The Way of the Consort

Wen Xiang waited until late at night in the Yanfu Hall, but His Majesty did not summon him, and he was still waiting outside the hall.

The imperial doctor sent to the son-in-law's mansion came back alone to report the situation of the son-in-law, but His Majesty didn't see him, so he directly asked him to see the prince.

Zong Zhen was quite distressed. After he returned to the East Palace, he had been reading the memorial. He managed to get those things about Ji Zhao out of his mind for the time being, but he still had to face it. But he didn't want to admit that he was afraid of hearing these things. , I had a headache and called the imperial doctor to come in.

The imperial doctor said that the blood in the son-in-law's eyes was still there, and it would take a few days of hot compresses to dissipate the blood clots. He also said that when they arrived, the son-in-law had already eaten dinner, drank medicine, and fell asleep.Hearing this, Zong Zhen couldn't help but heaved a sigh of relief, but unexpectedly the imperial doctor continued: "It's just that in the dream, the son-in-law woke up several times, with leg cramps, and murmured 'it hurts'. "

Zong Zhen's face was dark, and after hearing everything from the imperial doctor, he responded, "I see..."

The imperial doctor didn't come to the East Palace very often, he only felt that the East Palace was gloomy and terrifying. The prince was like this, and he was even more frightened. The prince told him to continue going to the son-in-law's mansion, but he immediately ran away without daring to turn back.

After the imperial doctor left, Zong Zhen picked up the memorial and continued to read it. Now it's all over, and he can't read it at all.

Bao Qing stepped forward softly, and handed him a cup of tea on the table, waking him up from deep thought. He glanced at the tea cup, and suddenly asked Bao Qing, "I was wrong about this?"

Bao Qing was shocked, and hurriedly said: "How can your Highness be wrong? Your Highness didn't hide it deliberately, and there is a reason for it."

Yeah, he's right, so what's going on with him now.

Bao Qing looked at his expression, and said in a low voice: "It's just... Your Highness, you know what kind of heart your son-in-law is. Maybe the son-in-law is angry about this matter, but very sad..."

"Sad..." Zong Zhen murmured.

"Every time the son-in-law sees you, I'm so happy, but you—" Bao Qing didn't dare to say more, but Zong Zhen understood. From this point of view, he seemed to be wrong.But there is no way out, Ji Zhao scolds the prince all day long, but likes the Huizhou merchant, but that so-called Huizhou merchant is the prince, and the prince is just that Huizhou merchant. He and Ji Zhao will never return to those times. No longer tolerate self-division and self-deception.

As for Ji Zhao, he should be even more unable to tolerate this so-called deception.

Zong Zhen looked at the words on the memorial, and in fact, there were fireworks all over the sky and Ji Zhao's dazzling smile in front of him.

Ji Zhao jumped up and threw himself into his arms, calling him "brother".

Zong Zhen raised the corner of his mouth and actually smiled.

Bao Qing saw it, and whispered: "Your Highness, in fact, when the son-in-law left today, he cried..."

Zong Zhen put away his smile, and listened to Bao Qing muttering in a low voice: "The son-in-law's eyes are like that, how can he cry... This Wen Guiren is really... I don't know why the fight happened, he is too courageous , Your Highness, do you really care?"

Before he broke up with Ji Zhao in the afternoon, he wanted to investigate the matter carefully, and he also planned to bring those people up for questioning, not to mention letting Wen Guiren go.Later, when I didn't have time to ask about this matter, I just casually mentioned the reason for passing it up. Anyway, it turned out that Wen Guiren would take the blame.

"I don't believe that the son-in-law and Wen Guiren are fighting over country girls...Wen Guiren has been living outside the city these days, so he may have done something bad! Also, Your Highness, the younger son-in-law said Maybe I already knew who you were, so these geniuses are in a bad mood..."

Bao Qing muttered, but said all the words in Zong Zhen's mind.

