'Zui, what 's wrong? '

Jinshi sat on the couch, facing the Emperor and Empress, feeling like he was on trial. Without fully looking at either of them, he replied, 'Nothing. I 'm fine. ' He had a pretty good idea of what his brother was asking, but it was easier to play dumb than immediately admit the stupid and arrogant mistake he 'd made that had cost him so dearly.

Out of his periphery, he noticed his brother and sister-in-law exchange a glance before his brother said, 'For someone who claims he 's fine, you 've been anything but since returning from the north. It 's been two months of you being moody and distracted. You 've never been like this before, so it would seem that something is wrong. '