Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 50 Planning

Chapter 50: Chapter 50 Planning

"You wouldn’t dare." Xing Yu glared at Noble Consort Wen, and had she not been the mother of the Fourth Prince, Xing Yu probably would have already thrown a punch.

The guard on the floor gritted his teeth, and although there were some doubts about the situation, the appearance of Princess Chao Ren here was indeed suspicious. He stood up and walked over to Zheng Nianru’s side.

"Commandery Princess, this way, please." The guard spoke very politely, but no matter how polite he was, Zheng Nianru had no intention of going.

"What if I don’t go?" Zheng Nianru cocked her head, looking at the guard in front of her. There was no annoyance in her expression, even a hint of a young girl’s innocence. Ashamed, the guard lowered his head; facing such an innocent and beautiful girl, who would associate her with murder? Sitting there, she seemed out of place with everything around her.

"I’m afraid Commandery Princess doesn’t have much choice anymore, but please trust us." That was all the guard could say. Although they were men of the Fourth Prince, they were also Imperial Guards of the Imperial Palace. They might not be highly regarded by Noble Consort Wen on a regular basis, but they represented the entire Zheng Imperial Family.

Therefore, if the Loyal Warriors of the Wen Family were the trusted aides of Noble Consort Wen, then they were the Loyalists of the Zheng Imperial Family.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Nianru looked at the guard with interest. His words left no room for compromise, but he remained respectfully in his place.

"What are you waiting for?" Noble Consort Wen spoke again. The guard’s bowed head showed hesitation, but now, within the Imperial Palace, power rested in the hands of Noble Consort Wen...

"Ouch——" Just then, a loud cry.

"Steward Ho, Steward Ho——" Several guards had gone to pull the suddenly awakened Ho Sheng, but with a sudden burst of great strength, he pushed several guards away, causing them to fall in a heap. More guards went to restrain Ho Sheng.

"Aaahhh——" Ho Sheng screamed frantically, and it took the strength of ten guards, equivalent to that of two formidable bulls, to subdue him. Gradually, Ho Sheng’s voice quieted down.

"Your Highness, Eunuch Ho Sheng has woken up." The previous guard reported, and Noble Consort Wen immediately looked over, setting aside Zheng Nianru and going towards Eunuch Ho Sheng.

As soon as Ho Sheng opened his eyes, he grabbed the Imperial Physician’s collar.

"Your Highness, where is the Fourth Prince? Please save His Highness——"

"Steward Ho, His Highness is safe; he has been rescued and is not in any life-threatening danger." The Imperial Physician immediately responded to prevent his clothes from being torn.

Ho Sheng immediately let out a sigh of relief, but only for a moment before grabbing the Imperial Physician’s collar again.

"What about the Commandery Princess, where is Princess Chao Ren? Hurry, save her..."

"She’s there, unharmed." The Imperial Physician was pulled, making it difficult for him to stand steadily, his head spinning.

When Eunuch Ho Sheng saw Zheng Nianru sitting on the stone, he disregarded the agonizing pain in his leg and crawled over to her.

"Commandery Princess, Commandery Princess, you are my second parents, a Bodhisattva." Eunuch Ho Sheng immediately kowtowed. The last thing he worried about before losing consciousness was the prince in the pool, blaming himself for his incompetence in failing to save His Highness.

Xing Yu laughed, the tension from before now a distant memory.

"Eunuch Ho Sheng, you’re really funny. Our Commandery Princess doesn’t have a son as old as you."

Upon hearing this, Ho Sheng cried, tears and snot flowing down together, immediately wiping it with his sleeve.

"Commandery Princess, it’s this old servant who was confused. I deserve to die. I’ll be the large tortoise in front of the Commandery Princess’ tomb after a hundred years, guarding it for a long, long time." Eunuch Ho Sheng said while continuing to kowtow.

Xing Yu immediately crouched down, contemplating.

"Eunuch Ho Sheng, that’s a good idea. I, too, want to be a large tortoise, guarding the Commandery Princess’ tomb. Do you have a way?"

"Xing Yu, let’s go," Zheng Nianru spoke up. Now it seemed there was no need for her to explain anything. Ho Sheng’s timely awakening had resolved her worries.

Zheng Nianru gave Eunuch Ho Sheng a look that spoke of fending for himself. She said nothing more, considering it her duty fulfilled.

