Chapter 99

Chapter 99: Zhen Huan Chronicles, An Ling Rong

“The Fourth Prince was struck until his head broke open, and he was thrown into the lotus pond.” Lu He still looked shaken. “If a patrol guard hadn’t happened to pass that spot and seen the Fourth Prince reaching out and begging for help, the Fourth Prince might have drowned right there in the lotus pond.”

“Who was the culprit?” Li Si Qi raised her brows. “To dare act under the Emperor’s nose… it seems the Fourth Prince did something that made someone unable to resist killing him.”

“I don’t know either.” Lu He shook her head. “Your Highness, I’ll go ask around for news in a moment.”

“No need.” Li Si Qi refused. “The Emperor will handle it. With the Emperor taking action, everyone will soon know what happened. Right now, it’s best to behave and stay steady, so we don’t bring disaster on ourselves.”

Lu He quickly replied, “Yes, I understand.”

“Look at you, still shaken.” Li Si Qi glanced at her and instructed, “Go rest. He Xiang can serve me here.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Lu He looked grateful, bowed, and said, “This servant takes her leave.”

“Go on.” Li Si Qi waved her off.

Then she asked Xiao Hu Zi, “What’s going on with the Fourth Prince?”

“Heh heh, Master definitely can’t guess the truth behind why the Fourth Prince almost lost his life,” Xiao Hu Zi said.

“Stop teasing.” Li Si Qi rolled her eyes. “If I knew what it was, would I need to ask you?”

Xiao Hu Zi laughed. “Master, you know the matter of the Fourth Prince wanting to become Consort Jing’s adopted son, right?”

“Not just me-who in the entire garden, masters and servants alike, doesn’t know?” Li Si Qi snorted. “All that’s missing is Consort Jing nodding, and he’ll be calling her Mother. Too bad Consort Jing isn’t stupid. She doesn’t want to raise a Fourth Prince with such strong ambition. He can keep playing the ‘paying respects’ act all he wants, it won’t work. Consort Jing simply won’t take the bait. Don’t tell me Consort Jing got sick of him and wanted to kill him.”

“It’s a bit complicated,” Xiao Hu Zi replied. “This matter is, to some degree, connected to Consort Jing. Consort Jing was annoyed with the Fourth Prince, that part is true. She handed it to Nanny Feng at her side to deal with. This Nanny Feng is impressive. She knew that over the past year, the Fourth Prince had been killing with impunity-at least ten palace maids died by his hand. Several eunuchs serving him were also beaten to death. Nanny Feng used that point. While chatting with an old sister of hers, she brought up a story she’d heard as a child, about servants killing their master to save their own lives. Before long, that story spread among certain young eunuchs and young palace maids.”

Li Si Qi was shocked. “So the Fourth Prince was nearly killed by the eunuchs and maids fighting back?”

“Yes, Master.” Xiao Hu Zi continued, “After the Fourth Prince turned dark, he stopped treating the lives of eunuchs and maids as anything. If it was light, he beat and scolded them. If it was heavy, he beat them to death. As long as he felt unhappy or dissatisfied, he would take it out on the eunuchs and maids.”

“He’s been doing that for two months, hasn’t he?” Li Si Qi frowned. “Why did no one tell the Emperor?”

“No.” Xiao Hu Zi explained, “The Fourth Prince is the Emperor’s son. No matter what, the Emperor wouldn’t issue an edict to execute the Fourth Prince over servants. And if the Fourth Prince found out a servant had reported him to the Emperor, then with the Fourth Prince’s methods, those people wouldn’t just lose their lives-they could even drag their families down with them. Naturally, no one dared go to His Majesty to complain.”

“So in the end they just went for broke?” Li Si Qi’s expression turned strange. “They tried to kill the Fourth Prince themselves?”

