Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Do you have me in your heart?
The woman's attitude was as low as dust: "Your Highness, please punish me however you want. I know I have made a serious mistake and I am willing to bear all the consequences."
At the end, she explained: "My real name is Liang Hanzhang, and this name was given to me by Yan Guang. I was afraid that you would be suspicious when you heard my surname at first, but to be precise, I don’t know what my real name is, nor do I know who my parents are or whether they are still alive."
Li Cheng looked her up and down and sneered: "You are quite self-aware."
"Tell me, how much information have you sent out since you came to the Eastern Palace?" If the offense was minor, he might be able to forgive it. But if it was serious, don't expect him to let it go.
Liang Hanzhang said in a muffled voice: "Actually, there is not much. Your Highness knows that Yan Guang is just an idiot. What information can he find out by sending me out? I have told him everything about the matter of General Zhu Xiaowen and Your Highness's trip to Jiangnan."
"That is?" The prince nitpicked, "Aren't these two enough? Which one is not a state secret, and you actually stole it and gave it to that old thief Yan Guang! No wonder my whereabouts in the south of the Yangtze River have been hidden, and Yan Guang actually sent forty assassins in the middle of the night. It turns out it was you who did it."
"There have always been Yan Guang's people in Taoranju, and they forced the harrier hawk on me, intending for me to use it to pass on messages. I was afraid that the message tied to the anklet would be discovered by the Qinglong Guards, so I thought of a way to write it on waterproof brocade and hide it in the belly of the harrier hawk, so that it could be sent out safely."
"So, I have to praise you for your intelligence?" the man said sarcastically.
Liang Hanzhang knew he had no intention of settling accounts, but was simply angry enough to come and question her in the middle of the night. Her heart relaxed slightly, and her attitude became even more respectful. "I dare not. I know I am guilty, and I hope Your Highness will punish me."
"Do you think I really don't dare to punish you?" The man's voice suddenly became sharp.
The surroundings were completely silent, with only the intertwined breathing of the man and woman. Liang Hanzhang gritted his teeth and shook his head, saying, "I dare not."
Time seemed to pass for an eternity, and the prince remained silent in the darkness for a long time. It was so long that Liang Hanzhang thought his guess was wrong. Could it be that he really didn't intend to let him go?
"I just want to ask one thing now: are you willing to stay with Yan Guang? Are you willing to do things for him?"
The man was giving her a chance to exonerate herself. Liang Hanzhang suddenly had an idea and looked up and said firmly: "No, I have never been willing. If he had not been threatening my brother's life, I would have quit long ago."
Li Cheng's eyes were cold, and he placed his five fingers on her neck and slowly tightened them. In the end, he couldn't bear to see her struggling to breathe. He just touched her and quickly released her.
"Remember what you said today. Since your brother is dead, you should focus on me and my child. Otherwise, I will not forgive you."
As she spoke, she secretly felt lucky that her brother had died, otherwise it would be hard to say whether family affection would turn into other feelings.
Since I've provoked him and entered the Eastern Palace, there's no reason for me to leave. Whether I live or die is decided by him alone.
As soon as these words were spoken, Liang Hanzhang finally knew that his life was safe. Just as he was about to say some words of thanks, he suddenly heard the prince's voice: "I will find a way to help you find your biological parents."
With her parents caring for her, she wouldn't have to dwell on unnecessary things. When Qinglongwei reported that she had no worries and was determined to die, a storm surged in his heart, and after the fury came endless fear.
If she really died, what would the nearly one year of their relationship mean? She could die peacefully, but what about the child in her belly? Had she ever asked the child if it wanted to die with her?
...and him.
She always tried to guess his thoughts, but she didn't realize she was getting caught up in the act. When had he ever said he was going to sentence her to death? Not to mention that she was pregnant, even if she was a stranger, he wouldn't have been willing to kill her for nothing.
Whatever, Yan Guang was incompetent after all, so he didn't cause any major trouble. And now she's honestly admitted her mistakes, and she was coerced. For the sake of my young son, I'll just let her go.
Li Cheng secretly consoled himself. He wasn't feeling sorry for the woman, but rather for the unborn child. He couldn't let the child be born without a mother.
