Chapter 55 Chapter 55 The Empress Can No Longer Have Room for Her
The virtuous prince glanced ahead, a faint sneer curling his lips, his entire demeanor gloomy. He asked quietly, "What wind has brought Lady Liangyuan here?"
Liang Hanzhang didn't answer, her eyes lingering on Li Xuan again and again. Perhaps it was because of disgust that she hadn't noticed before. Apart from the face, this familiar figure looked almost identical to her brother's.
Is he really my brother?!
But, what was the real purpose of the virtuous king pretending to be her brother? What was his purpose in coming to her back then, and what was he thinking?
Did he ever really treat her as his sister?
Liang Hanzhang was speechless and just stood there. She felt that time was so unbearable. The fleeting past events turned into pages of a book, flitting through her mind.
Although Li Xuan didn't look at her, he was always paying attention to the movements not far away. Yu Guangzhong saw the Empress Liangyuan, the pampered lady in his royal brother's house, standing in front of him, about to cry, looking pitiful, with red spots on the tip of her nose and her face.
A beautiful woman shedding tears is nothing more than this.
There was a trace of unhappiness in my heart, but also a secret joy.
He knew that he had his elder brother, the emperor, to pressure him throughout his life, and that even if his father had promised him to be the next crown prince of the Jin Dynasty, he would not be able to fulfill his wish.
Back then, in order to make up for their debt to the Crown Prince, the Emperor and the Empress gave the Crown Prince position that belonged to him to Li Zheng, because it was a well-known fact that the Crown Prince was better than the Second Prince in everything.
Li Cheng was named the crown prince when his father ascended the throne. He was always surrounded by the Grand Tutor and the Junior Preceptor, who taught him the art of being a crown prince and emperor, and how to govern his subjects.
Even though my brother had been raised away from home since childhood, his talent had never been hidden. With just the slightest opportunity, he would ignite like wildfire, unleashing explosive power unmatched by ordinary people.
Even though he was far away in the southwestern border, he often heard of the prince's good reputation. People said that he was respectful to the wise and humble, a gentleman of integrity, and had the ability to manage people. He was indeed the best candidate for the position of prince.
Ever since Li Xuan was deceived by the Emperor, he'd been constantly overshadowed by his brother's dazzling glory. He was furious, angry, and unwilling to accept his fate, but what could he do? All his counterattacks seemed foolish. Even if he could truly force the Crown Prince to abdicate that day, given the power he now wielded, his plan might not succeed.
The prince had already monopolized all power in the court without anyone knowing, and gradually undermined Emperor Hui'an's power.
However, even such a dazzling person, the person he hated and envied madly in his heart, actually had one thing that was inferior to him - that was, the young lady that the prince had been thinking about, couldn't wait to come to him after she finished her confinement and stood in front of him with a loving look on her face.
Prince, can you accept such betrayal?
Or is it that he knows the whole story but is still deceiving himself and pretending nothing happened?
When did he become a green-haired turtle?
Li Xuan almost clapped his hands and laughed.
Liang Hanzhang was in a complicated mood. Facing the brother who he once thought was his only support, all kinds of thoughts flashed through his mind. He didn't know whether to be happy, resentful, or angry.
She asked in a barely audible voice, "Are you okay?" She remembered that when she was with Yan Guang, his body was poisoned and he was in unbearable pain all the time. His body was tortured and emaciated.
That's why she couldn't even recognize her brother. Because Li Xuan's face, voice, expression, and figure were all different from the brother she remembered.
But now, seeing his eyes and hearing his words, Liang Hanzhang could accurately judge that this was his brother. The man before him was no imposter. He could tell from his subtle expressions and movements. Those palace maids hadn't deceived him that day.
Li Xuan didn't expect her to ask this. He was a little surprised for a moment. His body was stiff and his face was much more dull than before.
Nene replied: "It's already healed."
His subsequent additions drifted in the breeze: "The poison didn't cause any harm to me back then. I was just pretending for Yan Guang to see."
Liang Hanzhang wanted to say, even if it was just a pretense, he was so weak and in so much pain that he was emaciated. Could it be that all this was just a pretense?
However, she did not ask. When the identity of the virtuous king merged with that of her brother, she knew that she should have let go of this family relationship long ago.
"That's good." The woman's expression returned to calm, and she raised her head slightly, looking at the crabapple blossoms beside her. Last night, the rain had been light and windy, and the heavy rain and wind had battered the beautiful crabapple blossoms. The scattered petals fell to the ground, accidentally crushed.
Just like the brother-sister relationship they have had for many years.
Liang Hanzhang calmed herself down and her eyes became bright again. She thought of the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace and her newborn child. That was her real home. She should be with the Crown Prince and the child instead of meeting with the Prince privately in Prince Xian's mansion and doing something that would cause misunderstanding.
This trip not only fulfills the regrets in my heart, but also formally bids farewell to my past self who was helpless.