He looked at the little rabbit next to the pen stand, which was the little rabbit that Ji Zhao gave him during the Shangyuan Festival. Seeing this little rabbit, he thought of the row of lamp stands behind him when Ji Zhao gave the rabbit to him. So dazzling, but still not as good as Ji Zhao's smile and eyes, Zong Zhen was fascinated.

Bao Qing caught his gaze and continued to mutter: "I don't know how uncomfortable the son-in-law is at this moment... It's uncomfortable on the body, and it's also uncomfortable in my heart..."

Zong Zhen got up suddenly, left the desk and strode towards the main hall.

Bao Qing didn't follow, Cheng Shen ran over, pulled him and asked, "Is it really appropriate for you to tell His Highness what you said? Tell me, if the hatchback is cold now, it will be fine! Don't let another incident happen."

"What do you know..." Bao Qing was a little sad, "Your Highness obviously wanted to see the son-in-law, but he couldn't find the reason, and the son-in-law even said harsh words, saying that we would never see each other again... We are servants , as long as the master is happy? His Highness can't find the reason, so we have to help him find it."

"But--"

"Don't be a fool! Who knows what will happen in the future! Live the present!"

Zong Zhen walked to the main hall and saw the little jade rabbit on the table. He stepped forward, picked up the rabbit and looked at it in the palm of his hand.

After watching for a while, he turned around and called Cheng Shen, and asked, "Princess is still in Pingyang Hou's Mansion?"

"The little one asked the imperial doctor if he was there. Not only the princess is here, but the son-in-law's younger brother and nephew are also there. But the son-in-law goes to bed early, and when the princess passed by the palace, the son-in-law had already rested."

"understood……"

Cheng Shen nodded and was about to go down, but His Highness said directly: "I'm going to the palace."

Cheng Shen was in a daze, Zong Zhen had already walked out, Bao Qing ran after him, turned his head and stared at him, and then he came back to his senses and hurriedly followed.

Zong Zhen knew himself, at this time he should be the most unwelcome person in the Pingyang Marquis Mansion, he didn't expect to enter through the main entrance, and he didn't waste time.

He ordered the carriage to stop outside the east gate of the son-in-law's mansion, and Chen Keye, the chief guard of the East Palace, went over the wall himself, covered the guard's mouth, opened the door, and His Royal Highness walked in directly with the people.

Yin Ming and Chen Xing stood guard outside Ji Zhao's bedroom door, and they were stunned when they saw Zong Zhen entering the room. They even froze for a moment, taking advantage of this time, Zong Zhen walked directly into the bedroom.Chen Xing quickly jumped up and reached out to stop him: "What do you want to do!"

Yin Ming stretched out his arms and blocked the door.

"I'll come and see him..."

Chen Xing seemed to hear a big joke: "You're not kidding me, are you? Who are you going to see?"

"I'll come and see him..." Zong Zhen said again.

"Ha!" Chen Xing looked him up and down, and began to be smug, "It's His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, what a majesty this suit is!"

Zongzhen went out in a hurry, he didn't change into ordinary clothes, he was wearing the common clothes of the palace, the standard prince's uniform, and he didn't argue with Chen Xing in words, calmly said: "I'll leave after just a few glances, don't disturb his sleep. "

"Hmph!" Chen Xing rolled his eyes, "Dreaming! Our gentleman doesn't want to see you!" He then said to Yin Ming, "Drive him away!"

Yin Ming was not afraid either. He grinned his white teeth and seemed to be smiling, but he was actually threatening: "You better go! Don't force the little one to do it! Your Royal Highness, you won't make things difficult for us people, will you?"

Zong Zhen was silent for a moment, then looked at the two of them: "Since you know that I am the prince, then I will talk to you as the prince. If you two stop me again, I will immediately arrest you and put you in prison."

"... "

"You choose..."

Chen Xing and Yin Ming looked at each other, of course they were not frightened, but angry.

