Would You Like to Have a Drink

A row of eunuchs stood trembling at the entrance of the palace, each with their heads bowed low, fearing to anger the person inside who was giving orders with great authority.

 

Zong Hongjiu stood in the center of the great hall, commanding the servants to dress him one by one, his face as dark as ink.

 

Ever since the conversation with the Father Emperor during the Qing Si in the twelfth lunar month in Zhang Palace, he had been confined until now.

 

Throughout his life, Zong Hongjiu had never been subjected to such severe punishment.

 

Yet, in just two or three short months, he had suffered it twice.

 

The first time he was confined, Zong Hongjiu made all sorts of commotions within the palace. One moment he would demand a certain dish, ordering the imperial kitchen to work overtime to prepare it; the next, he would insist on having lessons, summoning the Shao Fu to the palace with great fanfare, only to fall asleep during the class, infuriating the Shao Fu.

 

In short, he did whatever he could to attract attention.

 

After the second confinement, all of that stopped.

 

The imperial kitchen only delivered set meals, and he was not allowed to order. The Shao Fu, it was said, had fallen ill from anger during the last incident and was now resting at home, having taken a long leave.

 

Even the clever plan offered by a young eunuch, to feign illness and call for the imperial physician, was useless.

 

Zong Hongjiu knew in his heart that he had truly angered the Father Emperor this time, even more seriously than before.

 

But he couldn’t understand it, nor could he believe it.

 

It turned out that the Third Imperial Brother, whom everyone thought the Emperor had always ignored, was the one he valued and was most proud of.

 

It was hard to describe how unwilling Zong Hongjiu was to accept this after learning of it.

 

If the Father Emperor’s favored crown prince had been the Fifth or Sixth Imperial Brother, he could have reluctantly understood and accepted it. After all, those two imperial brothers had astonishing maternal family power behind them and had always been engaged in open and covert struggles. Apart from the Father Emperor’s favoritism, Zong Hongjiu had no capital to compete with them.

 

But the Third Imperial Brother, like him, had lost his mother early and had no backing. He could be directly disregarded in terms of power. As a child, he had even served as a hostage in the Wei Country for many years, far from the Great Yuan’s imperial court, clearly neglected and treated coldly.

 

For so many years, the Father Emperor had not paid much attention to the Third Imperial Brother, but rather allowed him to lead troops and fight wars outside.

 

But who could have expected that the Father Emperor’s favored crown prince would be him?!

 

Where is the saying that the Father Emperor treated all his sons the same.

 

Zong Hongjiu was extremely dissatisfied.

 

It was clear favoritism, claiming it was the path they chose for themselves, when in fact, there was never a chance for them to choose.

 

If the Father Emperor had directly stated his intention to appoint him as the heir, he would have certainly studied diligently, instead of thinking about skipping school every day. In the end, it was just because the Third Prince was born a few years earlier. Otherwise, given the degree of favor he received from the Father Emperor, it would be impossible for the throne to fall to the Third Imperial Brother.

 

What’s so good about Zong Luo anyway!

 

The more he thought about it, the worse Zong Hongjiu felt.

 

“Ouch!—” As he was thinking, a sudden sharp pain shot through his arm.

 

In an instant, blood spurted out.

 

Zong Hongjiu let out a painful cry, fiercely extending his leg, he kicked the back of a servant with his foot. “Don’t you have eyes? You’ve made this Prince bleed!”

 

The servant, terrified, quickly knelt down to beg for mercy, banging his head on the ground. “This servant did not notice, please spare my life, Ninth Prince, please spare my life!”

 

However, his pleas were of no use.

 

Soon, guards were ordered to come and drag away the servant who dared to offend the prince, and he was executed on the spot with a rod.

 

Seeing this, the eunuch Lai Fu, who was standing by, hurried over to help stop the bleeding. “Your Highness, why bother getting angry with a lowly servant and upsetting yourself. Tonight is His Majesty’s grand birthday, and although you were confined for a month, after tonight, perhaps His Majesty will be in great joy, and this matter will be forgotten.”

 

With this reminder from the eunuch, Zong Hongjiu’s previously ugly expression finally improved somewhat.

