Chapter 56: The Dog-Beating Stick and the Taming Cane

  As requested by all book friends, from the next chapter onwards, each chapter will be changed to 3000 words unless special circumstances arise.

  The next morning at breakfast, the two brothers looked as usual, as if yesterday's tacit understanding had dissipated with that faint tea fragrance.

  After finishing dinner, Qin Lei was about to get up and bid farewell. The Crown Prince said in a low voice: "Can you follow me into the palace today?"

  Qin Lei bitterly smiled and said: "I told you it wouldn't be useful, didn't I?"

  The prince smiled and said, "I also want to say yes."

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  He instructed Shi Meng to go outside the Imperial City to pick up Er Wa, as according to the itinerary, that kid should have arrived today.

  Then he changed into his court attire and took Shen Qing to the grand hall to meet with the Crown Prince.

  His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wore a bright yellow imperial robe today, with five eight-clawed golden dragons embroidered on the front of his upper garment, including two on the shoulders and one on the collar. The lower garment had three embroidered dragons, totaling eight eight-clawed golden dragons. This signifies that he is second only to His Majesty the Emperor in nobility. He wore a sword bestowed by the Son of Heaven at his waist, symbolizing his role as the guardian of the realm on behalf of the Son of Heaven. However, in his hand, he held a simple green bamboo staff.

  Qin Lei couldn't help but let out a loud cry in his heart: Could it be that the Crown Prince who is also the leader of the Beggar Gang? The more he thought about it, the more he felt like laughing, and the mischievous smile on his face was so obvious that even an idiot could see it.

  The prince felt uneasy in his heart, secretly checking if his clothes and hat were tidy, and whether he was wearing only one sock. Not finding anything unusual, he glared at Qin Lei and walked out the door first with his green bamboo cane.

  Qin Lei hurriedly followed up. The crown prince said to him: "Today we will ride in the same sedan chair."

  The prince must have a retinue whenever he goes out, unless he is traveling incognito.

  Fortunately, the ceremonial activities within the palace were the simplest. In front of the sedan chair were four Taizi Wei guards wearing bright yellow robes, and behind it were two Cheng Tianmen guards. On either side followed two Nei Jian monitors.

  The inner court, apart from the imperial palace and the east palace, is the Yeting Palace which serves the imperial palace. Every three steps there's a sentry post and every five steps there's a watchtower; the defenses can't be described as strict anymore. Otherwise, Shi Meng and his men wouldn't have waited until those two palace maids left the palace before daring to take action and bind them.

  Two dragon sons sat face to face in the sedan chair, Qin Lei shifted his gaze to one side, trying not to look at that green stick that made him think of all sorts of things.

  The anxious crown prince saw Qin Lei's distracted appearance and angrily said, "It's really 'the emperor is not worried, the crown prince is worried to death'. You thing, with disaster looming over your head, how can you still be so unaware?"

  Qin Lei explained: "Brother, I was anxious in my heart and pretended to be calm."

  The prince didn't argue with him, and thought for a moment before saying: "Later when we go to the imperial concubine's place, you should be more tolerant. If she scolds you, just endure it and let her vent her anger."

  Qin Lei's face turned sour as he said, "What if she wants to hit me?"

  "The prince coldly smiled and said: 'Rest assured, with me here, no one except the empress dowager dares to touch a single hair on you.'"

  Qin Lei did not seem particularly pleased, and sighed: "If it were the Empress Dowager..."

  The crown prince glanced at him and said irresponsibly: "If it's the imperial grandmother who wants to punish you, even if Father Emperor pleads for mercy, it will be of no use."

  Qin Lei thought of the old lady who had become closest to him in the end, and wondered how much warmth was left.

  The prince thought for a moment, decided to give him a tranquilizer, and whispered: "Even in the worst case, we can fight to the death! I believe that Ruhui will be hesitant to use her ultimate move." As he spoke, he slightly shook the green bamboo stick in his hand.

  After proceeding for a short while, the sedan chair stopped. Qin Lei lifted the curtain and found that the sedan chair had stopped in front of the Forbidden Palace gate. Two small sedan chairs were already parked in the gateway, and two young princes were running towards him.

  But it was Old Six and Old Seven.

  Qin Xiao and Qin Tian had met the Crown Prince before, and later they saw Qin Lei. After the formalities were over, the two of them winked at each other in front of Qin Lei.

  The crown prince said solemnly to the two little ones: "Qin Xiao, if you haven't received news in two hours, go find your mother and ask Concubine Jin to go to Rulan Palace to rescue your fifth brother. Qin Tian, if you haven't received news in half an hour, go to Kun'ning Palace to find Empress Dowager, then go to Cining Palace to rescue your fifth and second brothers. Today's matter is of great importance. You must not make any mistakes. Otherwise, you will be beheaded without pardon."

