King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 654 Royal Scandal
An hour later, Zhu Jinghong, who had just got off the carriage in the villa outside the city of Prince Xiang's mansion, ran into Deng An who had caught up with him.

In the front hall of the villa, Zhu Jinghong walked back and forth in the room, listening to Deng An's report.

After a few minutes, he finally stopped and asked, "So... is the third brother awake?"

Deng An replied: "When I left, I got the news that he was sent back by someone in his house!"

"Li Wenzhao is still on trial?"

"That's right... But Liu San only admitted that he was looking for Zhu Jingting's son. He knew nothing else. Li Wenzhao is torturing him!"

Zhu Jinghong smiled and said, "I don't think we can get anything out of him except for forcing him to confess!"

If Zhu Jingrun was cautious enough, he would not let Liu San get involved in too many things. After all, he was just an ordinary eunuch in charge.

"Then should we let Li Wenzhao..."

"Go check the Guangyang Palace?" Zhu Jinghong asked back.

"Tell them to report the situation... Just say that the captain accidentally found Liu San suspicious this morning. As for how suspicious he was, they can make it up themselves. How to investigate the case later is all up to your majesty!"

After hearing what Zhu Jinghong said, Deng An nodded quickly, bowed, and then left.

Zhu Jinghong sat on the chair, wondering how things would develop and whether he could get out of it.

At this moment, Baochai appeared from the back hall and asked Deng An why he came here.

After Zhu Jinghong explained, Baochai said, "I never thought it was really the Third Brother who was behind it last time!"

"Yes!" Zhu Jinghong sighed, his eyes deep and still thinking.

"But how did he have the ability to make you three almost lose your composure and cause unrest in the court? Was it because of his status as the eldest son of the emperor?"

Obviously, in Baochai's view, this is simply impossible.

"Maybe he really has won over a lot of people over the years, but he acted in secret and we don't know about it!" Zhu Jinghong speculated.

"But the question is, he was able to win over so many people, how could the old man be kept in the dark?"

Zhu Jinghong felt that he was obviously pretending to be stupid, which was almost like running naked in front of the emperor. Zhu Jingrun was not trusted and was under close surveillance, so he should not be able to hide.

On the other hand, with the two choices of the crown prince and the sixth son, the officials had no reason to choose him.

Baochai came forward and frowned, saying, "This matter is very strange. The truth will be revealed in a few days. You don't have to think too much about it!"

"Ok!"

Just as Zhu Jinghong was about to enter the inner house, a eunuch suddenly came outside and reported: "Your Majesty, someone from the East Palace has come and sent Master Miaoyu over!"

"What?"

Zhu Jingrun’s matter did not surprise him, but Miaoyu’s sudden sending over made Zhu Jinghong a little out of control.

"Someone sent Miaoyu to you!" Baochai interrupted.

"Why send her here for no reason?" Zhu Jinghong looked puzzled.

During the negotiation in the morning, Lao Liu mentioned Miaoyu. Could it be that he was the one behind this? Zhu Jinghong guessed so.

He was right in his guess. After meeting the emperor in the morning, Lao Liu really went to the East Palace and specifically mentioned Miaoyu's matter.

Zhu Jingyuan went to great lengths to link his younger brother to the White Lotus Sect.

Seeing that Zhu Jinghong didn't answer, Baochai couldn't help but smiled and said, "Why? You don't like it... Then send him back!"

"Xiao Quanzi, go and pass on the message..."

The eunuch called "Xiao Quanzi" did not do it immediately after receiving the order, but looked up at Zhu Jinghong.

At this time, Zhu Jinghong said, "Since they are here, it would be impolite to drive them away!"

Baochai then teased, "Oh... you are being so polite again, how strange!"

"Since they are guests, please go out and greet them. I will take my leave now!"

"Why don't we meet together?" Zhu Jinghong said hypocritically.

After rolling her eyes at him, Baochai smiled and said, "Forget it. They are here to visit you. Wouldn't it be a nuisance for me to be here?"

"How can you say that!"

Then Baochai left, and less than two minutes later, Miaoyu came into the room.

Of course she was reluctant to come, but the prince had agreed, so she had to compromise for the sake of the overall situation.

"Greetings to Your Highness!"

Miaoyu bowed politely, but Zhu Jinghong came up to her, grabbed her hand and said, "I missed you so much!"

All this happened so suddenly that Miaoyu was completely caught off guard, and she was stunned for a short time.

"Don't...don't do this!" Miaoyu quickly pulled her hand back and took two steps back in panic.

She was indeed a highly accomplished practitioner, and had many profound principles in her heart, but these were of no use at the moment.

"My Lord, why are you still here? The sisters are waiting for you!"

The appearance of Zhen Qin rescued Miaoyu, who immediately took two steps back.

"Everyone here?"

"Of course we are all here. How dare we not come if you want to?"

While answering, Zhen Qin also noticed Miaoyu, so she immediately went to greet her.

"Master Miaoyu, you are here too. This is really rare!"

