Chapter 38

"If the court eats one more mouthful, the scholar-officials eat one less!"

"Ruling by doing nothing means Your Highness must relinquish power!"

"A world at peace means Your Highness must yield profit!"

Zhu Yunwen's figure trembled slightly.

"Impossible! Mr. Huang is not that kind of person!"

Su Qiao stared fiercely at Zhu Yunwen and asked softly,

"Did Your Highness know about the beggars at the City God Temple earlier?"

"I did not know, but what does that prove? It only proves that Yunwen has long been confined within the deep palace!"

Su Qiao helplessly shook his head.

"What if Your Highness had not accompanied this subject on this trip out of the palace today?"

"If the Son of Heaven were to pass away, do you think these porridge shelters would still exist?"

Zhu Yunwen was momentarily speechless, then said firmly,

"Now they will not be gone! As long as Yunwen has one breath left, these porridge shelters at the City God Temple will definitely remain!"

Su Qiao snorted coldly,

"The porridge shelters at Jin Ling City God Temple will always remain, but what about the porridge shelters in Min, Zhe, and Shu?"

"The porridge shelters Your Highness has seen will remain, but what about the things Your Highness has not seen?"

Su Qiao's words lingered in Zhu Yunwen's heart like a series of spells.

All along,

Zhu Yunwen had regarded Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai as his own right and left arms.

But Zhu Yunwen had never thought,

"What if Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai are merely using me?"

"What should I do then?"

In a daze, a voice seemed to appear in Zhu Yunwen's heart.

Perhaps Su Qiao is right?

Perhaps I truly cannot become the Son of Heaven?

Inside Donggong.

Crown Princess Lu looked at Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai with deep worry and asked,

"Will Yunwen be in trouble, Mr. Huang and Mr. Qi?"

Huang Zicheng shook his head slightly and said in a low voice,

"Your Ladyship, rest assured. There are people protecting the Crown Prince, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard has hidden agents following behind. There will be no accidents."

"Besides, as long as we can win over Su Qiao, Your Highness's position as heir apparent will be secure."

"What is this small risk compared to Your Highness's position as heir apparent?"

Hearing Huang Zicheng say this,

Lu's anxious heart finally relaxed slightly.

"Yes, the position of heir apparent... the position of heir apparent..."

Thinking of this, Lu immediately bowed to Huang Zicheng and said,

"Mr. Huang, if Yunwen is fortunate enough to inherit the throne, in the future, we mother and son will definitely not forget the master's merit!"

Huang Zicheng said with a smile,

"Your Ladyship speaks nonsense. If I can stabilize the foundation of our Great Ming, even if I am beaten once, what does it matter?"

"Even if beaten ten times, it would be no problem!"

Just at that moment,

at the gate of Donggong, a sudden neighing of horses erupted.

Lu, Huang Zicheng, and Qi Tai both brightened.

"Your Ladyship, Your Highness has returned!"

Before the words had fully faded, everyone saw Su Qiao and Zhu Yunwen quietly step down from the carriage.

Su Qiao did not enter Ciqing Hall; at the palace gate, he smiled and said to Zhu Yunwen,

"Since that is the case, this subject takes his leave."

Zhu Yunwen bowed numbly and said,

"Mr. Su, take care on your way."

Seeing this scene, Huang Zicheng was so delighted that bubbles of snot almost came out of his nose!

"Your Ladyship, judging by this, it seems Your Highness has already won over that rascal Su Qiao!"

Qi Tai also chimed in from the side,

"It is not easy! This young Su Qiao was never this polite in front of the Son of Heaven!"

Under the descriptions of Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai,

Lu had long regarded winning over Su Qiao as the necessary path for Zhu Yunwen to ascend the throne.

Now seeing Su Qiao and Zhu Yunwen in this state,

Lu was naturally overjoyed.

But she still smiled and reminded from the side,

"Two Mr. s, from today onward, Mr. Su shall be, just like the two of you, the right and left arms of Zhu Yunwen; do not speak so rashly, making it difficult for Zhu Yunwen."

Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai immediately realized they had spoken out of turn.

They hurriedly smiled and said,

"Your Ladyship, forgive us; the two of us spoke out of turn!"

Under the gaze of Huang Zicheng and the other two,

Zhu Yunwen, lost in thought, walked into Ciqing Hall.

No sooner had he entered the hall than Lady Lu, accompanied by two maids, brought a cup of tea forward.

Looking at Zhu Yunwen, she smiled and said,

"Zhu Yunwen, you must have worn out your tongue persuading that Su Qiao; have some tea first to moisten your throat!"

Huang Zicheng stepped forward, looked at Zhu Yunwen, and smiled, saying,

"Congratulations, Your Highness; congratulations, Your Highness! From now on, the throne is secured!"

Qi Tai looked at Huang Zicheng and said, "Mr. Huang, do not be impatient; let the Highness tell us what happened. How exactly did the Highness persuade Su Qiao? Let us see it for ourselves!"

"Yes, Your Highness, please tell us!"

Zhu Yunwen helplessly cupped his hands and said,

"Two Mr. s, this was not a difficult matter."

Hearing Zhu Yunwen say this, Lady Lu's eyes immediately curved into crescent moons as she smiled brightly and said,

"Zhu Yunwen has learned to be humble; humility is good!"

Zhu Yunwen said helplessly,

"Mother, truly there is nothing; Zhu Yunwen only said one sentence."

Huang Zicheng immediately clicked his tongue and said,

"In ancient times, Zhang Yide shouted and broke the Dangyang Bridge; today, the Crown Prince's Highness settled the world with a single word. Marvelous!"

"We only wonder what exactly the Highness said..."

Zhu Yunwen smiled helplessly and said,

"Nothing much; Zhu Yunwen simply said he did not wish to be the heir apparent."

In an instant,

the entire Donggong fell into a dead silence.

37, The Imperial Clan Enters the Capital!

Lady Lu's face twitched slightly.

She had thrown her entire youth into this imperial palace.