It’s just after nightfall, and the Fourth Prince’s mansion was still brightly lit.
Everyone in the Imperial City knew that the Fourth Prince flirts with women and lived a luxurious and immoral life. Today, he invited a troupe to perform in his mansion; tomorrow, he invited a dancer for a solo performance; the day after, he simply spent the night in the red-light district. In short, his nightlife was more exciting night after night, never repetitive.
The atmosphere in the front hall was full of spring.
The dancer in the cloud dress was spinning in the center, her water sleeves undulating like a swimming snake. On the side, many young masters, dressed in colorful clothes, were drinking heavily, openly embracing beauties. Occasionally, when they were in the mood, they waved directly to the dance pool, and the beauty would stop, send a flirtatious glance, and let out a string of silver bell-like laughter.
No wonder people say that the Fourth Prince’s mansion was the largest brothel in the Imperial City. This statement was absolutely correct.
In order to cover up his real purpose, Zong Chengsi had also spent a lot of money.
Although each prince had a different background, the Great Yuan treated each prince equally. Especially for the princes who have built mansions outside, they were not granted the title of kings, but their monthly salaries were given in full, without any arrears or deductions.
The Fifth and Sixth Princes have large families and naturally didn’t care about this money.
For them, rewarding talents under subordinates, rewarding the army, and often spending money like water. Only Zong Chengsi, although he had some monthly salary in his hands, obviously wanted to establish power, but it was a bit less. To win over the court’s noble military power and transportation, these things that could truly add bricks and tiles to him simply looked down on the points in Zong Chengsi’s hands.
Under the circumstances, Zong Chengsi could only start from the grassroots, netting these people from all walks of life, part of which was used to collect information, and the other part also for making some dog meat friends, spending money to support these idlers, maintaining his playboy appearance.
It was precisely because of Zong Chengsi’s decades of consistent behavior that Zong Yuanwu and Zong Yongliu and other menkes ignored the power he had accumulated in secret and relaxed their vigilance.
On the other hand, Zong Chengsi also knew how to handle these people.
It’s nothing more than money, color, and power. If you hold one, you can stand invincible.
Gongsun You mingled among these people, quietly shrinking in the corner, seemingly always adding wine, but in fact never letting the wine wet his lips.
Smart people had to learn to hand over their handles.
If a smart person had no handle, it meant that he couldn’t be controlled.
After pretending to join the Fourth Prince, Gongsun You showed an arrogant and self-important external image, desperately needing to be recognized. As long as the Prince’s Mansion held a similar banquet, he would never be absent, and he would always get drunk and hug beauties left and right.
After observing for a while, Zong Chengsi felt relieved.
He originally wanted to get close to the King of Beining, but the latter was unpredictable and would turn his face at any moment. After returning to the capital, he couldn’t get in touch with him no matter what, and instead got closer to Old Sixth, which made him anxious and angry.
Gongsun You was born poor, but his talent was beyond doubt. Just a few small things were enough for Zong Chengsi to see his ability. Having such a strategist to help was like adding wings to a tiger.
Especially after the incident with Zong Hongjiu last time, Zong Chengsi was even more grateful that he had listened to Gongsun You’s words. He didn’t get involved for the sake of immediate benefits, but laid out his plans behind the scenes. Even when it came to finding someone to take the blame, he made sure to pass it on layer by layer, ensuring that all the blame was placed on Zong Hongjiu.
Sure enough, when Emperor Yuan ordered a thorough investigation of the matter and the news of Zong Hongjiu being confined to the palace came, Zong Chengsi felt a chill in his heart.
This time, the father emperor was determined to rectify the situation.
From then on, Gongsun You was promoted to his confidant.
Just when Zong Chengsi was short of people, after several probes and investigations confirmed that Gongsun You was loyal, he had a long talk with him at night, brainwashed him, and entrusted him with important tasks.
When the idlers in the Fourth Prince’s Mansion found out, they rushed to curry favor with him.
At such times, Gongsun You could continue his arrogance and ignore everyone.
He sat here for a long time before he heard the announcement from the outside. “The Fourth Highness is here——”
Zong Chengsi, who had just come out of the palace, had a gloomy face and was inexplicably anxious.
He strode into the main hall, not even bothering to disguise his usual appearance of cherishing and pampering women. He directly bumped into the dancing girls in front of him, causing them to scream and fall to the ground, shivering.
“Get the hell out of here!”
Zong Chengsi was annoyed, and the chirping voices gave him a headache, so he immediately flew into a rage.
This was the first time he had lost his temper in front of everyone.
Everyone knew that the Fourth Prince loved beauties alone. When they saw him angry, they all knelt down in agreement, and they didn’t dare to pick up the flower balls and outer shirts on the ground. They scattered like birds and beasts.
Gongsun You had some idea in his heart. When most of the people in the main hall had left, he stepped forward and asked, “Fourth Highness, what’s the matter?”
Zong Chengsi was in a rage, and after taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, his face was filled with a strong gloom. “Brother Gongsun, you probably don’t know, we’ve been kept in the dark all along!”
Thinking of the words that Zong Hongjiu had stuttered through the wall just now, Zong Chengsi felt a surge of anger in his heart.
He’s not a fool. When Zong Hongjiu said that Zong Luo had appeared in the palace to save Zong Ruichen at the Baijia Banquet, and in fact had not lost his memory, Zong Chengsi knew that he had completely fallen for Zong Luo’s scheme.
Thinking of this, Zong Chengsi couldn’t help but sneer.
His good imperial brother, who was so capable, had even deceived him.
By comparison, this also increasingly added weight to another secret that Zong Hongjiu was reluctant to reveal.
Although Zong Hongjiu was desperate and told Zong Chengsi the secret of Zong Luo. But he also knew that he was now isolated and helpless in the palace. If he said everything all at once, he might become a discarded piece. So he told Zong Chengsi that if the Fourth Imperial Brother could save him, he would reveal the remaining secret.
Zong Hongjiu only revealed some hints about that secret.
