Chapter 50: Chapter 50: The Crown Prince’s Grievance After the Crown Prince came out of the Imperial Study, he did not return to the Eastern Palace, but instead went to Wende Hall. Inside Wende Hall, Zhao Yao and the others were having a lesson. Upon seeing the Crown Prince, the teacher quickly bowed to him: "Your servant greets Your Highness." The Crown Prince stepped forward and gently helped the teacher up, speaking warmly: "Please rise, Teacher." The teacher said: "Thank you, Your Highness." The Crown Prince expressed some slight remorse as he said: "Teacher, I apologize for disturbing you." Mr. Xiao had once been the Crown Prince’s enlightenment teacher, and the Crown Prince had always respected him. "I came to tell my younger brothers to join me in welcoming Prince Dai back to the capital after lunch." As soon as he finished speaking, there was a cheer from the Ninth Prince: "That’s great..." His voice trailed off as he noticed Mr. Xiao giving him a cold look, causing him to fall silent awkwardly. Mr. Xiao frowned slightly and said: "Your Highness plans to personally go out of the city to welcome Prince Dai back?" The Crown Prince said: "I intend to lead my brothers and the ministers out of the city to welcome Prince Dai." Upon hearing this, Mr. Xiao’s frown deepened, and his usually stern face showed a hint of disapproval. "Your Highness, as the Crown Prince, how can you personally go out of the city to welcome Prince Dai? It is inappropriate." The Ninth Prince was immediately displeased upon hearing Mr. Xiao’s words. He wanted to speak up but dared not because he feared Mr. Xiao. The Ninth Prince had always been arrogant and domineering, doing whatever he wished, and there were few people in the palace he feared, but Mr. Xiao was one of them. He once was not afraid of Mr. Xiao and used his status as a prince to argue with him, even disregarding him, only to be severely punished by the Emperor with a beating. That beating left him bedridden for a month, recovering. Since then, he dared not defy Mr. Xiao or act disrespectfully in front of him. "Teacher, I am not welcoming Prince Dai back as the Crown Prince of Great Zhou, but as the elder brother greeting his younger brother’s return." The Crown Prince’s tone was filled with respect for Mr. Xiao, "This victory in Liangzhou is thanks to my younger brother. Both emotionally and logically, I should welcome him back." Although Mr. Xiao was rigid, it did not mean he was indifferent to court affairs; on the contrary, he understood them well. After hearing the Crown Prince’s words, he understood his intentions. "What Your Highness said is right." He then added, "Since Your Highness wants to take the princes to welcome Prince Dai, today’s class shall end here, and the princes may leave." This was good news for Zhao Yao, and a look of joy appeared on his face unwittingly. The Third Prince led the group in paying respects to Mr. Xiao and taking their leave: "Teacher, your students take their leave." The Crown Prince looked at the Third Prince and said: "Third brother, prepare yourselves and join me in leaving the city after lunch." The Third Prince respectfully replied: "Yes." With that, he left. As the other princes bade farewell one by one, when it was Zhao Yao’s turn, he asked: "Crown Prince Brother, are we traveling by carriage or riding horses to greet our second brother outside the city?" Hearing Zhao Yao’s question, the Crown Prince smiled slightly: "Tenth brother, do you want to go by carriage or ride a horse?" Zhao Yao quickly said: "Ride a horse." Riding in a carriage means seeing nothing, which isn’t fun at all. The Crown Prince lightly tapped the dimple on Zhao Yao’s left cheek, saying warmly: "Then ride a horse." A happy smile immediately appeared on Zhao Yao’s little face, and he asked: "Crown Prince Brother, is there a banquet tonight?" Seeing Zhao Yao’s bright, clear eyes shining as they looked at him, the Crown Prince softened inside and gently pinched his chubby little face. "There is no banquet tonight." "Ah?" Zhao Yao’s smile froze, and his bright eyes dimmed. He asked incredulously, "Second brother is back, and Father isn’t hosting a celebration banquet for him?" As he spoke, he touched his small belly, slightly pouting, "I ate less since yesterday to enjoy more at the banquet." His beef... The Crown Prince, amused by Zhao Yao’s words, couldn’t help but chuckle softly: "There is no banquet tonight, but there is one tomorrow night." Zhao Yao’s eyes, which