Zhu Ci froze for a moment, then saw a eunuch hand a dagger to the youth holding the Zhuge Liang card, before dragging out the youth holding the Zhou Yu card.
Holy crap!
What a beast!
Author's Note:
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Zhu Ci: Just when I think I've seen it all, this old bastard starts lowering the bar again. *Cat bristling and jumping up. jpg*
Next update tomorrow at 12:00 PM~
Chapter 8
"Wait a moment." Zhu Ci couldn't help but call out.
Zhu Yousong raised his eyelids and looked at him: "Hmm?"
Zhu Ci said with a stiff expression, "Father Emperor, this game has a resurrection mechanism, so the cards can be reused, but the person won't be the same as before."
Ma Shiying immediately said, "Then just replace him; it's not a difficult task."
Shit, you're a beast too!
Zhu Ci did not even look at him, instead looking earnestly at Zhu Yousong and saying, "But if you change them, they won't be the same as before, which might affect your luck. Besides, if they kill too many, the smell in this hall will become unpleasant. If you let them go outside to kill, Father will have to wait."
No matter how good the incense was, it would be difficult to completely mask the smell of blood; this tyrant would surely know that drinking deer blood every day would leave a scent.
Zhu Yousong thought that was true; he did not care about human lives, but he did not want to waste time, so he said, "Then let's wait until the game is over before we speak of it."
Game over? If this game ends today, I'll write my name backwards, Zhu Ci!
The so-called "game over" in this board game means that one side has emerged victorious.
Ma Shiying was certainly doing everything in his power to ensure the Emperor won, but Zhu Ci had ten thousand ways to make sure Zhu Yousong lost.
As for whether losing would make Zhu Yousong unhappy, let's set that aside for now.
If all else fails, he would just research a few more games; there would always be some game that could make Zhu Yousong happy without any fighting or killing.
Unexpectedly, because of his interference, Zhu Yousong actually became more and more serious about the game, even Ma Shiying was the same, shifting from merely playing to amuse the Emperor to playing with a bit more focus.
Even as night deepened, Zhu Yousong still had not won; every single time, he was just one card away from victory, yet he simply could not get it.
In the past, Zhu Yousong would have stopped playing long ago, but this time, for some unknown reason, he simply could not accept the loss.
Especially when he held a good hand and his luck was quite good, he was just one step away.. just one step away, he could have unified the world!
Seeing that it was getting late, Li Fuguo leaned in and said, "Your Majesty, it is getting late; you should rest early."
Zhu Ci was also finding it a bit difficult to hold on. Zhu Yousong played the game without using any brainpower at all, relying entirely on luck and Ma Shiying throwing the matches. Ma Shiying was extremely experienced at fooling Zhu Yousong; he only needed to use half his brain to think.
Zhu Ci had to maintain a delicate balance, ensuring that Zhu Yousong did not win, yet also ensuring he did not lose, all while having to cover for Ma Shiying whenever he went easy on him.
Exhausted in both body and mind!
Zhu Yousong was also exhausted at this time. He indulged in heavy drinking and debauchery, consumed alchemy and medicine without restraint. Had it not been for the careful nourishment provided by the Imperial Academy of Medicine, he would have lost his life long ago; even so, he remained extremely weak.
"I was just one step away from winning!" he said, filled with resentment.
Zhu Ci looked at him, seeing his bloodshot eyes and his face full of resentment, suddenly felt that the Emperor was no different from a gambler, equally reckless when caught up in the excitement.
He then advised, "Imperial Father, the gambling game is right here. Why not leave it as it is and continue tomorrow? Your health is more important."
Go to sleep immediately, you tyrant! Let me get some rest too!
Ma Shiying also repeatedly pleaded for mercy, saying, "Your Majesty, this old official is advanced in years; I beg Your Majesty for your understanding."
Zhu Yousong, being persuaded so repeatedly, finally felt a hint of exhaustion, only then reluctantly agreed.
