Chapter 41

Thus, they started the lottery 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 the lottery, 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 sullen 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, 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 that Zhao Hongrun would try to cheat during the lottery. To avoid arousing the Emperor's suspicion, Zhao Hongrun deliberately exposed his trick.

After all, with Zhao Hongrun's intelligence, would he naively believe that the Emperor couldn't see through his schemes?

Only by failing once and then creating an atmosphere of a "do-or-die" situation would there be 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 swap it with the one he drew while his hand was still in the box.

Though this trick was simple, often the simpler the trick, the more effective it was.

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

"Why is Father in such a hurry? Can't I hesitate a bit?" While complaining, Zhao Hongrun quickly swapped the slip he drew with the one in his sleeve, then feigned a sullen look 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.

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 suspect anything. After all, the previous time, the trick was due to the hidden mechanism in the box. 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 was not so easily fooled.

"Ha, a feint and a real move, indeed some skill. Unfortunately..."

Laughing, the Emperor grabbed Zhao Hongrun's hand that had been used for the lottery and felt inside the sleeve.

Sure enough, he found the real lottery slip 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 the feint and real move strategy, deliberately exposing the trick with the mechanism box and feigning helplessness to lower his father's guard.

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

"Does Father really want to crush me completely?" Zhao Hongrun said in a low voice.

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

'It seems Father is determined to prevent me from being a supervisor in the imperial examination...'

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 draw his name from the nine slips.

Seeing Zhao Hongrun's sullen face, the other princes found it amusing. Some even muttered to themselves, "What makes him think he can deceive our father?"

"Brother Eight, why do you want to be a supervisor in the imperial examination?"

Seeing Zhao Hongrun return, the Sixth Prince Zhao Hongzhao, who was close to him, asked curiously.

Beside him, the Ninth Prince Hongxuan also looked puzzled, unable to understand why his brother would go to such lengths to secure a supervisor position.

"This is a long story," Zhao Hongrun sighed, noticing Tong Xian checking the papers and preparing for the third lottery. He had no mood to explain.

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

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

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

Even Zhao Hongrun couldn't help but feel nervous.

Suddenly, Zhao Hongrun noticed the Emperor frown.

'Could it be...'

Zhao Hongrun's heart raced.

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. He was genuinely worried that his father was playing with him.

But the Emperor seemed to have no intention of playing with him. 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 exchanged glances, secretly thinking, 'Could cheating actually bring divine assistance?'

"Pity..."

Prince Yong, Hongyu, muttered a pity and shook his head.

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

But after exchanging a glance, they smiled in unison.

In their eyes, or in the eyes of the four princes who had already left the palace except for the Crown Prince, as long as the supervisor position didn't go to the Crown Prince, they could accept it.

Moreover, the one who got the position 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, it seems heaven is on the side of the imperial son... If I had known, I wouldn't have gone to such lengths."

Zhao Hongrun, having been caught twice by his father but still being chosen, felt elated, especially when he saw his father's helpless expression.

"Good boy!" The Emperor seemed to be annoyed by his son's cheeky behavior, huffed, and threw the paper back into the box, sternly saying, "Since it's heaven's will, I'll follow it. ... But remember, you're just a supervisor. If you mess up this year's examination, I'll deal with you!"

'Threat? Ha!'

"Father, rest assured, I will fulfill my duty as a supervisor."

Zhao Hongrun paid no attention to his father's threats. He only planned to catch Luo Wenzhong's mistake to avenge the previous setup, not to disrupt the examination.

"Father, I'll take my 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, standing beside the Emperor, he had clearly seen that the slip the Emperor drew read "Hongzhao."

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

But the Emperor, for some reason, deliberately called out Zhao Hongrun's name.

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

"Father, we'll take our leave."

"Father, we'll take our leave."

Seeing the Emperor's unhappy expression, the princes all took their leave. Though they all hoped to be chosen, they couldn't do anything 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.

Seeing the hall empty, Tong Xian tactfully cleaned up for the Emperor: burning the papers on the candle stand to destroy the evidence.

"Did you see?" the Emperor asked softly.

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

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

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

Only those who constantly served the Emperor knew what it meant to serve the Emperor like serving a tiger.

To be in his current position, Tong Xian knew that some things must be kept secret, never to be revealed, especially when the Emperor had given a direct order.

"Let's go to the Chui Gong Hall." the Emperor said.

"Yes." Tong Xian bowed.