Chapter 215 - The Appointment 2

The Crown Prince's mansion 

Zhongshan Ling was very angry after hearing Chen Yao's words, his mind too far gone to register the strain on his lame foot. However, a short while after, his shaky legs broke the fog of anger in him. His hand on the wooden cane shook and he bit his lips gently. Eunuch Lan noticing these signs signalled for one of the low ranked eunuchs that followed behind him to bring the wheelchair forward.

He took control of the wheelchair and moved closer to the Crown Prince, he stooped a few steps away and bowed. "Don't strain your muscles, your highness. Please have a seat" he gestured to the wheelchair beside Zhongshan Ling. His words seemed to draw Zhongshan Ling away from his thought. The shift in attention made Zhongshan Ling conscious of the sharp pain below his knee, from the wooden foot he had on hitting his joints. 

He nodded and holding on to Fu Hong who stood at his right moved to the side and sat on the wheelchair. He felt relieved as he sat and leaned backwards, the gate was a short distance away. Eunuch Ling pulled out the folded blanket in the compartment behind the wheelchair, unfolded it and wrapped it around Zhongshan Ling's legs before putting his leg on the leg brace.

He walked around the wheelchair to stand behind the chair and placed his hand on the handle behind the chair. Eunuch Lan paused as Zhongshan Ling said, "eunuch Lan since Madam Chen likes the company of treasures so much please deliver a few to her hall tomorrow. They can keep her company from now on, I want her nameplate removed from the nighttime duties until she has her priorities in order".

Eunuch Lan felt his lips twitch as he received the order, he did not like the new little madam, this was music to his ears. This new madam to eunuch Lan was an opportunist, although he did always accompany the Crown Prince of late. He was still very well informed about everything concerning the Crown Prince and hence was aware of how the Crown Prince acquired that concubine.

To a man, as experienced and calculating as eunuch Lan he knew that this concubine had gotten into the mansion by playing little tricks. Tricks that could only be carried out with Old master Tong's direction. Old master Tong was gradually expanding his control in the mansion, it was difficult to tell who to trust. Eunuch Lan carefully controlled his expression and maintain a relaxed expression as he replied, " Yes, your highness. This lowly servant will make the arrangements".

He held the handle of the wheelchair located behind the chair and began to push the chair forward. They had covered a significant distance when Secretary Qi the Crown Prince Secretary run up to them. Zhongshan Ling frowned as he saw his usually calm Secretary running forward, he raised a hand and everyone stopped moving. 

"Your Highness", Secretary Qi said in-between pants, he bent forward with his hand resting on his laps as he tried to catch his breath.

"Why the panic?" Zhongshan Ling asked frowning slightly.

Secretary Qi stood straight, glanced at the servants behind before walking closer. "Your highness, Chief Ning Boran's body was abandoned at the intersection opposite the ministry of justice".

Zhongshan Ling looked up quickly and glands over his shoulders at the servants behind him. "head back to the study", he instructed.

Minutes later, He was wheeled into his study by eunuch Lan. The Secretary and Fu Hong followed him behind, he had instructed Eunuch Lan to gather information on the rumours going around so only his closest subordinates followed him into his study while the rest of his attendants stood outside.

"Explain why that fool's body out there, didn't I instruct you to take care of that mess carefully! Why is he out there right now?" He asked Fu Lang who walked in and shut the door behind him seconds earlier. 

Fu Lang clenched his hands at the Crown Prince's tone of voice, Zhongshan Ling sounded like he could kill him with his bare hands, not that he could stop his boss from thinking this way. Getting rid of Ning Boran's body after the questioning was the main order the Crown Prince gave him yesterday night. This was after Zhongshan Ling tried to get the truth of the identity of the person behind the accusations.

"I got rid of the body your Highness before the end of the night. I had the body buried at the right spot. I don't know how this happened. I cleaned up the body after the questioning but this morning the body appeared mutilated. Whoever is behind this made it to look like he was tortured."

Zhongshan Ling looked up with narrowed gaze, "the body was mutilated?" To which Fu Lang nodded, he sighed and looked away. "I watched you clean up the body, someone is playing games with us. I cannot let whoever this is win not to my expense, I need to see the body. Identifying whoever that is behind this is the number one priority." 

Zhongshan Ling placed his hand on the wheel of his chair about to wheel himself forward when Fu Lang said, "there is one more thing your Highness, it is about Prince Wu".

Zhongshan Ling paused and looked up at his spymaster, " what is it?"

"Your highness, his Majesty pulled you off the case. Prince Wu was invited into the palace not long ago and appointed to investigate the case", he said.

"What? Why is it him? How is that even possible? Once again, Imperial father is using every opportunity to uplift him even at my expense", Zhongshan frowned. 'I have tried so hard to get Imperial father's trust but even after decades, I hasn't earned even a sliver of that. Yet, father, Emperor is putting in every effort to draw Lu Yaozhu a forgotten prince closer. Why must I be forced to bow down every single time? It seems Lu Yaozhu is slowly becoming a problem, father Emperor must wish to replace me with him, he thought silently.

Fu Lang who unlike his younger cousin Fu Hong, like everyone else wasn't aware of Lu Yaozhu's true identity but had a deep hatred for Lu Yaozhu. He was under the Tong family's team and as such saw Lu Yaozhu as an enemy who was out to monopolize power in the capital. A power that the Tong family believed was meant to be theirs since they were the Crown Prince's maternal family.

He could let an opportunity to cause a rift between the Crown Prince and Lu Yaozhu go. He glanced at the Crown Prince and said, "this appointment was orchestrated, your highness. I suspect that Prince Wu had a hand in this case and even if he didn't, he will use this for his benefit. The Ning family accused your highness of torturing and killing their son to get ".

"What? How is that possible? Looks like I need to look into Lu Yaozhu's activities."

"Your Highness, should I send someone to follow him?"

"No, don't. At least not yet, I am the Crown Prince even if they somehow find out my involvement.. Imperial father would never let me get killed, I want to use this case to test Lu Yaozhu. Let's see how he handles this case, for old times case"