Let’s Squander A Billion First!

Chapter 1417: Chapter 1417: Power Behind the General’s Gate (27)

Chuzheng returned to the banquet as if nothing had happened.

”Mother, where did you go?” The Young Emperor leaned over and asked curiously.

”Nowhere,” Chuzheng replied calmly, ”Sit still, what kind of manner is this?”

”Oh.”

The Young Emperor felt that Chuzheng had found something fun and didn’t include him.

Facing these ministers alone was tedious for him.

The banquet was halfway through, and the ministers had almost finished eating and drinking.

The Young Emperor led people outside to set off fireworks.

”Where is the Regent Prince?”

A minister asked softly.

The Young Emperor heard and turned his head to look for him.

The others also looked around, not seeing the Regent Prince.

The Regent Prince was there just now, where could he have gone?

The Young Emperor ordered Eunuch Yang De, ”Go find the royal uncle.”

Even if the Young Emperor had feelings about the Regent Prince in his heart, it was, after all, the Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet in the palace, and the Regent Prince, a ’family member,’ was absent, making the Young Emperor have someone wait.

The people of Eunuch Yang De took a while to return.

With a slightly unpleasant expression, he whispered a few words in Eunuch Yang De’s ear.

Eunuch Yang De was stunned, and the surrounding ministers fell silent, looking on, puzzled.

”What happened?”

The Young Emperor asked.

Eunuch Yang De leaned forward to whisper in the Young Emperor’s ear.

The Young Emperor: ”...”

-

The Young Emperor led people to kick open the hall door.

The Regent Prince and Noble Consort Xuan were caught in bed.

Even though the Young Emperor didn’t have a man’s feelings for a woman towards Noble Consort Xuan, he knew that his consort was having an affair with the Regent Prince, putting a green hat on him as Emperor.

Noble Consort Xuan and the Regent Prince had sobered up and were kneeling on either side.

The atmosphere in the hall was eerie.

”Royal Uncle, what is going on?”

The Young Emperor sat above, his small face tense.

”I don’t know either...” The Regent Prince frowned.

”I am being framed,” Noble Consort Xuan directly wept, ”Your Majesty, I know nothing.”

”Framed?” The Young Emperor asked forcefully, ”Who framed you?”

Noble Consort Xuan glanced at Chuzheng, sitting by and sipping tea, and several thoughts flashed through her mind in a split second.

It was her!

After she came out, someone came up with an excuse to call her out.

Then she inexplicably passed out.

Upon waking, she was with the Regent Prince... caught red-handed by the Young Emperor.

The Regent Prince seemed to realize as well.

”It was... the Empress Dowager.” Noble Consort Xuan pointed at Chuzheng, ”It was the Empress Dowager who framed me...”

”Noble Consort Xuan, speak with evidence.” Chuzheng interrupted her, ”What evidence do you have to prove I framed you?”

”It’s you!”

Noble Consort Xuan’s beautiful eyes widened, full of resentment.

”You say it is, so it is?” Chuzheng put down her teacup and tossed the lid on it, the slight clink particularly clear in the hall, ”Who do you think you are?”

”I...”

Noble Consort Xuan had no evidence to prove she was framed by Chuzheng.

And her affair with the Regent Prince was witnessed by the Young Emperor.

Unless there was substantial evidence, they were in an indefensible position.

As a consort having an affair with a prince...

Just the thought of the consequences terrified Noble Consort Xuan.

”Your Majesty, there is something strange about this. I would never do such a thing. Please do not be deceived.” The Regent Prince’s expression was dark.

”Royal Uncle, what do you mean by this?” The Young Emperor’s small hand slammed the table, ”Is what I saw false?”

The Regent Prince: ”...”

Noble Consort Xuan: ”...”

”Someone come.”

Rong Shi entered from outside the hall, bringing people with him.

”Take them away, I don’t want to see them!”

”Your Majesty, I am wronged!”

Noble Consort Xuan’s voice was sharp and she cried and fussed.

In the end, she was dragged away by the Imperial Guard Army.

”Prince, please.”

The Regent Prince remained relatively composed. He stood up, glanced at Rong Shi, then at Chuzheng, and left with a flick of his sleeve.

-

When everyone left, the Young Emperor finally slumped in the dragon throne.

”Mother, did the Royal Uncle really...?” The Young Emperor asked hesitantly.

He couldn’t quite believe it.

”It’s already happened, does the truth matter?” Chuzheng propped her chin up, ”What you need to think about now is how to maximize the benefit of this situation.”

That’s as far as I can help you.

An Emperor must learn to think for himself.

Noble Consort Xuan is easy to deal with.

For a consort’s illicit affair, it’s either being locked away in the Cold Palace forever or taking the Three-feet White Silk.

The Regent Prince is another matter.

He has his loyalists.

The Young Emperor fell into contemplation.

Chuzheng didn’t disturb the Young Emperor’s thoughts and left quietly.

Not far from the hall, she encountered Rong Shi leading a group of people.

”I shall escort the Empress Dowager back to the palace.”

Rong Shi’s demeanor was very official, showing no sign of any deviation.

Chuzheng casually nodded, and the group grandly headed toward her palace.

The two maintained a distance along the way, not speaking.

Rong Shi escorted her to the palace gate, bowed, and took his leave.

Chuzheng: ”...”

Tsk.

Being the Empress Dowager is tough.

-

The night was enchanting.

A wind blew, rustling the branches and leaves.

A young girl lay on her side on the bed, her form slender and fragile.

Shadows moved across the ground.

The shadow crept closer to the bed, silent as a ghost.

Just as the shadow reached out to touch the girl on the bed.

The girl on the bed grabbed the intruder’s wrist and quickly pinned him down to one side.

”General Rong, are you here to sleep with me on such a night?”

The person pinned down spoke with a slightly helpless tone, ”The Empress Dowager knew it was me, yet you were still so heavy-handed.”

Chuzheng released him.

”What is it?”

Not sleeping at this late hour.

Rong Shi got up, rubbing where Chuzheng had pinned him, ”Was the matter with the Regent Prince your doing?”

”No.”

”I saw it.” Rong Shi said softly.

”...”

You saw it and still asked!

Just as Rong Shi was about to get up, Chuzheng suddenly pounced, pressing him onto the bed.

Rong Shi was startled, ”Empress Dowager, what are you doing?”

”Silencing the witness.”

”???

That’s not how you silence someone, is it?

Rong Shi held Chuzheng down, his voice low and serious, ”Empress Dowager, don’t act rashly.”

”What if I do?” Bite me! Can’t I kiss and hug my Good Person Card?

”Empress Dowager, if you do this, we will have no way back.”

”Where else do you want to go back to?”

”Do you really want to... with me?”

Rong Shi’s words trailed off, and the hall suddenly fell silent.

Moonlight spilled on the floor, the swaying branches outside casting mottled shadows.

-

Rong Shi buttoned his clothes, one by one, his movements slow as if in slow motion.

He glanced sideways.

The young girl lay on the pillow, seeming a bit languid, her face still slightly flushed.

Rong Shi reached out to stroke her soft, long hair, ”Are you alright?”

”Very good.”

Chuzheng turned her head slightly, not letting Rong Shi touch her hair.

Rong Shi’s fingers hooked a strand of her long hair, letting it fall through his fingers.

He propped himself up beside her, leaning in to look at her: ”Empress Dowager, do you like me?”

Chuzheng: ”Otherwise, why are you here?”

Rong Shi gazed at her for a while.

He leaned in to kiss her gently on the brow, ”Get up first while I tidy up.”