On that day, Marquis Huai’an’s heir spoke disrespectfully and challenged the Crown Prince. The story of having his tongue cut out quickly spread throughout the capital. The Marquis of Huai’an didn’t know what he was thinking. He entered the palace early the next morning and knelt in front of the Eastern Palace Gate to plead for his son. Zhu Yunjing didn’t give him any face and refused to let him in.
Wang Jiu glanced at the shaky figure still kneeling outside the door, and advised Zhu Yunjing with some concern: “Your Highness, the Marquis of Huai’an has always been frail. He has been kneeling here for almost an hour. Perhaps you should let him get up; otherwise, it won’t sound good if this spreads.”
Zhu Yunjing was irritable: “Did Gu ask him to kneel here? As soon as he arrived, Gu told you to send him away. It is his choice not to leave and instead cling to Gu. I see that he deliberately wants to undermine my dignity!”
As soon as his words fell, he felt a sudden pain in his stomach. Cold sweat trickled down his pale face, and he had to clutch his abdomen and hiss.
“Your Highness, please don’t get angry …” Wang Jiu hurriedly held him down and lowered his voice to remind, “Be careful with your belly …”
“Shut up!” Zhu Yunjing was even more angry.
Half an hour later, Zhu Yunxuan came to pay his respects to Zhu Yunjing. When I entered the door, he saw Zhu Yunjing lying listless on the couch, holding a book in his hand and reading casually. He approached and asked worriedly: “Royal Brother, what’s wrong with you? Haven’t you recovered from your illness?”
Zhu Yunjing shook his head and replied: “Why are you here? Don’t you want to study?”
“I just went to pay my respects to my father. He also heard about the Marquis of Huai’an coming to the palace to plead for forgiveness. He asked me to come and advise you to settle this matter peacefully. Don’t escalate this. The Marquis of Huai’an, with his fragile health, frequently has to summon an imperial physician these days, and he can’t bear the constant disturbances. “Royal Brother Prince, please don’t embarrass others like this.”
Zhu Yunjing chuckled and said, ‘Do you see if I’m currently making things difficult for him, or if he’s making things difficult for me?’
Zhu Yunxuan looked out the window and curled and smirked: “He refuses to leave?”
“Can you get him away?”
Zhu Yunxuan’s eyes darted around, and he called Wang Jiu over, instructing him: “Go and ask Marquis Hou to leave. Just say that His Highness the Crown Prince is feeling unwell and cannot meet with courtiers. If he refuses to get up, have some strong eunuchs lift him up. Be respectful and careful. Don’t hurt the Marquis. Carry him out of the palace and send him back to his mansion.”
Wang Jiu agreed and left. As expected, the Marquis of Huai’an indeed refused to leave. After a while, seven or eight Eunuchs came up and made a human sedan chair. They forcibly lifted him up. Poor Marquis of Huai’an was startled, wanted to curse, but held it in, his face turning bright red from anger. If he made trouble at the Eastern Palace gate, all his reasoning would turn into nonsense. So he could only fume in frustration, helpless, and watch as the eunuchs carried him away.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Zhu Yunxuan raised his eyebrows proudly: “But how did that Marquis Huai’an’s heir offend my Royal brother? You had his tongue cut out. Aren’t you really worried about being criticized by Father Emperor?”
“No need to worry,” Zhu Yunjing disagreed, “Father knew it yesterday when the Marquis of Huai’an came to the palace specially. Father Emperor only asked you to remind me privately not to go too far. Isn’t the intention clear enough?”
Although Zhu Yunjing was domineering, he still had some sense of proportion. He spared Jiang Yan, he spared He Huailing, but he conspicuously had the tongue of the Marquis of Huai’an’s heir cut. It was because to vent his anger, he chose the soft persimmon. After all, the Marquis of Huai’an’s wife, Princess Shulan, was Prince Qi’s full-blooded sister. Emperor Zhaoyang favour them. Emperor Zhaoyang didn’t favor them either. If they were not reminded of their place, he might truly forget who was sitting on the Dragon Throne.
