Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 771: Chapter 376: Return to Beijing

The Dragon Guards moved quickly and reached Yangzhou in just a few days.

"Say that again." Zhao Yao looked incredulously at the ordinary-looking man in front of him, "What did you just say?"

The Hidden Guard A respectfully repeated, "Your Highness the Tenth, the Emperor wants you to return."

Zhao Yao shouted, "Return? Return where?"

"Return to the capital." The Hidden Guard A added, "The Emperor instructed that if you are unwilling to return..."

Zhao Yao interrupted the Hidden Guard A: "If I’m unwilling to return, does that mean I don’t have to?"

"No, the Emperor instructed that if you are unwilling to return, you will be bound and brought back."

Upon hearing these words, the smile on Zhao Yao’s face vanished completely. He said with a cold expression and displeasure, "Say that again."

The Hidden Guard A deliberately raised his voice and repeated, "Your Highness the Tenth, the Emperor instructed that if you are unwilling to return, you will be bound and brought back."

Zhao Yao: "..." He really wanted to curse his father.

"Didn’t the Fourth Brother and the Eighth Brother say to Father Emperor that I should stay in Yangzhou until coming of age before returning to the capital?" Zhao Yao, unwilling to return to the capital, "How could Father Emperor go back on his word?"

"Your Highness the Tenth, the Emperor did not agree to Prince Chu and Lord Wei." The Hidden Guard A spoke calmly, "Your Highness the Tenth, the Emperor also instructed that you have three days. After three days, you must return to the capital with me. I hope you will cooperate."

"What if I don’t cooperate?" Zhao Yao internally raged at the Emperor.

"If you don’t cooperate, I can only bind you and take you back to the capital." The Hidden Guard A continued, "The Emperor’s order is to bring you back to the capital."

Zhao Yao had never seen the Hidden Guard A, but he knew that anyone sent by the Emperor was certainly not simple. If he refused to go, this person would surely bind him back. If he attempted to escape, it probably wouldn’t be successful either.

It seemed he could only obediently follow this person back to the capital. However, he didn’t want to return to the capital city.

The Hidden Guard A saw Zhao Yao’s reluctance and kindly reminded him, "Your Highness the Tenth, I advise you not to run. No matter where you escape to, I will find you and bring you back."

Zhao Yao, who had thoughts of escaping: "..."

"Your Highness the Tenth, pack your belongings, and after three days, I will take you back to the capital." With that, the Hidden Guard A left the Governor Mansion.

Governor Liang and the others learned that Zhao Yao was returning to the capital and were naturally reluctant, but they did not speak to keep Zhao Yao. They actively helped Zhao Yao pack his belongings and bought many things for him to take back.

Even though Zhao Yao was utterly unwilling to go back, he still obediently left with the Hidden Guard A after three days. Actually, during those three days, Zhao Yao thought of countless ways to escape, but in the end, he didn’t execute any of them, knowing that the Hidden Guard was always beside him.

The Hidden Guard A and his men had ridden horses to Yangzhou, but when returning to the capital, they traveled by ship.

Before departing for the capital, Zhao Yao wrote a letter to Prince Chu and Lord Wei, fiercely "questioning" them as to why the Emperor had sent someone to bring him back to the capital.

The fact that the Emperor sent someone to bring Zhao Yao back to the capital was unknown to Prince Chu and Lord Wei until they received Zhao Yao’s letter.

Wei Mian, seeing Prince Chu’s face turn grim after reading Zhao Yao’s letter, hurriedly asked with concern, "Your Highness, what’s the matter? Has something happened to Your Highness the Tenth?"

"Father Emperor sent someone to bring back the Tenth Brother, and he is on his way back to the capital."

"What, did not the Emperor agree with you to let Your Highness the Tenth stay in Yangzhou until coming of age before returning to the capital?" Wei Mian was shocked, "Why did the Emperor now send someone to bring Your Highness the Tenth back?"

Prince Chu was somber and remained silent.

"The situation in the capital is unclear now, bringing Your Highness the Tenth back isn’t a good thing. Why would the Emperor bring him back?" Wei Mian couldn’t understand.

Prince Chu thought of Zhao Yao being captured in Jinling, and how the Emperor had ignored it, leaving Zhao Yao to fend for himself. He knew that Zhao Yao held no weight in the Emperor’s heart. He speculated that the Emperor must have a purpose for bringing Zhao Yao back. As for what purpose, it gave Prince Chu cause for concern.

Wei Mian, seeing Prince Chu’s dark expression, carefully asked, "Your Highness, should we send someone to secretly protect Your Highness the Tenth?"

Prince Chu snapped back to reality and said, "Make the arrangements."

"Servant will do so immediately."

Prince Chu walked to the window, eyes gazing toward the Imperial Palace, his expression obscure and unreadable.

Father Emperor, the Tenth Brother is also your biological son. Why are you so heartless towards him?

In Prince Chu’s eyes, the Emperor’s purpose in bringing Zhao Yao back to the capital was to use him as a target. The role of this target was to restrain him and Lord Wei.

Prince Chu and Lord Wei both have a good relationship with Zhao Yao, so Prince Chu’s assumption about the Emperor’s motives was quite natural.

Prince Chu had always admired and respected the Emperor greatly, but seeing the Emperor being so heartless towards Zhao Yao, he felt somewhat dissatisfied with the Emperor as a father. In his view, even a tiger doesn’t eat its cubs, yet the Emperor was so ruthless to his youngest son, Zhao Yao.

Prince Chu harbored a foreboding suspicion that Zhao Yao might eventually become his test.

Not far from the Prince Chu Mansion in the Prince Wei Mansion, Lord Wei also looked displeased. His thoughts aligned with Prince Chu’s, believing that the Emperor had no good intentions in bringing Zhao Yao back.

