Chapter 50 Chapter 50
In a blink of an eye, Liang Hanzhang was already seven months pregnant. The master of fertility and the experienced midwife had already been arranged in the East Palace to make all preparations for Liang Yuan's pregnancy.
Seeing her belly growing bigger and bigger like a balloon, Li Cheng was worried and scared, but he didn't dare to show it. When he was in the Prince's Mansion, he wanted to be by her side all the time, for fear that she would be hurt by someone carelessly.
As the prince's personal eunuch, Li Fu naturally understood his worries. But what could he do? As long as the prince didn't see Liangyuan and the young prince safe and sound, his heart would remain in suspense.
Let’s just endure this day.
In this tense atmosphere, the emperor suddenly fell ill and lost consciousness. Many imperial doctors came to the Gan'an Palace to take his pulse, but all were helpless.
Not long after, the Queen suddenly issued an imperial decree to recruit famous doctors from all over the world to treat the emperor, and promised that as long as he could restore the emperor's health, he would be awarded a golden medal and purple ribbon, and be granted land and territory, and his family would be blessed with endless favors and honors.
As soon as this decree was issued, many talented and knowledgeable doctors came to Chang'an, but it also attracted many mediocre doctors who wanted to take shortcuts and get promoted overnight to gather in Chang'an City.
The Empress was furious and ordered all the fraudsters to be taken to Goujiling and beheaded. Due to the sheer number of people, the executioners were almost overwhelmed. Blood immediately flowed like a river in the capital, and the bloodstains at Goujiling lingered for over a month. Everyone in the court and the country was in danger.
As luck would have it, before the Emperor fell ill, he had dispatched the Crown Prince to Yuezhong on official business, preventing him from returning to the capital for several months at the very least. With the Emperor gravely ill and the Crown Prince thousands of miles away, the vast empire seemed to have suddenly ground to a halt.
It was at this moment that people's hearts were in turmoil. In order to maintain stability, the ministers recommended His Royal Highness the Wise King, who had not yet returned to the border, to replace the Crown Prince in the responsibility of governing the country and handling important state affairs.
At first, the virtuous prince was reluctant, saying frankly that he was just an idle prince and that it would be presumptuous to take on the responsibility of regent. Later, the queen and the court officials persuaded him again and again, and the virtuous prince had no choice but to accept.
The next day, the virtuous Prince Li Xuan appeared in the Qianyuan Hall in a prince's dragon robe, presided over the court meeting and arranged various matters. In order to better protect the capital and the safety of the emperor, he even summoned the troops previously in the southwest back to Chang'an.
For some reason, although the southwest is thousands of miles away from Kyoto, the army has arrived in Chang'an in just a few dozen days and is stationed in various military camps, ready for battle.
Some court officials with keen noses smelled something unusual, but did not dare to say anything. They locked themselves in their homes and refused to see visitors, pretending not to participate in any party disputes.
The Crown Prince hadn't told Liang Hanzhang why he was going to Yuezhong. Ever since the tokens were swapped in the Xuanguang Hall study, she had been feeling uneasy, fearing the Crown Prince would discover the token in the study's secret compartment was a fake. Therefore, she hadn't dared to ask the Crown Prince.
Just when Li Rong had been gone for about half a month, someone suddenly came from the palace to invite her in. Shuanglu, who was beside the virtuous king, knelt beside her and explained, "Your Majesty, the emperor is seriously ill now, and the capital may not be peaceful. In order to protect your safety, His Highness has specially ordered us to bring you into the palace. I hope your Majesty will understand."
Liang Hanzhang didn't want to leave, but the other party didn't invite her into the palace at all. Instead, they "kidnapped" her into the palace as a hostage. After entering the palace, she was directly locked up in the main hall, and even Mingyue Yuhu and others who were by her side were not allowed to serve her close.
It seems that Li Xuan can't wait any longer.
Liang Hanzhang was trapped in the main hall, her heart felt as if it had been boiled by boiling water. She prayed that the prince would be safe this time, and that the emperor would wake up as soon as possible.
Just when she was feeling restless, a distinguished guest arrived. The moment she took off her felt hat and saw the familiar face, Liang Hanzhang couldn't help but burst into tears.
The man quickly stepped forward to support the staggering woman, feeling both pity and heartache: "Mother Zhang, I'm late." His trembling fingers gently brushed across her red eyelids, their cold, temperatureless fingers wet with moisture.
Liang Hanzhang couldn't help it any longer and threw herself into his arms, crying, "Brother!" Although her voice was choked, the affection in it burst out like a seed.