After finally seeing off the Emperor, Zhu Ci and Ma Shiying both breathed a sigh of relief, then left Wenhua Hall together.
At this moment, Ge Xudong was waiting outside holding a cloak; seeing Zhu Ci walk out, he stepped forward to help him put it on.
Zhu Ci waved his hand and said, "Send it to the Grand Secretary."
He turned his head and looked at Ma Shiying gently. "The night is cold and damp. Without my Imperial Father's decree, I would not dare allow the Grand Secretary to stay overnight in the palace. Please be careful on your journey."
Ma Shiying looked at Zhu Ci with a meaningful expression and said, "Thank you, Crown Prince."
Only after Zhu Ci had boarded the Azure Chariot did Ma Shiying turn and lead his men out of the palace, adjusting his mental assessment of Zhu Ci: this Crown Prince is truly a man of profound wisdom hidden beneath a simple exterior.
The wise-yet-simple Zhu Ci sat upon the Azure Chariot, having to use every ounce of his strength just to maintain his demeanor as the Crown Prince.
Of course, it was likely because, as the Crown Prince, he lacked actual power and thus had to maintain such an appearance; if he had real power, he wouldn't have any trouble even if he just lay in the Azure Chariot.
However, the Azure Chariot had its own benefits; since no one was kept inside, Zhu Ci could relax to his heart's content.
He sat there with vacant, expressionless eyes, a single sentence looping endlessly in his mind: the old society turns people into ghosts.
Compared to Zhu Yousong, those poison gangs seemed a bit more civilized, though only by a little.
Before falling asleep, Zhu Ci's exhausted brain had only one thought: he had to create another game.
It wasn't just to save lives; he also had to prevent Zhu Yousong from losing interest after winning once.
Fortunately, in the later generations, all sorts of genres and gameplay styles emerged one after another, so Zhu Ci could always find something Zhu Yousong would like by copying from here and there.
It was just a bit of a waste of brain cells; after all, there were too many restrictions—there could be no combat elements, it still had to be sufficiently entertaining.
Besides dealing with this, he also had to coax Zhu Yousong into playing, a job even harder than working 996; he truly felt like he couldn't stand it for even a minute.
Fortunately, Ma Shiying was there to help him share the burden. In just half a month, his rapport with Ma Shiying had grown rapidly, their coordination in fooling Zhu Yousong became better and better.
Sigh, this Grand Secretary also left Zhu Ci with complicated feelings.
If one were to speak of talent, he truly had it, but as for integrity, he didn't have a shred of it.
The main reason was likely because he was close to Ma Shiying; the Donglin Party members, who had previously been observing him, seemed to be shifting their stance again to seek the deposition of the Crown Prince.
It is said that he has established a connection with the Prince of Qi.
All of this was news brought to him by Ge Xudong.
The Prince of Qi.
Zhu Ci rubbed his chin. No wonder things had been a bit quieter lately; he had thought it was because he had been startled last time, or perhaps because the Eastern Palace was at the height of its power recently, making him not dare to be so arrogant.
So they were secretly plotting something wicked.
He didn't bother thinking about whose shadow was lurking behind Ge Xudong; that wasn't important. What mattered was whether the news was accurate.
Zhu Ci began to contemplate how to verify the accuracy of the news. There was no other way; he had too few people at his disposal right now, most information still had to be conveyed through Ge Xudong.
Ge Xudong's own position was difficult to judge. Even if he truly stood on the Crown Prince's side, what if he also wanted to become an eunuch with power over the world? What if he was deceiving those above and misleading those below?
One must still start with the Eastern Palace Guards; the Jinyi Guard and the eunuchs are natural enemies.
Your Highness, it is time for your meal.
Zhu Ci immediately stood up; nothing was more important than eating.
As a result, the meal had turned into a serious incident.
When he saw the little eunuch who was tasting the food collapse, clutching his neck as blood flowed from his facial orifices, his face showed no expression at all.
