The Grand Empress Dowager urged him on, her face showing impatience.
Her expression startled Jiang Yubao.
"Replying to the Grand Empress Dowager, this servant noticed that the Fifth Prince and the Grand Tutor have a very good relationship. Perhaps he has been with the Grand Tutor all these years, and his temperament has changed somewhat, which is unavoidable."
The Grand Empress Dowager nodded upon hearing this; it was very possible.
"Then, in your opinion, what should we do now? He left without a word, where should we find him?"
As soon as the Grand Empress Dowager finished speaking, before Jiang Yubao could reply, the distant shouts of eunuchs announced, "The Emperor has arrived."
"The Emperor's grandeur is truly growing, putting on such a show," the Grand Empress Dowager remarked with a slight smile, but her eyes were icy cold.
Jiang Yubao lowered his head even further, murmuring, "These are the palace rules, Grand Empress Dowager need not be so concerned."
The Grand Empress Dowager let out a cold laugh but said nothing more.
Jiang Yubao slowly moved behind the Grand Empress Dowager, standing there with his head bowed.
A moment later, the Emperor Sima Zhu entered.
Upon entering, Sima Zhu first paid his respects to the Grand Empress Dowager, "Greetings, Imperial Father."
The Grand Empress Dowager smiled warmly and quickly said, "Get up, get up. Although we are father and son, you are now the ruler of the nation. You do not need to be so formal when you see me."
Sima Zhu stood up and sat beside the Grand Empress Dowager, smiling, "Even as the Son of Heaven, Imperial Father is still Imperial Father. Our Great Chu governs with filial piety. No matter the time, these rituals must not be abandoned."
"It is good that Your Majesty understands courtesy," the Grand Empress Dowager nodded with a smile.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Sima Zhu seemed to suddenly recall something and looked at the Grand Empress Dowager curiously, "I heard Imperial Father mention some time ago that you wanted to bring the Fifth Prince back, and even sent the most capable General Jiang himself to do so. Since General Jiang has already returned, the Fifth Prince must have returned as well, right?"
After speaking, Sima Zhu didn't wait for the Grand Empress Dowager's reply and continued, "This morning, I saw the Fourth Prince. He mentioned that yesterday, by the city gates, he happened to see General Jiang leading a convoy entering the city. At the time, he worried that some unscrupulous individuals might try to sneak in. Who would have thought it was the Fifth Prince inside? This morning, he told me that when he meets the Fifth Prince, he wants to apologize properly."
"Indeed, the Fifth Prince has always been most benevolent. Since the Fourth Prince meant no harm, he surely won't be angry."
"Alas. After all this talk, where is the Fifth Prince? He has returned, but has not come to see me? Is he still angry about what happened a few years ago?"
As he spoke, Sima Zhu shook his head, "If it is truly because of that, then the Fifth Prince is too distant. Regardless, he and I are brothers, he shouldn't hold such a grudge, should he?"
Sima Zhu kept talking, but he was secretly observing the Grand Empress Dowager's expression. Seeing her expressionless face, he couldn't help but doubt, perhaps the information he received was incorrect?
Just as Sima Zhu was in confusion, the Grand Empress Dowager finally looked up.
"Alas..."
"Why is Imperial Father sighing? Is it because you are distressed by the changes in the Fifth Prince over these years?" Sima Zhu asked curiously.
The Grand Empress Dowager shook her head, "I have not seen A'han."
"How can that be? Didn't you say he arrived yesterday?" Sima Zhu exclaimed in surprise.
The Grand Empress Dowager sighed again, "Yesterday, I thought that after his arduous journey, I would let him rest in my villa outside the palace first, and summon him today. But unexpectedly, he misunderstood my intentions and left in a huff. I sent Jiang Yubao to look for him all day, but I haven't seen him. I don't know where he has gone."
Hearing this, Sima Zhu inwardly thought, "It's as I suspected," but outwardly expressed surprise, "How can this be? Is the Fifth Prince even more unreasonable than before?"
The Grand Empress Dowager only shook her head, saying nothing.
Sima Zhu also kept shaking his head, seemingly unable to accept Sima Han's actions.
They sat in silence for half an hour. Finally, the Grand Empress Dowager said, "Forget it. He will appear when he comes to his senses. Your Majesty need not worry too much."
Sima Zhu, however, shook his head and said, "That cannot be said. Imperial Father kindly brought him back, yet he throws a tantrum and leaves without saying goodbye upon his return. What about filial piety?"
"Imperial Father, please do not concern yourself with this matter. I will dispatch people to search thoroughly within the Imperial Capital. We will definitely find him, and then I will make him come and apologize to Imperial Father."
After speaking, Sima Zhu, without waiting for the Grand Empress Dowager's reaction, stood up and, with his retinue, strode out.
The Grand Empress Dowager watched Sima Zhu's figure disappear from the room, then heard the eunuchs outside chanting, "His Majesty is departing," followed by the sounds of bustling footsteps gradually receding.
