At the main gates of the Prince’s residence, hundreds of Imperial Guards had already formed a defensive line, confronting Lord Jingnan’s army. They were responsible for the defense of this place. If Lord Jingnan had come alone, they certainly wouldn’t have obstructed him and would have even promptly and courteously gone inside to announce him. But his directly bringing over a thousand knights with him hardly looked like an uncle visiting his nephew.
Lord Jingnan was seated atop his Pi Beast, his arm sweeping forward. In the next moment, a group of knights nocked arrows to their bows, while those on either side tensed, ready to charge after the volley.
This scene threw the Imperial Guards into a panic. Outnumbered and with their morale already shaken, they still hadn’t received orders on whether they should stubbornly hold their ground.
But it was clear that Lord Jingnan’s forces were about to act!
Just then, the main gates of the residence were opened from within.
A middle-aged eunuch with a pale, delicate face stepped out and first issued an order:
"The Second Prince has ordered: ’Lord Jingnan is my maternal uncle. You are not to obstruct him.’"
As the Second Prince was also in charge of leading the capital’s Imperial Guards, he had the authority to command them.
Hearing this command, all the Imperial Guards at the gate breathed a collective sigh of relief and quickly stepped aside. From now on, it was none of their business.
After giving his orders, this middle-aged eunuch hurriedly descended the steps, knelt before Lord Jingnan, and kowtowed, saying, "This servant, Li Yinglian, attendant to His Highness the Second Prince, pays my respects to Lord Jingnan. Your Lordship, His Highness the Second Prince was overjoyed upon hearing of your return to the capital and is awaiting your arrival inside the residence."
Lord Jingnan looked at Li Yinglian kneeling before him, a faint smile touching his lips, and said, "It seems Ji Chenglang has already taken his place in the East Palace and been confirmed as the Crown Prince. I must go to the Ministry of Rites and ask why news of this important matter was not sent to my Lord Jingnan’s residence, causing me to receive the news only now."
"AIYA!" Li Yinglian immediately pressed his forehead to the ground, exclaiming in panic, "My Lord, be careful with your words! My Lord, be careful with your words! His Highness the Second Prince has no such intentions. He has never coveted Dabao. With a pure heart, His Highness only wishes to serve His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress. My Lord, please be careful with what you say!"
Even if the Second Prince had already taken his place in the East Palace and become the Crown Prince, he would not dare to reveal his true intentions so openly.
Li Yinglian was inwardly shocked. He knew that the Lord before him was his Second Prince’s own maternal uncle, but why would he say such things when he knew so many eyes were watching?Since ancient times, when princes contend to seize the throne, not the slightest mistake could be afforded.
"Oh? He hasn’t yet taken his place in the East Palace?"
Lord Jingnan nodded, a look of sudden understanding on his face. Then, his gaze hardened, his tone shifted abruptly, and he said, "Since he has neither taken his place in the East Palace nor attained the position of Crown Prince, yet he makes his own maternal uncle wait while he merely sends you, this eunuch, to greet me. Does he look down on this uncle of his now?"
Legally speaking, the Crown Prince is second only to the Emperor. All people are subjects of the Emperor, and thus, also subjects of the Crown Prince. However, this does not apply to other princes. Therefore, Lord Jingnan was not being arrogant; he had the confidence and justification for his actions.
Such blunt questioning that showed no regard for his dignity was indeed startling.
"My Lord, My Lord..." Li Yinglian, his heart feeling like it would leap out of his chest, hastily said, "You have misunderstood His Highness the Second Prince! His Highness is suffering from a cold. He had intended to come out and greet you personally, but this servant, fearing His Highness’s cold would worsen, dissuaded him. This was all this servant’s own decision and has nothing to do with His Highness the Second Prince, My Lord."
Lord Jingnan raised the horsewhip in his hand, pointed it at Li Yinglian, and roared, "Tell Ji Chenglang to get out here and greet me!"
"Yes, yes, yes, this servant will go at once, at once!"
Li Yinglian scrambled back into the residence.
Watching this scene unfold, Zheng Fan felt his blood stir.
Some people, perhaps after attaining high status, begin to nurture their own ambitions as their power grows.Take Dong Zhuo, for example. Before he entered Luoyang, he was a renowned loyal subject of the Han Empire.But for Zheng Fan, with the Seven Demon Kings by his side, coupled with his own modern mindset and personality, there was no need for him to be slowly influenced by his surroundings, because from the very beginning... he was already tainted.
Recalling the scene of his own assassination and then watching Lord Jingnan demand the Prince get out and greet him, Zheng Fan couldn’t help but sigh—power truly is a wonderful thing. Without military strength, one couldn’t stand tall and firm.
Never mind anything else; if Lord Jingnan, this uncle, didn’t wield real power and was merely a parasitic noble related to the imperial family by marriage, would he dare to be so arrogant in front of his own nephew?He’d probably have to nod, bow, and ingratiate himself, frequently sending his wife into the rear palace to build connections and chat with Her Majesty the Empress.
Zheng Fan took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
Looking up at the Prince’s residence before him, he suddenly felt a connection with a depiction in "The First Half of My Life," though the memory was hazy. It seemed to be Puyi riding his beloved little motorbike to just outside the Forbidden City.
And then, Zheng Fan’s current mood must have been the same as Puyi’s at that moment: Mine, mine, mine! It’s all mine!
The wait did not last long. The source of this content ɪs 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵※𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾※𝙣𝙚𝙩
Very soon, a still youthful-looking man hurried out from inside, with Li Yinglian following closely behind him.
This man must be the Second Prince, also known as the Sixth Prince’s Second Brother, and the widely anticipated choice for Crown Prince, recognized by both the court and the public.