Chapter 12: Consultation at the Duke of Wei Mansion

The Duke of Wei Mansion.

"Aunt, save me!"

Zhu Gaoxu moved with lightning speed, rushing into the arms of a quiet young girl.

This girl was none other than Xu Miaoyun's younger sister, Xu Miaojin.

"Zhu Gaoxu, it's no use hiding behind anyone today!"

Xu Miaoyun, who had caught up, shouted loudly.

"Aunt, save me!"

Zhu Gaoxu hugged Xu Miaojin's thigh tightly and began to shake it.

The latter shook her head helplessly: "What kind of trouble have you caused this time? Look at how angry you've made your mother."

Zhu Gaoxu said with a pitiful expression: "I just sawed a few pieces of wood, that's all."

Hearing this, Xu Miaojin immediately looked at Xu Miaoyun and said: "Sister, this is where you are in the wrong..."

"Do you know where he sawed the wood from? The Imperial Palace!"

Xu Miaoyun said through gritted teeth.

Xu Miaojin was stunned for a moment, then looked at Zhu Gaoxu with a surprised expression.

Then, she raised her fist.

Slap! Slap!

She landed two smacks directly on Zhu Gaoxu's bottom.

"Ouch! Aunt, I was wrong!"

Zhu Gaoxu jumped straight up from the beating and loudly admitted his mistake.

"Gaoxu, how could you go to the Imperial Palace and run wild?"

Xu Miaojin opened her beautiful eyes wide, gesturing as if to hit him again.

"Alright, that's enough!" Xu Miaoyun couldn't watch anymore and exposed them directly: "You two can stop acting for me now."

"Hehe!"

Zhu Gaoxu felt a bit embarrassed and hid behind Xu Miaojin.

Just at this moment, the figure of the Duke of Wei, Xu Da, suddenly appeared outside the courtyard.

"Ahem!"

Seeing their father appear, the two sisters, Xu Miaoyun and Xu Miaojin, stood to the side obediently and bowed: "Father."

"Mm."

Xu Da nodded slightly, then fixed his gaze on Zhu Gaoxu.

After looking him over for a while, he even reached out to touch his bones.

"His Majesty has enfeoffed him as the Nanyang Commandery Prince?"

Xu Da was naturally well-informed.

Beside him, Xu Miaoyun nodded: "Yes, but Father..."

"Mao Xiang has lost his authority as the Commander of the Brocade Guard," Xu Da said. "Jiang Huan has replaced him. Do you know where Mao Xiang went afterward?"

Xu Miaoyun and her sister looked at each other in dismay.

They did not know this news.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Miaoyun said: "Mao Xiang surely wouldn't step down so easily, would he?"

Xu Da slowly stood up: "You have been clever since you were young and have a clear grasp of the court situation, but this time, Mao Xiang not only stepped down unscathed, he even became this boy's bodyguard."

Xu Miaoyun and Xu Miaojin were instantly shocked.

A dignified Commander of the Brocade Guard, a high-ranking official of the third rank, had now actually become the bodyguard of a four-year-old child?!

This...

"How is this possible!"

Xu Miaoyun said in shock: "Why would His Majesty make such an arrangement?"

"Indeed!"

Xu Miaojin was also completely baffled: "This matter is truly contrary to reason!"

If one were to say His Majesty favored Zhu Gaoxu.

Then this was going a bit too far!

"Could it be because Gaoxu fell from a tree and was nearly injured, so His Majesty punished Mao Xiang for not watching over him properly?"

Xu Miaoyun speculated.

Only this explanation could barely make sense.

However, Xu Da shook his head: "You do not understand His Majesty; even I cannot see through His Majesty's arrangements now."

At this moment, Xu Da was also filled with doubts.

According to his assumptions, if His Majesty was no longer using Mao Xiang.

Then there would certainly be two outcomes.

One was to find an excuse to kill him directly, or even wipe out his entire clan, which was not impossible.

After all, Mao Xiang knew too much, and killing him had far more benefits than not killing him!

The second was to have Mao Xiang secretly vanish from the face of the earth.

Yet, contrary to Xu Da's expectations, this was the actual result!

At this time, Zhu Gaoxu said indignantly: "Grandfather Emperor making this guy Mao Xiang my bodyguard, isn't that just turning me into an antagonist to all the officials? After all, this old guy Mao Xiang has offended quite a few people."

Hmm?!

Xu Da raised an eyebrow and said with a sudden realization, "Zhu Gaoxu's words truly hit the mark!"

Xu Miaoyun said with a heavy expression, "To be ostracized by the hundred officials and also to enter the Eastern Palace—this is the sign of a lone minister."

Xu Da beckoned, "Zhu Gaoxu."

Zhu Gaoxu leaned in close.

"What your grandfather is saying to you now, you must remember firmly; you cannot forget a single word!"

Seeing Xu Da so serious, Zhu Gaoxu had no choice but to nod.

"Since His Majesty has enfeoffed you as the Nanyang Commandery Prince, and the Crown Prince has also permitted you to study in the Eastern Palace, you must not be careless about this matter."

Xu Da said in a deep voice, "After entering the Eastern Palace, Zhu Xiongying is the Imperial Grandson and also the Crown Prince's eldest son by his primary wife; you must never offend him, and in fact, you must try your best to befriend him!"

"Next is Zhu Yunwen; his mother is the Crown Princess Lv Shi, so you must also be very careful..."

Since His Majesty wants to turn Zhu Gaoxu into a lone minister.

Xu Da naturally also wants to help his grandson seek a foundation for his standing.

And the greatest reliance for a lone minister is the trust of the emperor.

Another point is the bond of brotherhood!

After listening to Xu Da's instructions, Zhu Gaoxu nodded with a smile and said, "Grandson will follow Grandfather's teachings!"

"However, Big Brother will also go to the Eastern Palace with me. When the time comes, I will befriend Zhu Xiongying; Big Brother prefers literary pursuits, so his relationship with that Zhu Yunwen surely won't be bad."

Hearing this, Xu Miaoyun said crossly, "With your big brother's temperament, he will handle those relationships well; it is mainly you, you brat."

Zhu Gaochi is now over six years old, has a quite pleasing appearance, is a little fatty, and has a gentle temperament, able to make friends with anyone.

Zhu Gaoxu is the complete opposite; he can cause chaos wherever he goes and is extremely mischievous.

"Father," Xu Miaojin spoke up at this moment, "The person responsible for teaching the Imperial Grandson in the Eastern Palace is Lv Ben; what is this man's temperament like?"

"Lv Ben is a descendant of a prestigious family and has quite the demeanor of a great Confucian scholar."

Xu Da pondered and said, "Back when His Majesty was still the Prince of Wu, Lv Ben was already a Clerk of the Secretariat."

"Later, when His Majesty ascended the throne, he was directly appointed as the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices."