“Father Emperor, although your son is stupid, your son isn’t foolish! They all bully your son openly and secretly! During those years… when Tong Ji was around, it was Tong Ji who risked his life protecting your son. Your son knows Father Emperor is already tired from laboring over state affairs and didn’t want Father Emperor to worry about your son’s matters! So your son just endured it all along! Now Tong Ji is gone, and no one protects your son anymore! Your son finally found Tingzhen, and your son worries Tingzhen will be taken away, then your son will have nothing left! That’s why your son dared to trouble Father Emperor! Please fulfill your son’s wish, Father Emperor!”
Prince Liang kowtowed twice solidly on the mirror-bright floor. Concubine Qiu again tugged at the Emperor’s sleeve: “Your Majesty… look how sincere Prince Liang is! Even this concubine is moved! Please agree to Prince Liang’s request… and fulfill this loving couple!”
The Emperor looked at his son’s pitiful, compromising appearance and suddenly recalled his childhood…
Back then, he too was this weak and incompetent, afraid of everything. Because he had no Father Emperor who loved him, although he was a prince, even high-ranking servants in the palace could step on him. His sister had to bow and scrape to the kitchen eunuchs just to get him better food on his birthday. They… were princes and princesses!
The difficult scenes from childhood flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern. The Emperor clenched his fists tightly, then slowly released them…
His son merely wanted a woman, yet still had to pitifully beg him like this! He was a prince! The Emperor’s son! How could he live so wretchedly!
These years, the Emperor had lived smoothly and hadn’t recalled his past humiliation for a very long time. Now seeing his son’s pitiful and weak appearance again, the Emperor involuntarily felt both anger and pity.
“You are a prince! You are my son! It’s just wanting a woman! Do you need to cry like this?! Stand up!” The Emperor vented his anger on Gao Demao, “What are you standing there for! Help Prince Liang up!”
Gao Demao hurriedly stepped forward with small steps and helped Prince Liang up: “Your Highness, please rise. You are a dragon’s son. Who would dare compete with you for a woman you fancy? Even Grand Tutor Chen wouldn’t dare compete with the Son of Heaven for a girl, right?!”
Prince Liang still had tears on his face, sobbing as he looked at the Emperor.
The Emperor snatched the handkerchief from Concubine Qiu’s hand and threw it on the ground: “Wipe your tears! What does this look like!”
Prince Liang stepped forward to pick up the handkerchief and wiped his tears, then felt wronged again: “Your son… your son doesn’t cry outside! Only in front of Father Emperor, does your son… does your son…”
“Your Majesty, Prince Liang is just shedding tears in front of his own father, it’s nothing!” Concubine Qiu hurried to smooth things over, afraid the Emperor would be displeased by this.
The Emperor’s mood improved considerably, feeling that Prince Liang was like a reflection of his own youth, though this child was more weak, timid, and incompetent than he had been. Perhaps precisely because of this, Prince Liang’s heart was also more kind… lacking in scheming and cunning.
Most importantly, there was Prince Liang’s sincerity toward him as a father…
“Enough! It’s just a woman…” The Emperor, leaning against the soft pillow, impatiently played with the tassels on the cushion, saying, “Send someone to summon Dong Qingping! That… safety lock, leave it here!”
“Father Emperor… Father Emperor! Please don’t tell Master Dong about Tingzhen giving me her safety lock. Tingzhen’s family is strict with its upbringing. She only gave it to me to make Father Emperor believe! Your son doesn’t want to implicate Tingzhen in being punished by Master Dong! Your son doesn’t want others to gossip about Tingzhen!” Prince Liang hurriedly added.
The Emperor immediately felt angry again. Concubine Qiu quickly smiled: “Your Majesty… look at Prince Liang, she hasn’t even entered the family yet, and he’s already protecting her! So wonderful… this reminds this concubine of how Your Majesty always protects this concubine in front of the Empress every time this concubine makes mistakes!”
The Emperor waved his hand at Prince Liang: “Take the safety lock with you! Gao Demao… escort Prince Liang out! Looking at him gives me a headache!”
“Thank you, Father Emperor! Thank you, Father Emperor!” Prince Liang wiped his tears with his sleeve, grinning as he kowtowed to the Emperor, then clutched his safety lock tightly and left.
The Emperor watched his jubilant son, frowning deeply: “How did I give birth to such a foolish son!”
“But Prince Liang truly wants to be a good son in front of Your Majesty! This concubine can see that! Look how Prince Liang went to Yanwo to invite that immortal who makes elixirs back for Your Majesty, even delaying his duties and taking all the blame from the ministers! Most importantly… after Your Majesty used those elixirs, you indeed became as vigorous as a dragon and tiger. This concubine has deep experience with this.”
Hearing these words, the Emperor smiled and touched Concubine Qiu’s hand.
·
Bai Jinzhi rushed to the Crown Prince’s residence and conveyed Bai Qingyan’s message to the Crown Prince. After hearing it, the Crown Prince was stunned.
He had never thought that his weak and incompetent waste of a brother would become his competitor.
“Prince Liang wanting my Crown Prince position is too much of a fantasy!” The Crown Prince sneered, not taking Prince Liang seriously.
Bai Jinzhi’s fists tightened: “My elder sister only said to have Your Highness be vigilant. When my elder sister sent me to report to Your Highness just now, she had already gone to the Dong residence, probably making preparations and giving Uncle Dong a heads up.”
Old Fang stroked his goatee: “Your Highness, what Princess Gaoyi said is very true. After all, Prince Liang is also His Majesty’s prince, so he can compete for succession. This old man feels that whether Prince Liang is pleasing His Majesty or… marrying a Dong family daughter, viewed separately, these could be called unintentional, but if these two things come together, they’re worth Your Highness’s vigilance and deep consideration!”
The Crown Prince’s expression became grave.
Old Fang frowned, thought for a moment, and added: “Dengzhou Prefect Master Dong Qingyue has no daughters. If Prince Liang truly marries Honglu Si Minister Master Dong Qingping’s legitimate daughter, Dengzhou Prefect Master Dong Qingyue won’t necessarily favor Prince Liang!”
“Jinzhi remembers something else, though I don’t know if my thinking is correct!” Bai Jinzhi looked up at the Crown Prince, “Jinzhi remembers that at His Majesty’s birthday banquet, the Concubine Qiu that Prince Liang sent to His Majesty repeatedly spoke well of the Idle Prince of Nandu. I wonder… if it’s because he’s already secretly winning over the Idle Prince?”
Hearing this, Old Fang’s pupils trembled, and he stepped closer to the Crown Prince: “Your Highness! Sending beauties to His Majesty’s side, secretly winning over the Idle Prince who holds military power, and now impatiently wanting to buy the Dong family through marriage ties – Prince Liang’s intentions are already crystal clear!”
The Crown Prince’s gaze turned to Old Fang, his entire being suddenly tensing up.
Although Bai Qingyan supported him, when it came to closeness, Bai Qingyan’s surname was Bai, not Dong.
Moreover, if Prince Liang married a Dong family woman, should Prince Liang ascend the throne in the future, the Dong family would become imperial relatives! The Dong family might not be able to resist such temptation!