Chapter 956: I

Hall of Returning Spring.

Jin Chen had just entered when he heard the sound of wailing from inside the hall.

The hall was filled with kneeling palace maids and eunuchs; upon seeing Jin Chen arrive, the attending maid hurried to report.

"Greetings, Your Majesty, please look at my master; he keeps wailing and insists on seeing you."

Jin Chen walked inside; as soon as he stepped into the inner chamber, the person on the bed saw him and immediately began wailing again.

"Your Majesty… you've finally come."

Shaochun cried so hard his body trembled, Tears fell in large drops, the corners of his eyes red from crying; upon seeing Jin Chen, he knelt up and sought a hug.

Jin Chen was startled and took two steps back.

Good heavens, what stimulus has the protagonist shou received? You have this whole coquettish ability—use it on the protagonist gong; why torture me?

"Wuwuwu, why are you still ignoring me?"

Shaochun casually wiped away Tears with the back of his hand, his lashes wet, muttering, "You must have been bewitched by the Empress; otherwise why would you suddenly be so harsh on me?"

"Don't spout nonsense."

Jin Chen's tone was indifferent; as he watched him cry, there was not a flicker in his eyes.

"If you're unwell, take medicine; why summon me?"

Come on, protagonist shou, get to work! Hurry and lure out the spy!

Shaochun lifted his head, anxious and uneasy, his suppressed sobs growing louder: "How can you be like this! You yourself said you'd never be harsh with me!"

That was what the original tyrant said; what does it have to do with me?

Jin Chen muttered to himself absentmindedly.

"You also said you disliked most the Empress's overly strict adherence to rules, finding him bland… yet now that he's ill, you can stick by him side‑by‑side, while I cannot… Wuwuwu, I hate you!"

Jin Chen fiddled with his cuff and began to zone out.

Shaochun, after all, is a cat demon; having been raised by Jin Chen for so long, even if he doesn't like him, he doesn't want anyone else to take his affection, especially since it's the person he dislikes most.

The more he thought about it, the more wronged he felt, and his crying grew louder; but things are different now—Jin Chen no longer coaxes him.

Thus Shaochun felt even more miserable; his gaze at Jin Chen was no different from that at a faithless lover.

Jin Chen finally grew annoyed by his incessant wailing and decided to personally help the protagonist gong advance the plot.

"I've heard you've been frequently entering and exiting the waterside pavilion on the lake behind the Imperial Garden; what are you up to?"

Jin Chen's intention was merely to remind that certain protagonist shou who cries nonstop that his beloved, whom he constantly thinks of, should be waiting for him at the lakeside pavilion—hurry over, don't forget your man and your mission!

But a cat's brain works differently from a human's.

Shaochun, surprised, seemed to understand something; he suddenly knelt up and grabbed Jin Chen's sleeve, his earlier intense crying making his speech hiccup with sobs.

"Your Majesty, are you… hic… not wanting me to come over? If so, I'll never go again!"

In his view, Jin Chen's sudden change must be because he knows he's been getting close to the Prince, so… so he must be jealous!

Shaochun, thinking he'd figured it out, redoubled his coquettish efforts, shaking Jin Chen's sleeve and saying, "Your Majesty, actually, actually I still like you best."

"I don't understand human feelings, you know—I'm just a cat; you can't blame or scold me…"

Jin Chen: "…"

He pulled his sleeve free, shaking off a layer of gooseflesh.

I don't know what nonsense this little madman is spouting.

"You know full well what I mean."

"Moreover, during this confinement, without my order, you are not to leave privately!"

Jin Chen left those words behind, turning and striding away, fearing that if he slowed he'd be pounced on again.

All these heavenly timing, earthly advantage, and human harmony opportunities have been set up for you and the protagonist gong—seize them quickly!

"Where are you going… Your Majesty!"

Shaochun shouted helplessly a few times, suddenly feeling a bit unsafe, he furtively ducked under the covers to cry.

He must have gone to see that detestable Empress again.

Whoosh—

Shaochun suddenly felt a gust of wind brush past his ear.

He looked up in surprise, but there was nothing.

Being a cautious cat, he immediately sprang up and bared his teeth at the air.

"Who's playing tricks there!"

Only the empty hall answered him.

He could only burrow back in, feeling wronged, thinking he must reclaim what was rightfully his.

That thought lingered for several days.

During these days, the opportunities Jin Chen had specially created for them went unused, and Jin Xiaomo didn't know where he'd gone—he never came to the palace at all.

He sent the secret guards to investigate the spy, but they turned up nothing.

Every night he wanted to go see his beloved Empress, but she flatly refused to open the door, forcing Jin Chen to endure repeated rebuffs.

After a few days of staring each other down with 0731, Jin Chen could bear it no longer and immediately set out to talk with his beloved Empress.

As a result, Yan Fu'an came to report the next second.

"Your Majesty, Prince Xiao has come to see you."

Jin Chen's motion to rise paused, and he was speechless for a moment.

"Neither early nor late, but as soon as he comes he seeks me—let him in."

Quite displeased, he could only sit back on the dragon throne.

"Older brother, what's wrong with you? You seem unwilling to see your younger subject."

As soon as Jin Xiaomo entered, he saw Jin Chen with a cold, grim expression, and casually made a joke: "Didn't you say you brought the imperial sister-in-law out? Could it be that the feelings can't be repaired?"

Jin Chen gave him a cold stare, "Nonsense, what are you talking about? I am the Son of Heaven; how could I be sad over something like this?"

"Funny, you haven't been around these past few days, yet now you have time to come to the palace."

Jin Xiaomo clasped his hands in salute and said, "Your Imperial Elder Brother, I've heard you are investigating the matter of the Martial General."

With both human and material evidence present, Zhang Kui's collusion with cliques and raising a private army of retainers is an ironclad fact; do you still intend to plead for him?

Jin Chen's voice suddenly turned cold, his imperial aura unquestionable and oppressive.

Jin Xiaomo's expression changed, cold sweat breaking out, "Your humble servant dares not, but the Martial General is after all a capable general of our dynasty, let alone the current evidence being merely the Grand Tutor's one-sided account."

"Your Imperial Elder Brother, you should still investigate this thoroughly; don't chill the hearts of the military generals."

Just two short sentences turned this matter into a grudge between civil officials and military generals.

As expected of the protagonist (the top), his ability to stir up trouble is still quite strong.

Jin Chen glanced at him, his eyes angry yet dignified, "You are questioning my decision."

"Lao Wu, I feel you are deliberately trying to keep Zhang Kui's general's position."

Jin Xiaomo immediately knelt, forehead touching the ground, "Your humble servant dares not!"

"It's best if you don't dare, for if I discover you harbor ill intentions," Jin Chen gave him a half-smile, raised his chin, "you know what the consequences are."

"... Yes, your humble servant will faithfully follow your Imperial Elder Brother's orders."

After saying that, the pressure emanating from Jin Chen throughout the Imperial Study finally dissipated; Jin Xiaomo let out a hard sigh, his hands involuntarily clenched into fists, as if he felt his appearance was too embarrassing.

"Go on, don't bring this up again from now on."

Jin Chen leisurely lifted his teacup, looking at Jin Xiaomo with smug satisfaction.