The Phoenix is Back - Chapter 164
Chapter 164 Stone Of Obstruction
Zongde Palace.
The Emperor retreated, leaving only him and Chu Yanzhi in the empty hall. Their eyes intertwined, and none of them spoke.
The surroundings were strangely quiet, and even the air seemed to condense.
“It was you who did it.” Finally, the Emperor opened his mouth, his deep voice carrying a hint of hoarseness.
He didn’t ask, but affirmed.
The corners of Chu Yanzhi’s lips moved. He did not dodge the Emperor’s gaze in the slightest, “Yes.”
“Because he was recommended to the palace by Xizhi?” The Emperor said.
“Yes.” Chu Yanzhi’s answer was only one word.
Clean, neat.
The Emperor’s eyebrows unconsciously raised as a trace of enduring anger flashed across his dark eyes. “Have you ever thought about your younger brother? The child in Concubine Xiang’s belly is your younger brother?”
Even if he wanted to get rid of Du Er, he shouldn’t involve the child in Concubine Xiang’s stomach!
“Yes, the child in Concubine Xiang’s stomach is indeed my younger brother.” Chu Yanzhi nodded and then raised his eyebrows. “Could it be that Chu Xizhi isn’t?”
Chu Yanzhi’s words were like a heavy hammer, fiercely smashing into the Emperor’s chest. He couldn’t stand any longer and took a few steps back. Finally, he barely managed to stand on the edge of the table.
“Good. Good. Good.” The Emperor reached out and covered his chest. After a long time, he squeezed out three words from between his teeth, “As expected of a good son that I taught you! Are you teaching me a lesson now?” When the Emperor said this, his gaze emitted a dense chill as he coldly threw it towards Chu Yanzhi.
This is his son! It was his son and Bao Zhu’s son! It was his beloved son who had spent all his effort to plot for him, wishing to bring him to the peak of the power of the Great Yue Kingdom! But what kind of attitude was he using to treat him now?
“I don’t dare.” As Chu Yanzhi spoke, he slowly lowered his head.
“Don’t dare?” The Emperor smiled coldly. “Is there anything in this world that you don’t dare to do?”
Chu Yanzhi lowered his head and did not answer.
The Emperor looked coldly at Chu Yanzhi, looking at the only son he cared about, a sense of sadness suddenly arose in his heart.
“Are you … blaming me?”
“I don’t dare.” Chu Yanzhi lowered his head and said calmly.
I don’t dare. Not without resentment.
The Emperor looked at Chu Yanzhi, who was standing in front of him with his head lowered. His gaze seemed to be fixed on him, but for a long time, that person did not even give him a single expression.
He really hates him.
Finally, the Emperor slowly withdrew his gaze and waved his right hand weakly, “Forget it, kneel down.”
“Your son, please leave.” Chu Yanzhi bowed, then turned around and walked out of the hall.
Outside, it started raining at some unknown time.
Countless raindrops weaved into a large net, trapping the entire Imperial City within it.
In his memories, when he left his mother’s imperial concubine, it was the same weather.
His father wanted him to be sent to Yanxi Palace to be adopted by Imperial Concubine Shen, who was childless. At that time, Imperial Concubine Shen was very sick. She held his hand by the bed and begged his father not to send him away. Even if she really wanted to send him away, please wait until she closed her eyes.
He still remembered Mother’s face full of tears of despair.
However, he was still forcibly sent away.
The next day, Mother Concubine was gone.
“Your Highness.” The attendant eunuch beside Chu Yanzhi saw that Chu Yanzhi had been standing on the stairs for a long time without any reaction, so he couldn’t help but go forward and shout in a low voice.
Only then did Chu Yanzhi regain his senses, “Let’s go.” After saying that, he lifted his leg and walked into the rain.
The long palace dao seemed to never end.
The rain rained down on the paved path of the palace, making a’clatter ‘sound. Suddenly, a figure barged into his eyes from afar.
Under the oil-paper umbrella with half a red plum, a beautiful face was clearly reflected in his pupils through the rain curtain.
Chu Yanzhi opened his mouth and was just about to call out that name.
However, that figure flashed and quickly disappeared from the corner of the palace path.
Aside from the rain, nothing was left in the surroundings.
The secret room of Prince Yan’s Mansion.
“Royal Brother, you don’t know how dangerous the situation was at that time. I was truly afraid that the old man would follow Chu Yanzhi’s instructions and deal with Du E. But I didn’t expect that, tsk tsk … he actually let Du E out of the palace.” Chu Muzhi thought about what had happened in the Chongde Palace this afternoon and felt his heart skip a beat. Finally, he added, “Sister-in-law’s move was too risky. She wouldn’t be afraid if …”
“What if?” Chu Xizhi lightly interrupted Chu Muzhi. He picked up the teacup with his left hand and gently pinched the lid of the teacup with his right hand. Then, he lowered his head and took a sip of tea.
The faint fragrance of tea began to spread in his mouth and stomach, secreting his spleen.
“Oh? Brother Pope, please give me your opinion.” Chu Muzhi smiled and raised his hand towards Chu Xizhi.
The corner of Chu Xizhi’s mouth hooked and he raised a beautiful arc. “Didn’t you say that Wei’er said when pleading for mercy, that even the palace should not involve people outside the palace?”
“So what?”
Chu Xizhi turned to look at Chu Muzhi, “Do you know how Chu Yanzhi’s birth mother, Li Concubine, died?”
“Didn’t … die of illness?” Chu Muzhi said.
Chu Xizhi smiled and put down the teacup in his hand. “Back then, Concubine Li had originally arranged to go to Chao An Temple for the sake of praying for His Majesty’s blessings.” At this point, Chu Xizhi suddenly lowered his head and sneered. “He originally wanted Li Concubine to avoid these disputes and schemes in the harem, but he didn’t expect that someone would still reach into Chao An Temple.”
