The Phoenix is Back - Chapter 124

Chapter 124 See Consort Shen

It wasn’t just Chu Muzhi that came. There was also a person beside him, dressed in the clothes of his attendants. However, when Xiao Xiwei saw that face, he was shocked.

“Why did you bring him here?”

That’s right. The person Chu Muzhi had brought was none other than the Crown Prince of Zheng, Zheng Lin, who had absconded for a long time.

“I don’t want to either, but Young Master Zheng must see Royal Brother.” Chu Muzhi spread out his hands and smiled bitterly.

“Your Highness, I have something to ask.” As soon as Zheng Lin entered, he directly knelt in front of Chu Xizhi.

Compared to the Duke of Zheng, who used to be admired by countless young ladies in the capital, Zheng Lin’s face was full of frost, and his slender eyebrows were filled with exhaustion. That’s right. Duke Zheng suddenly died in Heavenly Prison. He fled to the northwest. He didn’t want the Emperor to send Xiao Qi and Chu Yan to suppress him. His elder brother, Zheng Lu, also died tragically. He escaped back to the capital. He was chased by Chu Yanzhi countless times along the way. Fortunately, he was chased by Chu Xizhi. He didn’t want to hear about the sudden death of the Crown Prince …

Chu Xizhi sighed and looked up at Xiao Xiwei.

Perhaps because his heart was connected, Chu Xizhi only gave a faint glance, but Xiao Xiwei instantly understood his intentions. She stepped forward to support Chu Xizhi’s arm and looked coldly at Zheng Lin. “The Crown Prince forced Prince Qin to bring you to Prince Yan’s Mansion at this time? Don’t you think the punishment my Prince received this time was too light? Don’t you know how many pairs of eyes are staring at Prince Yan’s Mansion? Or do you think it doesn’t matter to you anymore?” After saying that, Xiao Xiwei turned his head and glared coldly at Chu Xi. “Don’t you think about your own situation before you do anything? Even without them, can’t I be loyal and courageous to Marquis Mansion to help you? Besides, so what if you are willing to rope me in? They are willing to comply with your wishes? In my opinion, I’m afraid not!”

Xiao Xiwei’s series of words made Zheng Lin’s face turn green and pale, white and green.

“Does the Crown Prince want me to arrange for you to meet the Duke of Lu?” Chu Xizhi motioned for Chu Muzhi to help Zheng Lin up as he spoke.

Zheng Lin nodded.

Chu Xizhi sighed, “Crown Prince, it’s not that this king won’t help you. It’s just that you said it a little too late.”

“Too late? What does His Highness mean by that?”

“When the Crown Prince entered the capital, didn’t you hear that the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Lu was seriously ill and had been in bed for more than two months?” Xiao Xiwei said coldly, “If it wasn’t for this, why would Lu Haiyang welcome my younger sister, who hasn’t even reached the hairpin yet, into the manor on the pretext of being overjoyed?”

Something happened to the Zheng Clan. Chu Yanzhi took over the northwest. He was chased all the way, and the Crown Prince died. Now Haichuan was seriously ill in bed. This series of events made him have no choice but to turn his gaze to Chu Yanzhi.

But, why!

Zheng Lin looked up at Chu Xizhi again. “Your Highness, I want to see Consort Shen.”

When the Crown Prince and the Zheng Family had an accident, Consort Shen naturally fell out of favor as well. In the harem, only Consort Yan, the birth mother of the Swallow King, had the highest status. If Chu Xizhi really wanted to help him, then it wouldn’t be too difficult for him to ask to see Consort Shen.

“The Crown Prince wants to see Imperial Concubine Shen. This prince understands, but the time has not come yet.” Chu Xizhi said.

Zheng Lin slightly knitted his brows. “According to His Highness’ wishes …”

“Once the Crown Prince is in trouble, I’m afraid there are countless spies buried outside my palace. However, don’t worry, Crown Prince, I will secretly arrange for you to enter the palace to meet Imperial Consort Shen on the day of the Crown Prince’s funeral.” Chu Xizhi said.

“Then I’ll have to trouble His Highness King Yan.” Zheng Lin raised his hand and bowed to Chu Xizhi.

“Since that’s the case, madam …” Chu Xizhi turned his gaze to Xiao Xiwei. “May I trouble madam to arrange the residence of the Crown Prince?”

“You want to leave him in the manor?” Xiao Xi raised his eyebrows slightly.

“Didn’t Madam always say that the most dangerous place is the safest place? Besides, in this situation, the Crown Prince would rather stay in Prince Yan’s Mansion.” Chu Xizhi said with a smile.

Xiao Xiwei raised his eyes and swept a glance at Chu Xi. He snorted coldly and said in a voice that Zheng Lin could hear, “I hope you didn’t lure a wolf into the house.” After saying that, she turned to look coldly at Zheng Lin and said, “Prince, please!”

If it was in the past, Zheng Lin would have already lost his face. However, he was no longer the proud and glorious son of the Duke of Zheng. In addition, he carried the hatred of the entire Zheng Clan. Therefore, Xiao Xiwei did not take this embarrassment to heart at all.

After settling Zheng Lin down, Xiao Xiwei returned to his room and Chu Muzhi had already left.

“Are you really planning to arrange for Zheng Lin to enter the palace?”

“Otherwise?” Chu Xizhi smiled and slowly poured a cup of tea for Xiao Xiwei. “Madam, please.”

Xiao Xiwei glanced at Chu Xi with a smile on his face. “Looks like you’ve already made your decision.”

