Chapter 96

Hearing the one-fast-and-three-slow sound of clapper beating, Eunuch Wang furrowed his eyebrows. He turned to look at the emperor who was still standing before the window, hesitating to go forward and remind the emperor.

The emperor was too strange today. He had stood still before the window for almost six hours since he had supper. Even the memorials sent by the officials were not reviewed. Eunuch Wang hadn’t seen the emperor like this for a long time.

Having hesitated for a while, Eunuch Wang still went forward and stood behind Huangfu Cang, saying in a low voice, “Your Majesty, it has been around 2 am. It is time to sleep now.”

Hearing that, Huangfu Cang didn’t give any response. He still looked out of the window at the moon that was about to turn round.

Eunuch Wang who didn’t get any response could only call again, “Your Majesty…”

“Yes?” Huangfu Cang finally turned around to look at Eunuch Wang, “It’s you, De’an. What’s up?”

Eunuch Wang immediately bowed and said, “Your Majesty, it has been around 2 am. It’s time for bed.”

“I’m not sleepy.” Huangfu Cang shook his head and turned around to look out of the window again.

It was around 2 am but he was still not sleepy. When it was 4 am or so, it would be time for preparing the morning court meeting. Eunuch Wang also looked out of the window and found that there was nothing strange. He felt rather confused.

“Your Majesty, are you bothered by anything?” He couldn’t think of any other reason. Similarly, when Empress Huiyuan passed away and His Highness the Crown Prince was married into the Zhuque Empire, the emperor just couldn’t fall asleep like this. He just stood by the window and watched the moon all night long.

Huangfu Cang made no response and still looked at the moon outside the window, except that his black eyes glistened.

A moment later, when Eunuch Wang thought Huangfu Cang wouldn’t answer him, Huangfu Cang parted his lips.

“They are back in the capital.” Huangfu Cang’s voice was rather gentle. He seemed to soliloquize and answer Eunuch Wang.

They? Even though the emperor didn’t state it frankly, Eunuch Wang also guessed who he was referring to. It was because those who could make the emperor so abnormal were…

“Is His Highness the Crown Prince back in the capital?” Eunuch Wang’s voice was slightly trembling. He watched His Highness the Crown Prince grow up. Besides, this prince was also his most adored and respected prince.

“Che…is finally back.” His voice was still pitifully gentle.

Eunuch Wang’s eyes became teary. The emperor had waited for so many years. Now, His Highness the Crown Prince was finally back.

He hadn’t met Che for 16 years! Huangfu Cang raised his head to look at the moon in the sky. It would be a few hours before they could meet!

The next early morning.

Huangfu Che and Duanmu Xue got up early, freshened up and checked the gifts for Huangfu Cang and the others again.

Xuanyuan Mo and Duanmu Xi also got up early. After having breakfast, they headed towards the imperial palace by royal carriage.

The luxurious and magnificent royal carriage attracted the attention of the people in the capital of the Qinglong Empire.

“Who is sitting in the carriage? What a magnificent spectacle this is! The carriage is so luxurious!” A middle-aged man, holding a bird’s cage, asked the man in grey next to him.

“Can’t you recognize it? This is the royal carriage of the empress of the Zhuque Empire! Don’t you see the guards of honor are all women?” The man in grey glimpsed the middle-aged man.

Hearing the man in grey say that, the middle-aged man took a tumble and answered, “Oh! No wonder! The women are all dressed in military suits.”

Seeing his reaction, the man in grey bantered, “What? Don’t you always go to Yunxiang Pavilion? Now, you cannot tell from men to women?”

The middle-aged man seemed not to hear the banter of the man in grey and elbowed his arm, saying, “Is His Highness the Crown Prince coming back this time too?”

“Of course. The emperor is turning 60 years old. How can His Highness the Crown Prince not come back to celebrate his birthday?” The man in grey seemed to think of something and then said, “Last night, I wanted to have a drink in Huanghe Building but I was stopped by those women soldiers. They said that Huanghe Building had been bought by their empress.”

“Why did the empress buy Huanghe Building?” The middle-aged man asked in confusion.

“I’m not sure about it but it should have something to do with Prince Ning.”

“Prince Ning?” The middle-aged man felt even more confused and intrigued.

The man in grey saw that the middle-aged man was in the best of spirits so he talked with more excitement, “According to the onlookers outside Huanghe Building, the empress almost killed Prince Ning for our crown prince. Afterward, Prince Ning knelt and begged for mercy, so the empress let go of him. However, in the end, Prince Ning and his guards were all sent back home by the empress’s guards. The empress and the others all stayed in Huanghe Building.”

“If it is true, Prince Ning must be gravely humiliated.”

“You don’t say! I guess most of the people in the capital are aware of this matter.”

The royal carriage stopped shortly after it advanced.

Duanmu Xue sitting in the carriage slightly frowned and asked loudly, “Why do you stop the carriage?”

Hearing her words outside the royal carriage, Phoenix Two immediately bowed and answered, “It seems that someone is in the way.”

Hearing that, Duanmu Xue looked Huangfu Che in the eye and ordered Phoenix Two, “Go and find out who is in the way.”

“Yes.” Phoenix Two received the instruction and went to look into the situation.

In a similarly luxurious carriage behind the royal carriage, Duanmu Xi also sent Phoenix Five to look into the situation.

