11 Shang Chen’s Provocation
The imperial study was filled with rare and unique books, but the most important were the dragon table and the dragon chair, which added an air of authority to the entire room.
Emperor Shang sat directly on the dragon chair, while his personal eunuch, Eunuch Xu, stood by his side holding a dust brush, attending to him. Shang Wuxin sat at the lower seat without bowing or showing any respect, his posture arrogant yet fitting for the occasion.
Eunuch Xu was somewhat surprised to see the Crown Prince, who seemed like a completely different person, and even more surprised by the Emperor’s attitude. But he was just a servant, a servant of the Emperor, so he lowered his head, afraid of seeing or hearing something he shouldn’t. Yet he stood there for a long time without hearing a sound. In the past, the Emperor would scold the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince would retort, and then the father and son would part on bad terms. Within two days, the palace would be abuzz with news of the Crown Prince angering the Emperor. But now, it seemed different…
Shang Wuxin looked at the Shang Emperor who was looking at him, and deep in his eyes flashed a faint warmth, but the warmth was so slight that even someone like the Shang Emperor did not notice it.
“Seeing me and not knowing how to pay respects, who gave you the courage?” The Shang Emperor spoke first, but his words were a scolding. Unfortunately, Shang Wuxin did not look at the Shang Emperor with the same sorrow as before, nor did he say anything to defend himself. He knew to watch the Shang Emperor, to see the Emperor’s unease.
Shang Wuxin, seeing the seemingly very angry Shang Emperor, suddenly stood up without any warning, startling both the Shang Emperor and Eunuch Xu. Eunuch Xu even stepped in front of the Shang Emperor, fearing that this unfathomable Crown Prince might do something harmful to the Emperor. Yet, the Shang Emperor showed no sign of movement.
But Shang Wuxin left the study without even glancing at Emperor Shang. Her purpose for coming here today had been fulfilled. Although some things were still unclear, she had a sense of understanding in her heart. As for this father emperor, Shang Wuxin smiled slightly and said nothing.
“Your Highness!” Wuwei felt relieved seeing the crown prince walk out of the study unharmed. If the prince had been punished by the emperor, she wouldn’t have been able to help at all and would have been a burden instead. Thinking of this, Wuwei resolved to quickly improve her martial skills and become the prince’s right-hand aide.
Shang Wuxin glanced at Wuwei and saw that she was not being bullied, then continued walking out of the study without stopping. None of the many guards dared to provoke anyone now. The prince dared to bring a maid to see the emperor, and the emperor said nothing. The prince did not bow, and the emperor did not punish him. Even a maid by the prince’s side was so formidable that many began to suspect whether the former crown prince had been hiding his talents all along. From today on, many in the palace started to fear the prince they had once looked down upon.
“Grand Eunuch Xu, do you think I was wrong?” Emperor Shang looked at the golden door of the closed study, his heart heavy with worry. But he could only say these things to his personal eunuch. Once he stepped out of this study, he could neither speak nor show anything.
“How could His Majesty be wrong?” Eunuch Xu said seriously. He knew what His Majesty was doing all this for, and hoped…
Emperor Shang smiled. Even if he was wrong, no one would dare to say so. Forget it, Emperor Shang suddenly made a decision after seeing the Crown Prince’s performance just now.
When Shang Wuxin, accompanied by Wuwei, left the palace and got into the carriage to return to the Crown Prince’s residence, their carriage was stopped by someone. Wuwei, who was driving outside, looked icy at the crowd blocking the way, and the leader was the eldest prince, Shang Chen Zhao.
Wuwei lowered his head to keep his emotions from showing, but little did he know that Shang Wuxin inside the carriage had already sensed Wuwei’s feelings.
“What is it?” Shang Wuxin slightly lifted the carriage curtain and asked the eldest prince, Shang Chen Zhao, outside. Her elegance was evident; even sitting in an unpretentious carriage, there was no hint of dullness. On the contrary, her radiance made the ordinary carriage seem noble.
