The Grand Master looked at Tang Xian, his immature appearance, yet his thoughts were unfathomable.

After much thought and resistance, it seems to be of no use.

He had already witnessed the might of Li Chao's army. The small capital city simply didn't have enough troops left to withstand his attack.

"Your Highness, in three days' time, I will open the city gates and invite the Imperial army of Lord Li to enter."

Tang Xian nodded. "The Imperial Advisor is indeed a smart person, remembering who I want."

Nanyu, the Imperial Palace.

The Grand Master looked at the Queen, bound and gagged. Her face was filled with fury, her eyes bloodshot, as if she were about to devour the person before her.

"Your Majesty, you needn't hate me so. I did this for the good of Nanyu."

"Bah, you only think of yourself!" Queen Nan Yu said. "Where did you take my son? Did you kill him?"

"Don't worry, he is the Crown Prince of Li Chao. How could I possibly kill him?" The National Master smiled faintly. "When Nan Yu surrenders to Li Chao, I will petition for him to take charge of Nan Yu."

As for whether you are his biological mother, I didn't say anything.

Queen Nan Yu looked at him in disbelief.

"I know, the Crown Prince of Li will definitely take action. He'll have to protect this child, but you… I'm afraid it won't work."

Nan Yu, the Queen, was initially quite resentful, but now she felt indifferent. "After all, I couldn't help her."

The Grand Tutor shook his head. "If you hadn't helped him at the beginning, perhaps you wouldn't have ended up in this situation today. Before, our several countries kept each other in check. Now that Nan Yu has been defeated, Dong Qi will only follow in our footsteps. Bei Mo has always been friendly with Li Chao, and that leaves only Xi Lin."

"Ar, I originally chose you because of your ruthlessness and lack of mercy, even towards your own kin. I was willing to abandon your indecisive brother and support you, but I never expected that after severing familial ties, you would still be vulnerable to romantic feelings and ultimately fall victim to a man's hand."

Queen Nan Yu fell silent, "For him, I am willing."

But what about the common people? What about the soldiers? All those years of hard work and sacrifice by our ancestors from Nanyue, what about them?

The national master is both righteous and evil, but he knows very well that as long as the country exists, his family will exist.

"Right now, this is the best outcome I could secure. As for what happens to you next, whether you live or die, that's in the hands of Lord King Jinn of Li Chao, Al."

"Uncle!" Nan Yu had always known that this uncle supported her but also controlled her, yet these words came from the depths of her heart.

“If it weren’t for Tang Xiu, I would have died long ago. These past ten years have all been thanks to him.” Queen Nan Yu said.

The national teacher shook his head. Everyone had their youth, he knew the Queen's past injustices, after all, the Nan Yu royal family didn't care much for their daughters.

Tang Xiu's appearance illuminated this woman's otherwise bleak life.

"Arl, may the man you desire bring you out of your suffering. I shall open the city gates tomorrow and let the army of Lord Lir in. As for you, I shall give you to them."

Queen Nanyu shed tears, but said nothing. "I want to see Haoling again."

The Master of the State agreed to her request.

A mother and son embrace, the ten-year-old boy is crying his heart out.

"Haojing, don't cry. Your father will definitely come to save you. Remember, don't tell anyone that you are my son, or both you and your father will be killed by those bad people."

Tang Haojing's eyes flashed with intense hatred, "No, Mother Empress, I want to kill those bad people."

Remember, the bad guy is Tang Xian, but he's your uncle. You have to act obedient and loving towards him. Wait until you meet your father, then tell him to get revenge for us from Nan Yu.

"Haojing, do you remember?"

Tang Haoning shook his head, "But Mother Empress, I just want to be your son. Why can't I say that?"

"Good girl, you have to endure. You must avenge your Empress by killing Tang Xian, understand? Be good and follow your father."

"Mother Empress, will you die?" Tang Hao asked timidly.

Queen Nan Yu knew she was destined to die, but she couldn't die now. She hadn't seen her loved one in a long time and wanted to see them one last time.

Upon seeing him, she willingly went to her death.

"No!"

Hearing his mother say she wouldn't die, the boy's heart felt a little steadier.

"Haojing, did you remember what your mother told you?"

The little boy nodded, "Mother Empress, I remember. But when can I recognize you?"

"When your father becomes the emperor of Li Chao."

……

The city gate swung open, and Queen Nan Yu was tied up and forced to stand before the crowd.

Tang Xian once said that Nanyue's capital was a gift he gave to Fu Jiujiu, so Fu Jiujiu didn't change into male clothing. She wanted to accept this gift as Fu Jiujiu.

Unlike a triumphant return of the army, there is no cheering here. After all, the country has fallen, and no one can feel happy about that.

Fu Jiujiao looked at Nan Yu, the queen who was even tied up, still looking noble and elegant from afar. Even she had to admit that this was a stunning beauty.

This beauty has a viper's heart.

The National Master brought along a young boy, who was none other than Tang Haojing that Tang Xian had observed with a telescope the other day. "Haojing, this is your seventh uncle, say hello to him."

Tang Xian did not overlook the hatred hidden deep in the boy's eyes, a hatred that was suppressed but could not be completely concealed because of his youthfulness.

"Uncle Qi, I am Haojing."

Very few people in Nanyu knew of Tang Haojing's existence, not even within the imperial palace.

That day, the woman impersonating Tang Haojing's mother was the national teacher's daughter. She was also a cousin to Queen Nan Yu.

Everyone else also felt that Tang Haojing was the Grand Master's grandson, so it wasn't strange for him to enter and exit the palace. Even if he lived in the palace for a long time, everyone thought it was normal.

Little did they know, it was all for a family reunion.

Tang Haojing's lingering glance caught sight of his mother, who was about to become a prisoner at the feet of others. His eyes were wet with tears, "Seventh Uncle."

He closed his eyes, it was the man before him who had brought them to ruin.

Tang Xian smiled. "I received word that your father is on his way back, so you can all be reunited soon."

He didn't miss the glimmer in Nan Yu's eyes.

"Is my father coming?" Tang Haojing asked through clenched teeth, trying to suppress his grief.

"That's right," Tang Xian glanced at Fu Jiujiu. Thanks to her well-informed nature, it seemed that this time Tang Xiu was truly in a hurry.

That also means he found the evidence that could defeat him the most.

"When does my father arrive?"

"Soon." Tang Xian said faintly, then walked to Queen Nan Yu's side.

Nan Yu's queen's eyes were almost overflowing with hatred, and Tang Xian found it rather amusing.

"Kill him if you must."

Tang Xian smiled. "I won't kill you, I will take you back to Li Chao, there is someone waiting for you."

"Nonsense, I'm at odds with your Li Chao people. How could anyone be waiting for me?"

She panicked, she was flustered.

Tang Xian hooked his lips, but his voice was chillingly cold. "I, Li Chao, those who guard the border and died in battle, their wives, children, parents, brothers and sisters are all waiting for you. Otherwise? Who do you think you are?"

First released on the Traditional Chinese Novels Website.