After more than a year of wandering around, her brother, whom she hadn't seen since entering the Eastern Palace, whom she had thought had been killed by a villain, suddenly appeared before her alive. How could she not be surprised!
Just like when they were little, Liang Xian patted her shoulder gently to comfort her: "Don't cry, Zhang Niang. It's your fault. You have dragged Zhang Niang into this situation. It's all your fault."
Liang Hanzhang shook her head, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't tell if she was crying for the year of separation, when everything had changed, or for her brother's return from the dead. In short, she felt like a weary bird that had found its family, finally able to stop her wandering ways and lean against them for a good cry.
Liang Xian remained silent, carefully wiping the woman's tears. When he cried until his voice was hoarse and his chest was soaked with tears, Liang Hanzhang was too embarrassed to leave his arms and asked in a muffled voice, "Brother, what have you been doing these days?"
The hand that tried to wipe her tears was silently dodged by the other party. Liang Xian's fingers stiffened slightly for a moment, and then he said nonchalantly, "Brother is planning something." He walked to the rose chair next to him, sat down, and poured himself a cup of tea.
"What's the matter?" Liang Hanzhang followed behind him, still regretting her previous recklessness. She and her brother hadn't seen each other for a long time, and in her excitement she threw herself into his arms.
It would have been fine when they were young, but now that they were older, there was a difference between boys and girls, and Liang Hanzhang was worried that her brother would be upset. Her face turned red with anger, and she wanted to shrink into a quail. She wanted to get closer to the other person but felt embarrassed, so she could only follow slowly beside him.
Seeing her like this, Liang Xian, after spending so many years together, how could he not guess what she was thinking? He smiled helplessly, put down his teacup and said, "After not seeing each other for so many years, Zhang Niang's attitude towards me has become more and more distant."
Liang Hanzhang stood not far away, observing the thin man in a green shirt. He felt that after not seeing him for a long time, he felt that his brother was a little different. Hearing this, he felt more and more embarrassed, twisting his fingers and walking over to sit next to him.
Liang Xian noticed her bulging belly and his eyes froze for a moment before he asked, "How many months is the baby, Zhang Niang?"
Liang Hanzhang touched her belly, a smile appeared on the corners of her mouth, and she replied softly: "It's just been seven months."
Liang Xian saw that her eyes were shining, and her whole body was filled with the warmth of a pregnant woman and her anticipation for her future child. For some reason, he felt a tightness in his chest that made him almost unable to breathe.
He smiled: "That's great. In the blink of an eye, Zhang Niang is going to be a mother, and I am going to be an uncle." Then he couldn't help frowning: "It's a pity that uncle came in a hurry and didn't prepare any gifts for his nephew."
"Brother, why do we have to be so distant?" Liang Hanzhang grumbled, their usual familiarity gradually returning. Previously, as Yan Guang's medicine man, his brother had spent his days either bedridden or unconscious, his entire body emaciated and his eye sockets sunken. Now, though still thin, he had lost his former frailty and looked much healthier.
She was genuinely happy for her brother. But when she thought about her brother now being in league with the virtuous king, her excitement subsided, and she couldn't help but ask, "Brother, how did you get involved with the virtuous king? Don't you usually look down on these royal children the most?"
Liang Xian seemed to have guessed that she would ask this, but he didn't intend to elaborate. He said vaguely: "He helped me a few times, so I had no choice but to agree to work for him."
He knew that it was difficult for Liang Hanzhang to exchange the token before, and he couldn't help but say ashamedly: "I'm sorry, brother has made it difficult for you. I promise that there won't be a second time."
Liang Hanzhang was indeed in a difficult position. She had recently been overwhelmed by the guilt she felt for betraying the Crown Prince once again. But now, hearing her brother's words and seeing him standing before her in good health, she suddenly felt that everything she had done was worth it.
Liang Xian hesitated for a long time, clenching and relaxing his hands. He stared at the woman beside him with deep eyes and asked, "Mother Zhang, are you willing to come with me?"
"Brother...what do you mean?" Liang Hanzhang's eyes dodged slightly, and he couldn't help pinching his fingertips.
"Now that the emperor is in a coma and the crown prince is not here, the wise king's evil ambitions are obvious. He brought you into the palace just to check and balance the crown prince. But don't worry, Zhang Niang, the prince promised me that as long as you are willing to leave with me, he will let us go."
"Where are you going?"
"The world is so vast, there's no place we can't go. You said we would never be separated. What if the Crown Prince is defeated and the virtuous King takes the throne? What will happen to you, who is pregnant with the Crown Prince's child?"
