Chapter 418 - Throwing One Pawn Away
Chapter 418 - Throwing One Pawn Away
Inside the Delan Palace, Xi Ying had just stepped inside the large hall, when Zhao Zhuang Chen who was walking ahead of him stopped walking suddenly and turned around to look at him.
"Prime Minister Xi, why didn't choose me?"
Xi Ying looked at Zhao Zhuang Chen with quite a lazy expression on his face.
Ignoring the angry prince, he walked forward and then sat on one of the chair inside the hall comfortably.
Zhao Zhuang Chen found his actions very rude.
He so wanted to kick Xi Ying's chair and he was about to do the same when Xi Ying who was leaning on the headrest of the chair spoke coldly
"Before doing what Your Highness is thinking of doing, Your Highness should try to remember what has happened when Your Highness had tried to kick this minister last time."
Zhao Zhuang Chen stopped amidst his steps. His face went red in anger when he remembered what exactly has happened.
The next day, he had lost the title of the Crown Prince.
Zhao Zhuang Chen stepped back and the next moment he heard Xi Ying's mocking chuckle. He was filled with anger but he couldn't do anything.
Only God knew what else Xi Ying would do next if he did something to anger him again. As much as he disliked the truth, he knew that Xi Ying's opinion played a great role in his father's decision.
"Why did not you choose me to talk with convoy with you?"
He asked directly.
Xi Ying also raised his head to look at Zhao Zhuang Chen after the angry prince finished his question. He, however, looked at him as if he was a fool.
Zhao Zhuang Chen could understand his meaningful stare and he suddenly regretted that he decided to talk to Xi Ying. The man could anger him so much that he wanted to vomit the blood in rage.
Just at this moment, a maid entered the hall with tea and snacks in a tray.
Zhao Zhuang Chen's eyes narrowed and he shouted angrily as if he had finally found someone to vent his anger.
"Did I ever call for you?"
The maid halted amidst her steps. Her head was lowered and she was trembling every few seconds as she said
"Wangfei asked this servant to serve the tea and snacks as Prime Minister Xi was here."
Zhao Zhuang Chen's lips twitched and he smiled coldly as he said
"Then where is she? Ask her to come here."
The maid left immediately and with her, she took the tea and snacks away.
Yun Weilan entered the hall very soon as if she was waiting outside only. It was now she who had the tray in her hands.
Xi Ying's lips were pressed in a thin line as he watched the woman putting the tray on the table that was in front of her.
She as a princess Consort should not do all this.
His eyes moved to Zhao Zhuang Chen and he saw how the prince was looking at Yun Weilan's submissive behavior with satisfaction.
His eyes flashed with disgust. Is that how Zhao Zhuang Chen treated his wife?
He remembered how Yun Weilan had shouted at Zhao Zhuang Chen for her son during the Mid Autumn Banquet Celebration.
How could an egoistic man like him could take such a thing!
Zhao Zhuang Chen was stupid in Xi Ying's eyes but Yun Weilan was more stupid in his eyes for enduring whatever he was throwing her way.
He didn't have any wish to see any stupid drama, Xi Ying looked at Zhao Zhuang Chen and answered his previous question
"Well…this Lord remembers Your Highness behavior from the past few months? and thought that we won't be able to work together. That's why this Lord thought that it would be better to have the second prince to accompany me in this work."
Xi Ying said and stood up from his chair.
Zhao Zhuang Chen's flickered with contempt and he said angrily
"Are not you too petty, Prime Minister Xi?"
Xi Ying smiled coldly and nodded his head.
"Your Highness said the truth. This Lord is indeed very petty."
Zhao Zhuang Chen stood there with his fists clenched as he looked at Xi Ying. There seemed to be no way now he could make the young prime minister change his sides, is it so?
However, he didn't want to lose the throne and so for the first time he put aside his ego and asked politely.
"Prime Minister Xi, Benwang wishes to make peace with you. "
Xi Ying smile widened but it had only more mocking for Zhao Zhuang Chen now. He walked to stand in front of Zhao Zhuang Chen and he stared into his eyes with a little pity.
"Your Highness is too later, this Lord will like to say. Even if we make peace now, there is nothing that this Lord can do to help Your Highness. After all, His Majesty had already decided to which prince he would pass the throne to. Even the person who has been chosen knows about this."
"What rubbish?"
Zhao Zhuang Chen stepped back in shock.
Even Yun Weilan who was silently hearing everything paused amidst her actions of serving tea.
Xi Ying didn't say that Zhao Wang Lei had chosen Zhao Zhang Wei as the next Emperor but his words indirectly meant that only.
Zhao Zhuang Chen wanted to believe that Xi Ying was lying. However, when he saw Xi Ying's expressionless face, he couldn't really conclude anything.
"You are lying."
Xi Ying nodded his head and said casually
"This Lord might be."
"However, if this Lord was in Your Highness' place then this Lord would have investigated the whole matter."
Zhao Zhuang Chen nodded his head and said in a daze.
"Good suggestion. Benwang will do that."
"This Lord never suggested anything."
Xi Ying said casually and then left the Delan Palace leaving Zhao Zhuang Chen with a jumbled mind.
He was sure that Zhao Zhuang Chen would not ask Zhao Wang Lei about this...at least not before investigating this matter. However, even if he did, he didn't have any evidence against him as he never said anything that could put him in a difficult situation.
True, he never said anything but he had already said everything he had wanted to say.
By sowing a seed of doubt in Zhao Zhuang Chen's mind, he threw one pawn of Zhao Wang Lei away with a few words.