Chapter 368: Chapter 292: There Are Benefits to Having a Bad Memory
Xu Yin stood in the corner for a while before Lian Rong returned.
"Your Highness sent Jin Bao to inquire about the events of that night."
"Did he find out anything?"
"They found a rough work servant woman in the backyard and the gatekeeper and groom at the outer gate. They asked for some information, but it’s just surface details, like when the Prince went out and when he returned, still far from the truth of the matter."
Xu Yin focused his eyes: "His Highness has been trained as the Crown Prince since childhood. How could his mind be like that of ordinary sons? Having some clues is better. Giving away too much would instead expose flaws."
At this, he glanced towards the memorial hall: "I’ll make an appearance there first; you go and investigate further. Act according to the situation and make sure to complete the task before he returns to the palace."
The master and servant parted ways after a brief meeting.
Yang Zhan sent someone to the kitchen to prepare some food and wine. Though he should have returned to accompany the Crown Prince, he lingered under the porch of the adjacent courtyard.
Mrs. Zhang happened to walk over, puzzled, and asked, "The Crown Prince has arrived. Why aren’t you accompanying him?"
Yang Zhan let out a long breath, looked at her, but said nothing.
Mrs. Zhang was suddenly filled with doubt: "What’s the matter with you? Why are you suddenly sighing?"
Yang Zhan said, "Have you entered the palace to pay respects lately?"
Mrs. Zhang said, "The day before the incident at home, I entered the palace. Her Majesty even rewarded me with two boxes of pastries."
"Did you see the Emperor? How is His Majesty’s health?"
Mrs. Zhang frowned, "I didn’t see the Emperor. But Her Majesty said the Emperor was summoning ministers, supposedly intending to discuss a marriage proposal for King Yan as well. They were discussing matters in the Imperial Study, so it seemed His Majesty was in good health."
Now that the wars have settled, the entire court is most concerned about the Emperor’s health. Although the Crown Prince is of age and Great Zhou has an heir, the founding Emperor’s incredible achievements are such that, having first unified the land and established a new dynasty, and later gritted his teeth to stand against enemies, even in the face of crisis and defeat, he never entertained the slightest thought of retreat. With such capabilities and determination, who wouldn’t wish for him to rule the country for a long time?
Privately speaking, Prince Rong’s Mansion, as the Emperor’s cousin, has such favor akin to that of a sibling due to the bond between Prince Rong and the Emperor. If the Emperor were gone, the bond between the Prince Manor and the palace is destined to fade.
The same goes for the Zhang Family. Their current stature is because the Emperor keeps the old subordinate Zhang Huan in mind. If the Emperor passes, a new ruler will undoubtedly establish his own team. With the Zhang Family’s descendants being incompetent, the new ruler is unlikely to consider their father’s connections.
It can be said that both Prince Rong’s Mansion and the Zhang Family sincerely hope the Emperor could live forever.
Mrs. Zhang thought that by saying this, Yang Zhan would be pleased, but unexpectedly, he furrowed his brows even more after hearing it.
"Why does this illness keep recurring? Is it getting better or worse? There’s no clarity at all."
Mrs. Zhang’s heart skipped a beat: "What are you saying?!"
Yang Zhan seemed to suddenly come back to his senses, quickly glanced at her, then turned and went to where the Crown Prince was.
Even after losing sight of him, Mrs. Zhang’s heart remained unsettled.
If his reaction from before were seen by someone with ulterior motives, who knows what uproar it might cause! Even though Yang Zhan is mediocre, he’s not so dull-witted as to give others such a handle on him!
Could it be that the words he uttered earlier were actually his true thoughts?
What kind of clarity does he desire?
Does he wish the Emperor well or not?!
"My lady, we should head to Guiyuan Building now."
Only when her maid reminded her did she release her clenched hands.
When her fingers touched, she realized both her hands were already cold.
Yang Zhan entered the room, and the Crown Prince was flipping through a book.
Upon hearing footsteps, he didn’t lift his head: "Isn’t this book the one that’s been here since I was little? I remember seeing it last time. We even used it to reach the target when playing the pot-throwing game."
Yang Zhan glanced at it and then at him: "Your Highness has a good memory. The last time we played the pot-throwing game here must have been many years ago, right?"
"Yes, I was only eleven then." The Crown Prince returned the book, turned to face him, "So many years have passed, yet this book hasn’t been moved at all. It seems you haven’t made any progress either."
Yang Zhan slowly straightened and looked at the ground: "Your Highness is right. I am indeed dull. Ever since I was young, looking at books made me sleepy. Your Highness is talented and intelligent. Even at the age of ten, your writings were praised by the scholars of the Hanlin Academy. Thus, you will be a ruler, and I am but a subject."
The Crown Prince paced two steps and said, "Having a poor memory has its advantages. Ignorant people often have simple blessings."