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墨書 Inktalez
Cai Zhuo knelt on the ground, motionless.
The Xuande Emperor glanced at him a few times before sitting back down, asking what disappointing news he had to share.
The Third Prince remained silent.
The Xuande Emperor, angered, retorted, "You’re not going to lecture me about how a prince is equal to a commoner under the law, are you?"
Cai Zhuo replied, "You cannot take advantage of my loyalty to disregard the boundaries between ruler and subject. Besides, you are not even a subject yet."
"I do not need you here pointing fingers at my decisions. If you say any more, do not blame me for being ungrateful!"
For a moment, Cai Zhuo felt a chill in his heart. "Your Majesty, I wanted to inform you that the Third Prince has been imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice Prison."
"What did you say?"
Cai Zhuo summarized what the young eunuch had said and what the Dragon Guard had investigated, carefully crafting his words to include subtle implications that might go unnoticed. It seemed as if he could see his little beast walking straight into a trap.
The Xuande Emperor was furious; he felt as though he was being ensnared in one scheme after another, wondering if anyone still regarded him as an emperor. "And you—"
He kicked Cai Zhuo. "Why didn’t you tell me sooner?"
"Your Majesty," Cai Zhuo replied, "in my heart, nothing is more important than your well-being. You have not had a good night's sleep in six days; it pains me to see this."
Yet the Xuande Emperor did not believe him. "Pained? Ha! I see you are in cahoots with them! When you learned of the Third Prince's crimes, your face darkened. Shi Yun capturing him was just what you wanted; you are deliberately stalling!"
"Cai Zhuo," he continued, "how could your heart be so cruel? The Third Prince has grown up under your watch!"
"Your Majesty!" Cai Zhuo straightened his back and shouted, his earnest gaze sending a shiver through the Xuande Emperor.
"Your Majesty, everything I do is for you! Regarding the Third Prince's situation, your actions are indeed inappropriate. You are not only a father but also a ruler."
"Since you ascended to the throne, you have told me that you must be a true sovereign. I do not want to see your Third Prince's reputation ruined overnight."
"You—you eunuch dare to lecture me!"
"Your Majesty," Cai Zhuo pressed on, "you once said that being a ruler is difficult; let me remind you of that constantly—I dare not forget."
"You dare use my own words against me!"
"Your Majesty," Cai Zhuo continued with his counsel, "the matter concerning the Third Prince has escalated; it cannot simply be brushed aside as you wish. The entire court and all the citizens are watching you."
The Xuande Emperor refused to accept this. "But I cannot handle this like Shi Yun!"
Cai Zhuo persisted in persuading him. "There must be punishment; without it, there will be no way to appease the public."
"I cannot bring myself to take this action. You are quite eloquent, so tell me, what punishment should I impose?"
"Your Majesty, I do not have the right to make decisions for you. As long as you remind yourself that you are the ruler of a nation and a model for all under heaven, you will find your own answer."
The Xuan De Emperor sat down on the edge of the bed, feeling somewhat dejected, then lay back down with his face turned inward, avoiding the situation.
Cai Zhuo knelt and covered the Xuan De Emperor with a blanket before crawling out of the chamber. He remained kneeling in the hall, still facing inward.
Shi Yun entered the palace holding neatly organized evidence and saw Cai Zhuo, who was frozen in place. Before entering, he had heard from Ze that Cai Zhuo seemed to have offered counsel. Upon seeing him kneeling, Shi Yun felt a pang of sorrow in his heart. He placed the evidence aside and knelt beside Cai Zhuo, helping to massage and relax his body.
As he adjusted Cai Zhuo's clothing, he noticed the footprints on his body. Shi Yun's gaze darkened slightly, feeling a sense of guilt. "Cai, you have suffered."
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