The Phoenix is Back - Chapter 224

Chapter 224 Seeking an Audience with Crown Prince
When Xiao Xiwei woke up, the bedside was already empty, but where he had slept, there was a plum blossom hairpin carved from red jade. The plum blossom carving technique on the hairpin was not carved by a craftsman. It should have been carved by him personally. She could not help but feel a smile on the corner of her lips. She reached out to pick up the purple jade plum hairpin and carefully placed it on her chest. She felt a sweet warmth surge in her heart.

Suddenly, the door creaked.

Xiao Xiwei hurriedly stuffed her hairpin under the pillow, only to see Hong Yu walk in with a basin of hot water in her hand.

“What time is it now?” Xiao Xiwei whispered.

It was pitch black outside the window, and it was impossible to tell when it was.

Hong Yu glanced out of the window and then said, “It’s getting late …” After she finished speaking, she turned to Xiao Xiwei and said, “Princess, wash your face first. This servant will tidy up the quilt.”

Xiao Xiwei’s face suddenly flashed with embarrassment, “You …”

Hong Yu pursed her lips and lowered her head. “Let this servant come in and clean up when His Highness leaves.”

Xiao Xiwei’s face felt as if it had been burned by fire.

“Princess.” Seeing that Xiao Xiwei was still pulling the blanket and was willing to get out of bed, Hong Yu raised her eyes and called out to her, “Princess, it’s getting late. Look …”

Xiao Xiwei stood up as if she had been trampled on by someone, wrapped in a quilt.

The tightly shut window was pushed open, and the cold wind that came in from the outside blew the dense aura of the room clean.

Xiao Xi looked at the still dark sky outside, and a cold smile slowly curled up on the corner of her lips.

The darker the night before dawn was, the darker it became. However, no matter how dark the night was, it could not withstand the coming light. She believed that as long as she could overcome this period of darkness, she would be able to hold Xizhi’s hand and walk towards their bright future.

In the blink of an eye, it was Lantern Festival.

Early in the morning, the peddlers on the streets started to peddle. Although it was daytime, the multicolored lanterns had already been hung up. The people selling sugar gourds, rouge and all kinds of gadgets had already been placed on the streets. Not long after, the streets were packed with people. This was nothing. If it was night, the crowds on the streets would probably become even more lively. No one cared about how turbulent the undercurrents were, how complicated the situation was, or what it had to do with them as commoners.

Zongde Palace.

Just as the Emperor was drinking medicine from Concubine Xiang’s hand, a eunuch bowed and walked in, whispering a few words into Zhang Shichang’s ear. Zhang Shichang nodded and signaled for him to retreat after hearing his words. Then, he walked over to the Emperor and blessed himself. “Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has sent someone to send a message that he wants to see you? Look …”

The Emperor paused for a moment, his dark eyes flashing with a trace of complicated darkness. On the other hand, when Concubine Xiang, who was holding a bowl of auspicious patterns on a white background, heard the Crown Prince’s name, her eyes flashed with an imperceptible gloomy coldness.

After a long time, the Emperor did not say anything.

Just when Zhang Shichang thought that the Emperor was going to reject the Crown Prince’s request, the Emperor suddenly said, “I would like to hear what he wants to say.”

“Yes.” Zhang Shichang lowered his head and replied respectfully.

Chongde Palace was as dignified as ever, but today, there was a faint sense of loneliness in this dignified place, stepping on the bare marble floor. Every step he took, it was as if he could hear the sound of footsteps echoing in the empty palace.

Although the hall was lit with incense, one could still smell a faint medicinal smell.

“Your son pays his respects to Father Emperor.” As Chu Yanzhi spoke, he raised the corner of his robe and bent his knees to kneel on the ground.

After a long while, no one heard the Emperor’s voice.

Chu Yanzhi raised his head and happened to touch the cold gaze cast by the Emperor.

“Royal Father.” He shouted again.

“How can I, He De, be the Crown Prince’s grand gift!” The Emperor said coldly.

Chu Yanzhi looked at the Emperor with a slightly knitted brow. His eyes were filled with complexity. He looked at the Emperor for a long time, but in the end, he did not say anything.

After a long silence, the Emperor was unable to sit still anymore. “What exactly do you want to say when you come to see me?”

“I just want to know if Father Emperor intends to cripple me. If that’s the case, Father Emperor, please order me to go to the Imperial Mausoleum to compensate Mother Imperial Concubine.” Chu Yanzhi said coldly.

The Emperor sneered and raised his eyebrows. “Are you threatening me?” He said.

“Who in this world can threaten you, Royal Father? The assassination on New Year’s Eve has clearly told this son that no one in this world can threaten you.” Chu Yanzhi sneered as he faced the Emperor’s cold gaze.

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the pearl-like face in front of him. For a moment, he felt his heart was filled with mixed emotions. “Are you blaming me? But have you ever thought about why I did this? You are my beloved son, and I worked hard for you to help you sit in the position of the Monarch? But you … How did you repay me?”

If Chu Yanzhi were to be replaced by Chu Xizhi, or even his other sons, then he would be able to accept everything he did, but this person was actually him … Even though he owed everyone, he didn’t owe him anything, did he?

