The Prime Minister's Darling novel Chapter 1206

Chapter 1206: 589 Scheming (Third Update)

Night had fallen, and the candles in the Zhuang family residence began to light up one by one.

The servants took down each lantern along the corridor, lit them and hung them back up high.

Zhuang Taifu sat in the study, flipping through the documents presented by Xu Cifu and others.

Recently, there had been significant unrest at court, with Minister Xing and Empress Dowager Zhuang being vindicated and their status and power restored. Yet the behavior of Zhuang Taifu during the Empress Dowager’s entrapment had drawn mixed opinions. Some ministers thought him ungrateful and indifferent to sibling bonds, while others argued he was an insider, merely collaborating with the Empress Dowager and others in a charade.

Opinions were diverse, and it seemed the civil officials utilized their eloquence for such debates, lest they find other displeasures to dwell upon in their idleness.

Zhuang Taifu was actually not concerned about the squabbles at court, but rather—

His gaze settled on a landscape painting on the opposite wall.

"Master!" The steward of the Zhuang household announced at the entrance with joy, "The Prince has returned!"

...

Outside the imposing gates of the Zhuang residence, the Prince of An stood in plain clothes, kneeling on the steps.

During the days away from the Zhuang family, Zhuang Taifu had received no news of him. Yet, no news meant he was still alive; if he had died, the Capital City would have been turned upside down by now.

Zhuang Taifu hadn’t made any effort to search for him. Cutting off all the Prince’s options, he had anticipated that it wouldn’t be too long before the young man would return home on his own, seeking his grandfather’s help.

And wasn’t it just as expected?

Zhuang Taifu, donning a brown-gray cloak, made his way to the entrance of the Zhuang residence.

The steward had dismissed all the servants. No matter how Zhuang Taifu decided to punish the Prince of An, the young man was still his grandson. He might watch his grandson’s downfall, but the servants could not.

"I’ll go check on the warehouse." After the grandfather and grandson met, the steward also found an excuse to retire.

Zhuang Taifu replied, "No need, you stay here."

The steward felt awkward, "Ah, yes."

This was too difficult for him. If he laughed at the young master’s misfortune today, what if the young master took charge in the future and made things difficult for him?

Zhuang Taifu paid no mind to the steward; he walked slowly to the steps and looked down at the lonely figure kneeling on the ground.

After so many days, it was time to realize that life outside was not easy.

"Lift your head."

The Prince of An slowly raised his head, his expression wistful as he looked at his grandfather.

Zhuang Taifu had intended to comment on how thin he had become, but upon taking a closer look, those words got stuck in his throat.

Was it an illusion?

Why did it seem as though the young man had put on weight?

The Prince of An used to be a handsome and elegant young man with only the faintest hollows in his cheeks, giving him a slightly gaunt appearance.

Now, those hollows were gone!

His face had rounded, even his countenance seemed blessed with fortune!

Of course, he was far from fat. It’s just that... he had filled out nicely, appearing more like the sunny and handsome visage befitting his age.

But wasn’t this odd?

He was skinny back home, yet he managed to fatten himself on an outing?

It was mainly because the Prince of An had been exploited for labor by Gu Yan every day, engaging in more physical work which significantly increased his appetite. Over time, he had grown more robust.

In the residence, a single bowl used to suffice, but now he could fit two bowls, and three wouldn’t be too much for this super rice-devouring being!

Zhuang Taifu’s mood suddenly turned somewhat irritable.

"Grandfather." The Prince of An took the initiative to speak, "Your grandson has returned."

This sentence finally broke the brief silence and brought Zhuang Taifu back from his uncertainty on how to respond. Zhuang Taifu said coldly, "You know to come back? I have warned you before, if you dared to walk out that door, don’t even think about returning easily!"

The Prince of An bowed his head, "Your grandson knows his mistake, please forgive me, grandfather."

Zhuang Taifu snorted coldly, "Forgive? You make it sound so easy. If everyone did the same as you, staying at home when pleased and leaving when discontent, what would become of the Zhuang family!"

The Prince of An no longer argued, hanging his head as if regretful.

The steward hurriedly urged, "Master, the Prince was temporarily bewitched. Now that he knows his mistake, please pardon him this time for all the respect he had shown you before. The Prince surely won’t dare to repeat it! Isn’t that right, Prince?"

As he spoke, he looked at the Prince of An, who knelt there with his head bowed in penitence.

The Prince of An murmured a quiet agreement, "The steward is right. Your grandson has suffered enough outside and will never dare to disobey you again."

This statement seemed to lack conviction, for after all, he had grown so well despite hardship. Wouldn’t he reach for the stars without it?

But Zhuang Taifu truly couldn’t think of any reason why the Prince of An would have been spared from hardship, given that he had personally seen to it that every possible shelter for his grandson had been forewarned not to offer refuge. _{frёeωebɳovel.com}

Not even the major inns and restaurants would welcome him.

During this period, the Prince could at best rely on the few coins he had to shelter in some lowly inn.

"Come in and kneel!" commanded Zhuang Taifu with a cold voice.

"Yes."

The Prince of An complied, and the steward quickly walked down the steps to help him up.

The frail body of their own Prince...

Before the thought even finished forming, the Prince of An stood up on his own, as agile as could be.

The steward: "..."

The Prince of An followed Zhuang Taifu to his courtyard.

Zhuang Taifu instructed the Prince of An to kneel at the entrance to the study room.

The Prince of An whispered, "Let me kneel inside, it’s embarrassing out here."

Zhuang Taifu chuckled, "You still know shame?"

The Prince of An thoughtfully replied, "If I’m shamed it’s not a big deal, but it would be bad if it tarnished Grandfather’s reputation."

"Hmph!"