"I must go see my mother!" Zhu Zhuo muttered to himself. The tension that had held his mind together had snapped completely upon hearing that Empress Fu was critically ill. He no longer cared about the Eastern Palace or his position as Crown Prince; all he wanted was for his mother to be safe and sound. In the vast, cold expanse of the Imperial Palace, she was the only one who truly cared for him.
Shunzi was drenched in a cold sweat, kowtowing incessantly to Zhu Zhuo. "Your Highness, please reconsider! The Emperor explicitly ordered that you and the Empress are not to meet for three years without an imperial summons. If the Emperor discovers this, you will lose your position as Crown Prince. There are wolves and tigers outside just waiting for you to make a single misstep. If you step into Kunning Palace, word will reach the Emperor in an instant. Your Highness, it took so much effort to secure this position—you must not be impulsive!" Shunzi pleaded earnestly, hoping to dissuade him. He knew that as long as the Crown Prince’s status was intact, those lurking outside would remain somewhat cautious; otherwise, they would be nothing more than fish on a chopping block, waiting to be slaughtered.
The palace was deathly quiet, save for the sound of Zhu Zhuo’s heavy breathing, which betrayed his inner turmoil. He understood far more than Shunzi did: the people watching him like hungry tigers did not just fear him—they longed to devour him whole.
Chapter 519