Chapter 75 Pampering her for a lifetime

The Crown Prince saw the grief and regret on Sheng Yu's face and heard clearly the memories he had of the past.

He has never been able to empathize with regret afterward, nor does he believe that any amount of love can make up for past hurts.

For Qi, it meant the cost of her life and endless cold stares and criticism; for Yun Kui, it meant the pain of losing her mother, being bullied while living under someone else's roof, being homeless and starving, and more than a decade of loneliness and destitution.

However, Sheng Yu's experiences over the years cannot all be attributed to him alone.

If he hadn't been defeated at Langshan that year, he would still be a spirited martial arts champion, destined for high office and a bright future.

If Emperor Chunming hadn't been so ruthless in eliminating them over the years, he wouldn't have missed his chance with Lady Qi time and time again.

Even if you have many things beyond your control, a mistake is a mistake.

The Crown Prince's eyes flashed with coldness: "If General Sheng had insisted on searching for her back then, he might have found her, and the Qi mother and daughter wouldn't have had to suffer so much."

Sheng Yu closed his eyes, a sharp pain pressing down on his heart like a boulder, an uncontrollable sob rising in his throat: "She saved me from danger, yet I betrayed her... I'm the one who deserves to die, I should have died back then, she was so innocent, yet she died because of me..."

The Crown Prince had never met Sheng Yu twenty years ago, but he had heard about his past deeds from others.

The eighteen-year-old martial arts champion, with a long spear in hand, was full of ambition, his youthful spirit soaring to the heavens.

More than twenty years have passed, and the man's temples are now gray, he is plagued by injuries and illnesses, he has suffered greatly, and he has lived a life of melancholy. A faint shadow always hangs over his eyes, and he has long lost his former high spirits.

Before him now, the usually composed man was overwhelmed by immense grief and regret, his face contorted in near collapse.

The Crown Prince remained silent for a long time before sighing, "No amount of regret or remorse will help. General Sheng, let's look to the future."

Sheng Yu gripped the dossier tightly in his hand, stroking the sentence "A daughter was born in April of the fifth year of Zhenning" over and over again, his fingertips turning white and trembling from the force.

"Your Highness, could you tell me where my daughter is now, and whether she is doing well?"

The Crown Prince pondered for a moment and said, "She entered the palace at the age of eleven and now serves in the Eastern Palace."

Sheng Yu's eyes were red-rimmed, and his voice choked with emotion: "Can I see her?"

The Crown Prince asked, "What if she refuses to acknowledge you?"

Sheng Yu smiled bitterly, "This humble subject has failed the late Emperor, Your Highness, and even the mother and daughter in this life. Only this lowly life remains. Your Highness has found my daughter for me, and I have no way to repay you. I only wish to give my life to protect the country and its people, to serve you with all my might, and to die for you. As for her, whether she acknowledges me as her father or not, all my relatives and friends have passed away, and I have no other attachments. I only have this one child in my life. Everything I have gained in this life—wealth, power, and honor—I will leave to her alone. I will protect her and ensure her a peaceful and worry-free life."

The Crown Prince lowered his eyes, fiddling with the ring on his fingertip. "I will convey General Sheng's message to you."

Sheng Yu nodded in gratitude: "Your Highness, this humble subject thanks you."

The Crown Prince said, "Since things have come to this, General Sheng, there is no need to be too sad. If it weren't for Emperor Chunming's purge of dissidents back then, you and the Qi family would not be in this state today."

Sheng Yu recalled the days when he was surrounded by enemies, and even now, Emperor Chunming still refused to give up. His heart burned with pain and hatred.

The Crown Prince took out a letter from a hidden compartment and handed it to him. “In the past three years, I have been on a campaign in the northern frontier for two reasons. First, to reclaim our territory, wipe away our shame, and avenge the annihilation of the Wolf Mountain army. Second, to find out the truth behind the defeat back then.”

Sheng Yu was stunned: "The truth?"

