After being exiled for eighteen years, the prince returned to the capital as a veritable immortal.

Royal palace, back garden.

On either side of the circular archway stood a guard in embroidered robes and carrying a sword.

The fact that they each carried a cloud pattern on their shoulders indicates that they were already patrol officers.

I heard that Commander Jiang Chong did not want Prince Yi of Liangzhou to disrupt his birthday banquet.

The two volunteered to ensure that the imperial grandson would be kept out of the birthday banquet.

As confidants of Deputy Commander Su Wen, the two were deeply grieved by their superior's death.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard was the sharpest blade in the Emperor's hands, and they were always successful in confiscating property and exterminating entire families.

Being directly under the Empress's command, and with no other officials having the right to interfere with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was the source of their arrogance.

The Crown Prince was killed, the Second Prince was driven mad, the families of thirteen prime ministers were confiscated, and countless officials at all levels were investigated and punished...

When were high-ranking officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard ever killed?

The two captains were seething with anger.

When the imperial grandson arrives, he will be utterly humiliated and forced to leave in disgrace.

far away.

A prince dressed in a black python robe walked leisurely in, accompanied by a man and a woman.

The two officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard exchanged a glance, their strong hands gripping the handles of their waist knives.

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

The two men bowed in a perfunctory manner, and then said:

"Commander Jiang Chong is hosting a birthday banquet at Baihua Pavilion. Your Highness, please come and join us."

While talking.

The two took a step each and stood side by side in the center of the circular archway.

Having raided the homes of so many important figures, the two showed no fear whatsoever when facing a disgraced imperial grandson.

Standing in the middle of the road makes one's stance clear:

If you want to enter the garden, you'll have to step over my brother and me!

Who dares?

I ask you, who dares?

The Third Prince and the Fifth Prince dared not, and even Empress Yu Gou, the most favored concubine of Emperor Wu, did not dare.

The two Embroidered-Clad Guards were fearless and emboldened.

Huh?

A hint of doubt flashed in their eyes.

The Imperial Grandson, surprisingly, did not stop walking.

He still strolled around leisurely.

His gaze was calm and leisurely, as if he hadn't seen the two of them at all, nor heard their words.

A figure in a dark python robe approached step by step.

Ten steps...

Eight steps...

Five steps.

Are we really going to step over their bodies?

The two captains' eyes were filled with disbelief.

Sudden.

Beside the grandson of the emperor, a general in white robes and silver armor, wielding a sword, darted forward.

Gangster official boots, with white soles turned up.

He suddenly kicked at me.

"Bang, bang!"

Two muffled thuds followed.

The Embroidered-Clad Guard's vision went black for a moment, and when he opened his eyes again, all he could see was a cobblestone ground.

Their cheeks rubbed against the ground, and the two of them were momentarily stunned.

what happened?

I... wasn't standing inside the archway?

The image of white-soled police boots belonging to gangsters flashed through their minds, making them realize something.

They were kicked away.

The disgraced imperial grandson didn't even bother to utter a single word.

The accompanying general then kicked them both away.

This master and servant are incredibly arrogant.

This is truly a bizarre phenomenon that has only been seen once in twenty years.

Two embroidered guards were still lying on the ground, questioning their existence, when three tall, slender figures had already casually passed by.

"The royal garden has been occupied by servants, who forbid members of the royal family from entering. How ridiculous!"

A voice as sweet as a nightingale's song suddenly snapped the two of them out of their reverie.

This garden, and indeed the entire world, is the private property of the royal family.

They can use it freely if the royal family doesn't mind.

However, refusing entry to the royal family would be tantamount to a servant deceiving his master.

……

Si Xuan was refreshed and walked with a brisk pace.

It felt as if my feet were infused with millennia of energy, warm and incredibly powerful.

Disobedient dogs need to be disciplined.

After all, His Highness Prince Yi is the eldest grandson of the Zhou family, how could he tolerate such behavior from petty thieves?

……

In the pavilion on the high platform.

The three princes looked down from their high positions.

The three men were momentarily stunned as they watched the Embroidered-Clad Guard being kicked several feet away.

This kick shocked them.

The Imperial Grandson is far too reckless.

I only heard about what happened before.

Several people witnessed this flying kick.

The impact was extremely strong.

He was even more excited than when he heard the news of Su Wen's death.

"Wow! This is what royalty is all about!"

The fourth prince, with his arm around the female prime minister's waist, exclaimed in amazement, "Compared to the imperial grandson, I am the real grandson."

