Chapter 16

For a good while, the vast Yuzhi Palace was silent as a tomb.

At this moment, a cold smile suddenly spread across Zhao Hongrun's face, and he said, "Ha ha, it was just a joke, Consort Chen, don't take it to heart!"

"A... joke?" Consort Chen was stunned by Zhao Hongrun's sudden change in expression.

Zhao Hongrun slowly stood up, clasped his hands, and said with a smile, "Yuzhi Palace is Consort Chen's residence, and Consort Chen is a favorite of the Emperor. How could this prince dare to really destroy Yuzhi Palace?"

This little brat...

Consort Chen realized she had been toyed with, and her beautiful face darkened.

However, her agitated heart gradually calmed down.

"Prince Eighth entered Yuzhi Palace without my permission. Do you know that this is a serious offense?"

Zhao Hongrun smiled slightly and said nonchalantly, "I know! ... However, there is a reason for this. I believe that even if this matter reaches the Emperor's ears, he will understand this prince's actions... Don't you think so, Consort Chen?"

Consort Chen naturally understood what Zhao Hongrun was referring to. After some consideration, she decided not to pursue the charge of entering her residence without permission.

After all, this matter was caused by her, and Zhao Hongrun was merely avenging his mother. Even if it reached Emperor Da Wei Zhao Yuansi, nothing could be done to Zhao Hongrun. At most, the Emperor might scold him a few times and let it go.

Thinking of this, Consort Chen sat down in the main seat of the palace, straightened the wrinkles on her robe, and asked indifferently, "Forget it, I won't argue with you, a junior. ... Tell me, why have you come to see me?"

Zhao Hongrun grinned and said with a deep meaning, "Why have I come? Don't you, Consort Chen, know in your heart?"

"Ridiculous!"

A sharp rebuke echoed in the palace, but it did not come from Consort Chen. It was from an older palace maid.

"Your Highness, Consort Chen is your senior. How can you disregard the proper etiquette and question her like this?"

It turned out that this palace maid had seen Zhao Hongrun boast before Consort Chen, saying he would destroy Yuzhi Palace if he couldn't see her. When he changed his tone upon seeing her, her previous panic vanished.

After all, she was a palace maid in Yuzhi Palace, accustomed to wielding power due to Consort Chen's status. Even in the presence of a prince like Zhao Hongrun, she probably wouldn't hold back.

Perhaps in their view, no matter what happened, with Consort Chen protecting them, everything would be fine.

Unfortunately, they had encountered Zhao Hongrun this time.

"Lu Mu!" Zhao Hongrun picked up his teacup and casually called a name.

Immediately, the Zongwei Lu Mu stepped forward, walked to the palace maid with a stern face, grabbed her by the hair and collar, and dragged her out of the front hall of Yuzhi Palace.

Seeing this, the other palace maids screamed.

"Zhao Hongrun!" Consort Chen slapped the table in front of her and rebuked in an incredulous tone, "In my Yuzhi Palace, in front of me, how dare you commit violence openly?!"

Zhao Hongrun drank his tea calmly and said slowly, "Consort Chen, if you make such accusations, you need solid evidence."

"Solid evidence?! Everyone here saw your Zongwei commit violence!"

"Consort Chen has misunderstood," Zhao Hongrun put down his teacup with a smile and said calmly, "This prince is a peace-loving person. How could I order my Zongwei to commit violence? That palace maid was just too noisy, disrupting my conversation with Consort Chen. So I asked my Zongwei to make her leave temporarily... After all, there is a hierarchy in the palace. A mere palace maid speaking out of turn in a conversation between this prince and Consort Chen is improper, isn't it?" He glanced at the group of palace maids who were frozen in shock and said with a smile, "Fortunately, it was this prince. If it were one of my more temperamental elder brothers, that palace maid might have been beaten to death... "

The palace maids turned pale. They had thought Prince Eighth was just a weakling who only talked big, and they had planned to speak up to support their lady. But now, seeing the palace maid dragged away and hearing Zhao Hongrun's threatening words, they dared not speak up, each one trembling in fear.

This is a warning! ... Zhao Hongrun is quite capable. At such a young age, he can handle things so thoroughly, scaring these useless people to the point of trembling...

Consort Chen watched coldly. She knew Zhao Hongrun was using this as a warning.

"I hope so, but if I find that palace maid missing a single hair, I will tell the Emperor," Consort Chen's words were clearly in support of the palace maids.

Unfortunately, Zhao Hongrun smiled faintly and calmly responded, "My Zongwei is clumsy. It's not strange for a few hairs to fall out. Besides, losing a few hairs is better than losing one's head, isn't it?"

Faced with such blatant threats, the palace maids, who had just calmed down, became panicked again. Consort Chen inwardly cursed: These useless things!

She took a deep breath and ignored the palace maids, saying coldly to Zhao Hongrun, "Prince Eighth, I have no time to chat with you. If you have something to say, speak up. If not, please leave."

