Chapter 89 – I’m Not Doing It for Him

Chapter 89 - I'm Not Doing It for Him

In the leisurely afternoon, the tea's fragrance was elegant, and the pastries were sweet and warm. The Princess of Prince Jian was mocking Prince Jian,

"You look like you've done something thankless again?"

Others might not know Zhu Yan's thoughts, but Wen Ruan could guess a thing or two: "Is Your Highness trying to make the Second Prince see something clearly, understand something?"

Such as where the danger comes from, where to hide, how to avoid it, open his eyes wide and see the situation clearly, don't stubbornly go your own way, and don't send yourself to a dead end...

"Has anyone ever told Your Highness that you have a soft heart?"

"Don't think that being sweet-talking means you can skip your medicine," Zhu Yan waved towards the door, and Nanxing, who had been waiting at the entrance for a moment, quickly came over and placed the bowl of medicine on the table before running away. "This Prince's heart is hard or not, you can see for yourself."

Wen Ruan: ...

His body, after long-term daily medication, had its heart nourished and replenished. With the answer to the inner turmoil, no longer bound by it, his symptoms had improved significantly. Now, when it rained, he barely felt any pain. However, the imperial physician familiar with his condition said that this was the most critical stage of recovery. As long as he smoothly passed this final phase, he would no longer worry about his health for the rest of his life, and he would be no different from a normal person. But if he didn't take it seriously, neglected his treatment, and refused to take his medicine, this illness would likely recur.

This process wouldn't be long; at most, another month of taking medicine every other day. But this medicine was rather special and couldn't easily be made into pills, so it had to be taken as a decoction.

Wen Ruan felt that the old physician had fabricated this to trick him into taking his medicine. Unfortunately, everyone around him believed the old man more than him. No matter how much he tried to avoid or delay, these people would always ensure he took his medicine. Among them, the one who kept an eye on him the most was none other than Prince Jian.

"It's too hot, let's wait a bit before drinking it."

Wen Ruan habitually delayed, continuing to discuss the matter of the Second Prince. Zhu Yan, with his extensive channels, already knew the news from the palace: "Are you really not regretful? The Second Prince could have seen things clearly."

Zhu Yan slowly looked away from the bowl of medicine, preparing to spare his princess for a while: "I'm not doing it for him."

Perhaps in this world, only Wen Ruan thought so highly of him.

He indeed pushed the Second Prince a little, wanting to enlighten him, but after that, he was very interested in seeing what choice the other would make.

Actually, it would be simple for the Second Prince to escape his predicament. He just needed to withdraw from the struggle for power, actively retreat, and show that he had no intention of competing for the throne. There was a high probability he would be granted a princedom and urged to leave the capital. Unfortunately, the man wasn't willing.

"What should we do?"

Wen Ruan, after saying this, shook his head and corrected himself: "No, it's not what we should do. Isn't the Empress Dowager's faction unable to sit still now? Seeing the Second Prince about to rebel, they can't remain low-profile and plan quietly. They must hurry up and find a way to fish in troubled waters. Otherwise, once the Second Prince truly succeeds, there won't be any opportunity left for them."

Zhu Yan, who was promoting this situation in a low-key manner, might have foreseen this and planned accordingly, specifically waiting for such an opportunity!

Wen Ruan felt that he had underestimated him.

Zhu Yan's eyes softened slightly: "Then, what does Aruan think? When will the Second Prince choose to act?"

Wen Ruan pondered for a moment, suddenly coming up with an incredible idea: "Could it be... the Longevity Feast?"

Recently, the capital had begun to hype up preparations for a grand celebration—the Emperor's Longevity Feast!

"My good second brother is someone who likes to maintain propriety and reputation. Even if he were to revolt, he would want to make it seem natural and inevitable. Therefore, the Emperor's illness must be exposed," Zhu Yan spoke slowly and deliberately. "And all the other princes must be suppressed. No one can match his excellence, wisdom, and foresight. His consistent rival, the Third Prince, must be suppressed, and I—will be the person he tramples underfoot as the villain."

Wen Ruan understood: "Having ability, strength, influence, a wise and forward-thinking perspective, the courage to solve problems, and the destiny of being tormented by evil... This script is indeed not bad."

Zhu Yan: "So Aruan must prepare well. When the time comes, accompany me into the palace and watch the show from the front row."

Wen Ruan was quite obedient: "Then I'll go—"

Unfortunately, just as he stood up, before he could dash out, Zhu Yan's long arm pulled him back onto his lap.

"If you don't want to drink it yourself," Zhu Yan calmly picked up the bowl of medicine on the table, which was no longer hot, "I don't mind feeding you."

