After lying in bed all day, Ye Jingchen finally regained some of his energy.
The next day, he had planned to attend the morning court session, but because Xie Chang'an did not wake him up in time, the session had already started by the time he woke up.
"I called you, but you were sleeping too soundly to wake up, so you can't blame me," Xie Chang'an said innocently.
Ye Jingchen was skeptical of Xie Chang'an's statement, but he was a heavy sleeper and difficult to wake up. He had no recollection of Xie Chang'an's actions, so he could not verify the truth of Xie Chang'an's words.
After getting up and washing up, Ye Jingchen asked Fang Rong for a box of lightly scented face powder to cover the marks on his neck and arms that hadn't faded yet.
"Are you really not taking me with you?" Xie Chang'an asked as they left.
“No, not this time. If I bring you along, it will upset my father.” Ye Jingchen refused decisively.
“I can go with you, and then wait for you outside Chengqian Palace, just like before,” Xie Chang’an suggested.
"I'm afraid you'll be assassinated," Ye Jingchen said.
"Even if you stay in the Eastern Palace, you must always be careful. Be careful of everything you put in your mouth, and be careful of anyone who approaches you without warning. Also, don't go to the training ground alone," he warned anxiously.
After all, his Eastern Palace was fraught with danger for Xie Chang'an.
"Don't worry, if I can't even protect myself, how can I be so confident as to drag you down with me?"
Xie Chang'an liked Ye Jingchen's worried look and couldn't help but reach out and pinch Ye Jingchen's cheek.
"Don't pinch—what if it leaves a mark?" Ye Jingchen quickly grabbed Xie Chang'an's hand.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Not letting him pinch her, Xie Chang'an rubbed the area between his index and middle fingers.
Ye Jingchen had a small patch of soft flesh on his cheek, which was smooth, delicate, and very elastic, and felt particularly good to the touch.
"I'm leaving," Ye Jingchen said, pulling Xie Chang'an's fingers off as well.
It seems Xie Chang'an has become even more clingy since we slept together. No wonder people always say that heroes are easily swayed by love.
Fortunately, Xie Chang'an didn't meet someone he liked in his previous life, otherwise he would definitely have been a foolish and incompetent ruler who neglected state affairs!
“If the emperor makes things difficult for you, just push all the responsibility onto me, and I will bear his wrath,” Xie Chang’an said.
Ye Jingchen didn't say anything, he just waved and left.
He didn't know what Xie Chang'an had up his sleeve, but his father's wrath was not something he could easily bear.
When Ye Jingchen arrived at Chengqian Palace, the morning court session had not yet ended. He waited outside the imperial road for a quarter of an hour before the emperor finally came out, his face gloomy, and he acted as if he hadn't seen Ye Jingchen at all.
"Your subject greets Your Majesty!" Ye Jingchen's thick skin came in handy at this moment. He quickly took a few steps, blocked the emperor's path, and bowed to him.
The emperor still ignored him and walked past him.
"Father, I know I was wrong!" Ye Jingchen grabbed the emperor's sleeve, preventing him from leaving.
"Let go!" The emperor tugged at his sleeve, but Ye Jingchen held on tightly, and the emperor couldn't budge it.
Moreover, the dragon robe was not very sturdy, and the emperor was worried that if he used too much force, he would tear the sleeves.
"Father, I really know I was wrong. I've come here today to apologize to you. Please give me a chance!" Ye Jingchen not only didn't let go, but instead took the opportunity to hug the emperor's arm.
Seeing his rebellious son sticking to him like a leech, impossible to shake off, the emperor was so angry that the veins on his forehead throbbed.
"Stay away from me!"
"This imperial robe of mine is precious. If you damage any part of it, I will cripple that part of Xie Chang'an!" the emperor said coldly.
With a 'whoosh,' Ye Jingchen immediately released the emperor's arm and carefully smoothed out the wrinkles that had been pulled out of the emperor's sleeve.
"Father, I did not damage your dragon robe, so you must not take this opportunity to harm my Crown Princess!" Ye Jingchen said hurriedly.
"Your Crown Princess?" Upon hearing these words, the Emperor felt as if he was about to explode with rage.
"good!"
"very good!"
"You've achieved your goal, so now you're too lazy to even pretend anymore, right?"
Do you think that because I favor you, I can't bear to do anything to you?
"Guards—the Crown Prince is disobedient and unfilial; drag him away and give him thirty strokes of the cane!" the Emperor commanded.
The one who was to be punished was His Highness the Crown Prince. The imperial guards did not dare to rush up and drag him away as they would when dealing with ministers who had offended His Majesty.
After all, only those of them who served in the imperial court knew how much the Crown Prince was favored.
His Majesty may order the punishment of the man with a cane at this moment, but he might change his mind and withdraw his order at the next moment.
"Father, I am willing to be punished, but after I have been punished, could you please listen to what is on my mind? There are some things I have kept in my heart for many years, and I have wanted to tell you for a long time," Ye Jingchen pleaded.
Given his rebellious and audacious nature, what could he possibly want to say before being punished?
The emperor didn't want to hear Ye Jingchen's innermost thoughts; he was afraid that it would only make him angrier.
"Drag him away and give him a good beating!" The emperor ordered, his back to the crowd, without even glancing at Ye Jingchen.
The imperial guards prepared to step forward and drag the person away.
"No need to drag me, I can walk by myself." Ye Jingchen stopped them and calmly walked out of the hall.
The emperor stood with his back to everyone the whole time.
Seeing the emperor's state, Zhang Shunde hesitated for a moment, then mustered his courage and said, "Your Majesty, these imperial guards are all martial artists, and they don't know their own strength. If they are beaten thirty times, it would be bad if Your Highness's body were damaged. Perhaps this servant should go along and give them a little pointer?"
The emperor remained silent for a long time.
Just as Zhang Shunde was secretly regretting his loose tongue, the emperor finally spoke.
"The prince is so tough, surely he can't even withstand thirty strokes of the cane?"
Zhang Shunde pondered the meaning of these words for a moment. Since His Majesty did not explicitly refuse, it meant that His Majesty had tacitly approved his proposal.
"This servant should go out and take a look!" Zhang Shunde said, and hurriedly ran out of the hall.
He was right. His Majesty dotes on His Highness the Crown Prince so much, how could he possibly bear to punish him?
In the open space outside the hall, the imperial guards had already brought out long benches and wiped them back and forth three times with their sleeves.
They performed these actions slowly, mainly because they were worried that His Majesty might change his mind and call for a halt at any moment.
"Do I need to take off my coat?" Ye Jingchen asked calmly.
Normally, the person being punished would indeed have to take off their outer garments, but since the other party was the crown prince, and they had never punished someone of such high status before, they hesitated and dared not make a decision.
"Since that's the case, I'll take my clothes off then, so as not to make things difficult for you all." Ye Jingchen said, starting to take off his clothes.
"No need to take it off—no need to take it off!" Zhang Shunde shouted as he ran.
Ye Jingchen's lips curled into a smile as he withdrew his hands, which had been used in a pretentious manner.
He knew it; his father was ultimately reluctant to part with it.
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