Chapter 828: and translation of title, then ===GLOSSARY=== with list of named entities appearing in these lines, using exact English

Xiao Yuanhang and Cheng Ru'an simultaneously set down their chopsticks and exchanged a glance.

The married couple were of one mind; His Majesty's question seemed casual, yet he personally came early in the morning just to ask this single sentence.

Perhaps something had happened in the palace, involving the Seventh Prince.

Tuan Tuan chewed a jujube paste cake, the round cheeks puffed, and mumbled, "Third Elder Brother? The Third Elder Brother is great; he even went fishing with me yesterday."

Xiao Tuanzi giggled, "But he didn't catch a single one!"

I am not asking about that!

Xiao Jieyun smiled, reached for the tea cup and took a sip.

He pondered for a long time how to ask so that the child could understand.

He hesitated briefly: "Tuan Tuan, I'm not asking whether he played well with you, but rather …."

He still got stuck.

Xiao Yuanhang, seeing this, interjected, "Tuan Tuan, His Majesty means: has your Third Elder Brother changed? Is he still the same as before?"

Think it over carefully, then tell your Imperial Uncle in detail.

Xiao Jieyun nodded.

Tuan Tuan tilted her head, thought seriously for a while, and nodded: "Yes, the Third Elder Brother has changed."

The Flower Hall fell silent in an instant.

Xiao Jieyun's hand holding the tea cup hovered in midair, Xiao Yuanhang's jaw tightened slightly, and Cheng Ru'an quietly clenched the handkerchief on her lap.

Even Eunuch Cheng, standing in the corner, felt his fingers hanging at his side tremble lightly.

Cheng Ru'an softened her voice and said gently, "Tuan Tuan, how has the Seventh Prince changed?"

Tuan Tuan swallowed the jujube paste cake, looked up at the Emperor, big eyes crystal clear, and said, "He has become much thinner."

His chin is pointier, and he doesn't smile as much as before.

When he used to smile, his eyes would crinkle, but now he only smiles like that when he's with me.

Tuan Tuan tilted her head and thought again: "When I went to find him, he was sitting alone, staring blankly."

Xiao Jieyun's hand trembled slightly, and Eunuch Cheng let out a soft sigh.

The Flower Hall was extremely quiet, with only occasional bird calls drifting in from outside the window.

Cheng Ru'an's heart settled: "What about the others, your Third Elder Brother …"

Tuan Tuan looked at her: "What about the Third Elder Brother? Mother."

Cheng Ru'an hesitated for a moment, recalling how Xiao Ze had voluntarily accompanied Tuan Tuan to Sacred Medicine Valley, what a wonderful child!

She steeled herself and still asked, "Is he still the same Third Elder Brother as before?"

"Of course!" Tuan Tuan replied without hesitation, "The Third Elder Brother hasn't changed at all! He's exactly the same as when I first met him at Xuanqiong Temple!"

Xiao Jieyun's heart trembled, and he completely relaxed.

Tuan Tuan can see many things that ordinary people cannot, and has never made a mistake.

Since the Seventh Prince has not changed, the Che'er affair could not possibly have been done by him.

He felt relieved, picked up his chopsticks, and smiled gladly, "Very well! Tuan Tuan, compare with me—who can eat the most!"

"Sure!" Tuan Tuan grabbed a piece of osmanthus cake and shoved it into her mouth.

The two of them began to eat bite after bite, competing with each other.

After the meal, the Emperor and Prince Ning entered the study.

Xiao Jieyun did not conceal anything and recounted yesterday's events in full detail.

Xiao Yuanhang furrowed his brows: "Your Majesty, this matter involves deception."

The Emperor raised an eyebrow: "What do you mean?"

Xiao Yuanhang paused briefly then said, "Your Majesty, forgive me for speaking frankly."

"Since the legitimate son was born, the Seventh Prince's situation has become rather delicate; this is known throughout court and realm, yet no one dares to expose it before Your Majesty."

