Chapter 99 Speculation

Hongzhao didn't want to stop him. Prince Dun was becoming increasingly arrogant, and the Emperor needed a reason to teach him a lesson. This was an excellent opportunity. It would let everyone know how arrogant Prince Dun had become, and it would also allow his father, the Emperor, to add a note to his future crimes.

Not only did he not stop it, but he also added fuel to the already raging rumors. In just two days, various versions of the rumors that "Prince Dun hit someone" spread throughout the imperial court and the inner palace.

For the past two days, Yinzhen has treated Hongzhao as before, and his fatherly love has not diminished at all. However, when they are alone, he inevitably reveals a sense of annoyance and has no desire to summon someone to serve him in bed. He stays alone for the whole day.

evening.

Consort Wan entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Hongzhao, carrying the book he hadn't finished reading, led Xiao Dezi to the side hall. As soon as the door closed, he couldn't wait to turn on the monitor and watch the video.

Hehe, I have another show to watch.

When Yinzhen saw his new favorite beauty come to comfort him, he felt a little happier. He got down, took Zhen Huan's hand, and they walked one in front of the other towards the inner palace.

Feeling the warmth of the large, large hands covering her own, Zhen Huan asked, "Is Your Majesty still troubled by the matter of Prince Dun? This matter has caused quite a stir. Although I live in the inner palace, I cannot help but hear some of it. Your Majesty must take care of your health first." She turned around and took a bowl of fish maw and longan soup from the food box that Jinxi had been carrying, and placed it in front of the Emperor while it was still steaming hot.

The two sat facing each other across a small table. In fact, when Yinzhen saw Consort Wan, he knew that this intelligent and quick-witted woman must have come to comfort him about this matter. He spoke first and asked, "Regarding the matter of Prince Dun assaulting the censor, what do you think I should do?"

"Your Majesty, won't you blame me for discussing state affairs?" Zhen Huan asked, but the hint of smugness in her tone was genuine. After all, she was probably the only one in the harem who could discuss state affairs with the Emperor. Even if Lü Jiaying was a Noble Consort, she wouldn't understand such matters.

"It's alright, I'll just take it as gossip and won't blame you at all." Yinzhen was extremely relaxed at this moment, his back slouched and his hands warming his hands against the bowl of fish maw and longan soup.

Zhen Huan clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the person opposite her—"I believe the most important thing right now is to appease the people. When two tigers fight, one will inevitably be injured, and no matter which side is injured, in the end it will be the very foundation of the Qing Dynasty that is hurt. Prince Dun's return from inspecting the troops has attracted much attention. If we punish Prince Dun at this time, I'm afraid it will cause dissatisfaction among the military generals in the court."

She spoke fluently and clearly, clearly having prepared beforehand, unlike when she first entered and said she had only overheard bits and pieces. As she spoke, she couldn't help but lean slightly towards the Emperor—"The civil officials are indignant, but they simply want an explanation from Your Majesty, and the best thing would be for Prince Dun to personally apologize."

Yinzhen's gaze was obscured by the rising steam, but his voice remained low and deep—"Prince Dun coming to apologize? He's so arrogant, it would be better to kill him."

Zhen Huan knew Prince Dun's temperament well, and with a touch of smugness, she teased the Emperor, then turned away with a haughty smirk—"That's not necessarily true. Your Highness is a hero who has fought on the battlefield. So, Your Majesty, what is the hardest hurdle for a hero to overcome?"

"Even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman. My Lady Wan is truly clever." Yinzhen smiled and shook his head, pointing at her with his finger from afar.

Zhen Huan snorted softly, lowered her head, and said coquettishly, "How could I know anything about national affairs? All I know are trivial matters between sisters-in-law. Your Highness has always respected the Princess Consort, so it's natural that you'll be able to succeed in your schemes."

Hongzhao felt that what Zhen Huan said was actually a good method, but the more he listened, the more something seemed off.

On the monitor, Zhen Huan still had that same bright-eyed look on her face—"In the end, this wasn't my idea at all; it was just His Majesty's wish, which I just happened to guess correctly."

Hongzhao noticed his father's back stiffen slightly, his eyes flickering, when he heard Zhen Huan say again, "The ministers are familiar with the ethics in books, but I am familiar with Your Majesty."

"I can guess to some extent what Your Majesty is thinking."

The bowl of fish maw and longan soup in front of him gradually cooled down. Yinzhen withdrew his hands, pushed the bowl aside, and stared at Zhen Huan with narrowed eyes.

Although he hadn't changed much overall, after spending so much time together, Hongzhao was quite certain that he was completely different from his relaxed demeanor at the beginning, and that he might have started to feel wary and suspicious.

Let alone the imperial concubines, even Su Peisheng, who became the top eunuch in the palace, had to do something that, to put it bluntly, included trying to figure out the emperor's intentions every day. Even so, he dared not say it out loud.

Everyone knows that this is what the emperor fears most.

“Prince Dun is like this; he can’t be kept alive sooner or later.”

The Emperor's mindset had changed, but Consort Wan remained oblivious, continuing to echo his words—"Parents everywhere love their children dearly, so let's focus our efforts on them. Princess Qingcheng and Hongxuan are currently being raised in the palace, keeping company with the Crown Prince and Princess Jinghua."

When Hongzhao heard that his father was going to bestow titles upon the two children—Princess Qingcheng as Princess Heshuo and Hongxuan as Beizi—he nodded secretly in agreement. Now, with the recent marriage of Princess Chaogui still undecided, if the wife of Prince Dun knew that her daughter was being promoted to princess at this time, she would probably be terrified.

After all, Princess Qingcheng was old enough to be sent to marry a foreign ruler.

He secretly noted it down; it seemed that it was very necessary for the Princess Consort of Prince Dun to know who had first proposed this.

But that wasn't all. Zhen Huan had gotten quite carried away with her words today and couldn't quite stop herself—"However, I think that not only should she be granted the title of princess, but her title should also be changed. I've proposed... the two characters 'Gongding' (恭定), so that her father can be constantly reminded to be respectful and stable."

"Good, well done," Hongzhao thought, observing his father's almost stern expression. He'd even come up with a title for his son. But honestly, once the title was announced, it sounded more like he was being sent on a political marriage.

"Alright, we'll do it your way." In no time, all the expressions on Yinzhen's face disappeared, leaving only the satisfaction of having solved the problem. He smiled as he looked at the smug and nimble beauty opposite him, a feeling that was hard to describe in a few words.

For some unknown reason, the Emperor still had someone properly escort Consort Wan back to Suiyu Pavilion today and did not allow anyone to stay overnight.

Seeing that there was no more entertainment to watch, Hongzhao had no choice but to put away the monitor and continue reading the book he hadn't finished earlier.

"What are your thoughts on the matter concerning Prince Dun the other day?"

Hongzhao tensed up, desperately suppressing the urge to tremble. A deep male voice came from the side hall entrance. He quickly put down his book, stood up, and turned around.

Yinzhen had somehow arrived at the entrance of the side hall, his figure partially obscured by the door, making it impossible to discern his expression.

Hongzhao appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly he cursed, "You ruined my mood with your wife, so you can't scare our son like this late at night!"