The Third Prince and Fifth Prince scrubbed themselves raw until they were sure they didn’t sll like bird droppings, but they still felt unclean.
"Catch them for , catch every single one, leave none behind," the Third Prince said, his face dark and his presence exuding a nacing aura. "I want to skin them alive."
Cao Yi bowed cautiously and said, "This servant has already sent people to catch them. Rest assured, not one will escape." Cao Yi was the Third Prince’s close eunuch, well aware of the Third Prince’s temperant. This ti, the Third Prince, covered in bird droppings by sparrows and crows, had lost both face and dignity, and he was not going to let it go easily. "Please calm yourself, Your Highness."
The Third Prince suddenly thought of sothing, his face growing even more sinister: "Has Hua Qing been found?"
At the ntion of Hua Qing, Cao Yi’s body tensed imdiately. He braced himself and said, "Replying to Your Highness, he has not been found."
With a bang, the Third Prince grabbed the teacup beside him and smashed it onto the floor in front of Cao Yi. The shards splattered onto Cao Yi’s face, cutting it.
Cao Yi imdiately knelt down, his body trembling slightly as he begged for forgiveness: "Your Highness, please forgive !"
"Can’t even find a person, useless!" At this mont, the Third Prince’s expression was sinister and twisted, entirely unlike his usual upright and kind appearance.
"The servants have secretly searched all the palaces and asked many people, all said they haven’t seen Hua Qing."
"Did he vanish into thin air?" the Third Prince mocked.
"Your Highness, this servant suspects Hua Qing is no longer alive," Cao Yi voiced his suspicion.
"No longer alive?"
"This servant guesses Hua Qing may have thrown himself into a well," Cao Yi said, "Hua Qing had sought death before. Moreover, a person can’t just disappear from the Imperial Palace like that—there’s only one possibility, that he’s no longer alive."
The Third Prince thought Cao Yi’s words made so sense. He raised an eyebrow and said, "Alive, I want to see him, dead, I need to see his corpse. Even if he knowingly jumped into a well, I still need to see his body."
"Rest assured, Your Highness, I have already sent people to search all the wells in the palace, we should be able to find Hua Qing’s body soon." Seeing the Third Prince’s expression easing a bit, Cao Yi secretly sighed in relief.
The Third Prince nodded slightly, then raised his hand toward Cao Yi.
Cao Yi quickly got up: "Thank Your Highness." He looked at the Third Prince, showing hesitation.
The Third Prince, seeing his hesitant look, said with displeasure, "Speak without reservation!"
Cao Yi quietly reminded, "Your Highness, starting tomorrow, you need to bathe and fast to copy the Buddhist scriptures for the late Empress. You haven’t forgotten, have you?"
The Third Prince had indeed forgotten. He replied with so impatience: "I know."
Cao Yi hesitated for a mont, then braced himself to say, "Your Highness, during the late Empress’s morial period, it’s best if you... avoid hitting anyone again, otherwise, if the Emperor finds out, he will certainly punish you."
The Third Prince stared at Cao Yi with a nacing glare, causing Cao Yi’s legs to go weak, nearly collapsing to the ground.
"Your Highness, it’s not that this servant is being nosy, but..." Cao Yi broke into a cold sweat under the Third Prince’s gaze, "The Emperor deeply respected the late Empress, and any incident during her morial period would definitely incur his wrath."
The Third Prince withdrew his sharp gaze and said with visible discontent, "I’m not so foolish as to anger Father at this ti."
Upon hearing this, Cao Yi hurriedly slapped himself: "This servant was out of line."
The Third Prince waved his hand, indicating he didn’t mind.
"Anything else?"
"Your Highness, last year on the late Empress’s morial day, the Fifth Prince presented a Shariputra to the Emperor, greatly pleasing him. This year, it is likely the Fifth Prince has found sothing valuable again. The Sixth Prince probably has as well." Though fearing the Third Prince, Cao Yi was very loyal and considerate towards him, "You are to leave the palace and start your own household next year; if you win the Emperor’s favor before then, perhaps he will grant you a good piece of land."
His words pleased the Third Prince, resonating with him.
"You’re right. I should prepare for my ennoblent next year."
"Your Highness, Jiangnan has been prosperous and rich in talent and beauty since ancient tis," Cao Yi added, "Although Yangzhou is currently in rebellion, by next year, the rebellion should be quelled. Why not go to Yangzhou?"
The Third Prince’s previously gloomy eyes instantly glead with excitent upon hearing this.
