Chapter 9: Using a Sledgehammer to Kill a Chicken

"Who are you?" Zhu Zhen glared at the old eunuch who looked like a eunuch.

"Your Highness, this lowly servant's humble name is Hou Lixie, and I am the chief steward of Changyang Palace." Hou the eunuch spoke with lowered eyes and a respectful demeanor.

"Hou is the concubine's person." Zhu Di whispered to his sixth brother, "Most likely it's about the seventh brother's matter. She's known for not letting go when she has the upper hand. You bullied her son to the point of wetting his pants; she can't help but come to settle accounts with you, right?"

"Not really, I just helped him practice calligraphy." Zhu Zhen asked Hou the eunuch with an innocent look, "Does the lady have any good food?"

"Of course, there are many fruits prepared for Your Highness to eat." Hou the eunuch smiled.

"In that case, I'll go once." Zhu Zhen responded, turning to Zhu Di, "Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, I can't walk with you anymore."

"We'll go with you." Zhu Di said in a deep voice, "You're just a kid, people might bully you."

"Your Highness, please forgive me, my lady wants to talk to Prince Chu alone." Hou Lixie refused.

"Who are you? Do you control me?!" Zhu Di ignored him, rolling up his sleeves, "I'm going, try to stop me!"

"Don't worry, Fourth Brother." Zhu Zhen helped to persuade, with a mature look, "Even if the lady wants to settle accounts, it's still giving me face. After all, being scolded in private is better than being scolded in public, right?"

"That's true, if no one hears it, it's as if I wasn't scolded." Zhu Di agreed, "Besides, she doesn't have the imperial rod, she won't dare to touch you."

"Report back safely when you return." The fifth brother squeezed Zhu Zhen's chubby hand. This sixth brother is really growing up.

After parting with his two brothers, Zhu Zhen followed the concubine's attendants to Changyang Palace.

However, Hou Lixie didn't return with them, saying he needed to go in to take leave for Prince Qi.

No one was allowed to enter the main hall during class, so he could only wait until after class to go in.

~~

Changyang Palace is in the East Six Palaces, and one must go through the East Second Long Street to get there.

Wang Defa had been afraid to speak up until now, and only dared to ask quietly, "Your Highness, what happened?"

"I scared the seventh brother to wet his pants, and the Concubine wants to talk to me." Zhu Zhen looked at the still clueless Wang Defa, thinking it was best to give him a hint.

"Perfect, I also have something to talk to her about, it's a mutual visit."

"Mutual visit?" Wang Defa was confused, "Why are you looking for the Concubine?"

"To ask her to let my mother off." Zhu Zhen said with an innocent look, "Father said that if she agrees, he will let Mother come back."

"Oh, my little prince, you really have grown up..." Wang Defa felt a lump in his throat, quickly wiping his tears, "If the lady knows you are trying to save her, she will surely be very comforted."

"Who made me have such a troublesome mother." Zhu Zhen sighed.

"Uh..." Wang Defa almost choked on his saliva, seeing Changyang Gate right in front of them, he hurriedly advised, "If the lady says anything unpleasant, Your Highness mustn't take it to heart."

Pausing, he added softly, "Do your best, but don't force yourself too much. If it doesn't work, we can think of other ways."

Wang Defa didn't have much hope for this visit, but he admired the prince's filial piety and naturally wanted to encourage him.

"Okay, don't worry." Zhu Zhen nodded, this old eunuch, though effeminate, seemed to genuinely care about him.

After being announced, the Concubine invited him in, and as expected, Wang Defa was stopped at the palace gate.

~~

The main hall of Changyang Palace was luxuriously decorated with flowers and brocade.

Ding, the most beautiful woman in the palace, to make this conversation a crushing victory, specially chose this place for the meeting.

She sat on a throne behind a screen, wearing a phoenix crown, adorned with gold and pearl hairpins, and dressed in a grand robe, exuding a majestic and oppressive presence.

Zhu Zhen entered and respectfully performed the ritual bow.

Ding ordered all the attendants to leave and did not grant him a seat as usual, looking down at the sixth prince standing in the hall.

He had thick eyebrows, round eyes, and chubby cheeks, looking completely innocent and harmless, just a naive little boy.

'What am I doing? Making a big fuss over a little kid?' Ding rubbed her temple, feeling she was 'using a sledgehammer to kill a chicken.'

"Cough." But since he was here, let's get it over with quickly.

She cleared her throat and said, "Your Highness, do you know why I asked you here?"

"No, I don't." Zhu Zhen said timidly.

"Then I'll let you know." The Concubine's tone turned cold, "Tell me, why did you frame the seventh brother?!"

"I, I didn't." Zhu Zhen looked like he was about to cry.

"How could you not? The seventh brother already told me!" Thinking of what happened in the morning, Ding's anger flared, "Who taught you to lie at such a young age? You think you're smart, but you're just playing with fire and will end up burning yourself. Do you know how stupid that is?!"

"I'm not lying!" Zhu Zhen said with a pained look, "He admitted it and even wet his pants."

"Shut up!" Thinking of the good image she had carefully cultivated for her son, which was now ruined, Ding was devastated.

If it weren't for his status, she would have torn his mouth apart.

"The seventh brother is still a child, and you tricked him into a trap! Is this how you act as an older brother?!"

"He pushed me into the lake, and that's how he acts as an older brother?" Zhu Zhen said with a sob, "Besides, who isn't a child?"

"Hmph, it doesn't matter what you say. Who doesn't know that the seventh brother is a good child? Do you think the Emperor will believe your one-sided words?" Seeing him falter, Ding's voice and expression became harsh, intimidating him.

"We even say that you bear a grudge over your mother's matter, slandering the seventh brother with false accusations!"

"I didn't!" Zhu Zhen shouted in defense.

"Shouting won't help." Ding felt she had the upper hand, speaking in a tone that toyed with her prey, "Do you think the Emperor will believe a ten-year-old child or me?"

She emphasized, "And you have a criminal mother, which means you are like your mother!"

"You're lying, my mother didn't commit a crime!" Zhu Zhen was truly angry. This woman was too vicious, how could a ten-year-old child withstand such terrifying verbal attacks?

Would he be scared into a state of isolation?

Of course, that was her goal.

"You can say whatever you want, but your father will definitely believe us! Don't you know that your father hates being deceived the most? Once he decides you're a liar, he will beat you to death and imprison you for life!"

The Concubine delivered the final blow, thinking to herself, 'With my unparalleled combat skills, dealing with such a brat is really using a sledgehammer to kill a chicken.'

She took a sip of tea to moisten her throat and watched Zhu Zhen with a leisurely demeanor, ready to enjoy his breakdown.

Zhu Zhen lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly, as if he was about to cry.

"But considering your youth, if you kneel down, kowtow, and write a pledge, I might consider letting this matter go and not mentioning it to the Emperor..." The Concubine felt the time was right, revealing her true intentions.

"Thank you, Lady." Zhu Zhen thanked her and slowly raised his head, speaking in a calm tone that a ten-year-old shouldn't have, "Your Highness, you have shown me how disgusting a person can be."

Only then did the Concubine realize that Prince Chu wasn't crying, but smiling.

The smile was innocent and radiant, but it made her scalp tingle.

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