“More or less.” Xiao Hu Zi kept explaining. “When the Fourth Prince once again ordered a young eunuch to be caned, the eunuch snapped and decided to gamble everything. He grabbed a huge vase and smashed it down on the Fourth Prince. At once, the Fourth Prince was bleeding heavily and fainted. The eunuch was terrified. He called for help, and while no one else was nearby, they carried the Fourth Prince out and threw him into the lotus pond. Luckily, the unconscious Fourth Prince had a hard life. The water made him choke and he woke up. When he cried for help, a patrol guard happened to pass by. Otherwise, today he would’ve gone to meet the King of Hell.”

“Those who commit many wrongs bring about their own destruction.” Li Si Qi shook her head. “The Fourth Prince is so young and already treats human life like nothing. It’s only natural that servants would fight back. Even without Nanny Feng stirring things up in the shadows, he wouldn’t have had a good end.”

“That’s true.” Xiao Hu Zi added, “The Emperor already knows what the Fourth Prince has been doing lately. The Emperor already hated the Fourth Prince, and now he sees him as a beast. Even though the Fourth Prince nearly lost his life, he won’t get any pity from His Majesty.”

“The dog Emperor must hate the Fourth Prince even more.” Li Si Qi asked again, “Right-will Nanny Feng be exposed?”

“She won’t.” Xiao Hu Zi continued, “After Nanny Feng’s old sister learned what happened, she understood that it was her own loose tongue that told the young palace maids that story. She knew she couldn’t escape this disaster, and she already took her own life. If nothing unexpected happens, it won’t reach Nanny Feng.”

“Good luck,” Li Si Qi said softly. “And a bit of wisdom too. It seems with her at Consort Jing’s side, ordinary people won’t be able to scheme against Consort Jing.”

… A day later, more than ten palace maids and eunuchs were beaten to death at Yuan Ming Yuan. The Fourth Prince was stripped of his status as an imperial prince and adopted out to Yun Si as his heir. As soon as that edict came down, everyone was stunned. The Emperor had adopted out a prince again.

That meant he now had only two princes left at his side. The Fifth Prince and the Sixth Prince. The identities of those two princes became even more precious. Of course, even more eyes fell on the Sixth Prince.

After all, he was the twin prince. Without realizing it, people had begun to hold a bit of expectation for him….

“No, I don’t believe it.” The Fourth Prince’s face was pale as snow, and he shook his head frantically. “Imperial Father wouldn’t treat me like this. Dog slave, you must be lying to me. Tell me right now this isn’t true!”

“Fourth Prince!” Xiao Wu Zi forced a bitter smile. “It’s true. His Majesty issued the edict personally.”

“How, how could this happen?” The Fourth Prince still refused to believe it. “It was only a few dog slaves and lowly maids. How could Imperial Father adopt me out? This has to be a mistake. Xiao Wu Zi, I want to see Imperial Father. I must see Imperial Father. Xiao Wu Zi, go find Imperial Father, now, hurry!”

“Fourth Prince, His Majesty will not see you.” Xiao Wu Zi lowered his head. “You should understand-His Majesty has never taken the initiative to summon you. Now, it’s even more impossible for him to come see you.”

“Impudent, you dog slave!” The Fourth Prince erupted into furious curses. “How dare you humiliate me like this. You even dare disobey my orders…”

In an instant, the entire courtyard echoed with the Fourth Prince’s curses. The guards outside couldn’t help frowning. This news quickly reached the imperial presence, and after the Emperor heard it, he didn’t care at all. In the Emperor’s heart, Hong Li was no longer his son.

No matter how the Fourth Prince struggled, he was still adopted out in the end, bundled up and sent straight to Yun Si’s mansion…. In the Forbidden City, the Empress heard the news and was delighted. She wished all of the Emperor’s sons could be adopted out. After gloating for half the day, the Empress’s mood improved quite a bit.

So at today’s midday meal, she ate an extra bowl of rice. At Kang Shou Palace, the Empress Dowager’s eyes flashed with disgust. “A son born of a lowly maidservant. As expected, he’s nothing good.

At such a young age he dares to trample human life. When he grows up, he’ll likely become a serial killer.”