It was just about time for lunch.
The palace was bustling with palace maids coming and going. The maidservants from the Imperial Kitchen were leading the maids, carrying lacquer boxes, and coming over. With nothing to do, several beauties sent by the Yu Country were tirelessly walking around in the Imperial Garden, hoping that they would be lucky enough to bump into the emperor whom they had never seen since they entered the palace.
“Isn’t that the Ninth Prince?”
They whispered to each other in low voices.
The Yu Country sent them here, naturally with ulterior motives. However, let alone vying for favor, they couldn’t even see the face of Emperor Yuan, so what’s the use of racking their brains and putting in a lot of effort?
Moreover, not long ago, one of the beauties couldn’t stand this kind of life and tried to send a message to her homeland, but she was caught red-handed. It was said that she was sent to the imperial prison, and there was no news after that.
In the eyes of other countries, the Great Yuan was a cruel and ruthless master, a dragon’s pool and a tiger’s den, and the current emperor was even more tyrannical among tyrants, killing people at the slightest disagreement.
(t/n: a dragon’s pool and a tiger’s den-an extremely dangerous place)
After the lesson of the past, these newly arrived beauties also dared not act rashly.
As long as they don’t make trouble, the life in the palace was actually not so boring. It was said that there were concubines in the harem who were idle and bored and carried hoes to plant vegetables in the ground. In short, they were enjoying themselves.
“I don’t know what the Ninth Prince has done. Isn’t it said that he has always been the most favored?”
Not only them, but almost half of the people in the palace heard Zong Hongjiu’s cry.
Several imperial guards were holding him, and those palace people who used to follow the Ninth Prince didn’t dare to say a word, and they all walked with their heads down.
Just in time, Mu Yuanlong brought Zong Ruichen over, his face looking anxious. “How is the Third Highness now?”
Pei Qianxue said, “Jin Yu just woke up not long ago, the imperial physician said there is nothing serious, it just so happened that His Majesty issued a summon, and he went to the Zhang Palace first.”
Hearing that it was nothing serious, Mu Yuanlong’s face immediately improved a lot.
Although the fact that the Third Prince vomited blood was known to many people, after Yu Beizhou finished the investigation and sent the specific perpetrators into the imperial prison, the ministers who had been blocked in the hall also returned to their homes with a frightened heart. Even the next day without having to go to morning court did not calm their minds.
The imperial palace did not let outsiders stay overnight. Knowing that Zong Luo was just over-nourished, and there was no big problem with his body, Pei Qianxue went back to the mansion first, and took Zong Ruichen with him when he left.
Only Ye Linghan silently stayed behind, neither resting nor leaving, propping up his body, standing in front of the Imperial Medical Courtyard all night, until now.
Thinking of this, Zong Ruichen looked at Ye Linghan with complicated eyes.
Just a few months ago, when the Third Brother hadn’t returned, Zong Ruichen and Ye Linghan were still two pitiful ones supporting each other under the oppression of Zong Hongjiu.
At that time, Ye Linghan was his only friend.
After experiencing the whistleblowing incident later on, Zong Ruichen was once very upset. But later he was told that it was a misunderstanding, and Ye Linghan also changed, following behind the Third Brother, looking like a loyal subordinate.
He didn’t know what had happened in the meantime, but he knew Ye Linghan’s character.
On the surface, it may seemed like he’s able to do things smoothly and pleased all parties, speaking human words to humans and ghost words to ghosts, but in fact, he was very proud in his bones.
(t/n: speaking human words to humans and ghost words to ghosts-to be flexible and know what to say in different situations and to different people; to be crafty and two-faced)
He didn’t know what had happened to make him follow the Third Brother in this way.
Even though he harbored rejection in his heart towards Ye Linghan due to his dream, Zong Ruichen still walked up to him and said thank you in a low voice.
If it weren’t for Ye Linghan helping him block the wine, the unlucky one would be him.
The pale-faced crown prince of the Wei Country said lightly, “Don’t thank me, if you want to thank, thank His Highness.”
Just as they were talking, Zong Hongjiu’s screams came from behind.
Zong Ruichen took a look and found that the enemy who had always bullied him was caught, and he turned his head and asked Ye Linghan if he wanted to go over and take a look.
“No.”
Ye Linghan’s bloodshot eyes were still fixed in the direction of the Zhang Palace, and he shook his head silently when he heard the words.
Zong Hongjiu was indeed extremely hateful. Just like Bai Taining, that envoy of the Wei Country, if given the opportunity, Ye Linghan would hate not to kill them by his own hands, cut their flesh piece by piece, and never let them go even as ghosts.
But now, compared to watching Zong Hongjiu’s jokes, there were more important things to consider.
The imperial guards have been dragging Zong Hongjiu, who didn’t want to walk by himself, back to his own sleeping chamber from the entrance of the Zhang Palace.
As long as the recruits of the Great Yuan wanted to receive their salaries, they had to pass the test, and the content of the test was arm strength. Let alone two people, even one person could easily lift a ten-year-old Zong Hongjiu.
When they arrived at the entrance of the sleeping chamber, Duan Junhao had already received orders to wait here.
“Ninth Highness, we’ve offended you.”
He was already ordered to come. Standing aside, he watched the guards take Zong Hongjiu into the palace.
The palace attendants who usually served Zong Hongjiu were not allowed to enter, and instead, two slightly older teaching wet nurses and two middle-aged eunuchs were replaced to deliver meals and basic services.
After the heavy palace door was closed, a small team of guards finally stepped forward, running to surround and guard the entire palace.
“Change the guard every two hours, except for the few servants just now, no one else is allowed to enter. Entry and exit must be strictly checked.”
Anyone could see that the Emperor Yuan was really serious this time.
Even Zong Chengsi, who was hiding in the dark, also exclaimed “Eh” in confusion, obviously not expecting this situation.
In the same plan with Zong Hongjiu, Zong Chengsi was not sincere at the beginning.
Not to mention that the Eighth was covered by the Third Imperial Brother, he was now in alliance with the Third Imperial Brother. Even if it was for no reason, he would not do such a stupid thing under the public eyes.
So Zong Chengsi very cunningly only provided Mantingchun, and did not intervene in other conspiracies at all. He even adopted the advice of his recently recruited strategist at the end, arranged for his own people to pit Zong Hongjiu, and made a move to expose him.
