The Marquis Mansion's Elite Class-Chapter 284

He hadn’t seen His Highness in a month. This wasn’t normal. Zong Jincheng recalled the icy coldness of the Crown Prince’s hand, and a sense of unease gnawed at him. Ignoring Shunzi’s protests, he immediately ordered the carriage to take him to the Crown Prince.

The Eastern Palace wasn’t a place just anyone could enter. Even when Zong Jincheng presented the jade pendant gifted by the Crown Prince, the guards refused him entry, not even offering to relay his message.

“Why is this useless again?” The little troublemaker scratched his head in frustration.

His Highness had clearly said this pendant was powerful, so why didn’t anyone recognize it? How was he supposed to get into the palace now?

Shunzi continued to coax him, “Young Master Jincheng, let’s return to the manor first. You won’t be able to enter. If we go back and ask Madam Xu Wan to request an audience with the Crown Princess, it’ll be much easier.”

The little troublemaker’s face fell pitifully as he pleaded, “Brother Guard, can’t you make an exception? I’m Zong Jincheng from Yangyuan Marquis Manor. His Highness likes me the most!”

The guard glanced at him indifferently. “Don’t know you. Don’t know anything. Leave now.”

Zong Jincheng: “...!”

Damn it! One day, I’ll make His Highness bring me here to get familiar with everyone. Let’s see if you still dare refuse me then!

Grumbling, Zong Jincheng turned to leave, planning to seek his mother’s help—only to look up and spot a familiar figure. It was His Highness’s personal guard: “Huaishui!!”

Huaishui blinked in surprise. “Young Master Jincheng?”

Zong Jincheng rushed over like a drowning man clutching at straws. “Huaishui, take me to the Eastern Palace! I need to see His Highness. He stood me up two days ago—I waited for him the whole time!”

Huaishui scratched his head. “His Highness isn’t in the Eastern Palace. He’s outside the city.”

“Outside the city?” The little troublemaker was stunned.

Why would His Highness leave the capital so suddenly? Was there really urgent business?

Huaishui lowered his head, holding a memorial in his hands. “The border war has raged for a year and a half. Many refugees have fled to the capital. His Highness has been outside the city managing relief efforts for the past four or five days. He only just found time to send me back to report to His Majesty and then fetch you from the manor.”

Zong Jincheng’s eyes lit up. “His Highness told you to bring me?”

Huaishui nodded. “Please wait a moment, Young Master. Once I deliver this memorial, I’ll take you to him.”

“Yes, yes, yes!” The little troublemaker was overjoyed, bouncing excitedly on the spot.

Huaishui hurried into the palace to submit the memorial. After his excitement settled, Zong Jincheng returned to the guard, clearing his throat pompously. “Brother Guard, did you hear that? His Highness specifically sent Huaishui to fetch me. Now do you understand how important I am to him?”

Guard: “...”

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Zong Jincheng continued lecturing, “So next time I come, you can’t stop me anymore, alright? It’s just not polite.”

Guard: ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‍“...”

The little troublemaker prattled on, “Well, fine, you can stop me—I get it, your job is important—but you have to at least announce me! As long as word reaches the Eastern Palace, whether it’s His Highness or the Crown Princess, they’ll send someone to bring me in. Do you know why?”

The guard did not want to know.

Zong Jincheng insisted on telling him anyway: “Because they all absolutely adore me!!!”

Guard: “…………”

Just kill me now. This post is unbearable.

Huaishui moved swiftly. After delivering the memorial, he escorted Zong Jincheng out of the capital. Shunzi returned to the manor to inform Xu Wan, leaving only Buyan to accompany the little rascal.

Outside the city, the refugee camp.

Zong Jincheng had never seen so many makeshift shelters before—flimsy and fragile, as if a strong wind could blow them away. The refugees were countless, huddled together in hunger and cold, too weak even to groan.

“Your Highness.”

Pushing through the sea of people, he spotted the Crown Prince in a moon-white robe, directing the distribution of relief porridge.

The Crown Prince turned. His sickly pale face was weary, but his spirits lifted slightly at the sight of the boy. He beckoned for the little troublemaker to come closer.

Zong Jincheng rushed over, looking up with concern. “Your Highness, so this is where you’ve been all these days. I thought you’d forgotten our promise.”

The Crown Prince chuckled softly. “I did forget. It wasn’t until I wrote the memorial to Father this morning that I remembered.”

Zong Jincheng grinned. “That’s alright! It’s not too late now. I even went to the Eastern Palace looking for you and just happened to run into Huaishui.”

“What a fortunate coincidence.”

Zong Jincheng suddenly grabbed the Crown Prince’s hand—icy cold, like holding a block of ice. He gasped. “Your Highness, are you freezing? Your hand feels even colder than before!”

The Crown Prince gently withdrew his hand, smiling faintly. “The weather outside the city is harsher. Stay a while longer, and you’ll feel the same.”

Zong Jincheng shivered slightly. The wind outside was indeed biting. He frowned. “Your Highness, why are there so many refugees? Why can’t they enter the city? Wouldn’t it be warmer inside?”

The Crown Prince led him to sit down, explaining patiently, “There are too many. The city doesn’t have space to house them all. Moreover, letting them flood into the capital could lead to unrest.”

“Unrest?” Zong Jincheng didn’t understand.

The Crown Prince smiled faintly. “Didn’t Huaishui tell you? They’ve come from the border. The journey to the capital is long, passing through many prosperous regions along the way. Why did they all flock here instead?”

The little troublemaker’s eyes widened slowly as he pieced it together. “There are two possibilities. One: the regions along the way drove them out, refusing them entry. With nowhere else to go, they dragged themselves here to the capital. Two: the refugees never intended to stop elsewhere—they came straight for the capital, believing only the capital could save them.”

The Crown Prince nodded approvingly. “Well reasoned. I’ve already sent men to investigate the counties along the route, but the reports haven’t come back yet. I also worry some among the refugees may harbor ill intent. Once inside the city, they’d be harder to control.”

Zong Jincheng nodded vigorously. “Your Highness is wise to be cautious.”

His gaze swept over the camp. The number of refugees was still growing—in the distance, soldiers were guiding more newcomers.

Frowning, he murmured, “Before the new year, everyone was celebrating the border army’s victory, saying they’d captured three enemy cities for the court. I thought that was a good thing.”

“The general fighting for the nation’s glory is indeed a good thing,” the Crown Prince said neutrally. “But Great Chu is too weak to sustain prolonged war. The refugees are only the first sign. If this continues, we may face dire consequences.”

Zong Jincheng froze. “Then the memorial you sent to His Majesty…?”

Amid the distant cries of displaced women and children, the chaotic clamor of the camp, the little troublemaker barely caught the Crown Prince’s whisper:

“I petitioned Father—to recall Luo Jingfeng and end the war.”