The Princess Consort Zhuang seed sowhat troubled and said, "Father, could we postpone for a day?"
The Emperor frowned, "Why?"
The Princess Consort Zhuang said, "The Prince sent Wei’er outside the city to train him. He might not make it back by noon today!"
The Emperor narrowed his eyes, "Wei’er is outside the city? Is that true?"
The Princess Consort Zhuang said, "Wei’er left the Prince Zhuang Mansion a few days ago, that’s what the Prince told !"
Although Prince Zhuang was under house arrest, the others in the Prince Zhuang Mansion were not. Even if Huangfu Wei went to the manor, it wouldn’t be against the Emperor’s orders.
The Emperor suppressed the deep look in his eyes and said, "Which manor? I will send soone to fetch him."
The Princess Consort Zhuang said, "The Prince ntioned it was at Changzi Manor, west of the city."
The Emperor said, "I see. You may return for now!"
As the Princess Consort Zhuang left, she was still a little baffled. Did her father summon her just to ask about this matter? Why did it feel odd to her?
After the Princess Consort Zhuang left, the Emperor’s face turned into a stormy sea, with ominous clouds looming.
He said in a deep voice, "Bring those two miscreants over here!"
Eunuch Feng, knowing the Emperor was angry, quickly went to summon Prince Zhuang and Prince Cheng.
In the side hall, both Prince Zhuang and Prince Cheng’s eyes burned with intense anger. They had just fought outside Longyu Hall. Prince Zhuang’s face was bruised, and Prince Cheng limped with a bent figure, but the injuries on Prince Zhuang were real, while Prince Cheng was pretending.
The fief of Prince Cheng of Yunzhou was already at the border, where the people were fierce, banditry rampant, and there were invasions by foreign tribes.
The Emperor flung Prince Cheng to the Yunzhou border, and since then, the southwest border had been secure.
The Emperor rested easy, but Prince Cheng, who had been sent to that place at the beginning, worked tirelessly day and night, eating and sleeping sparingly, not daring to relax, and it took twenty years to govern that area so that the people could live in peace.
For over twenty years, Prince Cheng and the elite troops of his Prince Mansion had always been capable of fighting on horseback and engaging in comrce when not at war. They were not like Prince Zhuang, who, though he was also given a fief, had his fief in a prosperous area and was later established as Crown Prince, enjoying luxury in the Capital City.
Such as Prince Zhuang, he could fight a hundred n without breaking a sweat.
Prince Zhuang was not Prince Cheng’s opponent, though his eyes looked like he wanted to devour soone, he didn’t dare act rashly.
He just sneered and said to Prince Cheng, "You can fool everyone, but you can’t fool . You entered the capital without an edict, struck my Chi’er, abducted my Wei’er, and burned my Crown Prince Mansion. That day, I personally saw you and your princess on the rooftop of my Zhuangya Pavilion."
Prince Cheng chuckled and said, "You’re not wrong!"
"Denying it is useless... you admit it?" Prince Zhuang’s eyes lit up, and he said, "Where is Wei’er now?"
Prince Cheng said flatly, "Didn’t you tell with your own mouth to exchange his life for yours? Didn’t you say that killing is the only way to relieve your mind, and that killing him would make you suffer?"
Prince Zhuang’s eyes widened, and he scread, "You finally admitted it yourself, you finally admitted you entered the capital without an edict, you finally admitted you killed Wei’er... I will tell Father, Huangfu Yi, I will have Father punish you!"
Prince Cheng glanced at him as if looking at an idiot, scoffed lightly, and said nothing more.
Prince Zhuang, however, appeared almost insane; Huangfu Yi had admitted it with his own mouth, and Father would believe him this ti.
He was guilty, and Huangfu Yi was even more guilty!
Ignoring Prince Zhuang’s frantic behavior, Prince Cheng closed his eyes to rest.
When Eunuch Feng arrived, he saw a peculiar scene.
Prince Cheng was sleeping against the back of the chair, snoring lightly, while Prince Zhuang sat beside him, occasionally pushing him: "Don’t pretend to sleep, wake up and tell where my Wei’er is?"
"I know you’re not asleep; you entered the capital without an edict, Father won’t let you off!"
"Old Fifth, you evil person, you actually killed my Wei’er, Father will bring justice!"
...
Despite being pushed like this, Prince Cheng did not wake.
Eunuch Feng, keeping a straight gaze, said, "Your Highnesses, the Emperor summons you!"
Prince Zhuang excitedly said, "Eunuch Feng, you’re just in ti. Just now Prince Cheng admitted he entered the capital without an edict and admitted he killed my Wei’er! You must testify for !"
Eunuch Feng: "..."
He just ca to convey an order, what did he hear? How did it co to him testifying? Did Prince Cheng admit it in his sleep talk? Aside from snores, he heard nothing, were there secret codes hidden in Prince Cheng’s snores?
Over there, Prince Cheng was still asleep, and Eunuch Feng went over to wake him: "Your Highness, Your Highness!"
After several pushes, Prince Cheng awoke with a look of bewildernt, upon seeing Eunuch Feng, he apologized: "Pardon , Eunuch Feng, I thought it was that rascal Old Third being noisy!"
Prince Zhuang nearly jumped up: "Huangfu Yi, who are you calling a rascal? You killed my son, yet you call a rascal?"
Eunuch Feng: "..."
Who killed whose son exactly?
The matter of Prince Zhuang killing Huangfu Jingchen was judged by the Emperor himself, yet now he justly accused Prince Cheng of killing his son.
He’s just a eunuch without a son; are these people flaunting their nurous children in front of him?
Eunuch Feng said solemnly, "Your Highnesses, the Emperor summons you, it would be best not to delay!"
Prince Zhuang gave Prince Cheng a sullen glare, a hint of malice flashing in his eyes. Since Prince Cheng had confessed, he would accurately report the matter to Father; Father would bring him justice!
Upon arrival at Longyu Hall, both knelt and saluted.
Before the Emperor could speak, Prince Zhuang had already said, "Father, just now Old Fifth admitted he struck my Chi’er, abducted my Wei’er, and burned my Prince Mansion. He entered the capital without an edict, deceiving the heavens, his heart is condemnable! He... he even killed my Wei’er! Eunuch Feng can testify to this matter!"
Eunuch Feng: "..."
What did he do to be a witness?
Seeing the Emperor’s gaze, Eunuch Feng said, "Emperor, the servant was ordered to summon the two Highnesses, when I arrived, Prince Cheng was asleep, and Prince Zhuang was talking to himself!"
Prince Zhuang said furiously, "Eunuch Feng, didn’t you hear just now? Old Fifth admitted with his own mouth that he did those things, and it was even before Father’s edict was issued. Isn’t this entering the capital without an edict?"
Eunuch Feng respectfully said, "Emperor, when the servant arrived, Prince Cheng was asleep!"
Prince Cheng said, "Forgive , Father, your son was weary and inadvertently fell asleep in the side hall." His eyes were bloodshot, his face haggard, appearing sowhat drowsy.
Besides, the Emperor knew what kind of person Eunuch Feng was, and this old servant, even with borrowed courage, wouldn’t dare lie.
He snorted, and the Emperor’s majestic presence pressed down, speaking in a deep voice, "Enough! Now, tell , where is Huangfu Wei?"
Prince Zhuang was taken aback, as a mont ago Father had asked the sa question, but directed it to Old Fifth then. At that ti, Father clearly trusted him. Now, was Father more inclined to trust Old Fifth?
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