Chapter 689: Chapter 690: Seeking Aid

Ye Chutang smiled. "Please thank your master for me."

...

The procession escorting Zheng Baosu back to the Capital City was an enormous spectacle.

Two columns of the Imperial Army guarded him heavily as they brought him into the city, seen by countless eyes along the way.

At first, no one knew what was happening. But soon, the charge that Zheng Baosu had committed treason by colluding with the enemy began to spread. His "exploits"—fabricating military achievements, deserting his post, and cutting off the ears of displaced civilians to pass off as enemy kills for his own merit—also traveled like wildfire. In no time, the news had spread throughout the entire Capital City.

When Fan Chengzhuo received the news, he nearly fell out of bed, a mix of shock and fear gripping him. "You! What did you say!?"

The servant was startled by his reaction and fell to his knees with a THUD, his voice already tinged with a sob.

"My lord! General Zheng Baosu has been brought back by the Imperial Army and has already been taken into the palace!"

The servants in the mansion didn’t know what had happened at the court session that day. They only knew that Zheng Baosu was Fan Chengzhuo’s nephew. Now that Zheng Baosu was suddenly in trouble, Fan Chengzhuo would inevitably be implicated!

Besides, to cause such a huge commotion, with the Imperial Army itself mobilizing to escort him back to the capital... anyone with a brain knew that Zheng Baosu must have committed a terrible crime!

’Those rumors... they’re probably all true!’

’If that’s the case, it’s a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of his clan!’

A wave of dizziness washed over Fan Chengzhuo. He had just tried to get up when he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

The servant instantly grew more panicked. "My lord! W-what’s wrong with you!? I’ll—I’ll go get a doctor right now!"

With that, he stood up and was about to run out, but Fan Chengzhuo called him back.

"You... stop!"

The servant turned back, his face a mask of panic and helplessness. "My lord, but you—"

Fan Chengzhuo took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and forced himself to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth. His voice was extremely weak, yet unshakably firm. "Go... Go to the Prince Jing Mansion!"

The servant was dumbfounded. He asked blankly, "The Prince Jing Mansion?"

’At a time like this, instead of thinking about how to save himself, my lord is still thinking of finding the Fourth Prince?’

Fan Chengzhuo put on a fierce front. "Prepare the carriage!"

The servant had rarely seen him with such a harsh expression. His heart trembled as he hurriedly replied, "Yes, yes!"

With that, he hastily turned and left.

More blood trickled from the corner of Fan Chengzhuo’s mouth.

He was extremely weak. He had been recuperating at home for the past few days, and his condition had been under control, but this incident had struck him with such terror that he felt as if his insides were on fire.

’I know I’m in a terrible state, but I can’t afford to care about that now.’

’After all that money I spent, Zheng Baosu was still brought back to the Capital City!’

Fan Chengzhuo was filled with anger and resentment. ’The men Xie Anjun sent out were useless after all!’

’If I had known, I never should have placed my hopes in Xie Anjun!’

’And now...’

Fan Chengzhuo swallowed a mouthful of blood and propped himself up on the edge of the bed, struggling to his feet. The veins on the back of his hands bulged.

His body trembled slightly. Just these few simple movements had already left him drenched in sweat.

The servant prepared the carriage and hurried back.

Seeing his master’s state, the servant hesitated again. "My lord, perhaps you should see a..."

Fan Chengzhuo held his breath, an endless storm of fierce emotions churning in his eyes.

When the servant saw his terrifying expression, he immediately fell silent, swallowing the rest of his words.

"Th-then, let me help you."

...

「An incense stick’s time later, at the Prince Jing Mansion.」

Staring at the tightly shut gates, Fan Chengzhuo’s heart plummeted.

"Go and knock," Fan Chengzhuo ordered, suppressing the intense unease in his heart.

The coachman acknowledged and walked over to knock on the gate.

However, a long moment passed with no answer.

The coachman looked back hesitantly. "My lord, this..."

CREAK—

Just then, the gate was finally opened from the inside.

A servant poked his head out from behind the gate, yawning. He looked them up and down a few times before saying impatiently, "His Highness is unwell and is not receiving any visitors. He will see no one. Please leave!"

The coachman was cut off before he even had a chance to announce who they were, leaving him speechless.

Fan Chengzhuo started coughing softly. After finally suppressing it, he spoke. "Please be so kind as to announce me. Just say that Fan Chengzhuo has urgent business and begs an audience with Prince Jing. I hope—"

"Didn’t you hear me? I said, His Highness is not seeing anyone today!"

The servant clearly had no respect for Fan Chengzhuo. Without another word, he slammed the gate shut. SLAM!

The coachman jumped in fright. He was about to lash out, but then he remembered this was the Prince Jing Mansion and forced himself to hold it in. He could only grit his teeth and mutter under his breath, "...That bastard, abusing his master’s authority! Thinks he’s really someone important!"

He came back to the carriage, still grumbling, "My lord, they won’t let us in. Why don’t we just head back?"

’He’s a Prince, after all. No matter how unfair it feels, we have to take it, don’t we?’

Fan Chengzhuo’s heart was burning with anxiety.

’Unwell?’

’What a coincidence. Zheng Baosu is brought back to the capital, and just then, Prince Jing closes his doors to all visitors!’

Before coming, Fan Chengzhuo had considered that Prince Jing might not help him. But only at this moment did he understand the meaning of true despair.

’He won’t even grant me a meeting!’

Fan Chengzhuo stared intently at the shut gates, his face a deathly pale.

The coachman saw his master’s ghastly complexion and couldn’t help but worry. "My lord? My lord? You don’t look well. Are you feeling unwell again? Why—why don’t we go see a doctor first—"

"To the Duke Zhongyong Mansion," Fan Chengzhuo said, enunciating each word.

The coachman froze. "What?"

Fan Chengzhuo roared, "I said, to the Duke Zhongyong Mansion! Immediately!"

His face was already deathly pale, but now his expression was so fierce and contorted that it inspired fear in anyone who looked at him.

The coachman was startled and didn’t dare say another word in protest. He just nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes!"

With that, he jumped onto the driver’s seat and gave the reins a sharp snap.

"Giddy-up!"

...

The carriage quickly departed, and the usual quiet returned to the area outside the Prince Jing Mansion.

Inside the mansion, Xiao Chenglin was in the courtyard, trimming flowering branches.

It was a warm and pleasant day in the third month, and the flowers and plants in the courtyard were gradually beginning to flourish.

Yet, his stunningly handsome face was a mask of cold indifference.

His personal attendant soon approached, bowing his head. "Your Highness, he has left."

Xiao Chenglin paused his work and looked back, his eyes as devoid of emotion as frozen ice.

After a long moment, he finally parted his lips and uttered a single, cold word.

"Fool."

The personal attendant hesitated for a moment before saying, "He has indeed lost his mind. But, Zheng Baosu is, after all..."

Xiao Chenglin lifted his gaze.

A chill ran through the attendant’s heart, and he quickly fell silent.

Xiao Chenglin picked up the shears from the side again and resumed trimming the overgrown branches.

He didn’t speak, and the courtyard was so quiet that the only sound was the crisp snip of branches being cut.

Finally, the attendant couldn’t help but speak again. "Your Highness, are you truly not going to the palace?"

CRASH—SMASH!

Xiao Chenglin abruptly swept his sleeve, and the pot of flowers he had nearly finished trimming suddenly fell to the ground, shattering to pieces.

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