She suddenly remembered how the prince had looked at the crabapple blossoms outside his room a few days ago and said with a smile that the flowers were in full bloom and he could have the palace maids pick some to make sachets. He even jokingly said that she had never embroidered a sachet for him. However, the young ladies of other families, in order to firmly grasp the hearts of their masters, embroidered everything from sachets and handkerchiefs to everyday clothes.
He didn't want Liang Yuan to be tired because of this, and he didn't know how good Liang Yuan was at sewing, so he just said it as a joke and didn't take it seriously. He only felt a little regretful in his heart.
Liang Hanzhang was not a good worker. She had suffered a lot when she was a child and was forced to learn many things. She had done countless jobs such as serving tea and water, but she could never learn to be a good worker.
However, seeing the tender look in the prince's eyes, she actually felt that this man only wanted a small sachet, so why couldn't she satisfy him?
He was so pitiful, shouldering the responsibility of the country and protecting her and the child. He had given so much unilaterally, and it was time for her to respond.
After all, love is a matter between two people. If she is more favored, Zhou'er's situation will be better. If the prince ascends the throne in the future, she can also seek a higher-ranked position to provide more support for Zhou'er.
Although she knew that her status was low, Zhou'er would be tarnished for life by having a mother like her. The prince would marry a noble lady in the future and have a legitimate son with the princess. Their legitimate son would be the legitimate heir to the Jin Dynasty.
Even though her child held the title of the emperor's eldest grandson, he was merely the child of a lowly servant. She knew the possibility of Zhou'er ascending to that position was slim.
But people are like that. Once they've tasted power, they can't help but want more. Now that she's a mother, she wants even more for her child, to protect him from bullying and suspicion from his brothers for the rest of his life.
Since giving birth, her relationship with the prince has become closer. She doesn't know what the prince thinks, but she understands that family affection accounts for the majority of her feelings for the prince.
Because she knew that the man she shared the same bed with was the father of her child, and that her and her child's future honor and wealth would all depend on this noble crown prince. Because of the child, their relationship became even closer.
She subconsciously tried to please the prince, hoping that he would remember her kindness and be doubly nice to Zhou'er, giving him the best things.
But obviously, she didn't know that the prince didn't need this purposeful flattery.
Liang Hanzhang thought of the child, and thought that the prince should have returned to the mansion by now and was teasing the child in the side room. His heart couldn't help but fly back to be with the person closest to him.
She no longer cared about the relationship between brother and sister. It was all just a passing cloud.
Li Xuan did not miss the joy in her eyes, knowing that she was no longer the young lady who had accompanied him in the past. In fact, everything had changed as early as when she entered the Eastern Palace and was favored by her brother.
He could have been indifferent at first, but now seeing his brother and his wife loving each other, and his lovely wife and young son living a happy life, he felt a little unwilling in his heart.
Li Xuan: "Do you know what the prince has been worried about recently?"
Liang Hanzhang paused. He naturally knew that the prince was hiding something in his heart. Although he tried his best to smile in front of her and the children every time he returned home, Liang Hanzhang knew that the prince must have encountered some difficult problems.
Sometimes when she held Zhou'er in her arms, she would find the prince staring blankly at the scenery outside. Sometimes when she woke up in the middle of the night, with the help of the dim light, she could see that the prince was not asleep with his eyes open.
What exactly is he worried about? Is this worry related to her, or is it related to... Zhou'er?
Liang Hanzhang thought again of the Emperor and Empress' subtle attitude. Despite appearing to be doing enough to show their support, they hadn't paid any attention to the child. Could it be that the royal family didn't even acknowledge this child?
She couldn't help but jump with horror.
In this situation, what should she do, and what should Zhou'er do? Even if the prince loves the child and can protect Zhou'er for a while, he can't protect him forever. Zhou'er was born prematurely and is extremely weak, so he needs to be taken good care of.
If, in case something bad happens, wouldn't it be like gouging out the flesh of her mother?
Li Xuan carefully observed the changes in her expression, chuckled happily, threw the spoon aside, lifted his robe and sat on the armchair beside him, and said with a smile: "You still don't know?"
Liang Hanzhang felt strangely unfamiliar with his arrogant attitude. It was as if he had never truly understood her brother. She only remembered the pears he painstakingly picked for her when she was a child. They were so sweet that they stayed with her to this day.
She remembered the warmth of the past, but she didn't know that people change. Or maybe he never changed, but she just never understood him.
That day, she inexplicably heard the palace maids' discussions behind the rockery. He had been lurking beside her and watched her being enslaved by Yan Guang without being moved at all. She no longer cared about his sincerity or the truth of it all.
Because she no longer had any feelings for him, she didn't care. Her brother had been dead since she entered the Prince's Mansion. What was still alive was just a body.
Li Xuan: "The Crown Prince is getting married. Father has chosen the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Loyalty for him. She's known for her beauty, proficiency in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and gentle, virtuous, and neither jealous nor angry. But these are just rumors. Who knows the true truth?"
