Free Web NovelChapter 568: Chapter 568: Retreat to Advance
The Emperor took a deep breath, suppressing the dissatisfaction within his heart, and said in a more relaxed tone, "Old Fifth, are you still harboring resentment towards your Father Emperor?"
Prince Cheng raised his head and said, "Why would Father Emperor say such a thing? In this world, there are no parents who are always right, moreover, it was my own recklessness in the past. Father Emperor, as the Emperor, sparing my life was already an immense grace!"
Hearing Prince Cheng say this, the Emperor was even more certain that his suspicions were correct.
Just listen to those words.
Sparing his life, an immense grace? These words seemed full of gratitude, yet the tone was distant and cold.
Thus, if he intended to stir up trouble in the future, it would not be unexpected at all.
The Emperor said, "For all these years, you have never requested to return to the Capital City, and our father-son relationship has grown more indifferent. I have decided that you will first stay temporarily in the Capital City, and we will talk later after Jingchen recovers from his injuries!"
"Father Emperor..." Prince Cheng hastily said, "Jingchen can also recuperate in Yunzhou!"
The Emperor’s face darkened: "He is my grandson. If you, as his parents, do not take his injuries seriously, then as his Grandfather, I cannot ignore them! He will recuperate in the Capital City and go nowhere! I will send the Imperial Physician to treat his injuries, and later on, provide nourishing herbs to help him recover quickly!"
Prince Cheng showed disappointment in his eyes, but quickly concealed it, and with hope said, "Father Emperor, Jingchen can stay, there are some old servants in the mansion who can take care of him. My wife and I will return to Yunzhou first, is that alright?"
The Emperor said expressionlessly, "Did you not hear my words clearly? You will all stay in the Capital City, and you will not lack anything for your needs. It’s settled, you may withdraw!"
Humph, did he think I didn’t see that trace of disappointment?
The couple of Prince Cheng, full of helplessness, could only kneel to express their gratitude and leave.
The Emperor sat alone in the hall, fuming. This couple of Old Fifth is truly eager to return to Yunzhou, whether it is because they are no longer accustomed to the Capital City or feel more at ease in Yunzhou, or because of other thoughts they might have, they will stay in the Capital City now!
In three months, it will be his birthday, and by that time, he will also summon Prince Lu and Prince Xin to return.
He squinted his eyes; each year on his birthday, Prince Lu and Prince Xin would request to return to the Capital City, except for Prince Cheng, who only sends congratulatory letters and gifts, but never requests to return!
This ungrateful child!
After returning to Cheng Prince Mansion from the palace, although Concubine Cheng had sent those people away to a manor, the mansion still had quite a few people.
Although only twenty-plus of their three hundred elite cavalry entered the mansion with them, fifty more were gradually transferred later. The remaining two hundred and thirty were lodged in a manor. The manor they stayed in was certainly not the one from which the servants were previously sent away.
This was the beneficence of Huangfu Jingchen entering the capital, and the Emperor seeing that Prince Cheng had no industry in the Capital City, not only granted a mansion but also three manors. One was used to settle the former staff of Cheng Prince Mansion, and the other two were used to accommodate those two hundred-plus elite cavalry, which was sufficient.
These seventy people were extremely useful in the mansion.
Previously, Cheng Prince Mansion was infiltrated as if it were a sieve by various forces, but Concubine Cheng easily sent them away cleanly. Besides the laundry maids doing rough work in the outer courtyard, nearly everyone in the mansion was from the Yunzhou Cheng Prince Mansion, so there were no more outsiders. Even the people in the kitchen were those previously sent by the Princess.
As soon as they entered, Huangfu Jingchen came out to welcome them and said, "Father, Mother, how did it go?"
Prince Cheng laughed heartily, patted Huangfu Jingchen on the shoulder, and said, "Don’t worry!"
Huangfu Jingchen laughed, "Father uses retreat as advance; Grandfather is always suspicious, seeing how eager you are to return to Yunzhou, he will surely overthink and will definitely not allow it!"
Prince Cheng gently patted his son’s shoulder and said, "You rascal, though you’ve not been in the Capital City for long, you’ve gotten a good grasp of your Grandfather’s suspicious nature!"
Huangfu Jingchen felt complicated emotions, somewhat understanding why his parents didn’t like the Capital City; he didn’t like it either.
Grandfather seemed affable, but from high above, utterly unlike a typical family elder. The blood-bound familial affection, which should be characterized by brotherly friendship and harmonious kinship, meant nothing within the Imperial Family.
There was only calculation, only exploitation, only mutual vigilance—relatives, uncles, nephews, with interests as the priority.
What is the expectation in such kinship? What is the significance in such blood relations?
Back in Yunzhou, he was used to fatherly love, filial piety, and treating people with sincerity. If it were then, he surely wouldn’t think so much.
But after a year and more experience in the Jianghu, having seen through more aspects of human nature, and witnessed more suffering in the world, he was no longer that boy who grew up in the gentle spring breeze and rain.
Even if his Father and Mother were not by his side now, he could handle the deceit and treachery within the Capital City by himself.
Grandfather had always harbored suspicion and a heart of estrangement and precaution toward Father and Mother. If they stayed in the Capital City, Grandfather would find a way to drive them away sooner.
But before Grandfather could even give birth to this idea, Father and Mother proactively requested to return to Yunzhou, with noticeable urgency, which only made Grandfather suspicious that they had some plot in Yunzhou, thus keeping them in the Capital City instead.
Because it was his own decision to detain them, as long as Father and Mother did not get involved in affairs of the court, Grandfather would feel relatively at ease about them.
They can also live peacefully in the Capital City and then return to Yunzhou calmly.
The Crown Prince of Prince Cheng was not dead; although severely injured and weak, barely hanging on to life, he was still alive, found by Prince Cheng and his wife, and brought back to Cheng Prince Mansion—the news spread throughout the Capital City.
Upon hearing this news, Prince Zhuang furiously smashed everything in a room.
He sent people to take action, intending to succeed in one fell swoop and eliminate any future trouble once and for all. How much did he pay for this? He lost the position of Crown Prince, the honor of a Prince, reduced to a Second Class Prince.
But now, Huangfu Jingchen is not dead; does this not mean that he exerted so much effort, achieving nothing, losing both his wife and soldiers, while the other party is still alive and well in this world?
It infuriated him!
He just knew, if it had succeeded, he would have been truly destined by heaven, only getting better, not worse. How did he end up so miserable? Turns out, the one who divided his destiny, Huangfu Jingchen, was still alive. No wonder he lost the position of Crown Prince and became a mere Prince!
At this moment, if Huangfu Jingchen were in front of him, he could directly bite a few pieces of flesh off him and eat them. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Kill him!
This thought turned in his mind, and he immediately thought of what Gongyang Puyu had told him: if the action failed, they couldn’t make a move for the time being.
So, does this mean Huangfu Jingchen cannot be moved for now?
The Heart Cleansing Pill, such precious medicine, back then, he performed so outstandingly that his Father gifted him one, and he didn’t expect Old Fifth also got one. His Father must be senile to give such precious medicine to Old Fifth, the ingrate!
If not for that Heart Cleansing Pill, for certain Huangfu Jingchen would not have survived!
After enough time has passed, he will ask Mr. Gongyang again when they can act, for he does not believe that Old Fifth can conjure another Heart Cleansing Pill from thin air.
