Because of Fangfei's interference, the four palace guards each only got half a cup of wine. After tasting it, they found that the more they drank, the more they wanted to drink.
Unfortunately, they dared not buy wine to drink without His Highness the Crown Prince's permission.
In modern times, Ye Jingchen is the kind of person who likes to sip wine whenever he has free time, and he prefers fruit wine. Zui Xian Niang (醉仙酿) is quite to his liking.
So before they had finished their meal, Ye Jingchen instructed Wei Yi to buy three more jugs of wine before leaving, as he wanted to take them back to the palace.
"Your Highness, you really can't drink alcohol." Fangfei's voice was less forceful than before as she tried to dissuade her.
"I brought it to my father," Ye Jingchen said innocently, blinking his eyes.
Now that I've come out of the palace, how can I not bring a gift for my elderly father who is staying behind?
If you give the emperor two jugs, he can still have one left over.
"His Majesty possesses the entire realm and has no shortage of fine wine," Fangfei reminded him expressionlessly.
Besides, she had tasted this wine before; it was not bad, but it still couldn't compare to the imperial wine in the palace.
"No wine offered by others can compare to the significance of the wine I presented to my father!" Ye Jingchen smiled憨厚ly.
He insisted on eating outside the palace so that he could find an opportunity to bring back a small gift for the emperor in a less deliberate way and make the emperor happy.
He sent flowers last time, so this time he plans to send something that isn't available in the palace.
The Drunken Immortal Brew is pretty good. Add a snack to go, and you'll have something to eat and something to drink—perfect!
Fangfei also remembered the flower that their Crown Prince had given her last time.
It is said that the flower is still being kept in Chongzheng Hall and placed in the most conspicuous place, so that every official who enters or leaves Chongzheng Hall can see it.
Grandpa Zhang personally cared for that flower, valuing it more than his own life, fearing it might wither or lose its petals.
After all, flowers lose petals, but people might lose their heads.
Flowers wither, but life withers; people wither, but their lives fade.
Fangfei was thinking about that flower when she heard people in the restaurant talking loudly about how His Highness the Crown Prince used a flower to symbolize spring and sent spring to His Majesty.
When people drink too much alcohol, their brains become muddled, their auditory reactions slow down, and they often tend to speak loudly.
Zuixianlou's Zuixian Brew is very famous, attracting many people who come to drink it. After drinking too much, people naturally tend to speak their minds.
Someone who had just joined the commotion at the teahouse came to the restaurant and shared what had happened at the teahouse with the people at the same table.
"The Crown Prince is only eight years old. How can an eight-year-old child have such cunning? He is facing the Prefect of Jingzhao, who has been scheming in the officialdom for more than ten years!"
"Even an ordinary eight-year-old child wouldn't do something like pleasing His Majesty with just a flower!"
"What do you mean by 'coaxing'? It was clearly His Highness's filial piety that moved His Majesty!"
“The imperial family is different from us commoners!”
"Who says otherwise? My son is eight years old and all he can do is play in the mud. Even if he had the filial piety to give me a flower, he wouldn't be able to say something as meaningful as comparing the flower to spring!"
"Has His Highness the Crown Prince truly punished that troublesome son of the Prefect's family? If so, it is truly a blessing for our Great Yuan!"
The common people have always been very interested in matters concerning the emperor. Once someone started talking, everyone chimed in with their own opinions, and the discussion began.
The prefect's son, Liu Zhixing, was a menace in the capital. Everyone was delighted to hear that the Crown Prince had disciplined him. Most of the comments were praises of the Crown Prince and joy that Dayuan had such a wise and sensible heir.
However, there were also those who disagreed and poured cold water on the idea.
"Don't you all think it's cruel that His Highness used the Prefect's future to blackmail him into taking his own son's life? Even tigers don't eat their cubs. How similar is this to His Majesty using his position as Imperial Censor to blackmail the Imperial Censor into giving up his only child's life?" someone asked indignantly.
"His Highness the Crown Prince is only eight years old, yet he can come up with such a vicious scheme. What will he be like when he grows up? Can he really become a wise ruler?" the man questioned loudly.
There was a moment of silence in the lobby.
Saying such things in public means either you're really drunk, or you think you're too old for the world.
Who would dare to accept such a statement?
Fangfei was already angry when she heard these remarks. She was about to argue with the person downstairs when someone beat her to it.
"What do you mean by using the prefect's future to force him to sacrifice his own son's life? Hasn't that scumbag done enough evil? According to the laws of Dayuan, shouldn't he be executed? All His Highness the Crown Prince did was uphold the law and rid the people of evil. What are you trying to achieve by deliberately making such malicious remarks that smear His Highness's image?" In the corner, someone slammed their fist on the table and stood up, questioning loudly.
"That's right, I almost fell for your trick. Liu Zhixing certainly deserves to die, but the Imperial Censor's son is innocent. The two cannot be confused or compared!"
"That's right, that's right! Liu Zhixing has committed countless evil deeds, while His Highness the Crown Prince is acting on behalf of Heaven. They are incomparable!"
...
"What do you mean by using the official position of the Imperial Censor to coerce him into giving up the life of his only child? Go and find out what exactly happened." Ye Jingchen summoned Wei Yi and a few others over after hearing his subordinates repeatedly mention the Imperial Censor's child, and gave them his orders.
Yesterday, the emperor said in a very smug tone that he not only stripped the Grand Censor of his official position, but also wanted to make the other party experience the same feelings he had at the time. Did the emperor really do something?
Those selected to join the Eastern Palace Guard were not only tall and strong, but also had very upright appearances and exuded righteousness. Their clothes were understated yet luxurious. They quickly became sworn brothers with several obviously drunk patrons downstairs, not only getting information but also getting free drinks.
A short while later, they returned to give their report.
"The Imperial Censor had a son late in life, and his beloved son suddenly fell into the water, but the Emperor forbade them to leave the palace to invite a doctor for treatment, which caused the child to become mentally impaired?" Ye Jingchen asked incredulously.
“That’s how the rumors spread!” Wei Yi said.
"Since Father Emperor forbids them from leaving the mansion, how did the rumor that the child fell into the water and was burned stupid spread?" Ye Jingchen asked.
"It was the Censorate that orchestrated this whole thing, tarnishing His Majesty's reputation!" Fangfei asserted.
Ye Jingchen remained silent.
The emperor was clearly not so innocent in this matter.
Maybe he ordered someone to do it when the child fell into the water.
As for not allowing the Censorate to summon a physician—
Perhaps it is true, or perhaps the Imperial Censor himself dared not disobey the Emperor's order to leave his residence to fetch a physician, nor dared he send anyone from his residence, but he could not swallow this insult, so he deliberately spread such a rumor.
But no matter what, Ye Jingchen couldn't let the rumors continue to spread.
We must not let the people of the capital mistakenly believe that the emperor is a cold-blooded and ruthless ruler, as this could easily be exploited by those with ulterior motives and cause trouble.
Throughout five thousand years of history, the will of the people has always been of utmost importance!
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