Seven Princes' Palace.
Wei Xun soon learned that Ling Qingwan and Ling Xiao had been to the City God Temple today.
"What a Hong Guang!"
Wei Xun was so angry that he swung his sleeves, and all the teacups on the table fell to the ground with a crisp sound.
Ling Qingwan frowned slightly, and he felt so distressed. Hong Guang actually designed to make Ling Qingwan suffer for more than ten years.
When Wei Xun thought of Ling Qingwan being abducted to the village to be a child bride for a fool, and living under someone else's roof and being ostracized for thirteen years, he wanted to tear Hong Guang into pieces.
"After Mr. and Mrs. Hong Guang left the City God Temple, did you send anyone to follow them?"
After calming down a little, Wei Xun raised his eyes and asked Wei Shi.
"In reply to your Highness, I followed Hong Guang and his wife all the way back home." Wei Shi lowered his head and reported truthfully.
Wei Xun thought that Hong Guang had three children, two daughters and one son. He sold both daughters and even his niece, trying every means to make Ling Chuchu his cash cow.
This preference for boys over girls shows how important Hong Guang thinks his son is.
Finally, Wei Xun raised the corners of his mouth slightly and revealed a smile.
But that smile was filled with deep gloom and looked very creepy. Even Wei Shi couldn't help but shudder.
Hong Guang angered Wei Xun, and he was in trouble from then on.
Just like that, time passed slowly, and five days later, the eldest prince returned to Beijing.
As soon as he entered Tokyo City, Song Zhicheng went straight to the imperial palace without even having time to return to the palace to take a shower and change clothes.
At that time, the emperor was discussing matters with the ministers in the court, and ordered the eunuch in charge to take Song Zhicheng to a side hall to rest first.
"The emperor is really something. You went to the palace to meet him as soon as you came back, and you didn't even have time to return your clothes. In the end, he just left you here." The servant couldn't help but speak up for Song Zhicheng.
"Do you know where this is?" Song Zhicheng lowered his voice and looked around.
He breathed a sigh of relief only after confirming that no one had heard what the servant had just said.
"If you want to die, go ahead and die by yourself, don't drag me along."
"Your Highness, please calm down! I didn't mean it!" The servant was frightened and quickly knelt down to apologize.
Just as Song Zhicheng was about to say something, the eunuch in charge came over and asked him to go to the main hall.
When he stood up, he clutched his clothes tightly, and only felt satisfied when he saw the wrinkles.
The emperor sat upright and watched Song Zhicheng stop in front of him.
"Your clothes...?"
"I have just returned to the capital, and I am thinking about your father, so I will go to the palace first and then go back to rest after seeing your father." Song Zhicheng bent down, his words full of sincerity.
"You are thoughtful." The emperor nodded.
Song Zhicheng raised the corners of his mouth slightly and smiled calmly.
"You have made great contributions in Taizhou this time, and you have gone through a difficult time. I remember all of this." The emperor said slowly. "If you want any reward, as long as it is not excessive, just ask for it."
If not too much...
Song Zhicheng's eyes flickered.
"I am going to Taizhou to handle affairs. This is my duty as a son. It is my honor to share my father's worries. A word of approval from my father is enough. There is no need for rewards."
"Let's put it this way. The reward must be given." The emperor smiled and looked very kind. "But you just returned to the capital today, so these things are not a big deal. You can think about it slowly if you want any reward."
"Your mother often talks about you in front of me. I think she must miss you very much. You should go and see her."
After just a few words of conversation, the emperor immediately ordered the visitor to leave.
Song Zhicheng didn't dare to say anything more. After greeting the emperor, he got up and left.
Seeing Song Zhicheng walking away, the smile on the emperor's face suddenly stopped.
How could he not see what Song Zhicheng was thinking? Trying to play a trick on him? He refused to accept it.
"Recently, Concubine Jing has been getting more and more restless."
The emperor leaned back in his chair and spoke slowly.
Behind him, the eunuch in charge hunched over and dared not say much.
Yixin Palace.
Concubine Jing was very excited when she heard that Song Zhicheng had returned to the capital and was now meeting the emperor in the Yangxin Palace. Suddenly, a palace maid came to report that Song Zhicheng had come to the Yixin Palace.
She stood up suddenly and rushed to the door.
"Mother."
Song Zhicheng came in and ran into Concubine Jing.
"Cheng'er, you're finally back."
After raising Song Zhicheng to this age, this was the first time he had to go to such a far place for work, and he hadn't been home for half a year. Concubine Jing missed him very much.
Especially since a lot of things happened these days, Concubine Jing was worried about Song Zhicheng all day long.
"How are you doing in Weizhou? Are you well fed and well clothed? Why do you look thinner than when you left the capital?"
Song Zhicheng helped Concubine Jing back to her couch and sat down. Along the way, Concubine Jing kept chattering, worried that Song Zhicheng was not having a good time in Taizhou.
"Mother, don't worry. Although Weizhou is not as good as Tokyo City, it is not bad. And I am back now." Song Zhicheng comforted her patiently.
Only then did Concubine Jing feel more at ease.
"By the way, didn't you go to the Yangxin Palace to report to your father? How come you came out so soon?"
Suddenly, she thought of this.
Logically speaking, Song Zhicheng hadn't been back to Beijing for a long time, so he should have talked with her for a while. It had only been an incense stick of time since Song Zhicheng entered the palace, which was too hasty.
"Don't mention it." Song Zhicheng looked unhappy. "I finally came back, and before I could even say three words to my father, I was rejected."
After that, he told Concubine Jing all about his conversation with the Emperor.
After hearing this, Concubine Jing was also very dissatisfied.
The emperor was clearly on guard against Song Zhicheng at every turn, and he didn't care about him at all.
Not only that, but there was also a sentence saying that Concubine Jing often talked about Song Zhicheng in front of him. Others might not understand, but Concubine Jing knew it best. The emperor was mocking her for going to the Yangxin Palace more frequently during this period.
It was also a reminder for her to be more obedient, otherwise, Song Zhicheng might suffer as well.
The more Concubine Jing thought about it, the angrier she became. She wished she could go to the Emperor right away to reason with him.
Song Zhicheng is her child and also his child!
"Don't think too much, mother. I don't mean to blame you." Seeing that Concubine Jing was depressed, Song Zhicheng comforted her softly.
"I know." Seeing her son being so sensible, Concubine Jing couldn't help but feel extremely relieved. "During this period of time, I did go to your father to complain about it. In the end, it was me who harmed you."
Realizing that she had done something wrong and had affected Song Zhicheng, Concubine Jing felt a little annoyed.
"It's all Ling Chuchu's fault!"
If it weren't for Ling Chuchu, she wouldn't have gone to the emperor to bother him.
"By the way, did you receive the letter I wrote to you?" Speaking of Ling Chuchu, Concubine Jing had something else to say.
"I got it." Song Zhicheng responded.
"This Ling Chuchu, even though she's engaged to you, doesn't know how to restrain herself and actually does something as shameful as stealing someone's things. It just so happens that you're back, so hurry up and find a chance to cancel this marriage. Otherwise, you'll be contaminated by her bad luck."
Concubine Jing blamed Ling Chuchu for the fact that the emperor disliked Song Zhicheng.