Zong Zhen directly stretched out his hand to push away the dust stars, and strode in. Yin Ming wanted to stop him, but Chen Keye came up to him with a smile, and grabbed Yin Ming's arm forcefully and took him aside: "Little brother, you have something to say, something to say!"

Bao Qing also came up and pulled Chen Xing: "Good brother, sit down and rest, sit down and rest!"

This is all dispatched!Chen Xing shook off Bao Qing's hand, annoyed: "Who is your brother!"

Zong Zhen had already gone in, and Chen Xing and Yin Ming looked at each other again, cursing in their hearts, how could there be such a shameless person in the world? !

Ji Zhaoping was lying on the bed. He usually likes to sleep on his side, but because of an injury on his body, he could only lie on his back. Every half an hour, Chen Xing would go in to have a look, for fear that he would sleep on his side again and press on the wound.Zong Zhen walked to the bed, stretched out his hand to lift the curtain, and before he sat down by the bed, Ji Zhao happened to be turning over, and when he touched the wound, he also "hissed" in pain in his sleep.

Zong Zhen immediately bent over and stepped forward, carefully supported him, turned him back, and tried to withdraw his hand, but Ji Zhao grabbed him and held him in his hand.Ji Zhao muttered a few words, but he couldn't understand a word, so Ji Zhao smacked his lips and went back to sleep.

Zong Zhen gently sat down on the edge of the bed, and didn't withdraw his hand again.

He quietly looked at Ji Zhao who was sleeping soundly, his face was smeared with lotion, it looked yellow and white, and he was very sad.

He was actually very concerned about the real reason why Ji Zhao fought, if it was really because of a country girl?

Zong Zhen glanced at the wound on his face, then lightly lifted the quilt, lifted the hem of his clothes, and saw the many dark purple bruises on Ji Zhaoxue's white skin, his brows frowned, "It hurts... "Ji Zhao muttered, took his hand and pressed it on his waist.

The palm touched Ji Zhao's skin, and it was cold, but his hand became hot instantly. Subconsciously, he wanted to withdraw it, but Ji Zhao began to mutter uncomfortably, and he dared not move again.

He had no choice but to put the quilt back on, sat on the edge of the bed, and continued to watch Ji Zhao sleep.

Looking at it, he unconsciously stretched out his hand to touch Ji Zhao's face. His lips were also swollen, and there were wounds. Ji Zhao's lips were not as bloody as his long-term illness. Ji Zhao's lips were rosy. It was moist, but at this time he also applied the potion, Zong Zhen sighed in his heart, he covered Ji Zhao's face with his whole palm, and stroked it even more lightly.

Picking up with fingers, picking apart the broken hair, there is even a hole hidden in the eyebrows, Wen Guiren's hands are too heavy!

Countless waves of anger rose in Zong Zhen's heart, and it was not until half an hour later, when Ji Zhao started to turn over again, that he took the opportunity to quietly withdraw his hand.Ji Zhao frowned unhappily. In his sleep, he scratched around with his hands, but he didn't grab anything, so he continued to sleep. Zong Zhen looked down at his palms, the temperature and touch seemed to be still there.

Zong Zhen did not stay for too long, he came out after about an hour.

Chen Xing put his hips on his hips and was about to scold him, he was not afraid of the prince not being a prince, Zong Zhen had already asked softly: "Why are you hurt so badly, where are the guards?"

"You still have the nerve to ask! Aren't all the guards sent by you to monitor us! How dare our husband use them!"

Zong Zhen frowned, but said truthfully: "Except for Coke and Du Bo, the rest of the people have no intention of monitoring."

"Ha!" Chen Xing didn't know what to say, "You admitted it yourself?!"

"Yes..." Zong Zhen responded generously, "Where are the five of them?" Before Chen Xing could speak, he looked at Yin Ming, "Be sure to bring enough people with you before you go out. Just listen to my orders, they are people who can rest assured."

"..." Yin Ming had nothing to say now.

Those who obey the prince's order, can they rest assured?Is there anything wrong with the prince's head?

