Ming Dynasty: At the beginning, the house was ransacked and the ancestral temple was burned down.

Chapter 243 Forced into the palace! Confess!
"Minghe, please don't scare me!"

Zhu Changluo was really scared to death. If Zhang Chonghui was imprisoned, wouldn’t it mean that he, who was in the same boat with Zhang Chonghui, would also capsize along with Zhang Chonghui!

"At this point, there is no point in worrying too much, just go with the flow." Zhang Chonghui patted Zhu Changluo on the shoulder and said:
"Your Highness, it's time for you to bring the emperor's grandson into the palace. The emperor must be unhappy if he waits too long."

……

Zhu Changluo didn't know how to go with the flow as Zhang Chonghui said. In his opinion, the current situation was tantamount to waiting for death.

However, even if he was waiting to die, Zhu Changluo still had to take his son Zhu Youxiao into the palace first.

Zhu Changluo was in a daze, but Zhu Youxiao was alive and kicking. The little kid, who was still unsteady on his feet, suddenly started crying and jumping around, crying and shouting for a "hemp stick".

The Ma Gun Gun is a wooden ruyi carved by Zhang Chonghui himself using prickly ash wood. When his grandson was half a year old, he gave him this beautifully carved ruyi as a teething stick.

The little prince likes this stick very much. It feels numb when bitten but smells sweet. He likes it so much that he holds it in his arms when he sleeps and uses it to tickle his itch from time to time.

Zhu Changluo knew what his son was talking about, but seeing that he was about to die, his son was still grumbling about a piece of broken wood that was in the way. Zhu Changluo said impatiently:
"It's already this late and you're still so clumsy. You can't bring that thing with you to see the emperor. What will happen if your grandfather sees it?"

After being scolded by the prince's father, Zhu Youxiao cried even louder.

Seeing that the prince was about to get angry, Li Jinzhong, the emperor's grandson's eldest companion, also panicked. After all, he would be the only one to bear the blame for not being able to appease the emperor's grandson.

Li Jinzhong was about to be scolded, but at this moment, Zhang Chonghui, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up.

"Wait a minute!"

Zhang Chonghui's eyes were fixed on the wooden ruyi that he had carved on a whim.

Thinking back to the unique and rare shape of the wooden Ruyi, as well as the special landscape patterns carved on it, he seemed to remember something in a flash...

"Take it with you."

There was some uncertainty and some gambling in Zhang Chonghui's eyes.

Zhu Changluo didn't pay attention to Zhang Chonghui's abnormality. Seeing that his son was crying annoyingly, he had to give up:

"Then take it with you. But when you are in front of the emperor, Jinzhong, you must hide this thing well. Don't let the emperor see that the emperor's grandson is so big and still wants to bite something."

Li Jinzhong was speechless. He was only three years old. Wasn't it normal for him to grind his teeth and clench his lips at this age?
Of course Zhu Changluo knew that this was normal. When he was three years old, he couldn't even walk and was still crawling and babbling.

But his father, the emperor, had already started to read and write when he was three years old.

Zhu Changluo knew that he, the eldest son, had long been looked down upon by his father, the emperor, and he could not allow his son to be looked down upon as well.

……

After Zhu Changluo left Ciqing Palace, Zhang Chonghui also left.

This time, Zhang Chonghui first went back to Old Zhao's house to change clothes, and then went straight to Zhang Yunxiu's house.

He had to take care of the "afterlife", which was what happened next.

……

Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Changluo thought that his father, the emperor, would come up and scold him, but the reality was very normal, even a little heartwarming.

Zhu Yijun even teased his grandson by tickling him and rubbing his cheeks, making the little kid giggle.

Zhu Changluo was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he saw this scene, but then he heard Zhu Yijun say:
"Prince, your son is much smarter than you. He can answer questions fluently at the age of three. Look at you, you couldn't even speak clearly when you were three years old."

Zhu Changluo was ashamed, thinking to himself, "Wang Shouren didn't start talking until he was six years old." He could only smile and say:
"Your Majesty is right. I am a dull child. I am not as smart as you, Your Majesty. I am ashamed."

"Don't be ashamed. Being dull has its advantages. Look, everyone says that you are a loyal and honest prince."

Zhu Yijun's words were so sarcastic that Zhu Changluo's legs suddenly went weak and he broke out in a cold sweat. He knew very well that his father, the emperor, was going to settle the score!

"Your Majesty...you are too kind..." Zhu Changluo said pretending to be calm.

