Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Beautiful and Strong Miserable Dad 14
Ah...how can you blame Zhuozhuo? Zhuozhuo is innocent!
Zhuozhuo's eyes widened in surprise. He kept asking, "You are my grandfather? You are my father's father? Really? I don't believe it."
Emperor Zhengping, who was about to teach this little guy a lesson, choked back, "Why don't you believe it?"
"You are not like my father's father. You bully him. You are a bad person." As Zhuozhuo spoke, she remembered the bad things that Emperor Zhengping had done. She climbed down from Emperor Zhengping's arms, stood on tiptoe to pick up the small bowl protruding from the table, and said, "I want to go back to find my father," and hurriedly ran towards the palace gate, bypassing Prince Chun and Prince Chu.
Emperor Zhengping was in a state of panic. This kid was just so impulsive, his expression changing at a moment's notice. He didn't want to teach Zhuo Zhuo any lesson, so he reluctantly called out to him, "Do you know the way?"
Zhuozhuo stopped, turned around and looked pitifully at Emperor Zhengping. "Grandpa Huang, can you ask Yuzhu to take me back?"
"Don't call me Grandpa Huang." It really gave him a headache. Emperor Zhengping held his forehead with one hand and said, "Call me Grandpa."
"Grandpa," Zhuozhuo, who was always flexible and adaptable, changed his words whenever asked, and said in a sweet voice, "Please ask Yuzhu to take me back, Grandpa."
"What's so good about the prison cell? It's dirty, smelly, and the noise keeps me awake." Emperor Zhengping said, "Do you really want to go back and suffer with Feng Pansheng?"
Zhuozhuo said childishly, "I'm very happy to be with Daddy. It's sweet, not bitter."
Emperor Zhengping showed a sour expression. He couldn't imagine how Feng Pansheng could be so sweet. He said, "The prison is quite far from here. You can't see clearly at night and walk slowly. It will be daybreak by the time you get back. You can sleep here tonight and take the carriage back tomorrow morning. It's almost time."
What the Emperor said seemed very reasonable and convincing, but children cannot be reasoned with. So Zhuozhuo refused to listen. Zhuozhuo hugged the small bowl tightly and said, "I want my father."
Originally, Zhuozhuo hadn't missed Feng Pansheng that much, but then she noticed it was completely dark outside. When it's dark, children tend to get fussy and want to find their mothers. In this world, Zhuozhuo doesn't have a mother, so she's looking for her father.
And she wasn't the type who would stop looking just because she was coaxed. Zhuozhuo's eyes were already filled with tears, which were dripping onto the ground.
She burst into tears without warning, catching everyone present off guard. Emperor Zhengping was still wondering if he had said anything outrageous when the King of Chu shouted impatiently, "Why are you crying? Take her away quickly! It's bad luck!"
The difference between these people is revealed through contrast. When the King of Chu becomes fierce, Emperor Zhengping becomes amiable and affable again. Zhuozhuo cries out in tears, "Grandpa! Grandpa!"
It was like a bullied child calling out for an elder, full of dependence and trust. The repeated calls of "Grandpa" cracked the hardened heart of Emperor Zhengping. He reached out to Zhuozhuo, who, like a fledgling swallow, ran towards him and threw herself into his arms, even then not forgetting to protect her little bowl.
Emperor Zhengping picked the man up and said, "Wang Linfu, please ask your two highnesses to leave."
The King of Chu was surprised, "Father..." He was stopped by the King of Chun.
Eunuch Wang bowed and said softly, "Your Highnesses, please come in."
Prince Chun and Prince Chu had no choice but to leave. When they reached the palace, Prince Chu complained, "Why are you stopping me?"
Prince Chun looked at the fool, too lazy to say anything. He hadn't stopped the King of Chu out of kindness; he was simply afraid that if he continued to babble, he would anger Emperor Zhengping and implicate him. However, this visit to the palace had achieved half of its purpose. Judging from Emperor Zhengping's attitude towards Zhuozhuo, Feng Pansheng might have to rely on his daughter to turn things around.
hateful!
Here, Zhuozhuo lay in the arms of Emperor Zhengping, with his tearful little face pressed against his neck, sobbing, "Grandpa, I want my daddy." Coming to a strange environment and meeting so many malicious strangers, Zhuozhuo's spirit was always tense. He could only feel at ease when he saw Feng Pansheng.