“Then how did he offend you?”
Facing curiosity in Zhu Yunxuan’s eyes, Zhu Yunjing cleared his throat and said awkwardly: “He just said a few rude words. Why are you asking so many questions?”
Zhu Yunxuan figured it out almost immediately, holding back his laughter without exposing the situation: “I heard that Marquis Dingyuan was with you yesterday. Royal Brother, did you leave the palace to meet Marquis Dingyuan?”
“No, we just happened to meet each other for a cup of tea.” The matter was also inquired about by Emperor Zhaoyang yesterday when he summoned him for questioning, but he managed to brush it off with just a few words. Zhu Yunjing really wanted to sue He Huailing in front of Emperor Zhaoyang, but he still couldn’t bring himself to say it in front of his father. He was also unsure if his father the Emperor would find out that he had taken the fertility potion and conceived an illegitimate child. He feared that while dealing with He Huailing, his position as the Crown Prince might also be at risk, so he dared not take the chance.
Just as they were discussing Marquis Dingyuan, Wang Jiu came in and reported that Marquis Dingyuan had sent someone to deliver something to His Highness the Crown Prince. Zhu Yunjing sounded surprised when he heard this: “What is it? Bring it in”
One after another, various items were brought in, and they really were the specialty products of Jingzhou that He Huailing mentioned yesterday. It included a set of very delicate scholar’s four treasures produced in Jingzhou, a landscape painting depicting the scenery of Jingzhou, Jingzhou silk, tea leaves, flower cakes, green plum wine from Jingzhou… All in all, none of them were particularly valuable items, but one could see the thoughtfulness of the gift giver.
Zhu Yunxuan was stunned: “Royal Brother, did you cast a spell on Marquis Dingyuan? Does he know that he’s sending these things to you and not Second Brother?”
“How would Gu know whether Second Brother knows or not?” Zhu Yunjing frowned, wondering if He Hualing was really sick.
Zhu Yunxuan had already unfolded the painting and sighed: “This painting is really impressive. It’s so life-like. The people and objects in the painting appear to be alive. If Jingzhou really looks like what’s depicted in this painting, I would like to see it.”
Zhu Yunjing’s eyes were attracted to it. It was indeed a very outstanding piece of art, skilfully blending the landscape and dwellings of Jingzhou. With just a few strokes in the details, yet full of ingenuity, it not only depicted the ethereal beauty of Jingzhou’s green mountains and clear waters but was also filled with the bustling atmosphere of the streets and alleys of the city, making the viewers feel as if they are truly immersed in it.
Zhu Yunxuan came over boldly and asked Zhu Yunjing with a smile: “Royal Brother, if you don’t want it, why don’t you give me this painting?”
Zhu Yunjing glanced at him: “Bring it here.”
“How stingy,” Zhu Yunxuan complained in a low voice and reluctantly handed over the painting. “Royal Brother, don’t you dislike the Marquis Dingyuan? Why are you drinking tea with him and accepting gifts from him? If it weren’t for Marquis Dingyuan having the surname He, I would have thought he had become your ally, Royal Brother.”
“Stop talking nonsense.” Zhu Yunjing ignored his nagging younger brother and carefully admired the painting in his hands. A satisfied smile escaped from the corner of his mouth and he put it away.
It was not worth much anyway. Since He Huailing had chosen to send it, he decided to accept it. As for what He Huailing was thinking, it had nothing to do with him.
In the end, Zhu Yunxuan only managed to take away two jars of green plum wine from Zhu Yunjing. After Zhu Yunxuan left, Wang Jiu brought the medicine in. Zhu Yunjing’s expression darkened as soon as he saw the pitch-black liquid. Wang Jiu bit the bullet and reminded him: “Your Highness, it’s time to take your medicine.”