Aside from being initially beyond shocked, he quickly regained his composure.
However, he still feigned a look of panic and immediately stood up, questioning sternly, "Who poisoned them?"
Ge Xudong's expression also changed, he immediately knelt on the ground and said, "It was a failure of duty on my part, please punish me, Your Highness."
Zhu Ci pointed at him in anger and said, "Punishment? Is punishment of any use? Why haven't you started the investigation yet? Do not let even the slightest clue slip through!"
Ge Xudong kowtowed repeatedly, ordering people to escort Zhu Ci back to his mansion while simultaneously ordering a thorough investigation.
When the results of the thorough investigation came out, Zhu Ci almost burst into laughter after just one glance.
All clues pointed to the Prince of Qi.
This conclusion.. was it because the Prince of Qi was mentally deficient, or did the people beneath him treat him like one?
The Prince of Qi grew up in the imperial palace; could he really not know that before the Emperor or the Crown Prince eat their meals, a young eunuch would first take a bite to check for poison?
However, as he looked closer, he realized this matter was not a matter of stupidity or lack thereof; although what the opponent had arranged was not flawless, it was effective enough. The little eunuch who was supposed to taste the food was someone Consort Chen had gone to great lengths to arrange.
According to their plan, that little eunuch would hide the antidote in his sleeve and take it when the opportunity arose during the food tasting.
As a result, when the Jinyi Guard Thousand-man Commander was patrolling with his men, he felt the eunuch was acting suspiciously. After stopping him, he couldn't find anything wrong, a conflict immediately broke out between the two parties.
The little eunuch had some skills, but he was no match for the sheer numbers of the Jinyi Guard, so he was injured, the little eunuch who was tasting the food was replaced by another.
Zhu Ci sat in the study, smelling the osmanthus fragrance drifting in, feeling that this position of Crown Prince was a hundred times more dangerous than when he was an undercover agent back in the day.
One really could lose their life if they weren't careful for even a moment.
He didn't die this time; instead, someone else died. In fact, no one even cared about the little eunuch's life or death; he was simply carried out, no one ever mentioned him again.
Beside him, Ge Xudong saw that it was getting late and said cautiously, "Your Highness, should I arrange for someone to report this to His Majesty?"
Zhu Ci let out a long breath, but he did not answer. He only asked, "What was the name of that little eunuch who died? Why did he enter the palace? Who else is in his family? Investigate it all. Additionally.. give him a proper burial. If the festivals of Zhongyuan or Han-yi arrive, do not forget to burn an offering for him as well."
Ge Xudong froze for a moment, not expecting the Crown Prince to ask about that little eunuch first. He responded, "I will have someone investigate immediately."
Zhu Ci gave an affirmative response, lowering his eyes to look at his own hands.
This was all he could do now. Once a person was dead, they were dead; offerings and special treatment for his family were things only the living could enjoy.
However, he might still have one thing left to do, that was to demand a life for a life!
Zhu Ci slowly clenched his fists and answered Ge Xudong's previous question, "Do not report this to Father Emperor first."
Ge Xudong immediately urged, "Your Highness, the Prince of Qi is pressing closer and closer, now he even seeks to fight to the death. We cannot let him go unchecked."
Zhu Ci lowered his eyes in thought for a long while before standing up abruptly and saying, "Let's go. To Prince of Qi's Mansion."
Ge Xudong was startled, thinking that Zhu Ci truly intended to go to Prince of Qi's Mansion to risk his life, hurriedly advised, "Your Highness, do not be impulsive."
Zhu Ci said as he walked, "He has given me such a grand gift; I cannot simply fail to react. It is a pity that the evidence is currently insufficient to deal with him."
If there isn't enough evidence, then one must continue searching for evidence or find a way to fabricate it. Why did you go to Prince of Qi's Mansion?
Ge Xudong could neither understand nor persuade him, so in the end, he could only follow helplessly.