second Uncle won't even need to lift a finger; the spittle of the entire court will be enough to drown the Crown Prince's palace!"

Yang Yong broke out in a cold sweat, his earlier enthusiasm instantly turning to ice, and he slumped into his chair.

"Then... then according to your idea... what should I do?" Yang Yong was truly confused.

Looking at his father's appearance, Yang Yan sighed inwardly, stepped forward, softened his tone, and said slowly and deliberately, "Do nothing."

"Do nothing?" Yang Yong raised his head blankly.

"Yes, do nothing."

Yang Yan stood resolutely on the railway track, his eyes unwavering.

"At tomorrow's court meeting, regardless of who advocates war or peace, you must not express any radical opinions."

"You only need to remember that Chief Inspector Gao Jiong is a staunch anti-war advocate. You only need to second Chief Inspector Gao's prudent strategy and state that 'war is a matter of great importance to the state and must be carefully considered.'"

"Father, right now, avoiding mistakes is more important than achieving any merit! Our Eastern Palace is walking a tightrope on the edge of a cliff. If we don't move, we still have a sliver of hope; if we make any rash moves, we will be shattered to pieces!"

A deathly silence fell over the study.

Only the cold wind outside the window lashed against the windowpane, making a "pat-pat" sound.

Yang Yong stared blankly at his son, speechless for a long time.

Looking at his son, who was growing taller and taller, and who was becoming increasingly unfathomable to him, the long-suppressed confusion in his heart finally found an outlet.

"Yan'er..."

Yang Yong's voice was extremely hoarse, with a barely perceptible tremor, a lament before his beliefs collapsed.

"As your father... I really don't understand."

He slowly lowered his head, looking at his hands, which hadn't held swords much and were covered in ink, his eyes vacant.

"Back then, when my grandfather first ascended the throne, he secretly issued an edict to me."

"He said that the military power of the Guanzhong region was great and their achievements were so great that they threatened the emperor. Although they helped the Sui Dynasty to establish itself, they were a major threat to the emperor and a long-term worry for the country. He instructed me to get closer to civil officials such as Su Wei and Li Gang, cultivate my character, and use civil officials to control the military. This is the way of the crown prince and the foundation of a ruler who can maintain the status quo."

Yang Yong suddenly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot: "Over the years, I have always followed my grandfather's teachings diligently! I have not dared to slacken in the slightest!"

"I distanced myself from those military generals who only knew how to kill, even though they called me a coward; I respected civil officials, studied the classics and history every day, and even offended many of my old comrades who followed my father in conquering the country!"

"Everything I've done is exactly what my father told me to do!"

"But why...why is it that today, your imperial grandfather is becoming increasingly distant and dissatisfied with me?"

"That treacherous second son befriends powerful figures and wins over military generals—something Father Emperor feared most! Yet Father Emperor favored him and even tolerated him secretly forming factions?"

Yang Yong gripped the corner of the table tightly with both hands, his knuckles turning white, as if he wanted to vent all the grievances he had accumulated over the past ten years.

"Did I... do the right thing, or did I do the wrong thing?"

"For the long-term stability and prosperity of the Sui Dynasty, what should be done?!"

This question, uttered in the closed study, sounded particularly poignant.

Yang Yan listened quietly, but a long sigh escaped his lips.

Looking at the tormented man before him, he finally understood why Yang Yong, even after being crippled and even until his death, never figured out where he had lost.

Yang Yong hasn't changed.

He has always been the obedient son, always trying to play the role his father set for him—a "civilian heir" to balance the Guanzhong military clique.

In the end, he was still the same innocent and kind-hearted Yang Yong.

He kept looking at the chessboard, but he didn't see that the person playing the game had already changed.

"Father."

Yang Yan stepped forward and gently pushed the cup of tea, which had gone cold, aside. His voice was low and calm, yet it conveyed a sense of having seen through the cruelty of the world.

"You did nothing wrong."

"But... times have changed, and you just... didn't see your grandfather's heart clearly."

"Grandfather's heart?"

"Yes." Yang Yan's gaze seemed to pierce through the deep night, reaching the taller and colder Daxing Palace.

"The grandfather who founded the country and the grandfather who unified the north and south and created a prosperous era are not the same grandfather."