In front of the Crown Prince’s mansion carriage, several carriages were lined up horizontally, with the lead carriage belonging to the Eldest Prince. The Eldest Prince’s carriage was extremely luxurious, adorned with rare and precious beads all over the outside. Several guards stood around it. Compared to the style of the Crown Prince’s mansion, the Eldest Prince’s carriage looked more like that of a crown prince, while she was not even as good as a prince—pathetic indeed. At this moment, commoners had already gathered in the distance on the street to watch the spectacle. Everyone knew that the Crown Prince of Shang Kingdom was weak, timid, and incompetent, but no one had actually seen the Crown Prince’s true appearance. The former Crown Prince had almost never left the house. Now, seeing the Eldest Prince making things difficult for the Crown Prince, many were waiting to see the Crown Prince embarrassed.
Standing outside the carriage, looking down at Shang Wuxin, Shang Chenzhao felt a flash of pride in his heart. So what if he was the Crown Prince? The Father Emperor disliked him, and he had no support from his maternal clan. He wouldn’t hold the Crown Prince position for long at all. Thinking this, Shang Chenzhao’s gaze became even more shamelessly mocking as he looked at Shang Wuxin.
Shang Wuxin felt nothing about Shang Chen Zhao’s gaze. Shang Chen Zhao wore an extremely flamboyant purple robe, but unfortunately, the noble purple did not highlight his nobility; instead, he looked like a nouveau riche. His features were rather stern, but the dark circles under his eyes were too heavy, and his gaze was too straightforward. Shang Wuxin thought that even glancing at someone like him was a waste of time.
Shang Wuxin lowered the car curtain. Someone like Shang Chen Zhao was unlikely to achieve greatness but was a petty person. She didn’t want to pay him much attention, but if this Shang Chen Zhao didn’t know his limits, then she would deal with him. After all, the act of fratricide probably felt quite satisfying.
Fearless saw that the Crown Prince lowered the carriage curtain and immediately understood his intention. She directly drove the carriage forward, ready to go over. However, her actions enraged Shang Chen Zhao. Every time the Crown Prince saw him, he was always meek and submissive. Now the Crown Prince was ignoring him, and even dared to act like this toward an ugly maid. Had he not disciplined this imperial brother recently?
“Since the Crown Prince is in the carriage, why doesn’t he come out to see his elder brother?” Shang Chen Zhao originally wanted to directly grab the sick Crown Prince and throw him out, but seeing the guards beside him, he knew he couldn’t do that in public. However, he was very used to mocking the Crown Prince. “Or has the Crown Prince become so cowardly now that he’s even afraid and trembling to get off the carriage?”
“Hahaha!” The noble sons and guards following Shang Chen Zhao burst into loud laughter, with someone occasionally saying, “I wonder if the Crown Prince will be so scared he wets his pants. Everyone knows the Crown Prince is as timid as a mouse!”
The commoners watching the eldest prince humiliate the Crown Prince like this, and even the guards daring to insult the Crown Prince, knew that the Crown Prince was just holding the title in name only. However, the crowd was merely entertained by the spectacle.
Wu Wei clenched her fists tightly, wanting to go over and kill those mocking the Crown Prince, but there were too many of them for her to fight. Even if she won and injured the prince, she would face a grim fate. She was not afraid of the consequences for herself but feared dragging the Crown Prince down. What the Crown Prince endured today in the palace made Wu Wei realize how difficult his situation truly was.
“Since you know I am the Crown Prince, do you not even know how to show proper respect? Or is Consort Qin teaching the eldest prince to behave this way?” The voice from inside the carriage was cold and sharp, like a deep autumn pond—clear, profound, and bottomless. Just one voice silenced the laughing crowd and made the commoners gaze curiously at the Crown Prince’s carriage. What kind of demeanor could the Crown Prince with such a voice possess? Perhaps the rumors were wrong.
“You, you want me to bow to you?” Shang Chen Zhao said in disbelief. This imperial brother usually bowed to him whenever they met, and now he dares to make him bow? Could this imperial brother have gone mad? “Who do you think you are, daring to make me bow!”
As soon as Shang Chen Zhao finished speaking, a gasp was heard. No matter how incompetent the crown prince was, how could an imperial prince say such things? The eldest prince’s words were considered treasonous, and even the common people began to lose respect for him.
