After making their decision, the two did not make it public. Firstly, they had no one else to rely on, and secondly, they were currently in Dachen with Dongfang Shi, whose whereabouts were unknown. If he were monitoring their movements and they were exposed prematurely, it would be bad.
"Don't worry, the Peng family has shops in Jianzhou. I'll have someone from the Peng family go and find out what's going on first," Xie Liwei said as he wrote a letter to the Peng family.
Of the Peng brothers, Peng Er went out with a merchant caravan, Peng Si went off to fool around somewhere, and now only Peng Da and Peng San are at home.
Peng San volunteered for the job and went to Jianzhou under the pretext of inspecting the shops.
Song Yaozhu felt that the capital city was too peaceful right now, like the calm before a storm.
The Fifth Prince's legs are already strong enough to get out of bed and walk. According to the imperial physician's diagnosis, he will be able to walk normally in another month.
However, before he was fully recovered, Consort Shu had already arranged for him to have an instructor in riding and archery.
At that moment, he didn't want his leg to get better at all.
Rather than be manipulated by Consort Shu like this, he'd rather be crippled like this.
During his convalescence, he kept thinking about one question—did he really want to be emperor?
No, he didn't want to, but from a young age, his mother told him that if he didn't climb to the highest position, his other brothers would kill him.
He didn't want to die, so he had no choice but to fight.
If only my father could stay alive forever, then the crown prince wouldn't have to ascend the throne, and if he didn't, I wouldn't have to die.
"Fifth Prince, Her Majesty sent me to inquire whether you have finished writing your essay for today?"
The young eunuch was a little afraid of the Fifth Prince. Every time the Fifth Prince raised his eyes, those triangular eyes seemed to be filled with murderous intent, which made him feel terrified.
"Prepare the sedan chair; today I, the prince, will personally deliver the document."
The young eunuch felt relieved, thinking that this was good, as he wouldn't have to make another trip, and he could explain himself when Consort Shu asked about it later.
The Fifth Prince arrived at the Qiankun Palace in a sedan chair. Yuwen Wuji had just finished practicing his boxing and was having some pastries.
"Why are you here? Are your legs feeling better?" Yuwen Wuji wiped his hands with a handkerchief. "I've read the article you sent. It's alright, but it lacks a bit of polish. I'll have the Grand Tutor discuss it with you properly later."
The Fifth Prince was taken aback. The Grand Tutor was the Crown Prince's teacher. Was this the Crown Prince's teacher teaching him?
"Thank you, Father!" The Fifth Prince, leaning on his cane, did not produce the article he had just written. "I was recuperating in the palace and was quite bored, so I came out for some fresh air. I realized it had been a long time since I had paid my respects to Father, so I came to see you. Father looks even better than I do now!"
Yuwen Wuji was delighted to hear this. His age was his biggest concern, and now a mere teenager said his complexion was better than his own – didn't that prove the immortal's elixir was effective?
If I keep taking it like this, I might even be able to turn back the clock!
"I don't have the same vitality as you young people. You're already doing very well." Although he said this, he was still in a great mood.
"Seeing Father like this makes me very happy. I wish I could be like Father!"
Yuwen Wuji found this son even more pleasing to the eye, and immediately ordered someone to summon Master Qingxu.
"I'll have a physician examine your pulse and heal your leg as soon as possible!"
Master Qingxu smiled as he took the Fifth Prince's pulse and then wrote out a prescription.
The fifth prince thanked the emperor profusely, took the prescription, and left.
When he returned to his palace, Consort Shu was already waiting inside. Her face was gloomy, and she frowned as she looked at the Fifth Prince.
"I heard that your father asked Master Qingxu to prescribe medicine for you?"
The fifth prince nodded and walked to the chair without saying a word, then sat down. He had been walking for too long with his cane, and his arm was now very sore.
"Give me the prescription." Consort Shu's tone was completely commanding, making the Fifth Prince feel the pressure in his chest return, making it hard for him to breathe.
"This is what Father Emperor said. Regardless of whether there is a problem with the prescription, I must drink it."
Consort Shu looked at her son and couldn't understand why he, who had always been so well-behaved and obedient, had suddenly become rebellious.
But she knew that the greater cause was more important at the moment, and that there couldn't be such a rift between her and her son.
"Your mother just wants to ask the imperial physician to see if the prescription is suitable for your constitution. Your mother is worried about you."
The Fifth Prince remained silent for a moment, then gave the little eunuch a look, and the little eunuch handed the prescription to Consort Shu.
After receiving the prescription, Consort Shu began to talk about other things.
"When you went to pay your respects to your father today, why didn't you present the article you wrote? You're currently recovering from your injuries and don't have much of a presence to begin with. You need to let your father know that you're useful!"
"Father said that my previous article was lacking and that the Grand Tutor would come to guide me. So I did not present the article, thinking that after the Grand Tutor's guidance, I could improve it a bit, and Father would be happier to see it."
Consort Shu was delighted to hear him say this. It seemed that although her son had a bit of a disagreement with her, he was still clear-headed when it came to important matters.
"Then you should rest well. Your mother is leaving now." She said, pointing to the soup bowl on the table, "This is soup that your mother personally made for you. Remember to finish it."
After Consort Shu left, the Fifth Prince let out a deep breath, and the suffocating feeling that had been pressing on his chest seemed to dissipate a little.
He didn't understand why he always felt suffocated wherever his mother was. She was his mother, the person who loved him most in the world. But sometimes, he couldn't feel love from his mother; what he felt most was being manipulated.
He was like a tool for his mother to achieve her goals.
He knew he shouldn't think that way, but he still held back from doing so.
The fifth prince covered his face, feeling utterly powerless. It seemed that no matter how hard he tried, he could not gain his mother's true love, nor his father's favor.
Yuwen Wuji casually mentioned wanting the Grand Tutor to guide him, which the Crown Prince overheard. In the end, the Grand Tutor naturally didn't go; Cao Zhi went instead.
When Cao Zhi received this assignment, he was also completely bewildered. Yuwen Wuji thought of the excellent "Edict of Self-Reproach" Cao Zhi had written for him before, and since the Grand Tutor didn't have time, this kid would do it. Anyway, he was in the Hanlin Academy and didn't have anything important to do.
Yuwen Wuji hadn't considered the consequences of his actions; in the Crown Prince's eyes, Cao Zhi had become a member of the Fifth Prince's faction.
Unexpected disaster struck, leaving Cao Zhi speechless.
But having accepted the task, he had no choice but to do it. When he arrived at the Fifth Prince's bedchamber with his books and saw the Fifth Prince, his pupils contracted.
This... isn't this the little eunuch who helped me and Shen Qingque out of that predicament last time?
The little eunuch was actually the fifth prince!
Cao Zhi's wide eyes betrayed his feelings. The Fifth Prince suddenly remembered this person and had a good impression of him.
"Your humble servant pays his respects, Fifth Prince!"
No need for formalities.
The two tacitly avoided mentioning the previous incident, after all, it was not something that could be said openly about a prince becoming a eunuch.
"Your Highness, may I take a look at your previous articles?" Cao Zhi rubbed his nose awkwardly.
The Fifth Prince thought this person was quite naive, with all his thoughts on the table.
"Hold on."
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