Huangxiu

Chapter 11 Visit
At noon, he noticed something unusual outside, so he left the west hall of Mingwu Hall and came to the yard next to the martial arts training ground.

This yard is a small martial arts training ground.

The personal eunuch Zou Fang and other eunuchs of the crown prince and the prince were waiting here, most of them were practicing martial arts and cultivating themselves.

Zou Fang stopped his boxing stance, floated to Chu Zhiyuan without touching the ground, clasped his fists and said softly, "Sir, there is a message."

He took out a note from his sleeve.

The cover is azure blue, with a white cloud floating in the upper left corner and the blue sky as a backdrop, the style is simple and elegant.

Chu Zhiyuan raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips.

Zou Fang opened the note and showed it to him: "This note was handed in by General Manager Feng outside the palace gate."

Chu Zhiyuan looked at the invitation.

"At the 15th hour of the twilight hour, the third floor of Liuyun Tower is waiting for the arrival of the Crown Prince. Jiang Qiuge from the Zhenwu Division is here to pay his respects."

Jiang Qiuge's movements are quite quick.

"Let's practice here today and go back early."

He gestured to Zou Fang to accept the invitation, then turned around and went back to the martial arts training ground.

In the midday sun, Chu Zhichuan was the only one swinging his sword in the empty martial arts training ground of Mingwu Hall. His sword moves were dense, and the sword light was light and bright like a waterfall.

Chu Zhiyuan raised his voice and said, "Tenth brother, let's go."

"Fourth brother goes first." Chu Zhichuan responded, without stopping his sword.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

Chu Zhichuan is really competitive. He works so hard because he wants to defeat me in the next competition.

When he arrived at Nangong Gate, Feng Xi and Guo Chi were already waiting with eight innate masters.

Chu Zhiyuan asked as he walked: "How's it going over there?"

"The masters from the Zhenwu Division have taken over and sent out four Grandmasters."

Chu Zhiyuan returned to the palace surrounded by everyone.

There was no one following us along the way.

Not only did the Zhenwu Division withdraw, but the other group of pursuers also disappeared. The place became completely quiet, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.

The two groups of stalkers were like two dark clouds hanging over his heart, making him alert and depressed, and feeling threatened and uneasy all the time.

It also constantly reminds him of his weakness.

This feeling is extremely uncomfortable.

-

The sound of the piano floats over the misty lake.

In the Yaoyue Pavilion, two beautiful maids in snow-white clothes were playing the piano.

Their eyes were as bright as water, and from time to time they glanced at Chu Zhiyuan who was lying on the Arhat bed opposite them. Their smiles were as beautiful as flowers, and their looks were radiant.

The sound of the piano is lofty, quiet and has the effect of clearing the mind and soothing the spirit.

The subtle fragrance of the two women floated in the pavilion, adding a touch of charm.

Zou Fang stood at the entrance of the pavilion as usual, holding a white jade whisk motionless, as if he were a piece of wood and easily overlooked.

Chu Zhiyuan sat cross-legged on the Arhat bed, holding a long sword as clear as autumn water, and slid his left hand along the sword body with sword gestures.

The cold light reflected from the sword was reflected on his sharp eyebrows.

He concentrated his mind and drilled into the interior of the sword.

If it was an ordinary sword, he would be able to see everything inside the sword clearly, even down to every grain, by concentrating his mind like this.

But there was an invisible force within the sword that blocked his perception.

Finally, he shook his head helplessly.

In the acquired realm, internal energy cannot be released externally and can only circulate within one's own body. Otherwise, if the internal energy is pushed into the sword, the super sense will follow it inside and one will see it clearly.

If you don’t reach the innate state and cannot release your internal energy, you are not considered a true warrior.

He disappeared from the Arhat bed in a flash, and appeared in front of the railing of the pavilion. He stabbed the night sky with his sword a dozen times before sheathing it and standing on the Dragon Subduing Post.

Seeing him like this, the two girls turned their piano music into a calm and leisurely one, so as to avoid disturbing him with sudden ups and downs.

As he was getting into the mood, he suddenly opened his eyes and turned his head to look.

Chu Minghou's thin and tall figure appeared in the corridor on the lake.

His grey robe fluttered in the wind, his beard fluttered under his chin, and he walked slowly, looking like an immortal.

Chu Zhiyuan put away the Dragon Subduing Pillar and walked out of the pavilion: "Father."

"Yuan'er." Chu Minghou smiled and stepped into the pavilion.

The sound of the piano stopped suddenly.

Two maids in white stood up and saluted.

Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand.

They lightly left the pavilion and walked away gracefully.

"Father, Master Li Moqing didn't come today?" "Mr. Moqing will come over this afternoon. Yuan'er, I want to discuss something with you."