Xiao Jieyun was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded: "I too was once a prince; how could I not know?"

Xiao Yuanhang looked up at him: "Your Majesty, please consider carefully—Huicǎo is not a poison. If someone truly intended to harm the Young Prince, why not use arsenic or aconite?"

"Yet they chose something that takes days to take effect? Isn't that needlessly indirect?"

Xiao Jieyun's eyes flickered slightly.

"I think," Xiao Yuanhang continued, "that this person has no intention of taking the Young Prince's life; they only want Your Majesty to discover it."

"Later, they would use that little palace maid from the Needle Craft Bureau to utter the Seventh Prince's name in the Imperial Ward."

"Fortunately, yesterday Your Majesty handled it properly and sealed the information; otherwise, even a whisper reaching the court would have made the Seventh Prince a target of all arrows."

Xiao Jieyun slowly nodded.

"Your Majesty, do you recall," Xiao Yuanhang paused, "that before this, rumors already swirled throughout Jingcheng, claiming the Seventh Prince was colluding with officials?"

"This was only resolved by Your Majesty's imperial edict, which cut the problem down like a lever, and shortly after the Young Prince encountered trouble."

"Does Your Majesty not think this is all too coincidental?"

"Everything seems prearranged, one after another, all pointing directly at the Seventh Prince."

Xiao Jieyun remained silent for a long while, then slowly nodded: "Yuanhang, you make a valid point. I truly failed to see this layer."

Xiao Yuanhang bowed slightly: "Both the Seventh Prince and the Young Prince are Your Majesty's own flesh and blood; being in the midst of affairs, it's inevitable that concern becomes chaotic—it's human nature."

"I am only worried," his gaze grew heavy, "that the mastermind behind these two incidents can both incite officials to impeach a prince and reach into the harem, meddling with the prince's bedding."

"Such methods are indeed effective."

Xiao Jieyun's complexion darkened; after a long pause, he said resolutely, "I will definitely root out this person; we cannot allow them to wreak havoc on the state."

"This matter perhaps still requires careful deliberation," Xiao Yuanhang mused after a pause, "but Your Majesty, since this person has repeatedly targeted the Seventh Prince, his safety is indeed worrisome."

Xiao Jieyun lifted his eyes and looked at him.

"One plan fails, another arises." Xiao Yuanhang's voice sank, "This person acts meticulously, step by step, certainly not a sudden impulse."

"If he discovers that these measures cannot move the Seventh Prince in the slightest……"

He didn't finish his words, but Xiao Jieyun already understood his implication.

"If a clever capture fails, he will resort to desperate measures." The Emperor slowly lowered his face, his expression grim as water, "Visible spears are easy to dodge, hidden arrows are hard to guard against."

"As long as Lao Qi remains in Jingcheng, such matters will keep arising."

"His Majesty is sagacious."

Xiao Jieyun raised his eyes to look at Prince Ning: "If I were to transfer Lao Qi away from Jingcheng……"

He did not continue.

Xiao Yuanhang also did not respond.

The ruler and his minister exchanged a glance; everything was understood in silence.

Xiao Ze is the chosen heir apparent; at this critical juncture, being transferred away from Jingcheng, how will the court officials view him in the future?

Xiao Jieyun slowly rose, hands behind his back, walked to the window: "I need a proper reason to let Lao Qi leave Jingcheng."

"It would both keep him safe and not make anyone think he was exiled from Jingcheng due to the struggle for the heir position."

"After this matter is settled and the chief culprit is punished, then let him return openly and honorably."

The next morning's court assembly.

The Minister of Revenue stepped forward to present a memorial: "Your Majesty, the Envoy of Pacification of Dongying, Lin Changyuan, has submitted a memorial, stating that because Dongying's waterways are controlled by our country, the Red-haired Barbarians' merchant ships are obstructed in their comings and goings."

"Its commissioner, Governor Kui Yi, has sent an envoy to Dongying, requesting trade with our country."