The Sage sat on the dragon throne, gazing at Xie Jia Yan kneeling below, for a long time before telling him to rise.
In fact, apart from his eyes, he resembled the Empress more, or rather, more like the Wang family. The Wang family all possessed the refined appearance of scholars.
The first time he saw this child on the day of the audience in the Golden Luan Hall, he felt a sense of familiarity, as if he had met him before. He possessed a gentle demeanor, and seeing his literary talent and insightful words, he had appointed him as the top scholar. He never expected him to be his son.
Xie Yuan Lang had taught him exceptionally well, but therein lay the mistake. He was too perfect.
If he had shown even the slightest hint of disloyalty, the Sage would have been eager to dispose of him. But he hadn't.
He was immensely talented, his heart belonged to Da Wei. Whether as a minister or a son, he was beyond reproach.
The Sage truly could not bear to.
Yet, his existence would be a threat to Che'er.
If someone were to use his identity to incite rebellion, it would bring another catastrophe upon Da Wei.
He dared not gamble, nor could he afford to.
The Sage did not tell him to rise, so Xie Jia Yan remained kneeling, neither humble nor arrogant.
To him, the person on the dragon throne was his sovereign, not his father. He was the legitimate eldest grandson of the Xie clan of Hedong. He was that in life, and he remained so in death.
Zhang Ying also learned of Xie Jia Yan's true identity. In truth, he liked young Master Xie very much, a genuine liking from the bottom of his heart.
The marble floor was cold and hard. Young Master Xie was indeed in for some suffering.
But he, a mere servant, could not have his own thoughts. He could not say anything, nor was he qualified to speak.
The Sage's heart was unfathomable.
After an unknown period, the Sage finally said, "Rise, and be seated!"
In the hall, besides the Sage and Xie Jia Yan, there was only Zhang Ying.
In fact, if there had been even the slightest possibility, Zhang Ying would not have wanted to stay.
However, the day the Sage learned of Xie Jia Yan's identity, he had not concealed it from him.
Zhang Ying brought a stool and placed it beside Xie Jia Yan, then quickly retreated to the Sage's side, not daring to even cast a glance.
His caution was actually beneficial to him.
To be honest, those with wolfish ambitions deserved their deaths. Young Master Xie was truly a pity.
If only he had been a little more selfish, he could have lived a very good life.
"Why did you return to the capital?" the Sage asked.
"For affection. Everything in this world cannot escape the word 'affection'," Xie Jia Yan replied, his tone unhurried.
"Have you ever considered that by returning to the capital, you might never be able to leave?" The Sage's sharp eyes fixed on Xie Jia Yan.
The Sage had been suffering from a long illness and his spirit had been weak, yet his eyes remained sharp, as if he could peer into the depths of a person's heart.
Xie Jia Yan's expression remained calm as he met the Sage's gaze, "On what grounds do you intend to punish me? I am but a commoner, without official position or rank, and my family is not prominent. I am truly insignificant."
Even when the Sage had suddenly summoned him back to the capital previously, he had never acknowledged his true identity. His answer had always been the same: a descendant of the Xie clan of Hedong, Xie Jia Yan.
The Sage narrowed his eyes, observing him for a long moment, and then sneered, "The Xie clan of Hedong? I have plenty of ways to punish them."
Xie Jia Yan's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly regained his composure. "The disciples of the Xie clan are law-abiding and loyal to the court. The Sage has always been wise and will surely not act as a tyrannical ruler."
"Insolent!" The Sage threw down the prayer beads in his hand.
The beads landed on the floor with a clattering sound, each impact like a blow to the heart, suffocating.
The sound, from rapid to slow, gradually subsided into calm.
Zhang Ying felt his heart pounding as if it would leap out of his chest, yet Xie Jia Yan remained calm, or rather, resigned to his fate.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. I am but a scholar, my life is as insignificant as grass. It is not worth your concern. The matters you worry about will not come to pass."