Zhu Yunjing: “…” He endured it.
It was too bitter. As soon as he swallowed the medicine, Zhu Yunjing’s entire face wrinkled, and the little bit of good mood he had just vanished instantly.
Wang Jiu comforted him in a low voice: “Maybe it will be fine after the first three months.”
Zhu Yunjing, still wearing a dark expression, didn’t respond. After the initial three months, if his belly grew, what should he do? What should he do if he really had to give birth later? These were things he had been unwilling to think about before, but now they had become difficult problems squarely in front of him.
Wang Jiu didn’t know what Zhu Yunjing was worried about, but he felt at ease as long as His Highness was willing to take his medicine. Otherwise, whether he could endure the first three months was a big question.
Zhu Yunjing still had no appetite for lunch. Wang Jiu tried to suggest: “The green plum wine sent by Marquis Dingyuan is said to be appetising. Your Highness, would you like to taste some?”
Zhu Yunjing nodded weakly, and Wang Jiu asked someone to pour out the wine. Then a uniquely sweet fragrance wafted from it as Zhu Yunjing picked up the cup and took a gentle sip. The taste was quite good. He suddenly regretted giving two jars to that young fellow Zhu Yunxuan. Now, he only has this last jar left for himself.
He drank a glass and asked Wang Jiu to pour another one for him. Wang Jiu reminded him: “Your Highness, this wine is meant to stimulate your appetite. Please don’t be greedy. It’s not good for your… to drink too much.”
Zhu Yunjing glared at him, didn’t insist anymore, picked up the chopsticks, and surprisingly had some appetite.
Wang Jiu silently wiped the sweat from his forehead. The Marquis was still capable. He could coax the Crown Prince with just a few jars of wine. Perhaps the physician was right. If Marquis Dingyuan were here, His Highness would probably suffer less.
However, even with all the courage Wang Jiu could muster, he still wouldn’t dare tell He Huailin the truth.
Marquis Dingyuan’s mansion.
The Jingzhou landscape painting that had always hung in He Huailing’s study had been sent to the Eastern Palace. When the steward came in, he subconsciously glanced at the empty wall, feeling a little uncomfortable. He Huailing put down the book in his hand and asked: “Did the Eastern Palace accept them?”
“They received everything… Marquis, may I ask why you decided to send gifts to the Eastern Palace?” Moreover, he even gave away several years’ worth of his favorite paintings. The old steward couldn’t bear it and ended up asking about it.
“It’s nothing. His Highness liked it, so he sent it.” He Huailing said in a detached tone. His gaze fell on a playful winter jasmine plant that had bloomed by the window. In the depths of his dark eyes, there seemed to be some unfathomable emotion flickering for a moment, but it soon dissipated gently.
The steward didn’t ask any further; instead, he began to recount amusing anecdotes from the report brought back by the person who had gone to deliver the items. He mentioned that the Marquis of Huai’an went to the Eastern Palace to plead guilty, but His Highness the Crown Prince asked people to carry him back to his residence. Everyone in the capital saw it happen. His son’s tongue was cut and he became a laughing stock again. The Marquis of Huai’an might have completely lost his face this time.
After the steward finished speaking, he suddenly heard soft laughter. He looked up and saw that He Huailing’s eyes and expression were unexpectedly filled with amusement. It took him by surprise for a moment. He then heard He Huailing murmuring softly, ‘He’s capable of doing such things…
“Just like this, His Royal Highness will be even more criticized for being too arrogant.” The steward sighed.
He Huailing remained silent. After a moment, he shook his head and said: “You may leave.”
“Understood.”
Oh my, thanks for the update!!!
He Huailing is getting into the head of our strong-willed crown prince lol
Thank You for the new chapter ʚ♡⃛ɞ(ू•ᴗ•ू❁)
Thanks for the update
I can’t wait for everyone to find out, thanks for the update!