Chapter 1551

Prince's mansion.

Han Zhou's injury was too severe; after leaving the frightening Regent Prince's mansion, he completely passed out. Mu Zhengzheng directly had someone go to the palace to request an imperial physician to come see.

Well, Xie Zhiwei's venting exceeded real killing intent; although the wounds bled a lot, there was nothing fatal.

Han Zhou was unconscious; Mu Zhengzheng was naturally angry and worried. During that time, a strategist came over to discuss with him once. After learning what Mu Zhengzheng had said in the Regent Prince's mansion, he could not agree at all, feeling Mu Zhengzheng was too rash.

Mu Zhengzheng, however, faintly felt that there must be another way; this feeling grew stronger when he went to fetch Han Zhou but saw that the atmosphere between Xie Zhiwei and the little emperor was strange.

After guarding for three days, Han Zhou finally woke up slowly. Mu Zhengzheng ordered the kitchen to bring the prepared congee and also had the imperial physician take his pulse.

Fortunately, Han Zhou had been trained as a non-human dark guard since childhood, having endured even more severe injuries before; this time he likewise survived the ordeal unscathed.

After the pain subsided, Han Zhou originally thought what awaited him was his master's disdain; he supported his body, wanting to kneel and beg for mercy, whether to cease being a personal attendant or not again… serving in bed, at least to allow him to stay in the prince's mansion.

"Just woke up, don't think wildly." Mu Zhengzheng handed him the medicine bowl, took the handkerchief and wiped his hands, saying: "If I wanted to discard you, why would I risk the plan being exposed by rescuing you from the Regent Prince's mansion?"

Han Zhou, overwhelmed by favor, hastily drank the bitter medicine, his complexion pallid as he looked at Mu Zhengzheng, and then was embraced by him.

"What exactly is going on?" Mu Zhengzheng asked, "Xie Zhiwei assigned you to be by my side for nearly a year; why did he suddenly turn against you?"

Thinking of Xie Zhiwei, Han Zhou instinctively felt fear and whispered hoarsely: "It's because… Yu Huayao."

He still remembered that night, the moon high in the sky, when the Heaven Concealed Guard summoned him back to the prince's mansion.

Han Zhou was trained by Xie Zhiwei, and he had never seen him like that… as if abandoned by the whole world.

After that came the pain of the whip lashing his body; when Xie Zhiwei grew tired from beating and rested, he once asked his former close comrades from the dark guard camp, only to learn that his relationship with his master had long been exposed, and that Xie Zhiwei's intense fury tonight was actually because His Majesty had favored Yu Guijun.

"He should know that Yu Huayao is someone you sent into the palace."

Han Zhou withdrew from his memories and said: "The Regent Prince and His Majesty seem to have a more intimate relationship."

"This..." Mu Zhengzheng was surprised for a moment, but it was largely consistent with his earlier speculation; he just hadn't expected that the little emperor, besides having his power suppressed, would also have to endure the affection of such a ruthless person, which is truly somewhat pitiful.

"Master..." Han Zhou tugged slightly at Mu Zhengzheng's sleeve, leaning into his embrace and softly asking: "You won't hand me over to the Regent Prince for punishment, will you?"

"Of course." Mu Zhengzheng frowned at him.

"Then let me tell you another thing."

Han Zhou gathered his courage, speaking softly yet seriously: "The Regent Prince's consummate martial art is a fragmented scroll; its energy is incomplete, requiring each month to be suppressed with the fresh blood of the True Dragon Son of Heaven, otherwise it will backfire and kill him."

"True Dragon Son of Heaven!" Mu Zhengzheng exclaimed in shock, "Could it not be… His Majesty?!"

Now the imperial lineage has withered; only Jin Chen can bear the title of True Dragon Son of Heaven!

"No wonder..."

After a round of surprise, all previously inexplicable things can now be explained.

No wonder the main gate of Bihua Palace stays shut in mid-month; no wonder Xie Zhiwei previously seemed indifferent to the little emperor yet overly concerned for his safety; no wonder the little emperor's body was so weak before cultivating his spirit.

"Who else knows about this?" Mu Zhengzheng asked.

Han Zhou shook his head: "This is of great importance; only the Regent Prince's people know."

In that case, as long as that pitiful little emperor is killed, even without acting against Xie Zhiwei, he would surely not survive.

Thinking of this, Mu Zhengzheng's expression suddenly became complex.

"You should rest first," Mu Zhengzheng helped him lie down in the bed, softly coaxing: "I will discuss matters with the strategist, then come keep you company."

