good season

Chapter 180 Destroyed (Two chapters combined)

Zhao Shiqing was delighted to hear this. It was her first time entering the palace, and she had already encountered such a lively scene.
She's truly God's favorite daughter!
Saying this felt a bit unfair to her deceased father, so Zhao Shiqing quickly tried to appease him in her mind: "I'll make you several new outfits for the Cold Clothes Festival, guaranteed to be the latest styles from the capital. I promise that when you wear them, you'll be the most handsome guy in the underworld!"

On second thought, her father had done so many good deeds in his life, he must have been reborn into a good family early on. Who knows which wealthy family he's causing trouble in now? At ten years old, he's at the age where he's climbing on the roof and tearing off the tiles.

His gaze fell on Yan Shiyi beside him. This little brat looked to be only ten years old!
"Ahhh, I can't bear to think about it!" Zhao Shiqing shook her head violently. "It's too terrifying. I can't think about this anymore. I should just open my eyes and watch the show."

Yan Shiyi had no idea that in just a short while, he had gone from Yan Shiyi to Father Shi, and then back to a little kid.

Yan Shiyi and Zhao Shiqing soon arrived outside Yujing Palace. Along the way, they encountered many eunuchs and palace maids. Yan Shiyi only said one sentence, and no one asked any further questions.

Have you seen Zhao Tingluo?

It was only now that Zhao Shiqing truly understood the meaning of Xiao Zhen's words when he said Zhao Tingluo was very familiar with every part of the palace.

It seems there's no one in the palace who doesn't know him, and even those who don't know him personally are aware of his name.

How did a ten-year-old kid manage to do that?
Ten years old, another ten years old!
And he's also a child from a wealthy family!
I can't even imagine it, I can't even imagine it!

Zhao Shiqing shook her head again, shook it, shook it, I shook it again!
Yan Shiyi: This new brother I just met is great in every way, except that he seems to have a lot of water in his head and he keeps shaking it off.

Soon, they joined forces with Zhao Tingluo and Yan Jiu. The two were baring their teeth at a guard who was looking at them. The guard was quite helpless and made a gesture to silence them. He then turned his back and pretended not to see the two little devils.

Try to drive them away; they simply won't leave.

Arrest them. They're just kids. If he dares to arrest them, he'll be the one who suffers in the end.

Zhao Tingluo is the grandson of Prince Fu. Prince Fu was able to escape unscathed from the struggle for the throne and have the retired emperor and his descendants willingly support him, not because he was surnamed Zhao, but because he was a rogue and scoundrel.

Have you ever seen a prince in his twenties lying on the ground throwing a tantrum? Even unofficial histories wouldn't dare to record that!
Prince Fu rolled over, and more than once.

Of course, he also had a brother, Prince Lu, who was not frivolous, but he was stupid and could not read many characters. Every time he went to court, he could only say four words: "Your Majesty is wise!"
!!!

These two were the least promising and most useless of all the princes since childhood. Almost all of the Emperor Emeritus's smart and capable brothers had died, and only Prince Fu and Prince Lu, these two brilliant and promising talents, had survived to this day, and they were living a carefree and happy life.

Whenever the retired emperor wanted the people of the world to show brotherly love and respect, he would reward them handsomely. The retired emperor would perform such a scene several times a year. When Emperor Yongjia came to power, the retired emperor went to the Longevity Palace. Therefore, these two became the only two elders who were still in Emperor Yongjia's presence, apart from the few old concubines.

Therefore, when Emperor Yongjia needed to demonstrate filial piety, he would reward them handsomely. Their grandchildren would often enter the palace to perform for the emperor and the imperial concubines.

As the most beloved grandson of Prince Fu, Zhao Tingluo's best skill was to hug Emperor Yongjia's leg and sweetly say, "Uncle Emperor, I miss you. I'll get thin from hunger if I don't see you soon."

Even if Emperor Yongjia was being insincere, he couldn't just kick him away; he could only pat his head and speak to him in a low voice.

To others, this simply means that Emperor Yongjia liked him.

The Empress and concubines, observing carefully, made sure to show their affection for Zhao Tingluo to the fullest extent.

Those serving below saw this and understood that they couldn't afford to offend this little tyrant, so they could only treat him with respect.

As a result, Zhao Tingluo invited his friends to come and watch the Crown Prince's antics, and the guards and eunuchs could only turn a blind eye and pretend they didn't notice.

Zhao Shiqing watched coldly, secretly marveling. Xiao Zhen was right; she had to cultivate a good relationship with Zhao Tingluo.

No, what kind of relationship is this? Zhao Tingluo is her half-brother!

Without saying a word, Zhao Shiqing took out a small dried fish from her purse and stuffed it into Zhao Tingluo's mouth.

Zhao Tinglu chewed it, and thought, "Delicious!"
Zhao Tingluo was very grateful to be given a handful of cat food by chance. He had forgotten to bring snacks when he went to watch the fun, but this Brother Bao was so kind to him!

