Chapter 8, Chapter 88: The Sixth Prince's Years
The spring sunshine was beautiful when a servant announced from outside the door, "Your Highness, the Princess has arrived."
Zhong Shuo sat upright on a futon, his long hair reaching his knees. He wore a gray-purple Taoist robe, his hands forming a mudra, and he was meditating.
Upon hearing this, he replied, "I will not perform any rituals."
“It’s not a ritual.” The door was pushed open with a bang, and the princess stood outside, calmly smiling. “I am here on His Majesty’s orders to confiscate the prince’s elixir.”
Zhong Shuo's face turned green.
He forced out a few words: "He ate them all..."
The princess is the only daughter of the current emperor, Zhong Cong. She has been spoiled and arrogant since childhood.
She ignored what Zhong Shuo was saying and waved to the people behind her, saying, "Take all the pills that the prince is hiding."
The princess and her men stole Zhong Shuo's elixir, and before leaving, she said with a grin, "Your Highness, His Majesty said that this elixir will kill you. Why don't you ever listen? You don't want to see my grandfather, do you?"
Zhong Shuo stared at her, his eyelids drooping downwards: "Go away, don't bother me."
He listened as the princess's footsteps faded into the distance, and saw two young Taoist boys standing before him with troubled expressions. He then extended an arm and said, "Come, help me up."
After finally managing to stand firmly on the ground, Zhong Shuo reached into his pocket and pulled out two elixirs from deep within his sleeve.
Eating dead people?
Zhong Shuocai didn't believe it.
He strictly followed the instructions of the abbot of Ziyun Temple: take it with warm water, perform hand seals, repeat for three days, and he would immediately ascend to immortality!
Today is the last day.
Zhong Shuo nearly choked to death while taking the medicine. He caught his breath, quickly sat back on the futon, made hand seals, and murmured scriptures.
The light seemed brighter, the shadows so dazzling they were almost distorted, and vibrant colors danced before his eyes. Zhong Shuo couldn't resist reaching out to touch it, but he touched nothing.
Zhong Shuo was overjoyed.
Did he ascend to heaven?
The celestial light enveloped him, but when he opened his eyes full of anticipation, a youthful face appeared before him.
Zhong Shuo: "..."
Even though he prided himself on his emotional stability, his expression was somewhat distorted at this moment. Meeting his dazed gaze, he saw the owner of that face move even closer, gently shaking him: "Don't cry, don't cry... baby, don't cry..."
Zhong Shuo narrowed his eyes. The woman opposite him had a youthful face, with strands of hair falling over her shoulders. She quickly tucked them behind her ears, gently picked him up, and rocked him.
That doesn't make sense.
In despair, Zhong Shuo questioned the heavens in his heart.
Is this ascension to immortality? This must be ascending to heaven!
Who gave birth to him?
The woman pressed his cheek against hers, and a maidservant leaned forward and whispered, "Master, His Majesty has sent the imperial physician. Please prescribe some medicine for the young prince."
The woman nodded slightly and whispered, "Is this person reliable?"
"His Majesty's men should be reliable."
Zhong Shuo: "???"
Your Majesty? How did he end up in his grandniece's harem?
Wait, something's not right!
Why are there women in my niece's harem?
The woman stepped aside, and the young imperial physician stepped forward. Although he looked much younger, Zhong Shuo still recognized him at a glance.
Lin Jingcheng.
Zhong Shuo tried to call his name, but only managed to make squeaking noises. Lin Jingcheng prescribed him some medicine, gave him a few more careful instructions, and then got up to leave.
Zhong Shuo had already vaguely guessed the identity of the woman beside him.
Looking closely, those eyes do indeed resemble my own as an adult.
This is his mother.
Zhong Shuo could no longer recall what his mother looked like. In his previous life, his mother had already passed away when he was old enough to remember things. As he grew older, even looking at that portrait, he found it difficult to recall her face.
Zhong Shuo was somewhat moved. He opened his eyes wide, intending to memorize his mother's face.
