Would You Like to Have a Drink

Previously, when Zong Ruichen described his dream to him, he mentioned that although Emperor Yuan saw the scene of impropriety in front of him, anyone with clear eyes could see that he was drugged, and still ordered Yuan Jia to investigate. It was only when a eunuch later carelessly mentioned the Third Prince that he angered Emperor Yuan and hastily closed the case.

 

Who would have thought that when it happened again, Zong Hongjiu didn’t calculate the person he should have calculated, and instead suffered retribution.

 

After Yuan Jia left, Zong Luo sat alone in the Zhang Palace.

 

It was only after about a few incense sticks of time that the announcement of “His Majesty arrives——” came from afar.

 

Hearing this, Zong Hongjiu, who was kneeling on the ground, quickly squeezed out a few tears and repeatedly pleaded for mercy from his father.

 

Obviously, after a trip to the imperial prison, Emperor Yuan’s mood became even worse.

 

He didn’t even give Zong Hongjiu a glance, directly ordering the imperial guards in a cold voice to take the Ninth Prince back to his palace, heavily guarded, and not allowed to step out before his fate was decided.

 

This was clear evidence, meaning he was waiting to be convicted.

 

Zong Hongjiu collapsed like a pile of mud, carried away by the silent imperial guards, crying and shouting all the way. Those who heard him all kept their heads bowed, none daring to look sideways.

 

Once upon a time, he was the one who needed the most to be waited upon in the palace, apart from Emperor Yuan. The concubines had to coax him with soft voices and breaths upon seeing him, and he always took the lion’s share when it came to ranking.

 

But who could have thought that this widely recognized master under the knee of the emperor, after committing a crime, the emperor also had no intention of showing any mercy, but coldly dropped a sentence of official business.

 

The intention to harm the heir to the throne was a capital crime. Even if he was a prince, he wouldn’t be able to escape death or life imprisonment.

 

Gradually, the pleas for mercy echoed through the palace until they could no longer be heard.

 

Footsteps came from outside the palace gate.

 

Emperor Yuan stepped into the hall where the incense was burning, and immediately saw the white-clothed prince kneeling quietly on one side.

 

Although his eyes were still covered with white silk, his complexion was visibly much rosier than when he had vomited blood and fainted not long ago.

 

“Your Majesty.”

 

As Zong Luo heard the voice and got up to salute, Yuan Jia timely brought a cup of calming tea.

 

Emperor Yuan sat down behind his usual desk for handling memorials, took a few sips of tea, and finally suppressed the anger that had been throbbing in his forehead.

 

After suppressing his anger, the fatigue of a sleepless night surged up, making him feel light-headed.

 

He subconsciously waved his hand, realizing that Zong Luo couldn’t see him now, and then bluntly said, “You come here.”

 

Zong Luo obediently stepped forward.

 

“Zhen has already ordered Yuan Jia to clean up the Yuchun Palace. You don’t need to go back to your mansion later, just move in directly.”

 

Zong Luo was stunned.

 

According to tradition, the crown prince naturally needed to live in the palace. There was also a palace reserved for the heir in the palace, waiting for the heir to ascend to the throne and then form his own team. Therefore, although it was not stated in the ritual system, and the previous dynasty had moved the capital once, everyone knew that the palace where the crown princes of the past dynasties lived was the Yuchun Palace.

 

Even if he knew in his heart that Emperor Yuan didn’t mean that, but this sentence came out of the blue, Zong Luo really couldn’t help but think more.

 

“Father Emperor, this may not be in accordance with the etiquette.”

 

He was about to speak, but was impatiently interrupted by Emperor Yuan, “You are the filial and diligent crown prince whom Zhen personally conferred a posthumous title. The Witch Sacrificial Ceremony will also be scheduled after the year, so what’s wrong with staying temporarily?”

 

Yes, conferred a posthumous title, the Witch Ceremony, the temporary stay.

 

These two words, like a bucket of cold water poured down, completely pulled Zong Luo out of his unrealistic illusion.

 

“Last time Zhen exhorted repeatedly, you’re really good, turning around, you went to that kind of unspeakable place with the Fourth, and did not come back until late at night.”

 

Emperor Yuan was angry when he mentioned this. He sneered, “Before your eyes are healed, you will stay in the palace honestly and follow the curfew of the palace.”

 

There was nothing wrong with this statement. After all, adult princes all leave the palace to build their mansions, and there has never been a situation where they return and live in the palace again. With so many palaces to choose from, the only one that could be lived in was indeed the Yuchun Palace.

 

“Stop hanging out with the Fourth, what does he count as, Zhen is the lord of the world! What he has, Zhen has the same! Humble and disgraceful, next time you hang out with him, see if Zhen doesn’t break your legs!”

 

After the harsh words, the emperor in a black dragon robe rubbed his eyes a bit tiredly and said coldly, “Take away the things on the table! Yuan Jia, take him to Yuchun Palace to see if there is anything else to add, and let people move it from the Third Prince’s Mansion today.”

 

After Zong Luo left the palace, he secretly opened the thing that Emperor Yuan had just asked him to take away.

 

Inside was a pill that was all too familiar.

 

It was the one that Zong Chengsi presented to Emperor Yuan at the banquet.

 

It was said to have obtained the pill formula from an immortal tomb, and it took a full three years to collect a furnace of medicinal materials, and asked the master to open the furnace to refine the pill, and only then did he get a pill that only the supreme ruler of the world was qualified to take.

 

Zong Luo knew this pill because in his previous life, after Emperor Yuan took it, the hidden injuries left on his body in the early years did get much better, and during that time the whole person was rejuvenated, thus his dragon face was very pleased and rewarded a lot of good things to the Fourth Prince’s Mansion.

 

He had not doubted that Emperor Yuan’s sudden illness later was related to this pill.

 

But Zong Chengsi released the formula, and Emperor Yuan was naturally suspicious. Before taking it, he would definitely ask the Imperial Medical Courtyard for examination, or directly ask the Imperial Witch to divine, and only after confirming that there was no error would he take it.

 

Therefore this was really a pill that couldn’t be bought for a thousand gold, and there was only one in the world.

 

Zong Luo finally understood what Emperor Yuan meant when he said that the Fourth was nothing, and that he was humble and disgraceful.

 

It turns out that from beginning to end, his own layout with Zong Chengsi, were all seen in his eyes.

 

Emperor Yuan thought he needed the pill, but in fact, Zong Luo was pretending from beginning to end. He was not blind at all, and he didn’t need any miraculous medicine.

 

The white-clothed prince silently lowered his hand, closed the brocade box, and his knuckles turned white because of the force.

 

For the first time after his rebirth, he felt a little lost.