Rebirth: Pampered by the Lord
Chapter 1087: Fengyang Palace

Chapter 1087: Chapter 1087: Fengyang Palace

"Nonsense! If you lack the skills, don’t go looking for excuses."

The thugs at Ever-Victorious Gambling House seem to be merely for show, serving no actual purpose in protecting the establishment.

If they were effective, the gambling house wouldn’t have been burned down so easily.

The man speaking was the shopkeeper of Ever-Victorious Gambling House.

Business at the gambling house had always been good.

He was one of the trusted men around the Fourth Prince, riding high in favor. Yet, who could have predicted that a fire in the middle of the night would turn the gambling house to ashes? The disaster left him trembling with fear, not least of all because he dreaded the Fourth Prince’s wrath. So, he grasped for any excuse he could find to shift the blame.

The Fourth Prince was no fool and immediately saw through his attempt to evade responsibility, unleashing his fury.

The shopkeeper, full of guilt, immediately lowered his head and dared not utter another word.

"Why are you standing around? Hurry up and investigate who’s behind this!"

The Fourth Prince was fuming, practically steaming from his head. Who could be sabotaging him from the shadows, causing his ventures to fail repeatedly? The destruction of Ever-Victorious Gambling House was akin to severing one of his arms, depriving him of a huge source of income. Thinking about it, his chest ached with sharp pain. Damned scoundrels—if he found out who was responsible, he would never let them off. Otherwise, they’d really think he was easy prey.

At that moment, there came a knock at the door...

"Knock, knock, knock...!"

"Who is it!"

The Fourth Prince, still seething, couldn’t help but roar.

"Fourth Prince, someone from the palace is here!" A timid voice of a servant came from outside.

"Understood! I’ll be there right away." After a brief silence, the Fourth Prince replied.

"Yes, sir." The footsteps outside gradually receded.

"I have something to attend to at the palace. You all can leave now." The Fourth Prince, taking a deep breath and looking visibly drained, slumped into a chair and waved them away.

The group of men discreetly let out a sigh of relief, thinking to themselves how fortunate they were to have escaped this ordeal with the prince. They quickly bent their backs and bowed as they shuffled out.

Serving under the Fourth Prince, though the monthly Silver pay was generous, was nerve-wracking. A single mistake not only displeased the prince but might very well cost them their lives.

Moreover, outsiders were entirely unaware that the Fourth Prince, far from his polished and refined exterior, could be terrifyingly ruthless with those under him.

Imperial Palace, Fengyang Palace.

Within the opulent sleeping quarters, the beams were made of cloudtopped sandalwood, crystal jade disks illuminated the room, and pearl curtains shimmered throughout, creating an atmosphere of resplendent luxury.

The Empress, dressed in full ceremonial attire, reclined on the Noble Consort Chair as palace maids stood ready on either side.

Just then, the Fourth Prince hurriedly entered from outside.

"Your son pays respects to the Empress Mother." As he came in, the Fourth Prince knelt to perform the ceremonial bow.

"Xuanxuan, rise."

"Yes."

The Fourth Prince rose to his feet and sat down on a nearby chair.

The Empress waved her hand toward the palace maids, her voice melodious like a golden oriole, both gentle and pleasing to the ear: "You may all withdraw; I wish to speak privately with my imperial son."

"Understood!"

The palace maids stepped out of the room.

The Fourth Prince, visibly troubled, wore a grim expression.

"Xuanxuan, what’s wrong? Your complexion doesn’t look good; you must take care of your health," the Empress said with concern.

"It’s nothing."

"Do you dare deceive your Empress Mother? Just look at your face—it’s as dark as ink! Anyone can see something has happened. Speak quickly—tell me what’s wrong."

"Ever-Victorious Gambling House is in trouble," the Fourth Prince replied in a muffled voice. The moment the gambling house fell into ruin, his mood had been nothing but heavy.

When the Empress heard, she too was startled. The gambling house generated massive monthly revenues, and now it was destroyed—surely the work of an adversary.