"Father, please give me your orders."

"Ten days from now is a big day."

Chu Zhiyuan was puzzled.

The birthdays of the family of four quickly flashed through my mind, but none of them, so what important day was that?
He turned and looked at Zou Fang.

Zou Fang shook her head slightly.

Chu Minghou said: "Your second uncle's birthday is coming."

Chu Zhiyuan's face changed slightly.

Chu Minghou sighed, raised his eyes to look at the misty lake, and sighed: "Our palace has been unsealed, but your second uncle is still imprisoned inside."

"Father, please be careful with your words." Chu Zhiyuan said hurriedly.

He glanced around.

The reason why I like being on this lake is that I don’t have to worry about ambushes or eavesdropping on the walls.

Chu Minghou shook his head sadly: "Can't I even mention it now?"

"Father..." Chu Zhiyuan said helplessly: "We have just been released from the ban, so we need to be careful in what we say and do, so as not to make the emperor think that he has no remorse."

"..."

Chu Minghou fell silent, with a look of even greater melancholy on his face. After a long while, he sighed, "The relationship between father and son has come to this point. Alas..."

"Father, why was my second uncle imprisoned?"

The confinement of the Second Prince Chu Mingren was extremely abrupt; the imperial decree came suddenly without giving any reason.

There were many rumors in the market, and the most accepted version was that the second prince violated the palace taboo and had an affair with a concubine in the harem, which was discovered by the emperor.

Chu Minghou frowned.

"Father, you don't know either?"

"I don't know."

"..." Chu Zhiyuan was speechless.

You don't know the reason, but you're still begging for mercy?

The second uncle was wise and brave, and had many of his father's qualities. He was the most likely to inherit the throne, and he and the emperor got along well with each other. It was no big mistake to suddenly order his imprisonment.

If you ask for mercy without knowing anything, you will only bring trouble upon yourself.

"When I was twelve years old, I participated in a hunting expedition. Suddenly, a demon leopard appeared. If your second uncle hadn't risked his life to block me, you and your sister wouldn't be alive. Your second uncle was seriously injured and almost died."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly.

Over the years, no one in the palace has ever mentioned the second prince, and everyone from top to bottom is taboo about using this name.

"After so many years, your royal grandfather's anger should have subsided. Since he was able to lift the ban on our palace, he might also be able to lift the ban on your second uncle soon."

"Father, it's different." Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

All in all, the Qing Palace was sealed because of his recklessness, after all, he had no other sins.

Even so, the title was kept for thirty years, which shows how angry the emperor was.

I'm afraid he won't calm down and will remain imprisoned forever.

"When our palace was sealed, we couldn't go visit your uncle. Now that we are released from the ban, we should go see him."

"Father, please think twice!" Chu Zhiyuan said seriously.

"Your mother has advised me, and I am not unwilling to listen to her advice. I will not go there in person, lest I really anger the emperor. You can go visit your second uncle on my behalf."

Chu Zhiyuan frowned, pondered for a moment, and finally shook his head: "Father, given the current situation in our palace, it is better to be safe and not take any more risks, otherwise..."

It is not advisable to take any action before we know what crime the King of Jing committed to be imprisoned. After all, he has been imprisoned for thirty years. We have done our best and no one will say anything.

From the emperor's perspective, visiting the King of Jing is an act of affection, but from a different perspective it is a provocation.

"At normal times, you don't have to go. In a few days it will be your second uncle's 60th birthday. It's a lonely and desolate 60th birthday. It's really..." Chu Minghou shook his head and sighed, "I really can't bear it."

Chu Zhiyuan said: "If we visit Second Uncle, we will be sealed off again or even imprisoned. Will Father still give it a try?"

This father of mine is good in every way except that he is too kind and too sentimental.

This is both an advantage and a disadvantage.

"It's not necessary to seal the mansion again." Chu Minghou shook his head: "You are a junior, it is natural to visit your elders, there is nothing wrong with it, not to mention, you are different now."

He smiled.

The reason I dare to mention this is that I have the confidence.

My father attaches great importance to martial arts, so he will definitely look favorably upon and be more tolerant of his grandson who has amazing talent in martial arts.

Even if he was dissatisfied, he would not punish his grandson as severely as he did in the past.

"I know that my father feels guilty for not visiting my second uncle, and he has trouble eating and sleeping. But my father needs to think it through. Should he let the whole family risk being shut down or even imprisoned to preserve the brotherhood, or should he accept the guilt and fulfill the responsibilities of father and son and husband and wife?"

Chu Minghou stared at Chu Zhiyuan helplessly. Seeing Chu Zhiyuan's solemn expression, he finally sighed helplessly, shook his head and left.

(End of this chapter)