"Yangzhou is a good place," he said, standing up enthusiastically. "I’m going to find Mother Concubine to help secure Yangzhou." With that, he hurried off to Fuyang Palace.
Just as he walked out of Xingde Palace, he saw Sun Kui’s apprentice, Sun Doudou, approaching.
Upon seeing the Third Prince, Sun Doudou imdiately wore a smile and approached, bowing to the Third Prince: "This servant greets Your Highness."
Towards Sun Doudou, the Third Prince was sowhat courteous.
"Please rise, Young Mr. Sun."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"Is Father looking for ?"
"Your Highness, the Emperor wants you to go to the Imperial Study."
The Third Prince asked, "Is there sothing Father wants to discuss?"
"This servant does not know."
The Third Prince knew he wouldn’t get a straight answer from Sun Doudou, so he stopped asking about it and instead engaged Sun Doudou in casual conversation.
Sun Doudou answered the Third Prince’s questions with a deferential smile, slightly bowing as he did.
The Third Prince was courteous to Sun Kui and his apprentice not to curry favor but because he knew better than to try to win over those who serve by the Emperor’s side, for fear of angering the Emperor. He was courteous because they served the Emperor.
Not only the Third Prince but others in the palace and even ministers treated them with respect, not daring to offend lightly.
After a short while, the Third Prince and Sun Doudou arrived at the Imperial Study.
Sun Doudou said, "Your Highness, please go directly in."
Before leaving, the Third Prince gave Cao Yi a aningful glance, and Cao Yi understood.
As soon as the Third Prince entered the Imperial Study, Cao Yi took a money pouch from his bosom and handed it to Sun Doudou.
Sun Doudou initially declined twice but, unable to resist Cao Yi’s insistence, eventually accepted it.
Cao Yi did not inquire about the matters inside the Imperial Study but instead chatted about trivial topics.
Inside the Imperial Study, the Third Prince respectfully saluted the Emperor. Despite his sinister deanor earlier in Xingde Palace, he was as cautious as Cao Yi in the presence of the Emperor.
All the princes felt awe when facing the Emperor. Moreover, the Third Prince had once been severely punished by the Emperor, which increased his fear.
"Why did you order people to catch birds?" the Emperor asked, "To eat them?"
Though the Emperor’s tone seed calm, it sent chills down the Third Prince’s spine. He quickly knelt: "It’s not to eat them, but..." Thinking of the previous incident at Changqin Palace, the Third Prince looked embarrassed, "I was covered in bird droppings and couldn’t stand it..."
"So you wanted to kill them out of spite?" The Emperor’s tone suddenly turned cold, "What day is it tomorrow?"
The Third Prince instantly rembered he was supposed to bathe and fast to copy the Buddhist scriptures for the late Empress the next day. Killing birds before copying scriptures was taboo.
His face turned pale, eyes filled with panic.
"Father, I know my mistake. I was so enraged by the birds that I lost my head... Please forgive , Father." He couldn’t believe he forgot sothing so important.
In a cold voice, the Emperor said, "Get out."
"I take my leave!" The Third Prince hurriedly got up and left.
Standing by the door of the Imperial Study, Cao Yi saw the Third Prince co out looking terrified, and his heart sank... Did His Highness get scolded by the Emperor?
The Third Prince dared not linger at the entrance of the Imperial Study, quickly leaving. Cao Yi hurriedly followed.
Walking for a while, the Third Prince suddenly stopped and kicked Cao Yi.
Cao Yi knelt on the ground: "Calm down, Your Highness."
"Why didn’t you stop from catching and killing the birds earlier? Don’t you know we can’t shed blood during the late Empress’s morial period?"
Cao Yi felt wronged; he had hinted at it, but the Third Prince didn’t pick up on it. Besides, he dared not say it out loud when the Third Prince was angry.
"This servant failed in his duties, please punish , Your Highness."
The Third Prince knew it wasn’t Cao Yi’s fault for not reminding him, but he could only vent his anger on Cao Yi.
"Have them stop imdiately, no more bird-catching."
"This servant will do as ordered."
The Third Prince did not return to Xingde Palace but went to Fuyang Palace to find his mother consort, Concubine Shu.
In the Imperial Study, Sun Kui sneaked a glance at the Emperor, seeing the Emperor still looked upset, assud he was still angry with the Third Prince. He hesitated briefly, deciding not to plead for the Third Prince.
Just over an hour ago, the Emperor was playfully interacting with the Tenth Prince. Yet an hour later, he was sternly reprimanding the Third Prince. The contrast was stark indeed.
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