Chapter 75
The Emperor was very satisfied with King Jing. During the birthday banquet, he thought of many things and frequently looked at King Jing.
After the birthday banquet, the Emperor summoned King Jing to talk to him alone.
Li Yu had just returned to the crystal bottle from the Supreme Liquid Pool and had no time to catch up. He could only wait outside the Palace of Heavenly Purity with Wang Xi.
While they were waiting, Wang Xi took out a lot of red fish food and peach blossom biscuits to feed Xiaoyu. King Jing’s birthday gift was an unprecedented success. Eunuch Wang felt that Xiaoyu’s master was the one who really needed to be rewarded.
Li Yu didn’t eat any of the fish food thrown into the water by the Sixth Prince. The proud fish didn’t even look at it. It swam hard in front of the Emperor and didn’t feel tired at all. Now that Wang Xi had agreed to feed the fish, Li Yu felt hungry. He hurriedly swallowed the food in big mouthfuls and stuffed his cheeks full.
“Master fish, please eat slowly,” Wang Xi said with a smile.
Li Yu was wolfing down the food when he suddenly heard footsteps.
Li Yu was delighted. He looked over with the fish food in his mouth and immediately realized that the footsteps came from outside the palace. It shouldn’t be King Jing.
Li Yu soon saw Mu Tianxiao’s gentle and amiable face.
.. It’s actually the Sixth Prince?
Li Yu was a little disappointed. Why hasn’t this guy left yet?
He probably came here to wait for the Emperor to summon him. He didn’t expect to see Wang Xi with the fish.
Mu Tianxiao also saw the fish. The Sixth Prince wanted to take a closer look at the fish for a long time, so he immediately approached.
“Your Highness, please wait!” Wang Xi frowned and tried to persuade him.
“Can’t I, as the younger brother, take a look at the fish raised by the Fifth Prince?” The Sixth Prince smiled faintly.
What was he going to do?
Li Yu was so nervous that he even forgot to eat the fish food in his mouth. He secretly gathered a lot of strength at the tip of his tail. If the Sixth Prince dared to do anything to him, he would dare to slap him!
“Your Highness.” Wang Xi held the crystal bottle tightly in his arms and warned again, “This is His Highness’s fish. Without His Highness’s permission, you are not allowed to approach it.’
Mu Tianxiao’s expression turned cold. “What, even you are looking down on me?”
Wang Xi said in a tone that was neither servile nor overbearing, “Your servant is not looking down on Your Highness the Sixth Prince. Although I am a servant, I also know that taking without asking is stealing. Your Highness the Sixth Prince, why did you insist on coming to see the fish while my Highness was not around?”
After Wang Xi finished speaking, Li Yu almost flapped his fins – if only his fins could reach them.
Sob, sob, sob, Eunuch Wang actually insulted the Sixth Prince for the sake of the fish. The fish was too touched!
Wang Xi didn’t give him face, so Mu Tianxiao was very embarrassed. He reckoned that if he quarreled with King Jing’s personal eunuch in front of Qian Qing Palace, it would be difficult to explain. Mu Tianxiao quickly eased his expression and took the initiative to say, “Don’t be nervous. I just want to take a look. If you don’t let me see it, then forget it.”
Mu Tianxiao entered the palace, but was soon politely invited out by the eunuch guarding the palace.
Mu Tianxiao glanced at Wang Xi and turned to leave.
It seemed that the Sixth Prince’s request for an audience was unsuccessful. The Emperor didn’t want to see the Sixth Prince.
Finally, he left. Li Yu relaxed a little.
Luo Ruisheng sent King Jing out of the palace. Wang Xi hurriedly led Li Yu to greet him.
“Your Highness, you finally came out!”
Wang Xi beamed and handed over the crystal bottle in his hand. King Jing always wanted to see the fish immediately.
King Jing personally took the crystal bottle and stroked the fish’s smooth back.
Li Yu immediately rubbed against him happily.
The Emperor and King Jing had talked for so long. If the Emperor was happy, he would directly confer the title of Crown Prince to King Jing. The Third Prince, the Sixth Prince, and these dregs would all have to stand aside.
Li Yu was almost amused by his own thoughts. How could it be so easy to fight for the position of Grown Prince? He knew that he was indulging in fantasy, but he was just having fun in his mind.
However, even if he couldn’t directly confer the title of Crown Prince, there would still be a reward, right?
Li Yu secretly glanced at King Jing’s expression. King Jing didn’t look sad or happy. He felt that the reward this time was a little different.
King Jing signaled Wang Xi with his eyes: Go to Changchun Palace.
Wang Xi responded and led the way. This was Li Yu’s first time going to Changchun Palace. It reminded him of a secret related to Changchun Palace that had yet to be solved. He had tested King Jing before, but found that King Jing had no impression of it. If he wanted to fully understand this secret, he could only rely on himself.