"Why did you fight with Wen Guiren? Who did it first?" Zong Zhen asked again.

"It was our lord who made the move first!" Chen Xing said angrily, "Whoever called that dog didn't hold back at all, and disrespected our lord, he deserves it! You should beat him to death!"

"Understood..." Zong Zhen didn't delay, and walked out directly, saying as he walked, "I'll come back tomorrow..."

They walked quickly, Chen Xing was dumbfounded, turned around and asked Yin Ming: "What did he just say?"

"He said he would come back tomorrow..."

"?"

After Zongzhen left Ji Zhao's house, he learned that Wen Guiren was still in the magistrate's yamen outside the city, and took him out of the city directly.

Several witnesses, including that Cuiya, are still locked up in the yamen. This is because the magistrate is in case the palace wants to ask people to question.Because they were not criminals after all, and they couldn't be locked in a big prison. They were all locked in an empty firewood room, and there were not many guards, especially Cuiya was a woman, who was directly tied hand and foot, and there was not even a gatekeeper at the door.

A few of them found Cui Ya's room at night, and Cui Ya shrank to a corner in fright when she saw someone approaching.

Bao Qing and Cheng Shen pushed open the door, Zong Zhen walked into the room, and glanced at the woman in the corner.

He wasn't even as good-looking as He Qiniang, he felt relaxed and then tightened, what is the comparison with He Qiniang?Why should he care about such a thing?

Cui Ya already trembled and said: "You, who are you... I didn't do anything, they really didn't fight for me! Really!"

Zong Zhen stepped forward and asked Bao Qing to help her up, and said softly: "I believe you, tell me what is the reason."

Cuiya saw that he was good-looking and spoke kindly, so she was somewhat comforted, and said with red eyes: "The gentleman praised my beautiful flower basket and said he wanted ten, and then he stood in front of my stall. , wait for me to make it for him. Halfway through, a group of people suddenly came. The leader, Mr. Lang, they all said that he was the son of Wen Xiang. ..."

Zong Zhen's face immediately turned dark, and the few traces of gentleness on his face disappeared.

Cui Ya didn't dare to speak anymore, Zong Zhen said calmly again: "You continue to talk..."

"They all said that it was me, that's not it! Wenxiang's son was yelling at that lord! I saw it with my own eyes! After yelling several times, that lord beat him up!" Cui Ya He cried, "What I said is true, I dare not hide anything, sir! It really has nothing to do with me!"

"I see..." Zong Zhen looked down at her, "Thank you, don't worry, you will be home soon."

"Thank you, thank you..."

Zongzhen walked out, halfway there, Zongzhen turned around, and said: "The basket he wanted, please ask the girl to make it again after returning home."

"Okay! How much do you want?"

"As much as you can make, as much as you can make, I will send someone to your house to pick it up in a few days."

"it is good!"

The door closed behind him, Zong Zhen walked into the yard, and said to Chen Keye: "Go and catch Wen Guiren's boy, I'll ask you a question."

Zongzhen was standing in the yard waiting, and after a while, a young servant was brought in. Chen Keye threw him to the ground and pressed his head: "My lord has something to ask you! If you don't To be honest, wrung your neck!"

The man was so frightened that he pissed out, and the tears fell straight down. He touched the soil on the ground and nodded: "You ask! You ask!"

Zong Zhen asked directly: "Why did Wen Guiren pester the son-in-law?"

After the chief steward of the Wen family arrived, he beat up those who were fighting with his attendants, several of them passed out, and locked them all up. At this time, the steward was in Wen Guiren's room, and Wen Guiren was in pain. Crying and shouting, it was precisely because of this that Chen Keye brought people here without any effort.

This young servant is the only one who is still awake. He was beaten until his head is not clear. Hearing that there will be more beatings, he immediately started recruiting: "A while ago, our lord went to the mountain to see lotus flowers. Suffering from lovesickness!"

