As the father and son spoke, a doorman came to announce that Qiu Che, the forestry minister, has come to visit.

Luo Wei said, “I should excuse myself.”

Luo Zhi Qiu nodded his head, “Go and see your mother.”

Luo Wei stood at the side door, watching Luo Zhi Qiu welcoming Qiu Che into the flower gallery. He didn't think that after pus.h.i.+ng Liu Shuang s.h.i.+ over, this Qiu Che was the one who would benefit the most, and yet he had absolute no memory of who he was.

“Young master,” Just as he was deep in thought, a doorman's voice interrupted him from behind.

“What is it?” Luo Wei turned to ask.

The doorman answered, “The fifth prince has come to visit, saying that he will wait for you at the gates.”

Luo Wei expected Long Xiang to visit, “Then I shall go welcome him inside.” He said as he started to head off to the gates.

The doorman spoke up again, “The fifth prince said that he won't enter the estate, he only wants to talk with the young master.”

“Mm,” Luo Wei answered with a hum, communicating that he already knew.

Long Xiang stood at the gates of the Luo Estate by himself, as if he'd been waiting there for Luo Wei for a long time.

“Why don't you come in?” Luo Wei walked down the steps and stood in front of Long Xiang.

As if looking at a stranger, Long Xiang stared at Luo Wei, “I've gone to see my uncle.”

Luo Wei sighed, “Your Imperial Highness, the Junior Chancellor's crime is rather grave, you should distance yourself from him.”

Long Xiang kept talking, “My uncle said you were the one who did this to him.”

Luo Wei watched Long Xiang quietly, “What? How could that be possible?”

Long Xiang responded, “My uncle said that you wouldn't admit it.”

Luo Wei asked, “What, is the Junior Chancellor still claiming his innocence?”

Long Xiang explained, “He said he was guilty and must pay for his crimes, and that I shouldn't go to see him.”

Luo Wei said, “Then no one did anything to him, it's the Junior Chancellor reaping what he'd sown.”

Long Xiang only stared at Luo Wei, “Just tell me the truth about one thing, were you the one who did this to him?”

Luo Wei didn't even think as he answered, “No.”

“My uncle said it was you, my cousin Liu Wu Sheng also says it was you,” Long Xiang staggered back a few steps before he regained his bearing enough to stand still, “Would two people who are about to die lie to me like this?”

“If Your Imperial Highness already believes in the Junior Chancellor and General Liu,” Luo Wei said, “Then why has he come to ask me about it?”

Long Xiang answered, “Because I don't want to be your enemy!”

“Even if you didn't, this matter is out of your hands.” Long Xuan arrived, coming in the direction of Long Xiang.

“Big brother,” Shocked, Long Xiang didn't think that Long Xuan would be there too.

Long Xuan stood beside Long Xiang, “I knew you'd come to find him,” He looked at Luo Wei but spoke to Long Xiang.

Luo Wei paid his usual respects to Long Xuan.

Long Xuan stared at Luo Wei, coldly.

Luo Wei was staring at Long Xuan too. Between Long Xuan's brows lay a deep fatigue. In Luo Wei's memories, Long Xuan had never looked this haggard and weak. Luo Wei thought that he would be very happy to see someone that he hated so much fall into a difficult situation like this, to be utterly exhausted, but he found that he wasn't happy at all. His heart was still empty. Why?

Long Xuan's hands were clenched in fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. Years of planning had gone up in smoke. The Liu family with a hundred years of glorious history had fallen in the s.p.a.ce of a single day. Long Xuan wished against wish that it was just a nightmare. Luo Wei was standing in front of him, but he couldn't see even a shadow of the youth he'd known before. Luo Wei looked calm, but his eyes were like ice. Long Xuan didn't know what was happening to him anymore. He should have hated this person, and yet the only thing he felt was a profound sadness. Why was it Luo Wei, why does it have to be him?

Long Xiang's eyes skittered between Long Xuan and Luo Wei. Things were find before he went to Nan Zhao, how did things change so completely when he came back? Long Xuan, Luo Wei, both of them were unrecognizable to him.

Luo Wei finally opened his mouth, “Your Imperial Highnesses, it's getting late, perhaps you should return to the palace.”

“Can you save them?” Long Xiang asked suddenly.

Luo Wei wanted to laugh. Long Xiang, ever the one oblivious to the troubles and tragedies of the world!

However, Long Xuan addressed Long Xiang, “Can you stop? Liu Shuang s.h.i.+ and Liu Wu Sheng are both traitors, unforgivable traitors, how many times do I have to say it before you understand?”