Emperor Zhengping was no longer angry that Zhuozhuo had insisted on looking for his father. He rarely got this close to a child. His small body was soft and frail, and his delicate neck seemed vulnerable to breaking with a single movement. Compared to his increasingly strong children and grandchildren, Zhuozhuo posed no threat and instead relied on him.
This gave Emperor Zhengping a bittersweet feeling of satisfaction, a grandfather and grandson relying on each other for survival amidst powerful enemies. He patted Zhuozhuo's back and coaxed him gently, "Don't cry, Zhuozhuo. Grandpa will take you to find Daddy when daybreak."
"Ah——!" Zhuozhuo raised his head and cried loudly, but Emperor Zhengping kept saying the same thing over and over again, so he could only go find Feng Pansheng in the morning.
9972 was so anxious that it went around in circles. After trying to coax Zhuozhuo to no avail, it complained to Feng Pansheng why he let Zhuozhuo come out by himself. Then it said that Yin Yang Zhengping Emperor was indeed the wisest one. It turned out that if he didn't love someone, he would be heartless. Zhuozhuo didn't even cry like this, but he didn't give in at all!
After crying for a while, Zhuozhuo felt that there was no room for negotiation, so he gradually stopped crying and raised his small bowl and said, "Grandpa, please have someone send the food to Daddy. Daddy hasn't eaten yet."
Emperor Zhengping looked at the bowl of rice, stained with tears and rubbed by his sleeves, and thought Feng Pansheng would definitely not eat it. He said, "Okay, I'll have someone bring it over right now." He ordered a young eunuch to deliver the rice, then looked at Zhuozhuo's sticky little face and said, "You're so dirty. Go take a shower, okay?"
"Okay." Zhuozhuo climbed down from Emperor Zhengping's lap, walked to Yuzhu and opened his arms, "Sister Yuzhu, hold me."
Yuzhu subconsciously looked at Emperor Zhengping, and seeing that he had no objection, she carried Zhuozhuo and, led by a palace maid in blue, came to the bathing pool, where she carefully bathed Zhuozhuo.
Zhuozhuo had always loved playing in the water, especially now that it was hot. Every time she took a bath, she would fill half the room with water. But now, seeing the bathtub that was bigger than two rooms, Zhuozhu lost interest and listlessly let Yuzhu play with it.
9972 comforted him, saying, "Don't be afraid, baby. Daddy will be here soon."
It wasn't trying to fool anyone; it had finally remembered what Feng Pansheng had said when he'd asked Zhuozhuo to leave. Feng Pansheng had told Zhuozhuo to wait for him, not him waiting for Zhuozhuo. What did that mean? It meant Feng Pansheng was confident he'd be released from prison in a very short time!
But 9972's words, to Zhuozhuo, echoed Emperor Zhengping's words: anything that couldn't be immediately fulfilled was a lie. But Zhuozhuo didn't remain depressed. She soon cheered up, remembering the many fun things in her grandfather's palace.
Zhuozhuo wanted to write it down and tell Feng Pansheng when he got back.
Emperor Zhengping was questioning a young eunuch, "What was Prince Li's reaction?"
"His Royal Highness Prince Li smiled and said, 'Zhuozhuo is so thoughtful.' He then finished his meal and told the servant to pass on the message, 'I enjoyed it very much. Thank you, Zhuozhuo.'"
"When he heard that Zhuozhuo wanted to stay in Chengqian Palace, did he say anything?"
"His Highness said, 'Zhuozhuo goes to bed late at night. If she doesn't want to sleep, don't force her to sleep, and don't play with her. Let her sit on the bed and play with toys. She will fall asleep when she gets tired.'"
Emperor Zhengping pondered for a moment. Did Feng Pansheng really care about Zhuozhuo, or not? Wasn't he worried about Zhuozhu being bullied or wronged? Or was Feng Pansheng just hoping he'd treat Zhuozhu badly so he'd have a reason to go crazy?