The Crown Prince's face was grim: "General Sheng, do you still remember General Zhaoyong Feng Yu?"

Sheng Yu certainly remembered this person. Back then, Feng Yu and he served under the late emperor. Although their battle philosophies differed, they had fought side by side and shared life and death.

"Your Majesty remembers that he died in the chaos of battle during the Battle of Wolf Mountain. Is there anything suspicious about that?"

The Crown Prince said, "Two years ago, I captured a Northern Wei general in the northern frontier. He told me that during the Battle of Langshan, someone secretly revealed our army's marching route and plans to the Northern Wei general Huyan Lie. This allowed the Northern Wei to take advantage of the terrain and set up a series of ambushes in Langshan, trapping the late emperor and 50,000 elite soldiers in the valley and killing them with a hail of arrows."

More than twenty years later, when Sheng Yu recalled the scene of corpses strewn across Langshan Mountain, his eyes still widened in horror and his heart pounded with emotion.

The dense swarm of arrows swept through the valley like locusts, filling it with a thick stench of blood. The few of them fought desperately against the enemy, battling relentlessly until they managed to carve a bloody path through the encirclement to protect the late emperor. But in the end, they could not save his life.

Sheng Yu almost ground his teeth to powder: "So it turns out there was a spy in our army, and it was Feng Yu?"

The crown prince nodded: "Yes."

Sheng Yu recalled that he had lived and eaten with Feng Yu back then and had never noticed anything unusual about him. He never expected that Feng Yu was a traitor who betrayed his country!

He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he asked, "Where is Feng Yu now?"

The Crown Prince said, “He did not stay in Northern Wei and be granted a title of king or prime minister. Instead, he hid in Da Zhao. I have been searching for his whereabouts for the past few years. It was only this year that I accidentally discovered that he was not only alive, but had also changed his appearance and stayed in the capital to take up a post. This is why I asked General Sheng to return to the Embroidered Uniform Guard.”

Sheng Yu frowned: "He works for the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

The Crown Prince said, "General Sheng has been back in the capital for the past few days, and I probably haven't seen him yet."

Sheng Yu suddenly remembered a person who had appeared out of nowhere more than a decade ago, "Was it Lu Qi, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard who left the capital on official business?"

The Crown Prince sneered, "I'm afraid he's not out of the capital on official business, but rather deliberately avoiding the General and not daring to meet him."

Sheng Yu's eyes were bloodshot, and his chest was filled with raging anger. He wished he could drag the person out immediately and ask them what had happened.

At this moment, Qin Ge requested an audience outside, saying he had important matters to report.

The Crown Prince had already informed Sheng Yu about Feng Yu's matter, so there was nothing to hide and he said directly, "Come in and report back."

Qin Ge entered the room and saw Sheng Yu's face full of hatred and anger. He guessed what was going on and immediately cupped his hands and said, "I have found out that Lu Qi has not left the capital recently. Instead, he is at the Prajna Temple preparing for His Majesty's Buddha Bathing Festival on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month."

Sheng Yu clenched his fists, ready to take action immediately. "Hand this person over to me for investigation. I will definitely find out the truth of what happened back then and give Your Highness and the late Emperor an explanation!"

The Crown Prince pondered for a moment and said, "The eighth day of the fourth month is her birthday. On the day of Buddha's Birthday, I will take her to the Prajna Temple. General Sheng is the Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and will have to accompany me. Then I will be able to see her."

Sheng Yu's heart trembled violently, and all his anger turned into a deep, dull pain at this moment.

He took a deep breath, clasped his hands in thanks, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Your Highness, may I ask what her name is?"

Qin Ge pursed her lips and looked at him, muttering something to herself, which was unusual for her.

"Ask away, but they all remain silent."

"You're in such a hurry to become the emperor's father-in-law, but His Highness still wants to put on airs of being the master for a couple of days."

Crown Prince: "..."

When did his men become so noisy?

The Crown Prince looked away, his tone indifferent: "If there's an opportunity in the future, General Sheng can ask her himself."