Yan Jiu and Yan Shiyi also opened their mouths, and Zhao Shiqing generously took out dried fish and fed them one by one.

The dried anchovies were made by Lingbo, but they were made using her master's recipe, and they were absolutely delicious.

Zhao Shiqing said she would make more and send it to their homes later.

The three boys all said: "Brother, from today onwards, you are our brother!"

The four of them were enjoying their meal when they saw the Empress and Consort Qiao rushing over, entering Yujing Palace one after the other.

A moment later, a woman's crying came from inside, but then stopped abruptly, as if her mouth had been gagged.

At this moment, a eunuch hurriedly ran out, and judging from the direction he ran, it seemed to be towards the Imperial Study.

Zhao Shiqing looked at Zhao Tingluo, her eyes asking a question.

Zhao Tingluo said, "My imperial uncle and several grand secretaries went to the imperial study, and that's when my crown prince came to Yujing Palace to rest."

Indeed, if the emperor is still at the banquet, even the most foolish crown prince wouldn't dare to leave halfway through.

The situation inside was clearly beyond the control of the Empress and Consort Qiao, and they couldn't handle it, so they sent someone to report to the Emperor.

Although it was against the rules for the Crown Prince to visit Yujing Palace, it was a trivial matter for the royal family. If it were an ordinary palace maid, it might even be considered a joyous occasion, as the harem would gain a rising beauty.

The reason why the Empress and Consort Qiao were alarmed was, as Zhao Tingluo said, that the woman the Crown Prince slept with was a lady from a prominent family.

Although it was unknown which family she belonged to, the more noble the lady, the more she cared about her reputation. When such a thing happened, the best course of action was to minimize the damage. The Empress would comfort her, give her some gifts, and then inform her family that she could either stay in Yujing Palace or be secretly sent out of the palace. After the matter was over, the Empress would then privately tell the Emperor to see what kind of title to give her.

In short, whether a palace maid of humble origin or a young lady from a wealthy family, once she is taken into the Eastern Palace, the matter is over. It only leaves the Crown Prince with an impression of being indecent in front of the Emperor. Anyway, the Emperor doesn't like him, so one more flaw doesn't matter.

But now, the way the Empress has handled the situation proves that the woman's identity has clearly gone beyond the two possibilities of a palace maid or a young lady.

Is there a third option?
What is that?
Although the three little ones are all clever, they are still young, and they are only interested in watching the excitement, so their thinking is very simple.

"Brother Bao, guess who's inside?"

Zhao Shiqing shook her head: "This is my first time entering the palace, I don't know anything. You, on the other hand, you must know."

The three little ones shook their heads in unison: "We are still children, we are very innocent."

Zhao Shiqing: "Actually, even though you told me, I don't know them."

Zhao Tinglu: "The Fourth Prince is here to find a wife. Do you think it might be Miss Wang, the one he's looking for? The Crown Prince is amazing, he even dares to sleep with his prospective sister-in-law."

Zhao Shiqing. A ten-year-old child?

Yan Jiu: "If you ask me, the one inside must be the Third Prince's wife, Feng Jiahe. With her status, she's bound to alarm the Emperor. Tsk tsk tsk, she's just taking advantage of the people right under her nose."

Is Zhao Shiqing very naive?
Yan Shiyi: "Your thoughts are filthy! I am ashamed of you! Those inside are clearly concubines of the imperial harem!"

Zhao Shiqing quickly covered his mouth. "Little darling, please stop talking. There are guards standing not far ahead." Zhao Shiqing felt that from then on, she would never underestimate any ten-year-old child again.

For example, when Yan Jiu and Yan Shiyi went with her to demolish the Baoqing Marquis's house, she thought they were really naughty and innocent kids.

This kid looks like he was raised in a corrupt environment.

However, Zhao Shiqing felt even more favorably toward the Yan family. To be able to keep their children from going astray in the corrupt and decadent circles of the capital, they must have had a strong family tradition; otherwise, corporal punishment alone would not have been enough.

Just then, Zhao Tingluo lowered his voice and said, "They're here!"

Then, Zhao Shiqing heard the sound of the whip, and the guards not far away had all knelt down.

Emperor Yongjia has arrived.

Although she attended the palace banquet, Zhao Shiqing's table was too far away, so she has not yet seen Emperor Yongjia in person.

Unfortunately, due to the angle of their hiding place, all she could see this time was a bright yellow silhouette.

Emperor Yongjia was over forty years old, yet he remained upright. He walked very fast, and even from a distance, Zhao Shiqing could still sense the anger in every step he took.

Yes, anger.

This was the first time Zhao Shiqing had ever felt anger in someone's footsteps.

Emperor Yongjia must have been furious.

Zhao Shiqing subconsciously looked at Yan Shiyi. Could it be that this kid was right?

Yan Shiyi, with his two little paws, one covering his chest and the other covering his mouth, clearly thought the same thing.

The four men became even more anxious; they couldn't wait to find out who the woman was.