“Royal Brother, you can’t be referring to …”
“Who else can it be? Naturally, it’s Consort Shen.” Chu Xizhi glanced at Chu Mu and directly called out that person’s name.
Concubine Li was the maidservant of the former Empress. Although her appearance was outstanding, she was inconspicuous in a harem of beautiful women. Moreover, she had a gentle and honest temperament. Such a person would not be seen by any woman in the palace. However, she was still in the Emperor’s eyes. However, thinking about it, it was also true. The first empress was the daughter of Duke Zheng. She was well-nourished since childhood, and her temperament was extremely strong. In addition, the previous emperor was not conspicuous amongst the princes of the previous emperors. This marriage was probably wronged in the eyes of the first empress. It was inevitable for the first empress to reveal these wrongs according to her temperament. At that time, the emperor was being suppressed by the various princes’ suspicions. The outside world was enraged, but when his wife came home and gave him a look, it was obvious that there was a gap between the husband and wife. If a gentle and beautiful maidservant extended her hand to comfort him at this time, it would be easy to win his heart.
In this little consolation, the Emperor unknowingly fell in love with the maidservant beside the former Empress. However, he couldn’t say it, he didn’t even dare to reveal the slightest bit of his liking. Because he still needed the support of Duke Zheng’s faction behind the Empress, he couldn’t reveal it. He knew that he could only give a name to the person he liked if he stood in more positions. However, he finally knew that he still couldn’t afford to give this title. Only then did he realize that his liking might destroy a person. Therefore, he had no choice but to think otherwise, so he took the concubines of the previous emperors into the palace and made them noble concubines regardless of the disputes. Everyone’s gaze shifted to Imperial Concubine Yan. No one cared about a single little concubine anymore. He also deliberately moved away from her, away from her … However, there were still people who fixed their gazes on her, and that was …
The younger sister of the former Empress, Shen Guifei, who had been in the palace for three years without a child.
After the Empress died of illness, Consort Yan gave birth to the seventh prince, Chu Xizhi. Her position was in danger. She urgently needed a prince to consolidate her position and fight against Consort Yan. Therefore, she turned her gaze to the concubines who had gone to the Chao An Temple to worship Buddha.
In the end, the concubine did not die. However, because her body was damaged, she was taken back to the palace by the Emperor and died less than two months later. The day before her death, her son, Chu Yanzhi, was finally taken into Yanxi Palace by Consort Shen.
“So, what Sister-in-law said reminded the old man of Li Concubine?” Chu Muzhi asked in a low voice.
Chu Xizhi raised his eyebrows and smiled. He looked at Chu Muzhi and said, “Did you say that?”
Chu Muzhi curled his lips and said, “I can’t tell that he really has a deep affection for Concubine Li!”
“Yes.” Chu Xizhi turned the jade ring on his finger, and the corner of his lips curled into a mocking smile.
Yes, he was deeply attached to his concubines, but he was cruel and cold-blooded towards his Mother.
“However …” Chu Muzhi suddenly frowned and looked at Chu Xizhi, a trace of doubt appearing in his eyes. “How could you and Sister-in-law be so clear about these old matters?”
Apart from the Emperor himself and Chu Yanzhi, no one else would know such a secret. Then how did Chu Xizhi and Xiao Xiwei know?
Chu Xizhi smiled, “Actually, there’s one thing you don’t know.”
“What?”
“Actually, Xiwei’s eyes are very similar to Concubine Li’s.”
Especially when he was focusing on looking at someone, it was clear and clear. If there was a trace of begging, then when the Emperor had already thought of Concubine Li, this kind of gaze would be extremely shocking.
“That’s why.” Chu Muzhi seemed to have thought of something and suddenly nodded his head in enlightenment.
No wonder, no wonder the Emperor’s expression was so complicated at that time. So it was like this.
“Do you have anything else to do?” Chu Xizhi raised his eyebrows and looked at Chu Muzhi.
Chu Muzhi shook his head, “Not yet.”
He had already sent Du Er to Chao An Temple. Under everyone’s gaze, Chu Muzhi would not be foolish enough to attack Du Er in Chao An Temple.
“Right, I suddenly remembered another question?”
“Oh?” Chu Xizhi raised his eyebrows.
“Royal Brother, why did you send Crossing Calamity into the palace?” Chu Muzhi said.
Originally, he thought that the reason he sent Du Er into the palace was to gain the Emperor’s trust, and then tamper with the pills he offered, but he didn’t expect that he didn’t let Du Er do anything. Du E stayed in the palace for a period of time without any reason, taking care of the old man’s body, and then he was kicked out by Chu Yanzhi. Could it be that after playing chess for such a long time, this move was actually crippled? This did not seem to be his Seventh Emperor Brother’s personality.
“What do you think I let Du Er do?” Chu Xi raised her eyebrows and looked at Chu Muzhi, “Crossing Calamity is a simple and honest person. I am also considered half of his senior brother. It is already wrong to involve him in this matter. How can I let his hands be stained with blood?”
“Then Royal Brother, you sent Crossing Calamity into the palace …”
“Crossing Calamity is a simple and honest person who doesn’t know how to fool people with misleading medicinal pills, but others may not be like him.”
“Royal Brother, you mean …”
Chu Xizhi’s eyes widened and he stopped talking.
Right now, Chu Yanzhi’s wings were gradually growing, but the Emperor’s body was still in his prime. Once he gained more power in the future, then a strong emperor who could not give way to him would probably become a stone blocking his path.
He was truly looking forward to what Chu Yanzhi would choose at that time.
