Chapter 257: Just a Prince
Princess Huining had privileges, so the carriage went all the way into the palace gate and she got off at the place closest to Chengqian Palace.
Tall, white jade pillars stand in the palace corridors. On each pillar are carved two lifelike dragons with scales and claws spread out, as if they are leaping into the air.
Walking up the steps, you will see the magnificent Chengqian Palace in front of you.
The whole hall is solemn yet elegant, beautiful and full of royal majesty.
The imperial guards guarding the gate bowed and saluted when they saw Princess Huining: "Greetings, Princess Huining."
Princess Huining's beautiful face was filled with anger, and she glanced at the guards with cold eyes: "I want to see the emperor."
The guard said respectfully, "Princess, please wait a moment. I will go in and inform you."
"Hurry up." Princess Huining said impatiently.
However, she did not dare to make a scene at the gate of Chengqian Palace. Even if the emperor agreed to her, Chu Huining was only the emperor's sister, not their biological mother, so she could only wait to be summoned obediently.
The guard entered the hall and spoke to the young eunuch inside, and then the eunuch went to find Hu Qian.
"Eunuch Hu, Princess Huining wants to see you."
Hu Qian said, "I understand."
Then he went into the inner hall.
Inside the palace, Emperor Chengde was reading a history book. Hu Qian bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Princess Huining is here."
"Hmph, she came quickly."
Emperor Chengde snorted coldly and threw the book in his hand aside, with a hint of anger on his majestic face.
Hu Qian lowered his head and dared not respond.
As soon as Deng Ran from the Eighth Prince's Mansion left, Princess Huining arrived. Without asking, one knew it was about Prince An's matter.
The Emperor is particularly kind to Princess Huining because of their old friendship, but he does not allow them to rely on this favor to cause trouble outside. They actually dared to bully the Eighth Prince. Isn't this courting death?
You know, she is the apple of the emperor's eye.
Your son offended the Eighth Prince, but instead of staying at home, you came to the palace to seek justice?
Don't ask him why he was sure that Chu Huining went to the palace to seek justice rather than to plead guilty.
When she was young, the eldest princess might have kept a low profile, for she was not a legitimate princess, nor was she the late emperor's favorite. But ever since the emperor registered her, the Zheng family was awarded titles for their merits, and among all the princesses, Princess Huining stood out. The Zheng family enjoyed the emperor's grace, and the emperor treated Princess Huining differently. As time went on, her repressed temperament in her early years gradually revealed itself.
"Pass it on!" Emperor Chengde said as he stood up and walked towards the main hall.
Hu Qian responded and hurried to call Chu Huining in.
As soon as Chu Huining entered the hall, he bowed perfunctorily and immediately complained: "Royal brother, you have to make a decision for the civil and military officials. A healthy person was almost thrown to death and is now lying unconscious in bed."
As she said this, she took a handkerchief and began to wipe her tears, crying with a feeling of grievance.
Emperor Chengde looked at her indifferently, with a coldness in his dark eyes.
It’s just that Chu Huining was determined to have the emperor severely punish Chu Jinyan, so he didn’t care about Emperor Chengde’s ugly expression.
"Huining, do you still remember your identity?" Emperor Chengde looked at her coldly and said indifferently, "Your son is just a prince, how could he be more precious than my son?"
When Chu Huining heard this, he choked.
How could a prince be compared to a prince, but how could her son be compared to an ordinary prince?
Relying on the indulgence of Emperor Chengde towards her over the years, Chu Huining always felt that she was different and that there was no difference between her son and the prince.
After all, the concubines did not contribute to the emperor's ascension to the throne.
Thinking of this, Chu Huining shouted in dissatisfaction: "Royal brother, even if you are a noble prince, you should not be so cruel. Although my son is only a prince, he cannot be bullied by Chu Jinyan. Royal brother, do you know that Wenwu's ribs are broken, the bones of both legs are broken, and there is blood clots in his brain. If he was not lucky, he would have gone to see the King of Hell. Royal brother, you want to protect your own son, but you come to abuse my sister's son?"
Chu Huining became more and more excited as he spoke, and his voice suddenly rose a few notches at the end.
Hu Qian was standing behind Emperor Chengde. He listened to Chu Huining's words, raised his eyes and glanced at her quickly, then lowered his head in horror. He thought to himself that Princess Huining had become so arrogant over the years that she actually dared to speak to the emperor like that.
Emperor Chengde looked at the beautiful woman in front of him with an angry face, his eyes as cold as ice.
He grabbed the teacup on the table and threw it at Chu Huining's feet.
"presumptuous."
The tea splashed onto Chu Huining's dress. She was startled and stared at Emperor Chengde in a daze.
Emperor Chengde was very handsome. Having been an emperor for decades, he had an aura of majesty without even getting angry in his middle age. At this moment, he looked at Chu Huining with a stern gaze, which made her feel a bit chilly from the bottom of her heart.
Chu Huining knelt down in fear: "Emperor...Brother..."
"Hui Ning, I have been too indulgent to you these years, haven't I? That's why you are lawless. How dare you compare your son with my prince? When I give you favors, Zheng Wenwu is a prince. If I take back these favors, he will be nothing. The eighth prince is not only a prince, but also my only legitimate son. Zheng Wenwu, a mere prince, dares to speak wildly to him? What? Do you, the Zheng family, have the final say in the Wei Dynasty?"
Chu Huining was frightened when he heard this. He kowtowed heavily to Emperor Chengde, and prostrated himself on the ground in fear, saying, "Your Majesty, please calm down. The Zheng family would never dare to have such a rebellious idea. Please understand your majesty."
"Humph." Emperor Chengde angrily flicked his sleeves and snorted heavily: "I think your family is very bold. The younger one dares to bump into the prince, and the older one comes to rebuke my son for tyranny. Should I make Zheng Wenwu the crown prince and let him be the emperor?"
No matter how arrogant Chu Huining was, she knew how furious the emperor would be. How could she dare to complain or express dissatisfaction? Her face turned pale and she begged for mercy in fear: "I know I was wrong. I beg the emperor to have mercy on me."
When the emperor dotes on you, everything can be discussed, and Wenwu is his beloved nephew.
But no matter how close a nephew is, he is nothing when he meets his son.
Chu Huining was terrified, fearing that his impulsiveness today would anger the emperor and that he would have no good life in the future. He also deeply realized the position of Chu Jinyan in the emperor's heart.
It’s not like his son had never had conflicts with the prince before, but the emperor had never been so angry.
"Go back and reflect on yourself!" Emperor Chengde shouted angrily.
Chu Huining's face turned pale and his body trembled violently: "Your humble sister will take her leave." After saying that, he stood up in embarrassment and walked out without even daring to raise his head.
It was not until she walked out of the Chengqian Palace that she held onto the white jade railing, her legs so weak that she could not walk anymore.
Nanny Duan was not allowed to enter the hall, so she saw her master coming out from afar and hurried to greet her.
When he approached and saw Chu Huining's frightened face, his heart suddenly skipped a beat. He didn't dare to say anything more, but stepped forward to support her and said, "Princess, let's go back to the mansion first."
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