ASTRP -Chapter 17 Jinge Plays the Prince So Convincingly

Feng Jinge ignored the Empress Dowager’s words and turned to look at the young emperor.

“Rest, or review memorials?”

The young emperor replied, “Review memorials.”

The Empress Dowager’s expression stiffened.

Feng Jinge turned her head and coldly uttered a single word to the displeased Empress Dowager, “Please.”

She was asking her to leave.

The Empress Dowager’s face turned extremely ugly, but she still didn’t forget to instruct the young emperor:

“Yu’er, if you’re tired, tell the Prince. Don’t be afraid.”

The young emperor stared at the purplish bruise on his imperial uncle’s nape and blankly answered, “Okay.”

The Empress Dowager led her attendants out.

After walking some distance, she seemed to think of something, turned back, and said to Feng Jinge: “Prince, he’s only an eight-year-old child. Don’t be too harsh on him.”

With that, she hurried out of the hall without giving Feng Jinge a chance to respond.

Her steps were so fast that Feng Jinge didn’t even get the chance to say what was already on her lips.

Once the Empress Dowager and her group left, Eunuch Chen was sent by her to move the memorials.

The vast hall was left with only her and the young emperor.

She turned around, hands clasped behind her back, looking down at the young emperor lying on the bed.

In the young emperor’s eyes, Feng Jinge clearly caught a trace of fear.

The young emperor was afraid of Xiao Jinghan?

Her heart skipped a beat, and a bad feeling rose within her.

Fear meant distance, didn’t it?

“Your Majesty, tell me—what exactly happened?”

Feng Jinge sat down at the bedside.

“What does Imperial Uncle want me to say?”

The young emperor was momentarily stunned, puzzled.

Feng Jinge said calmly, “The truth about your fall into the water.”

The young emperor lowered his gaze. “I stepped on moss and accidentally fell into the pond.”

Feng Jinge pressed, “Did Your Majesty fall into the water, or slip into it?”

“Imperial Uncle, is there a difference?”

“Of course there is. Slipping means Your Majesty was careless.”

“Falling means someone pushed you from behind.”

As Feng Jinge spoke, her gaze remained fixed on the young emperor.

When she mentioned the word “pushed,” the young emperor’s brows visibly furrowed.

Clearly, he had been pushed into the water.

“To push the emperor into the water—what audacity!”

“Your Ma—”

The young emperor was about to respond but was interrupted by Feng Jinge.

“Your Majesty, don’t rush to answer. Think it through first.”

Hearing this, the young emperor knew his imperial uncle already understood everything and was merely testing him.

As emperor, being pushed into the water, yet not daring to punish the culprit—and even denying it to protect them…

Imperial Uncle must be… very disappointed in him, right?

Seeing the young emperor lower his head in silence, Feng Jinge grew restless.

Ancestor above, you’re the future ruler of a nation!

If you can’t even handle something like this, how will you stand on your own and govern the country later?

As Feng Jinge ranted inwardly, she also tried to calm herself.

He’s only eight.

In modern terms, he’d still be playing in the mud.

And yet, he rises early and works late, learning the ways of ruling a nation.

With that comparison, Feng Jinge felt much calmer—then immediately started complaining about the late emperor.

Out of all his sons, why pick the youngest to be emperor?

Absolutely speechless.

The young emperor remained silent with lowered eyes, while Feng Jinge stood there with a cold face, ranting wildly in her heart.

Neither spoke.

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Fortunately, the silence was soon broken by Eunuch Chen returning.

Holding his horsetail whisk, he hurried back.

“Prince, all the matters accumulated over the past two days have been brought for you.”

“Mm.”

Feng Jinge glanced at the young emperor. “Get dressed and come out.”

“Yes, Imperial Uncle.”

Hearing that soft, childish “Imperial Uncle,” Feng Jinge’s heart tightened.

As the saying goes, heavy is the head that wears the crown.

Since the late emperor chose him, he must have something exceptional about him.

Feng Jinge stepped out of the inner hall and immediately saw a long table piled high with memorials.

Feng Jinge: “……”

Why did she have to run her mouth and say she’d review memorials?

Wouldn’t it have been nice to just leave the palace and go home to sleep after seeing the emperor?

But since the words were already spoken, she could only bite the bullet.

Inside the inner hall

Eunuch Chen was helping the young emperor change clothes.

The young emperor looked at the eunuch who had once served his father and said worriedly:

“Eunuch Chen.”

“This old servant is here.”

Eunuch Chen responded gently.

“Tell me… my brothers are all more capable than me. Why did Father choose me as emperor?”

Eunuch Chen’s hands paused for a moment before he pretended nothing had happened.

“Your Majesty, I dare not speculate on the late emperor’s intentions.”

“But since he designated Your Majesty, you must have extraordinary qualities. You are still young—give it some time.”

“But…”

The young emperor hesitated before continuing, “Today, I think I made Imperial Uncle angry again.”

“My fall into the water today… I was pushed.”

Eunuch Chen looked up in shock.

The young emperor continued as if he hadn’t noticed.

“The one who pushed me… was Princess Jingning.”

“But I lied to Imperial Uncle, saying I slipped on moss.”

Eunuch Chen grew anxious. “Your Majesty, why didn’t you tell the Prince?”

The young emperor fell silent for a moment.

“Because Mother said that if Imperial Uncle found out it was Princess Jingning, she would die.”

“Since Father passed and I ascended the throne, Imperial Uncle has already killed many people. I don’t want his hands stained with more blood.”

Eunuch Chen was speechless for a moment.

Should he say the new emperor was naive?

Or… still naive?

Which emperor didn’t stand atop piles of bones?

Which emperor didn’t have blood on their hands?

Sigh.

Still too young.

Eunuch Chen was about to speak when the young emperor added:

“Eunuch, I also discovered that Imperial Uncle isn’t pretending to be ill—he’s truly injured.”

“There’s a large bruise on the back of his head and neck.”

As he spoke, the young emperor gestured to show where Xiao Jinghan was injured.

Pretending to be ill?

Eunuch Chen almost laughed upon hearing that.

The Regent Prince was busy supporting the new emperor and stabilizing the court—how could he have time to fake illness?

Pretending?

Who said that?

Feigning surprise, Eunuch Chen said, “Your Majesty, are you unaware that the Prince was attacked last night?”

“Attacked?”

The young emperor’s eyes widened.

“Imperial Uncle was attacked?”

Eunuch Chen frowned, looking puzzled.

“This matter is already known throughout the court. Your Majesty didn’t know?”

The young emperor looked completely confused.

“I only knew that Imperial Uncle was pushed into the water by the daughter of Minister Feng. I even sent Imperial Physician Liu to check on him…”

“Ah… right, this Imperial Physician Liu…”

Eunuch Chen seemed to recall something and quickly said:

“He personally witnessed the assassination attempt.”

“I heard that just as Physician Liu reached the doorway, an assassin descended from the sky and struck the Prince with a palm…”