After being thoroughly violated, he ran away with the enemy emperor's child.

The sobs were intermittent and suppressed. Chu Junci frowned: "Who is crying?"

Upon hearing his question, the head eunuch mistakenly thought he was angry and hurriedly apologized: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. The new eunuch is ignorant of the rules. This servant will teach him a lesson right away."

"etc."

Chu Junci stopped him: "Bring the person over here."

"Yes."

The head eunuch left, and soon brought in another person.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

The voice was familiar; it was none other than Lu Shu, the little eunuch who had questioned him yesterday.

In his memory, Lu Shu was a warm-hearted and cheerful person, but also a bit silly. This was the first time Chu Junci had ever heard him cry like this.

"Why are you crying?" King Chu asked.

When asked about this, Lu Shu's voice choked with emotion: "This morning I received news that my elderly mother's condition has worsened. The doctor said that if she doesn't receive treatment soon, perhaps..."

Lu Shu entered the palace to raise money for his mother's medical treatment. He sent almost all of his monthly salary out of the palace, but it was still far from enough.

The mother's condition suddenly worsened, and the doctor said they needed a thousand-year-old ginseng to keep her alive, but where would Lu Shu get so much money...?

"I have disturbed Your Highness; this servant deserves to die a thousand deaths."

He wiped away his tears, his heart filled with despair.

His Majesty values ​​Prince Chen highly and had instructed them to serve him well, but he cried incessantly while on duty...

Now things are really bad. Forget about treating his mother's illness, he doesn't even know if he can save his own life.

Unexpectedly, a few breaths later, a voice came from ahead: "This is for you."

Startled, Lu Shu looked up and saw a jade pendant.

The jade pendant has an excellent color, and you can tell at a glance that it is very expensive.

"Chen, Jun?"

"This jade pendant is something I always keep with me. You can pawn it outside the palace to use for your mother's medical treatment."

"How...how can this be done?"

"It's alright."

Chu Junci opened his lips: "I don't need it in the palace, so I'll give it to you."

"Thank you, Lord Chen."

Lu Shu's eyes reddened as he accepted Chu Junci's jade pendant with both hands, then wiped away his tears: "Your Majesty's great kindness and virtue will never be forgotten by this humble servant."

"Go."

"Yes."

Lu Shu jogged away, and Chu Junci, listening to his movements, slightly curled her fingertips.

Just now, four words flashed through his mind—Hengxiang Pawnshop.

The largest pawnshop in the capital of Zhao Kingdom, and also a spy base for Yong Kingdom in Zhao Kingdom.

Based on the dream, if Chu Junci's guess is correct, perhaps his identity is...

Once the people at Hengxiang Pawnshop see the jade pendant, they will know he is in the palace, and his doubts will be resolved.

The little incident naturally didn't escape Mo Yan's ears. He narrowed his eyes slightly: "Aci gave the jade pendant away?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Where is that little eunuch? Bring him to see me."

A quarter of an hour later, Lu Shu stood in the Imperial Study.

He kept his head down, not daring to look too closely, his hands clenched tightly, not knowing what His Majesty had asked him to do.

"Raise your head," he heard His Majesty say.

Lu Shu obediently looked up, and Mo Yan stared at his face, thinking to himself: He's not as good-looking as me, and his voice isn't as pleasant either.

Relieved, he lightly tapped the table: "Did Aci reward you with a jade pendant?"

"Yes, Your Majesty..."

"Give it to me."

"..."

The jade pendant was warm to the touch and of excellent quality. Mo Yan looked at it for a while, then put it in his pocket and had Wu Xu give Lu Shu a new one.

After dismissing Lu Shu, Mo Yan rubbed the jade pendant in his pocket, secretly feeling envious.

Aci hasn't given him anything yet.

A few seconds later, he got up and went to Qiyue Palace, only to be told by the guards that Chu Jun had resigned from Fu'an Palace—the Empress Dowager's residence.

Fifteen minutes ago.

Inside Qiyue Palace, almost as soon as Lu Shu left, several uninvited guests arrived in the courtyard.

The leader was an old eunuch, who held his head high and spoke arrogantly, "The Empress Dowager summons you. Where is the Prince?"

"The Empress Dowager?"

Chu Junci tilted his head slightly as he listened to the head eunuch say, "The Empress Dowager is His Majesty's birth mother, but their relationship is not very good..."

Where is Chen Jun?

When Chu Junci failed to appear, the old eunuch burst into the inner palace. "The Empress Dowager summons you, why is Prince Chen so late? Does he disrespect the Empress Dowager?"

"..."

Chu Junci remained silent for a few moments, a gentle breeze ruffling the silk blindfold over his eyes: "I wonder what business the Empress Dowager has with me?"

"When Chenjun arrives, he will naturally know."

The old eunuch remained arrogant: "Guards, escort the Prince to the Fu'an Palace."

He emphasized the word "please," and several eunuchs stepped forward, their demeanor suggesting ill intent.

"I can walk by myself."

As Chu Junci left Qiyue Palace with them, he walked on the pebbly path and heard the sound of flowing water.

A quarter of an hour later, he stood outside the gate of Fu'an Hall.

"Please wait a moment, Your Highness. This old servant will go and report to the Empress Dowager immediately."

"Um."

The old eunuch left, and Chu Junci stood alone at the door. Fu'an Palace was very quiet, so quiet that only the sound of the wind could be heard.

He silently counted the time, and half an hour later, the old eunuch reappeared: "Your Highness, please."

Standing in the center of the hall, Chu Junci felt a strong gaze upon him. He said softly, "May the Empress Dowager be well."

No need for formalities.

The Empress Dowager stared at him, scrutinizing him closely: "You are Mo Ci?"

"Um."

"You are indeed alluring; no wonder the emperor favors you."

"..."

"It's a pity he's a man, unable to bear children for the emperor."

"..."

"Do you know why I summoned you?"

"I don't know."

The Empress Dowager didn't mince words and said directly, "Your Majesty's harem is just a formality. You've been the only one all these years, and you're a man. Although you have a beautiful face, you're old and your beauty is fading."

"I have a niece, pure and lovely, at the tender age of sixteen. If you can persuade His Majesty to take her into the palace, I will grant you a life of wealth and honor."

So he was meant to be cannon fodder. Chu Junci said indifferently, "His Majesty won't listen to me."

"How dare you! Referring to yourself as 'I' in front of the Empress Dowager, Your Highness! Has no one taught you manners?" the old eunuch shouted sternly.

The Empress Dowager remained silent, clearly tacitly approving of his reprimand of Chu Junci, or perhaps, the old eunuch's actions were at her behest.

With the Empress Dowager's support, the old eunuch became even more smug: "Guards, teach the Prince what manners are!"

As soon as these words were spoken, guards stepped forward, pressed down on Chu Junci's shoulders, and tried to make him kneel down.

Chu Junci, however, did not want to kneel.

His subconscious told him that he didn't need to kneel, and even less should he kneel.

He gritted his teeth: "Get out of here."

Using his inner strength to push away several guards, Chu Junci said coldly, "Mo Yan said that I do not need to kneel before anyone."

"This is outrageous! This is absolutely outrageous!"

The old eunuch's fingertips trembled: "A mere male concubine dares to disregard the Empress Dowager! Attack him all at once! Break his legs and see if he'll kneel!"

"Let's see who dares!"