Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 571: Chapter 296: The Petty Crown Prince_3

The Eighth Prince noticed the Crown Prince’s face darkening, and hurriedly changed the subject, saying, "Big brother, it’s time for lunch. Let’s go and eat."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yao’s eyes lit up, and a look of anticipation appeared on his little face.

"Crown Prince brother, eighth brother, what delicious food are we having for lunch today?"

The Eighth Prince led Zhao Yao towards the dining hall. He gently shook his head at Zhao Yao and then motioned toward the Crown Prince with his chin.

Zhao Yao instantly understood the Eighth Prince’s meaning and became quiet.

During the meal, the Crown Prince had little appetite and remained silent with a somber face throughout.

Even though the table was laden with fine dishes, Zhao Yao lost his appetite due to the Crown Prince’s influence and ate very little. After lunch, at the Eighth Prince’s suggestion, Zhao Yao hurriedly left.

Back at Xingde Palace, Zhao Yao quickly asked the small kitchen to prepare some food for him. He hadn’t had his fill at the East Palace.

"Your Highness, it’s the first time I’ve seen you eat so elegantly."

"Do you think I wanted to? You saw the look on the Crown Prince brother’s face, didn’t you? It was as if I owed him hundreds of taels of gold." Last night, the Eighth Prince warned Zhao Yao that either the Crown Prince or Prince Dai would come looking for him today to ask what Mr. Meng had said.

"Your Highness, you didn’t lie to the Crown Prince, so why is he upset?" Tong Xi felt bad as he saw Zhao Yao too scared to eat much earlier. "Mr. Meng didn’t mention him; it’s not your fault, so what’s he blaming you for?"

"Exactly, what’s it got to do with me, it’s baffling."

Tong Xi lowered his voice and said to Zhao Yao, "Your Highness, I never thought the Crown Prince would be so petty."

Zhao Yao nodded, agreeing deeply, "I truly didn’t expect the Crown Prince brother to be jealous of me."

Listening to Zhao Yao, Tong Xi was instantly frightened, his face turning pale with worry, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince wouldn’t harm you, would he?"

"Not to that extent." Zhao Yao said, narrowing his eyes slightly, with an inexplicable expression.

Tong Xi noticed Zhao Yao’s expression change and asked worriedly, "Your Highness, what’s wrong?"

"Nothing, it’s just that the Crown Prince brother seems increasingly..." Zhao Yao couldn’t quite articulate it, "Have you noticed in the past two years he’s become..." Unable to find the words, he pondered for a while before saying, "Not as gentle and kind as before, somewhat harsh?"

"Huh?" Tong Xi was initially stunned, then quickly nodded in agreement with Zhao Yao’s words, "You could tell just from earlier events."

"Don’t you feel the Crown Prince brother really cares about Mr. Meng’s opinion of him, always asking if Mr. Meng mentioned him?" Zhao Yao understood why the Crown Prince cared so much about Mr. Meng’s opinion, but he didn’t expect him to be so eager. It was as if Mr. Meng not mentioning him was a grave matter.

"Exactly." Tong Xi said, "I think the Crown Prince seems rather anxious."

"Whatever, it’s none of my business." Anyway, Mr. Meng wouldn’t meet him again, so the Crown Prince’s jealousy was pointless.

"Your Highness, is it really no big deal? Won’t the Crown Prince make things difficult for you?"

"If he truly troubles me, he’ll regret it." Zhao Yao said as his stomach growled, urging Tong Xi to check if the noodles in the small kitchen were ready.

Tong Xi returned with a freshly made bowl of noodles: "Your Highness, have a bowl of noodles to fill your stomach; the small kitchen is still preparing other dishes for you."

While eating, Zhao Yao thought to himself: He wouldn’t go to the East Palace again, no matter what.

He had just finished the noodles when Prince Dai arrived.

Seeing Prince Dai, Zhao Yao immediately understood his purpose and sighed deeply in his heart: Is it that serious?

Unlike the Crown Prince, Prince Dai didn’t beat around the bush with unnecessary chatter. He first gave Zhao Yao a pouch of golden beans, then straightforwardly asked Zhao Yao what Mr. Meng had said to the emperor, whether he mentioned him or the Crown Prince.

Compared to the Crown Prince’s approach, Zhao Yao preferred Prince Dai’s directness. He repeated to Prince Dai exactly what he had said to the Crown Prince before.

Unlike the Crown Prince, Prince Dai didn’t repeatedly confirm if Mr. Meng mentioned him. Once he knew Mr. Meng didn’t mention him or the Crown Prince, he felt reassured and left Xingde Palace without further questioning Zhao Yao.

After Prince Dai left, Tong Xi remarked, "Your Highness, I suddenly think Prince Dai is quite decent."

Zhao Yao tossed the money pouch in his hand with a smile, saying, "You’re right, second brother is quite good." At least his second brother was generous, unlike the petty Crown Prince brother.

The Eighth Prince, upon learning that Prince Dai had sought Zhao Yao, felt uneasy and hurried back to anxiously ask Zhao Yao if Prince Dai had troubled him.

Zhao Yao replied that not only did Prince Dai not trouble him, but he also gave him a bag of golden beans.

He then recounted, word for word, what he had said to Prince Dai to the Eighth Prince.

Upon hearing this, the Eighth Prince felt reassured.

"Eighth brother, is the Crown Prince brother angry with me?" Zhao Yao asked cautiously, "Does the Crown Prince blame me for meeting Mr. Meng?"

"Don’t mind him." The Eighth Prince increasingly looked down on the Crown Prince now.

"But the Crown Prince brother seemed very unhappy during the meal earlier."

Seeing Zhao Yao’s anxious and frightened demeanor, the Eighth Prince gently patted his shoulder and reassured him in a soft voice, "The Crown Prince just wants Mr. Meng to see him, it’s not about you." He continued, "With me here, there’s nothing to fear; the Crown Prince won’t do anything to you."

Zhao Yao instantly smiled, "Then I’m not afraid anymore."

"Did you not eat enough at the East Palace, did you eat something when you returned?"

"I did." Zhao Yao patted his little stomach and said, "Now I’m full."

"That’s good." The Eighth Prince comforted Zhao Yao a bit more before leaving.

On the way to the East Palace, the Eighth Prince instructed Yu Hai with a gloomy face, "Tell Wei Yan to inform Prince Dai about that matter."

Yu Hai was shocked, "Your Highness, didn’t you previously tell Mr. Wei to keep that matter a secret until the time was right before telling Prince Dai, so that he could deal with the Crown Prince? Why mention it now?"

The Eighth Prince sneered, "The Crown Prince is too idle, he needs some trouble."

Yu Hai: Your Highness, you just want to vent some anger for the Tenth Prince.