“Father Emperor, don’t you think that you are completely ignorant of me, Haotian, while I am so ungrateful? Don’t you know how grateful I am?” Chu Yanzhi said coldly as he faced the Emperor’s eyes.

The Emperor raised his eyebrows, “Isn’t that so?”

Chu Yanzhi lowered his eyes and couldn’t help but laugh, “Royal Father, you haven’t changed at all … Regardless of whether it’s for Mother or me, you think that what you’ve done is for our good? But look, is what you said to be good for us really good?”

“What do you mean?”

‘”What do you mean” Chu Yanzhi laughed self-deprecatingly. “Back then, you said that you despised Mother for her own good. You watched helplessly as she was humiliated but remained silent. In the end, you even let Zheng Wei take me away from her? Is this what you call being good for her? Do you think she needs it?”

The Emperor opened his mouth a few times, but suddenly found that he was unable to refute Chu Yanzhi’s words.

Because he clearly remembered that before Bao Zhu left, she refused to even look at him.

“Even if I have wronged you, Mother, what have I done to make you disobey me again and again?” The Emperor glared at Chu Yanzhi with unquenchable resentment.

“In addition to the position of the Monarch? What did you give me? When I was young, when I was bullied by Chu Jingzhi, did you say something for me? The person you taught him how to write was Chu Xizhi, and the person you taught him was Chu Jingzhi? Even the most inconspicuous Chu Muzhi, you would occasionally give him a few words, but is one of them me? ”

“I’m just afraid …”

“I’m afraid that I’ll become the target of public criticism. Royal Father, you used these words on Mother Concubine, and now you’re using them on me … But do you really think this is good for us? Is that all you’re saying about protection? If you want to be the one you love and live in humiliation, then I’d rather not!” Chu Yanzhi said coldly.

The Emperor’s chest stagnated, but he still refused to admit defeat. “Even so, are you going to turn around to deal with me? Don’t forget, I helped you to where you are today.”

‘”Father, are you going to deal with me, or are you going to deal with me? Yes, I admit that I resent your neglect of me and Mother, and have also disobeyed you. But what else have I done to hurt you?” Chu Yanzhi said coldly as he stared at the Emperor.

The Emperor was stunned. Before he could speak, Chu Yanzhi’s voice sounded again.

“Father Emperor, it’s only because I disobeyed you. You know that Consort Yan and Prince Qin set me up on New Year’s Eve, but you still pretended to be ignorant and tried to convict me. Compared to my son, father Emperor doesn’t think you are the cruelest and most disregard for father and son’s feelings!” Chu Yanzhi stared at the Emperor and jumped out of his teeth word by word, carrying an awe-inspiring chill.

“You, you’re talking nonsense. If it weren’t for you …”

If it weren’t for the fact that you made him feel that his throne was unstable everywhere, how could he have made such a decision … However, the Emperor was unable to utter these words, especially towards Chu Yanzhi’s cold-like eyes.

In the end, the Emperor sighed, “Forget it, I am old. The throne will be handed to you in the end. I just hope that you can do your part as a Crown Prince.”

No matter what, he was still the biological son of him and Bao Zhu. As long as he was not excited and did his best to be the Crown Prince, he would definitely not depose his position as the Crown Prince.

Chu Yanzhi pursed his lips, seemingly doubting the truth of the Emperor’s words.

“Tonight, I’ll let you ascend the stairs on my behalf.” The Emperor looked at Chu Yanzhi and said slowly.

A trace of astonishment flashed through Chu Yanzhi’s eyes, but he immediately regained his senses. He raised his hand to salute the Emperor and said, “Your son … obey the decree.”

The Emperor nodded, “Nothing, you can leave.”

“Your son, please leave.” Chu Yanzhi stood up, took two steps back, and then turned around to leave.

Just as he took a few steps, the Emperor’s deep voice rang out, “Yanzhi, you are my beloved son. There is no doubt about this. I just hope that you will not do anything that disappoints me again.”

Chu Yanzhi paused for a moment. A moment later, he turned around and bowed to the Emperor. “Your son, remember what your father taught you.”

“Go.”

“Yes.”

Watching Chu Yanzhi’s figure disappear at the door, an indescribable undercurrent streaked across the Emperor’s deep eyes.

“Your Majesty, have a drink of tea.” Zhang Shichang bowed and said to the Emperor with a cup of tea in his hand.

The Emperor withdrew his gaze and looked up at Zhang Shichang. “Do you think he would take what I said to heart?”

Zhang Shichang’s hand that was holding the teacup paused. The smile at the corner of his mouth was slightly stiff, but he still lowered his head and respectfully said to the Emperor, “Your Majesty, the Crown Prince must be able to sense your painstaking efforts towards the Crown Prince.”

The Emperor lightly pulled the corner of his mouth and said, “I hope so.”

He no longer had the ability to raise another son to fight against him. He only hoped that he would really listen to his words.

Outside the door, when Concubine Xiang heard the Emperor’s words, an extremely cold smile flashed across the corner of her lips.