"Who says the Crown Prince will be defeated?" Liang Hanzhang sneered, his face filled with disdain. "The Crown Prince has been the heir to the throne for many years, a man of great virtue and wisdom, and a man of many decisions. And that virtuous king is a cowardly commoner, frivolous and unassuming. Since ancient times, the righteous have conquered the unrighteous, and the unvirtuous have yielded to the virtuous. But the virtuous king is attempting to conquer the virtuous with the unvirtuous. How many people in the court and the people will submit to him? How can this villain not be defeated?"
Liang Xian was stunned for a moment, his face stiff and indecipherable. After a long time, he said, "Brother, you don't know that Zhang Niang actually thinks this way."
"But you've already betrayed the Crown Prince. If he's completely exposed one day, Li Cheng won't tolerate any sand in his eyes. If he really makes a fuss about it, what will you do?"
Liang Hanzhang's suspicions grew, and she frowned, asking, "Brother, how do you know His Highness's personality so well?" She had spent so much time with the Crown Prince, and she had never felt he was vindictive. Could it be that the Crown Prince was hiding his true feelings well?
But disguise only works on people she is not familiar with. She is with the prince all day long. If the prince has this kind of personality, why can't he feel it at all?
Liang Xian looked embarrassed and said, "Brother, I don't know either. It was the wise king who told me."
"The virtuous prince has always been bullying the crown prince, believing he's usurping his throne. How can one trust his words?" Liang Hanzhang said angrily. Her recent encounters with Li Xuan, along with the stories the crown prince had shared with her, had left her with a deeply negative impression of the virtuous prince.
Because the two siblings hadn't seen each other for a long time, Liang Hanzhang was so excited that she overlooked many important information. Faced with Liang Xian's advice, she initially refused with righteous indignation, but in the end, she was vaguely moved by it.
"Since you can't bear to let your child suffer with you, why don't you wait until the child is born before leaving? This is the prince's first child. Even if something happens in the future, the prince will never vent his anger on the child for the sake of their blood relationship."
"Is it really possible?"
"Why not? Zhang Niang, you've always been a smart child. Think about it carefully. The Crown Prince is the heir to the throne, and he might even ascend to the throne in the future. A man like him can't have only you in his harem. Who knows how many good women will become his concubines in the future. Ask yourself, are you willing to compete with a bunch of women just to win a little favor from the king?"
This struck a chord with Liang Hanzhang. He questioned himself, wondering if, despite his beauty, he lacked the allure to keep the Crown Prince all to himself. She was of low status, while he was the crown prince, soaring above him. Even if he had some affection for her now, wouldn't it fade with time?
How can there be true love in heaven?
For example, Emperor Hui'an and Empress Wang were deeply in love and affectionate. For many years, the Empress was the only mistress in the harem, but their true love was built through decades of mutual support. Moreover, the Emperor and Empress were a well-matched couple, having been childhood sweethearts.
Such men are rare in the entire Jin Dynasty, and she and the prince were just a conspiracy from the beginning. Even if he treats her a little differently now, it is only for the sake of the child in her belly.
Moreover, every day when he returned home, his first priority was always to greet the unborn child. He placed such importance on his offspring, how much affection could he have for the child's biological mother?
He had said before that he would only allow himself to lie to him once and for the last time. And now she had lied to him again, and even switched the token that commanded the Xuanzheng Gate guards. Given the prince's proud nature, how could he tolerate this?
However, if she left, her child would be left motherless. She was already resentful of being sold as a child, so was she going to let her child follow her path?
Liang Xian saw her concerns and couldn't help but say, "It's better for the child to be raised in the royal family than to travel with us. Besides, if he is raised in the palace, he will be a noble prince or princess. You can give the child such a prominent status, and the child will be grateful to you in the future."
Liang Hanzhang stood there in a daze, stroking his belly unconsciously, not knowing what to do.
Liang Xian did not interrupt. After the other party thought for a long time and looked up, he took out something from his sleeve: "Here are several blank travel passes. Keep them for now. If you want to leave after giving birth to the baby, you can contact me at any time."
He smiled and touched her head and said, "Niang Zhang, don't have to feel any psychological pressure. No matter what choice you make, I will stand by you."
Liang Hanzhang's eyes turned red again when she saw him talking and laughing.
Liang Xian frantically wiped her hair, but his hand, just stretched out, hung in mid-air before he retracted it. His eyes dimmed, and his voice was filled with disappointment that he could hardly conceal: "Brother, you forgot that Zhang Niang has grown up and married someone else. Your behavior is really inappropriate."
