Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne-Chapter 196 - 164 Hot Spring Manor

Few people paid attention to the Eighth Prince’s birthday, and fewer remembered it.

When Empress Xie learned that the Emperor had sent someone to deliver gifts to the Eighth Prince, she too casually selected a gift to be sent to Xingde Palace.

Jiang Chuan selected two brushes, then had a young eunuch from Zhao Yang Palace send them over.

As for the other concubines, only Consort Li sent a gift to the Eighth Prince.

Every year on the Eighth Prince’s birthday, Consort Li would send a gift. Consort Li sends a gift for every prince’s birthday.

The gift Consort Li sends annually to the Eighth Prince is always a book. The Fourth Prince is the same. They always gift books.

They don’t have much of other things, but they have plenty of books.

The Li Family, known for its scholarly heritage, has more books than anything else. The Li Family’s collection rivals that of the Kong Family. The Li Family even publishes new books each year.

Among the princes, only the Crown Prince, Zhao Yao, and the Fourth Prince sent birthday gifts to the Eighth Prince. The Third Prince did not.

The Crown Prince brought his gift after morning court, delivering it personally. He gifted the Eighth Prince a manor, a manor that had been given to him by the Emperor when he came of age.

This manor is located in the western suburbs of the capital, being a hot spring manor. It is a Royal Villa left from the previous dynasty, renovated in the previous dynasty, and very elegantly decorated.

When in a bad mood, the Crown Prince would sometimes visit this manor to enjoy the hot springs.

This time, the Eighth Prince was seriously injured and nearly died saving him. The Crown Prince decided to give the manor to the Eighth Prince, so he could often visit and enjoy the hot springs for his health.

The Eighth Prince is not particularly interested in hot springs, but since the Crown Prince gave it to him, he naturally had to accept it. Besides, in the future, he could take Zhao Yao to enjoy the hot springs.

At noon, after class, Zhao Yao did not go to Lanyuan Pavilion but first returned to Kunde Hall.

On the way back to Kunde Hall, Tong Xi informed Zhao Yao about the suicide of Master Kong’s youngest daughter.

"Suicide by hanging, not murder?" Zhao Yao’s first reaction upon hearing the news was that Master Kong’s youngest daughter did not hang herself, but was murdered.

"The Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice brought someone to do an autopsy, confirming it was hanging, not murder." Tong Xi said, "She was not poisoned either."

"Really?" Zhao Yao was skeptical.

"Really, it is impossible for the coroner from the Ministry of Justice to make a mistake." Tong Xi added, "The coroner from the Ministry of Justice cannot and dare not falsify."

Zhao Yao intuitively felt: "Things are not so simple."

"But the fact is, Miss Kong hanged herself." Tong Xi added, "Miss Kong also left a suicide note, which she personally wrote."

"What did the note say?"

"Not exactly sure, but it’s said she apologized to her parents and mentioned she should have died a long time ago."

The news of Master Kong’s youngest daughter’s hanging spread widely in the capital within half a day. The palace was also discussing the matter.

"Your Highness, do you think Miss Kong was not hanging herself but was murdered?"

"It should have been made to look like a hanging."

"That’s impossible, the coroner examined it and confirmed it was a hanging." Tong Xi said, "It’s not surprising that Miss Kong hanged herself, considering her reputation was ruined."

"If it were really that simple." Zhao Yao felt it was suspicious that Master Kong’s youngest daughter hanged herself at this time.

"Then who do you think killed Miss Kong?"

"How would I know?" Zhao Yao said, but he suspected it was done by people from the Crown Prince or Prince Dai. Then again, it could have been someone sent by his eighth brother.

"Your Highness, you wouldn’t be thinking it was..." Tong Xi didn’t say "Prince Dai" but held up two fingers.

"It’s not impossible, but it’s unlikely." Miss Kong embarrassed Second Brother greatly, harboring resentment toward her is normal. Second Brother’s spiteful nature wanting revenge on Miss Kong is normal, but he wouldn’t be foolish enough to make a move now.

If something happened to Miss Kong or the Kong family, the first suspect would be Second Brother, despite him previously pleading for them.

"Forget it, this isn’t any of our business."

Upon returning to Kunde Hall, Zhao Yao delivered the meal prepared by Liang Zhaoyi and the others to the Eighth Prince.

Liang Zhaoyi and Yu Meiren made ten dishes and a soup, all of them were home-cooked meals that the Eighth Prince usually loved.

"Eighth Brother, I’ve come to join you for lunch."

Yu Hai quickly took a food box from Tong Xi and then helped present the meal with him.

The food was still warm.

Zhao Yao personally served a bowl of soup for the Eighth Prince and handed it to him.

