All the people in the surroundings jumped in fright. They looked at Zu An and the crown prince nervously. Many of them wanted to say something, but hesitated. No one dared to try to advise the crown prince otherwise.
After all, even though the crown prince was slow, he was extremely good at being rude and unreasonable. The lesser eunuchs and maids in the Eastern Palace frequently ended up offending him during their games and were given public strikes. How could those lesser eunuchs and maids’ bodies be able to withstand those strikes? If they weren’t beaten into cripples, they were killed.
Sometimes, the crown princess stopped him when she saw it, but the crown prince was still the crown prince in the end. The crown princess had to care about his dignity and pride and wouldn’t stop him every time. Thus, over the years, he had already made several dozen eunuchs and maids suffer.
However, none of them had expected the crown prince to actually get upset at Zu An this time. With his status, he wasn’t like those ordinary palace staff.
“What are you all standing around for? Beat him up already!” Zhao Ruizhi exclaimed with an excited gaze. He really wanted to see the scene of someone being beaten until they were badly mangled.
When Maid Rong Mo emerged to receive Zu An and saw what was happening, she quickly turned around to look for the crown princess. She had always found Zu An unsightly, feeling as if he had taken her spot as the crown princess’ closest aide. However, as the crown princess’ personal maid, she still knew what was most important. How could she let the crown prince hit Zu An?
The maids and eunuchs had awkward expressions. Because of the crown prince, they had no choice but to move closer to Zu An while asking quietly, “Sir Zu, should we just put on an act so the crown prince feels better?”
Zu An didn’t pay the maids and eunuchs any attention; instead, he took a step forward up to the crown prince's face, saying, “Crown prince, the court is currently experiencing great changes. You should be focusing on your studies. Do you only know how to play day after day?!”
He didn’t even fear this brat’s father, so why would he be scared of the son? He had been planning to play along to give everyone some face, but since the other side didn’t want it, he'd help the prince play the part.
He had already lingered at the border of life and death several times, and the opponents he'd fought were all at the very peak of this world. He naturally carried an intimidating aura wherever he went. How could it be something this fool Zhao Ruizhi could withstand?
The crown prince was scared so badly from Zu An's glare that he took a few steps back. He stuttered, “I… I…”
He didn’t have his previous arrogant expression anymore. At that moment, even his soul was trembling. Even though he was stupid, he still had his instincts. He naturally felt fear when facing a powerful enemy.
When the maids and eunuchs saw that the crown prince was so frightened that he didn’t even dare to raise his head, they were all incredibly shocked. They hadn’t expected there to be someone apart from the crown princess who could also keep the crown prince in check now.
Suddenly, a lesser eunuch jumped out from the crown prince’s side and cried, “How audacious! Zu An, you are nothing more than a subject, and yet you dare to treat the crown prince with such disrespect? Are you still not going to kneel and kowtow? Guards, are you blind? Arrest him already!”
He gave the surrounding people a few looks of disdain.
You guys aren’t even seizing such a good chance? All of you really are too stupid.
I’m helping the crown prince when he needs help the most, so he’ll definitely have a good impression of me. It’ll definitely be smooth sailing for me in the future. I’ll become the superstar at the crown prince’s side, and then apart from Eunuch Wen and Eunuch Lu, the others will all have to look at me with respect! Once the crown prince takes the throne, what Eunuch Wen or Lu? They won't even be worth mentioning!
Zu An gave him a look. It was a new face he hadn’t seen before. It was probably someone who had been recently transferred over to the crown prince’s side, and thus wanted to show off in front of him. He naturally wouldn’t let the eunuch get away with such a thing, and said, “This official is the chamberlain of the crown prince, personally appointed by his majesty. I manage everything in the Eastern Palace, and I also hold the responsibility of instructing the crown prince. I naturally have the duty of correcting him when he takes a wrong path.
“You are someone who serves the crown prince, and yet, not only did you not know to advise him properly when you played with him, you are instead encouraging poor behavior and spoiling him. This is nothing more than corrupting and misguiding the crown prince. Men, drag this obsequious fool out and have him beaten to death by the rod!”
“Understood!” Piao Duandian and Jiao Sigun replied. They had already been furious. When they heard that, they immediately dragged the lesser eunuch out.
The lesser eunuch immediately panicked. He struggled frantically and cried, “Crown prince, save me, crown prince! Please say something, crown prince!” His voice soon became softer and softer. It was clear that he was being brought farther and farther away.
The other maids and eunuchs of the Eastern Palace swallowed with difficulty. They had previously felt that Sir Zu was quite amiable, but this time, why had he become so imposing? As for that lesser eunuch, none of them sympathized with him. In this palace, none of those who stepped out of line with flattery met good ends.
Zhao Ruizhi was now shaking all over. The only thought in his head was that those eyes were too scary, as if he were looking at a man-eating beast. He asked while shaking in fear. “Would it be okay if I didn’t want the gift anymore?”
Zu An walked up to the desk on the side and removed the ‘Ruler of Discipline’ from the shelves. He said, “The crown prince should be thinking about how to handle governmental affairs, and yet you only know how to frolic and cause trouble. In order to help the crown prince avoid being too naughty and mischievous in the future, as the chamberlain, I naturally have to discipline you in his majesty’s place.” He walked toward the crown prince as he spoke.
“Noooo!” Zhao Ruizhi cried out. He was so scared that he felt as if his soul were leaving his body. He wanted to run, but for some reason, it was as if his body were being controlled and he couldn't muster any strength. He could only barely turn around and try to run, crying out, “Linglong, save me… Ah!”
