"How can this humble subject dare to resent your majesty, it is already my honour to have such chance to be by your majesty's side but I am afraid this lowly subject is not qualified to become your majesty's person in the palace, so I have chosen your second option,"

Although he wasn't happy to hear that she would rather reopen her pavilion in the capital than live in the palace, he still appreciates the fact that she is still at his disposal in the capital.

​​

"Madam Ju need not be bothered about it, You can reside in the palace until you restart your business in the capital, as long as Madam Ju needs anything, please don't hesitate to inform me,"

She dropped to her knees and waved her sleeves before cupping her hands together then she pushed them forward and bowed her head.

"Your grace is immeasurable,"

"Please rise,"

She stood up from her knees then she bowed one last time and left the imperial hall, with worry still in her heart concerning all she left behind in Shannanxi.

The emperor exhaled in satisfaction then he turned to the regional commander.

"The prime minister will be here very soon, bring Wei Xianlu to the imperial hall," he ordered with a smirk on his lips, he couldn't help the feeling of fulfilment and satisfaction he has already gotten just knowing that today he can make the prime minister powerless before him.

Although arresting Wei Xianlu is not enough to make him completely lose his power and get rid of him because there is not enough evidence that he was doing something hideous in Shannanxi but it is at least enough to destroy the pride of the prime minister.

"Yes, your majesty," he bowed and took his leave but as soon as he got to the entrance, the prime minister entered the imperial hall with a smug expression on his face as always, he stopped when he got to the same spot where the regional commander is standing, he gave him a side glance then both men smirked.

The regional commander then left the hall but the prime minister stood still, wondering why the regional commander who was absent for some days now, suddenly appeared in the imperial hall.

{What exactly are you two plotting?}

He exhaled then he gingerly walked to the front of the hall and bowed his head.

"Greetings, your majesty,"

"Rise,"

He raised his head only to see the emperor smiling, he creased his forehead in confusion, there has only been one expression on the emperor's face whenever they met and that expression is always filled with contempt, fear and suspiciousness but today the emperor is actually smiling with his lips curled up.

"Your majesty, I wonder why you have summoned this subject to the imperial hall at this hour?" the prime minister inquired with his head slightly lowered.

"What do you mean, prime minister, you are my subject so it is only right that I summon you at any hour I desire or do you have a problem with that?" he raised his brow and his curled lips.

"Of course, this subject did not mean it that way,"

"Prime minister, I summoned your son to the capital a long time ago but it appears that the general has ignored my order, what do you think I should do in this case?"

The prime minister widened his eyes hearing the reason why he has been summoned, he wondered if the emperor has found out something about his whereabouts or not, or is he just sounding him out.

"Your majesty, please forgive my son's impudence, there have been cases of bandits inflicting sufferings on the people situated at the border, he failed to weigh the importance of your order compared to the people's suffering so he stayed at the border to protect the people," he explained with a deeply apologetic tone in his voice and his face showing his fake sincerity, the emperor scoffed in his mind, seeing how concerned he looked when he is lying to his face.

"If you say so prime minister then that makes me an irresponsible and vile emperor who has no care for his people?"

"How can I dare, your majesty?"

"If not then you have committed the crime of deceiving the emperor!" the emperor thundered, slamming the armrest of the throne with his eyes burning in anger.

"Your majesty...." the speechless prime minister didn't know what to say in this situation, just then, the regional commander entered the imperial hall with two soldiers behind him, dragging Wei Xianlu to the front of the hall.

The prime minister widened his eyes at the sight of his son in his white under robe and his hands bound in shackles, he raised his gaze to glance at the emperor then he turned to the regional commander who had a smug look on his face and his gaze fixed on the prime minister without fear.

"Regional commander, how dare you to treat my son like a criminal?!" he thundered angrily, pointing an accusing finger at the regional commander but the latter only scoffed and walked closer to him with his eyes looking into the prime minister's eyes, implying a direct confrontation.

"Prime minister, I think you are mistaken, I am not treating him like a criminal, he is a criminal and very soon, you will also be in the same state as he is," he tauntingly answered with his lips curled up at the end of his threat.

The prime minister raised his brows at his bold answer, previously, he has always gone against him in the matters of the court but he has never directly confronted him in such bold manner.

"You..." he turned to the emperor.

"Your majesty, what is the meaning of this, what has my son done to deserve such treatment?" he queried, pointing his index finger at his son.

"You have the guts to ask, you insisted that your son is at the border protecting the citizens from the bandits but it appears that he has been in Shannanxi and you dare ask me that question?" he thundered angrily, the prime minister passed a scolding glance at his son for being so stupid to have been caught.

"Your majesty, Xian'A must have been on his way to the capital when the regional commander arrested him, please seek justice for my son who has served you wholeheartedly in protecting the border," he cupped his hands and bowed his head.

"Your majesty, the governor himself confesses that general Wei arrived in Shannanxi a few days after you summoned him to the capital and he has been residing at his manor ever since then," the regional commander refuted strongly, Wei Xianlu who was very well aware that the governor never attested to such after he was caught could not let himself get buried in the mud without defending himself.

"Your majesty, I don't know why the regional commander is speaking such lies against me but I can assure you that I have done no such thing, I only passed by the governor's manor on my way back so I decided to pay him a visit before continuing my journey to the capital," Wei Xianlu defended desperately.

"Does that mean this is also a lie against you?!" he questioned, raising his voice then he flung the letter sent by Madam Ju to the ground, the prime minister stepped forward and picked up the letter then he opened it to read.

"This....This....you majesty, will you believe the words of a mere entertainer to this servant that has served you for years," he threw the letter to the ground.

"You are painting black white, do you think I am foolish?"

"Your majesty...."

"Regional commander, heed my order, Wei Xianlu has disobeyed my order and deceived the emperor, he is to be executed in three days,"

"Yes, your majesty!" the regional commander responded, the father and son duo widened their eyes while they glanced at each other in shock at how far the emperor has taken the matter.

"Your majesty, please take back your order, this is a plot against my son!"

"If prime minister wants to save general Wei then you will have to forfeit your private army to the government and instruct everyone in the cabinet of ministers to forfeit their private army, from this moment onward, no minister is allowed to keep their own private army,"

The prime minister clenched his fist tightly, he realized why the emperor has made such effort to make this a bigger issue than it is but the regional commander couldn't understand why the emperor settled for something so little when he could order them to forfeit their private army personally.

"Father...." Wei Xianlu muttered seeing his father's pained expression, with their private army, they still have hope of dethroning the emperor in the future but once it is gone...

"I will do as your majesty as ordered, in turn, please preserve my son's life," the prime minister reluctantly answered, with much effort, he gritted his teeth to the point that the veins in his neck were clearly visible.