novelhk Chapter 132 As Expected, There Was an Affair
Chapter 132 As Expected, There Was an Affair
After the grand court assembly ended, the third prince stood in the center of the crowd, listening to the ministers' compliments.
He was able to stand out among so many princes, which naturally shows his abilities.
He accepted all the flattery from the ministers, whether sincere or insincere, but he did not agree to any of their requests.
Like the other princes, he naturally wanted to use this incident to improve his reputation among the people and thereby befriend the powerful families.
However, how to cultivate a good relationship with them requires careful consideration.
Therefore, after exchanging pleasantries with these people, he fled as if he were escaping.
The second prince watched his departing figure, his eyes shifting in a mysterious way.
"Your Highness, what should we do?"
The second prince is currently weak and isolated, and with his maternal family in decline, he is far less favored in court than the princes from well-connected families.
He gave a sinister smile, and his gaze fell on the direction of the harem.
Upon seeing this, the palace attendant beside him changed his expression drastically: "Your Highness, you must not do anything foolish! Her Majesty warned you before that you must never have anything to do with that person again!"
"I understand everything you've said," he said in a deep voice, "but... this is my only way out!"
With his maternal clan in decline, the only thing he could get was his father's favor, and the only person who could help him was Consort Zhang.
Thinking of this, he still took a step and walked towards Taiye Pond.
The palace servants followed in fear, constantly keeping an eye on their surroundings.
Inside the Tai Chi Hall.
"Where did you come up with this idea?" The emperor shook his head helplessly as he spoke. "In this way, my sons will probably have to rack their brains to fight over it."
Even if the Third Prince were to handle this matter, he would likely face numerous difficulties.
Seeing Xie Jinghan acting as if nothing had happened, the emperor rubbed his temples and said, "You, the instigator, are enjoying your leisure time. Is there any progress in the cheating case?"
"When have I ever disappointed Your Majesty in my work?" Xie Jinghan retorted. "Or is it that in Your Majesty's heart, I am so unworthy of being trusted?"
"Stop saying such things in front of me." The emperor waved his hand. "You know perfectly well that I am worried."
His sons were not kind-hearted at all; none of them were good people. They would rather lose a thousand of their own to injure eight hundred of their enemies.
Xie Jinghan said calmly, "Brother, you are still too soft-hearted."
“Fighting among princes is inevitable, but if it crosses the line, they should be punished,” Xie Jinghan said. “They should be punished until they learn their lesson.”
"What is the bottom line?" the emperor asked.
Xie Jinghan raised his head and answered without hesitation, "Naturally, it's the common people."
"If they disregard the lives of the people, how can they be worthy of inheriting the throne?" Xie Jinghan said in a deep voice, enunciating each word clearly. "Or does Your Majesty intend to hand over the great cause of the empire to a cruel person?"
"Absolutely impossible." The emperor immediately interrupted Xie Jinghan. "I have said long ago that the Great Li kingdom belongs to the capable members of the royal family! Whether it is my son, you... or any other member of the royal family!"
"The empire built by our ancestors deserves a carefully chosen successor. If these sons are incompetent, we will replace them!" He spoke with unwavering resolve, without a trace of reluctance in his eyes.
Xie Jinghan stared at the emperor for several moments until he was certain that the emperor was not lying, before he said, "With Your Majesty's words, I am at ease."
"Tell me, what are you planning to do next?" The emperor pondered for a long time but still couldn't figure out Xie Jinghan's plan.
However, Xie Jinghan, who was always open and honest with him, shook his head: "This matter is of great importance. I will explain it to Your Majesty after it is accomplished."
Xie Jinghan's caution only fueled the emperor's curiosity.
But the emperor also knew that unless Xie Jinghan was willing to talk, it would be futile for him to interrogate him further.
So he said irritably, "If that's the case, then you should go back early and stop getting in my way! Do you know how many memorials impeaching you are piled up in the Censorate?"
"They're just a mere aristocratic family," Xie Jinghan scoffed. "No matter how many impeachments they make, it's all just talk. None of them dare to lay a hand on me."
"You saw what happened today," the emperor's voice suddenly lowered. "They have almost complete control over the court."
"As long as we still hold military power," Xie Jinghan said fearlessly, a hint of mockery in his eyes. "So what if they have a huge following in court, and their words carry more weight than yours as the emperor?"
"Only those with bigger fists can persuade others with reason."
After saying this, Xie Jinghan bowed deeply to the emperor and left.
As the emperor watched him leave, he recalled his earlier words and chuckled to himself.
No wonder he's his younger brother.
……
Outside the Taiji Hall, Si Qing's eyes were practically popping out of their sockets.
He finally saw Xie Jinghan come out and quickly followed, saying, "Your Highness!"
At this moment, Si Qing's tone was excited: "You were right! The Second Prince went to the inner palace! He said he was going to pay his respects to Consort Xian!"
Consort Xian was the mother of the Second Prince.
“But Consort Ke lives in Yuxin Palace, which is to the west, while the Second Prince is heading east!” He lowered his voice as he said this, “To the east is Taiye Pond, a perfect place for a secret rendezvous!”
Taiye Pond is lush with flowers and plants; if two people squeeze in, almost no one can see them.
He sighed repeatedly as he said this.
How could our own prince have gotten wind of such a secret matter? He's truly amazing!
"Did you send anyone to follow them?" Xie Jinghan asked in a low voice.
Si Qing shook his head repeatedly: "I went there myself and saw the Second Prince enter the abandoned Xingqing Palace with my own eyes!"
Xingqing Palace was a place where the previous emperors indulged in pleasure and harmed countless women. When the current dynasty was first established, Xingqing Palace was set on fire and reduced to ruins.
That place is now deserted, and there are even rumors in the palace that Xingqing Palace is haunted.
To ensure the news wouldn't leak out or be discovered by the Second Prince, Si Qing personally followed to check. Once he confirmed that the Second Prince had entered Xingqing Palace, he quickly returned to the Taiji Hall to wait for Xie Jinghan.
"Go and have a look."
Xie Jinghan made a quick decision and headed towards Taiye Pond.
Both he and Si Qing possessed excellent light-body skills.
Once inside Taiye Pond, the two disappeared without a trace, like birds darting into the forest, leaving those who had been following them completely disoriented.
Outside Xingqing Palace, Xie Jinghan and Si Qing stood on a tall tree, almost blending into it.
From here, you can see the entire Xingqing Palace.
A woman wearing a cloak walked quickly into Xingqing Palace and was then pulled into the hall by the Second Prince.
From inside the rickety door, one could hear a woman's soft moans and a man's panting.