"Greetings, the selected concubine!" Miaoyu bowed according to the rules.

"We're having a banquet today. You've come at the right time. Come and play with us!" Zhen Qin also took Miaoyu's hand.

At this moment, in Miaoyu's eyes, Zhen Qin was like a savior, so she immediately hid behind her, nodded repeatedly and said: "Okay... I haven't seen you for a long time, and I was thinking of catching up with you!"

You still want to seduce the prince, how can I give you the chance... Looking at Miaoyu who was "tricked" in front of her, Zhen Qin felt particularly proud.

"Your Highness, please come with us!" Zhen Qin invited.

"Alright!"

While answering, Zhu Jinghong looked at Miaoyu, which made the latter instantly clamp her legs together.

Seeing this scene, Zhu Jinghong laughed and became more interested in Miaoyu. He even thought about what to do that night.

"Let's go!" Zhu Jinghong said with a faint smile.

Just seeing his smile made Miaoyu feel a chill, but now she was imprisoned and had no choice but to accept her fate.

What's the big deal? For the great cause of the church, I can sacrifice anything...

Being addicted to sex will definitely damage his body. If he can die of ecstasy, it will be a win-win situation...

Miaoyu kept trying to convince herself, but in the end she still felt aggrieved. Finally, she could only stare at Zhu Jinghong's back and curse in her heart.

You stupid bastard, when I become something big in the future, I will make sure you can neither live nor die!
As if sensing Miaoyu's emotions, Zhu Jinghong suddenly stopped, turned around, and stared at Miaoyu.

Miaoyu felt extremely guilty and almost blurted out what was in her heart, but in the end she held it back.

"Ms. Miaoyu, I suddenly have a headache. Please recite some scriptures for me!" Zhu Jinghong said, stroking his forehead.

This bastard, I know he is a lecher, but he can't be so impatient, right? There are no women in your house, right...

Knowing what Zhu Jinghong was planning, Miaoyu started cursing in her heart again.

"Your Highness, why did you suddenly have a headache...Should we call the imperial physician?"

As Zhu Jinghong was a prince, there was always an imperial physician on duty at his residence, so Zhen Qin said this.

"Qin girl, there's no need to bother. Just let Miaoyu recite some sutras for me. I'll talk to you in the evening when I feel better!"

"Really?" Zhen Qin stood on tiptoe excitedly, her whole body surrounded by happiness.

"Of course it's true... Go and play with them!"

"Okay...I'll go right away!"

After saying that, Zhen Qin looked at Miaoyu again and solemnly urged: "Master Miaoyu, you have to recite the scriptures well so that the prince won't have a headache!" Looking at Zhen Qin's earnest instructions, Miaoyu was really unsure at the moment, whether this person was pretending to be stupid or was really stupid.

Before she could figure out the problem, Zhu Jinghong had already pulled her away. Miaoyu staggered and fell directly into Zhu Jinghong's arms.

"Ms. Miaoyu, you have to be careful!" Zhu Jinghong said in a soft tone.

Afterwards, the two of them walked away one after the other, and Zhen Qin went to the back garden happily.

It was afternoon, in the capital, inside the Qianqing Gate.

Zhu Jingrun was kneeling on the imperial road. He had been kneeling for half an hour since he was summoned to the Qianqing Palace.

His health was not very good, so kneeling for half an hour was indeed a very difficult thing for him.

When he was in a trance, a figure came in front of him. Zhu Jingrun looked up and found that it was Cheng Ying.

"Eunuch Cheng!"

"Third Master, get up. The master has ordered you to go into the hall!" Cheng Ying said in a calm tone.

"Yes!"

Zhu Jingrun wanted to get up, but his legs were too weak, so Cheng Ying stepped forward to help him up.

"Thank you, Eunuch Cheng!"

Cheng Ying looked calm and said, "Third Master, I'll be in soon. Tell me the truth!"

This is both a warning and an advice.

"I see!"

With the help of Cheng Ying, Zhu Jingrun entered the Qianqing Palace.

He thought he would have an audience in the warm study, but Cheng Ying asked him to stand in the main hall. In front of Zhu Jingrun was the emperor's throne.

That was of course the place he longed for, but he had never taken a close look at it over the years. Now that he was mentally broken, he began to look at it carefully.

The emperor's throne is decorated with noble decorations. At this moment, the throne seems so close, but at the same time it seems so illusory!

"Have seen enough?"

The sudden sound frightened Zhu Jingrun so much that he almost fell to the ground.

Immediately afterwards, Zhu Jingrun quickly propped himself up, endured the severe pain in his knees, adjusted his direction, and kowtowed repeatedly to the emperor.

He was watching so intently that he didn't even notice the emperor appear.

Walking slowly in front of Zhu Jingrun, Zhu Xianming looked down at his third son, a person who was both familiar and unfamiliar to him.

"I heard that you had a fight with the people from the Northern Pacification Office at the South City Thousand Households Office this morning, and you even drew a knife?"

"Aren't you feeling unwell? It seems I was wrong!"

