"Your Majesty, Princess Yunwu wanted to give the Crown Prince a surprise, so after her trip, she gifted him a board game called 'Who is the Tycoon'," reported Princess Yunwu's eunuch attendant to the King of Chu.
The King of Chu, now fifty-five years old, had gray hair and beard, but his face still looked quite imposing.
Upon hearing this, the King's expression remained unchanged as he stood up.
"I've also heard reports that Yunwu went to Xun City for a two-day trip. Was this board game purchased from the Jing Country Fair?" the King asked with a stern expression.
Just yesterday, the Crown Prince had presented a memorial advising him that the Jing Country Fair was causing many border residents to cross over into Jing territory. He argued that if this continued, it would be detrimental to Chu State and should be strictly prohibited.
The King had agreed yesterday and had already issued an imperial edict: anyone crossing the river without permission would be imprisoned!
Unexpectedly, the Princess had gone there a few days ago and even brought something back.
The King's old eyes flickered. Yunwu giving the Crown Prince an item from the fair showed that she thought the goods from Jing Country Fair were indeed quite good.
"Yes, the Princess obtained it from the fair. She only learned about Your Majesty's edict after returning," the Princess's attendant replied nervously. "The Princess found this game quite enlightening, especially regarding commerce and household management."
"The Princess wanted to ask the Crown Prince to try it out, to understand the appeal of Jing Country's popular items. But she felt the board game was too childish to present to Your Majesty, so she sent it to the Crown Prince instead."
Hearing this, the King's eyes showed a hint of amusement. "She's actually afraid of something?"
The Princess had always been like him, fearless like a newborn calf not afraid of tigers. When her temper flared, no one could control her.
She even dared to bring in items from the fair he had explicitly forbidden!
"Let's go take a look!" he said.
"Prepare the—" The eunuch in the royal study was about to announce, but the King stopped him.
"No need to make a fuss," the King said. He thought about how this gift was, after all, a prohibited item from Jing Country that he had forbidden his subjects to purchase. He didn't want it to become common knowledge, to avoid the Princess being blamed for her actions.
"Since the Princess wants to give the Crown Prince a surprise, I'll go there unannounced as well. Don't alert the Crown Prince."
Upon hearing this, a glimmer of joy appeared in the eyes of the attendant sent by the Princess to report.
"Prime Minister, since you're here, come with me to see what kind of entertainment Jing Country has concocted," the King called to Ji Duan, who was in the royal study.
Ji Duan's expression was peculiar. His twin granddaughters had been praising 'Who is the Tycoon' non-stop since returning from Jing Country, calling it a heavenly delight.
Ji Duan had been curious for a long time, but he didn't dare show it in front of the King. He simply responded respectfully with a "Yes."
Soon, the King and Ji Duan were walking leisurely towards the Crown Prince's palace.
Because the King had ordered not to alert the Crown Prince or the palace staff, the guards prevented any palace servants who saw the King approaching from moving about freely to report the news.
The King, Prime Minister Ji Duan, and the King's chief eunuch arrived at the Crown Prince's palace without any obstacles.
However, at the entrance of the Crown Prince's palace, a small eunuch who was peeping around caught sight of the King's distinctive royal robe. His face immediately filled with fear, and he turned to flee inside.
"Hmm?" The King narrowed his eyes and pointed, "Catch him!"
Prime Minister Ji Duan's heart sank. What was going on with this gate-keeping eunuch of the Crown Prince's palace, looking so guilty?
"No one is allowed to announce my arrival," the King, who had been on the throne for over forty years, immediately sensed something was amiss. He strode into the Crown Prince's palace.
Prime Minister Ji Duan hesitated, wondering if he should follow.
But while he was considering, it was already too late.
He had only taken a few steps when he heard a man's panting coming from inside the palace!
Outrageous!
Prime Minister Ji Duan couldn't help but look back at the midday sun.
In broad daylight, the Crown Prince couldn't control himself?
Ji Duan's mouth twitched, but what shocked him even more was yet to come.
The King and he had only reached the entrance of the palace, not yet entering the inner bedchambers...
How could such sounds already be heard?
"Preposterous!" The King's angry shout came from behind the screen wall.
Prime Minister Ji Duan was about to retreat, but when he looked up, he saw a scene that pained his old eyes!
On the screen wall at the palace entrance, the Crown Prince, wearing a bright yellow robe, was pressing someone down.
