The Command to Pamper the Husband - Chapter 66

After discussing for a while, the Consorts couldn’t come to any conclusions.

Consort Dou smiled, “Why don’t we go and see His Highness?”

Consort Liu and Consort Zhen both shook their heads. “Better not. His Highness shamed Consort Jiang today. Our families aren’t as influential as hers. If His Highness gets angry again, we’d be walking into trouble.”

Consort Dou sighed, “So we just wait and see?”

Consort Liu and Consort Zhen nodded in agreement. Consort Liu said, “Let’s just watch for now. Anyway, there’s nothing we need to do at the moment.”

With that, the three Consorts exchanged knowing glances.

Consort Jiang was placed by the Crown Prince.

Consort Liu was placed by the Second Prince.

Consort Zhen was placed by the Third Prince.

Consort Dou was placed by the Fifth Prince.

They had been in the mansion for more than a year, and because the Fourth Prince was a soft target, there hadn’t been any conflicts or jealousy among them.

They often gathered to play mahjong and were well aware of each other’s backgrounds.

As long as their respective masters didn’t give any orders, they were peaceful sisters.

If a day came when they had to tear each other apart, they would deal with it then.

Why make things difficult for each other?

After chatting for a while, the three Consorts dispersed.

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince left the palace.

Once in his carriage, his attendant reported from outside, “Your Highness, the Fourth Prince has returned to the capital.”

The Crown Prince adjusted his mink cloak.

“He came back quickly. Did you see the woman he brought back? Is she a beauty?”

“News from the mansion indicates only the Fourth Prince returned to the capital. No woman was seen.”

The Crown Prince frowned.

No woman?

That’s impossible; it doesn’t fit the pattern of storybooks.

There must be a woman. She’s probably hidden away.

“And the dog?”

“It’s also in the Fourth Prince’s mansion.”

The Crown Prince sneered, “He’s comfortable keeping it.”

“Does Your Highness want to…”

“No need. Let him keep it. Father Emperor will naturally ask about it.”

The attendant then said, “The Magistrate of Jingzhao is waiting for you at the mansion.”

“Why is he there?”

“This morning, the Fourth Prince returned to the mansion and slapped Consort Jiang at the gate. The Magistrate went to seek justice for her but was thrown out by the Fourth Prince.”

Hearing this, the Crown Prince’s lips curved into a smile.

He had read about a similar scene in a storybook.

It seemed that in the story, the man acted this way mostly because of another woman.

So, there must be a woman with the Fourth Prince.

Interesting!

“What about the Duke?”

“The Duke sent assassins to kill the Fourth Prince the night before, but they were all killed by the Fourth Prince’s men. The Duke is furious. Although the heir of the Duke claims to be ill, our investigation found that Xu Lin is not in the mansion.”

The Crown Prince leaned back in the carriage, closing his eyes to rest.

The Fourth Prince went to Yu County to investigate the Duke’s gold mine. Both the heir of the Duke’s Estate and the Chief Eunuch of the Empress Dowager’s palace, Zhao Fuhai, disappeared.

If these two disappearances had nothing to do with the Fourth Prince…

How could it be unrelated?

It must be related!

Slowly exhaling, the Crown Prince smiled. “In the next few days, the Fourth Prince will definitely clash with the Duke. We should secretly help the Fourth Prince.”

He indeed wanted to get rid of the Fourth Prince.

But the Duke…

The attendant, following outside the carriage, was puzzled. “Isn’t the Duke allied with you?”

The Crown Prince’s eyes slowly opened, a cold light within them.

“Just because someone wants to ally with me doesn’t mean I’ll accept them. The Duke is not worthy!”

Although Father Emperor greatly favored Consort Li and the Duke, the Crown Prince could strongly sense that Father Emperor was most wary of the Duke.

Father Emperor didn’t trust the Duke.

This distrust was like a ticking bomb.

The more intense the favor, the more disastrous the fall would be in the future.

Staying far away was the true wisdom.

Stories always followed this pattern.

“Oh, by the way, regarding Yu County, I found out that a merchant named Qian Lai secretly guards the Duke’s gold mine. Now, for some reason, Qian Lai is on his way to the capital and should arrive tonight.”

The Crown Prince remained expressionless.

For some reason?

Of course, it was because Qian Lai’s son was imprisoned.

It seemed the Fourth Prince had a grand scheme.

The Crown Prince’s fingers tapped rhythmically on his knee. Suddenly, he paused and opened his eyes.

Wait!

The Fourth Prince had never been to Yu County before.

If he had laid a trap, was Qian Lai part of his scheme too?

Did he have such capability?

Or was someone in Yu County colluding with him?

With this thought, the Crown Prince immediately ordered, “Quick, back to the palace!”

The carriage sped up.

Once back at the palace, the Crown Prince didn’t bother to see the Magistrate of Jingzhao and headed straight to his study.

At the bookshelf, the Crown Prince flipped through his storybooks one by one.

After about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the Crown Prince found a storybook and sighed with relief.

“I knew this plot seemed familiar. So that’s it.”

The attendant was puzzled, “Your Highness?”

The Crown Prince sneered, “There must be someone in Yu County colluding with the Fourth Prince. According to the storybook, it’s either that woman or someone directly related to her.”

The attendant…

Seriously?!

Seeing the attendant’s bewildered expression, the Crown Prince rolled his eyes.

“Don’t think these storybooks are pure fiction. Although the stories are not real, remember one thing: art imitates life!”

The attendant…

You’re the master. You make the rules.

“The Magistrate of Jingzhao is still waiting outside.”

The Crown Prince, holding the storybook, sat down, ready to delve into it.

“What’s he here for? Qian Lai will arrive soon. Let him go investigate!”

“Your Highness means…”

The Crown Prince ignored him, engrossed in the storybook.

The attendant hesitated for a moment before leaving.

When the Magistrate of Jingzhao left the Crown Prince’s mansion, he was utterly confused.

Consort Jiang was still at his house.

The Crown Prince didn’t care, and the Fourth Prince wouldn’t pacify her. Was he supposed to send her back himself?

If not, was she to stay with him?!

The Magistrate felt that today’s air was particularly stifling.

Equally stifled was Qian Lai.

He had arrived in the capital.

Instead of seeing the Duke directly, he pretended to be Qian Zhen’s uncle, bribed the prison guards with enough silver, and entered the cell to see his son.

At first sight of his son, disheveled and emaciated, covered in new and old whip marks, Qian Lai burst into tears.

Qian Zhen grabbed the cell bars, crying pitifully, “Father, save me. I didn’t kill anyone. It was Third Young Master who killed, and the Duke made me take the blame. They said they would get me out, but… Father, I don’t think I’ll make it out alive.”