After being thoroughly violated, he ran away with the enemy emperor's child.

Inside the imperial study, Mo Yan held a vermilion brush in his hand, listening to the guard's report: "Your Majesty, the Imperial Prince asked you about something earlier."

Mo Yan paused in writing "read," then looked up: "He asked me about something?"

"Yes."

The guard nodded: "The Emperor said he has forgotten many things and asked the eunuch if he could tell him about His Majesty."

After recounting the entire conversation between Chu Junci and the eunuch, the guard lowered his head and awaited Mo Yan's new orders.

One breath, two breaths, Mo Yan remained silent for a long time. After an unknown amount of time, he waved his hand: "Keep watching."

"Yes."

The guards quickly left, and Mo Yan placed the vermilion brush back on its holder, then summoned Wu Xu: "Any new intelligence from Yong Kingdom?"

"No." Wu Xu shook his head.

After thinking for a moment, he added, "The people we sent to find Chu Ling's portrait set off yesterday, but it will take some time. Chu Ling keeps to himself and our people haven't seen him."

"Tell them to hurry up."

"clear."

Wu Xu nodded. "Your Majesty, should we...?"

As he spoke, he made a throat-slitting gesture.

If Chu Ling really does meet with an accident, Chu Li will become the next emperor. Eliminating him in advance would be beneficial to the Zhao Kingdom.

"No rush."

Mo Yan rubbed his fingertips together. Rather than killing Chu Li, he wanted to know an answer: "Focus on finding Chu Ling's portrait. We can discuss Chu Li's matter later."

"…yes."

Mo Yan paid too much attention to Chu Ling's appearance, and Wu Xu seemed to realize something, but wisely kept quiet.

Time flew by and it was noon. Just as Mo Yan was about to go to Qiyue Palace, Mo Chengyu suddenly requested an audience.

"Let him in."

Mo Yan knew that Mo Chengyu had entered the palace today. He would visit the Empress Dowager in the palace almost every month, but this was the first time he had taken the initiative to see him.

"Royal brother," Mo Chengyu appeared with an awkward smile.

"My younger brother's birthday is approaching, I'm thinking..."

He swallowed hard and, before Mo Yan could lose his patience, quickly said, "I would like to invite my sister-in-law to my birthday banquet as well."

"Oh."

Mo Yan glanced at him: "You've got some nerve."

Mo Chengyu shuddered. He knew that his elder brother did not like him very much, and that the only reason he was given the title of Prince Xian was because they shared the same blood.

He didn't want to speak up, but he owed Zicheng a favor, and Zicheng begged him to find a way to let him see Mo Ci...

"Brother Emperor."

Left with no other choice, Mo Chengyu could only resort to the excuse he had prepared beforehand: "My sister-in-law has lost her sight and memory, so she must be feeling depressed. If she stays in the palace, it will not be good for her recovery. Why not let her go out of the palace to clear her mind..."

"What do you say, Your Majesty?"

Mo Yan didn't speak, only stared at him coldly.

After a moment, he spoke: "Was this your idea, or was someone instigating it?"

He knew Mo Chengyu's personality well; he was like a mouse before a cat when he saw him. He hadn't invited him to his usual birthday banquets, let alone Aci.

"I……"

Mo Chengyu nervously clenched his fingers, stubbornly saying, "It was my idea. My brother and sister-in-law hit it off immediately and wanted him to recover faster."

After saying that, he glanced cautiously at Mo Yan: "Brother, why don't you ask your sister-in-law's opinion? I'm sure she'd like to go and relax."

"Furthermore, we can take this opportunity to announce his identity, preventing any fools from bullying him. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

Mo Chengyu's words made some sense. Mo Yan pondered, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table.

He originally planned to bring Mo Ci to the palace banquet on New Year's Eve to announce his identity to the entire Zhao Kingdom, but if A Ci wanted to leave the palace early to have some fun, that was also possible.

"I will ask him."

Mo Yan finally relented, and Mo Chengyu breathed a sigh of relief. "If my sister-in-law agrees to come, I will take good care of her. Please rest assured, Your Majesty."

"Um."

When he stepped into Qiyue Palace, Chu Junci was having a meal. He carefully held the bowl, scooped up a spoonful of porridge and put it into his mouth.

He ate very slowly, his movements deliberate and methodical, which was pleasing to the eye.