“Almost.” Chu Xizhi smiled.

Zheng Lin’s request to see Consort Shen wasn’t surprising at all. As the Crown Prince’s right and left arm, he had been fighting against him for more than ten years. Although all the clues in front of him pointed to Chu Yanzhi, it didn’t mean that he didn’t know that he had done something to her. Therefore, right now, he was eager to see Consort Shen.

“Do you really think Zheng Lin can be used by you?” Xiao Xiwei looked at Chu Xizhi worriedly.

Chu Xizhi smiled, “He is a smart man.”

So he knew how to make the best choice for himself. After this series of blows, the Zheng Clan had already fallen into disarray. Many of them were already under Chu Yanzhi’s control. If he wanted to avenge the Zheng Clan and find a chance to survive for himself, no one could help him except him.

Xiao Xi slightly pursed her lips and smiled. She picked up the tea that Chu Xizhi had poured for her and gently took a sip.

The faint fragrance of tea gradually spread out in his mouth. Xiao Xi looked at the calm man in front of him, and a faint smile couldn’t help but appear on the corner of his mouth.

Seven days later, the Crown Prince was buried.

The funeral was extremely well decorated. Even the Emperor personally went to offer his condolences. There were rumors that the Emperor really valued the Crown Prince. No one knew that the emperor above ten thousand people had been slowly poisoned with poison on his own son very early.

Yanxi Palace. .

“Crown Prince, time is of the essence. Please tell me everything.” The little eunuch led Zheng Lin into Zhong Zi Palace and explained.

Zheng Lin nodded, then pushed open the door and walked in.

“Who is it?” Hearing the noise, a palace maid hurriedly walked over. When she saw Zheng Lin, she suddenly dropped her teacup in her hand and said, “The … Crown Prince …”

“Chun Xiu, who are you talking to?” The voice of another palace maid came from the inner hall.

Only then did the palace maid named Chun Xiu regain her senses and ran towards the inner hall with a face full of love. “Sister Chun Mei, it’s the Crown Prince. It’s the Crown Prince who came to see the Empress.”

Zheng Lin followed Chun Xiu into the inner hall.

Inside the inner hall, a faint sandalwood incense was lit. Amidst the smoke, he saw his aunt, the imperial concubine Shen, who had been in charge of the harem for more than ten years, lying on the bed with a pale face. Beside her, there was a palace maid named Chun Mei kneeling.

“World … Crown Prince.” Seeing Zheng Lin, Chun Mei was also shocked, and her tears immediately gushed out.

“What are you guys arguing about” Imperial Concubine Shen frowned slightly on the bed and slowly opened her eyes.

“Your Highness, look who’s here.” Chun Mei hurriedly stepped aside and said to Consort Shen with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Only then did Consort Shen see Zheng Lin standing beside her bed clearly, “Lin … Lin’er!”

“Auntie …” Zheng Lin stepped to the bed and knelt down. He reached out to hold Consort Shen’s thin wrist and said, “Auntie, why are you so sick?”

“You, you leave me alone. You, why are you here?” Imperial Concubine Shen sat up with great difficulty and looked at Zheng Lin anxiously.

“It’s King Yan.” As Zheng Lin spoke, he picked up a pillow and stuffed it behind Consort Shen.

“Swallow King? He, you” Imperial Concubine Shen couldn’t help but bury her head in coughing the moment she opened her mouth.

“Aunt.” Zheng Lin quickly reached out and patted Consort Shen’s back, wanting to relieve her cough.

A moment later, Consort Shen finally stopped coughing.

“You, you’ve thought it through.” Imperial Concubine Shen grabbed Zheng Lin’s fingertips and stared fixedly into his eyes.

Zheng Lin blinked his eyes. After a while, he slowly said, “Auntie seems to have expected me to make this choice.”

Imperial Concubine Shen let go of Zheng Lin’s grip. She raised her head and looked at the large tent above her head. Countless regrets and indignation gradually gathered in her eyes. “His title is also ‘Shen’. I heard that he asked the Emperor for this word. I thought that he truly respected me as Mother, but … in the end, it was not his own life!” The hearts of the people are not just separated by their bellies … ”

She could not see the person she had raised under her knees since she was young, and she had never seen through the husband she had lived with for decades.

“Auntie, there’s one thing I don’t understand?” Zheng Lin knitted his eyebrows.

Chu Xizhi once said to him with a faint smile, “Do you really think that Father Emperor really wants to help me ascend to the throne after all these years of kindness?” If that’s the case, why wasn’t it me who was sent to Northwest Horse City years ago?

In the past, After hearing Chu Xizhi’s words, he passed. But now that so many things have happened, He felt that Chu Yanzhi was not simple. Furthermore, the most important thing was that Chu Yanzhi was only one person. Even if he wanted to plan something big, how could he not reveal a trace without help? Thinking about the emperor’s decree sending him to Northwest Horse City after the Zheng family’s accident, he had no choice but to suspect that the person supporting Chu Yanzhi behind him was the current Emperor.

But why?

Imperial Concubine Shen turned to look at him with a bitter smile on her face. “You don’t understand why the Emperor chose him?”

“Aunt …”

“Haha” Imperial Concubine Shen suddenly lowered her eyes and smiled, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Big sister, big sister, you and I were tricked by him! We were completely tricked by him! What Yan Rui, what Chu Xizhi, they were just chess pieces that he took out to block the arrows for that slut on the surface! We were too stupid! We were really too stupid …”