Chapter 430: Attending the Banquet
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Consort Xin and Lin Yingmin were brought to a side hall. Along the way, Consort Xin looked at everything that was unfamiliar and familiar. She could not help but feel as if a lifetime had passed.
Lin Yingmin, on the other hand, walked with his head lowered. The palace was full of dangers. He didn’t want to cause trouble, nor did he dare to.
After the young eunuch led him into the side hall, he immediately retreated. After a while, the Emperor slowly walked in with his hands behind his back.
Consort Xin and Lin Yingmin knelt down and bowed. “Greetings, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor sized up the mother and son. There was no Consort Xin in his memory, so he could not distinguish anything. “Stand up.”
He walked over and sat down. Consort Xin and Lin Yingmin stood up.
The Emperor took the dagger and went straight to the point. “Where did you get this dagger?”
Consort Xin replied, “This was given to me by the late emperor…”
The late emperor had gone out on four tours in his life. He had gone to the east, west, north, and south once. When he returned from the south, he passed by a nunnery and met Consort Xin again, who had long left the palace.
At that time, he wanted to take Consort Xin back to the palace, but Consort Xin was timid and did not dare to go back to the palace to give birth. In the end, she rejected the emperor and only asked for a birth gift.
After the late emperor returned to the palace, he specially sent someone to deliver the birth gift to her. He even instructed someone to record the birth of this child.
The child could choose not to return to the palace, but his existence should be acknowledged.
The late emperor was very benevolent. Later on, he even sent a midwife over. Seeing that there was no problem, he even gave her a jade butterfly.
Eunuch Li Fei handed over the jade butterfly. “Your Majesty, please take a look.”
However, this was not enough to show that Lin Yingmin was the son of the late emperor. “Consort Xin, how can you prove that he is a prince?”
Consort Xin took out a piece of white jade the size of her palm and handed it over with both hands. “Your Majesty, if the two people who are related by blood drip their blood on this piece of jade, the blood will mix and dye the jade red. Otherwise, it won’t.”
This was magical. The Emperor took the jade and looked at it carefully for a moment…
Eunuch Li Fei said, “Your Majesty, don’t injure yourself. Why don’t you get someone else to do it?”
The Emperor rubbed the white jade with his thumb and looked at Li Fei. “Go and find someone to try first.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
A eunuch at the palace gate stepped forward. “I’m willing to share your burdens for His Majesty.”
Eunuch Li Fei patted the young eunuch’s shoulder. “Follow me.”
He took out a needle and tested their blood.
The two drops of blood landed on the jade and quickly fused into it. The two drops of blood first touched each other, but after entering the jade, they seemed to repel each other. They ran to the edge and finally seeped out.
When the Emperor saw this scene, he was very curious.
At this moment, a young eunuch came in and reported, “Your Majesty, the young prince is here.”
The Emperor smiled. “Good timing. Let him in.”
The young prince entered the side hall dejectedly and sat on the chair beside the emperor. “Brother.”
The Emperor was puzzled. “What’s wrong? Why do you look so dejected?”
The young prince said in disappointment, “Guard Qu left.”
The Emperor was confused. “Why did he leave?”
The young prince puffed up his cheeks and looked helpless. “He’s going back home to take care of his parents.”
The Emperor was speechless.
“Find another guard. I’ll give you whoever you like.”
The young prince shook his head. “I just want Guard Qu.”
“Did he hypnotize you?”
The young prince shook his head listlessly and said softly, “Brother, I want a friend.”
He wanted a friend? The Emperor glanced at Lin Yingmin. This was a good candidate. “Help me with something. I’ll give you a friend after this.”
The young prince was overjoyed. “Brother, what do you want? Tell me.”
The Emperor pointed at the jade on the table and said, “Let out a drop of blood on this jade.”
Without a word, the young prince pricked his finger with a needle and squeezed a drop of blood onto the jade.
Lin Yingmin dripped another drop of blood on the jade.
The two drops of blood actually attracted each other and fused together. Then, it spread evenly as if it had bloomed. The white jade turned into red jade. A moment later, the blood began to seep out, and the jade returned to white.
The Emperor was stunned. “Consort Xin, this is?”
Consort Xin reported, “This is the jade from the southern border. It contains blood Gu and is specially used to test blood relations.”
The Emperor asked Eunuch Li Fei to bring the jade to him.
Eunuch Li Fei hurriedly washed the jade, wiped it clean, and placed it in the Emperor’s hand.
The Emperor looked at the jade. “Get a few more people to test it.”
Some 20 more people were tested, and all the results matched Consort Xin’s description. Only then did the Emperor believe Consort Xin’s words. “Xiandi, let me introduce you to someone.”
The young prince’s name was Li Xiandi. When he heard this, he looked at the Emperor. “Brother, who is it?”
The Emperor pointed at Lin Yingmin. “My father’s third son, Li Tingzhao.”
The young prince widened his eyes in surprise. After a while, he looked at Lin Yingmin. “The prince of the late emperor?”
“He was brought out of the palace by Consort Xin…” The Emperor had already taken the position of Emperor. Half of the ministers in the court supported him, and a formidable general like Tang Jinghong was by his side. He was not threatened by the appearance of a powerless half-brother.
The young prince sized up Lin Yingmin. He was wearing a moon-colored robe. He was handsome and gentle. He looked like a member of the royal family. “Brother, what do you plan to do with him?”
The Emperor said, “According to the rules.”
The young prince nodded. “In that case, I’ll show him around the capital. By the way, the noble ladies in the capital invited the future wife of the general to a banquet today. I want to see this legendary Chu Qingzhi.”
Lin Yingmin tightened his grip. Qingzhi was actually the future wife of the general? She… was indeed extraordinary!
The Emperor still did not know about this. “Really?”
“Yes.” The young prince was in high spirits. “Everyone is eyeing the position of the general’s wife, but now it’s occupied by a peasant girl. I think it’s very interesting.”
The Emperor said with a smile, “Have fun.”
“Brother, I’m leaving.” The young prince’s depressed mood eased a little. He waved to Lin Yingmin. “Come with me.”
Lin Yingmin looked at Consort Xin. Seeing that Consort Xin did not object, he hurriedly stood up. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
The young prince waved his hand. “You’re the son of the late emperor and my cousin. You can’t call me that.”
Lin Yingmin asked carefully, “Then how should I address you?”
The young prince thought for a moment. They had only met today and still needed some time to get to know each other. “Forget it. You can change it when we become close.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The young prince left with Lin Yingmin.
The Emperor said, “Consort Xin, Lin Yingmin’s matters will be handled according to the rules. You will stay in Shoukang Palace during this period of time.”
Consort Xin bowed. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
When the Emperor returned to the imperial study, he immediately sent someone to investigate the jade to see if it was really as Consort Xin had said.
Pear Phoenix Garden.
At ten in the afternoon, Fan Yuru anxiously sent a servant girl to see if Chu Qingzhi had arrived.
The servant girl quickly returned. “Third Miss, Miss Chu has gone out and is on her way here..”
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