Zhu Yijun ignored Zhu Changluo, but asked the little boy Zhu Youxiao:
"Xiao'er, tell Grandpa Huang how your father treats your mother?"

Zhu Changluo's knees became even weaker and he almost fell to his knees!
Fortunately, the son God had given him was very considerate. Although he stumbled a little, he quickly replied in a baby voice:

"To reply to Grandpa Huang, my father treats my mother very well."

"Really?" Zhu Yijun obviously didn't believe it and threatened: "Children can't lie, otherwise they will be caught by bad guys!"

Zhu Youxiao blinked his eyes, and in his mind were the words that Zhang Chonghui had repeatedly reminded him.

"Your Highness, if the Emperor asks you whether your father treats your mother well, how will you answer?"

"Oh no! He hit my mother!"

"You can't answer like that. Your mother is the Crown Princess, and your biological mother is just a concubine. You can't call her mother."

"I won't listen! I don't care!"

"Well, since you are not behaving well, I will not come to play with you or give you toys anymore."

"No! Little Master, don't leave!"

……

"Xiao'er, why don't you answer Grandpa Emperor?" Zhu Yijun asked urgently.

For the sake of the new toy, and to prevent the handsome and gentle master from ignoring him, the little kid answered again:

"To reply to Grandpa Huang, my father treats my mother very well."

This time, Zhu Yijun remained silent. He didn't know whether his grandson was lying, but he chose to believe his grandson.

After all, the child is only three years old, how could he have any bad intentions?

But Zhang Chonghui actually gave him false information!

Sure enough, Zhang Chonghui had been playing tricks on him from the beginning to the end, and had never really intended to help him depose the crown prince!

At this point, it doesn’t matter whether Zhang Chonghui is sincere or not. It doesn’t matter whether the prince has done those dirty things or not.

Anyway, the time has come, it's time to squeeze out the abscess!

"Someone, take the grandson down first."

As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, Li Jinzhong on the side hurriedly bent down and picked up the little prince.

Perhaps he felt it was a pity that this was the last time they would see each other, so Zhu Yijun reluctantly pinched the baby's soft cheek and said with a wry smile:

"It really looks like me... What a pity..."

What a pity! It would have been great if this was Xun'er's son. In that case, even if he was asked to directly establish the crown prince, he would agree without hesitation.

Zhu Youxiao did not understand what his grandfather the crown prince meant by his smile, nor did he know that his grandfather the crown prince was about to depose his father from the position of crown prince and exile his entire family to their hometown in Fengyang. Although they would have no worries about food and clothing, their lives would be like being in prison.

At the same time, Zhu Changluo also heard the three words "what a pity" from his father, the emperor. He knew what it meant. It was because of this that his knees could no longer support his weak body, and he finally knelt down with a "thump". "Father..." Zhu Changluo's tears immediately welled up, and he cried, "The rumors outside don't count. I am innocent..."

Zhu Yijun didn't expect Zhu Changluo to kneel so quickly. He wanted to wait until his grandson was taken away before dealing with his son privately.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Changluo knelt down and started to defend himself while crying before his grandson even left.

Zhu Changluo's sudden kneeling scared many palace servants, especially Li Jinzhong. It was his first time in the palace, and he didn't expect to see such a private family affair of the emperor...

Li Jinzhong was afraid that he would be murdered to silence him because he saw a scene that he shouldn't have seen, but at this moment, his little ancestor made trouble again!

Perhaps because he was unhappy to see his biological father crying, Zhu Youxiao suddenly burst into tears!

Zhu Changluo could hardly save himself, and he was too lazy to care about his son. He even hoped that his son could cry louder so that his emperor father would soften his heart and forgive him this time.

For a moment, the older ones were crying, and the younger ones were crying too, and the scene was a complete mess.

Li Jinzhong was so anxious that he almost peed his pants. In his panic, he didn't care about what the prince had told him before. He hurriedly took out the children's toys hidden in his sleeves and shook them one by one.

In fact, at this time, Li Jinzhong just wanted to take the little prince away from here quickly and go to a place where there was no emperor's power to coax him.

But His Majesty the Emperor said nothing at this time, and even the hand that was pinching the emperor's grandson's face seemed to be frozen, motionless...

"Wuwuwu, father...I am truly wronged..."

"Wa ...

The big one is still crying, and the small one is crying too.

Zhu Yijun felt his eardrums throbbing, but he did not perceive any noise. Instead, there was only a dead silence in his mind.

He stared at the familiar object in Zhu Youxiao's mouth as he cried and bit it, his eyes blank, and he didn't come back to his senses for a long time.