But Liang Hanzhang's words were like thunderbolts in her ears, almost making her lose her mind. She stumbled and said, "...I still don't want to. They sold me willingly back then. If I bring me back now, they might think I'm asking for my own money."
She also had her own dignity and didn't want to make things too awkward. Furthermore, since the man was willing to sell his daughter to support his young son, he must not be a good person.
Perhaps he knew how she had gotten close to the prince, and once transformed into a phoenix, he was determined to suck her blood. If that were the case, it would be better to deny this relationship, as she didn't crave family affection that much.
Li Cheng snorted coldly: "Yan Guang said that you were sold. Are you really sold? That old man is a scorpion tail. You can't believe what he says."
After a pause, he continued: "Maybe you are a girl from a good family, and you were accidentally abducted by a kidnapper and fell into Yan Guang's hands. If that's the case, I wonder how sad your biological parents must be."
"...Is that really the case?" Liang Hanzhang had never imagined such an interpretation. In her mind, being sold off as a burden by her family had become undeniable. But then, one day, someone told her that she wasn't sold by her parents, but abducted by kidnappers. Her biological parents might still be frantically searching for her.
For some reason, Liang Hanzhang felt like crying. The prince also took her concerns into consideration and continued, "Don't worry, if we really find that person who sold his wife and children, you will not be allowed to recognize such a relative. Not only will you not recognize him, you will also arrest him and put him in jail. Don't be soft-hearted when the time comes."
At this moment, Liang Hanzhang was extremely grateful for meeting this man. Fortunately, Yan Guang arranged for her to sneak into the Eastern Palace. If it was in the homes of other nobles, she would not be willing to be the concubine of those toothless and old men.
Fortunately, fortunately it was her. This way, her child would be a prince and grandson of the emperor, a noble and distinguished one. She had gotten a great bargain.
"You can only make this mistake once. If you keep it a secret from me again, I won't be able to protect you. Do you understand?" the man repeated, as if only harsh words could convey the severity of his punishment. Even though he hadn't done anything substantial to punish her.
"I know."
"Look, you didn't take my words to heart. What did I tell you today?" Li Cheng scolded in a low voice.
"I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness." The woman's eyes were sparkling and her voice was soft.
"Go to sleep." The prince turned over and tucked her in the quilt. He stood up and took off his heavy outer robe, then went back inside. Holding the woman in his arms, he fell asleep contentedly.
The snow outside was falling harder and harder, and the cold wind was like an invisible hand beating against the window frame.
Li Fu, on guard duty outside, was stunned when he heard the noises from inside quickly cease, without even a single reprimand. He had only recently learned that Liang Yuan was a spy sent by Yan Guang to infiltrate the Eastern Palace. He had expected His Highness to charge in a rage, and even if he couldn't bring himself to kill the Empress, he was sure she would be severely punished.
However, the noise inside quickly died down, even shorter than the usual nighttime conversations between the Crown Prince and the Empress.
Just like that, that’s it?
They should be severely punished. Otherwise, all the spies from the gods would gather in their Eastern Palace, thinking it was a market. This wasn't a matter of emotion, but a matter of principle.
How could His Highness, a man so clear-headed, seem to be acting vaguely foolishly? Was it really wine and sex that led him astray? Was this woman so good that she deserved His Highness's forgiveness?
The old eunuch pondered to himself in the cold wind, then looked down at his lower body. Well, he didn't know what it was like to be a woman, so it was not good for him to speculate on the prince's decision.
I hope Liang Yuan can turn over a new leaf from now on and not let the prince down.
What he didn't know was that the prince also wanted to "punish severely", but the other party was already advanced in pregnancy, and he was afraid that if he acted too violently in anger and hurt the fetus, it would be troublesome.
But he couldn't bear to let her help him relieve his feelings. It was already midnight, so he should let her get some sleep. He wasn't the type to indulge in excessive desires.
Perhaps it was because she had slept too much during the day, but Liang Hanzhang couldn't fall asleep in the man's arms. Worried about disturbing the Crown Prince's sleep, she had originally wanted to turn over, but she had held back until now.
The sound of the prince's gentle breathing reached her ears. Taking advantage of the darkness, she could observe him without restraint. To her surprise, the prince was so lenient in this matter, not even giving her any punishment.