In fact, Li Yu had thought about whether or not to ask King Jing to take him to Changchun Palace, but it wasn’t easy to find a reason. After all, Changchun Palace was the former Empress’s residence. It would be impolite for him to rashly ask King Jing to take him to Changchun Palace.
Moreover, when entering the palace in human form, he had to pay attention to the time. If he asked King Jing to take him to Changchun Palace and King Jing agreed, it would be too unreasonable for him to “disappear” in the end. But if he changed into his fish form, he couldn’t ask King Jing to do it.
Li Yu originally planned to delay until Empress Xiaohui’s birthday. The original novel mentioned that King Jing would definitely go to the Changchun Palace to pay his respects on that day. Li Yu wanted to wait until then. King Jing usually brought his fish with him. If he didn’t, the fish would cling to King Jing. Eventually, they would be able to enter the Changchun Palace smoothly. At that time, perhaps the secret would naturally be solved.
Unexpectedly, it was still the Emperor’s birthday. Empress Xiaohui’s birthday had not yet arrived, but King Jing had somehow gone there.
Because King Jing only proposed to go to the Changchun Palace after talking with the Emperor. Could it be that this was the Emperor’s order?
Li Yu carefully observed King Jing’s expression. King Jing should have received a reward, but why was he so serious …
Soon, they arrived at Changchun Palace.
When Li Yu saw the scenery around Changchun Palace for the first time, he was more and more certain that the secret location was in Changchun Palace. The decorations on the eaves were very similar to what he saw in the System. Moreover, Wang Xi kept saying that Changchun Palace hadn’t been renovated for a long time since the late Empress passed away.
The main hall of Changchun Palace was dark. King Jing ordered Wang Xi to light the lamps. The main hall was hung with mourning cloth and silk. Empress Xiaohui’s memorial tablet was enshrined on a side table.
King Jing put the crystal vase on the table. Wang Xi took out three sticks of incense. King Jing personally lit them. He went to the memorial tablet and solemnly bowed three times.
Li Yu followed King Jing into the hall. He looked around for the cloth tiger, but he couldn’t find it in a short time. Li Yu had to give up for the time being because of the inconvenience of his fish body.
King Jing was worshipping Empress Xiaohui. Li Yu stared blankly at his figure. He couldn’t help but remember that King Jing had taken him to meet the elders of Duke Chengen’s Mansion. Now, he brought him to Changchun Palace. Empress Xiaohui was King Jing’s biological mother.
Li Yu reacted and hurriedly followed King Jing. He waved his fish body in the direction of the memorial tablet. Because it happened so suddenly, the fish wasn’t prepared. He could only pray sincerely and secretly, “Your Majesty, if your spirit is in heaven, please bless King Jing …”
King Jing caught a glimpse of the fish waving its head and tail. He thought for a moment and guessed the fish’s intention. He smiled politely.
When the fish was done, King Jing sat down and touched the fish. Li Yu could feel King Jing’s heavy heart through the crystal vase.
What’s wrong? Could it be that instead of a reward, he was reprimanded?
“Your Highness, what’s wrong?” Wang Xi asked worriedly.
King Jing gently shook his head, and his gaze immediately shifted to the outside of the hall. Wang Xi understood that it was inconvenient for His Highness to tell them because they were in the palace.
King Jing sat for the time it took to drink a cup of tea. Then, he led Wang Xi and Li Yu out of the palace.
It wasn’t until they returned to the palace that Wang Xi and Li Yu learned that not only did the Emperor not reward King Jing with a birthday gift, but he also wanted King Jing to live in the western border for a period of time.
In other words, the Emperor’s “reward” for King Jing was to order King Jing to leave the Imperial City.
What’s going on? How could this be?
Li Yu couldn’t figure it out. The Emperor was very happy when he saw the “longevity” character on the fish and even proposed to hang Tang Yin’s painting in the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Why did he suddenly turn hostile to King Jing?
He believed that he had no flaws, so there must be a problem with the fish array. Perhaps he shouldn’t have added fuel to the fire and offered the lotus to the Emperor?
But if he didn’t do that, the Emperor would also be disappointed when the fish array disappears …
Sigh, the Emperor’s heart is too hard to guess!
Li Yu reflected on himself. Wang Xi also felt that it was unfair for King Jing. After a few words, King Jing signaled Wang Xi to leave with his eyes.
Eunuch Wang left. The more Li Yu thought about it, the more he felt that it was his fault. He couldn’t eat the fish food and peach blossom cake that Wang Xi fed him anymore. He couldn’t help but recall all the details of the birthday banquet.
He still couldn’t figure it out. While he was wallowing in self-pity, Li Yu caught a glimpse of King Jing sitting in front of the window with a small lamp on. The twilight made the young man’s handsome face blurry.
It was already late. King Jing had been running around tirelessly the whole day, but he didn’t go to rest. Perhaps he was just like him, unable to think things through and sleep.
He couldn’t go on like this.