"Father Emperor is truly ruthless." Lord Wei didn’t care how the Emperor treated him, but witnessing the Emperor’s ruthless treatment of Zhao Yao filled him with anger. "To promote the Fourth Brother’s rise to power, sacrificing one son wasn’t enough, and another has to be sacrificed."

Yu Hai, upon hearing Lord Wei’s words, was deeply worried.

"Your Highness, what should we do? Should we stop Your Highness the Tenth from returning to the capital?"

"Father Emperor sent Hidden Guards to fetch the Tenth Brother, it’s unstoppable." Lord Wei sneered, "To ensure the Tenth Brother’s safe return to the capital, Father Emperor actually sent Hidden Guards. Such painstaking effort."

"So, we can only watch as Your Highness the Tenth is brought back?"

"Although the safest place for the Tenth Brother is Yangzhou, returning to the capital is not entirely dangerous." Lord Wei said, "With the Tenth Brother back, I will protect him and ensure he doesn’t become a pawn in Father Emperor’s hands." He would never allow Father Emperor to harm the Tenth Brother. "Send someone to protect the Tenth Brother secretly."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Father Emperor, in your heart, is Fourth Brother your only true son, and the others aren’t, right?" Lord Wei’s eyes were full of anger, "The Tenth Brother is your youngest son and has not yet come of age, yet you are so malicious to him."

In the Imperial Study, the Emperor sneezed several times in a row, startling Sun Kui. He was about to call the Imperial Physician but was stopped by the Emperor.

"It must be that little brat cursing me." The Emperor said with a smile, "Cursing me for sending someone to fetch him back."

"Your Majesty, knowing that Your Highness the Tenth is unwilling to return to the capital, why did you send someone to fetch him back?"

The Emperor, with deep meaning, said, "He must return."

"Your Highness the Tenth will surely make a fuss when he gets back."

"I’m just waiting for him to make a fuss." The Emperor wasn’t afraid of Zhao Yao making a fuss, but rather he was worried if Zhao Yao didn’t.

He Lianfang also received a complaint letter from Zhao Yao. He had anticipated the Emperor wouldn’t let Zhao Yao stay long in Yangzhou and expected the Emperor to bring Zhao Yao back at this time.

He wrote a reply to Zhao Yao, but the letter did not disclose the Emperor’s purpose in recalling him. Instead, he mentioned that Zhao Yao’s return was timely, as there were many things he wanted to discuss with him.

A few days later, Zhao Yao received apology letters from Prince Chu and Lord Wei, and he decided to forgive them and not hold a grudge. However, his anger at the Emperor remained.

With the protection of the Dragon Guards, Zhao Yao returned to the capital safely.

In the Imperial Study, the Emperor was somewhat restless. From time to time, he would glance toward the door.

Sun Kui rarely saw the Emperor so nervous, "Your Majesty, Your Highness the Tenth should be back soon."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor glared at Sun Kui, "Who said I’m waiting for that little brat?"

"You’re not waiting for Your Highness the Tenth; it’s this servant who is anticipating his return."

The Emperor snorted, lowered his head, and continued reviewing the memorials, but after a while, he looked up at the door once more.

Just as the Emperor was getting somewhat impatient waiting, he heard voices outside the Imperial Study paying respects to Zhao Yao.

The Emperor quickly sat upright, putting on an expression of concentrated attention to the memorials, his earlier expression of anxious anticipation gone entirely.

Sun Kui, observing the Emperor’s adeptness at changing expressions, amusingly thought to himself: Your Majesty, who are you trying to fool?

Sun Doudou walked in, first respectfully saluting the Emperor, and then reported, "Your Majesty, Your Highness the Tenth seeks an audience outside."

The Emperor, in a bland tone, said, "Let him in."

Very soon, Zhao Yao walked in.

"Son greets Father Emperor."

The Emperor, surreptitiously scrutinizing Zhao Yao, said nonchalantly, "Rise." After a few months, the brat had grown taller and somewhat thinner. This brat went to Jiangnan; did he forget about proper meals and only indulge in snacks?

"Thank you, Father Emperor."

The Emperor noticed Zhao Yao kept his head down, avoiding eye contact, feeling slightly nervous, yet not showing any traces on his face.

"If I hadn’t sent someone to fetch you, does it mean you didn’t plan on returning to the capital?"

Zhao Yao replied in trepidation, "Son would not dare."

The Emperor found Zhao Yao’s submissive demeanor somewhat strange, wondering what was wrong with this brat.

"What are you afraid of?"

As he finished speaking, Zhao Yao knelt down, "Son is guilty, please punish me, Father Emperor."

Seeing Zhao Yao like this, Sun Kui was quite surprised: What’s with Your Highness the Tenth, behaving so obediently?

The Emperor was also taken aback by Zhao Yao’s "obedient" demeanor, "Brat, what nonsense are you up to?" This brat, what’s his game?

"Son is guilty, please punish me, Father Emperor."

The Emperor found something quite bizarre about this, standing up, he walked over to his youngest son, reaching out to help him stand.

After being helped up, Zhao Yao still kept his head down, avoiding looking at the Emperor.

The Emperor looked at his youngest son’s "timid" appearance, feeling quite displeased by it.

"So, after a trip to Yangzhou, you’ve turned mute?"

"What does Father Emperor want son to say?"

"Talk about what you did in Yangzhou." The Emperor softened his tone, "How is Governor Liang and the others?"

"Governor Liang and the others are well."

The Emperor was somewhat exasperated by his youngest son’s overly respectful demeanor, raising his hand to lightly knock on his son’s head.

"Speak properly to me."