Zhuangyou couldn't understand what the Crown Prince was trying to do, so she could only bite the bullet and admit her mistake. "It was our negligence. After we put the little princess to sleep yesterday, we went to the outer room and only went in to check on her this morning."
The young boy's head maids and wet nurses were guests from afar, so Emperor Chongjin naturally wouldn't treat them like palace maids and reprimand them directly. Moreover, Emperor Chongjin knew immediately that his son must have tricked the young girl into secretly going to see him.
Emperor Chongjin, knowing he was in the wrong, abandoned his usual sternness and, though his face remained stern, did not lose his temper. "Enough..."
Seeing this, Huo Chengche raised his thin lips slightly, "Miss Zhuangyou, there's no need to blame yourself. Niannian sneaked out on her own, so naturally she would deliberately avoid you. It's normal that you didn't notice in time."
Zhuangyou became increasingly suspicious when she heard the Crown Prince speak up for her.
Not only Zhuangyou, but even Emperor Chongjin couldn't figure out what his son was planning by holding back his actions.
Emperor Chongjin raised an eyebrow with a stern face, urging him to get to the point.
Huo Chengche pretended to blame him, saying, "This matter should be blamed on the servants around me. They saw that the little princess had arrived at my place, but they didn't even inform you."
Emperor Chongjin suddenly understood Huo Chengche's meaning. He glanced at Huo Chengche, who had come alone, and immediately became imposing and displeased, asking, "Where are the people serving the Crown Prince?"
Even if the servants received instructions from their master, they would follow from a distance and would not allow their master to walk alone in the palace.
At Emperor Chongjin's command, Dejiang immediately sent a eunuch from the imperial court to search for him. After a long while, the eunuch returned with a few scrambling, stumbling figures.
Knowing they had failed in their duty, the servants immediately knelt down and begged for forgiveness, repeatedly saying that they had accidentally overslept that morning and that was why they had neglected the Crown Prince.
Huo Chengche glanced coldly at the few servants who were spouting nonsense, smiled indifferently, and didn't bother to argue with them. He simply asked, "Now that you're all here, who's serving you inside?"
Inside the house?
The young eunuchs looked at each other, their faces full of guilt and trepidation, completely unable to understand what the crown prince was saying.
Emperor Chongjin's face darkened further. Dejiang frowned and glanced at the servants, spitting inwardly. He looked at them as if they were dead men.
Huo Chengche said coldly, "Doesn't the little princess have anyone to serve her?"
"Little...Little Princess?" The eunuchs stammered, looking at Huo Chengche in horror. "What...What is the Crown Prince saying? How come the Little Princess is in your room?"
In a single sentence, Emperor Chongjin realized that these servants had been neglecting their duties in daily life.
Huo Chengche didn't bother to look at them again, and only said to Emperor Chongjin, "Father, if Niannian wakes up and doesn't see anyone, she will probably cry. Your son will take the people from Hengchang Prince's Mansion to take his leave."
"Yes, go ahead." Emperor Chongjin nodded, suppressing his anger, and coldly glanced at the kneeling and trembling servants. He then patted Huo Chengche's shoulder and said, "These servants are not serving you well. I will replace them with a new batch."
“Father, I am old enough to choose for myself. If you are worried, please send Eunuch De to help me make a decision.”
“Very well,” Emperor Chongjin nodded in agreement, pondering his son’s seemingly pointed words.
Huo Chengche glanced at Zhuang You, who was in a hurry to leave, a dark glint flashing in his cold eyes. He smiled wickedly, and when he looked up again, he was the same cool and composed young man.
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