Fu Xingyi pressed his lips together.

He didn’t speak.

Chief Eunuch Ping suddenly felt a bit apprehensive, not sure if he had misspoken.

Today he even had people send a reward to the guard Lin, pondering that the emperor held Lin the guard in favor, but now with this sudden silence, Chief Eunuch Ping was utterly baffled.

He had to remain silent nervously, not daring to say more.

After a moment of silence, Fu Xingyi turned and left directly.

Chief Eunuch Ping let out a sigh of relief.

He almost thought he had caused trouble.

He didn’t know why he had the illusion that the emperor had some grudge against Lin Zichan.

"Chief Eunuch Ping." Fu Xingyi suddenly spoke.

"I am here, Your Majesty."

"Have someone bring Lin the guard to Qiankun Hall. I want to see him alone."

"Yes, as Your Majesty commands," Chief Eunuch Ping quickly agreed.

Feeling nervous again.

This royal mind is harder to understand.

What does the emperor intend to do?!

Chief Eunuch Ping dared not delay and sent someone to call Lin Zichan.

Lin Zichan was accompanying Anqi and Youyou, but suddenly received the imperial command.

An Youyou was naturally a bit unhappy, "What does father want Lin the guard to do at this time? Lin the guard only has one day to accompany me."

The palace attendant who came to deliver the message dared not speak more.

Anqi comforted Youyou, "It must be something important father has for Lin the guard. Lin the guard, please go and come back quickly. Youyou and I will wait for you here."

"Yes," Lin Zichan responded respectfully.

An Youyou pouted but agreed.

Lin Zichan left with the palace attendant.

An Youyou complained, "I feel father is becoming less and less like my father."

Anqi was startled and then somewhat surprised, "Youyou, you shouldn’t say things like that casually. Father is father, there’s no such thing as like or not like!"

"Haven’t you noticed, Anqi sister?" An Youyou looked at Anqi puzzledly, "Don’t you feel father is distant from us? Sometimes when I want to play with father, he always uses busy affairs as an excuse. The father from before wasn’t like that."

Anqi naturally noticed the change in father too.

Perhaps many people noticed, but because he is the emperor, no one dares to say anything.

Anqi thought for a moment and comforted, "Youyou, mother said before, father is father no matter what, don’t you trust mother?"

An Youyou was convinced by Anqi.

She obediently nodded.

Thinking that as long as mother didn’t say father was different, it was just her overthinking.

...

Qiankun Hall.

Lin Zichan went to see the emperor.

This is Lin Zichan’s second time seeing the emperor alone.

The first time was after the emperor returned to the palace and summoned him privately.

Logically, a minor guard like him would never be appointed by the emperor.

So at that moment, at first sight, they both knew everything.

The emperor knew his true identity, and he knew the emperor’s true identity.

Yet neither clarified anything.

The emperor just told him that many things were already settled, and he shouldn’t force them anymore.

Otherwise, it would harm An Ning.

Yet being summoned today again, Lin Zichan roughly guessed why.

He walked into the hall.

At this moment, no one was in the hall.

Even Chief Eunuch Ping had been sent away.

In the vast palace, there were only the two of them.

Lin Zichan was about to salute.

Fu Xingyi directly stopped him, "No need, this was supposed to be yours. I’m the one occupying the nest."

Lin Zichan frowned slightly.

He didn’t expect Fu Xingyi to lay it all out this time.

"I thought you would have left after our last meeting," Fu Xingyi spoke bluntly, without any pretense.

Lin Zichan lightly pursed his lips, facing Fu Xingyi, unyielding yet respectful, "There are always things one can’t bear to leave behind. No one can be so carefree."

"I told you before, staying here harms An Ning, you’ll make her feel guilty," Fu Xingyi looked at Lin Zichan, "But you still let An Ning recognize you."

Lin Zichan pressed his lips.

He knew.

On the road to Wenzhou, he could feel it.

Yet neither had clarified it. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Not clarifying meant something.

Lin Zichan should have known long ago.

"Perhaps you think all of this is ridiculous, but now it’s a fact, your existence is redundant," Fu Xingyi said coldly.

Lin Zichan’s eyes narrowed slightly, "Whether I’m redundant is not for you to judge. Where I should go is my affair, not something you can decide in a few words."

Fu Xingyi’s eyes tightened.

The flames of anger were evident in his eyes.

"Do you want to resist?" Fu Xingyi asked him.

Lin Zichan looked straight at Fu Xingyi, his expression turned cold.

"The person An Ning loves is me," Fu Xingyi said clearly and deliberately.

Lin Zichan’s fingers clenched slightly, his fists tight.

"So even if you want to resist, it’s redundant. An Ning would not choose to leave me for you. Our bond is deeper than you imagine and won’t change just because you interjected. As long as I’m here, An Ning won’t love anyone else. No matter how many promises she made to you before, once I’m truly here, they will all turn to bubbles."

"In that case, what are you worried about?" Lin Zichan countered.

Fu Xingyi’s cold gaze.

"Since An Ning doesn’t love me or affect your relationship, what is there to worry about? I just want to accompany someone important to me, is that so offensive to you?" Lin Zichan’s tone carried a touch of cold irony.

"I said, I just don’t want An Ning to feel troubled or guilty because of your presence."

"An Ning is already aware of my existence. Wouldn’t she feel guilty even if I’m not there?"

Fu Xingyi was rendered speechless by Lin Zichan’s retort.

"You’re so eager for me to leave, making me suspect your relationship with An Ning..."

"Lin Zichan!" Fu Xingyi suddenly slammed his palm hard on the armrest of his Dragon Throne.

The sudden loud noise instantly prompted the guards outside to rush in.

They immediately surrounded Lin Zichan.

Ready at any moment to take action, to kill him.

Lin Zichan’s eyes chilled, maintaining absolute vigilance.

Fu Xingyi coldly watched Lin Zichan’s demeanor, then abruptly commanded, "All of you, get out!"

The guards naturally didn’t dare defy the emperor’s order and quickly withdrew.

Lin Zichan deliberately watched as all the guards left.

Fu Xingyi said, "Lin Zichan, don’t force me to kill you."

Lin Zichan pressed his lips tightly, saying nothing.

"You’re well aware of our disparity in status now. I can kill you easily," Fu Xingyi threatened.

Lin Zichan remained silent.

Showing not a hint of fear towards Fu Xingyi.

"After today, don’t let me see you again. Otherwise, I’ll make you disappear from my sight in my own way!" Fu Xingyi ordered coldly, "Get out!"

Lin Zichan cast a cold glance at Fu Xingyi and turned to leave.

"By the way," Fu Xingyi suddenly called out to him again.

"Because I love An Ning, I can accept everything about her, including her two children. I can even treat them as my own!" Fu Xingyi’s icy voice continued, "But if you really overstep boundaries, I can’t guarantee what I’ll do! Lin Zichan, you have no standing to oppose me, and everything I’m doing now is an act of mercy on my part toward you."

Lin Zichan gritted his teeth.

He was indeed powerless before Fu Xingyi at this moment.

"Don’t see Youyou and Luming anymore. My mercy has its limits!"