Chapter 1295: Chapter 1295: Hooked a Little Mudfish

The Emperor deliberately pretended not to notice Xia Houzhe’s emotional fluctuation and continued inserting the needles.

"Ning Hongde was the fallen Crown Prince of Xia’s mentor, the most loyal to him. Back then he insisted on dying to follow the Crown Prince to the grave, which already proved his upright loyalty. No one expected that the death was faked; the death was false, but secretly holding the hidden heir in his hand and reining in the Crown Prince’s old followers was what was real."

The Emperor seemed suddenly to be in the mood for conversation and said, "Ning Hongde values legitimate bloodlines above all. He had long since heard that this hidden heir was born of a Washing Palace Maid. She only happened to deliver clothes once to the Crown Prince and received his favor, then secretly conceived. At that time the Crown Prince’s body was already a spent crossbow; when this child was born, Ning Hongde and the others clutched him like a life-saving straw, to the point they no longer cared about bloodline."

"Which makes sense. All he needed was a piece on the board carrying the Crown Prince’s blood. Who cares if he’s born of a Palace Maid, or of someone who scrubbed the night pots? Otherwise, what would he use to command those old subordinates to plot rebellion with him?"

Hearing this, Xia Houzhe forced a smile and asked, "Why is Imperial Brother suddenly telling your younger brother all this?"

"Hm? I’m idle and bored, that’s all. What, you don’t like listening?" The Emperor cast him a deliberately surprised glance.

Xia Houzhe tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Your younger brother’s illness has not yet healed, and as for the Xia clan’s affairs, your younger brother cannot meddle in them either."

"That’s why you just listen and let it pass. After all, you are also of the Chu Family." The Emperor deliberately put weight on the word "Chu."

Xia Houzhe lowered his eyes and asked, "Since that is so, has Imperial Brother sent people to capture Ning Hongde?"

"That old thing is as slippery as an eel; to this day we don’t know which hole he’s hiding in. But as long as the Ning Family are all escorted to the capital, I’m not afraid he won’t show himself—unless his loyalty and courage are truly so great that he’d rather abandon the entire Ning Family to save his own old hide, unwilling to die." The Emperor smiled faintly. "But some people get used to being the one leading the army—who knows whether they’ll be willing to fade away? Perhaps, even at the point of death, he’ll want to play Regent and Supreme Emperor for once. It all depends on how that Ning Hongde chooses."

Xia Houzhe’s pupils shrank.

If Ning Hongde became the Regent Supreme Emperor, then who would be the puppet Emperor? That hidden heir—would be himself.

Xia Houzhe swallowed hard, and suddenly grew wary again.

The Emperor had never spoken to him about the Xia clan’s old forces. Why bring it up all of a sudden, and even test him just now?

Could it be that he had begun to suspect his identity, and was using this to bait him?

At this thought, Xia Houzhe felt a jolt of fear and became all the more cautious and meticulous.

To be fair, Xia Houzhe wasn’t so stupid as to have no brains at all. The Emperor noticed this newfound caution of his, and his gaze grew deeper, with a faint, secret excitement.

Got you, you little mudfish. You’re done for now.

"Just rest and recuperate properly here in the palace. Once you’ve recovered, it won’t be too late to return to Xuzhou." The Emperor said no more and turned to leave.

Xia Houzhe hurriedly said, "Imperial Brother, your younger brother is worried about Consort Mother, as well as the Princess and the others in the Prince Mansion. May I return to the Prince Mansion to recuperate?"

"We’re in troubled times. The palace is safe; you should stay here and recover. The Prince Mansion is in chaos as well." The Emperor seemed about to say more, then stopped.

Xia Houzhe sensed this and probed, "What chaos in the Prince Mansion? Is Imperial Brother hiding something from your younger brother?"

The Emperor pressed his lips together, his face darkening. "The remnants of the Xia clan sent assassins and abducted the illegitimate son in your mansion. I don’t know whether it’s to vent their hatred or to hold him as leverage. Don’t worry—he’s your only son. I will definitely get that child back."

Xia Houzhe’s expression completely shattered.

They abducted Dong’er?

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