Chapter 232: Breaking the Cocoon, Reborn (Part 18)
The Zheng Clan saw the Crown Prince was serious, and was greatly frightened. She hurriedly rushed forward to block the two guards, fell to her knees with a thud, and pleaded while crying, "Your Highness, Your Highness, please save Sheng. I have only one brother; please, for the sake of me and the children, forgive him this once!"
"Forgive him?" the Crown Prince sneered, "Why don’t you ask him what good deeds he’s done?"
The Zheng Clan cried, "I have already ordered someone to investigate. It’s nothing major, is it not? It’s just a servant; some silver compensation would suffice... Why, why must he be apprehended?"
It’s merely injuring a servant; is there really a need to make such a fuss? The Zheng Clan truly didn’t understand, as the Crown Prince had always indulged her. Why today does he unleash such fiery wrath over trivial matters?
"A servant?" the Crown Prince snapped, "Fool! Yes, it’s merely a servant, but do you even bother to ask whose servant it is? It’s a servant of the Princess Mansion! He dared to chop off their hand! Impressive, isn’t it? Aunt’s petition has already been sent to the Emperor, and you want me to forgive him? Why don’t you go before the Emperor and ask him to forgive?"
"This, this..." The Zheng Clan froze. She, she certainly knew the Eldest Princess was not easy to provoke, but no matter what, wasn’t the Eldest Princess just a princess? The Crown Prince was the current Crown Prince; if he said a word, would the Eldest Princess dare not give face?
The Zheng Clan bit her lip and said, "Your Highness, Your Highness, you must think of a way. You are the Crown Prince, the heir apparent. No matter what, the Eldest Princess is just a princess. As long as you speak, would she really dare not give you face? Your Highness, Sheng knows he was wrong; please forgive him this time. Hereafter, I will certainly teach him well! As for the Eldest Princess, I will personally prepare gifts and go to the door to apologize. What do you think?"
The Crown Prince was almost amused by her words.
"Take him away!" The Crown Prince waved his hand, and the guards immediately took Zheng Baosheng out.
"Sister, Sister, save me—" Zheng Baosheng cried and shouted as he was dragged out.
"Crown Prince, Crown Prince—" The Zheng Clan crawled to the Crown Prince’s feet, clutching his hem, and pleaded while crying, "I beg you, please save Sheng!"
There were no outsiders left in the room; the Crown Prince looked down at the Zheng Clan at his feet and coldly said, "If you want to keep your current status and riches, stay quietly in your own courtyard and don’t cause any more trouble for me. Listen carefully, it’s not that I don’t save your brother, it’s that no one can save him. You didn’t grow up in the Capital, you don’t know, in this Capital, anyone can be provoked, but my aunt cannot be. Let alone that I am the Crown Prince, even if I ascend the throne, I might not be able to deal with her. In this world, there are things you can’t imagine and people you cannot afford to offend. For the sake of the children, I won’t punish you, you should be grateful. As my innocence in this matter allowed the Emperor not to punish, otherwise, just this blemish, I don’t know how many impeachment memorials from censors I would have to face. You better take care of yourself!"
The Crown Prince shook off the Zheng Clan and walked out the door, leaving Zheng Clan staring blankly at the Crown Prince’s departing silhouette. Only after a long time did she finally burst into tears.
The Crown Prince went to see the Crown Princess Consort with a stern face, and instructed, "Prepare some gifts and go to Aunt. Explain the matter, and assure them I will not show favoritism."