Chapter 17

It seems that the Eighth Prince has no intention of coming to the Chui Gong Hall today...

Inside the Chui Gong Hall, the three Secretaries of the Zhongshu Province waited until the afternoon without seeing the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun show up. This was clearly a joyous occasion worth celebrating, but for some reason, they felt a strange sense of loss. △

Speaking of which, their efficiency in assisting the Son of Heaven in reviewing the memorials was unusually low today. During work hours, they couldn't help but turn their heads to look at the window, wondering if the Eighth Prince, who always made them laugh and cry, would appear with his usual smile.

Unfortunately, there was no sign of the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun at the window.

Loneliness... They felt a strange sense of loneliness.

What a bunch of scoundrels...

Secretary of the Left of the Zhongshu Province, Lin Yuyang, gave a self-deprecating smile.

As a Grand Secretary, he had been assisting the Son of Heaven of the Great Wei Dynasty in handling memorials in the Chui Gong Hall for several years, and this was the first time his mind was distracted.

Turning to look at Yu Ziqi on the opposite side, Lin Yuyang found it amusing that his colleague seemed to be diligently reviewing the memorials, but in reality, the mountain of memorials in front of him had not decreased at all.

Looking at the Chancellor of the Zhongshu Province, He Xiangxu, Lin Yuyang felt that the old man's spirit was not very good today. His old eyes were confused, and he needed to drink tea frequently to stay alert, unlike the vigor he showed a few days ago when he knelt before the Son of Heaven of the Great Wei Dynasty, begging to retire.

...What a bunch of scoundrels.

Lin Yuyang shook his head, unable to laugh, as a form of self-deprecation.

At this moment, he suddenly heard the current Son of Heaven of the Great Wei Dynasty, who was behind the dragon desk, say softly,

"It seems that Hongrun has no intention of coming today..."

Lin Yuyang vaguely sensed a strange atmosphere, as if after the Son of Heaven mentioned the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun, he and the other two colleagues in the hall suddenly became more spirited.

"Your Majesty must not let your guard down!" He Xiangxu stroked his beard and warned solemnly.

"I believe that the Eighth Prince will not give up easily..." Yu Ziqi also repeated his usual opinion.

Hey, hey, hey, do you have to be so spineless? A few days ago, when the Eighth Prince played tricks on you, you all acted as if you were extremely annoyed...

Although he thought this, Lin Yuyang couldn't help but say, "I believe that the Eighth Prince is most likely considering his next move!"

The four of them, the Son of Heaven and his ministers, exchanged glances and smiled in unison.

Amidst their laughter, their efficiency in handling government affairs actually increased significantly.

Watching this scene, the Grand Eunuch Tong Xian could hardly suppress his amusement, but he dared not laugh, so he had to lower his head and try hard to hold back.

After an unknown amount of time, a eunuch rushed into the Chui Gong Hall and knelt before the dragon desk with a thud.

"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened. The Eighth Prince and Lady Chen Shu'ai are fighting."

Lady Chen Shu'ai of the Youzhi Palace?

The Lady Chen Shu'ai whom the Son of Heaven usually favors the most?

Why would the Eighth Prince fight with Lady Chen Shu'ai? Although the Eighth Prince's behavior is eccentric, he doesn't seem like the kind of prince who would do such a disrespectful thing.

The three Secretaries of the Zhongshu Province perked up their ears in unison, although this was the Son of Heaven's family matter and they had no right to speak, it didn't stop them from eavesdropping.

"Chen Shu'ai?" The Son of Heaven of the Great Wei Dynasty, Zhao Yuansi, put down his brush and asked in confusion, "Why would Hongrun fight with Chen Shu'ai?"

Before he could finish speaking, the Grand Eunuch Tong Xian whispered, "Your Majesty, this old servant may know a bit about it..." Then he told the Son of Heaven about how Lady Chen Shu'ai led a group of palace maids from the Youzhi Palace to the Ningsiang Palace to see Consort Shen Shufei this morning.

Few people knew that the Inner Service Bureau led by the Grand Eunuch Tong Xian, besides managing the eunuchs of the various palaces, halls, and pavilions in the palace, was also a supervisory institution, assisting the Son of Heaven in monitoring any changes in the palace.

It was no exaggeration to say that even the most hidden and dirty deeds in the palace could not escape the eyes of the Grand Eunuch Tong Xian, even if the Son of Heaven of the Great Wei Dynasty was unaware.

"Chen Shu'ai went to the Ningsiang Palace of Consort Shen Shufei this morning?" The Son of Heaven of the Great Wei Dynasty was an extremely perceptive ruler. He immediately knew that something must have happened, given Chen Shu'ai's spoiled nature, which he was somewhat familiar with.

Based on his deduction, Chen Shu'ai must have done something at the Ningsiang Palace this morning, which led to the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun coming to confront her in the afternoon.

"Tong Xian, go and take a look." After some thought, Zhao Yuansi said calmly.

"Yes." Tong Xian bowed and asked softly, "Your Majesty, are you not going?"

"I... I will not go." The Son of Heaven of the Great Wei Dynasty glared at Tong Xian, thinking, "Are you making things difficult for me?"

Indeed, on one side was the Lady Chen Shu'ai whom the Son of Heaven of the Great Wei Dynasty usually favored the most, and on the other side was his eighth son, Zhao Hongrun, whom he increasingly liked. Both were dear to him, so how could he make a decision?

It was better to stay out of it and let Tong Xian handle it.

Tong Xian respectfully withdrew.

