Chapter 1569: The Regent Prince Dotes on Me Too Much, What Should I Do? 38

The small booklet recording the investiture was torn to shreds by Xie Zhiwei; naturally it could no longer be used, and the Ministry of Rites officials wouldn't lack the sense to ask again—it was merely a pastime during the Emperor and Prince's quarrels.

Strangely, the Emperor halted the wedding attire regulations the next day; this time the Regent Prince hesitated for a long while but finally agreed, and after a lengthy private discussion with the Minister of Works, Chu Qingqing was joyfully appointed as a female official, no longer the future Empress.

Moreover, the sole attendant Yu Huayao, upon leaving the temporary palace, was granted the title of Marquis and stationed in Jiangnan, forbidden from entering the palace for life.

This was Yu Huayao's final request; his tone shifted from its previous gloom to a rare delight, just like the joy he felt long ago when he asked Jin Chen for that hairpin.

Jin Chen's harem had no one else; it seemed some knot in his heart had been untied, and Xie Zhiwei no longer often felt jealous, only occasionally still reminding Jin Chen not to neglect state affairs, and would have someone bring memorials to Bihua Hall to keep him company while he reviewed them.

Days passed one by one, just as they had accompanied and guarded each other in Bihua Hall, and the year's end arrived.

At year's end came Jin Chen's coming-of-age ceremony.

Xie Zhiwei was more attentive than Jin Chen, almost daily summoning Ministry of Rites officials to discuss every aspect of the coming-of-age ceremony; even the attire was revised five times, and in the end Jin Chen casually picked a set to put Xie Zhiwei's mind at ease, ending his fussing.

The coming-of-age ceremony was grand; nearly all officials had been won over by Xie Zhiwei, none dared harbor thoughts of rebellion, and their congratulations and blessings to Jin Chen were sincere.

But Jin Chen still found it overly tedious; even though his health was now excellent to an extreme, a day's worth left him nearly exhausted, and Jin Chen lay on the couch complaining once more about this world that overemphasizes martial prowess— the coming-of-age ceremony actually required him to rely solely on martial strength to challenge a hundred experts in succession!

Jin Chen turned over, burrowed into the blankets waiting for Xie Zhiwei to finish attending to the officials at the coming-of-age ceremony, closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.

【Host! Good news!】 Ling Gun Gun popped out.

【Countdown in progress! Your Spiritual Power is very useful; the medical system says we can soon produce the elixir!】

Just then, the palace maid sent by Jin Chen to fetch the Prince back rushed in, kneeling to report: 'Your Majesty, the Prince has disappeared!'

Jin Chen immediately sat up, a bad premonition stirring in his heart: 'What do you mean, disappeared? How could someone so big just vanish?'

'De Quan, who follows the Prince, said the Prince should have returned to Bihua Hall half an hour ago; they all knew they were coming to find you, so they didn't follow...'

Jin Chen hurried out of the hall, with Liu Feng and De Quan rushing this way, followed behind by An Jiu leading the Heavenly Hidden Guard.

An Jiu clasped his fists, his tone grave: 'Your Majesty, the master did not let the Heavenly Hidden Guard follow; we… cannot find him either.'

Jin Chen felt a moment of mental turmoil, and he flung his sleeves and shouted: 'Send the Dark Dragon Army and the Imperial Guard to search; if they're not inside the palace, search outside!'

Yes!

The night was thick with darkness; after the day's bustle, Bihua Hall grew even quieter, lacking the usual bedtime whispers accompanied by moonlight, leaving only an empty hall.

People kept coming to report that the Prince hadn't been found; the places Xie Zhiwei often frequented turned up empty, and even the Dark Dragon Army, who knew the Imperial Palace inside out, couldn't locate him.

An Jiu, who had been Xie Zhiwei's personal attendant the longest, understood that as long as the master didn't want to be found, even searching the entire Imperial Palace would be futile.

After searching the Imperial Garden, they went the opposite way to the Imperial Medical Institute.

Imperial Physician Liu and Xian Ming, upon hearing of the Prince's disappearance, first thought of that day's pulse diagnosis.