Not until the footsteps could no longer be heard did the Grand Empress Dowager's face instantly turn extremely grim.
With a wave of her sleeve, all the teacups and saucers on the table were swept to the ground, shattering with a clatter.
"Grand Empress Dowager, please calm your anger."
Jiang Yubao quickly knelt before the Grand Empress Dowager, repeatedly pleading, "Grand Empress Dowager, please calm your anger."
The Grand Empress Dowager, however, spoke in a daze, "Calm my anger? How can I calm my anger? I am his father. Without me, where would he be? Now that he has become the Emperor, he starts to put on airs with me. You still tell me to calm my anger, what?"
As the Grand Empress Dowager's angry roars grew louder, Jiang Yubao's body sank lower and lower, until he was completely flat on the ground.
Jiang Yubao's mind was racing, trying to figure out how to appease the Grand Empress Dowager and devise a plan.
However, he also felt some resentment towards the Grand Empress Dowager in his heart.
Wasn't this situation entirely of the Grand Empress Dowager's own making?
Knowing that facing the increasingly powerful Sima Zhu, he was already outmatched, he had deliberately brought back the arrogant Fifth Prince and the Grand Tutor to help him.
But without even meeting him, he first had to give Sima Han a show of dominance.
Anyone with a shred of pride would not simply submit and obey the Grand Empress Dowager's orders.
Sima Han had endured such hardships before. Now that he had returned to the Imperial Capital, what could he not endure?
Perhaps the only thing he couldn't endure was being threatened.
Unfortunately, after living for decades, the Grand Empress Dowager could not understand this reason.
Perhaps this was what ordinary people called, "The bystander sees clearly, the participant is confused."
The Grand Empress Dowager was becoming more agitated, hence more impatient, and thus less clear-sighted about the situation.
In the end, it could only be one wrong step leading to a cascade of errors.
"In fact, Your Majesty's actions, although they might displease the Grand Empress Dowager, ultimately help the Grand Empress Dowager," Jiang Yubao said slowly.
The Grand Empress Dowager had calmed her emotions somewhat. Hearing this, she said, "You may rise and speak."
Jiang Yubao thanked her and slowly got up from the ground, saying, "Our manpower is limited, and a large-scale search within the Imperial Capital would surely draw criticism. Your Majesty has now said that he will help find the Fifth Prince. Doesn't this save us some trouble?"
After speaking, Jiang Yubao lowered his head, fearing he might see the Grand Empress Dowager's almost murderous expression again.
Hearing this, the Grand Empress Dowager's suppressed anger surged back instantly.
Although she had to admit that Jiang Yubao's words were correct, why had she been reduced to this state?
Clearly, she was the Emperor of Great Chu, yet now she had to stoop to the level of observing others' moods.
No matter how unwilling she was in her heart, the reality was thus. She could only plan slowly, hoping for a chance to turn the tables in the future.
After Sima Zhu left the Grand Empress Dowager's palace, he could not suppress the smile on his face.
How could he not understand that the Grand Empress Dowager bringing back Sima Han was to oppose him?
He heard that the Grand Tutor Yi Zixie, who had disappeared for years, had also returned with Sima Han.
At first, he had been genuinely worried.
But now, seeing how the Grand Empress Dowager had handled this matter...
Hahahaha, it was truly hilarious.
After ordering people to search for Sima Han, Sima Zhu began to ponder how to deal with him once he was found.
Although he could not banish him again, he could at least brand him with the stigma of being unbenevolent and unfilial.
However, Sima Zhu was disappointed.
The people he dispatched searched for three days, scouring almost every inn and guesthouse in the Imperial Capital that could accommodate people, but they found no trace of Sima Han and his companions.
He had heard that Sima Han's group numbered at least dozens of people. How could they have vanished so completely?
Could they survive without eating or sleeping?
Yet, after another three days of searching with no leads, Sima Zhu also became puzzled.
Did Sima Han feel that after returning, he would not be favored by the Grand Empress Dowager, and his chances of success were slim, so he left again?
But when he asked the guards at the city gates, they hadn't seen such a large group of people leave the Imperial Capital.
No matter how many people he sent, they couldn't find Sima Han, which made Sima Zhu extremely frustrated.
Finally, he ordered people to conduct surprise searches in ordinary households, but still found nothing.
After half a month of searching without any clues, he could only give up.
However, he refused to believe that Sima Han, having arrived in the capital, could continue to hide like this.
And during this half-month, Sima Han and his companions were indeed living a life isolated from the world.
Whether it was in Yi Zixie's spatial artifact or Shen Xiaoyan's spatial artifact, the food and daily necessities were inexhaustible, so they had no need to buy anything from outside.
After tidying up their respective courtyards and storing all the gifts and daily necessities, Shen Xiaoyan had a long talk with the four wet nurses.
Whether it was due to fear of Yi Zixie's power or genuine reluctance to part with the four children, the wet nurses all said they would return to Tongling Town after the New Year, once the children were weaned.
Shen Xiaoyan was naturally satisfied with this outcome.