Han Zhou naturally agreed, tired and closing his eyes.

——

Yun Xiao, ever since being ennobled as a favored attendant, had never shown his face, also allowing Yu Huayao to receive lavish favor, until the front court and rear palace stopped discussing the matter of accepting a favored attendant, whereupon he no longer avoided his sharpness.

He deliberately chose to simmer lotus seed soup for relieving summer heat at noon; fortunately, after Gao Kun reported, His Majesty did not refuse and permitted him to enter Bihua Palace to serve.

But Yun Xiao did not expect the Regent Prince to also be present; upon entering the hall in plain blue robes, he was frightened by Xie Zhiwei's cold, gloomy gaze and hastily knelt to pay respects.

"Your servant pays respects to His Majesty and has seen the Prince."

Having waited long for this opportunity, Yun Xiao was unwilling to give it up; after receiving permission, he rose and took the lotus seed soup from the palace maid, placing it before Jin Chen's table.

"Your Majesty, these are lotus seeds I peeled in the palace; they're still fresh, please drink them while hot." Yun Xiao, unlike Yu Huayao's "arrogant due to favor," is always gentle and capable, leaving no fault to be found.

"Only one bowl?" Jin Chen asked, after tasting a spoonful he found the flavor not bad.

"Also bring a bowl of soup for the Prince."

"Of course there is." Yun Xiao pretended not to notice Xie Zhiwei's increasingly cold gaze, personally brought another bowl over, saying: "Prince, please."

Xie Zhiwei's cold gaze eventually withdrew; he intended to drink the soup and let the offending favored attendant leave, but upon reaching out to take it, he suddenly felt scalding and instinctively jerked back.

"Ah!"

Yun Xiao was startled by his withdrawing hand pushing him away; the still-hot lotus seed soup thus fell to the ground, shards of porcelain suddenly bursting and splashing, actually cutting Xie Zhiwei's hand back.

"How presumptuous!"

Xie Zhiwei raised his hand and slapped him; the anger in his heart, as blood flowed from the back of his hand, reached its peak: "What sort of foxish seduction tactics dare to be used on me."

"Let me see it quickly." Jin Chen had already pulled his hand over, brows tightly furrowed, "Does it hurt? Gao Kun! Summon the imperial physician!"

Xie Zhiwei's fingers twitched slightly; he subconsciously swallowed back the harmless words, and in a low voice said, "I also feel pain."

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger, Prince, please calm your anger!" Yun Xiao was frightened until his face turned bloodless, "Your servant did not mean it, I just didn't expect the Prince to suddenly withdraw his hand; Your Majesty, please spare your servant……"

Yun Xiao's crying was also extremely restrained; Jin Chen looked over and only then realized his fearful expression was not feigned, and he was even more seriously wounded, blood continuously seeping from his palm and the tiger's mouth.

Good grief, it's so awful—who broke the bowl?

Jin Chen glanced again at the shards on the floor; for the first time he didn't notice who was playing petty tricks.

"Your Majesty..." Xie Zhiwei saw his attention drawn, his trembling wrist tightly gripping Jin Chen, his phoenix eyes revealed an indescribable sourness, "After all, is your favored servant still more important?"

"Nonsense, naturally you are the most important." Jin Chen couldn't see any way out, hearing this he helplessly retorted, "Why do you always compare others?"

Xie Zhiwei's tense body finally relaxed, leaning on Jin Chen's shoulder; he lifted his gaze toward the person kneeling on the ground, his eyes deep.

Yun Xiao couldn't believe what he had heard.

The Prince and Your Majesty……

He was shocked inside, but dared not show it on his face; the pain in his hand was too severe, so he hurriedly kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty…… your servant… your servant's injury is not serious, I'll return to the palace first."

Jin Chen was still regretting, then wanted to drink some soup but ended up letting Xie Zhiwei get hurt; he gave a hum, too lazy to bother with him.

Xie Zhiwei let the arriving imperial physician treat the wound, his dark gaze fixed on Yun Xiao's departing back, then glanced toward the corner where the Heavenly Concealed Guards were, giving a silent instruction.

Just as Jin Chen was about to notice something, Xie Zhiwei leaned into his embrace and shrank back, his voice trembling slightly: "It hurts..."

"Gently." Jin Chen hurriedly said to the imperial physician.

Imperial physician: "......"

This is the prince, after all—how could he be afraid of the pain of a cut? It's truly strange and bizarre.