Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 54: Angry

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Angry

"Prince," Fu Dong turned around and saw Prince Duan; he immediately knelt and saluted, glancing nervously at Zheng Nianru beside him.

Zheng Nianru turned her head and saw the furious Prince Duan. At the same time, Zheng Haoyuan felt even more uneasy and moved aside, reluctantly letting go of the hem of Zheng Nianru’s robe that he had been clutching.

"Father, what brings you here?" Zheng Nianru got up and walked toward Prince Duan. After her marriage, her contact with Prince Duan had become much more frequent than at this time.

"Greetings to the Imperial Uncle." Zheng Haoyuan saluted formally, not daring to be careless.

"Fourth Prince, this prince requests you to go and report to the Noble Consort that I, on the order of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, have come to escort the body of the Second Prince back to the palace." Prince Duan’s serious face bore no hint of a smile. This child, how old is he? Ten years old, perhaps? Does he not know the importance of propriety between genders? What on earth has Noble Consort Wen been teaching him every day!

"Yes." Zheng Haoyuan did not dare linger and scurried away.

"Father, what’s wrong?" Zheng Nianru came up and took Prince Duan’s hand, her eyes smiling, as lively as a butterfly under the spring sun, her robe trailing behind, the gold and silver floral embroidery coming alive with her movements.

"Still smiling? I’ll ask you, that... that Zheng Haoyuan... the Fourth Prince, why is he here? And what does the Second Prince’s death have to do with you?" Prince Duan disregarded everything else. Isn’t it about the Second Prince? How come it involves the Fourth Prince too, wait, shouldn’t the Fourth Prince be in the palace?

Had it not been for Fu Xun’s kindness, seeing Nian Ru suffer in the palace, and often sending messages to him, he would not have had a peaceful day.

"Father." Seeing this, Zheng Nianru recounted everything that had happened after Zheng Haoyuan arrived at the Traveling Palace, only mentioning what she actually saw, omitting her speculations and stating only the facts.

Prince Duan was stunned, taking a long time to recover his composure.

Outside the room, Qi Yu and Qi Jin felt a mix of emotions. They had clearly seen the scene when Prince Duan entered the inner courtyard. The relationship between the Commandery Princess and the Fourth Prince, even if they were cousins, was perhaps too...

Qi Yu suddenly thought, hasn’t the Commandery Princess stopped visiting the Crown Prince’s Mansion for a while because she has a new playmate?

Raising bunnies? And raising bunnies with the Fourth Prince!

Qi Yu snorted coldly. Did she think they could be so easily discarded because she perceived their princes to be of no useful value? It was unjust given that their princes had rushed here ahead of Prince Duan once they learned of her plight in the Traveling Palace, despite not being able to escape themselves.

"Should we... report to the Prince?"

Qi Yu immediately glared fiercely at Qi Jin. Report what? To tell the Crown Prince that you’re yesterday’s news, that she has found someone new?

Qi Jin opened his mouth. Would the Commandery Princess stop coming in the future?

Qi Yu disdainfully retorted. So what if she doesn’t come? Are we so desperate? That’s the way it should be.

"You, you, you are really courting death; how could you do such a thing?" Prince Duan could hardly sit still after hearing everything. "That Master Yin He is inherently evil. Didn’t you think of the consequences before you rushed in? What if you were bitten by those snakes or something?"

Prince Duan’s eyes were filled with only Zheng Nianru; he hadn’t given a thought to Zheng Muyuan or Zheng Haoyuan whatsoever.

Prince Duan wished he could take Zheng Nianru back immediately and keep her under his watchful eye to feel at ease. So, it must have been Nian Ru who saved that boy? Is that why the boy was with Zheng Nianru?

Prince Duan tentatively believed that the boy still had some gratitude, remembering that it was because of Nian Ru’s life-saving grace. But the complexities involved were surely beyond Nian Ru’s understanding.

Although the Second Prince was bedridden, how much could one believe the outside rumors that the Second Prince was benevolent and substantial? Master Yin He, following a concealed and dark path, had likely never intended such, but facing the prospect of death, who would refuse a method of salvation laid before him.

Prince Duan, though uninterested in any affair between Zheng Muyuan and Zheng Haoyuan or in clarifying it, had to intervene when it concerned Nian Ru.

"Father has heard that Zheng Haoyuan is also somewhat of a little tyrant; better to avoid him in the future. That boy is not good news."

"Yes, alright." Zheng Nianru nodded obediently as Nanny Yun carefully presented pastries, not daring to gauge Prince Duan’s expression.

Seeing how swiftly Zheng Nianru agreed, Prince Duan felt somewhat uneasy inside. Nian Ru, gentle and obedient, sadly had lacked guidance from a young age, hence she considered the previous incident as ordinary. If she encountered other men in the future, could she not be easily deceived and taken away?

Just like that devious Wen Zan before.