Liang Hanzhang did not miss the other party's disappointment. He quickly put his hand on his face and shook his head, saying, "No, no matter how old you are, brother will always be my brother."
Thinking about what happened just now, she explained: "It's not that Zhang Niang deliberately avoided my brother just now, it's just that you and I haven't seen each other for a long time, and I was afraid that my overly intimate behavior would embarrass my brother."
"What's so embarrassing about that?" Liang Xian didn't care. His gaunt face was once again filled with smiles. He looked at the person in front of him affectionately and said teasingly, "How come you've been crying for so long and still have so many tears? Is Zhang Niang made of water?"
Liang Hanzhang glared at him angrily. The two chatted for a long time. Liang Xian was afraid of disturbing her rest and insisted on leaving.
Liang Hanzhang stood by the door, watching the man in blue robe gradually disappear around the corner, his eyes dim and he sighed deeply.
At Liang Xian's request, Li Xuan transferred Chunfen and Xiazhi to Liangyuan, as she was pregnant and unwell. Unaware of the court's formalities, they knew they could serve Liangyuan closely. Remembering Liangyuan's previous plea to His Highness, they were overjoyed. They all cared attentively, no longer acting with the arrogance they had initially displayed.
Gan'an Hall.
The incense cakes in the Boshan stove were burning slowly. The emperor lying behind the ochre-yellow bed curtains was coughing violently. A pair of dry hands stretched out from inside, shouting for water.
But the eunuchs who usually served him were nowhere to be found, and even Yang, the eunuch he usually relied on as a confidant, was nowhere to be found. The entire palace was silent, with only the emperor's hoarse and indistinguishable coughs and groans.
A dignified emperor, yet he met such a fate. Emperor Hui'an's eyes darkened for a moment. He was about to stand up and reach for the tea bowl when the palace door suddenly opened from the outside.
A man in a dark princely robe entered, his black boots clacking against the golden bricks, a rustling sound that was particularly noticeable in the deadly silence of the hall. Emperor Hui'an half-supported himself, squinting his eyes as he strained to see the man. Upon seeing it was his beloved second son, he finally relaxed and nodded.
He ordered, "Xuan'er, could you please pour me a cup of tea?"
Li Xuan's figure was facing away from the light, making it hard to see clearly. All that could be heard was his deep voice: "As a son, I wish I could be filial to my parents. I have caused my father much suffering."
As he spoke, he poured a glass of ice-cold tea and carefully served it to Emperor Hui'an. Emperor Hui'an took a breath to calm down for a moment, then asked, "Where are the people here? Why is there no one here?" Could it be that they are all taking advantage of his serious illness to hide away?
Li Xuan put the teacup aside, his fingers bent unconsciously, and the voice seemed to be squeezed out from his throat: "That group of cunning slaves took advantage of the emperor's serious illness and fanned the flames in the palace. They have been dealt with by your son."
"So that's how it is," Emperor Hui'an leaned back on the soft pillow, his body relaxed, and couldn't help but praise: "Well done, King Xian."
"By the way, how is your royal brother now?" Ever since he was seriously ill, he had ordered people to summon the crown prince back to the capital. I don't know when he received the imperial edict. Could he have come back in the next few days?
Li Xuan sat down on the chair next to him and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Your Majesty. My brother has received the imperial edict and will return to Beijing overnight. He will probably arrive in Beijing today."
"Okay, that's good. With your royal brother here, your father can rest assured." Emperor Hui'an nodded with satisfaction, not noticing the increasingly gloomy expression of the person next to him.
The virtuous prince suddenly stood up and turned his back to the emperor, his hands clenched into fists. His voice was hoarse, but he couldn't help but ask for the truth: "I have a question, father, can you explain it to me?"
"Just tell me, son."
Li Xuan suddenly slammed his fist on the table, his eyes swollen and his muscles bulging. He gritted his teeth and said, "If my father loves my brother so much, why did he promise me the position of crown prince?"
Li Gu seemed puzzled as to why he was acting this way, a look of confusion flashing across his face. After a few pauses, he explained, "Father certainly did something wrong back then." The prince was still young at the time, and that arrow nearly killed him. Almost all the imperial physicians said he wouldn't survive and told him to prepare for his funeral.
But at the time, public sentiment was unsettled and state affairs were precarious. Besides Emperor Li's faction, there were also numerous aristocratic families and powerful officials ready to stir up trouble. If his followers knew he would give the crown princeship to a sickly man whose fate lay uncertain, how could they possibly reassure them?
Furthermore, he wasn't particularly close to his eldest son at the time, and he figured that if he died, he would be dead. After all, he still had a second son, and making him the crown prince would satisfy both himself and his subordinates. Furthermore, since the second son had always been by his side, he and the queen were somewhat partial to him.
