Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 199: First Update

Chapter 199: Chapter 199: First Update

Song Gao and Song Yuan had brought Prince Duan to a secluded part of the Prince’s Mansion. Prince Duan was already impatient and glanced at the walls of his own home. How could anything magical happen just by coming here?

The following Housekeeper He and two attendants stood in the darkness, unable to resist looking around.

If he remembered correctly, Housekeeper He thought, here was a shared wall with the courtyard of the Zong Sheng Aristocratic Family next door. Because the terrain was flat and the continuous ancient trees created a communal feel, it was the most beautifully scenic area of the compound. In order not to spoil the overall sense of simplicity and agelessness, both families had agreed to share one wall.

Song Gao looked around; the lush trees obscured all light, which should suffice.

Song Yuan lifted what had always been covered by a "treasure." In the pitch darkness, no one could see what exactly Song Yuan was holding. Song Gao pulled out a fire starter from his sleeve, and with a "click," a tiny flame slowly rose. He then lit a lamp in Song Yuan’s hand.

Just a lamp?

Prince Duan snorted coldly in his heart, thinking this a waste of his time. Just as he was about to speak, he noticed that this lamp was much brighter than the usual ones and emitted less smoke. Looking closely, the cover was not ordinary paper.

"Prince Duan, look, this is a Goat Horn Lamp," Song Yuan brought the lamp closer. Indeed, the lampshade was very special, transparent like glass but not as heavy or solid.

"This is made from goat horn?" Prince Duan touched it, uncertain.

"Prince, you indeed have a discerning eye; it is indeed goat horn. The goat horn is stewed in medicine for a full seven days and stretched into a lampshade as thin as cicada wings, which not only resists wind and moisture but is also fireproof," Song Yuan explained slowly, a secret they had stumbled upon.

Prince Duan personally took the lantern and scrutinized it inside and out. Though it didn’t show on his face, he had already acknowledged its value internally.

Housekeeper He and the attendants also looked curiously at the lantern in the prince’s hands, recognizing it as truly novel and valuable.

Prince Duan was just about to speak when suddenly, cries broke out seemingly from nowhere.

"I can’t live anymore; today, I will die in your courtyard."

Prince Duan frowned and looked at the courtyard wall, then at Housekeeper He. Was it coming from outside the wall?

Housekeeper He was stunned. He hadn’t noticed, but before he could listen further, the noise grew louder, now a multitude of voices.

"Eldest Madam, you mustn’t think like that, Eldest Madam, you mustn’t lose hope," they pleaded.

Housekeeper He immediately nodded.

"Mother, Mother, please calm down. Your son has already agreed to make a careful selection."

"No, I need an answer today; otherwise, what is the point of my living?" cried Eldest Madam Zong.

Prince Duan immediately lost interest in the lantern. Although the Zong Sheng family wasn’t a Military General family, they had married a bride from such a family. Eldest Madam Zong had been skilled with a long spear in her youth, which was impressive.

"Fine, just raise sheep then, and go to the accounts room to claim your silver," Prince Duan handed the lantern back to Song Yuan, seeming to approve the idea.

"Prince, we can use the goat horn to make Goat Horn Lamps, and we can supply the mansion with lamb every year. We don’t need to claim the silver; we still have our own..."

"Thud—" An object directly struck Zheng Bo’s forehead, an unexpected "hidden weapon" from the shadows.

"An assassin—" Song Gao immediately turned around, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, he caught the thing from the dark, then frowned, uncertainly looking at the "hidden weapon" in his hand.

A pear?

Prince Duan didn’t see what it was. He staggered and then heard a wail from the other side of the courtyard wall.

"I really can’t live anymore—" Eldest Madam Zong had spotted a straight, sturdy tree atop the courtyard wall, and being a martial arts practitioner, none of the servants below could stop her, as the rope had already been hung on the thickest branch.

"Mother, please calm down, take it easy—" Zong Yunqian also panicked and immediately jumped onto the wall to untie the rope, but his attendants, Gu Dao and Xi Feng, could not allow their princely heir to act personally and immediately followed him onto the wall.

"You brat, if you don’t settle this for me today, I will die right here in your courtyard." Eldest Madam Zong, thinking of the grievances she had suffered these days, flew up to push Zong Yunqian, who was trying to untie the rope.

The servants below were already terrified, some were crying, some kneeling, and their cries filled the air.

"Mother, I was wrong. I will choose right now. Please come down with me first." Zong Yunqian, holding Eldest Madam Zong and coaxing and deceiving her, saw that she was still gripping the rope tightly. If he didn’t take this opportunity to settle matters now, then when would he?

"Choose right now, and I will hang here waiting." Eldest Madam Zong shouted loudly, refusing to back down.

"Cough cough—" Prince Duan suddenly coughed. He hadn’t meant to make a sound, but the commotion had startled them from the beginning, and they had even forgotten to extinguish their lanterns. It was too late to leave, and they watched helplessly as a suicide threat unfolded.

His throat really was itchy, as he had indulged in some cold in the past few days and it was uncomfortable.

Zong Yunqian immediately turned back, suddenly remembering where they were, and then saw all the people standing on the ground. In such an awkward situation, Prince Duan felt more embarrassed than the others.

"Prince Duan." Zong Yunqian gave Prince Duan a bow while standing on the wall, which looked quite awkward.

Eldest Madam Zong was also startled and even forgot to cry, witnessing the scene, likely hearing every word spoken.

Seeing this, Prince Duan wanted to turn around and leave, but felt it inappropriate. After thinking, he spoke up.

"Eldest Madam Zong, everything can be negotiated, it’s not safe on the wall..." Prince Duan then felt that speaking up might have been worse than remaining silent. Why did he even speak?

Zong Yunqian immediately went to support his own mother, Prince Duan probably didn’t know that she was a former military general and could easily vault the wall.

"Mother, let’s go down first." It really wasn’t good to create such a scene.

Eldest Madam Zong clenched her teeth, it was too late to feel embarrassed at this point; having been seen, it was more important to handle the matter at hand.

"You must make a decision, say a name, and then I will come down." Eldest Madam Zong was not willing to concede, clutching the rope tightly. If she didn’t handle her son today, she might never be able to handle him in the future.

Zong Yunqian’s scalp tingled, with Prince Duan still watching, he first had to come down.

Eldest Madam Zong immediately looped the rope around her neck.

"I might as well die, to end it all..." She feared no ridicule; had she not been ridiculed enough by others? So many people, and her mother-in-law was giving her a hard time, blaming her for how she managed her good son, as if she had a say in it before, yet blaming her when things went wrong.

Eldest Madam Zong grew more heartbroken, caring less about losing face.

"Madam, madam, please no, please no—" Gu Dao and Xi Feng tried to grab the rope, but dared not really forcibly take it away. Eldest Madam Zong was stronger than an ordinary man and was much taller, turning frantically in a panic.

"Mother, stop it, I’ve made up my mind." Zong Yunqian suddenly shouted, seeing the rope already around his own mother’s neck.

Eldest Madam Zong was startled, still not letting go of the rope, better to speak first.

Zong Yunqian suddenly knelt down.

"Mother, my heart is set. I am enamored with Prince Duan’s daughter, Princess Chao Ren. If it is not her, I will never marry." Zong Yunqian, not looking at anyone, said in a deep voice.

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