Chapter 275: Starting Over
Seeing the Second Princess fall asleep, Zhou Defu quickly whispered, "Your Majesty, you didn't sleep well last night. How about you stay with the Second Princess for a while? There's also a farewell banquet for the King of Lanyue Kingdom tonight, so you won't be back until late at night."
Looking at his daughter who was sleeping soundly in his arms, Xiao Heng nodded: "Okay."
After carefully placing Xiyue on the bed, Xiao Heng lay down. Looking at his daughter's delicate features, Xiao Heng thought of Liu Yuetang again.
My daughter has long, thick eyelashes, round eyes as bright as grapes, and a cherry mouth, all of which look very much like her.
He reached out and gently stroked Xiyue's head. The emperor's majesty and sharpness in his eyes disappeared, and a glimmer of light appeared in his eyes.
"Yue'er, why doesn't your mother love your father?"
"Is it... Father is very bad."
Thinking of the tender scenes between the two of them in the past, all of which were acted out by her, Xiao Heng felt a pang of sadness in his heart.
He raised his eyes to look at the golden curtain and suppressed the emotion.
******
At the farewell banquet, Xiao Heng raised his glass to Zong Zhengjun and said, "The Lanyue Kingdom has always been fond of drinking. This is Lihuabai, which has been stored in the ice cellar of Taiye Lake for three years. Your Majesty, please enjoy it tonight."
Zong Zhengjun picked up the wine glass and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. If Jingyuan needs you in the future, I will definitely do my best to help you!"
After saying this, the two of them raised their heads and drank the whole thing. Zong Zhengjun praised repeatedly, "Good wine! This is really good wine!"
Xiao Heng waved his hand, and the palace servants came forward carrying three large boxes. "The Khan has come from afar, and I have prepared some small gifts."
Zong Zhengjun quickly stood up and expressed his gratitude, "Your Majesty's willingness to lend me the troops is Lan Yue's greatest kindness. Now, I feel deeply ashamed to accept this generous gift."
Xiao Heng waved his hand and said, "Since our two countries have been on good terms, there's no need to be polite. Furthermore, King Lan Yue also brought generous gifts when he came. This is just a small token of my appreciation."
Zong Zhengjun thanked him again and again before sitting down to continue drinking.
The Lanyue Kingdom has always been good at riding, shooting and drinking. The pear blossom white wine in the jade cup was filled again and again. He had a pleasant conversation with several princes and kept toasting.
Xiao Heng, however, had no intention of socializing. He just picked up the wine glass and drank silently, his eyes fixed on the lower right corner.
That was specially reserved for Liu Yuetang, and even in the future, this position will still be hers.
I asked her to reflect on her mistakes in Yaoyue Palace, and she was obedient. She stayed in Yaoyue Palace and didn't even come to the banquet.
Xiao Heng picked up the wine glass and drank it all.
His drowsy mind was filled with the image of Liu Yuetang and the heartbreaking words she had said yesterday.
The queen looked at the empty chair, how could she not understand what was happening.
Every time Xiao Heng drank a glass of wine, her heart felt a little more sour.
The Queen suppressed the bitterness in her throat and held Xiao Heng's hand, "Your Majesty, you have drunk a lot tonight. Please be careful of your health."
Xiao Heng didn't say anything, so she continued, "Why don't you go back to the palace first? I and King Beichen are here."
After saying that, she winked at Zhou Defu.
Zhou Defu quickly agreed and helped the blushing Xiao Heng back to Chengming Palace.
When they arrived at Chengming Palace, Xiao Heng became even more drunk and Zhou Defu could hardly support him.
He quickly called out to He Yunzheng, "Commander He, quickly, help this servant support the Emperor. I will have someone make some hangover soup for him."
He Yunzheng quickly helped Xiao Heng back to the Zichen Palace. As soon as he stepped into the palace, Xiao Heng shook off He Yunzheng's hand and said, "Get out!"
His sleeves fluttered as he staggered, holding onto the table. "Everyone, get out! No one is allowed to come in without my order!"
The candlelight flickered violently, casting distorted shadows on the wall, making Xiao Heng look particularly lonely.
He stumbled to the bed, ripped off the crown on his head, and dropped it to the ground.
"Liu Yuetang! Why don't you love me?"
"What's wrong with me?"
As He Yunzheng reached the door, he was shocked by Xiao Heng's words and stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening in disbelief.
He turned his head and saw that the emperor, who was usually calm and cold, was now full of pain and sadness.
He Yunzheng turned around and slowly walked outside.
It turns out that even an emperor who rules the world cannot escape the word love.
The emperor had already fallen in love, but he was unaware of it.
Xiao Heng pulled off his belt and the sachet fell to the ground immediately.
His eyes fixed, and that was the sachet embroidered for him by Liu Yuetang herself.
He bent down to pick up the sachet, and suddenly remembered the jealous words the woman said when she agreed to embroider the sachet for him.
Come to think of it, those words are all false.
She doesn't even love me, so how could she be jealous?
He had always known that the encounter in the Plum Garden three years ago was most likely a carefully planned event by her, but even so, he was willing to join in.
Which woman in the harem doesn't want to be the emperor? Which woman doesn't have scheming?
But he always believed that Liu Yuetang was the only person in the harem who treated him sincerely.
Believe that she is different from others!
Now thinking about it, haha, it is indeed different.
Who would dare to lie to me for three whole years like she did?
Pretending to be deeply affectionate, there is no flaw.
"Liu Yuetang, Liu Yuetang!"
"You are even more heartless than me..."
As these words were spoken, a trace of moisture suddenly appeared on the sachet.
Even Xiao Heng himself didn't notice that he shed a tear.
He took a deep breath and looked up at the moonlight outside the window.
Liu Yuetang's words suddenly rang in my mind.
"In the past three years, regardless of whether I was sincere or not, have all my efforts ever been rewarded with even a single bit of your sincerity?"
"Your Majesty, you have no sincerity towards me, so why do you ask me to be wholeheartedly devoted to you?"
His heart suddenly moved.
Maybe... maybe she didn't love herself, but she didn't dare to love herself.
She thought that I treated her just like other concubines and that I was not sincere in my treatment of her.
So... she didn't dare to love herself.
Yes...how dare she love herself.
She came to him, covered in bruises.
Whether it is physical injury or emotional injury, it is all caused by him.
Because of Concubine Zhao, he broke her heart again and again. How could she dare to give her heart to him again?
Just like being born into a royal family, you are destined to be free from love and affection.
So does she.
She had never received love from her parents since she was a child, so how could she know what love was? How could she know how to love others?
She acted affectionate in front of him just because she wanted to survive better in the harem.
She had lived in fear and anxiety since she was a child, so she knew that pleasing herself and holding on to grace was her only way out.
She didn't want to deceive herself either.
Who wants to live with a mask on all the time?
She must have been very tired during these three years of deceiving herself.
Not only does she have to wear a mask of deep affection, but she also has to deal with the struggles within the imperial palace.
Thinking of this, Xiao Heng's heartache turned into heartache.
Maybe they never understood each other and never opened their hearts to each other.
Thinking of this, Xiao Heng quickly stood up: "Zhou Defu!"
He's going to find her!
Be honest and start over.
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