Chapter 170 Search

Chapter 170 Searching for Someone

Cheng Ge simply couldn't be bothered with those two pieces of garbage. He only felt that Little Gege was about to explode.

If he were alone in this room, he could have taken care of it himself, but unfortunately, there were two other people present. Although he usually acted wild, he wasn't that uninhibited.

...

The Moon-Gazing Terrace hung high above the palace grounds. Zhou Yinyun ascended the steps with the crowd, his heart filled with frustration.

Emperor Zhou Mingqi walked steadily, stopping beside Prince Jing.

Rumors often circulated outside, saying that keeping his brother Prince Jing around was merely a gesture to the world, to showcase the new emperor's benevolence and silence the masses.

In truth, it wasn't so. He and Prince Jing had shared a bond since childhood.

Zhou Mingqi's birth mother was merely a lowly palace maid, who had been framed and killed early on, leaving him as a young prince struggling to survive in the deep palace.

He was of low status, often having his allowances cut, lacking charcoal in winter and iced drinks in summer, frequently going hungry. At that time, Prince Jing, though not from a prominent mother either, had a relatively stable life.

He had a fiery temper, often acted without thinking, and was not considered bright among the other princes. Whenever the late emperor tested him on lessons or asked about state affairs, he would answer off-topic nine times out of ten. As a result, he was extremely disliked by the late emperor, who would constantly reprimand and punish him, leaving him no chance at inheriting the throne.

Zhou Mingqi was the lowest-ranked among the princes but was clever. Prince Jing often sought him out.

Seeing him being shortchanged on his allowances, Prince Jing would secretly bring him supplies. Although Prince Jing caused quite a few blunders when Zhou Mingqi was vying for the throne, Zhou Mingqi never held a grudge.

These childhood bonds had lasted until now, a rare warmth within the imperial family.

As the toasts and banter gradually subsided, the topic somehow shifted to the Princess Wuya's stay or departure.

Emperor Zhou Mingqi held his wine glass, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Prince Jing, his voice betraying no emotion.

"Prince Jing, I hear that the marriage you arranged for Yinyun earlier seemed to displease him?"

Prince Jing's heart skipped a beat at this, immediately understanding Zhou Mingqi's probing intent.

He turned to look at his son, Zhou Yinyun, his eyes carrying a barely noticeable hint of expectation.

Zhou Yinyun had been listlessly poking at the cold pastries on his plate, but as soon as he heard this, his hair stood on end!

He abruptly raised his head, looking warily at his uncle and father.

"Uncle!" Zhou Yinyun straightened his back, raising his voice with decisive resistance.

"Yinyun already has someone in his heart!! There's no room for any other woman. That Princess Wuya, you can keep her for yourself!"

Zhou Mingqi hadn't expected him to say that. His face stiffened as he turned to Prince Jing.

But then the rascal's eyes darted around, and he looked sincerely at Zhou Mingqi, saying something shocking:

"Uncle, I think Princess Wuya is quite a match for my father as well! Just now when the princess entered, my father even secretly glanced at her several times! His eyes were glued to her!

Why don't you issue a marriage decree for my father and the princess? It would be a beautiful story!"

"Pfft—" Several nearby nobles nearly sprayed their wine.

Prince Jing's face instantly turned beet red. Furious, his beard bristled, and he pointed a trembling finger at Zhou Yinyun.

"You... you rebellious son! Nonsense! I'll beat you to death!" He actually bent down to take off his shoe, ready to strike.

Seeing this, Zhou Yinyun was scared witless. With a yelp, he jumped up and hid behind Emperor Zhou Mingqi, still yelling.

"Father, calm down! Father, calm down! Don't you always call me your biggest failure?

If you marry that princess, you can have a clever child to inherit the estate. Then she can even help carry my coffin and break the funeral basin—killing two birds with one stone, how great would that be?"

"My son mourn for you?! You little brat, have you no shame?!" Prince Jing's vision went black, nearly fainted.

Zhou Yinyun clung tightly to the emperor's robe, like a frightened quail, still chattering.

"Uncle, look at him! He's been caught red-handed! A marriage must be decreed! It must be!"

Zhou Mingqi was also at a loss for words. He was about to give a token scolding.

But Zhou Yinyun slipped out from behind him, darted down the Moon-Gazing Terrace without looking back, and disappeared into the shadows of the corridor in the blink of an eye.

"You rebellious son! Stop right there!" Prince Jing stomped in fury, but with the emperor and everyone present, he couldn't really chase after him. He could only stare helplessly.

Zhou Mingqi rubbed his brow, looking at Prince Jing's state and then at the direction Zhou Yinyun had vanished, feeling a headache coming on.

This child... really is just like his own son.

Zhou Yinyun ran a long way until he was sure his father wasn't following. Only then did he lean against a pillar, gasping for air.

He patted his chest, still shaken: "Nearly scared me to death... This old man is getting more vicious..."

As his shock subsided, the restlessness returned.

He looked around the crowded palace grounds, feeling a hollow feeling inside, and couldn't help but think of his one true love, Caicai.

"Where's Cheng Ge?" he muttered to himself, searching for the familiar figure in the crowd.

He hadn't seen him on the Moon-Gazing Terrace earlier, and the banquet was already halfway over—where had he run off to?

A vague, inexplicable unease crept into his heart.

He stopped a palace attendant hurrying past with a wine jug: "Have you seen Cheng Xiezhi?"

The attendant shook his head blankly. Zhou Yinyun frowned and asked several more attendants and guards.

Finally, he got a lead from a young eunuch in charge of tea.

"Your Highness, I heard someone mention earlier that Minister Cheng's robe was stained with wine, so he was taken to the back to change clothes. That was... about half an hour ago?"

"Half an hour?" Zhou Yinyun's heart skipped a beat. Changing clothes took that long? Could he have gotten lost?

Cheng Ge was Caicai's elder brother after all! If something happened to him, how could he ever face Caicai and marry her?

"No! I have to find him!" Zhou Yinyun made an immediate decision, grabbing the young eunuch. "Lead the way!"

The young eunuch hurriedly led him toward the outer buildings of the inner palace.

Along the way, Zhou Yinyun asked several passing palace attendants, finally piecing together more precise information from a cleaning maid.

"...I--I saw an official being guided toward the West Warm Pavilion..."

"West Warm Pavilion?" Zhou Yinyun's brow furrowed even tighter.

That place was relatively secluded. Why would they arrange for changing clothes there?

Suspicion welled up in his heart, and his steps involuntarily quickened. He was almost half-dragging the young eunuch as they hurried along.

They passed through several corridors, the surroundings grew quieter and more secluded as they walked, and the lantern light became sparse.

Finally, the young eunuch pointed to a standalone building half-hidden in the shadows of trees ahead and whispered, "Your Highness, that is the West Warm Pavilion."