Chapter 49: You Bastard, Are You Going to Die If You Don’t Speak?

Outside the Zhiyuan Pavilion, Nurse Zhang saw the Emperor approaching and was so frightened that her legs gave way, and she collapsed to her knees with a thud.

The Emperor looked puzzled. “Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

Nurse Zhang felt utterly defeated, thinking, This is it—his tone sounds just like the Princess Consort’s!

“Your Majesty, is the little imperial grandson still here?”

The Emperor replied, “...” Didn’t he personally bring the boy himself? How could he not know?

Had Nurse Zhang lost her mind?

Xiao Jinghui laughed merrily, “Grandfather Emperor, Grandpa.”

Hearing the voice, the Crown Prince quickly came out to greet them.

The Emperor held Xiao Jinghui and said, “I missed Jinghui, so I came to see him.”

But his gaze flicked toward the room, and when Lin Yue emerged, he quickly added, “Sister-in-law, you’re here too? What a coincidence.”

At that moment, an ill-timed voice interrupted.

Panting heavily, Eunuch Liu asked, “Your Majesty, have you seen the Princess Consort of Ding?”

The atmosphere froze awkwardly.

The Emperor was speechless. Damn it, can’t you just keep quiet?

Nurse Zhang thought, Oh heavens, the Emperor truly came for the Princess Consort of Ding. How is she to explain this to Her Majesty? She might as well be dead.

The Crown Prince was stunned.

Lin Yue thought, The Emperor must have heard that the Tan family sent the Grand Princess to persuade the Princess Consort, but he’s too embarrassed to say so outright, so he used her as a cover.

But this was bound to cause misunderstandings. It’s all Eunuch Liu’s fault for being so foolish.

Xiao Jinghui clapped his hands and cheered, “Fool, fool.”

The Crown Prince’s face changed in alarm, thinking his son was insulting his grandfather. He hurriedly scooped Xiao Jinghui up, saying, “Don’t be silly.”

The Emperor’s expression darkened. How could a two-year-old grandson understand anything? Blame that damned Liu Jian.

Fortunately, Sister-in-law didn’t misunderstand; otherwise, he would have killed him.

At this moment, Eunuch Liu was filled with despair, wishing he could slap himself hard twice. It was all his fault for speaking too quickly—he had caused trouble now.

Lin Yue took Xiao Jinghui and said, “Jinghui, do you miss your imperial grandmother? Do you want to visit her palace?”

Xiao Jinghui nodded.

Lin Yue then told the Emperor and Crown Prince, “I’ll take Jinghui there first. The Crown Prince has matters to discuss with the Emperor. You two can talk.”

The Crown Prince nodded eagerly; he did have something to report.

After Lin Yue took the little imperial grandson away, the courtyard fell into an unusual silence.

Still, Eunuch Liu obediently knelt down.

The Crown Prince then complained, “Father doesn’t even know how to control the people around him. They say whatever they want.”

Eunuch Liu shrank his neck in fear, as if he could already see a gleaming blade poised to strike it off.

Unexpectedly, the Emperor snapped, “What nonsense are you spouting? I came because I was worried about you.”

The Crown Prince looked confused. “Worried about me?”

The Emperor said with righteous authority, “Your aunt is two years younger than you. Think about that.”

The Crown Prince felt a storm brewing in his mind, as if thunder was about to strike. How did this blame suddenly land on his head?

“No...” the Crown Prince began.

The Emperor declared firmly, “No ‘no’s! You didn’t even bring the Crown Princess to meet your aunt in broad daylight. Do you think I’m so idle that I can come running to save you at every turn?”

“And you call me your man?”

“Your people outside saw me come and immediately dropped to their knees, looking guilty as thieves!”

The Crown Prince quickly glanced around. His people hadn’t knelt down.

A little eunuch at the door whispered, “Only Nurse Zhang knelt.”

The Crown Prince retorted, “That’s my mother’s people.”

The Emperor sneered, “What difference is there between your mother’s people and yours?”

The Crown Prince argued, “Then what difference is there between your people and mine?”

The Emperor replied, “A big difference. My people don’t obey your orders!”

Eunuch Liu knelt steadfastly like a rock, not daring to move.

The Crown Prince was speechless.

With the blame squarely thrown at him—though it was his favorite son—the Emperor felt no guilt, only relief.

He entered the room and asked the dismayed Crown Prince, “What did your aunt say?”

