Chapter 589 Cunning (Third Update)

As night fell, candlelight gradually illuminated the Zhuang family's mansion.

The servants took down the lanterns from under the eaves one by one, lit them, and then hung them back up high.

Grand Tutor Zhuang sat in his study, reviewing the memorials submitted by Vice Minister Xu and others.

There has been quite a stir in the court recently. Minister Xing and Empress Dowager Zhuang have been exonerated and their status and power have been restored. However, there are differing opinions on Grand Tutor Zhuang's inaction when the Empress Dowager was framed. Some ministers believe that he is ungrateful and disregards the bond between siblings, while others suggest that he was an insider and was simply cooperating with Empress Dowager Zhuang and others in a charade.

There are many opinions, and civil officials are just good at talking. If you really let them have some free time, they'll find something else to make trouble for.

What Grand Tutor Zhuang truly cared about was not this petty squabble in court, but rather—

His gaze fell on a landscape painting on the opposite wall.

"Master!" the steward of the estate announced joyfully at the door, "The Prince has returned!"

...

Outside the solemn and imposing gates of the Zhuang Mansion, Prince An, dressed in plain clothes, knelt on the steps.

During the time he was away from the Zhuang family, Grand Tutor Zhuang had not heard from him. However, the lack of news meant that he was still alive. If he were dead, the capital would have been in chaos long ago.

Grand Tutor Zhuang did not deliberately seek him out. He had cut off all of his escape routes, knowing that he would not last long and would eventually return home to beg him for help.

Sure enough, it wasn't?

Grand Tutor Zhuang arrived at the gate of the Zhuang residence, wearing a brownish-gray cloak.

The steward dismissed all the servants. No matter how Grand Tutor Zhuang punished Prince An, Prince An was still his own grandson. He could bear to see Prince An fall from grace, but the servants could not.

"I'll go check the storeroom." After the grandfather and grandson met, the steward also made an excuse to leave.

Grand Tutor Zhuang said, "No need, you can stay here."

The manager replied awkwardly, "Ah, yes."

This is putting him in a very difficult position. If he makes a fool of the young master today, what will happen when the young master takes charge in the future? He'll surely make things difficult for him.

Grand Tutor Zhuang ignored the steward and slowly walked up the steps, looking down at the lonely figure kneeling on the ground.

After so many days, one should know that life outside is not easy.

“Raise your head.”

Prince An slowly raised his head and looked at his grandfather with a melancholy expression.

Grand Tutor Zhuang meant to say, "Look at yourself, how thin you've become," but upon closer inspection, the words caught in his throat.

Is it just my imagination?

Why does this kid seem to have gained weight?

Prince An was once a handsome and dashing man, but he had shallow hollows in his cheeks and looked somewhat thin.

Now that cheek is sunken!

A round face is considered auspicious!

Of course, he's not fat at all; he's just... well, he's grown up and has the sunny and handsome looks that someone his age should have.

But isn't that strange?

He was skinny at home, but he gained weight after going out.

The main reason was that Prince An was exploited by Gu Yan every day to work hard. He did a lot of physical labor, which greatly increased his appetite, and over time he grew stronger.

He used to be full after just one bowl at home, but now he's a super rice eater who can eat two or three bowls without feeling full!

Grand Tutor Zhuang suddenly felt a little irritable.

“Grandfather,” Prince An said, “your grandson has returned.”

These words finally broke the brief silence and pulled Grand Tutor Zhuang out of his daze. Grand Tutor Zhuang said coldly, "You still know how to come back? I warned you long ago, if you dare to step out that door, don't even think about coming back easily!"

Prince An lowered his head: "Grandson knows his mistake, please forgive him, grandfather."

Grand Tutor Zhuang coldly snorted: "Forgiveness? You make it sound so easy. If everyone were like you in the future, staying at home when they're happy and running away when they're unhappy, what would my Zhuang family become!"

Prince An stopped arguing and lowered his head, looking deeply remorseful.

The steward hurriedly advised, "My lord, the Prince was simply blinded by greed. Since he knows he was wrong, please forgive him this once, considering his past filial piety towards you. The Prince will certainly not dare to do it again! Isn't that right, Your Highness?"

As he spoke, he looked at Prince An, who was kneeling there with his head bowed in repentance.

Prince An nodded sullenly: "The steward is right. I have suffered a lot outside, and I will never dare to disobey my grandfather again."

That's a bit unconvincing. After all, if you can grow up this well by enduring hardship, then you'd be on top of the world if you didn't suffer.

But Grand Tutor Zhuang couldn't think of any reason why Prince An wouldn't endure hardship, since he had already made arrangements with all the people Prince An could turn to, and no one dared to take him in.

Large inns and restaurants wouldn't let him stay.

During this period, he at most lived in some low-class inn, relying on the little silver he had.

"Come in and kneel down!" Grand Tutor Zhuang said coldly.

"yes."

Prince An agreed, and the steward hurriedly went down the steps to help Prince An up.

My own prince's frail body...

Before the thought even crossed his mind, Prince An stood up on his own, moving with incredible speed.

Manager: "..."

Prince An followed Grand Tutor Zhuang to his courtyard.

Grand Tutor Zhuang made Prince An kneel at the door of the study.

Prince An said in a low voice, "Let me go inside and kneel. It's shameful."

