Back then, when Prince Cheng angered the Emperor, this fiefdom was indeed the most barren and perilous of territories.
To call it a fiefdom is more like calling it an exile! Apart from bringing more people, and not having soldiers to guard him, it was not much different from being banished.
They knew Prince Cheng’s life wasn’t easy back then, but they didn’t expect it to be this hard.
The ministers thought to themselves, all being princes, the disparity is truly vast! Prince Li’s fiefdom in Lanhe County, west of Ningzhou, is close to the Capital City and is a prosperous land. Prince Zhuang’s fiefdom in Shiyuan County, southwest of Qingzhou, is also in the central area, far from the borders.
But the fiefdoms of Prince Xin, Prince Lu, and other princes, even if not as good as those of Prince Li and Prince Zhuang, are all far from the dangerous frontiers.
Yet, Prince Cheng’s fiefdom is indeed indescribable.
Even the Emperor furrowed his brows slightly and his gaze towards Prince Cheng softened a bit.
Prince Cheng continued, "Those who ca to assassinate were highly skilled, adept at disguise, and highly adaptable masters. In just three months, the ten guards I brought from the Capital City were almost all dead or injured. Since then, I developed a habit: even in my dreams, I have an instinctive reaction. If soone does not harm , I will not harm them; but if soone intends to harm , even if I am asleep, I will retaliate. Since Third Brother ca to wake , I naturally retaliated, which ans Third Brother had intentions to harm at the ti!"
With this explanation, many people turned their eyes to Prince Zhuang.
A mont of panic flashed in Prince Zhuang’s heart, and he firmly denied, "I did not!"
Prince Cheng sneered and said, "My instinctive reaction in the dream grows stronger against strong foes. The more injured you are, the stronger your intent to harm was; conversely, you wouldn’t be injured!"
Prince Zhuang shouted, "You’re lying! Clearly, you pretended to be asleep and intentionally hurt ; you are just taking revenge!"
In his agitation, it affected his injuries, and he spat a mouthful of blood.
However, even though he was so miserable, the expressions of the people present were peculiar.
Just now, when Prince Zhuang went to call soone, he got kicked twice and was in a sorry state.
But it wasn’t just Prince Zhuang who went to call him; Eunuch Feng also went. Eunuch Feng even started by using the horsetail whisk to wake him later with a gentle push.
When Prince Cheng woke up, his attitude was quite good.
Although Prince Cheng’s act of hurting soone in his dreams was wrong, he had just explained that it was an unconscious counterattack. After all, if no one offends him, he will not offend others.
Now Prince Zhuang says he had no such intention, who would believe that?
This wasn’t a grand court assembly, and not many people were present. But all were knowledgeable ministers, their minds turned many corners. Whatever little sche Prince Zhuang had in mind, they could roughly guess; no one was a fool.
The Emperor gave a cold glance at Prince Zhuang and looked at Prince Cheng, "Dare to sleep in my hall again, and I’ll throw you out!"
Prince Cheng said, "Yes, Father!"
At this mont, the Imperial Physician arrived.
Prince Zhuang’s injuries were indeed real; the Emperor instructed the Imperial Physician, "Assist him to the side hall for treatnt."
Prince Zhuang’s secret attack on Prince Cheng seed to pass just like that.
The ministers regarded Prince Cheng with emotions of mixed feelings. It seems that the Emperor hadn’t completely let go of the incident from years ago; no matter how wrong Prince Zhuang was, or how innocent Prince Cheng was, the result would still be the big thing made small and the small things resolved.
Prince Zhuang did not want to leave, but he was indeed seriously injured; his ribs hurt, and his leg hurt.
Being a man who cherished his life and feared any lasting effects, he nervously glared at Prince Cheng and let the Imperial Physician support him away.
Once the Imperial Physician set his bones and he no longer felt the pain in his ribs, he imdiately requested to return to the hall.
Old Fifth this ti dug his own grave, pretending to stay out of it; the comfort he gave to the Princess, even Father believed it and sent people to the estate to find sothing. How absurd!
Wei’er had already been killed by Old Fifth; that day Old Fifth said, "an eye for an eye."
Thinking of his Wei’er who, to save him, his father, was killed by Old Fifth, his heart ached. Even now, without evidence to hold Old Fifth accountable, as long as Old Fifth is in the Capital City, he would find any way to avenge Wei’er.
King Kang and the Capital Guard Commander had the Imperial decree and were sure to hurry to the estate with all speed. Riding back and forth on horseback, it wouldn’t take long.
After all this chaos, it should be almost ti.
He returned again to Longyu Hall. The court session was already over, and the hall was empty. Outside the hall, however, a eunuch was waiting, and Prince Zhuang asked, "Where’s the Emperor?"
The little eunuch replied, "Your Highness, the Emperor went to the Diligent Governance Hall!"
Prince Zhuang imdiately went with large strides to the Diligent Governance Hall.
As soon as he entered, he saw the Emperor sitting behind the dragon desk, reviewing morials, with Eunuch Feng attending on the side.
On the right side of the dragon desk, soone was kneeling.
With a closer look, wasn’t it Old Fifth?
Prince Zhuang felt secretly delighted, his Father punishing Old Fifth again; that Old Fifth, so unscrupulous, had hurt him this way, and his Father finally stood up for him.
This showed that, in his Father’s heart, compared to Old Fifth, there was absolutely no comparison to Old Fifth’s standing.
Thinking of this, a sense of joy welled up in Prince Zhuang’s heart; since his Father was still partial to him, it ant there was still great hope for him to return to the position of Crown Prince.
But having just nullified the Crown Prince’s status and imdiately restoring it is unrealistic, as it would be like slapping oneself in the face, and Father wouldn’t do it. So, everything must be postponed and will require so ti to wait.
Even so, Prince Zhuang saw infinite hope, seeming as though the pain from his previous injuries was no longer as severe.
With joy in his heart, Prince Zhuang approached, gave a salute, and said, "Father!"
The Emperor glanced at him, frowned, and said, "You get over there and kneel too!"
Prince Zhuang: "..."
It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, imdiately washing away the joy in Prince Zhuang’s heart. Tearfully, he responded, "Yes!"
He walked to the other side and knelt down.
The two brothers, separated by the expanse of the grand hall, knelt, one on the left, one on the right. Prince Zhuang’s gaze at Prince Cheng was like poison.
Prince Cheng’s gaze at Prince Zhuang was like ice.
Between them lay the enmity of a child’s death.
Though Prince Cheng knew that Huangfu Jingchen was unhard, Prince Zhuang’s malicious ans were intent on certain death. It was only by luck that Huangfu Jingchen was safe; this was not a reason for him to forgive Prince Zhuang.
After more than twenty years away from the Capital City, it seed many in the Capital City had forgotten who he truly was; it seed anyone could trample over him.
Returning this ti, he would settle old scores and seek revenge for past grievances!
Prince Zhuang, thinking of his son Huangfu Wei, and then of his right and left arms, Huangfu Jing and Huangfu Chi, all because of Old Fifth’s son. If his son hadn’t taken away his destiny, why would he have used such ans to remove him?
As a result of removing one son of Old Fifth, he lost two of his own and badly injured one.
No matter how he looked at it, he felt he had suffered a loss. How could Old Fifth still have the face to settle accounts with him?
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