So, keeping them at one’s side was the only way to feel at peace.

"Nian Ru, your father will find a way to bring you back to the Prince’s Mansion, so we can talk more." Prince Duan thought of this and felt somewhat saddened, unable to help but recall the years of loneliness and helplessness...

"Did Father come to the Traveling Palace for the matter of transporting the coffin back to the palace?" Zheng Nianru changed the subject, "Then can I return to the palace with Father?"

"Naturally." Prince Duan nodded, the Crown Prince had specifically entrusted this task to him as a reason to be at the Traveling Palace, "The Crown Prince is very busy, so he had Father come first, and he will arrive tomorrow."

...

The gear at the Traveling Palace was swiftly arranged in just two days. Whether it was possible or not, no one could afford to delay the auspicious time for the Second Prince’s coffin to return to the palace.

The lengthy procession was no longer as leisurely and bustling as it had been upon arrival. Covered in white cloth, the carriages and all the concubines, palace maids, and eunuchs donned plain garments, devoid of any color.

Noble Consort Wen personally supported the coffin of Zheng Muyuan, disregarding all etiquette and fainting several times from crying, yet still unwilling to leave, and eventually had to set off with the coffin.

The largest carriage, which now belonged to Zheng Haoyuan, was restructured with an iron cage by Zheng Haoyuan, splitting the carriage in two. Inside was Master Yin He, still barely alive and unconscious, guarded closely by two guards at all times.

Zheng Haoyuan examined this man in black for half a day. With the death of Zheng Muyuan and the Mother Consort unable to attend to others, Master Yin He had been captured by Zheng Haoyuan. Zheng Haoyuan wanted to learn something from this nearly dead Master Yin He, if only to aid in helping Eunuch Ho Sheng.

Eunuch Ho Sheng lay in another carriage, following behind Zheng Haoyuan’s ceremonial guards. Two or three Imperial Physicians accompanied him as well to prevent any sudden turnaround in Eunuch Ho Sheng’s medical condition.

"Why refuse?" Zheng Haoyuan frowned, his displeasure evident on his face.

"Fourth Prince, perhaps the Commandery Princess does not wish to trouble you—" Little Eunuch Cang Er reported timidly, glancing at the Fourth Prince. With Master Yin He still present, who would dare to come?

"Dismissed—" Zheng Haoyuan’s eyes darkened, and he got into the carriage, urging the guards to hurry the carriage forward. At this time, the large troop had not yet departed, and everyone was busy packing luggage, readying to set off from the palace.

Zheng Nianru, along with Nanny Yun and others, moved the packed luggage into the carriage, box by box. Fortunately, they did not bring much, and Nanny Yun quickly managed everything efficiently.

Upon catching sight of that familiar figure, Zheng Haoyuan immediately alighted from the carriage and without hesitation ran towards it, followed by a panting eunuch, who dared not stop.

"Cousin—" Zheng Haoyuan revealed a smile brighter than blooming flowers, "Cousin, I will go with you."

"Fu Gong, your carriage should be ahead." Zheng Nianru did not directly refuse, but Prince Duan’s words still echoed in her ears. She did not want to get overly involved with Zheng Haoyuan. It wasn’t that she was exceedingly obedient, but in her previous life, she had angered Prince Duan so many times; this life, perhaps she should be more compliant.

"Cousin, that weird man is still in the carriage; I feel more comfortable staying with you." Zheng Haoyuan played his trump card, gently shaking Zheng Nianru’s sleeve, his eyes sparkling, ready to burst into light the moment Zheng Nianru agreed.

"Fu Gong—" Just as Zheng Nianru was about to speak, a deep voice came from behind.

Immediately, Zheng Haoyuan stepped back meekly like a deflated shrimp.

"Brother Crown Prince."

Zheng Nianru calmly turned around, showing the same courtesy.

Zheng Congyuan had not arrived with Prince Duan but had just arrived, wearing a black duke’s outfit that emitted a cool aura. Zheng Congyuan looked at Zheng Haoyuan without surprise that he was there at this moment.

"We’re about to leave, Fu Gong. Hurry back to the carriage." Zheng Congyuan said without even looking at Zheng Haoyuan, then turned to Zheng Nianru. "Prince Duan sent me here to escort the Commandery Princess to the front carriage."

Seeing this, Zheng Haoyuan, like a deflated balloon, reluctantly walked away, disheartened.

Zheng Congyuan turned around, and a carriage had already stopped in front of him. Qi Zhu was sitting next to the carriage driver. Qi Zhu jumped down, fetched a stool, "Commandery Princess, please. The road back from the Traveling Palace will be rushed and bumpy. This carriage will be much more comfortable."

"Enter the carriage—" Zheng Congyuan lifted the curtain, not even looking at Zheng Nianru, and got in first, the curtain rustling loudly.

Carrying irritation.

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