Did he truly love her terribly, or was he doing it for the sake of the unborn child? Liang Hanzhang was almost frightened by his own absurd thoughts. The Crown Prince was the heir apparent, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would undoubtedly inherit the throne. Imperial families were the most ruthless, so how could there be any love or affection for such a person?
It was probably because she was pregnant with his first child. Liang Hanzhang could almost imagine that if he became an emperor in the future, he would have three palaces and six courtyards, and countless concubines would bear children for him.
With so many children, he would not pay much attention to the first one. After all, if it was a boy, he would just be a concubine's eldest son and not worth his much thought.
But could he really ascend the throne smoothly? Liang Hanzhang didn't know why, but he kept feeling uneasy. He tried to speak out the reminder stuck in his throat countless times, but he had to suppress it.
They were brothers from the same mother, and she was just an outsider. If the Queen knew she was trying to sow discord between the two brothers, she would be so angry that she would be skinned alive.
Never mind, I won't interfere with other people's karma. With the prince's ability, he will definitely ascend to the throne smoothly. Liang Hanzhang comforted himself in this way.
The prince saw her rolling her eyes and mumbling something. After a long pause, he couldn't help but ask, "Do you have any feelings for me?"
Liang Hanzhang: "Ah?"
After a moment's pause, she realized the prince was asking her to express her true feelings in the middle of the night. If it was just a casual remark, she could have kept on expressing her feelings for three days and three nights. However, the prince's attitude made it clear that he didn't want those empty words, he wanted real sincerity.
Sincerity? Liang Hanzhang had to honestly admit that she probably didn't have such a thing. Abandoned as a child and raised by Yan Guang, she had witnessed the vicissitudes of life and had become accustomed to keeping her heart tightly within her chest, not letting anyone peek in. As if only in this way could she avoid being hurt.
But honestly, the Crown Prince was still special in her mind. After all, this man was both noble and handsome, and his gentle temperament always made people feel like spring breeze. She was still very happy to be with him.
Perhaps, she did have a slight crush on him, but it was only a passing fancy. Sincerity was cheap; whoever fell in love first was at a disadvantage. Liang Hanzhang didn't want to be in such a bad situation.
But she certainly couldn't say that in front of the prince. Holding his arm, she said sincerely: "Your Highness is the one who saved me from suffering. My greatest luck is meeting Your Highness. Your Highness is so handsome and charming, any woman would be moved by him."
"I want to hear the truth, and I promise you will tell me the truth." The man pulled her hand away, insisting on an answer.
Liang Hanzhang frowned. She felt her answer was perfect. It both belittled herself and praised the prince, and she even used other women as examples. Why was the prince still not satisfied?
After pondering for a moment, she added: "I don't know why Your Highness doesn't believe me, but I want to add that since I am willing to bear Your Highness's child, it proves that I have Your Highness in my heart."
In the darkness, Liang Hanzhang couldn't make out his expression, and she didn't know if he was satisfied with her answer. Just as she was feeling anxious, the prince suddenly pointed at her and scolded, "You're talking nonsense, and you mean what you say. I'm talking about you."
He had seen all the hesitation, deliberation, and uneasiness. It was at that moment that he truly felt the other person had no feelings for him at all. The previous piano practice, calligraphy practice, tea spilling, and book gambling were all just wishful thinking on his part.
But what could he do? This guy was always heartless, and there was nothing he could do.
Out of sight, the man clenched his fists and took a deep breath. Never mind. Over time, she'd eventually become attracted to him. Her damned brother was dead, and he was the only man left by her side.
Finally, he patted her shoulder and said, "Go to sleep."
After pregnancy, the need to go to the toilet at night suddenly increases. Women are very embarrassed and whisper: "...I want to go to the toilet..."
The prince saw her blushing face and laughed dumbly. He stood up and lit the candle outside. She had left a lamp on by her bed before she went to sleep, but it had burned for too long and was out when the prince arrived.
When the room was bright again, he returned to kneel on the couch and draped his coat over her. It was winter, and although the palace was heated by a heating system, she was weak and could not withstand the cold, so the prince took strict measures to keep her warm.