A moment later, Phoenix Two returned to the royal carriage.

“Your Majesty, it is a family of four members in the way. According to them, they were helped by His Highness the Royal Consort back then. Today, they learn that His Highness is coming back to the imperial palace so they are here to express their gratitude.”

Duanmu Xue turned to look at Huangfu Che again upon hearing this.

Huangfu Che also knitted his eyebrows and pondered for a while. Then, he stared at Duanmu Xue and said, “I’ll go and have a look.”

Duanmu Xue cast a worried look at Huangfu Che and said, “Be careful.”

Huangfu Che nodded and got off the royal carriage.

The onlookers saw a man in white who looked so inconsistent with the luxurious royal carriage getting out of there.

The man in white’s otherworldly bearing, indifferent demeanor and stunning appearance were absolutely convincing to all.

“It’s His Highness the Crown Prince,” someone among the crowd came to his senses and shouted.

“His Highness the Crown Prince is finally back.” Someone’s eyes were filled with tears.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, greetings.” Someone of the crowd knelt towards Huangfu Che, followed by one after another.

For the moment, the words–“Your Highness the Crown Prince” resounded through the capital.

Now, Huangfu Che had mixed feelings. The title of the crown prince was the past for him but when he heard it again, it seemed to be lingering in his heart all the time.

Now, Duanmu Xue in the royal carriage also had complicated feelings. He was still greatly favored and respected by the people here, which made her even more guilty.

While asking the people to rise, Huangfu Che walked forward and saw the family that stopped the royal carriage. It was an old man in his fifties or sixties, followed by a middle-aged couple and a young man. He scrutinized them carefully and recognized the old man in front.

“Head Constable Yu?”

Hearing Huangfu Che’s voice, the old man jerked up his head and saw the handsome face of Huangfu Che. He immediately shed tears and said in a trembling voice, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, I’ve finally met you.”

“Get up before you continue talking.” Huangfu Che didn’t understand what they came to him for but he still couldn’t bear to see such an old man kneeling on the ground.

The old man shook his head with tears all over his face, saying, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, you are the benefactor of our family. We must kowtow to you to express our gratitude.”

Then, the old man was about to kowtow when he was stopped by Huangfu Che, “Head Constable Yu, what are you doing? Those are the past things. Why do you mention them now?”

The old man grabbed Huangfu Che’s hand and said, “Those things may be trivial for you but they are the big favors that we can never forget.”

The old man still insisted on kowtowing. When Huangfu Che was in a dilemma, the middle-aged man parted his lips.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, please accept our kowtows. My father has been seriously ill. He is dying soon. The biggest wish in his lifetime is to meet you again and express his gratitude to you face to face. Now, we are lucky enough to meet you again. Please let him fulfill his last wish.”

Huangfu Che hedged and took a look at the old man’s pale face. He felt a bit touched and then slowly let go of his hand.

The old man and his family saw that and immediately kowtowed to Huangfu Che three times.

After returning to the royal carriage, Huangfu Che was deeply touched for a long time.

Back then, Yu San was a head constable of the Jingzhao Municipality. His wife was very beautiful. One day, she came to the Jingzhao Municipality for him but she was picked and taken away by Hong Wentian, the new mayor of the Jingzhao Municipality. In order to preserve her virginity, she hanged herself. Yu San was extremely grieved and couldn’t turn to anyone for help. In the end, he was framed by Hong Wentian and kept in prison. It was Huangfu Che who found the truth, killed Hong Wentian and released Yu San.

The scenes of the past seemed to leap before their eyes but everything had been different.

Feeling the warmth on his hand, Huangfu Che turned to stare at Duanmu Xue who looked rather worried, cracked a gentle smile and held her into his arms tightly.

The past was past. He didn’t want to recall it. All he wanted to do was spend the rest of his life with the woman in his arms affectionately.

The royal carriage slowly headed to the imperial palace again. The people on the way all shouted, “Your Highness the Crown Prince.” And a lot of people who were helped by Huangfu Che and adored him in reverence all knelt on both sides of the streets and kowtowed to the royal carriage.

Shortly, the royal carriage arrived at the gate of the palace.

Upon seeing the royal carriage, Eunuch Wang who had waited at the gate of the palace early immediately went forward and said respectfully, “His Majesty allows Her Majesty’s royal carriage to go into the imperial palace.”

Huangfu Che was a bit excited to hear the familiar voice. When he lifted the curtain and saw the familiar man, he couldn’t help calling, “Eunuch Wang.”

Hearing that, Eunuch Wang raised his head. Upon seeing the almost unchanged face of Huangfu Che, he felt like shedding tears at once. He knelt on the ground, kowtowed and said, “Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Huangfu Che immediately jumped off the royal carriage and helped him up, saying, “Just drop the formalities.”

Eunuch Wang got up staggeringly and sobbed, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, I’ve finally seen you again. Oh right, please follow me to the Longxing Hall. His Majesty is waiting for you now! He even stayed awake for the whole night yesterday. He always thinks about you!”

Instantly, tears welled up in Huangfu Che’s eyes. He nodded and got into the royal carriage again.

In front of the Longxing Hall, Huangfu Che’s palms were sweaty because he was nervous; inside the Longxing Hall, Huangfu Cang was also expecting nervously.