The Imperial Guard led the way, followed by a group of eunuchs, as Emperor Yongning and his entourage headed grandly towards the Cold Palace.
Along the way, there was a constant buzz of whispers behind them.
"Why is His Majesty suddenly making such a grand move? Is he going to the palace gate to welcome some general back? Or perhaps a foreign envoy has come to visit?"
"Look carefully, His Majesty is not heading out of the palace, it seems he is heading towards the Cold Palace."
Everyone was taken aback.
Does a mere Cold Palace require such a grand display?
"Could it be that he is going in there to receive some noble person?" someone raised a doubt.
"Ha-ha! Are you joking? Pray tell, what noble person could be in the Cold Palace? Where? What is their name? What do they look like? Quick, tell me, so I can hurry to curry favor."
After ridiculing the speaker, they couldn’t help but clutch their belly and laugh.
The people nearby joined in the laughter, not forgetting to chime in, "Isn’t it just lunatics or fools locked up in the Cold Palace? How could there be a noble person? Use your brain, please!"
"Stop saying such foolish things, or else you’ll become a laughingstock."
"Then why is His Majesty suddenly going to the Cold Palace with such a large entourage?"
"My good brother is in the Imperial Guard, he told me that a mischievous child has been repeatedly teasing His Majesty, even making him sick with anger. Now that His Majesty’s health is just better, he’s heading to the Cold Palace to catch that mischievous child."
"That explanation seems plausible."
"By the way, which family does this mischievous child belong to? How bold to dare to tease His Majesty! How are his parents disciplining him? They must not be punishing him enough."
"Children are lovely when they are obedient and well-behaved. This kind of naughty child causes trouble and makes you worry, encountering them is truly unlucky, like a debt sent by heaven."
"Alas, my wife is about to give birth, I hope she gives me a obedient child."
A group of patrolling men, after some idle talk, continued their patrol.
A master gardener trimming flower branches overheard everything they said. He expressed no opinion at that time, but after those people walked away, he stroked his beard and uttered, "Isn’t the obedient and well-behaved child simply foolish?" Official source ıs 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝘯𝘦𝘵
Only the foolish ones aren’t rowdy and don’t know how to be rowdy, so they listen.
These men are truly curious creatures, not seeking good but seeking to produce a foolish child?
The master gardener shook his head knowingly.
The Cold Palace had never been so lively as it was today.
Usually, no one would come, and even the passing Palace Attendants would avoid it.
But today, the reigning Emperor set his visit to the Cold Palace, the Imperial Guard all came to guard him, eunuchs accompanied to serve. This entourage was almost seventy or eighty people, and now all gathered at the Cold Palace Gate, making it impenetrable.
The matron guarding the Cold Palace thought something major must have happened, her legs trembling as she came to open the door. Filled with doubt, she wanted to ask a few questions, but faced with those cold, murderous gazes, every question was swallowed down.
She wisely opened the door quickly, then retreated into a corner as far as possible, hoping desperately not to be noticed.
And, truly, no one noticed her.
At this moment, everyone’s thoughts were entirely on catching that audacious child who had repeatedly teased His Majesty.
Today, the mischievous child absolutely won’t escape.