Chapter 271: The Summary Is Spot On
Keke, who got up from the ground, was cursing.
“You’re so particular. I’m a bird, so what if I see your naked body? I’m not a girl who needs to be responsible for you. I must have had terrible luck to meet someone with your personality…”
Rong Zhi, inside the room, his face dark, put on his clothes.
He opened the door and grabbed the talking parrot that was still cursing.
“What are you saying, hmm?”
Although his tone was gentle, Keke started to sweat.
There was killing intent!
“The bird didn’t say anything, the bird is praising you. It’s praising Chancellor Rong for being handsome, dashing, gentle, refined, and peerless, like jade in the world, as if tailor-made for you…”
Before it could continue, Rong Zhi pinched its mouth shut.
“Shut up.”
His tone was calm, and these praises didn’t change his expression at all. His eyes even held a hint of disdain.
Keke was annoyed. Why couldn’t it curse, and why wouldn’t it be moved by praise either?
They were all too difficult to serve.
Rong Zhi, wearing a simple sleeping robe, sat down and poured himself a cup of tea.
“Speak, what is it?”
Although Keke really didn’t want to talk to this guy anymore and wanted to slip away, it decided not to throw a tantrum because it concerned Wanwan.
“I want to tell you about the First Prince.”
Rong Zhi elegantly drank his tea, then glanced at it: “You saw everything?”
It knew that this smart creature couldn’t hide anything from him.
“Of course. What can escape the eyes of me, Lord Keke?”
“Seriously now, there’s a lot of gossip about the First Prince and his associates. Find an opportunity to take him down quickly.”
Rong Zhi didn’t speak, only glanced at it, prompting it to continue.
Keke: It was like dealing with a grandpa.
Fine, they were all grandpas, and it couldn’t afford to offend any of them.
“The First Prince and those behind him have committed many offenses, big and small. Such as exploiting the common people’s wealth, forcibly abducting women, seizing other people’s farmland, and murder… Your Emperor probably won’t care about these charges. Even if exposed, the First Prince can find a scapegoat to take the blame, just like he concealed the drought.”
Rong Zhi naturally knew these things. In fact, he possessed quite a few pieces of evidence against the First Prince.
But he was a prince. As long as the Emperor didn’t completely abandon the idea of deposing him, that evidence would at most cause him some trouble and wouldn’t shake his foundation.
The best time, of course, would be when the First Prince was completely despised. Then, that evidence would become the snowflake that crushed him in the avalanche.
But now, the foundation wasn’t enough.
Rong Zhi played with the teacup in his hand and casually stated a cruel fact.
“Although the Emperor is firm about the Crown Prince being the heir, the other princes are, after all, his sons. He can discipline his sons, but he will absolutely not kill them.
From ancient times to the present, emperors, no, not just emperors, but those in high positions, all have this mindset.
What does the death of many commoners, slaves, or people of low social status matter compared to their own sons?
The current Majesty is naturally the same. Perhaps out of righteousness, he will reprimand and punish the First Prince, but he will never kill his own son for the sake of outsiders.
And as the center of supreme power, the Emperor’s permission is required. Without it, so-called laws are just waste paper.”
Keke couldn’t help but nod: “That’s a very accurate summary.”
“But if you insist, there must be a way to punish him, right?”
“If I insist, the Emperor will naturally be pressured to punish the First Prince, but this will alienate me from the Emperor.”
He said faintly: “It’s not worth it.”
He took a sip of tea, his tone gentle: “I have the patience to wait for that opportunity.”
After speaking, his phoenix-like eyes looked at Keke.
Keke chuckled: “What a coincidence, I have quite a bit of gossip about the First Prince.”
“Firstly, the First Prince has cuckolded his Imperial Father. The little prince born this year is his son.”
Rong Zhi’s hand holding the teacup paused, his pupils shrinking slightly.
It really was Keke, coming in with something big right off the bat.
“Continue.”
He quickly regained his composure. Such matters, in noble families, seemed not uncommon.
It’s just that many weren’t exposed, and usually, the head of the family would resolve the matter upon discovering the clues.
Not seeing the expression he wanted on Rong Zhi’s face, Keke let out a bored huff.
Eating gossip with this kind of person was the most boring.
Eating gossip with Wanwan was the most enjoyable; the cub provided plenty of emotional value.
“He’s been with more than one of his father’s women.”
Rong Zhi: … …
“That guy also found a secret passage in the Imperial Palace, leading to a secret chamber. In the chamber, he discovered the remains of the former dynasty’s Crown Prince and the legitimate Imperial Seal. However, he didn’t hand over the seal but hid it. He plans that after his Imperial Father dies, even if the throne doesn’t fall to him, he can use the Imperial Seal to legitimately raise an army and rebel.”
Rong Zhi’s interest was immediately piqued.
When the former dynasty was overthrown, the Crown Prince and the Imperial Seal went missing. The late Emperor had sent people to search for a long time, and they hadn’t found any trace of the former dynasty’s Crown Prince throughout Tianqi. He never expected it to be right under their noses.
If the First Prince truly used the Imperial Seal in the future and claimed legitimacy, raising an army to rebel might actually succeed.
After all, the Imperial Seal originated from the first emperor who unified the Central Plains, and people had endowed it with much legendary significance, one of which was that whoever obtained the seal would unify the Central Plains.
“Where is the Imperial Seal now?”
Rong Zhi asked.
Keke was energetic, its pea-sized eyes shining: “Do you have something in mind?”
“Are you going to steal it? I’ll show you the way.”
Rong Zhi chuckled. Even while sitting, his posture remained dignified and elegant.
“Matters of state, how can that be called stealing?”
He said righteously and matter-of-factly: “It concerns Tianqi, it concerns the common people. I will never allow Tianqi to fall into the hands of a foolish brute like the First Prince.”
Keke: … Who said I had a poisonous tongue? Should we take a look at this one?
“Anything else?”
“Yes, that fool was set up and made contact with the Xianbei.”
Rong Zhi tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table.
“Good, then let’s add more fuel to the fire.”
After Rong Zhi and Keke’s conversation ended, he went to find Qin Wanwan.
In the courtyard, the little chubby cub was riding on Yu Wuyou’s neck, laughing heartily. Her tender laughter could be heard throughout the entire courtyard, being extremely infectious, and those around her watched her with loving eyes and smiles.
“Daddy, Daddy Rong, Keke…”
Seeing Rong Zhi and Keke come out, Qin Wanwan let go of Yu Wuyou’s hands and greeted them.
Then, losing her balance, she began to fall backward.
Rong Zhi’s expression changed. He strode forward and, with a reach, scooped the little chubby cub into his arms.
“Hahaha…”
Instead of being scared, Qin Wanwan laughed happily.
Rong Zhi lightly patted her little buttocks.
Like a tickle, the little one scratched her buttocks and continued to giggle in his arms.
“Daddy zoomed over just now.”
“Daddy is super amazing~”
