Chapter 538 Seeking an Audience with the Crown Prince
All the princes and princesses who had not been granted titles remained in the palace.
The princesses all lived in the Chasheng Palace, and the princes all lived in the Qingsheng Palace. They lived in the main hall or the side hall according to their age.
As the eldest prince, Gu Yuanqiong naturally lived alone in the main hall of Qingsheng Palace.
He was reading and drinking tea when he suddenly heard a palace servant report that Young Master Ning wanted to see him.
The hand holding the book relaxed slightly, Gu Yuanqiong looked up sharply and raised a questioning voice at the same time.
"Mr. Ning?"
The virtuous concubine Xue Yi'e sat solemnly at her desk, honing her writing skills and cultivating her emotions.
"I think his father was wronged, and he was so angry that he came to curse you."
Gu Yuanqiong sneered, a hint of disdain spreading across his lips.
"A ten-year-old boy, do you think you have the talent to become a great man?"
"Can he defeat me in an argument?"
Xue Yi'e frowned in displeasure and rebuked him earnestly.
"You are only three years older than him, why are you so arrogant?"
"I have always taught you not to rely on your own genius to slander and ridicule others. Don't you know that pride leads to defeat? You..."
Gu Yuanqiong became impatient and dropped the book and covered his ears.
"Don't worry, mother. I will remember this."
Xue Yi'e left her seat and walked away, angrily brushing off his hand.
"You always interrupt my teachings and the school rules and forget everything. How could I give birth to such a useless son like you?"
Gu Yuanqiong's expression remained unchanged, and he remained arrogant.
"No matter how useless this child is, he is still the best among the princes and princesses, a genius who is unrivaled in the world."
Xue Yi'e was always prepared for danger and issued a stern warning.
"There are so many talented people in the world, but they just know how to restrain themselves. They are not like you, who are arrogant and frivolous. Sooner or later, they will be defeated by their pride."
Gu Yuanqiong curled his lips, disagreed, closed the book and put it aside.
"Mother is naturally intelligent, and since you spend every day with me, you are used to it, so you naturally think that my intelligence is not worth mentioning."
"Look, there is a person in front of me. I will call him to see me so that I can see what an ordinary child is."
He raised his voice a little and gave instructions to the palace servants outside the door.
"Please come in, Master Ning."
There was a hint of contempt in Xue Yi'e's words.
"It is well known that Lord Ning is incompetent. You are comparing his child to yourself. I feel that this is not fair and not decent."
Gu Yuanqiong looked down on the great man and made comments casually.
"Don't look down on me. Maybe Young Master Ning is resourceful and doesn't look like Lord Ning at all."
"My father is ordinary, but he gave birth to a smart child like me, didn't he?"
Upon hearing the rude words, Xue Yi'e became immediately angry.
"Gu Yuanqiong, how brave!"
"How dare you disrespect your father?"
Gu Yuanqiong turned a blind eye and smiled.
"My child has taken precautions early. Walls have no ears. Don't worry, mother."
Xue Yi'e's eyebrows were raised, and she was so angry that she was fuming.
"I taught you etiquette, but you said walls have no ears. You..."
Before she finished her words, she heard footsteps getting closer and closer, and Xue Yie stopped in a hurry.
Afterwards, Ning Fengzhe walked into the main hall.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw that there was another person besides the eldest prince. Ning Fengzhe raised his eyes slightly to confirm and then saluted.
"I respectfully wish the Empress Consort and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince good health."
Xue Yi'e held him up with her jade hands.
"Stand up, Master Ning, please take a seat."
Ning Fengzhe smiled elegantly, stood up and sat down.
"Thank you, Madam, for the seat."
Apart from the palace banquet, this was the first time Xue Yi'e met Ning Fengzhe.
After taking a closer look, she froze in place, her mind in shock.
Why does this man look so similar to my son?
Isn’t he the son of Duke Ning and Madam Ning?
Or is it a coincidence?
Or maybe, in order to win over the Mu clan, the emperor and the two Mu girls...
