Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Imperial Edict

Why can’t we avoid this matter again?

Xia Wenjin spread his hands: “Didn’t I tell someone? I pawned it!”

Huangfu Jingchen’s face turned cold, a fierce anger surfaced, and even his bones conveyed a sense of cold severity. He was almost furious: “If you don’t return it, I’ll kill you now!”

Xia Wenjin’s shoulders were somewhat thin, gripped by him, the sensation felt particularly strange, as if he was grasping not a man’s shoulders but a woman’s soft hands.

Huangfu Jingchen’s sudden mood change surprised Xia Wenjin; he was usually calm and composed, always displaying good manners. Even extremely angry, he managed to keep his poise.

But suddenly, his attitude changed drastically, and it was quite strange.

Xia Wenjin’s left shoulder was hurting from his grip, and she instinctively reached out to touch Huangfu Jingchen’s forehead, saying, “Did you take the wrong medicine?”

Huangfu Jingchen saw her fair hand reaching towards him, about to touch his face, which frightened him into leaning his head back while increasing his grip, almost crushing her shoulder bone.

Xia Wenjin frowned, then looked up again. The smile on her face changed; her eyes were slightly red, as if tears were about to spill out. Her long eyelashes trembled lightly, and her voice carried a sense of grievance, choking, “You’re hurting me!”

Huangfu Jingchen withdrew his hand as if electrocuted. So pitiful, so frail and helpless, so resentfully forbearing, so obedient and innocent, it felt like a heavy hammer striking hard on his heart.

Huangfu Jingchen calmed himself, but his eyes showed redness, and he took a step closer: “What use is that Jade Pendant to you? If you need silver, I’ll give it to you. You return the Jade Pendant to me, and I’ll treat it as if I bought it from you!”

Xia Wenjin looked confused and said, “Is that Jade Pendant so important?”

Huangfu Jingchen gritted his teeth: “It’s an heirloom! What do you think?” He would never tell this damned Long Yang that it was a family relic his mother gave him to present to his future wife.

But now, this damned Long Yang had swiped it from him.

If he couldn’t even protect a Jade Pendant, how could he face his mother?

Besides, how could the gift meant for his future wife end up in the hands of a damned Long Yang?

Xia Wenjin’s expression suddenly turned stern, and sincerely promised: “My fault. I didn’t know the Jade Pendant was important to you. I needed some silver, so I pawned it. Don’t worry, I’ll find a way to get it back for you. Give me a year!”

“Tell me where, and I’ll redeem it now!” Huangfu Jingchen didn’t want to have any more dealings with Xia Wenjin.

The close contact just now stirred a bit of fear in him.

If he no longer felt resistance or disgust towards this damned Long Yang, does it mean he is gradually being assimilated by this damned Long Yang?

He must not, absolutely not!

No, he wasn’t like that at all. He would marry and have children, live a normal life. How could he be assimilated by a Long Yang?

Xia Wenjin said: “Liangzhou, Glazed Pavilion.”

“When did you go to Liangzhou?” Huangfu Jingchen was incredulous!

Xia Wenjin smiled, looking very straightforward into Huangfu Jingchen’s eyes: “I even told you the name Glazed Pavilion. Could I still be deceiving you?”

Huangfu Jingchen gritted his teeth: “Then go and fetch it!”

Xia Wenjin readily agreed: “Very well!”

Huangfu Jingchen stared at her dangerously, warning: “Get the Jade Pendant, and we’re done with each other, go our separate ways!”

Xia Wenjin cheerfully said: “Deal!”

A year’s wager of servitude he wouldn’t require of her, she was more than relieved.

The two continued to avoid the main roads, taking shortcuts towards the direction of the Liangzhou Glaze Pavilion Xia Wenjin mentioned.

Capital City.

In the study, Huangfu Yuxuan was so angry he was almost about to explode on the spot.

Walking into the city with the Crown Prince, heading towards the Imperial Palace, but halfway there, someone approached from the opposite direction on horseback.

A group of four riders, wearing the attire of palace eunuchs; at the forefront, a young eunuch both the Crown Prince and Huangfu Yuxuan recognized—it was Eunuch Wei, the disciple of Eunuch Feng, the Chief Eunuch by the Emperor’s side.

Also serving by the Emperor’s side.

Seeing the four riders heading directly towards them, Huangfu Yuxuan halted, smiling, and said: “Eunuch Wei, are you carrying out duties outside the palace?”

Eunuch Wei reined in the horse, all four stopping, and he dismounted, approaching the Crown Prince: “Your Highness, there’s a verbal decree from the Holy Emperor!”

Did this mean he wouldn’t wait for them to reach the Imperial Palace and intend to declare it right here?

Huangfu Yuxuan felt an even stronger sense of unease.

The Crown Prince kneeled, and Huangfu Yuxuan kneeled half a step behind the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince solemnly said: “I respectfully await the decree!”

Once Eunuch Wei saw their grand gesture, he spoke: “The verbal decree from the Emperor, the Crown Prince need not enter the palace, return to the Crown Prince Mansion and must not leave, await further orders!”

Is this house arrest?

The Crown Prince returned from disaster relief, even if no merits, he endured hardships; why must he be barred even from returning to the Eastern Palace, directly placed under house arrest?

The Crown Prince was momentarily dumbfounded, seeing Eunuch Wei glancing at him, indicating the verbal decree was delivered, he muttered: “I obey the holy decree!”

Eunuch Wei glanced at the two still kneeling, neither asking them to rise nor offering any courteous words, turning to return to his horse.

Huangfu Yuxuan’s heart was filled with urgency; he quickly stood up, grabbed Eunuch Wei’s sleeve, and discreetly slipped a gold ingot into Eunuch Wei’s hand, smiling: “Eunuch Wei, please wait, is the Emperor in a bad mood today? Would you kindly offer some guidance?”

Eunuch Wei felt the heat in his palm, hurriedly pushed the gold ingot back, smiling slightly: “Second Young Master makes it difficult for me. How can the Emperor’s mind be guessed? And how can anyone see the Emperor’s visage? Even if given immense courage, I wouldn’t dare. Thank you for your generosity, Second Young Master, but I act on orders and cannot accept such gifts!”

Huangfu Yuxuan’s heart sank to the bottom.

If it’s good news, the palace eunuchs announcing the decree would gladly accept a little gold and silver. If it’s not a serious matter, they would generally pocket it. Now, although Eunuch Wei was smiling, the smile wasn’t genuine. The rejection of the gold ingot indicated how serious the matter was, he had no idea.

Eunuch Wei finished speaking, mounted his horse, and returned along with three accompanying eunuchs.

The Crown Prince was bewildered: “Xuan’er, what does Father mean by this?”

Huangfu Yuxuan glanced at the Crown Prince. Previously questioning him multiple times, the Crown Prince insisted nothing happened. Does this seem like nothing happened? Or perhaps, due to his dullness, he wasn’t aware of when he attracted attention, or maybe he had fallen into someone else’s trap?

He said: “Father, it’s best if you return to the Crown Prince Mansion to reflect as per the decree. I will visit you later!”

The Crown Prince urgently said: “Xuan’er, what do you mean, you’re asking me to return alone?”

Huangfu Yuxuan glanced at the Crown Prince’s attendants following from over twenty meters away and calmly said: “They will escort Father back!”

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