Chapter 1781: Chapter 1781
It’s important to know that such a punishment is rarely used on concubines of high status; it’s mostly applied to those who have just entered the palace or those of lower rank who have just received favor.
Lin Yuan could almost picture Consort Liu’s exasperated and furious expression at this moment; she must have aged at least ten years!
Seeing the excitement in Xia Zheng’s eyes, Lin Yuan intuitively sensed there was more to the story and said with a smile, "It’s not just about Consort Liu, is it? What else happened?"
Xia Zheng raised his hand and tapped her forehead, jesting, "Indeed, nothing can be hidden from you. Today, while honoring our ancestors, Consort Liu was absent, which was naturally embarrassing for Second Prince Zhao Hongsheng, being her biological son. This fool, seemingly out of sheer stupidity, made a plea before the Emperor in front of many. Ha, what an idiot!"
Xia Zheng paused as if reminiscing about the scene from the morning, his lips curling into a mocking smile.
Wasn’t he an idiot? Did he really not understand the shameful actions his mother had committed? Being confined by the Old Emperor and stripped of the privilege to honor ancestors was only natural, wasn’t it?
Yet, Zhao Hongsheng insisted on making a plea before the Old Emperor in front of so many people. If it were just a plea, it might have been excusable, but he gave the impression that the Old Emperor was ungrateful.
Perhaps Zhao Hongsheng didn’t intend that, but to outsiders, and to the Old Emperor, it certainly seemed different.
The Old Emperor was furious on the spot and scolded Zhao Hongsheng harshly. If it weren’t for the officials supporting the Second Prince persuading him, that fool would likely have been sent back to his mansion to reflect.
After hearing Xia Zheng’s words, Lin Yuan curled her lips and sneered, "Zhao Hongsheng seemed like quite a clever person, how could he do something so foolish? Even if he really wanted to plead, he shouldn’t have done it at that moment!"
When one’s mother is confined, remaining indifferent as a son is truly heartless. But Zhao Hongsheng truly picked the wrong time.
Xia Zheng scoffed, mocking, "Was he confused? He was just panicking. The Yao Mansion put too much pressure on him, and with Consort Liu confined, how could he not panic? As for pleading in front of everyone, ha, perhaps he thought the Emperor would consider his reputation. Yet he never imagined he still miscalculated."
Was it really just that?
Lin Yuan felt uncertain, and Xia Zheng also noticed the confusion on her face. Glancing at Lady Liu, who was conversing with Hai Tang, he chuckled quietly, "I’ve heard that Big Grey Wolf Mansion is home to a group of strategists, and he often has strategists by his side. Even Miss Tang is said to frequently give him ideas."
Upon hearing this, how could Lin Yuan not understand?
Consort Liu was confined by the Emperor before the ancestral rites, and at that time, Zhao Hongsheng was probably already on his way to the palace, so there was no way he could have known in advance.
Without prior knowledge, he couldn’t consult with the strategists, and without a consultation, he had to deal with it himself on the spot. Read complete version only at novel_fіre.net
Yet, in his impulsiveness, he made the worst possible decision.
However, this incident revealed to everyone that Zhao Hongsheng truly was a short-sighted person. If only he had exercised a bit of patience, he wouldn’t have embarrassed himself further in front of the officials.
Clearly, Xia Zheng hadn’t finished speaking, and he reached out to grab Lin Yuan’s hand.
With Lady Liu in the room, how could Lin Yuan allow him to show such intimacy in front of her mother?
Before Xia Zheng’s hand could reach her, she immediately retracted it into her sleeve, glaring at him sharply.
Xia Zheng wasn’t bothered, and instead, he laughed mischievously.
Lin Yuan’s mouth twitched, realizing she had just been tricked. He wasn’t trying to hold her hand at all; he was just teasing her!
Silently cursing Xia Zheng, Lin Yuan shot him a sharp look before letting it go.
Xia Zheng, however, found it delightful and continued laughing, "I heard that after he returned to his mansion, he went back to the palace in the afternoon. Apparently, he went to apologize to the Emperor, even changing his stance on the Consort Liu matter. He stated that she was in the wrong for embarrassing herself in front of the Crown Prince of Xiliang and deserved to be confined and punished. Tch, tch, would such a concession really come from the arrogant Second Prince who always wants to flaunt his wolf’s tail in the sky?"
Lin Yuan didn’t believe it either, but it once again proved that Zhao Hongsheng did have strategists by his side, and very clever ones at that.
But what good are strategists? When the master is like a lame duck, no matter how capable the strategists, it’s all in vain.
For now, at least, Consort Liu remains out of favor with the Emperor. The fact that she hasn’t been demoted is probably out of consideration for the now-adult Second Prince Zhao Hongsheng.