The palace maids serving him had no time to appreciate it; they stared at him nervously, afraid that he might hurt them.

"All of you, get out."

After dismissing the palace maid, Mo Yan took the bowl from Chu Junci's hand: "Why didn't you wait for me?"

Chu Junci has difficulty seeing, so he has been feeding him these past few days.

"I'm hungry," Chu Junci said calmly.

You are 15 minutes late today.

There was a hint of complaint in his words, but Mo Yan smiled with pleasure. "Is Aci upset that I'm late?"

It's because he's late; in other words, it's because they wish he had come sooner.

Aci misses him.

This thought made Mo Yan even happier. He scooped up some porridge, blew on it gently, and fed it to Chu Junci.

With someone's help, Chu Junci quickly finished eating. After swallowing the last bite of food, he turned his head and said, "I'm full."

"OK."

Mo Yan knew that Chu Junci had a small appetite, so he didn't force him. Instead, he ate all the porridge Chu Junci hadn't finished and then scooped out another bowl.

The two shared a spoon. Mo Yan was more than half a head taller than Chu Junci, so he naturally ate more than him.

Chu Junci sat to the side, listening to his subtle movements, when suddenly Mo Yan said, "Mo Chengyu's birthday is later this month, do you want to go?"

"What?" The topic had taken a sudden turn, and he didn't react for a moment.

Mo Yan put down his chopsticks and said, "Mo Chengyu plans to hold a banquet at the Prince Xian's residence. Would you like to go out for a walk to clear your head?"

"If you want to, I'll go with you; if you don't want to, you can stay in the palace."

"In no mood."

Chu Junci declined. He wasn't interested in Mo Chengyu's birthday party, and besides, he wasn't the type to wander around aimlessly, not to mention his current poor eyesight.

Rather than trying to clear his head, he wanted to regain his sight and memory as soon as possible, then leave this place and return to where he truly belonged.

Perhaps that place... will be the Kingdom of Yong.

The thought flashed through his mind, but his expression remained unchanged, as if nothing had happened.

At the same moment, thousands of miles away in the Kingdom of Yong, Chu Li encountered someone—

Lin Chen, the commander of Chu Junci's secret guards, was one of the secret guards who accompanied him to Falling Snow Cliff, and was also the only survivor besides Chu Junci.

Covered in wounds, he was carried by his guards to Chu Li: "Greetings, Your Highness."

No need for formalities.

Chu Li dismounted and asked anxiously, "Where is my brother? Is he still alive?"

Lin Chen, who should have died, is still alive, so surely my brother will be alright too?

"His Majesty...he was..."

He spoke haltingly, blood trickling from his mouth with each word: "He was taken away by Mo Yan of Zhao Kingdom."

"What?!"

Chu Li asked in disbelief, "Why was Mo Yan at Snowfall Cliff? And why did he take my brother away?"

He was completely bewildered and didn't understand why things had turned out this way.

The only thing to be thankful for is that my elder brother is still alive.

My elder brother is still alive.

But before he could even rejoice, worry rose in his heart again. The two kingdoms of Yong and Zhao had been enemies for too long, and now his elder brother had fallen into Mo Yan's hands...

Chu Li couldn't even imagine what his elder brother would encounter!

"I must go and rescue my elder brother!"

He lost his mind, mounted his horse, and prepared to head to the Zhao Kingdom, but was stopped by his subordinates: "Your Highness, please reconsider!"

"Not only can you not save His Majesty alone, but you will also fall into Mo Yan's hands. What will become of Yong then?"

"Are we just going to watch my brother suffer so much at Mo Yan's hands?!" Chu Li's eyes reddened, and he wished he could tear Mo Yan to pieces.

"Your Highness, please don't be anxious..."

Lin Chen spoke again: "Mo Yan doesn't know His Majesty's true identity. Before I fainted, I heard him... give the order to have His Majesty taken care of..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Chen suddenly fainted.

"Quickly, someone come and do everything you can to save Lin Chen!"

In contrast to the chaos and turmoil in Yong, the inner palace of Zhao was peaceful, and Chu Junci was basking in the sun on a reclining chair outside the courtyard.

The sunlight warmed him, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves. He closed his eyes, enjoying the tranquility of the moment.

Suddenly, he heard a crying sound.