'Not good… hurry, hurry and report to the Emperor, the Prince might be seeking a place to abandon his martial arts!' The elderly Imperial Physician Liu was frightened enough to gasp; without even putting on his outer robe, he grabbed the still somewhat dazed Xian Ming and rushed to Bihua Hall.

Inside Bihua Hall, Jin Chen, who wanted to go out to search together, was confined by the National Teacher.

'Your Majesty, this is the Prince's verbal order; I dare not defy it.'

The National Teacher held his staff, guarding the door; all doors inside the hall stood wide open, yet he actually used a formation to trap Jin Chen, preventing him from leaving.

Jin Chen originally thought Xie Zhiwei was up to something else to hide from him, and so he wasn't overly anxious in dealing with the National Teacher—but who would have expected that Imperial Physician Liu, rushing out to the hall's exterior, would utter those very words: the Prince intends to abandon his martial arts.

The National Teacher gripped his staff tightly: 'Imperial Physician Liu surely wouldn't dare tell the Prince that method; was it you who said it?'

'Senior Brother…' Xian Ming came to his senses from his dazed state, seeing the National Teacher's less-than-approving gaze, and exclaimed in astonishment: 'I was just stating the facts; I never imagined the Prince would actually go through with this.'

In the state of Da Jin, such an act is no less than suicide; Xian Ming had already witnessed two cases in a short time, truly beyond belief.

Suddenly the formation was broken; the National Teacher was no match for Jin Chen, and narrowly avoided suffering a backlash from the formation.

Your Majesty—

Get out!

Amidst the shocked expressions of those present, Jin Chen strode away; An Jiu glanced at the National Teacher, who seemed to doubt his own life after the formation's failure, quickly followed Jin Chen, asking as they walked: 'Your Majesty, do you know where the master is?'

I know.

Even if I didn't know, I couldn't just let Xie Zhiwei keep doing stupid things behind my back.

Jin Chen was filled with indignation, yet forgot to ask Xian Ming why Xie Zhiwei wanted to abandon his martial arts; after his divine sense swept over the Imperial Palace, he quickly located the place where the Prince had hidden himself.

Climbing Moon Tower.

Behind the pavilion at the farthest corner of the Imperial Garden stands the highest building in the palace, but since Jin Chen's accession no consorts have resided there, leaving it deserted for a long time.

The stairs alone number in the thousands, with no safety measures whatsoever; even ordinary people would find it difficult to climb due to vertigo.

An Jiu paused at the foot of the stairs, sensibly deciding not to go up.

He thought, 'Even if Your Majesty discovers the master today, what will you choose later when the divine medicine is no longer effective?'

Liu Feng gave the pensive person a doubtful look, gripping his sword and asking: 'What exactly happened? Why must you master and servant conspire together to hide this?'

An Jiu: 'If the master does not consume imperial blood, he will die; but if he continues to do so, Your Majesty will be abolished—how to resolve this?'

Liu Feng: '……' I don't know.

Is this something a guard like me ought to consider?

'Your Majesty said he would have a way,' Liu Feng said firmly, 'It's the Prince himself who doesn't believe; Your Majesty is furious tonight, so the Prince will surely need coaxing again.'

'Wait a moment.' Liu Feng suddenly realized something, and asked in disbelief: 'So earlier the Prince kept urging Your Majesty to take an Empress, not so he could have the Empress bear a prince early, and then…'

'Yes.' An Jiu nodded calmly, 'It's just that the Prince is soft-hearted, unwilling to let Your Majesty marry anyone else.'

'No… is that the issue? Even if a child were born, it would still be Your Majesty's own flesh and blood! How could you bleed someone so small?'

Liu Feng jumped back three steps, exclaiming: 'Your Dark Dragon Army is utterly inhumane!'

'Raise them to adulthood, and it's possible,' An Jiu continued coldly, 'The master must not die, nor does he wish Your Majesty to die—anyone else can die.'

Liu Feng: '……'

He turned his head to stare at the endless staircase, still resolute: 'I believe Your Majesty definitely has a way.'

Your Majesty can now even defeat the National Teacher!