Humph, no wonder Mu Yan was childless and unloved, but the emperor was still willing to obey her and made her a noble concubine. I thought it was because of her beauty, but I didn't expect that Mu Rong secretly gave birth to a son for the emperor, and even lowered her spirit to stay in the Ningguo Mansion for the emperor.
It's strange. If Mu Rong had such a scheming mind, how could she lose to the concubines in Beitangju and not even be able to marry into the Gu Mansion?
Come to think of it, it seems that the Mu Yan sisters have suddenly become enlightened in recent years.
Moreover, during the period when Young Master Ning was trapped in Xingliang, they lived a mediocre life, as if they had returned to the past.
So, the person behind the scenes should be Young Master Ning?
Xue Yi'e slowly shifted her gaze towards her beloved son.
This kid Qiong actually guessed it right. Young Master Ning is quite an extraordinary person.
Gu Yuanqiong didn't care about her appearance, nor did he think too much about it. He looked down at her and asked contemptuously.
"What's the matter?"
Ning Fengzhe did not beat around the bush and answered truthfully.
"Your Highness, I am here for only one thing: to beg the Concubine Xian and the Crown Prince to accept my father."
Gu Yuanqiong asked jokingly, his tone teasing.
"Naxian?"
"Mr. Ning's opinion, what is a wise man?"
Ning Fengzhe was neither humble nor arrogant and took it calmly.
"His aspirations are noble and his talents are outstanding."
Gu Yuanqiong sat in a leisurely manner, looking all superior.
"That's a good explanation, but I don't know what word Lord Ning got."
Ning Fengzhe spoke calmly, with a certain calmness and humility.
"You should be humble, at least you have some talent."
Gu Yuanqiong clapped his hands and laughed, mocking at will.
"Hahaha……"
Xue Yi'e's face was stern and she warned in a deep voice.
"Qiong'er, don't lose your composure."
Gu Yuanqiong was self-righteous and explained why he laughed.
"Mother, you are wrong."
"Young Master Ning told a joke, how could I not be amused? This is not a loss of composure, but a show of support."
Hearing the eldest prince's words and comparing him to an actor, Ning Fengzhe lowered his head and was respectful, not showing his emotions.
"So, Your Highness, you like to hear jokes. Please allow me to tell you another one to entertain you."
"In the ancient state of Daqing, Emperor Ling listened to operas all day and ignored state affairs. The officials of Shangjin ambushed him behind the stage and waited for an opportunity to assassinate him. This is known in history as the Lingxi Incident."
"The change in opera preceded the tragedy, and then there was the sadness of the last emperor of Daqing."
"May I ask your Highness for your opinion, Emperor Ling's actions are those of a wise ruler and a virtuous man?"
Gu Yuanqiong's smile suddenly disappeared, and he looked displeased.
"How dare you slander me for not being virtuous and for not having an heir?"
"I just laughed a few times, why did you say such harsh words? You are too narrow-minded."
Ning Fengzhe explained his meaning slowly and calmly.
"I was just telling a joke, and I'm using it to give advice while I'm having fun."
"Your Highness is the eldest son of the Emperor, and you are honored and respected. You should think about how to assist King Di Jin instead of watching the show and laughing and not doing your job."
Gu Yuanqiong gritted his teeth and spoke sternly.
"Does it really require you to mind your own business?"
Ning Fengzhe was too lazy to argue and just responded casually.
"Xiao Ke is terrified."
Seeing his contempt, Gu Yuanqiong became even more irritated.
"I might as well tell you straight away that this prince has no interest in your father, including the people of Ningmu."
"Master Ning may now take his leave."
Ning Fengzhe remained calm and threw out the bait.
"My father has a plan to help Your Highness seize Beizhaotai."
"Even so, Your Highness has no interest in listening?"
Xue Yi'e was surprised when she heard this.
Gu Yuanqiong was also startled, and turned to look at his mother, as if asking: Beizhaotai? Did I hear it right?