Wen Ruan instantly sensed the danger in those words.

Although Zhu Yan didn't have a frightening tone or say anything scary, this posture and atmosphere...

When Zhu Yan became terrifying, Wen Ruan didn't want to test it again.

With great righteousness, he took the bowl of medicine and, facing death as if returning home, downed it in one breath.

...

This year's Longevity Festival was one that Emperor Taoyuan had explicitly hinted should be celebrated on a grand scale. Naturally, those below him spared no effort, making it expensive and lively. In previous years, they hadn't spent so much. This year, the promotion started early, and the citizens of the capital were all aware and participating. Various celebratory activities continued without pause, the scene was splendid and grand. Regardless of whether some people were taking advantage to amass wealth or doing business, the excitement was unprecedented in over a decade. The ministers' memorials described the festivities in various ways, and the Emperor was not without satisfaction. He even appeared in the city twice to share the joy with the common people.

However, due to the excessive mental and physical exertion before the banquet, it was inevitable that he couldn't sustain it. On the day of the actual palace banquet, Emperor Taoyuan was exhausted. Apart from the grand ceremony held during the day, all other minor events were reduced as much as possible. Even the evening palace banquet was scaled down, prepared to be simpler.

None of the officials opposed it.

There was no way around it. If anyone had been working non-stop for so many days, both personally handling matters and writing memorials to praise in various ways, they wouldn't be able to bear it either. Everyone's eyes showed obvious signs of fatigue, and they were truly worn out. For the last banquet, they decided to have a casual meal.

Everyone was somewhat weary, so they didn't have the energy to observe others, nor did they notice any unexpected situations.

For example, with the Third Prince.

Recently, his mental state had been off. The masked person who had once saved him hadn't come looking for him. He was a prince, powerful, with countless officials under his command, closest to the imperial power, and the most likely to ascend further. Wasn't saving him meant to gain benefits? Why hadn't the person come looking for him?

The atmosphere when he was saved that day was also subtle. He reminded himself not to dwell on it, but for some reason, he couldn't ignore it.

Just at this time, he heard some rumors, nothing new. They had circulated in the palace when he was young, then disappeared. If he hadn't heard them again recently, he would have almost forgotten...

Some said that he and Consort Rou didn't resemble each other at all, from appearance to personality. Where was the resemblance of mother and son?

"...son, son?"

The Third Prince's consciousness returned, seeing Consort Rou sitting across from him. Yes, this was Pear Blossom Hall. The palace banquet was about to start, and before it began, his mother had called him here: "Sorry, Mother. I didn't sleep well last night."

Consort Rou, whom he had known since childhood, he could draw her on paper with his eyes closed now. Indeed, they didn't look alike at all.

Consort Rou's face lacked sharp angles, her eyes weren't large, her nose wasn't high. Every feature wasn't stunning, but together, they formed a unique sweetness, faint, sorrowful, and pitiful. He, however, had extremely defined facial features, deep-set eyes, prominent bones, and less flesh. Even his nose was aquiline.

He never felt mistreated, as Noble Consort Rou raised him with utmost dedication, always considering his best interests. If she deemed something good for him, she would go to great lengths to obtain it for him, never once resorting to scolding or physical punishment, nor did she ever show any disdain or distance. Even when she reproached him, her methods were gentle and guiding.

Noble Consort Rou had always been indulgent towards him.

Yet, he had witnessed the interactions between the Second Prince and Imperial Concubine Zhen, which were entirely different.

Imperial Concubine Zhen had a fiery temper, while the Second Prince was somewhat soft-hearted in his youth. Whenever they disagreed, Imperial Concubine Zhen would not hesitate to pull down the Second Prince's pants and spank him, criticizing his clumsiness, timidity, foolishness, and inability to strategize for himself, and his knack for causing trouble without knowing how to resolve it...

Of course, after the punishment, she would also comfort him. When the Second Prince behaved well, Imperial Concubine Zhen would smile warmly and reward him. During times of illness and discomfort, she would tirelessly care for him day and night.

But Noble Consort Rou...had never laid a hand on him.

The Third Prince had previously attributed this to personality differences; Noble Consort Rou was not as hot-tempered as Imperial Concubine Zhen, and he was not as foolish as the Second Prince. However, after hearing certain words repeated too often, he began to suspect that there might be more to it than meets the eye...

"What's wrong with you today? You seem distracted," Noble Consort Rou said as she poured a cup of hot tea for the Third Prince.

The Third Prince obediently drank it. "There's really nothing wrong. Isn't there still the palace banquet later? Your son won't make any mistakes. Mother, do you have any instructions for me?"

