Chapter 40

Thus, they began to draw lots again.

The wooden box with the hidden mechanism was discarded to one side. Grand Eunuch Tong Xian instructed a young eunuch to fetch a special wooden box used for drawing lots, to avoid falling for the same trick again.

However, it took no more than half an incense stick's time for the young eunuch to bring a wooden box over. Tong Xian carefully inspected it, confirming it was just an ordinary box, before placing it on the imperial desk and putting the nine slips of paper written by the Emperor of Great Wei back inside.

"What about it, do you still want to draw?" Glancing at the discontented Zhao Hongrun, the Emperor of Great Wei smiled and teased, "Do you want to try drawing a slip with your name on it again?"

Zhao Hongrun frowned and looked at his father, the Emperor, indignantly, saying, "Draw, I will!"

As he spoke, he reached into the wooden box.

Despite his indignant expression, he was secretly rejoicing.

Indeed, the wooden box with the hidden mechanism was just a feint.

Not only was he aware of this, but the Emperor of Great Wei also knew he would try to cheat during the lot-drawing. To avoid arousing the Emperor's suspicion, Zhao Hongrun deliberately exposed the trick.

After all, with Zhao Hongrun's intelligence, he wouldn't naively think the Emperor couldn't see through his schemes.

Only by failing once and then creating an atmosphere of a "do-or-die" situation could he have a chance to deceive the Emperor of Great Wei.

As for how to cheat this time, it was quite simple: Zhao Hongrun had already hidden a slip of paper with his name on it in his sleeve. All he needed to do was to quickly swap it with the one he drew while his hand was still in the box.

Though this trick was simple, it often achieved its purpose.

"What's wrong? Draw already?" Seeing Zhao Hongrun's hand lingering in the box for a while, the Emperor urged impatiently.

"Why is Father in such a hurry? Can't I hesitate?" While complaining, Zhao Hongrun quickly swapped the slip he had drawn with the one in his sleeve, then feigned a gloomy expression as he pulled out the paper.

It must be said that Zhao Hongrun's act was convincing. He knew the paper in his hand had his name on it but deliberately acted hesitant, as if he was worried it might not be his name.

After a long pause, he sighed and turned to hand the paper to Tong Xian, "Eunuch Tong, please read it for me."

Tong Xian, not suspecting anything, took the paper and carefully unfolded it, "It's the Eighth Prince."

As he spoke, he showed the paper to everyone, and indeed, it read "Hongrun."

"Really me?"

Zhao Hongrun feigned surprise, patting his chest repeatedly.

Seeing his expression, the other princes felt puzzled but didn't think much of it. After all, the previous incident was due to the hidden mechanism in the box, but this time, Tong Xian had thoroughly inspected the box and found no mechanism. For Zhao Hongrun to still draw the slip with his name on it could only be attributed to divine protection.

Unfortunately, the Emperor of Great Wei wasn't so convinced.

"Hehe, a feint and a real move, indeed there's some skill involved. Unfortunately..."

Laughing, the Emperor of Great Wei grabbed the hand Zhao Hongrun had used to draw the lot and felt inside the sleeve.

Sure enough, he found the real lot paper in Zhao Hongrun's sleeve.

Holding the paper between his fingers, the Emperor taunted, "Hongrun, guess what this is?"

"..."

Though Zhao Hongrun's face remained unchanged, he was secretly distressed.

He had known that ordinary tricks wouldn't fool his wise father, so he had devised a plan to deliberately expose the trick with the mechanism box and act helpless to lower his father's guard.

But he hadn't expected his father to see through it in the end.

"Is Father really going to eliminate me completely?" Zhao Hongrun said in a low voice.

"Hehehe." The Emperor of Great Wei found it amusing and said lightly, "It's your crude trick, who's to blame?... Go on, I've already given you a chance."

'It seems Father is determined to prevent me from participating in the imperial examination supervision...'

Zhao Hongrun glared at the Emperor and reluctantly returned to his original position.

With this also seen through by the Emperor, he had no other moves left. Now he could only rely on luck to see if he could draw his name from the nine slips.

Seeing Zhao Hongrun's gloomy expression, the other princes found it amusing, and some even muttered to themselves: What makes him think he can deceive our father?

"Brother Eight, why do you want to participate in the imperial examination supervision?"

Seeing Zhao Hongrun return to his side, the Sixth Prince Zhao Hongzhao, who had a good relationship with him, asked curiously.

From the side, the Ninth Prince Hongxuan also looked at his brother in puzzlement, unable to understand why his brother would go to such lengths to secure a spot as a supervisor.

