Just as Xu Mo and Chang Yan had predicted, after Zhu Changhong's feint, the entire Fengjing returned to calm.
Zhu Changyu remained inactive, the Ju family remained inactive, and everyone waited silently, lying in wait.
“The only one who made a move was the eldest prince.” Xu Mo slowly straightened his younger brother’s clothes. “He seems to be investigating who poisoned Consort Ju’s porridge.”
"Oh? Have you found out yet?" Chang Yan asked without looking at him.
Being the crown prince of the Dayu Dynasty was not easy. The crown prince's robe required dozens of embroiderers to work day and night to ensure that it did not clash with the emperor's bright yellow, but also to show as much majesty as possible. Finally, orange-yellow was chosen.
The crown on her head follows the traditional black background, with some patterns made of gold wire to make it look more luxurious, while also being lightweight and comfortable.
His long, cascading hair was completely hidden under his crown, with no strands allowed to fall from his temples. If he hadn't inherited the good looks from Empress Yan, he probably wouldn't have been able to pull off such an outfit.
"I don't know." Xu Mo smoothed out the folds in his robe and stood up straight.
The four-year age difference resulted in a noticeable difference in their heights.
Compared to seven years ago, one could barely be described as refined and gentle, while the other was a real rascal.
It seems that a difference of half an inch is nothing now.
We've all grown up.
Xu Mo chuckled, his usually composed demeanor faltering as his eyes reddened, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, “All the advisors from the Crown Prince’s residence, including the second-place scholar Sun Xiaosheng, have come. Today is a good opportunity.”
With the high-profile establishment of the Crown Prince's Palace, countless talents flocked to it. Among them were those with genuine talent who wanted to assist the Crown Prince, and those with ulterior motives who were loyal to the Han while serving Cao Cao.
Regardless of the type, all guests are welcomed at the long banquet, and the banquet is held with ease.
It wasn't that he was confident he could pick out all the disloyal ones, but rather that everything in this world needs to be tempered to become strong. It didn't matter if the people in the Crown Prince's residence were mixed up; there were plenty of opportunities for them to be refined.
The second prince, Zhu Changyu, was the first tempering fire.
"If you want to become a guest of my Crown Prince's household, you'd better show some ability and guts." Chang Yan sneered. "Good or bad, you'll know as soon as you touch them."
The boy used to wear casual clothes and his hair was simply tied up. His overly beautiful face made it difficult to tell whether he was male or female, but it also made him lose his masculinity.
Until this moment, his orange-yellow robe and headdress imbued him with a strong sense of righteousness, and the leap in status brought him extraordinary domineering aura, gradually making his presence as a ruler more imposing.
Every move, every action, is perfectly natural.
Even the imperial family, upon seeing this, couldn't help but sigh, "Truly worthy of being from the Zhu family."
Someone gently pushed open the door, and a fierce gust of wind swept in, causing his clothes to flutter and his collar to rise slightly. Only his body remained straight, which made his unwavering back look even more resolute.
"Your Highness, the young masters and ladies have arrived." Someone spoke in a high-pitched voice. It turned out to be Eunuch Wu's godson, Little Eunuch Wu.
Such is the nature of hereditary succession. Not only must the imperial throne be passed down to the heirs, but the chief eunuch must also adopt a godson to serve the crown prince, thus ensuring his future care and continued favor.
Chang Yan had no objection to this.
His mind was stirred by Eunuch Wu's words, and he knew that his older brother and younger sister had arrived. His expression quickly softened, and he smiled gently, "Please come in quickly."
There were six siblings, five of whom lived in Fengjing City.
Xu Mo, as a staff member of the Crown Prince's residence, could enter the palace early to wait; Jiang Sheng, as the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family, could also move freely; and Wen Zhiyun, still holding a vacancy at the Imperial Hospital, could go anywhere with her medicine box.
Zheng Ruqian, however, had neither status nor position. His mere lychee business was far from qualifying him as an imperial merchant, let alone granting him free access to the imperial city.
But what can you do when someone has a great younger brother?
Jiang Sheng didn't need to follow the Jiang family's procession, and Wen Zhiyun didn't need to go to the Imperial Hospital. They only needed to have the Crown Prince's waist token to drive in without any problem.
I was so excited last night that I didn't get to sleep for more than a few hours. When I woke up this morning, I had a splitting headache. I arrived here about half an hour later than Xu Mo.
But this did not affect their high spirits.
Jiang Sheng, who considered himself an old acquaintance of the capital, pointed to the glittering bricks on the ground and introduced, "Second brother, let me tell you, these are not bricks made of gold. They are just clay fired in a kiln. Because the process is so complicated, they are comparable to gold. It is no exaggeration to call them gold bricks."
Zheng Ruqian nodded in sudden realization.
He actually knew all this a long time ago, but knowing it is one thing, seeing it with your own eyes is another.
It was rare for his younger sister to put on a mature and experienced act, but Zheng Lao Er had another wicked idea. "Since the craftsmanship is as complicated as gold, why not just use gold to pave the road directly? It would save the craftsmen the trouble."
I thought Jiang Sheng would regret showing off earlier, or be annoyed that she couldn't answer.
Unexpectedly, her eyes lit up with excitement and curiosity. "Oh, right, why not just pave it with gold?"
A truly sincere child is brave enough to face ignorance.
Zheng Ruqian sighed, surprised that the ball had been kicked back to him, but the problem was he didn't even know it.
The two of them turned to look at Wen Zhiyun, who was smiling with her lips pursed.
Wen Xiaosi replied with a shrug, "I only know about Coptis chinensis, nutmeg, and Ganoderma lucidum, but I don't know the choice between gold and gold bricks."
Just as the two siblings were about to stare at each other, Chang Yan and Xu Mo finally came out from changing clothes in the side hall.
The young eunuch Wu, who was leading the way, bowed and scraped. When he turned around, he received a glance and immediately stepped forward. "Greetings, Miss Jiang, Doctor Wen, and Master Zheng. The reason why we use gold bricks instead of gold in our imperial city is because gold bricks are not afraid of being stepped on, while gold leaves an imprint with just a pinch."
Everyone knows that gold is soft.
After receiving the gold, biting it with one's teeth has become a basic method for distinguishing between genuine and fake gold.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