had just turned gloomy, instantly lit up, and a look of anticipation appeared on his little face: "Then I’ll continue to eat less today so I can eat more delicious food tomorrow night." The Crown Prince found Zhao Yao’s manner endearing and couldn’t resist poking his adorable dimple again: "You really like banquets, huh." Zhao Yao nodded repeatedly, his eyes curving into crescents as he smiled: "Because there’s tasty food." The Eighth Prince, standing nearby, teased Zhao Yao: "You are such a foodie." "If one doesn’t eat, it’s a grave injustice." The Crown Prince, hearing such words for the first time, said, unable to help laughing and crying: "Who taught you this?" Zhao Yao puffed out his chest, full of pride, and said: "I came up with it myself. Isn’t it quite reasonable?" The Crown Prince said with amused helplessness: "You little rascal." As he spoke, he ruffled Zhao Yao’s little head, "Go have lunch." Zhao Yao cupped his hands and said: "Crown Prince Brother, Eighth Brother, I’ll go now. See you after lunch." With that, he skipped out of Wende Hall. The Crown Prince bowed to Mr. Xiao and then took the Eighth Prince back to the Eastern Palace. "If one doesn’t eat, it’s a grave injustice. It’s amazing that Tenth Brother came up with that." The Eighth Prince said: "In Tenth Brother’s mind, nothing is more important than food. He often says that when he grows up, he wants to travel the world and eat all the delicious food." The Crown Prince chuckled: "Tenth Brother is truly simple and adorable." In this palace, not just the princes, even the eunuchs and palace maids are very shrewd. Only the Tenth Brother is pure of heart, his daily concern just being good food. This simplicity is very rare but also quite dangerous. "Big Brother, did something happen during the morning court?" The Eighth Prince, always sensitive, sensed the Crown Prince’s discomfort. "Father decreed a marriage between Minister Kong’s youngest daughter and Prince Dai as a concubine." In front of the Eighth Prince, the Crown Prince did not hide his emotions, speaking with a tone full of unrest and jealousy. Upon hearing this, the Eighth Prince was incredulous: "Father is actually marrying Minister Kong’s youngest daughter to Prince Dai. Father wants to..." He left the rest unsaid. "Where does that leave you, Big Brother?" This marriage decree was something the Eighth Prince had never expected. His heart was filled with shock; could Father really be considering deposing Big Brother and making Prince Dai the Crown Prince?! The Crown Prince’s lips curled into a bitter smile: "I am ultimately no match for Prince Dai." Though comforted by Duke Zhen and the Grand Tutor, the Crown Prince was still in pain. During the morning court, when he heard the Emperor’s marriage decree, the Crown Prince felt as if the sky was collapsing. "Big Brother, you must not let Prince Dai marry Minister Kong’s youngest daughter!" The Crown Prince’s eyes turned deep and cold, his tone sinister: "Of course not." "Big Brother, do you have a way to stop this marriage?" The Crown Prince then shared the plan he discussed with Duke Zhen with the Eighth Prince. After hearing it, the Eighth Prince, full of admiration, said: "The older, the wiser!" "Luckily, I have Uncle." In recent years, if it weren’t for Uncle’s help, he might have been deposed as Crown Prince long ago. "Big Brother, with Duke Zhen around, you won’t be in trouble." The fact that Father delayed granting additional titles to Prince Dai was because he wanted Prince Dai to marry Minister Kong’s youngest daughter. Father truly went to great lengths to pave the way for Prince Dai. "Big Brother, do you remember what I told you before? Now that Prince Dai is back, I think you can implement it." The Crown Prince, of course, remembered. He hesitated: "Wouldn’t it be too obvious?" "Big Brother, next month is the late Empress’s memorial day, the perfect time for you to use that strategy." Remembering his late mother, a hint of sorrow appeared in the Crown Prince’s eyes, and his face unwittingly showed a touch of grievance. "When Mother was alive, Father treated me well." "If the late Empress were still here, she wouldn’t have allowed you to endure such grievances, Big Brother." The Eighth Prince had never met the late Empress; she passed away before he was born. However, he had heard much about her. When the she was alive, Father held her in high regard. When she passed, the Emperor mourned deeply and halted court for three days.