Would You Like to Have a Drink

Chapter 23.1

Zong Ruichen was very happy these days.

First off, the Third brother whom he thought had died in the battle, unexpectedly returned. Although his eyes were injured, the Third brother said that there was still a possibility of being cured.

In Zong Ruichen’s eyes, his Third brother was like a god coming down to earth, omniscient and omnipotent. Since he said that the eyes could be cured, then Zong Ruichen would no doubt believe it.

In addition, the Third brother helped him beat Zong Hongjiu away last time, which also made Zong Ruichen worried that Zong Hongjiu would go to their father to complain. Yet, in the end, nothing happened for a long time. Later, Zong Ruichen went to inquire quietly, and heard a few maids chatting that the Ninth Prince seemed to have angered His Majesty. He was then punished for copying books and kneeling in the Imperial Mausoleum, and that no one had even dared to plead mercy for him.

Zong Hongjiu was punished?

Zong Ruichen was taken aback.

Over the years, the father’s love for the Ninth younger brother was obvious to all. In addition, the other imperial brothers had also left the palace to build their own mansions. At present, the palace was Zong Hongjiu’s world. Surrounded by clusters of people left and right, wherever he went, there would be a mighty number of people following him.

Even if Zong Hongjiu went too far and angered how many Shao Fu’s, Emperor Yuan would at most punish him to face the wall to lament on his mistakes. He had never heard of such a severe punishment being given to him.

But this was of course a great thing for Zong Ruichen. As Zong Hongjiu didn’t come to bully him, he simply stayed in the Cold Palace and practiced martial arts with peace of mind. As for Ye Linghan, he also kept Zong Luo’s advice in mind, and did not contact the Wei Country Proton at all. Even when Ye Linghan came to look for him a few times on the way, he pretended to be unwell and pushed him away, without even seeing him face to face.

Heaven knows………he is still accused of confidentiality.

The whole Great Yuan didn’t know that he was pretending to be crazy, and except for the Third brother, Ye Linghan also knew of this fact.

Zong Ruichen didn’t want to believe it at first. After all, he and Ye Linghan had no grievances nor enmities. Under Zong Hongjiu’s persecution, they were also considered to be revolutionary comrades-in-arms, and they helped each other a lot in private. Even in Zong Ruichen’s heart, who never had a playmate from childhood to adulthood, he saw Ye Linghan as his only friend.

Later, when Zong Hongjiu approached him, Ye Linghan merely watched coldly from the hunting ground. 

Matters have already come to this point, what else is there that I don’t understand?

Zong Ruichen thought, feeling extremely uncomfortable. “Why did he tell others? I obviously didn’t do anything to offend him.”

Zong Luo touched his head. “Don’t blame yourself.”

Ye Linghan was simply an unfamiliar dog, and to say that he would use any means to achieve his goals was only saying it lightly. This was already the case before his blackening, but it was even worse after the blackening. All the dirty work of Yu Beizhou’s faction was done by him alone, even Zong Luo couldn’t help feeling chills after hearing those methods.

He pulled Zong Ruichen up from the ground, and after confirming that the latter was just frightened and had at most some insignificant bruises on his body, only then did he help him onto a garrison horse.

Zong Luo also turned over and mounted himself on his horse. “Go back to the palace first, and leave the rest to me.”

Zong Ruichen became worried. “Is the Third brother going to find Ye Linghan or Zong Hongjiu?’

“Look for them all, and won’t let them try to run away.”

Zong Luo comforted him and said, “Don’t worry, your Third brother knows it well.”

“But Zong Hongjiu’s side…” Zong Ruichen was still worried.

“The fact that he failed to file a complaint to the Emperor last time does not mean that we will still be lucky the next time.” 

Zong Ruichen still remembered the last time when the Third brother said that the reason why he deliberately feigned death and escaped was that there were other princes behind his back planning to frame him. He couldn’t help worrying about whether to just come forward with him or that he would just instead upset the Third brother’s plan by doing so.

“Since he dares to do it, he has to pay the price.”

Zong Luo didn’t want to say more, and lowered his eyes to stare at the blood on the sword. “If all goes well……after the hunting competition, maybe I can take you out of the palace.”

Sure enough, upon hearing what Zong Luo said, Zong Ruichen immediately swept away his sad expression from before, and jumped with joy, wishing to just jump a few times on the horse.

“Remember to circle around before going out.”

Zong Luo smiled, slapped the horse’s back, used some internal force in his hands, and the horse obediently carried Zong Ruichen forward.

After Xiao Ba’s back disappeared into the dense forest, Zong Luo turned his horse’s head and chased in the direction where Ye Linghan had left.

All the smiles on his face disappeared, leaving nothing but coldness.

This incident really pissed him off today.

Since they dared to take Zong Ruichen’s life, then the two of them should be punished severely.

Although Zong Luo usually looked dignified, he was also stubborn. Even if Emperor Yuan stood behind Zong Hongjiu, it would not stop him from venting his anger today.

Gongsun You stood not far away, waiting for the return of his new Lord.

Zong Luo then signaled Gongsun You to undo the puppet art.

Zong Hongjiu standing on the ground had an unfocused eyes for a moment, and before he had time to restrain the arrogant expression on his face, he saw Zong Luo standing in front of him condescendingly.

Having knelt in front of the Third Imperial Brother’s Mausoleum for a whole day yesterday, his knees at the moment were still aching. Now, seeing this face again suddenly, Zong Hongjiu, for a second, thought he was seeing a ghost, and backed away in horror.

As he retreated halfway, he came back to his senses, and immediately erupted in anger.

 “Good! You impostor, how dare you appear in front of this Prince?! Come—!” 

Zong Luo suddenly kicked him.

The other servants were still in a daze, not noticing the huge movement at all.

The swordsman in white then turned and punched him in the face, his fist directly connecting to his flesh.

Zong Hongjiu had his tooth knocked out, and his face was immediately covered in bruises.

“You…how dare you hit me…I will tell my father, you impostor……I’ll  have your whole family……to the ninth generation be punished!”

Zong Luo: “……..”

He really didn’t want to say that if he punished his family up to its ninth generation, Emperor Yuan himself would have to be included.

After beating Zong Hongjiu violently for a while, Zong Luo drew out his sword.

Only then did Zong Hongjiu notice that scarlet blood stained the snow-white sword’s surface.

“Somebody, help me, there’s a murderer!”

He then suddenly realized that he had already been shouting here for a long time, yet no one had appeared around him. Fear finally registered in Zong Hongjiu as he noticed that the situation in front of him was wrong, thus he screamed like a pig that was going to be slaughtered.

“Really useless.” Zong Luo said contemptuously, bending down to pick up the whip that Zong Hongjiu had dropped on the ground.

Last time he took a whip from Zong Hongjiu, this time he also got another one, which was longer than the former. The only thing that remained the same was that there were still barbs on the whip.