  Lao Wu and Lao Liu's faces turned solemn, they clasped their fists and said: "We will not disappoint your orders." After finishing speaking, they turned around and left, without any hesitation or delay.

  Qin Lei Zhang said with a big mouth: "Isn't it that serious? Still beheading without pardon?"

  The crown prince smiled and said, "These two young men have read too many plays. Recently they've become infatuated with Xue Rengui's military exploits and are getting too deep into the play. If we follow them, it will definitely be done without a hitch."

  Qin Lei closed his mouth, thinking that the princess was in a social club and the prince was in a fan club. The emperor's education really had its own set of rules.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Reluctance will eventually reach its destination.

  After a cup of tea and some kung fu, the sedan chair fell again. The prince grasped the green bamboo cane in his hand and said to Qin Lei, "Let's go, don't be afraid."

  Qin Lei grumbled in his heart, originally he wasn't afraid, but was also made nervous by him. He first got down from the sedan chair and waited for the prince to come down, then followed behind him into the Rulan Palace courtyard.

  The palace maid and eunuchs saw the crown prince arriving, except for those who went in to report, they all knelt down to pay their respects. The crown prince seemed not to have seen them at all, and directly led Qin Lei towards the main hall.

  On the way, they met a lady official who came out to greet the prince. The prince just slightly nodded his head, with a face full of dignity and self-respect. Where was the romantic atmosphere of last night?

  Entering the resplendent Rulan Palace, passing through several doors, they arrived at the main hall. Qin Lei saw that on the phoenix throne facing them was a stately seated woman with a charming and elegant demeanor. This ageless woman had a face as round as a full moon, her skin was fair and delicate, her figure plump and curvaceous, and she seemed even more lovely than Qin Lei's own mother, the queen.

  At this moment, the woman's slender phoenix eyes were icy cold, staring straight at Qin Lei behind the prince, making Qin Lei feel a chill all over. It can be seen that this noble concubine has a deep grievance. The prince led Qin Lei to pay respects to Ruhui as a junior, but Qin Lei didn't know that if it weren't for him, the prince wouldn't have had to kneel down to the concubine, and even if he did want to bow, the concubine would have hurriedly helped him up.

  But the prince bowed, and the noble consort surprisingly accepted it with a big smile. After a long time, she said in a cold voice: "Get up, this palace can't afford the prince's great gift." Qin Lei understood that the prince was avenging himself for his past grievances, and he felt grateful in his heart.

  The two stood up, and Guifei stared at Qin Lei, word by word, saying: "Who told you to get up?" Her voice was icy cold with a strong tone of mockery.

  Qin Lei's anger suddenly flared up, he was originally a hot-tempered person, only because of the repeated unbearable circumstances did he restrain himself from time to time. However, his ability to tolerate others' behind-the-scenes movements does not mean he can tolerate this blatant provocation.

  He told Shen Qing: When others indirectly hurt you, after all, the skin is not torn, and it can still be dealt with slowly. However, for naked provocation, a counterattack must be made on the spot, otherwise what's the point of mixing?

  When the issue escalated to a height of confusion, Qin Lei couldn't help but retort. The crown prince beside him, who had some understanding of his temperament, pulled him back and whispered angrily: "She's provoking you."

  Qin Lei was pulled and became a bit more awake, then turned his head to one side without speaking.

  As Guifei saw Qin Lei's explosion-like anger, she was disdainful in her heart. She didn't bother to pay attention to him and said to the side: "Give the prince a seat."

  Gong E brought a brocade cushion for Crown Prince Duan, who sat down beside Qin Lei, holding the precious green bamboo cane in his arms, repeatedly rubbing the nodes with his thumb. His face was gloomy like water.

  The imperial concubine only then discovered the green stick in the crown prince's hand and asked displeased: "Your Highness, why have you come to my palace with this staff?"

  Qin Lei thought to himself: "So it's called a dog-beating stick, not a dog-beating rod." His temper flared up quickly and subsided just as fast.

  The crown prince held the rod in his hand, facing west and bowing: "Since the Imperial Clan Court has granted this palace the tamed rebellious rod, it must be carried with me at all times. When encountering disobedient sons of my imperial clan, I can beat them conveniently."

  As the imperial concubine's eyes narrowed, she pointed at Qin Lei with a cold smile and said: "Then please have the crown prince discipline this arrogant, ruthless, unfeeling, lawless thing that doesn't recognize its own kin."

  The prince stood up and cupped his hands, saying: "I was just about to go." After finishing speaking, he held that tame pike and walked towards Qin Lei.

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  Today's first update, next update will be after 1300 votes.

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