"If she came into the mansion and saw the child you gave birth to, do you think she would treat it well? If the Crown Prince protected it, it would be fine, but if the Crown Prince fell in love with someone else one day and fell in love with that woman, then how would your child cope?"
"After all, he holds the title of the emperor's eldest grandson, and any mistress would feel like a thorn in her throat if she were given the title."
Seeing Liang Hanzhang's dejected expression, he raised an eyebrow and continued, "Not only that, my father, the emperor, and my mother, the empress, are extremely displeased with you. Because of your sins, they have repeatedly threatened to end your life with the crown prince. Even if the crown prince resists now because he loves you, how long do you think he can hold out? How long can your relationship last?"
"Impossible, you must be lying to me, this is absolute nonsense!" Liang Hanzhang shouted angrily in shame, not believing it, but her little face, which was flushed due to her rapid breathing, revealed everything.
Li Xuan stared at the young lady in front of him and understood.
It seems that the relationship between her and the prince is not as deep as he imagined.
Li Xuan was still unhurried and strolled leisurely: "Whether you believe it or not is entirely up to you. But I still want to give you a piece of advice. According to the emperor and empress's stubborn nature, the result of your death will not change. The only difference is a matter of time."
"So, if you want to find a way out, you must prepare early."
"You! You must be provoking me. I only believe the prince and don't believe your nonsense!" Liang Hanzhang was furious. When facing Li Xuan, he no longer had the initial uneasiness and sadness. His words became sharp and harsh.
"Whether you believe it or not is entirely up to you, Your Majesty. Xuan is just reminding you kindly today. If you don't believe it, you can just leave it alone." Li Xuan picked up the teapot and poured tea, scraped off the foam on the surface, and took a sip gently, his movements neither hurried nor slow.
…
It was sunny and windy in the morning, but in the afternoon, it was covered with thick clouds. The sky above Kyoto was covered with rolling black ink, like thousands of horses galloping away, which made people feel depressed.
Liang Hanzhang didn't know how she got back to the Prince's Mansion. She only knew that her heart was pounding and a huge panic came over her, even worse than the difficult labor she had that day.
This was her child, a child she had given birth to with great difficulty. Was she really going to be tortured by the mistress? And she, who had just been born and was still imagining a happy life with her family of three, was to be separated from her child forever.
Yes, she almost forgot that the man beside her was the crown prince, not just an ordinary peddler. He stood at the pinnacle of power, representing the continuation of a dynasty. In the future, there would undoubtedly be many women around him, whether from aristocratic families or common people.
It was impossible for her to be the only one by his side. Naturally, it was impossible for Zhou Er to be the only child under his knees.
It was during this period that the Crown Prince had been so kind and gentle to her that she had begun to think of being with him for the rest of his life. Regardless of the Crown Prince's intentions, her lowly status alone made her unworthy of standing by his side.
Giving her a son and letting her become the mother of the emperor's eldest grandson is already a great grace.
The funny thing was that she was still thinking of pushing things further. She had always believed that even if the prince had another child, he would never forget Zhou'er or her. But now she thought that might not be the case.
There has never been true love between the royal family. Even someone as pure as the prince cannot be faithful to one person.
After thinking all this through, Liang Hanzhang felt cold all over, as if he was in the ocean and could not even grab the only piece of driftwood.
There was another thing that puzzled her. Why was the Emperor and Empress so intolerant of her? Although they had occasionally looked down on her because of her background, they had treated her somewhat well for the sake of the Crown Prince and the Emperor's eldest grandson.
Now, she tried to persuade the Crown Prince to take her life. Why did she anger the Emperor and Empress?
Liang Hanzhang knew clearly that if what the virtuous king said was true, even if the prince was the crown prince, as long as the empress wanted her life, the prince alone would not be able to protect her no matter what.
Is this all true?
The prince was lost in thought every day, his brow furrowed. Was he struggling? Was he struggling over whether to kill her, or how to find a way for her to establish herself?
is that so?
The more Liang Hanzhang thought about it, the more frightened he became. He couldn't help but tremble like a sieve. The little bit of color that he had managed to regain during the two months of confinement turned gray in an instant.
Mingyue and the other two had no idea what was going on. They were standing far away and had not heard clearly the conversation between the Queen Mother and the King of Virtue. Seeing the Queen Mother's reaction now, they felt that something was wrong.
Could it be that this wise king has gonessiping in front of the queen again?
The two of them were filled with anger. Although the other party was the son of the royal family, he did such a despicable thing in order to seize the throne. As slaves, they really could not feel any respect for him.
The Queen has just given birth, and women after giving birth are prone to worrying. What did the wise king say to make the Queen so scared?
But no matter how the two maids tried to persuade her, Liang Hanzhang was still unwilling to tell the truth. She just said that she had been out for a long time and was feeling a little unwell.
Although Mingyue and others were suspicious, they did not want to force the queen to tell the truth. They kept an eye on it and thought they could report it to the prince in private.
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