Ji Duan's old face twitched, and he took a step back.
Not only in broad daylight but also not in the bedchamber, they had come outside?
The Crown Prince... this was too outrageous!
But in the next moment, as the two people on the screen wall tumbled down upon hearing the King's shout, Ji Duan finally saw clearly that the person under the Crown Prince was actually a man.
Ji Duan felt dizzy on the spot.
The Crown Prince was just with a man...?
Is this the future ruler of Chu State?
Standing under the afternoon sun, Prime Minister Ji Duan was sweating profusely, his vision blurring.
The King was even more furious, his anger uncontrollable. "Guards, drag away this filthy thing that has corrupted the Crown Prince and give him two hundred lashes!"
"Everyone in the Crown Prince's service, drag them all out and beat them to death!"
The handsome eunuch immediately crumbled, "Save me, Your Highness!"
The Crown Prince on the ground finally came to his senses, looking at the enraged King in front of him in shock. "Fa-Father, why are you here..."
The King usually cherished his time at noon to discuss affairs with important ministers.
Hearing the Crown Prince's words, the King realized this wasn't just a day or two of debauchery. His anger surged, and he directly closed his eyes and collapsed.
"Y-Your Majesty—!"
[Oh my goodness, the King of Chu fainted from anger.]
Xiao Chuchu, nestled in Xiao Yunzhou's arms, was watching the live broadcast while eating cut fruits.
Seeing this, she stopped chewing the cucumber in her mouth, shocked.
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes gleamed even more brightly.
Today is a most auspicious day, suitable for burning incense for the late emperor!
He wanted to burn incense for all the ancestors, to tell the old ancestors of Jing Country this tremendously good news!
[The King of Chu has been revived. Prime Minister Ji Duan told the royal physician not to spread the news of the King's anger-induced collapse, but to say it was heatstroke from staying in the sun too long.]
[It's only the third month of spring, where's the heat coming from?]
Xiao Chuchu shook her head, clicking her tongue.
[Princess Yunwu was scolded by the Empress of Chu, who accused her of deliberately framing the Crown Prince by presenting prohibited items from Jing Country, causing the King to collapse. The Empress declared her crimes unforgivable and ordered her confined to the Princess's Palace, with guards posted to ensure she never steps out of the palace again!]
[The King of Chu didn't even say anything, how infuriating!] Xiao Chuchu watched, feeling angry.
Xiao Yunzhou was so immersed that he stood up and paced back and forth in the room, agitated.
This Empress of Chu is truly a scourge, having only the heart to protect her son while disregarding the welfare of the entire country!
[Wow, Princess Yunwu has counterattacked! She's asked Prime Minister Ji Duan to be the judge and questioned whether such a Crown Prince has the ability to bear great responsibilities!]
[Well done!]
Xiao Yunzhou nervously perked up his ears, listening with rapt attention.
Meanwhile, in the royal palace of Chu State shown in the livestream...
At this moment, Princess Yunwu's face was pale as she faced the accusations and punishment from the Empress of Chu. Looking at her father, the King, who remained silent on his sickbed, she directly knelt down and kowtowed three times.
"The Crown Prince, my younger brother, is ignorant of state affairs and shows no ambition, only knowing how to indulge in pleasures," she said.
"When I learned of this, I dared not conceal it!"
The Empress of Chu stood up abruptly. "Silence! The entertainment items you sent from Jing Country must have contained forbidden drugs, bewitching the Crown Prince and making him lose his senses!"
The Crown Prince of Chu, as if grasping at straws, nodded tearfully, "That's right, it's exactly as Mother says!"
He pointed at Princess Yunwu, "You're the one who harmed me! I opened that 'Tycoon' board game you sent, and then I didn't know what I was doing anymore!"
Princess Yunwu closed her eyes in disappointment.
She turned to look at her father, the King, and the Chancellor Ji Duan.
"There are secret potions to enhance virility hidden under the Crown Prince's bed," she said.
"Behind the painting by his bedside, there's a hidden compartment filled with bedroom toys."
"Father, you can send someone to investigate, and you'll know! How could I possibly be responsible for this? Did I arrange for someone to plant these things?"
The Crown Prince of Chu gasped, speechless.
After a while, he finally regained his senses, "You... how do you know about this?! Princess Yunwu, did you send people to spy on me!?"
What a fool!
The King of Chu, the Empress of Chu, and Chancellor Ji Duan all closed their eyes in pain.