Liu Bian at the start, so you're called Dong Zhuo, right?

The moment those words were spoken, the hall fell silent.

The sandalwood incense was still burning, but the warmth seemed to have suddenly cooled down.

Emperor Ling's gaze darkened.

Of course, he had thought about it too.

However, the crown prince was his own son, and in Emperor Ling's heart, he was ultimately different from others.

Empress Dowager Dong still felt it wasn't enough, so she added fuel to the fire:

"Behind Bian'er was his mother."

"The He family is no pushover; you know that best."

"She wasn't able to climb from the Yeting Palace to Changqiu Palace through naivety. If you truly allow Bian'er to dominate—what do you think Changqiu Palace will do? What will the Crown Prince's Palace do? What will the people outside do?"

As she said this, her tone suddenly softened.

"Where is Ke Xie'er?"

"What's behind Xie'er? Only an old woman."

Empress Dowager Dong raised her hand, patted her knee, and smiled with a hint of self-deprecation.

"How many more years can I protect him with these bones? What will happen to him after I'm gone?"

Emperor Ling looked at Empress Dowager Dong, and the hesitation and wariness in his eyes were slowly dispelled by her words.

It wasn't that I was persuaded, but that I was forced to admit: there's more than just father-son affection in this world; there's also the throne.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he finally spoke:

"What exactly did the Empress Dowager want to say?"

That was exactly what Empress Dowager Dong was waiting for.

She didn't immediately say "bestowing the title of king," but first spoke in a way that seemed to be sharing his burdens:

"It's not about arguing."

"Bian'er is the crown prince. Your decision to make him the heir apparent is the foundation of your kingdom. I dare not, nor do I wish to."

She paused, then her gaze suddenly became very direct:

"I just want you to give Xie'er something."

"A little status, a little dignity, a little respectable etiquette."

"Let's bestow a title upon him. Give him a title, the name of a royal palace, and a foundation for supporting scholars and appointing officials—just a little bit."

After Empress Dowager Dong finished speaking, the hall fell silent again.

Emperor Ling of Han did not agree immediately.

The first thing that flashed through his mind was Liu Bian's gaze in the West Garden—steady, too steady, not like a child's.

Then he recalled Liu Xie's cry of "Father" as he threw himself into his arms—a sound so soft it pierced his heart.

He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, there was no more hesitation in them:

"Can."

"It is permissible to confer titles of kingship, but troops must not be stationed there."

"The fiefdoms must also be meager. The actual value of the fiefdoms shall be determined by the Grand Master of Ceremonies, with my final approval."

The hint of a smile in Empress Dowager Dong's eyes finally materialized, but she still feigned restraint:

"You are the emperor, you have the final say."

Emperor Ling of Han stood up and straightened his cuffs:

"The imperial edict will be drafted tomorrow. The matter of bestowing the title of king shall be handled in accordance with the established rites."

He turned to leave.

Empress Dowager Dong suddenly called him back, as if speaking casually:

"Don't worry, I won't let outsiders think you're favoring anyone."

"As long as Xie'er can stand firm, Bian'er won't have to leave in such a hurry—it will save you trouble and save him his life."

Emperor Ling of Han paused, but did not turn around. He simply responded with a faint sound and walked out of Chongde Hall.

The smile on Empress Dowager Dong's face slowly faded the moment the palace doors closed.

She looked at the nearly burnt-out incense stick in the incense burner as if it were a lit fuse.

-

The lights in Changqiu Palace are brighter than those in Chongde Hall.

It wasn't that they ordered a few extra lamps. It was that Empress He disliked darkness. She could sit comfortably in any situation, but she couldn't stand the darkness.

When Liu Bian arrived, she was reading a letter. Seeing him enter, she folded the letter neatly, placed it beside her, and without asking anything, merely raised her chin slightly.

"sit."

Liu Bian sat down beside her and recounted the news from Chongde Hall. When he mentioned Emperor Ling of Han's word "perfect," Empress He's hand holding the teacup paused—very lightly—before she steadied it, took a sip, and put it down.

"How long?" she asked.

"Guo Sheng's men said that His Majesty agreed half an hour after he went inside."

Empress He lowered her head, looked at the water in the teacup, and remained silent for a while.

"Half an hour."

Liu Bian didn't speak, he just looked at her.

Empress He raised her eyes and glanced at him. That glance wasn't one of pity, but rather a calm acceptance that came from seeing through everything.

"Bian'er, did you come here tonight to ask me what to do, or have you already made up your mind and come to discuss it with me?"

Liu Bian remained silent for a moment before speaking:

"Yes, we have them all."

Empress He pushed the letter towards her:

"Look at this first."

Liu Bian took it, unfolded it, and scanned it under the light.

It was written in He Jin's handwriting, detailing several routine official matters of the General's Mansion over the past few days. The wording was ordinary, like a typical family letter.

Ordinary family letters would not be delivered to Changqiu Palace by someone at Hai hour (9-11 PM).

Liu Bian folded the letter, put it back, and looked at Empress He:

"Is there any movement from my uncle's side?"

"It's not the action, it's the look in her eyes." Empress He pointed to the corner of the letter with her fingertip.

"This letter is to let people know that he knows."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Liu Bian didn't reply; he simply suppressed those words in his mind and then understood.

Empress He looked at him:

"Are you going to rely on your maternal uncle's influence for this matter of being granted the title of king?"

Liu Bian raised his head:

"Need not."

Empress He looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"My uncle's side is making more and more noise," Liu said. "If we use his help now, the bargaining chips he needs to get are more important than the help he can give us."

He paused, lowering his voice slightly:

"Moreover, no one needs to stand up for the Crown Prince in this matter."

Empress He looked at him, and something flickered in her eyes.

She wanted to protect him, but she also knew that if she "protected" him too obviously, it would hurt him.

She didn't say "okay," but simply picked up her teacup again, took a sip, and put it down.

"So, how do you plan to leave?"

Liu Bian mentally reviewed the events of the night, mentally tracing the possible paths of events, before speaking, his voice steady:

"Do nothing."

Empress He raised her eyes.

"The decree to confer the title of king will be issued tomorrow," Liu Bian said. "Once it is issued, everyone in Luoyang will be watching how the Crown Prince responds. If the Crown Prince makes any move, he will have lost the initiative—only when they see that the Crown Prince is in a hurry will they be truly at a disadvantage."

"But if we do nothing," Empress He said, "the number of people on Liu Xie's side will only increase."

"Let them go," Liu Bian said. "The faster they gather, the shallower their roots. Truly capable people won't change their allegiance just because of an imperial decree granting them a title of king."

Empress He remained silent for a while, pondering the words in her mind, before slowly nodding. It wasn't approval, but rather confirmation that he had thought it through.

"So, when do you plan to make a move?"

"Wait until Father sees that thorn for himself."

When Liu Bian said this, his tone was very flat, so flat that Empress He felt for a moment that this was not the words of a twelve-year-old child.

She looked at him for a long time, then sighed softly. There was something in that sigh—not worry, but something more complex—

It's like watching someone else walk down a path they've already walked, knowing that the path is traversable, but also knowing what that path will wear away.

Especially since this person is his own son.

"Bian'er," she suddenly spoke, her tone softer than before, "have you ever considered that your father is actually afraid too?"

Liu Bian looked up at her.

"It's not that I'm afraid of Liu Xie," Empress He said, "it's that I'm afraid that one day, none of his children will truly need him."

After she finished speaking, without waiting for Liu Bian's reply, she picked up the letter she had been pressing down, got up and walked to the desk, and pressed the letter into the bottom stack.

"Go ahead. Get some rest; you don't need to do anything tomorrow."