After helping the woman dress, he placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on her waist. He said softly, "Stand up. I'll help you over."
Although there were maids keeping watch outside, since he was already lying here, it seemed unnecessary to ask the servants to come in. Besides, her pregnancy was already difficult, and as her husband, he should do something for her, even if it was a little insignificant.
Liang Hanzhang shook his head unwillingly: "Let Yuhu and the others come in. Your Highness's precious body cannot be contaminated by such filth." What's more, he just came back from Jiangnan today and had no time to rest properly. His eyes were blue and black.
Li Cheng's tone did not allow for argument: "Get up quickly, don't let me say it again."
Under the pressure, Liang Hanzhang had to get up carefully, thinking that he would just help him to the door later, and he must not follow him in, otherwise it would be too embarrassing.
Unexpectedly, the next second, he flew into the air, picked up the man with his strong arms and walked to the next compartment, explaining, "It's faster this way."
Having said that, he carried the woman inside regardless of her wishes. At the end, he stood by and did not leave. He just turned his head and said lightly: "I'm afraid something will happen to you, so I'll just stand by and I promise not to look at you."
"No, Your Highness, please get out, please," Liang Hanzhang kept pushing him. The man remained steady as a rock, and no matter how much he was persuaded, he refused to leave.
His eyebrows were almost wrinkled into the shape of a "川" character, and he couldn't understand why a woman would be shy. Isn't this human nature? Besides, the two of them even have a child, so why would they be shy about this?
"No, hurry up! Don't let yourself pee in your pants accidentally, or I won't cover it up for you," the man said, his expression teasing, even with a hint of a smile. As they spent more time together, he also learned to joke around occasionally.
Liang Hanzhang glared at him fiercely, knowing that he couldn't get this man to move, so he had to untie his trousers and tried hard to make his voice lower.
But perhaps because he had been holding it in for too long, or because the midnight environment was so quiet, the sound of water was very clear in the darkness. Liang Hanzhang was so embarrassed that he wanted to cry but couldn't, and he could only keep comforting himself that it was human nature.
Finally, the man used the same trick again and carried the person back to the bed, leaving only a lamp next to her, and then lowered the brocade curtain and slept next to the person.
A dreamless night.
Time quickly slipped to Laba (Twelve-day Laba Festival). The festive atmosphere grew thicker, the floods and plague in Jiangnan were successfully averted, and the government silver was successfully recovered. To appease the people, the emperor specifically ordered Marquis Bo Yi to escort the silver to Jiangnan and distribute it entirely to the people.
Zhuang Binghuai, Marquis of Boyi, had been guarding the border for many years. This time, thanks to the emperor's grace, he learned about his mother's life in the Zhuang residence. As soon as the imperial decree was issued, he rushed back to the capital from the border.
The young boy from the second branch of the Zhuang family couldn't hold on, dying within a few months. Now, there was chaos almost every day in the second branch. Second Madam Yin hated her daughter, insulting her daily and sometimes even chasing and beating her in anger. Even though Second Master and Old Madam wanted to protect Zhuang Yue, they were powerless.
An incident that unfolded later was a catastrophic event for the Second House. Neither Zhuang Yue nor the child who had recently died were Second Master Zhuang's children. Second Master Zhuang was infertile, and the Second House's only two children were the product of Yin's adultery with outsiders.
No wonder Mr. Zhuang Er had so many concubines outside and dozens of them at home. None of them got pregnant, only Yin Shi got pregnant. Love is not his thing at all!
The news was like cold water in a frying pan. It was Master Zhuang's turn to chase Yin and Zhuang Yue every day, and the good man was almost driven half-crazy by the beating.
After being beaten so hard, Yin couldn't help but curse: "Who told you to be useless? You can't even give birth to a child? You useless thing, I have tolerated you for a long time!"
As he spoke, he was secretly proud of himself: "I advise you to treat Yue'er well. At least she still sincerely recognizes you as her father. Don't let her be left alone to collect her body when she is old and dies."
"You bitch! I'm going to kill you!" Mr. Zhuang was so angry that he lost his mind and chased people around with a knife.
The old lady had lost her former glory and looked ten years older. Looking at the scene before her, she could not help but shake her head and sigh, "What a sin!"
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