In the private room of Chunfeng Tower, the lights were dim, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of wine and perfume.
Gu Zhixing had been here for half a month, drinking and making merry every day, but his mind was not on the excitement of these entertainment venues at all.
He leaned back on the soft couch, his eyes unfocused, the wine glass in his hand swirling incessantly, the liquid dancing within, yet unable to fill the emptiness in his heart.
He deliberately sent a message back to the Princess's residence, hoping that Shen Jintang would be unable to bear it any longer and come over to coax him, or even scold him.
However, half a month passed without any word from Shen Jintang.
"Do you want to drink yourself to death here?" Gu Yanqing sat to the side, looking at Gu Zhixing's drunken and decadent appearance, and couldn't help but remind him.
His voice carried a hint of helplessness, yet also a touch of concern.
"Yeah, boss, we really can't drink anymore."
Ye Qingzhou also vaguely echoed, holding a jar of wine in his hand, spilling the wine all over the ground, but he didn't notice.
His eyes were already blurred by the alcohol, and he was just unconsciously shaking the wine jar in his hand.
Gu Zhixing glanced at them, then looked away, took another big gulp of wine, and said with a hint of resentment in his voice, "Even if I drink myself to death here, nobody will care."
His words were full of resentment, and anyone could tell he was sulking.
"If she doesn't care about you, why can't you go find her?"
Gu Yanqing smiled and shook his head, his tone teasing, as if he were watching a young couple having a tiff.
"I'm looking for her?"
Gu Zhixing's temper flared up again instantly. He said sullenly, "Do you think I don't want to? She doesn't want to see me at all. She's clearly avoiding me! What can I do?"
His voice carried a hint of helplessness and grievance, and his eyes grew increasingly dim.
Gu Yanqing smiled slightly, swirling the wine in his glass as he said, "If the soft approach doesn't work, then try the hard one!"
He said it casually, as if he were talking about something insignificant.
Gu Zhixing frowned, looked up, and asked with a hint of doubt in his eyes, "What do you mean?"
Gu Yanqing leaned closer, lowered his voice, and said earnestly, "Have you forgotten your identity? You are the heir apparent, and your mother is the reigning princess. To control a mere female official is a piece of cake."
He paused, then continued, "If you strip her of her official position, lock her up, and give her a good talking-to, she'll submit."
Upon hearing this, Gu Zhixing abruptly stopped, the wine glass he had raised to his lips hanging in mid-air, as if held back by an invisible rope.
He slowly turned his head, his gaze falling on Gu Yanqing. A complex emotion flashed in his eyes, like a lake being stirred, its surface rippling.
He was silent for a moment, then shook his head slightly, his tone tinged with helplessness and self-mockery: "I must have been out of my mind to ask you this. Your methods are as ruthless as ever, harming others without benefiting yourself."
"How is it not beneficial to oneself? Isn't it good that the goal has been achieved?" Gu Yanqing seemed quite interested, raising an eyebrow slightly as he asked in return.
Gu Zhixing sighed, looked up at the roof, and said in a low but firm voice, "How can I be happy when she's unhappy?"
After saying that, he raised his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, as if he were using the alcohol to swallow the pent-up emotions in his heart.
Gu Yanqing leaned back in the soft chair, a slight smile playing on his lips, his contempt evident in his expression: "Ha! Neither soft nor hard approaches work. Just keep at it like this. I want to see if you can outlast her."
After saying that, he picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, as if savoring the wine's richness.
Just as Gu Zhixing was getting tired of the wine cups and reached for the wine pot, Chongyang rushed in from outside, his footsteps echoing in the empty room, sounding particularly hurried.
His face was filled with panic, and his voice trembled slightly: "Master, something has happened..."
The Imperial Palace.
Inside the Golden Palace, court officials stood in rows, the atmosphere heavy and solemn.
On the dragon throne, the emperor sat upright, his gaze sharp as he surveyed the people in the hall.
Inside the hall, the candlelight flickered, casting interplay of light and shadow that reflected the different expressions on everyone's faces.
Gu Junze stood to one side, tall and handsome, with a hint of sinister intent between his brows.
He spoke first, his voice clear and high-pitched: "Father, Shen Jintang is audacious and reckless, daring to point his sword at me, showing no regard for me as the crown prince."
He paused slightly, his tone tinged with grievance and resentment, as if he had suffered a great injustice.
Shen Jintang knelt on the ground, but showed no fear whatsoever. Instead, a cold smile appeared on his lips, and his eyes revealed a hint of unruliness and sharpness.
She raised her head slightly, looked directly at Gu Junze, and said loudly, "Your Highness, if you wish to punish me for disrespect, I have nothing to say. However, may I ask why you brought troops into the palace? Palace rules clearly stipulate that no one may carry weapons except for the Imperial Guards and those permitted by His Majesty. Yet Your Highness brazenly led troops into the palace; what are your intentions?"
Her voice was clear and firm, each word like a sharp arrow aimed directly at Gu Junze.
The courtiers gasped in shock, and the atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly tense.
Shen Jintang continued, "Your Highness accuses me of not respecting you, but have you ever respected His Majesty?"
These words shocked the entire court.
The position of crown prince has always been the most delicate one.
If he performs well, the emperor fears he might seize the throne; if he performs poorly, the emperor worries that he is not up to the task.
No matter what, it feels like walking on thin ice.
Bringing troops into the palace is a major taboo, so how could it not arouse suspicion?
Gu Junze clearly realized the seriousness of the problem. He secretly glanced at the emperor on the dragon throne and saw that the emperor's face was gloomy and seemed to be filled with thunderous anger.
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