Chapter 428 - Nianzu's Departure - Part 1
"Why are you still here?" Lei Wanxi asked Zhu Lin, who was in the Eastern Pavilion. "What are you doing here? I told you not to step in the Eastern Pavilion," Lei Wanxi said annoyingly. "You still think that Brother Nianzu will marry you!" He chuckled.
"You are so eager to kick me out of here. The route to the Huan Province is blocked due to heavy rain. Because of that, I delayed my plan to leave. Why would I marry him when he has someone," Zhu Lin pronounced. Lei Wanxi knitted his brows. He wondered if he heard something wrong.
"You stepped back from the marriage?" Lei Wanxi queried her.
Zhu Lin hummed at him. "You do not know what happened here yesterday?" She asked.. Lei Wanxi confusedly peered at her.
"Did something happen in my absence?" Lei Wanxi waited for Zhu Lin's answer.
"Prince Nianzu angered the Emperor. You shall ask the rest of the matter from your brother," Zhu Lin suggested to him.
Lei Wanxi was stunned to hear that the Fourth Prince infuriated their father. It was odd. What happened behind his back. He turned and left the Eastern Pavilion. Arriving outside the chamber of the Fourth Prince, he asked Eunuch Chung about Nianzu.
"Your highness, the Prince has gone to the Palace Grounds," Eunuch Chung answered. Lei Wanxi nodded and turned to leave when his eyes fell on Empress Deng Hui. He bowed before her and found she was a little troubled.
"Where is the Prince? Did he return? Did you tell him to come to me and converse with me?" Deng Hui asked Eunuch Chung who had lowered his head.
"Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince said that he would first go to the Palace Grounds and then would come to meet you," Eunuch Chung humbly replied.
"Eunuch Chung, I strictly instructed you to send him to me. Then, why did you let him go?" Deng Hui's anger burst suddenly. Lei Wanxi got terrified seeing all this. He was feeling strange but he kept himself calm.
"Imperial Mother, Brother Nianzu does not lie. If he had told you that he would come to you then he was telling the truth. Do not get panicked," Lei Wanxi consoled Deng Hui, who was still restless.
"Prince Wanxi, Nianzu did not come to the Palace last night. He has lost his mind because of that village girl," Deng Hui furiously said. "Go, and bring the Prince here. I am waiting for him," Deng Hui ordered Eunuch Chung, who bowed and ran towards the Palace Grounds.
"Mother, I will bring Brother Nianzu. Please sit inside," Lei Wanxi asked her and then went behind Eunuch Chung to bring Nianzu to the chamber.
"Something big has happened in the Palace," Lei Wanxi murmured and ran through the corridors. He encountered Jian Guozhi, who stopped him and asked where he was running to.
"Do you know where Brother Nianzu is?" Lei Wanxi asked him while panting.
"Why? What happened? He might be somewhere in the Palace," Jian Guozhi replied. Lei Wanxi shook his head.
"Mother Hui is in anger. Brother did not come to the Palace last night," affirmed Lei Wanxi. "Did you not check on Brother Nianzu? I think something is wrong." Lei Wanxi panicked.
"First Brother, did you hear that our father announced the removal of Brother Nianzu and also told him to leave the Palace?" Rong Zemin, from the other side, came to them while speaking.
"Pardon?" "Nianzu is leaving the Palace? Where is he?" Jian Guozhi was shocked to find out about this.
"I do not know, Brother. I just got the news. Even in the morning, I did not see Brother Nianzu," Rong Zemin asserted.
"He was there during the burial ritual," Jian Guozhi stated. Lei Wanxi nodded.
"First Brother, let's first find the Fourth Brother," Rong Zemin suggested to him.
"You two find him. I am going to meet our father and will request him to take back his order," Jian Guozhi proclaimed and left for the Emperor's manor, while the Third Prince and the Sixth Prince left for the Palace Grounds.
The news about the Emperor's decree spread like a fire throughout the Palace. Everyone started to whisper among each other. The Ministers praised the Emperor for staying true to his roots and not letting a commoner enter the Palace. They appreciated the decision of the Emperor except for Minister Gu Zhenya.
"I should not have recommended the name of Deng Hui to the Emperor. I trained her all this time and in the end, her son messed up," Gu Zhenya muttered.
~~~~~
Sheng Li, Nianzu, and Xiao Zhan came to the Wang Residence where Nianzu had kept Chuntao. Wang Hao got the news of their arrival so quickly went to fetch them inside.
"I will bring her," Nianzu said. Wang Hao bowed and gave him the way. As he left, Wang Hao told him that he found out about this matter when he reached the residence.
"Your highness, the Fourth Prince shall not leave the Palace. It is only my opinion," Wang Hao asserted.
"I talked with Brother Nianzu. However, he is adamant about his decision. He does not want to live there as Father still has not accepted his relationship with the commoner. I will not stop him," Sheng Li pronounced. "Xiao will safely escort them to Huzhou Town. Do not reveal this thing to anyone. It shall only stay between us," Sheng Li asserted.
"Yes, your highness. I shall also go with them. I have rested well," Wang Hao suggested to the Crown Prince.
"Okay," Sheng Li agreed with him. Nianzu came there with Chuntao, who bowed upon seeing the Crown Prince.
"Greetings to the Crown Prince," Chuntao softly said.
"Hmm." "Take care of my Brother. You are lucky that I am helping you," Sheng Li stated. Nianzu smiled and looked at Chuntao.
"Yes, your highness."
"You cannot enter Luoyang, but I can go anywhere. I will come to meet you two," Sheng Li asserted and stepped towards Nianzu. He hugged him and handed his special Royal Tassel in Nianzu's hand.
Sheng Li pulled back when Nianzu looked at his hand. "I do not want it, Sheng Li," Nianzu stated.
"You will need it. Maybe in the future. I-I do not want you two to get harmed in any way," Sheng Li affirmed. Nianzu's eyes filled with tears.
"Thank you, Brother Sheng," Nianzu hugged him again and patted his back.
"We will use a different path to leave Luoyang. Because someone might notice us," Nianzu said as he pulled back from the hug. Sheng Li hummed and looked at Xiao Zhan.
"I understood, your highness."
"I wish you a happy married life, Brother Nianzu," Sheng Li wished them. He shifted his gaze to Chuntao, who was a little scared of the Crown Prince. "Do not let him miss us."
"Yes, your highness. Crown Prince, thank you for everything," Chuntao expressed her gratitude. Sheng Li did not reply to her and gazed back at Nianzu.
"I shall leave. Father might have announced his decision. I need to handle everything there," Sheng Li asserted.
"Take care of my mother," Nianzu requested Sheng Li, who nodded and walked out of the Wang Residence. The night had fallen. Sheng Li looked up at the sky. Hopping on Kongqi, he returned to the Palace.
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Hello Dear Readers,
There will be no mass release on Monday as I am getting vaccinated. Also, for past 15 days my power stone rank has reduced and it discouraged me a little. I think many of the readers not voting on the story or are disappointed with it. But no worries, I will keep writing. Hopefully, things will change.
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