Sheng Yu had no choice but to give up for the time being.

Hearing two shocking pieces of news in one day left him deeply disturbed.

Walking out of the East Palace through the Donghua Gate and all the way out of the Imperial City, the Imperial Street has been bustling with activity for decades.

He wandered alone through the bustling streets, feeling as if he had nothing left and should have died with the late emperor in that great battle twenty years ago.

However, the Crown Prince was plagued by a chronic illness and had not yet successfully ascended the throne. The soldiers of Langshan had survived by the skin of their teeth, and those who survived were all killed. Now, treacherous officials were in power and loyal and good people were buried. His past ambition to serve the country had become a joke. How could he face the late emperor again after he went to the afterlife?

Living these past years in constant fear and torment, every moment has been agonizing. I thought I wouldn't burden others, and I was too clever for not putting my whole heart and soul into finding her, but she paid a terrible price for it, leaving their daughter to wander outside and suffer endless humiliation...

He was unworthy of being a subject, a man, and a father.

The sounds of vendors hawking their wares filled the air as children laughed and chased each other along the roadside, clutching candied hawthorns and toy windmills in their hands, shouting, "Dad, I want this! Mom, I want that!"

He thought of the suffering that Madam Qi had endured over the years, and of his own daughter, born without the love of parents, burdened by the stigma of being an illegitimate child and living under the roof of others. What kind of bullying must she have suffered? Ordinary children could get the gifts they wanted by begging and charming, but she had nothing. At such a young age, she had to worry about making a living, wandering the streets and competing with beggars for food...

If he could find the mother and daughter soon, his salary would be enough to ensure they had enough to eat and wear. No matter how dangerous the road ahead, he would risk his own life to protect them.

Fortunately, God had eyes and gave him a chance to make amends.

He saw the Treasure Pavilion, a silk shop on the street, and remembered that her seventeenth birthday was in a few days. He should send her some gifts to mark their meeting and her birthday, but he wondered what she would like.

Young women love beauty and all like rouge and powder, so we can't do without them in the future. We also need to provide them with hairpins, jewelry, and fine clothes.

The prefect was still living in the same house he had in the capital twenty years ago. He simply swept and repaired it and settled in. She would eventually have to go home, and the house couldn't be treated so carelessly. A young lady should have her own boudoir, with a canopy bed, a chaise lounge, and a dressing table. All of these had to be prepared. The display cabinet couldn't be empty either; it had to be filled with the decorations that a young lady would like. If she loved reading, the Four Treasures of the Study couldn't be neglected either...

He used to be a fifth-rank commander, and now he holds a third-rank official position. He lives alone and has no extra expenses. Over the years, he has saved up a lot of money and hopes that she will not look down on him for being useless.

It doesn't matter if he dislikes it. Once His Highness the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he can go to the frontier to fight the enemy and there will always be a way to get promoted and ennobled. Lian Po was still vigorous at seventy, so why can't he?

He wanted to raise her as a carefree young lady of an official family, pampering her with fine clothes and delicacies for the rest of her life.

...

In the evening, Zhao Yue came to report that Lord Sheng had returned to his residence today and bought several boxes of silk and jewelry for the young lady as a birthday gift.

The crown prince twirled the ring on his hand, his face expressionless, but he heard Cao Yuanlu making sarcastic remarks from the side.

"The congratulatory gift prepared by Lord Sheng is exactly what the young lady wanted. Our prince cannot be outdone by him."

Zhao Yue continued with a smile: "The Sheng family has already given orders to speed up the repairs of the courtyard and build a boudoir for the young lady. Lord Sheng has also asked the steward to bring out all the account books from these years, probably because he intends to hand over all his savings to the young lady."

The crown prince's expression darkened slightly.

Then he heard Cao Yuanlu muttering to himself.

"Alas, if the young lady goes home to stay, our prince will be left alone in his cold bed with no one to warm his blankets. What can we do?"

Crown Prince: "..."