The following day, Huang Shu got up so early. He saw the servants were already present and busy cleaning his Palace, acting as if there was nothing strange.
Huang Shu peered his eyes and grabbed one eunuch, "Where did all of you go yesterday?"
The eunuch trembled. Truth to be told, he wouldn't even dare to scheme against the Seventh Prince if it wasn't his own mother, Concubine Ai, who forced him and the rest of the servants.
But they were forced to never reveal anything to the Seventh Prince because Concubine Ai would definitely punish them for spilling it out.
"Y—Your Highness, This servant doesn't know what you're talking about…."
Huang Shu gritted his teeth. He pulled the eunuch's collar and asked once more, "Where. Were. You. Yesterday?"
"I—I can't say it, Your Highness. I will get killed!" The eunuch replied ambiguously. That was the only thing he could say that might lead to what happened yesterday.
Huang Shu finally released the poor eunuch because he knew there was no way for him to extort more information since the eunuch looked so scared.
But it gave a lead for Huang Shu. The culprit was indeed inside the Imperial Palace, preferably someone who had authority above him.
'Hm… there is no way it's Emperor Father or Empress Mother. They know nothing about this. Besides, even if they know, Emperor Father would support me because he has a Ger lover. And Empress Mother would care less about this since I'm not her blood son, unlike First Brother, Huang Bei.'
'Blood son…'
…
Huang Shu's eyes widened as his feet went cold after summarizing what might have happened, especially after he remembered that tea.
He wanted to deny it because the culprit was his own birth mother, but after realizing how much his mother hated Ger men, it was a very possible explanation.
Imperial Concubine Ai was second after the Empress. She came from a respectable noble family. Also, she had a good relationship with the court officials and ministers, so she was quite influential, despite not being the Empress.
'But how did she know about my relationship with Yunyu?' Huang Shu pondered.
His mother, Concubine Ai, was mostly cut off from outside the Forbidden City. Because she was raised to be a noblewoman, so she only cared for things around her, not about the street rumors.
It made Huang Shu guessed that there was someone else involved in this, an accomplice.
Someone who could freely leave the Forbidden City or had a connection outside was definitely not his Mother.
Huang Shu didn't want to confront his mother right now, at least not until he had enough evidence. He was afraid that she would target Bai Yunyu while he wasn't there, just like yesterday.
Huang Shu steeled his heart, he knew that his mother was an overbearing woman that annoyed him many times, but he always tolerated it because of filial piety.
But to hurt Yunyu like this…
'I won't let anyone who hurts my Yunyu leave without repercussion.'
'But for now, I have to meet Yunyu again…' Huang Shu walked to the main hall, where the Champion would be summoned next. Somehow, he had a bad feeling about it. Maybe it was fear because he was scared that Bai Yunyu wouldn't accept him anymore.
'No, as long as I explain to Yunyu about what happened, then there's nothing to be scared of.'
Huang Shu walked to the main hall. He had two things in his mind, to see that Yunyu was alright and hoping that Yunyu would forgive him.
When he walked in, the guards stopped him suddenly, "Your Highness, Seventh Prince, there is a meeting with the new Champion of yesterday's Imperial Exam. Please wait until they're finished."
Huang Shu was surprised because it was quite early.
'So that stinky brat, Xu Jiansheng was correct about his prediction….'
"Who is the new champion?" Huang Shu asked.
The guards looked at each other, "We don't know his name. But he is the only Ger in yesterday's Imperial Exam. His cinnabar mole is really stunning, and he is truly gorgeous," one guard replied.
Huang Shu frowned when he heard another man praising his Yunyu, "You're speaking too much. I just ask you about his identity."
The guards zipped their mouths instantly, afraid of punishment from the Seventh Prince.
Huang Shu waited for a while, and then the meeting finished with Bai Yunyu leaving the hall with Crown Prince Huang Bei following him from behind.
"Yunyu, you should listen to me. I can give you a very good position in the ministry. In fact, as long as you stay to work in the Forbidden City, then I can always give you any position you want!" Crown Prince claimed boldly.
Bai Yunyu halted his step and then turned his back at the Crown Prince, "Your Highness, it's not about the position. Didn't you hear about the rumor of me in the capital city? They accused me of being a lowlife whore. They burned my house, which leads to the death of my father."
"But it's still unproven! There must be someone who targeted you!" Huang Bei insisted.
"… Your Highness, even if it's unproven, my reputation had been ruined to the ground. I have nothing, no wealth, no reputation. I have no more face in the Capital city."
"But you will be in the forbidden city with…." Huang Bei wanted to say that Yunyu would stay with him, but Yunyu cut him short.
"Your Highness, my decision will remain unchanged. I have decided to leave the Capital City and go to the border to study about to be a good military strategist in the future," Bai Yunyu said. "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. But I am not the right person to accept your jade stone," Yunyu fished out the carved Jade stone that Crown Prince gave and then handed it back to the real owner before walking away.
Huang Bei was heartbroken right now. He felt powerless. He just heard about the slander that happened with Yunyu when Yunyu reported it to the Emperor. It became Yunyu's solid reason to go to the border and study military strategy rather than staying in the Forbidden City with a good position.
It was a bit unfortunate, though, since Yunyu held the highest score in the Empire's history.
Huang Bei gritted his teeth. If only he knew what happened to Yunyu yesterday, it wouldn't derail this bad from his first plan to propose Yunyu.
Thus, Huang Bei could only watch Yunyu walked away from the court, presumably walked away from him forever. Because Yunyu was already dead set on his decision to leave this cursed Palace.
He suffered enough from marrying Huang Shu here. He wouldn't fall into the same trap three times like an idiot.
[Though, I will still find a way to avenge myself, if Huang Shu is still a wimpy, wishy-washy momma boy who refused to take action against his mother, who had ruined my life three times. She is a heartless woman who deserves no pity.]
[Including her trash accomplice.]
[Pupa:…]
Yunyu finally left the main hall and then saw someone waiting for him under the stair. His eyes darted immediately at Yunyu, and Yunyu could only give him a cold stare.
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