"This matter is complicated," Zhao Hongrun sighed slightly, noticing that Tong Xian was checking the papers and preparing for the third lot-drawing, he had no mood to explain.

At this moment, he was prepared for the worst. Even if he didn't get the spot as a supervisor, he would find a way to participate in the imperial examination.

This time, the Emperor of Great Wei drew the lot himself.

Under the close attention of the princes, the Emperor slowly unfolded the paper.

To be honest, even Zhao Hongrun couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

Suddenly, Zhao Hongrun noticed the Emperor frown.

'Could it be...'

Zhao Hongrun's heart began to race.

He saw his father not only frown but also glance to the side.

'Could it really be...'

Zhao Hongrun's face showed a mix of hope and fear. At this moment, he was genuinely worried that his father was playing a trick on him.

But the facts proved that the Emperor of Great Wei didn't seem to be joking. After a glance, he reluctantly called out his name.

"The supervisor for this imperial examination... Hongrun."

'Yes!'

Seeing the Emperor's reluctant expression, Zhao Hongrun clenched his fists in excitement.

'No way!'

'Really?'

The princes who had already left the palace looked at each other, thinking to themselves, could cheating really bring divine assistance?

"Unfortunately..."

Prince Yong, Hongyu, muttered a sigh, shaking his head.

Beside him, Prince Xiang, Hongjing, also sighed regretfully.

But after a glance at each other, they smiled in unison.

Because in their eyes, or rather, in the eyes of the four princes who had already left the palace except for the Crown Prince, as long as the spot for the imperial examination supervisor didn't go to the Crown Prince, they could accept it no matter who got it.

Moreover, the one who got the spot was their eighth brother, who had no interest in the throne.

Only the Crown Prince Hongli looked unhappy, frowning at the triumphant Zhao Hongrun but saying nothing.

"Ha ha ha, it seems heaven is on the side of the prince... If I had known, I wouldn't have gone to such lengths."

Zhao Hongrun, who had just been caught twice by his father, was now elated that he was still chosen as the supervisor. Especially when he saw his father's helpless expression.

"Good boy!" The Emperor seemed to be annoyed by his son's smugness, snorted, and threw the paper back into the box, saying sternly, "Since it's heaven's will, I will comply. But remember, you are only going to supervise the examination. If you mess it up, hmmm, just wait and see what I'll do to you!"

'Threat? Ha!'

"Father, rest assured, your son will fulfill his duty as a supervisor."

Zhao Hongrun paid no heed to his father's threats. After all, he only planned to catch Luo Wenzhong's mistake to avenge the previous incident, not to disrupt the examination.

"Father, your son will take his leave to prepare."

Bowing to the Emperor, Zhao Hongrun left the Wende Hall almost singing a happy tune.

Seeing the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun leave in high spirits and the Emperor's unhappy expression, Grand Eunuch Tong Xian lowered his head.

He had no courage to reveal the truth.

Indeed, as he stood beside the Emperor of Great Wei, he had clearly seen that the paper the Emperor drew had "Hongzhao" written on it.

Indeed, the one truly drawn was the Sixth Prince Hongzhao, not the Eighth Prince Hongrun!

However, the Emperor of Great Wei, for some reason, deliberately called out Zhao Hongrun's name.

More accurately, no matter which prince the Emperor drew, he would call out Zhao Hongrun's name.

"Father, we will take our leave."

"Father, we will take our leave."

Perhaps seeing the Emperor's unhappy expression, the princes all took their leave. Though they all hoped to be chosen, they couldn't do anything about it now. After all, they still had their eyes on the throne and couldn't be as carefree as Zhao Hongrun in front of the Emperor.

The princes, including the Crown Prince Hongli, who also looked unhappy, all took their leave from the Emperor.

Seeing that the hall was now empty, Tong Xian, understanding the situation, burned the papers on the candle stand to destroy the evidence.

"Did you see?" the Emperor asked softly.

Tong Xian's hand trembled slightly, and he replied in a low voice, "Yes."

"Keep it to yourself." The Emperor said lightly, but his tone was a command.

"Yes." Tong Xian breathed a sigh of relief.

Only those who often accompanied the emperor knew what it meant to be as close to a tiger as to a king.

To be in his current position, Tong Xian knew that some things had to be kept secret, and no one could be told, especially when the Emperor had given the order.

"Let's go, to the Chui Gong Hall." The Emperor of Great Wei said.

"Yes." Tong Xian bowed.

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