Chapter 755: Prosperity is shared by all, adversity is shared by all. The prince must accept this favor.
"Have you heard? The Fifth Prince was sprayed with rice flour and turned into a white-bearded old man. His face turned black on the spot!"
"That's nothing. The Seventh Prince was in an even worse situation. He was surrounded by a group of children, and a cup of hot tea was spilled all over his robe. He walked away in a panic!"
"How can this be the dignity of a prince? He can't even tolerate a few children. He pretends to be a decent person on weekdays, but he reveals his true colors at the critical moment. No wonder he left his own brother alone on the icy lake. I think he did it on purpose!"
Words were like knives, each one drawing blood. The reputations of wisdom they had painstakingly cultivated for years were washed away in a single day by the innocent laughter of children, leaving behind only a notorious reputation for pettiness and perverse behavior.
When the news reached the palace, a thunderous roar of anger was heard from the imperial study.
The emperor summoned the fifth and seventh princes and scolded them harshly. It is said that he even smashed a fine Duan inkstone.
Finally, an imperial decree was issued, confining Zhao Zhang and Zhao Rui to the palace for one month each and fining their salaries for half a year on the grounds that they "had no manners as elder brothers, behaved eccentrically, and were not worthy of being role models."
In the flower hall of the Duke Zhenguo's Mansion.
Gu Qingchen was sitting quietly by the window, holding a book in his hands, but his mind was not on the pages.
Qian Zhenyun walked in slowly, placed a cup of fresh tea next to her hand, and said in a voice with a hint of calmness, "The imperial decree has come down."
Gu Qingchen raised his eyes, his gaze clear: "So soon?"
"Your Majesty is furious," Qian Zhenyun said succinctly. "The reputations the two princes have cultivated for so long have been destroyed overnight."
Gu Qingchen put down the book and tapped the table lightly with his fingertips. There was not much joy in his eyes, but rather a deep calmness.
She won this round, but it was just the beginning.
At this moment, a servant walked quickly into the flower hall and reported respectfully, "Miss, someone has come from the palace, saying that the Twelfth Prince has sent someone to deliver something."
Gu Qingchen and Qian Zhenyun looked at each other and saw a hint of surprise in each other's eyes.
Zhao Heng?
"Please ask him to come in."
A moment later, a thin and inconspicuous eunuch was brought in.
He lowered his head and took very small steps. When he saw Gu Qingchen, he immediately knelt down and saluted. His voice was thin and a little nervous.
"This servant has met Miss Gu. His Highness asked this servant to give this to you."
As he spoke, he respectfully raised an ordinary wooden box with both hands.
Gu Qingchen signaled the maid beside him to take it. After the young eunuch presented the wooden box, he kowtowed again, and without saying a word, he retreated with his body bent.
Qian Zhenyun stepped forward, his eyes full of inquiry: "Twelfth Prince?"
Gu Qingchen unfastened the wooden box's clasp, and the lid swung open. Inside, there was no gold, silver, or jewelry, nor any rare or exotic items. Instead, quietly lying there lay a small rabbit woven from multicolored silk threads. The craftsmanship was a bit clumsy, but the weaver's care and attention were evident.
She picked up the little rabbit, but found a small folded piece of paper under the rabbit's feet.
Gu Qingchen's heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason. She unfolded the paper, and the scene on it made her breath stop instantly.
It was a painting, with childish and crooked brushstrokes.
In the center of the painting are two little figures holding hands. One of them, wearing a navy blue robe and a simple crown on his head, represents Crown Prince Zhao Chen'an.
The other figure was wearing royal blue clothes, exactly the same as what Zhao Heng had worn that day. Both figures had big smiles painted on their faces, and they were making faces at the other two figures with smugness.
Opposite them were two little figures with big crosses on their faces and sad expressions.
One was taller and the other was thinner, exactly like the fifth and seventh princes.
Next to the painting, there is a word, written crookedly but barely recognizable.
--Thanks.
Gu Qingchen pinched the thin piece of paper, his fingertips turned slightly white, but his heart was filled with turbulent waves.
She always thought that Zhao Heng was just a five-year-old child, a chess piece in the hands of the prince, and a tool to attack her opponents in her entire plan.
But this painting, this word, was like a thunderclap, exploding in her mind.
This kid knows everything.
He knew who his enemies were and who his allies were. He knew the true purpose of this children's banquet. He even understood that he and the Crown Prince were a community whose prosperity was shared.
He is not the prince's puppet, nor is he a passive pawn.
He was actively choosing his own camp and expressing his most direct gratitude and sincere loyalty to her, his "ally" in his own way.
Qian Zhenyun also saw the painting. The slight surprise on his face slowly turned into a deep expression. He stared at the childish yet shocking painting for a long time before speaking in a deep voice.
"It seems that we have all underestimated His Majesty the Twelfth Prince."
His gaze shifted from the painting to the distant sky outside the window, and his eyes became sharp.
"He may become the sharpest and most unexpected knife in the prince's hand."
Gu Qingchen slowly folded the thin piece of paper and carefully placed it back into the wooden box along with the clumsily made colorful silk rabbit.
She closed the lid of the box, and the slight "click" sound seemed to temporarily lock away all the stormy waves inside.
"He's not a knife." Gu Qingchen raised his head and looked at Qian Zhenyun with clear eyes. His tone was calm but firm. "He is a human being, a living person. Since he is an ally, we can't just think about using him, we must also know how to protect him."
A five-year-old child, at the center of the vast vortex of the royal family, could so clearly distinguish friend from foe, and even knew how to proactively show goodwill and consolidate alliances. This kind of intelligence is both shocking and heartbreaking.
Qian Zhenyun looked at her, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. "Miss, you're right. But, His Highness the Twelfth Prince is so smart, will His Highness the Crown Prince know?"
This question is the key.
If Crown Prince Zhao Chen'an knew about this and had been secretly cultivating Zhao Heng, then the thoughts of this crown prince must be much deeper than the gentleness and kindness he appeared to show.
If he didn't know, then Zhao Heng's "knife" was a sharp blade whose edge even the person holding the knife himself was not aware of.
Gu Qingchen stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the outlines of the dead branches in the courtyard clearly illuminated by the winter sun.
"Whether he knows it or not, His Highness the Twelfth Prince's actions have tied himself, me, and the Crown Prince even more deeply together."
She said softly, "We all prosper together, and we all suffer together. The prince must accept this favor."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com