Li Yu shook his head and quickly turned into his human form in a place where King Jing couldn’t see. He walked to the window and called out apologetically, “Your Highness.”
King Jing looked up and saw him. There was a smile in his eyes and he waved at him.
Li Yu suddenly realized that King Jing didn’t rest not because he was unable to think things through, but because he was waiting for him.
“Your Highness, I’m sorry. I, I tried my best. I also don’t know how this happened…”
Li Yu stammered as he explained. He felt very wronged. Didn’t the online literature say that in order to become the crown prince, one had to please the Emperor? Why did the fish’s pleasing implicate the Emperor? Did the Emperor think that King Jing had started to please him with ulterior motives?
Why couldn’t the fish share its luck in some strange places with King Jing?
King Jing saw that he had misunderstood and shook his head repeatedly. He held Li Yu’s hand and patted it. Then he pointed at the painting on the wall.
Li Yu guessed for a while before he roughly understood what King Jing meant. King Jing said that it had nothing to do with him and that King Jing had given the painting to him.
Li Yu sniffled and said uncertainly, “Your Highness, you really don’t blame me?”
King Jing shook his head again and held Li Yu’s hand tightly.
King Jing kissed Li Yu’s lips and lifted him onto his lap.
Li Yu:???
Li Yu was shocked. King Jing was still thinking about tofu at a time like this?
Could it be that he was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to come back in the future, so he wanted to eat like crazy?
Was he suddenly going to Changchun Palace because he was afraid that it would be inconvenient for him to pay his respects in the future?
Li Yu’s heart ached. Anyway, he didn’t have any other fish, but he had plenty of tofu. So what if he made King Jing happy?
Li Yu gritted his teeth and put his arms around King Jing’s neck.
King Jing was slightly taken aback by Li Yu’s sudden initiative. He thought of something and smiled. He straightened Li Yu’s body, which was leaning toward him. He held Li Yu’s hand and spread out the brush and paper with him.
Li Yu’s face flushed red. It turned out that sitting like this wasn’t to take advantage of tofu, but to … write.
King Jing led him and wrote, “You’ve worked hard. You’re fine, don’t worry. Imperial Father isn’t angry with me.”
“Really?” Li Yu didn’t quite believe it. “Then why did His Majesty ask Your Highness to leave?”
The original book mentioned that the Western Frontier was barren and not a rich place. The Emperor couldn’t have asked King Jing to travel there, right?
“Father did not strip me of my title,” King Jing wrote, hinting at the meaning behind his words.
Li Yu chewed on this sentence over and over again. His eyes lit up. Didn’t remove his title? What did that mean?
The Emperor hated the Second Prince and didn’t even give him the title of Prince. He only gave the Second Prince the title of Marquis An. The other princes, except for King Jing, still hadn’t beer given titles.
King Jing’s title was actually the Emperor’s way of comforting King Jing out of guilt. If the Emperor was really angry and banished King Jing out of the Imperial City in a fit of anger, then King Jing’s title wouldn’t be kept.
“Could it be … that His Majesty ordered Your Highness to go to the Western Frontier not to punish you, but to …”
Li Yu was about to blurt out something when King Jing quickly put a finger to his lips and made a shushing motion.
The Emperor didn’t say anything clearly. He only told them to go to the Western Frontier and that there would be a specific decree when they arrived.
King Jing himself was also puzzled. Later on, he vaguely guessed the Emperor’s intentions from the fact that the Emperor still asked Luo Ruisheng to send him. He always felt that he had an inkling of the Emperor’s intentions, but he definitely couldn’t say it out loud. The Emperor ordered him to go to the Western Frontier, so he could only follow.
Li Yu cooperated and covered his mouth, but his heart was suddenly boiling.
Since ancient times, when a father kicked his son out, it was either a punishment or a test.
In other words, why did the Emperor want to test King Jing?
Of course, it was because there was hope that there would be a test. In the past, the Emperor rarely interfered with King Jing’s life. In the final analysis, the Emperor didn’t have much hope for King Jing, so naturally, he didn’t care about King Jing.
So now that there was hope, going to the Western Frontier wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Li Yu thought it through and smiled through his tears, “Your Highness, when, when will you leave?”
King Jing wrote, “Immediately, in the next two days. You stay in the residence. Wang Xi will take care of you. “
Although King Jing felt that he had most likely guessed the Emperor’s intentions, the Western Frontier was barren and King Jing didn’t want Xiaoyu to go with him. Moreover, the journey was tiring and King Jing was afraid that Xiaoyu couldn’t take it, so he simply wanted Xiaoyu to stay in the Imperial City.
He hadn’t treated Xiaoyu well yet, so how could he let Xiaoyu suffer with him?
Li Yu, who knew that he was going to stay, was speechless.
Damn, King Jing was going to the Western Frontier. Wasn’t this going to be sharing weal and woe?
“Your Highness, no, I’ll be wherever you are. If you want to go, we’ll go together!”