"This prince still stands by my words. Why I am here, Consort Chen, you know in your heart. ... If Consort Chen is confused, it's no problem. This prince has all the time in the world. Whenever Consort Chen remembers, we can talk in detail!" Zhao Hongrun said slowly.

A flash of resentment crossed Consort Chen's eyes, and she said with a cold laugh, "Perhaps the Emperor will visit my Yuzhi Palace today. Is that no problem?"

"Heh! ... That's perfect. Then the Emperor can be a witness," Zhao Hongrun said indifferently.

"You..." Consort Chen was speechless.

Forget it, let this boy have his moment... This matter is due to me. If I bring it up to the Emperor, it will be to my disadvantage...

Having made up her mind, Consort Chen had to back down to get rid of Zhao Hongrun as soon as possible.

"Could it be because I accidentally broke that porcelain vase in Consort Shen's Nixiang Palace? Oh, for such a small matter, Prince Eighth, you are making such a fuss. If someone didn't know, they might think Consort Shen is so petty."

"..." Zhao Hongrun glanced at Consort Chen indifferently. "How did you break it?"

"How else? Naturally, it was an accident, a slip of the hand," Consort Chen put on an innocent face.

"Ha!" Zhao Hongrun smiled faintly, not commenting.

Seeing this, Consort Chen frowned and said, trying to keep her temper, "Forget it, I'll pay for it... " She deliberately looked at Zhao Hongrun and muttered in a voice he could hear, "I didn't expect Consort Shen to be so petty."

Zhao Hongrun remained unmoved, neither angry nor pleased.

Soon, a palace maid brought a new porcelain vase and placed it on the table in front of Zhao Hongrun.

Pointing to the vase, Consort Chen said arrogantly, "This new Dingtao Song porcelain is a tribute from a foreign country to the Emperor, who then bestowed it upon me. It is very valuable. Using it to compensate for Consort Shen's old, unremarkable vase should satisfy her, right?" Her words were filled with a sense of superiority.

Zhao Hongrun continued to drink his tea and said slowly, "As Consort Chen said, my mother's vase is indeed unremarkable, worth only thirty to fifty taels. She has used it for nearly ten years and wouldn't replace it even if it was damaged. Why? Because she is used to it and has feelings for it... This Dingtao Song porcelain, though valuable, is not cherished by this prince or my mother."

Saying this, he slowly stood up, grabbed the edge of the vase, and extended it toward Consort Chen.

Hmph! Blind to its value, this is a tribute! ... It's better if you don't want it; I wouldn't part with it!

Consort Chen thought coldly and signaled a palace maid to take the vase.

The palace maid understood and walked a few steps to Zhao Hongrun, just as she was about to take the vase, Zhao Hongrun suddenly let go.

The precious Dingtao Song porcelain vase fell to the ground in front of everyone, shattering with a loud crash.

The palace maid was stunned, as were all the other palace maids, and even Consort Chen.

After all, it was not just a tribute from a foreign country to Da Wei, but also a gift from the Emperor to Consort Chen, far more valuable than just "precious."

As the perpetrator, Zhao Hongrun, however, scratched his fist and put on a look of realization.

"Oops, my hand slipped."

"..." The people in Yuzhi Palace were stunned, staring at the shattered pieces on the ground.

At this moment, Zhao Hongrun smiled mockingly and lightly pushed a large porcelain vase standing next to a pillar.

"Clang—"

Another pile of shattered porcelain appeared in the hall.

"Oops, my hand slipped again..."

Before the words were even out, Zhao Hongrun kicked a candle stand and the wooden window behind it, sending them crashing to the ground.

"Oops, my foot slipped... No, it's this prince... who slipped entirely!"

Saying this, Zhao Hongrun's face turned angry, and he grabbed the table in front of him, smashing everything in sight in front of everyone in Yuzhi Palace.

"Clang—"

"Bang—"

"Crack—"

All the porcelain was shattered, the wooden railings and windows were kicked away, and the embroidered curtains were torn down by Zhao Hongrun.

Consort Chen was terrified, her face pale, and she collapsed to the ground, staring in horror at the bold Prince Eighth who was destroying her Yuzhi Palace.

Even so, Zhao Hongrun was not done. He pointed at the entire front hall of Yuzhi Palace and ordered his Zongwei, "Smash it! I don't want to see a single intact thing in the entire front hall of Yuzhi Palace!"

"Yes!" Nine Zongwei rushed forward, smashing everything in the front hall, scaring the palace maids into huddling together on the ground.

"Zhao Hongrun!" Consort Chen, regaining her senses, was so angry that her beautiful face twisted, and she screamed like a madwoman, "You dare... You dare to destroy my Yuzhi Palace!"

Zhao Hongrun slowly turned to look at the furious Consort Chen.

"Ah, this prince always keeps my word! I said I would destroy your Yuzhi Palace, so I will destroy it!"

"Ah—!!"

Consort Chen screamed in anger, lunging at Zhao Hongrun, her long nails clawing at his face.

She was so angry that she couldn't control herself.

She didn't notice that Zhao Hongrun didn't dodge, standing there with a mysterious smile on his face.

End of the page

Start of the page

End of the page