Chapter 34: Father and Son Confrontation
"Go and ask where these charcoals are being transported." The prince whispered to the eunuch Shu Qing beside him.
Having not slept all night, there were some dark circles under his eyes, but it did not affect his noble and gentle temperament at all.
After a moment, Shu Qing hurriedly replied, "Your Highness, they said they were heading to the Western Garden and Yingtai. Chief Steward Chang ordered the Imperial Household to send a thousand kilograms of red charcoal to the Western Garden."
Xiao Yan was slightly stunned. Red charcoal was expensive and only the masters and above in the palace could use it. His father had a strong physique and in previous years he would not use more than a thousand kilograms of charcoal in the entire winter.
Considering that Yang Manyan had been to the Imperial Garden on the night of the 18th of last month, and what Luxia had just said, he thought of countless possibilities in an instant.
Shu Qing asked tentatively: "Your Highness, shall we go back to the East Palace? You really should have a good rest."
Xiao Yan said in a deep voice: "Go to the Palace of Heavenly Purity."
After saying this, he led his attendants straight towards the Palace of Heavenly Purity.
In the southern study room of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the emperor was sitting behind a large golden nanmu desk, reviewing memorials.
Whenever Chang Ying came forward to refill his tea, he would casually say a few words about the situation in the West Garden.
The emperor did not comment, but did not interrupt him either.
Because Yang Manyan had opened her heart to him a little last night, when she begged if she could leave the palace for some activities, he granted her permission.
But they can only leave Hanyuan Hall and are not allowed to leave Yingtai, the island in the middle of the lake.
What Chang Ying was talking about at this moment was Yang Manyan taking a walk outside the palace after lunch to digest his food.
At this moment, Chang Ying's adopted son Chang Xiaoxi suddenly came forward cautiously and said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is seeking an audience outside. He came from the direction of Qingning Palace. Last night, the Crown Prince also went to the Imperial Temple in person..."
Chang Ying's eyelids twitched, and he asked with a wry smile, "Does His Majesty want to see me?"
The emperor was calm and composed. "Pass it on."
Soon, a young man in a blue brocade robe with a crane pattern walked in. He had his hair tied up with a jade crown and a jade belt around his waist, with a slight annoyance between his eyebrows.
He bowed and said directly, "Please send Yang Shangyi back to the East Palace."
The emperor raised his eyebrows, smiling, "Zi'an, why do you say that? I remember that Yang Shangyi was praying for the people at the Imperial Temple on Yuquan Mountain in the western suburbs."
Xiao Yan's expression turned slightly cold, changing his usual gentle and humble demeanor. "Yang Shangyi is in the Yingtai of Xiyuan. Is my guess correct?"
The emperor remained calm when he heard this and slowly put down the red brush in his hand.
He calmly asked back: "So what if it is, and so what if it isn't?"
He was still wearing the bright yellow gauze robe embroidered with eight dragon patterns that he had worn during the morning court session. He looked majestic and his few words revealed the oppressive aura that only an emperor could have.
The atmosphere in the South Study froze for a moment.
Chang Ying and his son Chang Xiaoxi glanced at each other secretly, their hearts tense and they remained silent.
Xiao Yan lowered his eyes, already understanding the current situation, and suddenly felt bitter.
He said cryptically, "Father, if Yang Shangyi is young and ignorant and has made any mistakes, please forgive me. Father is the emperor and father of all the people in the world, so I hope you will be magnanimous."
The emperor's eyes suddenly became sharp. The last thing he wanted to hear was his son defending another woman.
"Yang is not a good match for you. I will choose a better one for you in two years." He frowned.
Xiao Yan said again: "Yang Shangyi is well-educated, well-mannered, and intelligent. I personally think she is very good."
The emperor said sternly, "You have only known Yang for a month and you are already so addicted to her. Have you forgotten all the teachings I have given you over the years?"
"I remember your teachings in my heart, but what about you?" the prince asked in a gentle voice.
The emperor laughed angrily, with a cold light in his eyes.
"Zi'an, you are right about what you said just now. I am the father of all the people in the world. Whatever I say is what it is. You'd better accept it with gratitude instead of questioning my decision here."
For the first time, he did not hide his inherent brutality and cruelty in front of his son.
He had always been an autocratic and iron-fisted emperor, and he never allowed anyone to disobey him in person, including the crown prince whom he had personally raised.
Leaving the harem empty and training the crown prince were all done voluntarily by him, otherwise neither Queen Mother Jiang nor the ministers in the court would have been able to coerce or force him.
But the prince knew what his father's greatest weakness was.
"Father, are you really going to do this?" Xiao Qing looked at him and asked word by word.
The study was so silent that you could hear a pin drop, and the atmosphere was tense.
Chang Ying and his son were sweating profusely, and they became more and more in awe of Yang Shangyi. After just over a month in the palace, such a rift had arisen between this most noble father and son in the world.
"I have made up my mind, please leave."
The emperor tapped the desk with his fingers, then picked up the red brush again and casually opened a memorial to review.
Xiao Yan bowed again and said in a deep voice with a hint of meaning: "I believe that within three days, the emperor will send Yang Shangyi back to the East Palace intact. I am waiting."
After saying that, he turned away.
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