The ministers waiting outside the Shen Manor were not met by a yielding Shen Mingwen, but by rotten vegetable leaves raining down from above.
And stinking eggs bursting open over their heads.
"My Grand Preceptor has said: His Highness the Crown Prince was personally instructed by him. He is a man of noble character and upright temperament. His decisions are never made without cause. If you do not return, you are making an enemy of the Shen family!"
Shen Mingwen's declaration left the ministers outside the Shen Manor momentarily stunned. Feeling the sudden stench, each one left with a face ashen with anger.
Meanwhile, the Ye Manor was not besieged at the same time. Ye Shijie had not been remembered by the court ministers in this turmoil and thus avoided any scolding.
Mainly because Ye Shijie was accustomed to acting alone, so the ministers also believed he wouldn't take a clear stance in support of the Eastern Palace.
But...
"What? Shen Mingwen said that when his manor was surrounded?" Ye Shijie put down the book in his hand. The Emperor had been ill for several days with no morning court, so he was at home reading in casual clothes.
Regarding the restless King Heng, Ye Shijie merely scoffed, calling him a clown.
"Yes, Grand Preceptor Shen's words... If the Crown Prince does not object, wouldn't that solidify Grand Preceptor Shen's position as the Emperor's tutor?"
The servant naturally knew what Ye Shijie cared about most. Upon hearing this, Ye Shijie's expression changed instantly.
"Spread the word that I, Ye Shijie, have always supported His Highness the Crown Prince."
Ye Shijie immediately sat up straight. "Let them come and scold me too."
Otherwise, his chance at the position of Emperor's tutor would fly away.
The servant swallowed hard with effort, nodding vigorously. "You are right, my lord. Being scolded at this time is the right thing to do!"
Hadn't he seen that the Gu Manor even specially bought wine, clearly overjoyed!
And so, the entire situation began to develop in an extremely bizarre direction.
Those criticizing the Eastern Palace grew more and more vehement, while those speaking up for it yielded not an inch. The two factions argued fiercely, locked in a stalemate.
It was at this precise moment that Yu Fan returned.
The court fell briefly silent.
......
King Heng's Manor.
"Your Highness, this humble official believes that when Minister Yu returns to the capital tomorrow, we should take the initiative to greet him at the city gates."
"Indeed, Minister Yu has made great contributions in the battle to annihilate Da Yue. If we do not go... it could affect our official reputations."
Upon hearing this, the smile on King Heng's face became strained. "Gentlemen, this prince has no intention of stopping you. Not only that, tomorrow this prince will bring Liu'er along to welcome him."
"Your Highness and the heir are truly broad-minded."
After flattering King Heng a few more times, the officials left one by one.
Leaving King Heng behind, his eyes filled with malice.
"Father, isn't it enough for the Eastern Palace to greet him tomorrow... If they go, won't it be with the Eastern Palace leading again?" Song Liu was somewhat unwilling, feeling this would put them at a disadvantage.
"What can we do about it?"
King Heng took several deep breaths. "Not returning early or late, but precisely at this time!"
"After tomorrow, pretend to fall ill because of this matter. Let those court ministers argue even more fiercely on your behalf."
"Understood."
At the same time.
"Minister Yu, your injuries are not fully healed yet. There's no need to be in such a hurry..."
The army medic's words died in his throat under Yu Fan's fierce gaze.
Stubborn old man.
"The Crown Prince is in trouble. I must return."
Yu Fan's movements were still somewhat inconvenient, and the jolting of the carriage made his wounds ache dully.
"I carry great military merit. To speak a treasonous truth, even the Emperor would greet me at the palace gates upon my return to the capital. Now that the Emperor is gravely ill, it will be His Highness the Crown Prince who greets me."
Yu Fan's lips were parched. "Naturally, others must go too. The more I honor the Crown Prince, the more directly they will feel the distinction between superior and subordinate. That worthless beast is utterly unworthy of coveting the Eastern Palace's lineage."
Hearing Yu Fan speak like this, the army medic also fell silent.
Indeed, the Crown Prince and Princess, with their illustrious military achievements, were revered as deities by the soldiers in the army. Why was it that upon returning to the official court, those officials dared to be so treasonous?
The next day.
Yu Fan arrived at the capital.
Civil and military officials unanimously gathered outside the capital's city gates, clearly forming ranks behind Song Yu and Song Shihuan.
Supported by the army medic, Yu Fan stepped down from the carriage.
He walked directly up to Song Yu and Song Shihuan.
"Your subject, Yu Fan, pays his respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince, to Your Highness the Princess."
Then, there was silence.
With an extremely arrogant attitude, he completely ignored King Heng and the heir, Song Liu, who stood by with forced smiles.
All were shrewd individuals and instantly understood Yu Fan's stance.
"This prince has been waiting for you for a long time."
Song Yu personally helped Yu Fan up. "Your child, A Tuan, is very adorable, quite beautiful."
A glimmer of tears seemed to flash in Yu Fan's eyes.
He knelt down once more.
"Without Your Highness the Crown Prince and Your Highness the Princess, there would be no Yu Fan today. My very life belongs to the Eastern Palace. If anyone dares to wrong the Eastern Palace by even a fraction, I, Yu Fan, will resist unto death."
Silence.
Complete silence filled the scene.
Gu Zheng held military power and dared not speak so recklessly.
But Yu Fan... this newcomer who had just risen to prominence in the court, speaking under the shadow of the Gu family, had uttered such words, leaving others unable to find the slightest fault.
After all, everyone knew the Eastern Palace's grace in recognizing Yu Fan's talent.
That very night, news spread from King Heng's Manor that Song Liu had fallen ill. This time, it was not feigned; he was truly angered into sickness.
"I only wanted to become Crown Prince Uncle's son, to take care of A Huan for him. Did I do wrong?"
Song Liu's single sentence once again ignited the fervor in the hearts of the court ministers.
It seemed to return to the state of a few days prior, though hindered by Yu Fan's presence, the ministers were somewhat restrained in their actions, after all, not daring to scold a newly meritorious hero.
At this time, a group of people quietly arrived in the capital.
Their leader was a frail, gray-haired old man.
"Sect Leader, are you certain the person you're looking for is the Princess of Da Qi?"
The head disciple, Qingling, spoke cautiously. After all, the Sect Leader had been unconscious for years and, upon waking, immediately wanted to investigate the situation in Da Qi to find a girl now thirteen years old.
The entire sect had searched for a full half-month, and the result actually pointed to the Princess of Da Qi.
"There is no mistake."
The old man glanced at the somewhat crumpled portrait in his hand. "How could one not recognize one's own child?"
The other disciples also widened their eyes in shock.
The Sect Leader, at such an age, had suddenly produced a teenage daughter?
This was practically going to be explosive headline news in the Qingyun Realm!
"The Princess is truly pitiful."
In the inn, guests at a nearby table spoke up. "If the Crown Prince really recognizes King Heng's heir as his adoptive son, the Princess's situation will become extremely difficult."
"Yes, many people are cursing the Princess. If it were before, the Crown Prince would surely be furious and have the Imperial Guards patrol everywhere to prevent the Princess from being insulted. But this time, the Eastern Palace hasn't stepped in to protect her as before. I'm afraid it's..."
Qingling walked over expressionlessly. "You two gentlemen, how is the Princess being cursed? I love to join in the excitement and listen to all sorts of gossip."
Half an hour later.
The old man was so angry his breathing became rapid. The urge to go to the Eastern Palace to seek his relative was forcefully suppressed.
"Take A Huan directly back to the Qingyun Realm."
The Great Qi Imperial Family doesn't know how to raise a child, but his Qingyun Sect does!