Grand Tutor Zhuang chuckled and said, "You still know how to be shameful?"

Prince An said very considerately, "It's alright if I lose face, but it's not good if I make my grandfather lose face."

"snort!"

Grand Tutor Zhuang coldly flicked his sleeve, ultimately not kicking the person out.

Prince An knelt in the very center of his study.

Since Grand Tutor Zhuang wanted to give him a hard time, he naturally wouldn't show too much concern for him, such as asking him how he had been doing, where he was, whether he was eating well, or whether he was dressed warmly.

If he asked, he might be able to detect some minor flaws or clues.

Prince An would glance at Grand Tutor Zhuang from time to time. Grand Tutor Zhuang knew this, but he didn't think much of it, assuming that the boy was just observing his expression.

He said coldly, "Don't expect me to forgive you so quickly."

"How much longer do I have to kneel?" Prince An asked, looking aggrieved.

These words enraged Grand Tutor Zhuang. Was this an apology? He was already trying to get up before he had even properly knelt?

Grand Tutor Zhuang roared, "I'll make you kneel until you learn your lesson!"

Originally intending to send Prince An back to his courtyard, Grand Tutor Zhuang changed his mind and decided that he should kneel on the floor until it was worn through!

"master."

The manager has arrived again.

This time, his expression was somewhat evasive.

Grand Tutor Zhuang understood and gave Prince An on the ground a cold look: "You kneel down obediently!"

“Yes,” Prince An replied, feeling wronged.

Grand Tutor Zhuang left the study.

Prince An hurriedly got up and pressed his ear to the crack in the door.

The steward whispered, "Master, Jiang Ping is back. He says he has something to report to you. Should we bring him over?"

Grand Tutor Zhuang glanced back at the study with the door ajar and said calmly, "Never mind, have him wait in my tea room."

The steward replied, "Yes."

When Grand Tutor Zhuang returned to his study, Prince An was already kneeling respectfully. Grand Tutor Zhuang glanced at the landscape painting on the wall, hesitated for a moment, and said to Prince An, "You may go back now!"

"Thank you, Grandfather." Prince An bowed slightly and stood up, leaning on the table for support.

After he left the courtyard, Grand Tutor Zhuang went to the tea room on the other side of the corridor.

Prince An took a stroll outside and then returned.

"My jade pendant is inside."

He said to the servant guarding the courtyard.

Prince An was already a very special person in the Zhuang family, able to freely enter and leave the courtyard of Grand Tutor Zhuang. In addition, he had just been brought back by Grand Tutor Zhuang himself, which meant that the conflict between the grandfather and grandson had been resolved. The servant did not dare to stop him and let him in.

Prince An hurriedly went to Grand Tutor Zhuang's study, but instead of looking anywhere else, he went straight to the landscape painting hanging on the wall opposite the desk.

He had just noticed that his grandfather had looked at this place three times while reviewing memorials: once when he went out to talk to the steward, and once when he was told to return to the courtyard.

Based on his understanding of his grandfather, there must be a hidden meaning behind this painting!

He took the painting down, but to his disappointment, there was just an ordinary wall behind it.

There were no hidden compartments or cracks.

Prince An asked, puzzled, "What's going on? Am I overthinking it? Does Grandfather simply like this painting? Is it priceless?"

It does indeed appear to be an antique painting, quite valuable.

Prince An frowned: "Something's not right. There must be something wrong. Why would my grandfather, a man with such high standards, be so concerned about an antique painting?"

Thud!

Prince An's hand slipped, and the scroll fell to the ground, the top of the scroll becoming loose.

He quickly squatted down, picked up the scroll, and then pulled off the top of the scroll, which appeared to be a single piece but was actually pieced together.

The shaft is hollow!

There's something inside!

Prince An tilted the scroll downwards, and a rolled-up bright yellow imperial edict fell out.

When Prince An unfolded it, he discovered that it was actually a blank edict from the late emperor, stamped with the imperial seal and the late emperor's official seal.

If anything is written on this, it will become the late emperor's last edict!

It wouldn't be difficult to depose His Majesty from the throne and establish Prince Ning or any other prince or nobleman as emperor!

Is this what Jiang Ping brought back from the Yan people?

Was this the trump card that Consort Jing left for Qin Fengyan?

Since Consort Jing possessed such a powerful item, why didn't she use it to save her life sooner?

There was no time to deal with these doubts. All Prince An knew was that such a terrifying thing must not fall into the hands of his grandfather!

He pocketed the imperial edict and hung the painting back up intact.

He arrived at the door.

After thinking about it, he gritted his teeth and turned back.

...

The night was dark and the wind was high.

Prince An hurriedly walked out, clutching the imperial edict in his arms.

"Prince".

Along the way, many servants and maids greeted him.

He ignored them all and walked straight toward the gate of the Zhuang family's residence.

"Your Highness, it's so late, are you going out?" the gatekeeper asked.

Prince An's eyes flashed, but he said in a normal tone, "I have something to attend to and I'll be going out for a bit."

"Should we send someone to follow you?" the servant asked.

“No need,” Prince An refused.

The servant, not knowing what to say, stepped aside to make way for him.

Prince An stepped over the high threshold, and before one foot even touched the ground, Grand Tutor Zhuang's authoritative and icy voice rang out behind him: "Halt!"

(End of this chapter)