Chapter 192: Fight
The palace maid following the prince took the order and left. Chi Hongyuan glanced at the palace maid indifferently without saying a word.
He went to peek at the concubines and asked people around him to inquire about the noble lady's background. This matter was reported to His Majesty, and the prince could not escape the blame. Didn't others think of this? But they just didn't want to be blamed.
The group walked to the Imperial Garden and there happened to be no one in the pavilion, so they sat down.
The pavilion is surrounded by the lake on three sides. It is coolest near the water in summer, especially the tall pear trees planted by the lake. The pear trees are lush and cast shade on the lakeside. The wind blowing through the treetops brings coolness.
The artificial lake is vast in area. Because it draws fresh water and is carefully managed by palace servants, the water is clear and you can see all kinds of fish swimming in the lake.
Several brothers sat together in twos and threes, some sat at the stone table, some sat on the benches in the pavilion, some leaned on the guardrails and watched the swimming fish. They drank tea and talked and laughed. On the surface, they looked like friendly brothers.
"Your Highness, the person you sent is back." The eighth prince had good eyesight. When he saw the palace servant who went to inquire came back, he pushed the crown prince teasingly while waiting to watch the fun.
The prince was also curious, so he asked as the palace maid approached him, "Did you find out from the nanny whose noble lady that was?"
"Your Highness, the maid said that this girl is Prime Minister Yin's granddaughter who was recently brought back. She is fifteen years old this year and her name is Gu Siqing." In the hot summer, the palace servants ran back and forth, sweating profusely.
When they learned that this girl's name was Gu Siqing and she was the prime minister's granddaughter, the princes all had different thoughts in their eyes. Chi Hongyuan paused while drinking tea. She was actually Gu Siqing?
After knowing Gu Siqing's identity, the princes who had ulterior motives began to get restless.
"So it was her. At Prime Minister Yin's birthday banquet, he announced that his long-missing granddaughter had been found. However, we arrived too late and the ladies had already gone to the garden to play, so we were unable to see her."
There was a strange light in the eyes of the Sixth Prince. Like the Fifth Prince, he was extremely ambitious and never concealed his ambition.
"At that time, a guest said Miss Gu was beautiful as a flower and the moon. I thought they were flattering her to please the Prime Minister. I didn't expect Miss Gu to be so beautiful as to be described as a flower and the moon."
The Crown Prince was still marveling at Gu Siqing's beauty, unaware that the other princes were thinking about other things.
"Although Gu Siqing is my granddaughter, I heard that the Prime Minister loves his long-lost daughter very much, and his attention and love for my granddaughter are no less than his granddaughter Miss Yin. From what I can see today, the rumors are true."
The fifth prince stroked his chin, already thinking things over.
"Ms. Yin and Miss Gu seem to have a very good relationship." Chi Hongqi said, holding his chin.
No one paid attention to his words. The Sixth Prince and the Third Prince looked at each other, and a flash of hostility flashed in their eyes.
Chi Hongqi was used to being ignored, so he didn't care. He lowered his hands to fiddle with the fish in the water and had a lot of fun.
"Miss Yin is ambitious. Didn't the Third Emperor, the Sixth Emperor, and His Highness all try to please her? But she remained unmoved. In addition, the Prime Minister keeps a close eye on her. It's not easy to get her."
The fifth prince smiled and revealed the embarrassing past of several people in public. The crown prince was attracted by beautiful women and felt a little embarrassed when he was told that. He coughed twice and said nothing. However, the sixth prince and the third prince looked unhappy.
"In front of Miss Yin, the main wife can't speak, but Miss Gu, being a concubine is very suitable for your status."
As the Sixth Prince spoke, his sharp eyes swept across the faces of the Fifth Prince and the others one by one.
Among the princes, except Chi Hongyuan, Chi Hongqi and the crown prince, the other princes all have their principal wives. Yin Miaoyin is the eldest daughter of the prime minister's family and the only grandchild, so it is impossible for her to be a concubine.
Gu Siqing is different. She is only the granddaughter of the prime minister and was once a merchant. It is appropriate to marry her as a concubine. Not only is this girl beautiful, but she can also win over the prime minister, which is very good.
Among those sitting in the pavilion, only Chi Hongqi and Chi Hongyuan did not speak. The former was because no one would care if he spoke, and the latter was too lazy to interrupt. Chi Hongyuan was a man of few words, so it was normal for him not to speak.
"Ninth brother, look at that fish. It's completely white, except for its gills which are red. It's really interesting." Chi Hongqi tugged at Chi Hongyuan's clothes and pointed it out to him.
Chi Hongyuan looked in the direction he pointed and curled his lips: "Well, it's really interesting."
The Fifth Prince and several others talked about the possibility of proposing to marry Gu Siqing, secretly competing with each other. Chi Hongyuan watched coldly and found it funny.
Before he left the cold palace, he knew that the emperor's sons were all cowardly and useless, and none of them was worthy of being reused. They would rush for benefits but would be the first to hide when faced with problems.
It was the first time that Chi Hongyuan realized that this group of people were so tactless. It was true that when people became arrogant, they dared to think of anything.
When they were making their wishful thinking loud and clear, didn't they realize that Prime Minister Yin didn't want to take sides at all?
Given the Yin family's foundation in the previous dynasty and its reputation among court officials, who the prime minister chooses to support will have a ripple effect on the entire family.
If Prime Minister Yin wanted to be a powerful official and consolidate the power of the Yin family, he would have chosen a capable prince to have a closer relationship with him. If so, there would be no need for any struggle for succession, and the throne would definitely belong to the prince chosen by the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Yin has been standing by and watching, just because he doesn't want to get involved in muddy waters, otherwise what would he have done long ago? These people are still dreaming.
"Ninth brother, don't you like to eat snacks outside the palace?" When the Fifth Prince and others were talking excitedly, Chi Hongyuan, who was leaning on the guardrail, suddenly spoke to Chi Hongqi.
Among the princes, Chi Hongqi had the best relationship with Chi Hongyuan, but that was also achieved by his shameless persistence.
Most of the time, Chi Hongqi kept talking, and Chi Hongyuan occasionally responded, but that was all. Chi Hongyuan suddenly asked this, and Chi Hongqi was flattered. He nodded blankly and said, "I like it very much."
"I'll bring it to you next time I go to the palace." Chi Hongyuan said, brushing his clothes and standing up, bowing, "It's getting late, I should leave the palace and go back home, so as not to disturb the royal brothers' leisure time."
"Oh, okay, okay." The prince heard others say that the beauty was talking enthusiastically, and nodded meaningfully.
Chi Hongyuan glanced at the prince with a complicated expression, then quickly regained his composure and left with Chi Hongqi.
That night, in the Tumi Garden.
After Gu Siqing and Yin Miaoyin had dinner together, they took out the chess board and played chess to pass the time.
When they were in the same room, the two men and the other two concubines kept their distance from each other.
The four people had no conflicts, but they were not close friends either. The other two concubines happened to be good friends, so they usually sat together in pairs and talked. They did needlework while Gu Siqing and the other girl played chess.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