The Third Prince sighed and said:

"The Imperial Grandson Si truly doesn't care."

Only by not caring can one be fearless.

Only when you have no fear in your heart can you act according to your heart.

“Yes,” the Fifth Prince said longingly, “when will I be able to be like him?”

"Yes, yes," the fourth prince said excitedly.

"When will I be able to have a woman as beautiful as him by my side?"

……

Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

Empress Jade Hook stood in the center of the pavilion.

The three princes stood to one side, enjoying the fresh fruit.

Behind the three men stood an official and an attendant.

Aside from the fourth prince's stunningly beautiful female prime minister, the third and fifth princes also brought their respective prime ministers from their fiefdoms.

Today, they entered the palace ostensibly to pay their respects to the concubines.

In reality, it was about winning over the forces behind them in order to gain an advantage in the struggle for the throne.

Since the purpose is to persuade these distinguished guests, it is natural to bring along the wise and resourceful Prime Minister.

The Empress and the princes both used the excuse of passing by while strolling in the garden to come to Jiang Chong's birthday banquet.

Therefore, they naturally wouldn't sit down as guests.

If that were the case, it would confirm that the master was celebrating the servant's birthday, which would surely make him a laughingstock.

Light footsteps could be heard from outside the door.

Zhou Yi stepped into the pavilion, followed closely by Hu Die and Si Xuan.

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress, and greetings, my three Imperial Uncles."

Zhou Yi cupped his hands and bowed to the three members of the royal family.

Hu Die and Si Xuan also paid their respects.

Empress Yugou glanced at the three of them but did not say anything.

The three princes forced smiles and said, "No need for formalities."

To their surprise,

Afterwards, Hu Die paid her respects to the prime ministers behind the three princes.

His voice wasn't loud, his movements weren't particularly eye-catching, but his attitude was quite proper.

"Meet the three adults."

The three prime ministers were flattered and silently returned the greeting with clasped hands.

The feeling of being respected made the three of them secretly pleased.

Tsk tsk, the imperial grandson is really something.

The servants he brought were all so polite and well-mannered.

Even the three princes looked at the three of them with new respect.

Respecting one's subordinates makes the master feel respected.

however.

Zhou Yi's next words immediately caused the others to lose all goodwill towards him.

"Your Majesty, my three imperial uncles, have you come to offer my birthday greetings?"

All eyes in the room turned to Zhou Yi.

His eyes were full of dissatisfaction.

This is something you can do, but you can't say about it.

If we say it out loud, everyone will lose face.

Aren't you here to offer birthday wishes and smooth things over?

Oh, right.

The Imperial Grandson is not actually one.

He came to plead guilty and seek Jiang Chong's forgiveness.

After all, no one has ever killed a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard without being punished.

No one spoke.

Zhou Yi continued, "Master, how can you kneel before your servant?"

"Royal family members, how dare you kneel before eunuchs!"

The three princes looked at each other, their faces a mixture of embarrassment and shame.

Zhou Yi's words were like a boulder thrown into the hearts of the three, stirring up countless waves.

Jiang Chongquan wielded immense power, and it's only natural for people to fear him.

but.

Is it worth it to lower oneself to beg for the throne?

Does that mean one has to step on the dignity of royalty to climb to that dragon throne?

The three fell into deep thought.

Empress Yu Gou's face turned deathly pale.

Being exposed and having one's true intentions revealed is nothing short of a naked humiliation.

As a woman, she naturally cares more about her image.

Moreover, she was the Empress, the mother of the nation.

"Be bold!"

Her personal eunuch rebuked her:

"Her Majesty the Empress was merely strolling in the garden; she never knelt before any servant."

Zhou Yi sneered:

"True kneeling is kneeling in one's heart!"

The sound was like a resounding bell, echoing throughout the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

It shook the very core of everyone's hearts.

Yes, it's true, they're royalty, yet they're celebrating a eunuch's birthday.

Put aside your pride and ask for their help.

The body, though not kneeling.

In reality, however, they had already knelt down completely.

Kneeling without any dignity at the feet of a servant.

Just like now.

A servant even left his master, who was celebrating his birthday, standing aside.

This is an even more blatant humiliation.

The little eunuch angrily said:

"Your Highness Prince Yi, do not speak nonsense! Where the Empress goes and what she does is none of your business."

"I don't care."

Zhou Yi's voice remained calm and serene, yet it struck a chord deep within everyone's hearts:

“All members of the royal family should remember this.”

"The royal dignity must not be lost, and the court's etiquette must not be abolished!"

……