 

Tonight, there was a palace banquet, and as a prince, he naturally had to attend.

 

With this attendance, there might be room for negotiation regarding his confinement. Perhaps after presenting a congratulatory gift tonight, the Father Emperor would calm down, turn a blind eye, and no longer confine him to copying books in the palace as punishment.

 

Watching the eunuch wrap bandages around his arm, Zong Hongjiu still couldn’t swallow his pride. “After all, why should the Father Emperor hold a grudge against me because of him?”

 

The eunuch, who was wrapping the bandages with a bowed head and a submissive look, heard this and a glint of sharpness flashed in his eyes.

 

During these days of confinement in the palace, Zong Hongjiu had always been tight-lipped, never revealing why he had angered His Majesty.

 

After all, Zong Hongjiu was well aware that the capital for his unbridled behavior within the palace was the Emperor’s favor, and these servants were accustomed to steering according to the wind. Although they were all princes, they treated the fool in the Cold Palace differently.

 

If these people knew that the Third Prince was the one the Emperor loved and valued most, Zong Hongjiu’s dignity would be swept away.

 

He would have to slap his face until it’s swollen in an effort to look imposing. (TL: It means that one would rather pay the price and pretend to be great, and do something beyond one’s ability to save face.)

 

“Lai Fu, who do you think the Father Emperor loves most?”

 

Upon realizing his own slip of tongue, Zong Hongjiu quickly shut up and turned to ask the eunuch beside him.

 

Lai Fu was the eunuch who had served by his side the longest in the entire palace.

 

The other senior eunuchs either offended Zong Hongjiu, either the flattery was not smooth enough, or lacked vision and enthusiasm in doing things.

 

In just two years, nearly ten eunuchs had been replaced by Zong Hongjiu’s side, until the slick-talking Lai Fu secured the position.

 

Lai Fu quickly said, “Look at Your Highness’ words. His Majesty naturally favors you the most.”

 

“In those years, I’ve seen the other princes in the palace, and none of them can dine with His Majesty like you. Even in the heat of summer, just by mentioning your name, we can get extra precious ice from the Internal Affairs Bureau. None of the favored consorts or precious princesses in the harem have as much face as you. His Majesty must have instructed us, thinking of you in his heart.”

 

Zong Hongjiu snorted, neither confirming nor denying.

 

Lai Fu stole a glance at his expression and continued, “Besides, Your Highness, you are of noble birth. If someone displeases you, you only need to give an order, and naturally, there will be many servants vying to serve you.”

 

“I also want to,” Zong Hongjiu turned his back, letting the servants fasten his belt, and muttered, “Speaking of which, that stupid Eight Imperial Brother is really not pleasing to the eye. Lai Fu, isn’t the palace full of such methods? Do you have any way to make him suffer?”

 

Zong Hongjiu was terrified of the Emperor Yuan, after being chastised, he resigned not to act rashly, no matter how unwilling he was.

 

If he couldn’t deal with the Third Imperial Brother, could he not secretly make Zong Ruichen suffer?

 

On the day the Father Emperor was furious in the Zhang Palace, and only mentioned the Third Imperial Brother’s affairs. He knew about his past bullying of Zong Ruichen but did not say a word, clearly showing an indifferent attitude.

 

Zong Hongjiu, full of anger and was unable to vent it, planned to take it out on Zong Ruichen, who had been feigning to be crazy and foolish under his nose for so many years.

 

Of course, this matter must be kept from the Third Imperial Brother. To make peace, Zong Hongjiu reluctantly added, “The kind that won’t be discovered by others.”

 

A blind man, no matter how much the Father Emperor likes him more, still cannot inherit the throne.

 

Wait until Father Emperor’s centenary , what good end could there be for a prince who cannot inherit the throne yet holds military power!

 

“The Eighth Prince?”

 

Lai Fu, not understanding, still respectfully answered, “Your Highness, you may not know, but two days ago, the Eighth Prince was taken out of the palace by the Third Prince. It is said that he will be living outside the palace for a long time and will not return anytime soon.”

 

The Third Prince! The Third Prince! Again, the Third Prince!