Eunuch Ho Sheng gratefully glanced at Zheng Nianru and fervently kowtowed in thanks.

Only then did Eunuch Ho Sheng struggle to pay his respects to Noble Consort Wen.

"Your Highness, this servant has failed in his duties, this servant is willing to accept death, but I beg Your Highness to allow this servant to serve the prince before dying," Eunuch Ho Sheng said.

Noble Consort Wen’s face was ashen, and Ho Sheng’s words had cleared Zheng Nianru of suspicion, but she had no time to deal with anything else at the moment; she needed to know exactly what had happened.

"Ho Sheng, how did the Second Prince die?" Noble Consort Wen didn’t want to mince words. The guards had already recounted what happened inside the cave, and she vaguely sensed something amiss yet was unwilling to admit it.

"Please dismiss everyone, Your Highness. This servant has important matters to report to you," Ho Sheng thought to himself, having a plan in mind. The Second Prince was already dead, and Master Yin He was also seriously injured, but this issue needed a believable explanation to convince everyone.

But the first person Ho Sheng needed to convince was the Noble Consort Wen before him.

Noble Consort Wen glanced at Eunuch Ho Sheng and, without objection, waved her attendants away.

...

The ritual ceremony proceeded as usual. The news of the Second Prince’s death was hurriedly delivered to the Imperial Palace after the ceremony concluded.

However, the Second Prince had been on death’s doorstep countless times over the past year; his death was merely a matter of time. Therefore, it didn’t cause much of a ripple. Everything that needed to be done was carried out methodically and swiftly, with such efficiency that the ceremonial proceedings and posthumous titles for the Second Prince began preparation even before his casket had returned to the palace.

Many in the Imperial Palace thought that after suffering from illness for so many years, death was, perhaps, a release for the Second Prince.

The palace was quickly draped in white mourning fabrics, like mounds of snow. First came the ritual ceremony, and then the Second Prince’s funeral. The Imperial Palace, within a highly regulated order, swiftly completed the arrangements for all the necessary rites.

Nanmen Yu took this time to calmly relocate the descendants of Nanmen from the dilapidated temple to a civilian house.

He bought a small courtyard with two entrances and exits. The first entrance didn’t even have a proper gate, just a simple and crude West Wing Room; however, it was already much better compared to the decrepit temple.

"Princely Heir, we thought the ruined temple was quite suitable." This courtyard must have cost a good sum of money, and they well knew how hard it was to come by money. The current state of Nanzheng was also in utter chaos, with refugees everywhere outside the city.

"With the Second Prince’s funeral taking place, the imperial court intends to reorganize the refugees in the city. Staying in the old temple is not a long-term solution," Nanmen Yu explained. Moreover, some things needed to be arranged early. He was already fourteen years old; even if he couldn’t return to Nanmen State, he should start building his power.

She was a daughter of Prince Duan, and although her birth was somewhat controversial, Prince Duan would never allow her to marry a hostage from another country. Additionally, his own family’s fortunes were waning, and there was a mountainous gap between them.

However, Nanmen Yu was not discouraged. As long as she was willing, he would not let her down. Even though everything was exceedingly difficult for him now, not a single clue about the Jing Tribe’s power could be found.

It wasn’t that Nanmen Yu didn’t believe his master and Second Uncle Jing’s words about the legend of the Nanmen Imperial Family and the legendary Nanmen Death Soldiers. As a prince of the Nanmen State, he had naturally heard these tales.

But it had been so long that he no longer dared to believe in the appearance of this miracle. And even if a miracle did happen, it might not necessarily befall him.

Legend had it that only the prince recognized by the Nanmen Death Soldiers could become the Monarch of the Nanmen State.

However, since the Nanmen Death Soldiers had not yet appeared, not only had he not gained their allegiance, but neither had the one currently seated as the Monarch of the Nanmen State; anyone could potentially be chosen.

Nanmen Yu suddenly halted in his tracks. A carriage hurriedly stopped, a servant brought out a stool, and a person in splendid attire stepped down from the carriage. Nanmen Yu stepped back respectfully, waiting for the person to pass by.

"Prince Duan—" Housekeeper He quickly followed up behind, anxious although it was useless. It would take time to reach the Traveling Palace, wouldn’t it?

"Prince Duan, you cannot bring..." so many guards...

Nanmen Yu watched quietly as the carriage departed once again. That was her father. One day, he would be able to stand before him openly.

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