"What is this?"

Li Jinzhong, who was shaking the rattle, realized that the emperor was asking him, and quickly replied:

"In reply to the emperor, this is the teething stick of His Royal Highness the eldest grandson."

"Who... gave it to him?" Zhu Yijun asked again, the confusion in his eyes gradually turning into fear. He now only hoped not to hear that name. He prayed strongly in his heart that it was not that name!
Li Jinzhong did not answer immediately, but first looked at the prince who was kneeling on the ground and crying, asking with his eyes whether he wanted to answer truthfully.

Zhu Changluo had a feeling that he had grasped a life-saving straw, and he quickly replied:
"Father, I did do some ridiculous things, but it was Zhang Chonghui who instigated me to do them!

It was this piece of wood that he personally carved for half a year to give to the emperor's grandson in order to please his son and minister! "

"Boom!" A silent thunder struck Zhu Yijun's mind. The name he least wanted to hear finally appeared!
……

Zhang Mansion.

"The Emperor has already summoned the Crown Prince to the palace. If nothing unexpected happens, I will be the next person to be summoned to the palace."

Zhang Chonghui was wearing a green official robe that looked like a brand new one, but the oriole patch on his chest was a little blurry due to the disconnection. From a distance, it looked like two dancing cranes.

At this moment, Zhang Chonghui's expression was rarely serious as usual. After all, the gambling game was about to begin.

"So soon?" Zhang Yunxiu was also panicked for a moment: "I thought... there would be some time."

"I've said it before, if the emperor can't wait, then we can't wait either," said Zhang Chonghui.

"How confident are you?" Zhang Yunxiu asked worriedly.

"To be honest." Zhang Chonghui smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Zero percent."

Zhang Yunxiu almost lost his footing, his eyes wide open, "Then you are definitely going to die on this trip! Didn't you tell me before that you had at least a 50% chance of success?"

"I think 0% and 50% are the same. It's just a subtle difference between losing the bet and having the possibility of winning the bet." Zhang Chonghui said, smiling helplessly, and said:

"Before, I thought I understood the emperor very well, but now I find that I don't seem to understand him that well, so this 50% needs to be reduced to 0%."

"so what?"

"Wait."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Wait for the emperor to summon me into the palace and force me to confess my crime."

"Just wait?"

"Also, drag."

"drag?"

"Well, I told myself yesterday that I will be in jail today."

"so?"

"So I want to delay. As long as I delay past today, maybe everything will change."

"What if..."

"It doesn't matter whether there is a chance or not. You must remember what I told you. If you have that 50% chance of success, you must do as I say. You must not hesitate. You must burn your boats!"

……

It turns out that delaying time is not that easy.

People from the palace arrived very quickly. Even though Zhang Chonghui was at Zhang Yunxiu's house, the Jinyiwei still found this place at dusk.

This time, the one who came to "see off" Zhang Chonghui was Luo Sigong.

"Happy New Year, cousin." Luo Sigong smiled at Zhang Yunxiu with ill intentions:
"New Year is New Year, and we are relatives. Hand over your nephew. The emperor wants to see him."

Zhang Yunxiu's face was very dark, but he still answered Luo Sigong: "My nephew is drunk at my house. Wait until he sobers up and then come to the palace to see the emperor tomorrow."

Luo Sigong didn't want to listen to this. He scratched his ear and said, "Why is it so troublesome to sober up? We Jinyiwei have many ways to sober up. Come, bring Zhang Zhubu here. I will help him sober up myself!"

"How dare you!" Zhang Yunxiu said angrily, "I am your elder, and you dare to act recklessly in my house!"

"I'm sorry, cousin." Luo Sigong pretended to apologize, and suddenly his face turned cold and said, "I am following the emperor's order. Why, don't you even obey the emperor's order? Do you want to rebel?"

Zhang Yunxiu was about to continue scolding, but was interrupted by the visitor.

"It's not that exaggerated to say 'rebellion'. Commander Luo still loves to put accusations on people." Zhang Chonghui strode over. Not only was there no smell of alcohol on his body, but there was a faint fragrance instead.

"I just washed up and I'm almost sober." Zhang Chonghui flicked his sleeves and said to Luo Sigong, "Let's go to the palace."

Luo Sigong came close and sniffed several times, then laughed strangely and said teasingly:
"You smell strange, is it because of the flower wine you drank?"

Zhang Chonghui did not answer, but strode out the door.

This is destined to be a difficult road, but roads are made by people, so no matter how difficult it is, he has to go on!
(End of this chapter)