But no one expected the crown prince to have such a near-death experience, to have survived. He had always felt immense guilt towards his eldest son because of the arrow he had shot. Later, a senior official advised him that since Li Cheng was the eldest legitimate son, the eldest son had always been the heir apparent, and Li Cheng had made contributions to the country, the crown prince should be given to him.
Emperor Hui'an's promise to pass the throne to his second son was just a joke. He didn't take it seriously, nor did the other ministers. But Li Xuan was the only one who took it seriously. Even more unexpectedly, he's been brooding over it for years, and even now he's still asking why.
Li Gu was filled with resentment. If he hadn't hesitated like this, if he hadn't been so ambiguous between the two brothers, would the current quarrel between the brothers have never happened?
Unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret. Even if he is extremely reluctant, he still has to face the consequences of the past.
Now seriously ill and old, Emperor Hui'an felt a sense of loss in his heart. He took a breath and said, "My son, do you blame your father? When people's hearts were in turmoil, your brother's life or death was unknown, and your father could do nothing."
Li Xuan straightened his robe. His right hand was dented by the punch he had just made, and blood was flowing from the injury.
But he didn't care at all, and still smiled and said: "It's not that I'm resentful, but I'm unwilling to give up. Since my royal brother has been occupying your home for so many years, you should return what belongs to me."
"You...what do you mean?" Emperor Hui'an's eyes were filled with confusion, his hands trembling slightly. His palms and backs were made of flesh. If his mistakes back then led to a quarrel between his brothers, how could he face his ancestors and the Empress?
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. From now on, you can just be the emperor. As for my brother, I only want the position of crown prince. After all, he is my brother, and I won't be so cruel as to take his life."
"From now on, you can enjoy your retirement. I will leave the affairs of state to your son." The blood from the back of his hand unknowingly stained the ground, turning it red and purple. Emperor Hui'an looked at his second son, whom he had always doted on, and felt a tremor of fear.
"Are you going to rebel?" He pointed at the other person and asked while coughing violently.
"Your Majesty, what you said is wrong again. I am your son. Won't I still be the one to sit on this seat a hundred years after you die? My brother is your son, and I am also your son. Why can't I have what my brother has? Your Majesty, you can't be so partial to one over the other."
It would have been fine if he hadn't agreed back then, but he was promised the position of crown prince but was given to Li Cheng instead. How could he not hate him?
Then I thought of the concubine in the prince's backyard, who was now pregnant with the prince's child and whose heart and eyes were filled with the prince. Why did everyone side with him, and why did he get all the benefits?
He was also a descendant of the royal family, so why couldn't the throne fall upon him? Since his father was unwilling to help, he had no choice but to fight for it himself.
"You...you", Emperor Hui'an pointed at the virtuous king, but he could not utter a word. His eyes rolled back and his gaze was dull, and he almost fainted.
Suddenly, a deafening roar came from outside. Swords clashed, and countless weapons collided, making a cold and sharp sound. Emperor Hui'an knew that it was the Xianwang's men who were fighting with the Qinglong Guards.
He closed his eyes and gasped in agony, tears streaming down his face. It was as if all his strength had been drained away. He collapsed on the bed, mumbling, "So how are you going to deal with the Crown Prince?"
Li Xuan sneered, "I believe the Crown Prince has already entered the palace. He is plotting a rebellion, and I have done a great service in rescuing him. Your Majesty, please depose the Crown Prince and pass the throne to me. What do you think of this proposal?"
"You!" Li Gu was so angry that his eyes were wide open, his eyes were swollen and his muscles were bulging. He was gasping for breath, as if he would die in the next second. However, after a long time, he listened to the noise outside and suddenly felt relieved.
He said calmly, "As long as you spare the prince's life, you can take the throne if you want. After all, I'm tired of sitting on it." As he spoke, he shook his head and sighed, "You disappoint me so much."
Unconsciously, he had already called himself "I" in front of the virtuous king, abandoning the father-son relationship and transforming himself into a minister and assistant to the king. Li Xuan may have ignored it, or perhaps realized it but didn't care. After all, he just wanted an explanation and to take back what was his.
He would not kill the Crown Prince, nor would he do anything to Emperor Hui'an. After all, these were his closest relatives, and if he got what he wanted, he could also leave his brother a leisurely prince.
Li Gu looked at his second son, who was becoming increasingly unfamiliar to him, and shook his head helplessly. There was a deep meaning in his eyes that the wise king could not understand.
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