Thirteen years ago, Feng Pansheng had just returned to Great Zhou from Qi when Empress Jiang died of illness. He went mad and massacred half the palace. He not only killed hundreds of palace servants, but also one concubine, three imperial concubines, two nobles, and a dozen or so descendants of noble families. Even the deaths of the eldest prince and two princesses were implicated in this incident.
The dignitaries of the entire capital were shocked and jointly wrote a petition claiming that Feng Pansheng had been possessed by an evil spirit and requested his execution. It was General Jiang who saved Feng Pansheng's life by producing the imperial seal of honor bestowed by the late emperor, but before Feng Pansheng could be released from prison, General Jiang also passed away.
The once-prominent Jiang family's direct lineage was cut short, and without descendants to support the family, the Jiang family fell into decline. From then on, Feng Pansheng no longer had a single close relative.
After that, Emperor Zhengping had been suppressing Feng Pansheng. He didn't want to kill his own son, but he didn't mind letting him live a life of wealth and idleness. However, four years ago, Feng Pansheng suddenly made a stunning debut and rose to prominence with overwhelming force.
Emperor Zhengping then realized that Feng Pansheng had been playing dumb all these years, secretly developing his power and only showing it when the time was right. At this point, Emperor Zhengping tried to suppress Feng Pansheng, but found it difficult to do so.
King Li's faction is like a quietly growing bamboo. When bamboo shoots emerge from the ground, a complex and intricate network of roots has already grown underground.
Emperor Zhengping could only gradually weaken Feng Pansheng's power, but four years later, Prince Li's faction grew stronger and more entrenched, looming like a mountain above everyone else, subtly challenging the imperial power. Emperor Zhengping knew Feng Pansheng hated him and had been seeking an opportunity to replace him, but he hadn't been able to justify it.
Therefore, when hearing the news about Zhuozhuo, Emperor Zhengping's first reaction was that Feng Pansheng couldn't help it, and he wanted to create an opportunity to go crazy. Zhuozhuo was the fuse he prepared, otherwise how could he so easily admit that Zhuozhuo was his child.
As long as Zhuo Zhuo gets into trouble in the palace, Feng Pansheng can find ten thousand reasons to attack him.
And now, Feng Pansheng's favor towards Zhuozhuo is all a prelude. The more he shows that he cares about Zhuozhuo and the better he treats Zhuozhuo, the more reasonable his exaggerated behavior will be when something happens to Zhuozhuo.
Therefore, Emperor Zhengping would never let Zhuozhuo spend the night in prison no matter what. He was worried that Feng Pansheng would deliberately make her sick or die in an accident, and then go mad and come to settle the score with him.
If 9972 knew what Emperor Zhengping was thinking, he would definitely laugh at him for being paranoid, afraid of death, suspicious, and imagining strange things. Feng Pansheng would obviously kill the king and slaughter his brothers openly, so he would not bother to resort to such means for fame.
But Emperor Zhengping firmly believed in his guess. He ordered people to strengthen patrols and guards in the palace, and asked the imperial physician to wait in Chengqian Palace, to ensure that Zhuozhuo would spend the night safely and without any illness.
The others didn't understand why, they just thought Zhuozhuo was very favored and thought they should serve her carefully in the future.
Zhuozhuo came back full of energy, and as soon as he entered the hall, he said, "Grandpa, I'm done taking a shower. You should go take a shower too."
Emperor Zhengping looked at Zhuozhuo, who looked like a little butterfly, and found her adorable. He also felt a sense of sympathy and closeness. Emperor Zhengping patiently played with Zhuozhuo for a while until his energy ran out and he had her taken to a side hall to rest.
The bed in the side hall was filled with small toys. Zhuozhuo played with them while muttering softly, "Daddy is not here, it's not fun anymore, I miss you so much."
9972 was just beginning to feel distressed when he saw Zhuozhuo holding a tiger puppet in his left hand and a clay figurine in his right. He let the clay figurine stomp on the tiger puppet and said softly, "You stinky daddy made me go with the bad guys. I'm going to beat you up so you'll remember this lesson."
[……]
After an unknown amount of time, Zhuozhuo yawned and collapsed onto the quilt. Yuzhu, who was guarding the bedside, was about to come in and tuck her in when she heard a commotion outside. She listened intently and heard the voices outside shouting, "The prison is on fire! Someone's robbing the prison!"
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