"..." Everyone was taken aback when they heard this, and couldn't help but immediately looked up at Zong Zhen.

Zong Zhen put his hands behind his back and asked calmly: "What happened later..."

"At that time, our lord fell into the water to see the son-in-law, but the people around the son-in-law rescued him! Our lord said that the son-in-law is a fairy in the sky, and said that he wanted to keep the son-in-law at home. Then we went to the market, and finally bumped into him again. If you go to the son-in-law, our lord will go! As a result..."

The servant was still recruiting, but Zong Zhen stopped listening and ordered him to be executed on the spot. Chen Keye directly accompanied him to the room where Wen Guiren was at this time.

The guards of the Wen family who met on the road had long been stunned by Chen Keye, and they came to Wen Guiren's house unimpeded.

Wen Guiren could still be heard crying, Zong Zhen went to the window, and heard someone persuade: "That's the son-in-law! It's not what you can think of, my lord!"

"I want him!"

"He beat you up like this! You still have to give up on this idea, quickly follow me back to the city, enter the palace to kowtow to His Majesty to make amends! You have to go to the Princess Mansion and Pingyang Hou Mansion to kowtow again! When you grow up, You should also be considerate of your father!"

"I want a son-in-law! I want a son-in-law!"

Baoqing and the others didn't dare to continue listening, only Chen Keye didn't know the inside story, and asked Zongzhen softly: "Your Highness, this Wen Guiren is really outrageous, or—"

Zong Zhen didn't hear him finish, he turned around and stood in front of the window, his shadow fell into the room.

"Who!" The steward turned around in a hurry, saw the person coming, because the night was too dark, he couldn't see his clothes clearly, and was furious, "Who are you!"

Chen Keye jumped in directly from the window, with a knife in his hand, the steward fell limply to the ground, "Who is it!" .

Wen Guiren was stunned, he had never seen the prince, and his eyes were swollen by Ji Zhao, and he didn't look carefully, but subconsciously felt that this person was not easy to mess with, but he was used to it, even if he Lying down, he also asked arrogantly: "Who the hell are you! How dare you disturb the young master's rest!"

Zong Zhen looked at him at this time, as if he was looking at a dead person, his face was expressionless, and his eyes were dark.

"Which eye is it?"

"what?"

Zong Zhen stretched out his hand backwards: "Give me the knife..."

Chen Keye offered a dagger with both hands, Zong Zhen took it in his hand, and pulled the dagger out of the scabbard. With a flash of silver light, Wen Guiren began to tremble subconsciously, and said forcefully: "What are you going to do! I can tell you , don’t act recklessly! I’m Wen Xiang’s son! Don’t act recklessly! I’m going to call someone, come—ah!”

Zong Zhen raised his hand, and the dagger directly pierced Wen Guiren's right eye, blood sprayed like a column, Chen Keye quickly stepped forward, and tightly covered Wen Guiren's mouth, Cheng Shen also stepped forward, fixed his legs, and called He cannot move.Bao Qing was so frightened that his legs went limp, until Zong Zhen pulled out the dagger again, and whispered to himself: "The other eye also saw it."

Wen Guiren's body stiffened, and another gust of blood gushed out, followed by his left eye.

Zongzhen pulled out the dagger again, and Wen Guiren passed out from the pain.

Zong Zhen took a step back, looked away in disgust, let go of his hand, and the dagger fell to the ground.

Bao Qing hurried forward and asked softly, "Your Highness, are you alright?"

Zong Zhen shook his head, raised his feet and walked out, said lightly: "The manager, kill him."

"Yes!"

Zong Zhen got into the carriage, took the handkerchief from Bao Qing, and wiped his hands slowly. After waiting for about a quarter of an hour, Chen Keye and Cheng Shen also came out and got on the driveway: "Don't worry, Your Highness, everything has been taken care of."

"Okay..." Zong Zhen wiped the blood off his hands, handed the handkerchief back to Baoqing, and said softly, "Go back to the palace..."