The first sentence can be explained, but when Zhu Jingrun heard the second sentence, he was almost paralyzed by fear.

"Why aren't you talking?" Zhu Xianming asked coldly.

"Father, my son is guilty!"

Zhu Xianming turned around, walked to the throne, went up the imperial steps, and finally sat on the throne of the emperor.

"Tell me the truth about what happened this time!" Zhu Xianming said in a deep voice.

"Yes……"

Zhu Jingrun himself knew that only by telling the truth would he have a chance of survival. After all, he had been exposed now, and it was only a matter of time before the truth was uncovered.

"I don't know, I don't know...where to start!"

On the throne, Zhu Xianming straightened his clothes and said calmly: "Let's talk about the matter between Old Fourteen and Zhu Jingting!"

"Zhu Jingting's conflict with the Fourteenth Prince was indeed instigated by my son. My son even sent someone to pretend to be a eunuch from the Prince Rui's Palace and asked him to go to the Imperial Clan Court to pass on the order!"

"I think you have killed all the people involved in this matter!"

"Yes!" Zhu Jingrun admitted honestly.

"Then what……"

"there is none left!"

"That's all? The rumors in the capital, and the instigation of officials to impeach, are you not going to explain these things?" Zhu Xianming's face turned unsightly.

Zhu Jingrun resisted the pressure and replied, "These sons and ministers did send servants from the palace to help!"

Zhu Xianming's expression became more serious, and he asked, "Did you not win over officials? Did you not incite collusion?"

Zhu Jingrun said very frankly: "Father, I am not the crown prince, not the prince Rui, nor the prince Xiang. Who would be willing to follow me?"

This is indeed the truth. No one would come to burn Zhu Jingrun's stove. After all, there are three better choices.

But what if someone is stupid enough to insist on taking the credit for being the first to follow the dragon?
"You'd better tell the truth!"

"My son is telling the truth..."

After taking a deep breath, Zhu Jingrun continued, "I started to ask the Imperial Clan House to take action in order to involve Prince Rui, and then try to spread rumors to get the Eastern Palace to take action..."

"Very courageous!" Zhu Xianming said suddenly.

Zhu Jingrun was worried, but he could only continue to say: "But the development of the matter was completely beyond my expectations!"

"My son only gave a little guidance, but the officials of the Eastern Palace and the Rui Palace rushed out like crazy, trying their best to impeach my Thirteenth Brother!"

"Father knows everything that happened next!"

After hearing all this, the truth of the matter seemed very simple, even too simple.

Zhu Xianming couldn't believe it, but he knew it was possible, so he had to investigate it thoroughly.

"So, you just started it, and then the fourth and sixth brothers took advantage of it!" Zhu Xianming asked back.

"My son doesn't know. Maybe he was used by them, or maybe they were used by him!"

"Who is using them?" Zhu Xianming asked.

As soon as this question was asked, Zhu Xianming already had the answer in his mind, which was, of course, that they were being used by their respective subordinates.

In order to bring down the Thirteenth Prince, the people below were willing to do anything, but the Crown Prince and the Sixth Prince, under his strong pressure, tried their best to control the situation.

The truth has emerged. All parties involved in this incident played ignominious roles. Although Zhu Jingrun was the instigator, it is unfair to put all the blame on him.

"Why does Zhu Jingting obey you?" Zhu Xianming asked the last question.

"Zhu Jingting's sister, Princess Pingkang, has not been married yet. She gave birth to a son thirteen years ago. Coincidentally, Zhu Jingting's wife also gave birth to a son at that time. However, Zhu Jingting's wife's pregnancy was fake, and the son she gave birth to was Princess Pingkang's son!"

"He brought the bastard into the mansion as his legitimate son so that he could inherit his title?" Zhu Xianming said in a low voice.

According to the current system of inheriting the title by descending in rank, if a royal family member has a legitimate son, he will be demoted by one rank. If a concubine's son or an adopted son of the royal family inherits the title, he will be demoted by two ranks.

In order to slow down the demotion of his title, it is understandable that this guy found someone to pretend to be the legitimate son and inherit the title. Moreover, this kind of thing has a history in the royal family, and those who were found out were severely punished.

"This boy is indeed a bastard, but not an ordinary bastard!"

"How to say?"

"This child is the child of Zhu Jingting and Princess Pingkang!"

At this moment, Zhu Xianming was shocked. After a few breaths, he said, "Pingkang County Princess is his sister, and...his biological sister!"

Zhu Jingting's father was Zhu Xianluo, Prince Zhongxian. According to the system of inheriting the title by downgrading the rank mentioned above, his concubine's daughter should be granted the title of Princess of the County, and only his legitimate daughter could be granted the title of Princess of the County.

Zhu Jingting was the legitimate son and Princess Pingkang was the legitimate daughter, which means that they were siblings from the same mother.

With such a relationship, they actually had an affair and even gave birth to a son.

If this gets out, it would really bring disgrace to the royal family... Zhu Xianming was so angry that he looked murderous.

"Cheng Ying..."

(End of this chapter)