Rebirth: Making a Fortune in Ancient Times

"Teacher, do you think we'll be able to enter the palace smoothly tomorrow? Is Father waiting for us in the palace?" Shen Luo asked Li Taifu while eating the tender fish slices.

"Well, your father... he's definitely waiting for us in the palace." Grand Tutor Li originally wanted to say that his father was the emperor, but seeing the child who had grown up beside him, his mood had just improved. He didn't want to lecture him with grand principles anymore; these past two days, he just wanted to treat him like his own grandson and pamper him, so he went along with what the child was saying.

"Yeah, it's been so long since I've seen him. I miss him," Shen Luo said with a smile, deliberately forgetting all her unhappiness.

The next day and night passed peacefully. Xia Yu tried her best to satisfy Shen Luo's cravings. However, since they couldn't resupply at sea, they mostly ate fish, and Xia Yu prepared a variety of delicious dishes for him. Finally, amidst this apparent peace, the group arrived at the docks in the capital.

When they arrived, there was already a carriage waiting at the dock. The markings on the carriage were not visible, but the person who came out was none other than Eunuch Li, who had gone to Ming'an County to pick them up.

Seeing the person alighting from the carriage, Grand Tutor Li asked in surprise.

"Why did you come in person?"

Eunuch Li didn't rush to speak to the Grand Tutor, but instead first performed a deep kneeling bow to Shen Luo. Shen Luo tried to dodge, but Xia Yu pressed down on his shoulder, and he forced himself to stand there and accept Eunuch Li's deep bow, enduring the awkward feeling.

"Your Highness, please get in the carriage," Eunuch Li whispered to Shen Luo, his voice so low that only Xia Yu and Nineteen, who were closest to Shen Luo, could hear it.

Shen Luo nodded slightly, and then, with the help of Eunuch Li, got into the carriage parked to the side.

"Sister Xiaxia, why don't you sit with me?" Shen Luo said to Xia Yu as she sat down in the carriage, lifting the curtain.

Xia Yu looked at Eunuch Li beside her, who immediately understood and said...

"Of course, the Lady of the Township can ride in the same carriage as the Crown Prince, and these two personal maids can also accompany her!"

With his permission, Xia Yu led the two maids into the carriage. Eunuch Li rode in the same carriage as the Grand Tutor.

On the carriage, Grand Tutor Li asked Eunuch Li...

"How is His Majesty?"

Eunuch Li shook his head and sighed.

"I don't know about that. Ever since the day His Majesty vomited blood and fainted in court, I haven't seen his face again. However, the imperial physicians have remained in His Majesty's bedchamber the whole time, so I suppose..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but thinking about it, it wouldn't be good. The Emperor's health was already poor, and now he had vomited blood twice; how could he possibly recover?

The thought of entering the palace soon weighed heavily on Li Taifu's heart. A somber atmosphere filled the carriage.

"Is there anything else?" Li Taifu asked after a while.

"His Majesty has already issued an imperial edict, establishing a crown prince. However..."

"Speak up, what's there to hide now?" Seeing his old friend's expression, Grand Tutor Li knew that the Emperor had probably done something unexpected.

"His Majesty has arranged for the Crown Prince to be adopted by the Imperial Concubine. Once the Crown Prince ascends the throne, the Imperial Concubine, as the Empress Dowager, will rule from behind the curtain until His Majesty comes of age, and..."

"Can't you just say it all at once? Why do you have to make people anxious?"

"Moreover, the Emperor has betrothed Jiang Xile, the eldest daughter of the Jiang family, to the Crown Prince as his wife. The wedding will take place on a chosen date after they both come of age."

Upon hearing Eunuch Li's account of the Emperor's arrangements, Grand Tutor Li lowered his head and pondered for a moment. He understood the Emperor's meaning. Although these actions seemed to favor the Jiang family, weren't they also a form of protection for the Crown Prince? In this way, the Shen family could be completely bound to the Crown Prince, ensuring their wholehearted support.

Seeing that Grand Tutor Li hadn't reacted at all after he'd said so much, Eunuch Li found it somewhat unbelievable. He knew that he and Consort Jiang were at odds, and now the Emperor, for the sake of Consort Jiang's future honor, was actually going to adopt the Crown Prince as her son—didn't he object?

"You don't need to look at me like that. The Emperor's actions are appropriate; at least it's a win-win situation. It seems he's not..." He was delirious from illness. He just didn't finish the last few words. After all, this was the child he had raised, and now that his life was hanging by a thread, he felt extremely distressed.

After saying this, silence fell again inside the carriage. With the clatter of the carriage, they soon arrived at the palace gates. Seeing the tightly closed gates, Eunuch Li, holding his waist token, stepped forward and knocked on the gate.

Soon, the palace gates opened. Two rows of imperial guards, clad in armor, ran out of the palace and knelt before the carriage carrying Shen Luo.

"Welcome back to the palace, Crown Prince."

With the help of Eunuch Li, Shen Luo stepped down from the carriage, looked at the two rows of imperial guards kneeling before him, and raised his hand to speak.

"Rise, my comrades, you have worked hard."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Then, accompanied by Xia Yu and Grand Tutor Li, Shen Luo walked step by step into the palace, embarking on another beginning in his life.

Looking at the road ahead, Shen Luo was filled with emotion. Last time he came here, he was his father's eldest son by a concubine, a student of the Grand Tutor. Now, he had returned as the Crown Prince. Thinking of the Emperor he had only met once and chatted with, who could have imagined that he was actually his biological father?

Those inside the palace had already received the message delivered at the palace gates. At this moment, the civil and military officials, who had been kept in the palace for several days, led by Grand Tutor Shen, hurried out to welcome the future crown prince.

Those ministers who had previously doubted Shen Luo's identity were now even more agitated. If Lord Shen didn't have enough evidence to prove the Crown Prince was the Emperor's bloodline, then the only option would be a blood test, even though that might harm the Emperor's health. But that was still better than handing over the entire empire to the Shen family!

However, all their thoughts and plans vanished the moment they saw Shen Luo—no, it should be Zhou Luo—at first glance. Because that face bore a striking resemblance to the Emperor. Moreover, among these people were veteran officials who had served two reigns; they had all seen the Emperor in his childhood, and the Crown Prince's face bore a striking resemblance to the Emperor's as a child.

As for why Shen Luo wasn't recognized when he first arrived in the capital, it was because Shen Jingheng and Madam Jiang hadn't introduced him to anyone at that time, and also because Jiang Xue had deliberately fattened him up considerably. So when he first entered the palace to see the Emperor, he hadn't completely lost the fat, and only looked somewhat like the Emperor.

Now, he has long since lost weight and returned to his former appearance, making his resemblance to the emperor even more obvious.