After Su Qing and the others left, the emperor summoned Eunuch Bao. With his head down, he continued to fiddle with the tea set in his hand. His lowered eyelids concealed the emotions in his eyes as he said coldly,
"The crown prince caused quite a stir at the Prince Xuan's mansion yesterday. How come no one informed me? Is this imperial palace still under my rule?"
Eunuch Bao, under the emperor's gaze, was so frightened that he knelt on the ground, trembling. "Your Majesty, please calm down. I'll send someone to find out immediately."
Not long after, Eunuch Bao returned to the imperial study after gathering the information. He reported every detail of the crown prince's actions from the previous day to the emperor, which was exactly the same as what Su Qing and the others had said.
The emperor sneered inwardly and then asked,
"What happened after he returned to the Eastern Palace? What else did the crown prince do?"
Feeling the emperor's gaze on him, Eunuch Bao lowered his body even more. "After returning to the Eastern Palace yesterday, His Highness the Crown Prince went to bed early."
The emperor gave a deep look at Eunuch Bao, who was kneeling in front of him, and said calmly, "Oh? Really? After causing such a big incident and almost ruining someone else's precious daughter, he could sleep so soundly without a hint of guilt."
"Right. In his heart, perhaps only his mother's affairs are of utmost importance. It's my failure as a father in his upbringing."
Eunuch Bao's body trembled slightly. "Your Majesty, please don't think like that. His Highness is concerned about the Empress, which just shows that he is a filial heir apparent. His concern for the Empress must be the same as his concern for Your Majesty's well - being."
"Is he really concerned about the Empress, or is he just worried about his position as the crown prince?" The emperor didn't elaborate further and then said, "Go and summon the crown prince to see me."
After leaving the imperial study, Eunuch Bao wiped the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve. Then he called over a young eunuch and whispered something in his ear. The young eunuch then ran off.
Before long, the crown prince's entourage arrived outside the imperial study.
One of his feet was wrapped in bandages, and his face was extremely pale. He looked sickly as he was supported by his attendant into the imperial study.
Due to his discomfort, the crown prince's salute seemed a bit impatient and casual. "Your son pays respects to Father."
The emperor had already sat back behind the desk and was starting to deal with the government affairs at hand. Hearing the impatient tone of the crown prince, the emperor didn't even raise his head and said indifferently, "Rebellious son, kneel down."
Before coming, the crown prince had already heard from the young eunuch about Su Qing and the others gathering to see the emperor today. Even though he knew the reason why the emperor was angry with him, he still looked up in disbelief. "Father?"
He had been bitten by a dog and was poisoned by the "Fiery Sun" poison, almost losing his life. Now he couldn't even have an heir. But instead of asking about his injuries, the emperor made him kneel. In his father's heart, was he really so worthless?
Not hearing the sound of kneeling, the emperor put down his pen and looked up at the crown prince. His eyes, which used to be gentle and smiling, were now cold and heartless.
The crown prince's face was not looking good. There were two huge dark circles under his eyes, and he looked completely drained.
The emperor felt even more disgusted and disappointed with this useless son.
Even though this son was not born to him and his beloved, he was still his own flesh and blood. He had once had high hopes for this son. But when the crown prince blatantly hugged a palace maid in his arms during a palace banquet in front of the crown princess and concubines, he knew that this son was doomed to be a failure.
Those who couldn't control themselves would never achieve great things.
Unlike...
His gaze darkened, and he shouted angrily, "What? As a father, don't I even have the right to make you, my son, kneel?"
When the emperor got angry, his majesty was beyond words. The crown prince instinctively knelt down, his heart pounding.
The emperor got up, picked up a thorny branch, and quickly walked behind the crown prince. He raised his hand and lashed out. "This is for your abusing your power! This is for your disrespecting the court officials! You are the crown prince, the heir to the throne, not some idle playboy outside! Look at what a fool your grandfather has taught you to be!"
The thorny branch lashed mercilessly on the crown prince's body. Caught off guard, the crown prince cried out in pain.
"It hurts so much. Father, please show mercy!"
But the emperor only increased the strength of his blows.
"Show mercy? The common people often say that a kind mother often spoils her son, and a kind father can raise an unfilial one. I think I've been too lenient with you on weekdays, which has made you so stubborn and unruly!"
Before long, the crown prince's back was lacerated and bleeding. The emperor stopped only when there was no more place on his back to strike.
Looking down at his kneeling and trembling legitimate son, and then thinking of Cang Xuan, who was high - spirited and elegant in every gesture, the emperor felt even more annoyed and impatient with the crown prince.
Comparing people really makes one angry!
The emperor threw the thorny branch harshly in front of the crown prince and kicked forward, saying, "Think for yourself why I lashed you!"
What else could it be for? It was all because of those traitors like Su Qing and Zhang Wentao! He knew that these officials who refused to take sides were just like Cang Xuan. All non - allies should be beheaded!
The crown prince lowered his head, filled with hatred. But he said, "Father, your son knows his mistake."
"Oh? Then tell me, where exactly did you go wrong?" the emperor said coldly.
Enduring the pain, the crown prince said, "Your son heard that the young lady of the Duke Yong's mansion suddenly became extremely intelligent. Thinking of Lord Cang's prophecy, I thought... I thought she was a demonic star that would bring disaster to the world. So I led the guards and planned to arrest her and execute her on the spot."
The emperor slapped the table hard. "She once saved my life in the Yandang Mountains. Even if everyone in the world is a demon, she can never be one. Don't even think about harming her. Otherwise, I won't mind giving your position as the crown prince to your other brothers."
The crown prince's face changed drastically.
He never expected that the emperor would protect that young girl from the Duke Yong's mansion so much that he would even threaten him with the crown prince's position!
Thinking of his current infertility and his lame foot, a hint of cruelty flashed in the crown prince's eyes.
Clenching his fists, the crown prince replied, "Your son understands. In the future, I'll love her as if she were my own younger sister."
"Get out!" the emperor said.
The crown prince struggled to get up with his painfully injured body and left. But after walking some distance, he angrily punched the wall beside him.
He would never let today's incident go so easily!
The emperor naturally saw the fleeting cruelty in the crown prince's eyes as he left.
Lowering his eyes to conceal the depth of his thoughts, the emperor summoned Eunuch Bao again.
"Prepare the writing brush and ink. I'm going to draft an imperial edict."
The eunuchs rushed forward to grind the ink and unroll the scroll for the emperor. The emperor picked up the pen and wrote, "Today, Su Yuanyuan, the legitimate daughter of the Duke Yong's mansion, is intelligent and clever..."
Half an hour later, Eunuch Bao left the palace gate with several yellow imperial edicts and headed in the direction of the Duke Yong's mansion.