He wasn't foolish enough to ask such a stupid question. He was just testing the Son of Heaven to see which of Lady Chen Shu'ai and the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun was more important in the Son of Heaven's heart.

Only by understanding this could he handle the matter according to the Son of Heaven's wishes.

However, the Son of Heaven's response surprised Tong Xian: the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun, who was usually mischievous, had rapidly risen in the Son of Heaven's esteem in just half a month, to the point where the Son of Heaven found it difficult to make a decision.

Leaving aside the Son of Heaven of the Great Wei Dynasty, Zhao Yuansi, who was anxiously waiting for news in the Chui Gong Hall, let's talk about Tong Xian, who, along with the eunuch who brought the news and several patrolling guards, rushed to the Youzhi Palace in a hurry.

After a short while, Tong Xian hurriedly arrived at the Youzhi Palace. As soon as he stepped into the front hall, the chaotic scene almost made him speechless.

As one of the most favored concubines of the Son of Heaven of the Great Wei Dynasty, the Youzhi Palace of Lady Chen Shu'ai was luxuriously decorated. But what did Tong Xian see now?

He was shocked to see that the front hall of the Youzhi Palace was completely smashed, except for the pillars of the hall, all the decorations and furnishings were destroyed.

The Eighth Prince actually...

Tong Xian didn't have time to think further because he heard a more shocking statement.

"The Prince is injured!"

"Lady Chen Shu'ai openly attacked the Prince!"

What? The Eighth Prince is injured?

Tong Xian became even more anxious. Seeing the chaotic crowd in the hall, he quickly took out the Son of Heaven's jade token and shouted in a high-pitched voice, "Stop! The Son of Heaven's jade token is here, everyone, stop!"

The agitated crowd in the hall finally calmed down, carefully looking at the jade token that Tong Xian held high, and quickly knelt down.

At this moment, Tong Xian saw that the usually haughty Lady Chen Shu'ai was now sitting on the ground, her face full of fear, while the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun stood proudly in the hall.

"Ah..."

Tong Xian carefully examined the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun and drew a sharp breath, for he saw that Zhao Hongrun's neck and face were covered with several bloody scratches, clearly from a woman's nails.

Combining this with the terrified Lady Chen Shu'ai on the ground, Tong Xian had a rough idea of what had happened.

"Your Highness... quickly, call the imperial physician..."

Seeing that Zhao Hongrun seemed to want to kneel before the jade token in his hand, Tong Xian quickly put it away and supported the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun, shouting anxiously to the guards in the hall.

The disfigurement of a prince was a serious matter!

However, the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun, as the party involved, remained calm and said to Tong Xian with a smile, "This is not urgent. I believe you have come here by the order of my father, the Son of Heaven?"

Hearing this, Lady Chen Shu'ai seemed to find her backbone and stood up from the ground, pointing at Zhao Hongrun and saying through gritted teeth, "Eunuch Tong, the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun disregarded the hierarchy and attacked my Youzhi Palace... Look at my Youzhi Palace, it's been smashed to pieces... Where is the Son of Heaven? I want to see the Son of Heaven!"

"..." Seeing the disheveled and hysterical Lady Chen Shu'ai, Tong Xian felt a headache and turned to the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun, saying cautiously, "Your Highness, the Youzhi Palace is Lady Chen Shu'ai's residence. It's not appropriate for you to destroy it like this..."

"Destroy?" Zhao Hongrun smiled, "Where did I destroy anything?"

"This is not..." Tong Xian looked at the mess in the front hall, hesitating to speak.

Seemingly guessing Tong Xian's thoughts, Zhao Hongrun said calmly, "Oh, this is just a slip of my hand."

"Slip of the hand..."

Tong Xian hadn't fully understood when he heard Lady Chen Shu'ai angrily shout, "This is revenge! Revenge for my accidentally... no, a slip of the hand, which caused me to break a worthless porcelain jar of Consort Shen Shufei this morning... This is revenge! Revenge!"

Hearing "slip of the hand" twice, Tong Xian's expression became strange.

As a Grand Eunuch who served by the side of the Son of Heaven, he was not incompetent and could guess the truth behind the matter.

It was simply that Lady Chen Shu'ai, relying on the Son of Heaven's favor, had gone to the Ningsiang Palace of Consort Shen Shufei and done something that displeased the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun, so the Eighth Prince immediately brought the guards to seek revenge.

Yes, revenge!

Tong Xian looked at Zhao Hongrun with difficulty, "Even if it was a slip of the hand, it shouldn't have turned the Youzhi Palace into this state, Your Highness?"

"Ha ha, of course, it's not just a slip of the hand. My feet slipped too, and my whole body slipped, along with the guards behind me... Ah, as Lady Chen Shu'ai said, it was an unintentional mistake, right?"

Bare-faced revenge...

Tong Xian shook his head with a bitter smile. He thought the Eighth Prince would just argue with Lady Chen Shu'ai, but he didn't expect it to turn into such a big mess, not only completely destroying the front hall of the Youzhi Palace but also injuring the Eighth Prince.

How can I handle this?

Tong Xian felt a headache and said cautiously, "This is a serious matter, I dare not make a decision rashly. Perhaps..."

He was about to say, "Let the Son of Heaven decide," but Zhao Hongrun interrupted him.

"It's not a problem that Eunuch Tong can't make a decision, because I have already notified the Zongfu, and they will be here soon."

Zongfu?

Tong Xian's heart skipped a beat as he looked at the wounds on Zhao Hongrun's face, his mouth slightly open.

It's over, this matter is going to get bigger...

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