Suddenly, the woman picked him up and murmured, "It's time to eat."
Zhong Shuo: "..."
His whole body stiffened instantly.
Eat? What kind of food?
Zhong Shuo began to think quickly, and a certain guess made him disregard everything else and burst into tears.
The piercing wail soared into the sky. Chu Wensong held his son and tried to soothe him for a long time, but the sound not only did not subside, but became even more shrill.
Lin Jingcheng had only taken one step out of Biying Pavilion when he hesitated to leave. Just then, a maidservant rushed over to find him, so Lin Jingcheng lowered his head and went back inside.
The Sixth Prince opened his eyes, his two arms sticking out restlessly. He kicked the swaddling clothes frantically, his face red from crying.
When Chu Wensong saw Lin Jingcheng, it was as if he had seen a savior. He quickly asked, "Mr. Lin, what's wrong with him? Is he feeling unwell anywhere?"
Lin Jingcheng was also puzzled.
He had just taken her pulse, and it was clearly just a slight cold. But now, taking her pulse again, it felt heavier...
Zhong Shuo also felt that Lin Jingcheng was his savior.
He was genuinely afraid to go inside with his mother, fearing he would be forced to eat as soon as he turned around. It's self-evident what kind of food a child his age should eat.
Lin Jingcheng then experienced being a voice-controlled sixth prince.
He would quiet down as long as he stayed by the Sixth Prince's side. As soon as he left, the Sixth Prince would start crying loudly again.
Zhong Shuo cried so hard he almost fainted, and Lin Jingcheng finally couldn't hold back anymore.
He's a doctor, not a pill. Besides, what kind of life is it to stay in the harem for so long? Aren't you afraid the emperor will turn around and kill you?
Lin Jingcheng said with difficulty, "Perhaps I should go and report to His Majesty first."
Despite the deafening noise, Lin Jingcheng still ran away as fast as he could.
Once something embarrassing happens, it will happen again.
Zhong Shuo quickly accepted the days of living a life of idleness and complacency. Apart from crying every time he saw Lin Jingcheng as a way of welcoming him, the rest of the time was more pleasant than he had imagined.
Until one day, he was lying in the house when he heard a clear and cheerful female voice.
"...It's a good time to bring up Emperor Ningzhong and talk about him."
Zhong Shuo: "?"
What era did he live in?
At this point, Zhong Shuo was already able to utter a few simple words.
Harboring malicious intentions, when he heard Tianmu recount Zhou She's dark past, he stretched out both arms, pointed at Tianmu, and said, "China, China..."
Chu Wensong put him in the cradle and gently rocked him. He sat beside him in the sun and said softly, "Zong, it's Zhongzong. I don't know which of your brothers he is yet."
Zhong Shuo rolled his eyes inwardly.
He's not one of those brothers, so where would he get any normal brothers?
They're either idiots or morons; they're an eyesore. Sometimes he's annoyed by Zhou She, but compared to these brothers...
Comparing people is a recipe for disaster; comparing goods is a recipe for discarding them.
No matter how inhumane Zhou She may be, he was still a normal person.
Besides, although Zhou She liked to put pressure on him, treated men and women like beasts of burden, and liked to intimidate and threaten others, he also forbade him to take drugs...
Apart from that, his nephew treated him quite well.
But the canopy isn't suitable.
Zhong Shuo treated it as if he were listening to a storybook, adding his own unfamiliar details as he listened, and commenting: "Some parts really do sound like a storybook."
Anyway, it's not quite the same as what he heard the person involved recount.
Zhong Shuo's speech was still unclear, and he lay in the cradle sighing deeply. Lin Jingcheng came to see him again, reached out and pinched his wrist, then withdrew his hand with a heavy heart: "Your Highness's cold keeps coming back and forth, and it just won't get better."
Zhong Shuo himself has almost gotten used to it.
His body was indeed fragile and easily broken, but fortunately, his mother took care of him at all times.