They didn't know how much time had passed, so long that their legs were numb. In the middle of it all, the Crown Princess rushed over. She came on foot, not in a sedan chair. When she entered Yujing Palace, she even tripped over the threshold.

Then another one arrived. Zhao Shiqing saw her face; she was a pale-faced young woman, and judging from her hair, she was an unmarried girl.

"Who is this?" Zhao Shiqing asked in a low voice.

Zhao Tingluo said, "This is Princess Huixin. You probably don't know who Princess Huixin is, do you? She is the daughter of Emperor Xiaokang, and she also has the surname Hui."

At this point, Zhao Tingluo suddenly remembered something. His eyes widened like copper bells as he looked in horror at the slender figure that had already disappeared into the palace gates.

"No way, no way, if that's the case, this..."

Zhao Shiqing looked at the child in front of him. He could say without hesitation that the Crown Prince had slept with his future sister-in-law, but he couldn't continue talking about Princess Huiming.

It's not just that they can't continue speaking, it's that they're afraid to speak!

In a flash, Zhao Shiqing also realized it!
She remembered the beautiful woman she had seen that day, and a chill ran through her, spreading to every part of her body.

Xiao Guai's words were still ringing in my ears. Although Xiao Guai's tone was dry, I could tell that it was clearly the voice of a young girl experiencing her first love, facing the man she admired.

If the person inside really is her
Perhaps she was overthinking things, and that little brat Zhao Tingluo was overthinking things too. Yes, that must be it. Ahhh, their minds must be too dark, that's why they would come up with such a thing. When she got home, she wanted to sunbathe in the yard.

But the facts soon proved that they were not the ones in the darkness; compared to those who were truly in the dark, they were the ones who shone brightly.

Emperor Yongjia left with an angry expression, followed by the Empress and Consort Qiao, then the Crown Prince with a dazed look and the Crown Princess who staggered. Princess Huixin was carried out by two nannies. Although she was far away, Zhao Shiqing could still see that her mouth was gagged.

Princess Huixin struggled to turn back and look at Yujing Palace, but was quickly forced into a sedan chair by two burly old women. The eunuchs carrying the sedan chair ran like the wind and carried her away.

This was probably the highest honor Princess Huixin ever received in her life, being able to ride in a sedan chair in the palace.

Zhao Shiqing looked at Zhao Tingluo: "Will Princess Huixin be implicated?"

Zhao Tinglu spoke with a childish voice but with a mature air: "Let's lock him up for two or three months first, and then we'll get married. I heard that the choice of the prince consort has already been made."

"What about her?" Zhao Shiqing looked at Yujing Palace again. The palace gates were closed, but the person inside had not come out.

Zhao Tinglu remained silent for a long time before letting out a sigh that seemed out of place for her age: "I don't know either."

Although dirty deeds have always occurred in the palace, this was the first time that even Zhao Tingluo, who had grown up in the palace since childhood, had encountered something like what happened today.

He lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought, and after a long while said, "I want to go back to my residence."

Yan Jiu and Yan Shiyi had already guessed who was inside, but compared to Zhao Tingluo, they were still too naive.

"Alcohol really makes things worse, and the Crown Prince is really something else. When he's drunk, even his eyesight is failing, and he doesn't recognize his own family. Sigh."

Zhao Tinglu patted Yan Jiu on the shoulder: "I wish I were as silly as you guys. Sigh, being too smart is a problem too."

Yan Jiu punched him: "Who are you calling stupid? You're the stupid one!"

Zhao Shiqing thought to herself, "Children who grow up in the palace are indeed all very clever and insightful."

She thought she was quite smart, but when she was ten years old, she would never have understood these things. Back then, she was still running around and fighting with Xiao Xiaosu all over the mountains and fields. She didn't have so many complicated thoughts in her mind.

However, Zhao Tingluo had clearly seen through the underlying reasons for this matter.

Zhao Shiqing thought of Yang Shengqiu.

It is unclear what role Yang Shengqiu played in this matter.

The events that occurred in Yujing Palace seemed to have ended silently, and also seemed to have gone unnoticed.

But when the four returned to the palace banquet, they found that everyone's expression had changed.

Someone caught Zhao Tingluo and said in a hooligan's tone, "Oh my, it's been months since I last saw you. You've grown so much taller. Are you still living in the palace? By the way, where did you go to play just now? Did you see anything interesting or fun? Tell me about it."

Zhao Tingluo said innocently, "I saw it! Lots of interesting things! Want to hear them? Pay up!"

Xiao Zhen walked over quickly, and when he saw Zhao Shiqing, he breathed a sigh of relief and asked in a low voice, "Where did you run off to?"

Just as Zhao Shiqing was about to answer, she suddenly heard someone behind her exclaim in surprise: "No way, it really is Princess Huiming and Lord Tianzun!"

Zhao Shiqing closed her eyes. The position of Crown Prince was over.

As for Princess Huiming, she was utterly ruined!