RPAGF Chapter 590 It seems there's no way to negotiate.
Chapter 590 It seems there's no way to negotiate.
Headmaster Zhou waved his hands repeatedly: "You flatter me, Duke Zhenguo. It's good that the children are safe and sound; those are minor matters. It's just that His Highness the Crown Prince would..."
Gu Junze's face darkened: "This matter is of great importance. Headmaster, please keep it a secret and do not spread it around to avoid causing unnecessary panic."
"Understood, understood." Headmaster Zhou nodded repeatedly.
Gu Junze gave a few more instructions and then sent someone on horseback to the palace to report.
Then, he walked towards the dormitory where Gu Qingchen and Qian Zhenyun were.
Inside the schoolhouse, Gu Qingchen and Qian Zhenyun sat upright, neither daring to speak.
Gu Qingchen felt uneasy, knowing that she had really gotten herself into big trouble this time.
The door creaked open, and Gu Junze appeared in the doorway.
He walked into the room, his gaze falling on Gu Qingchen, his expression complex.
"Father..." Gu Qingchen called softly, lowering his head even further.
Gu Junze did not immediately lose his temper, but instead walked to the desk, sat down, and remained silent for a long time.
"Gu Qingchen," he finally spoke, "do you know your mistake?"
Gu Qingchen bit her lip and replied softly, "I know I was wrong."
"Where did you go wrong?" Gu Junze pressed.
Gu Qingchen raised her head, her eyes filled with a hint of grievance: "The mistake was leaving the private school without permission, and even more so, taking His Highness the Crown Prince with me."
"anything else?"
"My mistake was... my mistake was not listening to my teacher, not listening to my mother." Gu Qingchen's voice grew softer and softer.
Gu Junze sighed: "Do you know how serious the consequences of today's actions will be? His Highness the Crown Prince is of noble status. If anything goes wrong, the entire capital will be thrown into chaos, and it may even affect the court."
Gu Qingchen's face turned pale. Although she was mischievous, she knew the seriousness of the matter.
"Father, I was wrong." This time she was sincerely admitting her mistake, her voice trembling with tears.
Seeing his daughter like this, Gu Junze's anger dissipated considerably.
He knew that the girl was just naturally lively and curious, and did not intend to do evil.
“You really went too far this time.” Gu Junze’s tone softened a bit. “You are to be confined to your quarters for three months. During these three months, you are not allowed to leave the manor even a step, and you must copy the Women’s Instructions a hundred times every day.”
Upon hearing this, Gu Qingchen abruptly raised his head: "Three months? A hundred times?"
"Not enough?" Gu Junze raised an eyebrow.
"No, no, no! Not a small amount!" Gu Qingchen lowered his head completely!
Gu Junze then looked at Qian Zhenyun: "Qian Zhenyun, although you are not the main culprit, you also bear responsibility. You are punished by copying the 'Standards for Being a Good Student and Child' fifty times."
"Yes."
Gu Junze waved his hand: "Alright, all of you come back to the manor with me."
The two followed Gu Junze out of the schoolhouse, dejected.
This trouble is far from over.
Sure enough, as soon as they returned to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, Chu Ruohan came to greet them.
Her face was pale and her eyes were bloodshot; she had clearly been worried all day.
When Chu Ruohan saw that Gu Qingchen was safe and sound, she rushed forward and hugged her tightly, tears welling up in her eyes instantly.
"Mother, I'm fine." Gu Qingchen was a little out of breath from being hugged.
Chu Ruohan released her daughter, looked her up and down to make sure she wasn't hurt, and then looked at Gu Junze: "His Highness the Crown Prince..."
"Your Highness is alright now. I have already sent someone to the palace to report to His Majesty." Gu Junze supported his wife and gently comforted her, "You don't need to worry too much."
Chu Ruohan relaxed, but then her gaze fell on Gu Qingchen, her eyes filled with anger.
"Gu Qingchen!" she shouted sharply, "Kneel down!"
Gu Qingchen was startled and subconsciously looked at Gu Junze.
Gu Junze simply shook his head at her, signaling her to obey.
Gu Qingchen knelt down reluctantly.
Qian Zhenyun quickly knelt down as well. Gu Junze waved his hand, signaling someone to take him to Doctor Qian...
"Do you even know what you did today? You actually dared to take His Highness the Crown Prince out for fun without permission! You're incredibly audacious!" Chu Ruohan's voice trembled with anger.
"Mother, I was wrong," Gu Qingchen whispered, admitting his mistake.
"You actually know you're wrong?!" Chu Ruohan pointed at her, her eyes reddening. "The trouble you've caused this time, do you think it can be resolved simply by admitting a mistake?"
"If anything were to happen to His Highness the Crown Prince, how would your parents explain it to the Emperor? How would the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion face the consequences?!"
Gu Qingchen lowered her head, not daring to argue. She knew that her mother was truly angry this time.
"From today onwards, you will stay in the manor and are not allowed to go anywhere!" Chu Ruohan made a ruthless decision. "You will be confined for three months and copy the Women's Instructions a hundred times every day. If you are perfunctory even once, the punishment will be doubled!"
Gu Qingchen inwardly groaned; the punishment was exactly as his father had described, and it seemed there was no way to negotiate.
"Did you hear that!" Chu Ruohan asked again when she didn't answer.
"I heard you," Gu Qingchen replied sullenly.
Gu Junze watched the mother and daughter from the side and simply sighed.
He knew that his wife also felt sorry for their daughter, but this time the matter was indeed too serious.
Just then, hurried footsteps were heard outside.
"Master, Madam, someone from the palace has arrived!" The steward rushed in to report, "His Majesty has summoned His Highness the Crown Prince and the Duke of Zhenguo to the palace!"
Gu Junze and Chu Ruohan exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness in each other's eyes.
Zhao Yunci sat on the dragon throne, his face ashen.
His most beloved crown prince was kidnapped in the capital, which was a huge provocation to the royal family.
The young prince knelt in the center of the hall, head bowed, without uttering a word.
Gu Junze also knelt down to the side and reported the whole story in detail.
He recounted everything clearly, from the Crown Prince's unauthorized departure from the palace to Gu Qingchen and his companions' encounter, to being extorted by the restaurant owner, to being kidnapped by thugs, and Lin Jiayou's act of standing up for them.
"Your Majesty, I have failed in my duty to educate my daughter, which led to His Highness the Crown Prince being in danger. I deserve to die a thousand deaths," Gu Junze pleaded guilty.
Zhao Yunci's expression softened slightly after hearing this.
He glanced at the kneeling young prince, then looked at Gu Junze, and after a long pause, he spoke: "Duke Zhenguo, please rise. The prince is unharmed; you have rendered meritorious service in protecting him. What crime have you committed?"
Zhao Yunci's gaze fell on the young prince: "Your Highness, do you have something to say?"
The young prince raised his head, a hint of determination on his tender face.
“Father, I left the palace without permission, not because Gu Qingchen instigated me. I was curious about what was happening outside the palace, so I begged her to take me out.”
Emperor Jinghe looked at his son, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
He knew that the Crown Prince had been confined to the palace since childhood and was full of curiosity about the outside world.
Although this incident was dangerous, it also allowed him to see the rare sense of responsibility in the Crown Prince.
"As for those villains, Father, although they kidnapped me, they did not really harm me or Gu Qingchen."
The young prince then said, "Your Majesty, I implore you to be lenient with me."