Chu Wensong was getting used to it. She wiped Zhong Shuo's hands, listened to her son's breathing, and said softly, "As long as his life isn't in danger, I'm satisfied."
With current medical technology, there are always many problems that cannot be solved. Perhaps it's a congenital condition; who knows?
Lin Jingcheng was taken aback by her open-mindedness and smiled, "Your Majesty is right." But he still tried his best to treat Zhong Shuo.
Zhong Shuo met Zhou She in person on an ordinary afternoon.
On the celestial canopy, Zhou She had just emerged from the imperial prison and bid farewell to the old emperor. Below the canopy, Zhou She silently followed the emperor, his eyes shining brightly.
He was completely different from the Zhou She he remembered.
The first time I saw Zhou She in my past life, he was wearing light armor and strode towards me. At that time, Zhou She already had two children, and he was both dignified and gentle.
Zhong Shuo naturally felt a certain fear of him.
And Zhou She now...
Zhong Shuo found it difficult to describe him with any single word. If he had to say, he felt that Zhou She was more like a newly sprouting seedling.
Lin Jingcheng took his pulse again. This time, Zhong Shuo thought for a moment and quickly focused his attention on Zhou She.
He believed in Zhou She's character. No matter how external forces changed, Zhou She would not be defeated.
There's no harm in getting closer.
Besides that, he also holds grudges.
Your daughter sent your granddaughter to steal my elixir every day. Although the elixir was indeed a bit strange and he ended up here, I will take revenge on you.
Zhou She was clearly unaware that this was retaliation.
He frantically took care of Zhong Shuo, and in the quiet of the night, he stroked Zhong Shuo's head and murmured, "Won't he get brain damage from this fever?"
Zhong Shuo: "..."
The good news is that he won't, but the bad news is that Zhong Shuo feels his physical condition isn't very good.
During the day, after court, Emperor Hong'an would have him read some books. Zhong Shuo's soul had already learned these characters, so after struggling to read along for a few days, when he listened to the lesson again, he immediately uttered, "The Dao, the Daoist scriptures..."
He slammed his hand on the table as he spoke.
Emperor Hong'an: "..."
The emperor frowned, "That brat..." Although Xiao Liu was in poor health, he only hoped the child would live, but...
How can one be so obsessed with ghosts and gods? Will one just live a life of idleness and waiting to die?
Could that Taoist scripture really be like what Tianmu said, involving shamanistic rituals and incantations all day long?
The emperor had many thoughts, but Zhong Shuo didn't appreciate them. Besides, what's wrong with living a life of leisure and waiting to die? He just liked it!
Zhong Shuo understood Zhou She all too well. First, he himself was not a person who could endure hardship; second, Zhou She had spent his life pursuing immortality and the Dao; and third, if he didn't perform well, Zhou She really could come looking for him with a sword in hand.
In his previous life, Zhong Shuo was a local official. Due to his poor governance and economic situation, he became obsessed with visiting famous mountains and rivers and various Taoist temples in the area, which led to his being reported to the emperor by a minister.
A few days later, Zhou She's letter arrived in front of him. Zhong Shuo opened it and read only one sentence: "If you can do it, do it. If you can't, come back. If you don't come back, I will come to see you."
Startled, he quickly calmed down and never bothered with worldly affairs again.
He's good at protecting himself, but forget about everything else.
Do you really think Zhou She was some kind of good person? Someone who only helped others and never seized power?
Zhong Shuo scoffed inwardly. He leaned forward, raised his brush under the emperor's shocked gaze, and casually scribbled on the two sheets of paper.
The page bearing the Third Prince's name was immediately scribbled black. Zhong Shuo was somewhat satisfied, tilted his head back, patted Zhou She's imperial edict, and said, "Him!"
But his joy lasted only a couple of seconds before Emperor Hong'an picked him up and gently scolded him, "This is your nephew, and that's your third brother. You can't even write properly, what are you scribbling about? Be careful, or I'll beat you."
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