The Empress’s strictness toward the Fourteenth Prince was well known throughout the palace. In truth, the Emperor had seen it with his own eyes, but having so many sons, he simply lacked the time to attend to each one individually. Furthermore, he desired for his sons to be formidable, so he never intervened in the Empress’s harsh methods.
"Your Majesty, although the Fourteenth Prince was only six last year, his skill in archery and horsemanship already surpassed that of a grown man. You have seen it yourself."
An Delu glanced at Lu Beimo. Although he secretly hoped Prince Mo would remain to inherit the throne—a desire born of deep-seated gratitude—the Prince had already made his position clear: his heart was no longer in it. Prince Mo was not a man to speak out of spite. When he said he was in despair, it was true despair; he never joked about such things. His resolve to leave was absolute, and any attempt to stop him would inevitably lead to bloodshed—a prospect An Delu could not bear. If the Emperor could be persuaded to see reason, perhaps the conflict could be resolved peacefully. At the very least, it would be a satisfactory outcome.
Chapter 999