Noble Consort Rou looked at him intently before dismissing everyone else and recounting the events that had occurred in the palace earlier.

Imperial Concubine Zhen's suspicions were not unfounded; if she could sense something amiss, so could Noble Consort Rou. However, given the gravity of the situation, she refrained from making hasty moves and kept a low profile. But now, the time had come.

"...I felt something was off then, but I couldn't act rashly without evidence. I didn't want to alarm you with mere speculation, so I kept a close watch on Imperial Concubine Zhen's actions. Tonight is unusual, and she and the Second Prince...are likely planning a rebellion."

The Third Prince stood up abruptly. "What? A rebellion!"

There was no commotion inside or outside the hall, and Noble Consort Rou felt reassured. She had instructed her servants to keep their distance for this private conversation with her son. "I'm telling you this not to make you anxious, but to warn you that tonight will be extremely perilous. You must be cautious."

She maintained her gentle demeanor and calm aura, allowing the Third Prince to quickly regain his composure. After a moment's thought, he understood: "If he fails...wouldn't I become the leading contender among the princes?"

The only one wielding power, commanding a large number of officials, and closest to the throne.

"Yes," Noble Consort Rou smiled at him. "But the prerequisite is that you must survive tonight."

That was true.

The Third Prince's expression turned serious.

Noble Consort Rou continued, "The Second Prince is planning a coup. As his past rival and current biggest obstacle, he will undoubtedly target you."

The Third Prince expressed regret. "Why didn't Mother tell me sooner?"

The palace banquet was already underway, and he had already entered the palace. It was too late to mobilize his men, leaving him unable to mount any counterattack. Was he left with no choice but to watch the Second Prince's performance?

"It was precisely because I couldn't tell you earlier," Noble Consort Rou's expression softened, and her voice followed suit. "I've already explained to you what your father is worried about and what he cares about. If you were to take countermeasures, your father would realize that you know everything. How could he tolerate that?"

The Third Prince was startled, feeling a chill run down his spine. "Mother is right. Today, I should appear unprepared and caught off guard. That's the best strategy..."

Noble Consort Rou patted his hand. "My son, rest assured. I've already arranged everything for you. I told you these things just to remind you not to act impulsively and avoid dangerous situations."

The Third Prince knew that Noble Consort Rou, having spent many years in the imperial palace, had cultivated some loyal followers, including those skilled in martial arts. However, training such individuals was incredibly difficult, and exposing them was all too easy.

"Mother doesn't need to worry too much. I'll stay quiet today and avoid danger. There's no need to put others at risk."

"You are my son, and it's only natural for me to protect you."

As they were speaking, a sudden noise came from behind the hall. The Third Prince immediately became alert, and Noble Consort Rou seemed somewhat concerned as well. They both rose and moved to the rear of the hall.

It turned out that a long, rectangular box had fallen from a bookshelf, likely due to the servants' carelessness in placing it at an angle. The box had slowly shifted over time until it finally slid off.

"What's this?"

Seeing that it wasn't a major issue and the shelf was high, the Third Prince decided to help Noble Consort Rou return the box. However, when the box hit the ground, the lock broke, and upon picking it up, the box opened, revealing its contents—a scroll that partially unrolled upon landing.

Noble Consort Rou appeared equally surprised. "It's this. I've been searching for it for a long time. I never expected it to be here."

She gently brushed off the dust from the scroll and spread it out on the desk. It was a painting.

A portrait of a handsome man with deep-set eyes, a broad forehead, and a high nose—remarkably similar to the Third Prince.

Noble Consort Rou seemed deeply fond of the image, lightly caressing the face depicted in the painting. "You often venture outside and should be aware that your maternal grandfather's family had a child who died young—my brother, your uncle."

The Third Prince, of course, knew of this person; he had simply passed away too early for them to have met. "Is this Uncle?"

Noble Consort Rou nodded slowly. "You don't resemble me, but you bear a striking resemblance to your second uncle. Your temperament is also like his. He was unlucky; if he could have lived to this day, he would have been one of your strongest supporters..."

The Third Prince felt a sense of relief within him.

So that was the reason...

His gaze toward Noble Consort Rou held a hint of remorse.

"Why are you looking at me like that? With such a gaze?" Noble Consort Rou smiled as she rolled up the painting. "Are you worried about Mother? My son, rest assured. Having lived in the palace for so many years, your mother isn't just idling around. Regarding the events that will unfold in the hall later...if they truly become uncontrollable, it's not a problem. We can always let Prince Jian take the lead, can't we?"

The Third Prince was not naive and instantly grasped the implications of her words. "Mother, rest assured. I understand."