Zu An brought the ruler straight down on his bottom. A loud and clear pah noise filled the air. Everyone present could imagine the crown prince’s fat bottom being smacked viciously just from the sound.
The eunuchs and maids looked at each other in dismay. Sir Zu actually dared to strike the crown prince?! Not even King Qi could do such a thing before! Even so, none of them dared to say anything. That lesser eunuch from before had served as a lesson for them. None of them wanted to step forward and be that unfortunate soul.
Meanwhile, Zu An, strictly speaking, was the crown prince’s teacher and had a proper reason to discipline him. There were even some people who secretly thought he deserved it. These maids and eunuchs were always being bullied by the tyrannical crown prince. All of them had been furious, but they hadn’t dared to say a thing.
However, that was it. They were still alarmed. They didn’t dare to save him, but if they didn’t, they could end up implicated in the blame after. They could only give the crown princess’ direction a pleading look. She was probably the only one who could settle the situation.
Someone was about to send a report, but then saw that the crown princess was already slowly walking out. She wore a golden phoenix hair clip in her hair. As she walked slowly, it released sharp and melodious sounds. The red beauty mark between her brows made her fair skin seem even more snow-white. When she saw the scene playing out before her eyes, her stunning features couldn't help but twitch.
Rong Mo had reported that the crown prince was troubling Zu An, so she had come quickly to save the situation. And yet, how had it become Zu An one-sidedly beating up the crown prince?
“Linglong, hurry and save me already…?” Zhao Ruizhi pleaded. His bottom was already starting to be lacerated from being struck dozens of times, making him scream 'mommy' and 'daddy'. When he saw Bi Linglong, he immediately saw his savior.
The others' gazes shifted to the crown princess, wondering what kind of reaction she would have. She would probably be angry, right? The crown prince was her husband, and he was being lectured by another man. Even though the crown prince was being hit, what was actually being struck was her own dignity, right?
Of course, Sir Zu was the most important official of the Eastern Palace. The crown princess probably wouldn’t rebuke him too harshly. With the crown princess’ wisdom, she would naturally find a way that satisfied both sides.
Just then, the crown princess spoke up. Her voice was crisp and clear, and yet carried a natural coldness and estrangement. She replied, “Why is the crown prince calling for me? Sir Zu is the crown prince’s teacher, so of course he needs to correct you where you are wrong. In the end, this is actually due to my own negligence. You refuse to listen when I advise you, and you should have changed your ways a long time ago. Now, Sir Zu is doing what I wanted to do all this time.”
When he heard what she said, Zhao Ruizhi immediately lost his final hope. He immediately pleaded to Zu An, “Sir Zu, I was wrong! Stop hitting me, please…”
Zu An naturally had to give her some face now that the crown princess was here. He returned the ruler and said, “Good medicine tastes bitter; loyal advice jars the ears. I hope that the crown prince has learned from this lesson and that you will return to the right path after this.”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Zhao Ruizhi replied, hurriedly nodding.
Everyone in the Eastern Palace was dumbstruck. They had suspected that the crown princess probably wouldn’t really punish Sir Zu that much, but they hadn’t expected her to not even speak a single word of criticism! On the contrary, they had berated the crown prince together! None of them had expected such a thing at all. This scene… How could they put it? It was almost like a husband and wife lecturing a son. It was strange, and yet it sort of made sense when they thought about it.
They even felt a bit of admiration for the crown princess. As expected of someone who upholded justice and didn’t let her personal feelings get in the way! The revered and honored officials of history were probably no better than this, right?
Sigh, being married to the crown prince… It’s like having a bunch of flowers poked into a pile of manure…
“Sir Zu, follow me back inside the palace. I have things to ask you regarding what happened on Violet Mountain,” Bi Linglong said, turning around to walk toward her room after speaking. She didn’t give Zu An a chance to reply.
Zu An quickly followed along. As he watched her graceful and slender figure and listened to the clinking of the jade and ta.s.sels she wore, his heart also gradually calmed down.
As if sensing his fiery gaze, Bi Linglong’s face that normally maintained the dignity of the crown princess suddenly acquired a trace of redness.
…
They quickly arrived at her personal palace. Bi Linglong dismissed all of the surrounding maids and said, “I have some confidential matters to discuss with Sir Zu. Rong Mo, guard the entrance and do not allow anyone near!”
“Understood!” Rong Mo replied. She was the crown princess' personal maid and naturally knew that this matter was of utmost importance, so she didn’t overthink things either. She took the other maids and withdrew outside.
It was rumored that the emperor had already pa.s.sed on. There was no one left who would bother with whether something was proper or not.
…
The door closed. Zu An was about to open his mouth when a beautiful fragrance wafted over. Bi Linglong quickly threw herself into Zu An’s arms with a groan. A pair of replete and moist lips pressed up against him, and he couldn't help but hold her slender waist tightly.
Two lovers had finally met again after a long period of separation. There was no need for extra words; they expressed their love with pa.s.sion. It was as if they really wanted to fully merge with each other.
“Don’t kiss my neck; it might leave a mark…”
…
Meanwhile, Zhao Ruizhi was getting more and more upset after that beating. However, when he recalled Zu An’s terrifying gaze, he naturally wouldn’t dare to find him.
I should just ask Linglong to help me. She previously helped me most of the time.
And yet, when he arrived at her palace, he was stopped by Rong Mo.
Zhao Ruizhi immediately became annoyed. He exclaimed, “I want to meet Linglong!”
Rong Mo said with a troubled voice, “The crown princess is currently discussing important matters inside. She won’t be meeting anyone else.”