“Don’t be constantly ready to meet her. If there’s a problem, let her come to me. I can help resolve it.”

The Crown Prince rolled his eyes and snorted, “Father worries about her when she’s at the Eastern Palace, but I’m a generation apart from her. If she goes to you, it’ll only cause more confusion outside.”

The Emperor slammed the table. “These idiots who grow tall but not smart need a good lesson someday. Their heads should be replaced!”

The palace servants outside trembled, almost dropping to their knees.

The Crown Prince frowned. That phrase sounded strangely familiar.

The Emperor suddenly realized his mistake and hastily added, “Kill them all and send them to be reborn!”

The Crown Prince was startled, thinking perhaps the Emperor could hear his aunt’s thoughts too.

Clearing his throat to calm himself, the Crown Prince explained, “This morning the Grand Aunt summoned the Princess Consort to tell her that Minister Tan asked her to act as a liaison, and that Tan Sheng would replace his son at the border. The Princess Consort worries this will check the Prince’s power, so she came specifically to warn me.”

“She came out of concern for the Prince. Father, please don’t blame her.”

The Emperor scoffed coldly, “Your uncle is still fighting at the front. Am I that foolish?”

The Crown Prince said, “...But you rushed here just now, using Jinghui as an excuse, saying you were worried about my and the Princess Consort’s reputation.”

“So, in your eyes, I’m an idiot?”

Unconsciously, the Crown Prince’s eyes grew especially plaintive.

Seeing this, the Emperor felt a twinge of guilt and quickly left with Eunuch Liu.

However, news spread that the Emperor had hurriedly brought Eunuch Liu to the Eastern Palace, where the Princess Consort of Ding was the only guest at the time.

Thus, a rumor, unspoken yet understood, began to circulate.

Outside the Diligent Governance Hall, Zhou Dahai had waited long, looking pitifully resentful as he watched the Emperor.

The Emperor, seeing this, called out, “Liu Jian, Zhou Dahai, come in with me.”

The two senior eunuchs, each harboring their own concerns, followed the Emperor into the hall.

Recalling how today Liu Jian had embarrassed him and almost left him unable to recover, the Emperor was displeased and asked, “Liu Jian, if I truly liked the Princess Consort of Ding, what would you do?”

Liu Jian’s eyes suddenly lit up. Here it comes—his chance for immense fortune!

Zhou Dahai looked as if struck by a thunderbolt, despairing, “My heavens, this is unbearable!”

He shouted desperately, “Absolutely not! Your Majesty, she’s truly untouchable!”

The Emperor roared, “Shut up! I’m not asking you!”

Trying to intervene in everything to show off his capability? No thanks.

He despised Zhou Dahai more and more, and that was no accident.

Zhou Dahai went from shouting to sobbing like a young bride, prompting the Emperor to roll his eyes in exasperation.

This old man was becoming unbearable.

Seeing this, Liu Jian was inwardly delighted; finally, it was his turn to shine.

He promptly said, “There is no woman in the world Your Majesty cannot touch. Even if there is, as your servant, I must find a way to make it possible.”

The Emperor sneered; Liu Jian was truly a scoundrel.

Glancing at Zhou Dahai’s miserable face, the Emperor felt more at ease. Though annoying, Zhou Dahai still had some humanity, unlike Liu Jian, who had no limits.

He then asked, “And you, Zhou Dahai?”

Zhou Dahai wailed, “Oh my lord, please don’t be foolish. There are thousands of women in the world. When the lights go out, they’re all the same.”

“If you really like the Princess Consort, your servant can find a woman who resembles her. If you like her temperament, find one with a similar temperament; if you like her looks, find someone who looks alike. Even if none match, your servant can train her, and find the best makeup artist to make her identical for Your Majesty.”

The Emperor twitched at the corner of his mouth. This scoundrel really knows how to play the game.

“Zhou Dahai!”

“At your command!”

“Send Liu Jian to serve the Fourth Prince as an attendant. Tell the Fourth Prince I will reward him with a personal servant for amusement.”

“At once, Your Majesty!” Zhou Dahai looked up, utterly incredulous.

At the same moment, Liu Jian seemed struck by lightning and cried out fearfully, “Your Majesty...”

The Emperor sneered, “Get lost!”

“Neither of you are any good!”

Zhou Dahai: “...”

Liu Jian: “...”