"Eighth Brother, this is a special soup prepared by my mother and the others to nourish you. You have to finish it."

The Eighth Prince took the soup, smiling: "Ever since I returned to the palace, Lady Liang and the others have been making nourishing soups for me."

"Today’s soup is different; my mother has started researching medicinal cuisine. To be precise, this is a medicinal soup."

"Medicinal soup?"

"Yes, my mother said both of us are not in great health, and relying solely on tonics isn’t ideal as medicine can be poisonous. So she decided to nourish us with food." Zhao Yao gestured to the array of dishes on the table, "These are all medicinal cuisines, but rest assured, they aren’t bitter at all and are very tasty." He had worried the medicinal food would taste bad, but they were better than he imagined.

"It’s a lot of trouble for Lady Liang." The Eighth Prince didn’t expect Liang Zhaoyi went out of her way to study medicinal cuisine for his health.

"Eighth Brother, you’re just a side concern, don’t give it much thought." Zhao Yao deliberately said this.

The Eighth Prince, of course, didn’t believe Zhao Yao’s words. He picked up the spoon and drank a spoonful of soup.

"Delicious!"

"See, didn’t expect medicinal soup to taste so good." Zhao Yao took a bowl of soup from Tong Xi, drinking alongside the Eighth Prince.

"Lady Liang’s cooking skills have truly improved."

"Not at all inferior to the chefs at Zhenxiu Building." With his mother’s cooking skills, if she opened an eatery, business would surely surpass that of Zhenxiu Building.

"Did you go out to Zhenxiu Building when you took a break from the palace?"

"Yes, every time I leave the palace, I go to Zhenxiu Building to eat." Zhao Yao said, "Zhenxiu Building launches new dishes and dim sum periodically, so of course, I have to try them."

"You’re such a little foodie."

After finishing the soup, Zhao Yao helped the Eighth Prince with some of his favorite dishes.

"Eighth Brother, today’s dishes are all your favorites, you have to eat more."

"I can’t finish it all by myself, so you’ll have to help."

"No problem, I’ll help you finish them."

"Oh, and the Crown Prince gave his hot spring manor to me. If you want to enjoy the hot springs, you can go there anytime."

"What, the Crown Prince gave you his hot spring manor?" Zhao Yao exclaimed in surprise.

The Eighth Prince expected Zhao Yao’s reaction, "Yes, do you want to enjoy the hot springs?"

"Of course I do, very much!" Zhao Yao exclaimed with envy, "The Crown Prince is really generous."

"You can go anytime." The Eighth Prince handed Zhao Yao a token, "This is the entry token for the manor."

Zhao Yao accepted the token without hesitation. It was gold-plated, with the word "manor" engraved on the front, surrounded by patterns of mountains and rivers.

"Eighth Brother, then I’ll accept it." ƒгeewebnovёl_com

"Go ahead and take it." The Eighth Prince said, "I can’t leave the palace for now, so go enjoy the hot springs by yourself first."

"Once I have a break, I’ll definitely go enjoy the hot springs." Zhao Yao said cheerfully, "I’ve never experienced a hot spring before."

"When you go, you can stay there for a few more days."

"It’s a pity mother can’t leave the palace, otherwise I would take her too." Zhao Yao added, "Eighth Brother, you really should’ve gone to the hot spring manor to heal, the Crown Prince should have sent you there directly."

"The Crown Prince initially planned to send me to the manor to heal, but I didn’t want to go."

"Why didn’t you want to go, Eighth Brother? Going to the manor to heal would be better than staying in the palace, right?" If it were him, he would’ve gone to heal at the manor.

"With you not at the manor, it would be too lonely to heal there alone." Of course, the Eighth Prince had his reasons for not going.

"That’s true; it would be lonely for you to heal at the manor alone." Zhao Yao agreed, "Eighth Brother, once you’re healed, let’s go to the manor together."

"Alright."

After having lunch with the Eighth Prince, Zhao Yao left.

"Who would’ve guessed the Crown Prince would be so generous, giving the manor granted by the Emperor to the Eighth Highness."

Zhao Yao tossed the token in his hand and caught it smoothly.

"The Eighth Brother was seriously injured, nearly dying to save the Crown Prince. Such a favor naturally warrants generosity from the Crown Prince."

"Certainly." Tong Xi laughed, "The Crown Prince giving the manor to the Eighth Highness benefits you, Your Highness."

"Indeed, I’ve always wanted to visit the hot spring manor but felt embarrassed to ask the Crown Prince. Now that the Eighth Brother gave me the token, I can go to enjoy the hot springs any time." Zhao Yao laughed, "Eighth Brother surely cares for me." No matter what Eighth Brother did, it had nothing to do with him; Eighth Brother was still his good Eighth Brother.

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