Spring flowers and grasses were already waiting for the carriage at the entrance of the Crown Prince's residence. Finally, at noon, the familiar carriage reappeared in sight.
"She's here! The Crown Princess is finally back!"
Shen Jiaojiao couldn't wait to lift the carriage curtain, and the two people who had been waiting at the door ran over happily.
"Greetings, Crown Princess!"
"Get up! I've missed you so much."
Shen Jiaojiao jumped off the carriage, and two maids surrounded her, chattering happily.
There was no way to see that there was a prince inside the car.
"Hmph!" Chu Tianling looked at the person who spoke, snorted lightly, trying to make his presence known.
Upon hearing the voice, Chunhua and the others quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
If he hadn't been breathing, I would have completely forgotten about him.
"Yes, get up!"
Chu Tianling showed no emotion on his face, but he had already taken a few steps forward and pulled the person into his arms.
Spring flowers and spring grass exchange a knowing smile; it's the same old story.
Back in the capital, there was still much to be done.
Zhang Jie and Zhao Mingyue were taken to the palace by Imperial Physician Zhang. The two were severely poisoned, and since there were many medicines and caregivers in the palace, they had to find a way to obtain the necessary medicines to detoxify them.
The Emperor also sent someone to deliver an imperial edict, ordering Chu Tianling to bring Chu Tianyang and the others to the palace for an audience immediately.
After quickly washing up in the mansion and putting on their palace clothes, Shen Jiaojiao and her companion set off for the palace.
The Crown Prince's residence was right next to the palace, very close.
Neither of them spoke.
Upon arriving at the palace, palace servants led the two towards the inner palace. Chu Tianling held her hand, subtly comforting her.
They soon arrived at the Empress's palace. Upon entering, the two bowed to the two people at the head of the table.
The Empress was visibly pleased: "Please sit down. Tea and snacks are served on the table. Have some first."
"Your mother knows that you were summoned by your father as soon as you returned, so you probably didn't have time to eat anything."
A warm feeling washed over Shen Jiaojiao as she looked at the pastries on the table, all of which were her favorites, along with some flower tea.
This is clearly something that was put into it.
Chu Tianling deftly picked up Shen Jiaojiao's favorite foods and placed them in her bowl and plate, all the while speaking to the Empress on the throne.
"Thank you, Mother."
The Empress was happy to see the two of them eating so happily, and her face beamed with joy.
"The Imperial Concubine has arrived! His Highness Prince An has arrived! His Consort An has arrived!"
A voice came from outside, and the two had almost finished eating, so they stopped and looked towards the door.
The former Consort Liu was arrogant and domineering, but now that she probably knows the Liu family has fallen and she has lost her backing, she has become much more gentle and docile.
"Your Majesty, I have met you! Your Highness, I have met you!" Consort Liu's attitude was extremely proper.
She dared not say more since she had not yet been dismissed from her position.
"Greetings, Father Emperor and Mother Empress."
Chu Tianyang knelt down with warmth in his heart, his feelings were also very complicated.
He had called him "Father Emperor" for so many years. When his elder brother was unwell, the Emperor had treated him quite well, which made him want to ascend the throne.
Now that he knows he is not his father's child and the Liu family has fallen, he feels somewhat panicked.
What should he do if his father doesn't acknowledge him?
"Okay, everyone get up and find a seat!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Thank you, Father Emperor!"
The three of them looked up and stood up, and all of them saw Chu Tianling and Shen Jiaojiao sitting on their left, as well as the food on their table.
The two exchanged greetings but did not exchange a single word.
Everyone was waiting for the emperor to speak.
Chu Batian sat above, looking down at the group below. This was a rare moment of quiet; in the past, when the group got together, they were always noisy and disruptive.
That's true, it hadn't been exposed yet.
He looked at Chu Tianyang. This child had grown up under his nose since he was a child. Although he wasn't particularly smart, he hadn't gotten into any major trouble yet.
"Tianyang, I heard your princess is pregnant?" His voice was unreadable, neither happy nor unhappy.
Chu Tianyang was already on edge and thought the conversation would start with his identity, but instead the topic turned to his child.
He overreacted a bit, standing up and shouting, "Yes, Father, it's been almost two months."
Chu Batian laughed heartily: "Hahaha, really, you're such a grown man, why are you still so loud and boisterous? You'll be a father someday, you can't be so childish, you need to be more mature."
Chu Tianyang's hands were sweaty: "Yes, I've got it."
Why haven't you mentioned it yet? His mind is in turmoil.
Shen Jiaojiao noticed that Chu Tianyang and Wen Nuan didn't seem to be as close as they used to be.
Chu Batian turned to look at Consort Liu and suddenly spoke: "By the way, my Consort, don't you have anything to say to me?"
Liu Sisi's face turned pale, and she rose to kneel on the ground: "Your Majesty, your concubine..."
Suddenly, she didn't know where to begin. She looked at Chu Batian above her, seemingly having a lot to say, but just wouldn't say it.
Chu Tianyang looked at her tear-filled face. After all, she was his own mother who had always been good to him since he was a child, and his heart ached.
He immediately knelt down beside her: "Father, punish me if you must, your son..."
He couldn't bring himself to say it. Ever since he found out he wasn't the emperor's biological son, he hadn't had the face to call him "father."
Looking at Chu Tianyang, fearing that her child would be punished, Liu Sisi quickly said to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, I was wrong. All the mistakes were mine. It has nothing to do with Tianyang. He was just a child then and didn't know anything."
"After all, he grew up in the palace. Even if you raise a dog for three years, you'll develop feelings for it. Besides, Tianyang has called you 'Father Emperor' so many times. Don't blame him."
Chu Batian looked at Chu Tianyang and sighed, "Tianyang, get up first and listen to what she has to say."
Chu Tianyang was both happy that his father was not angry with him and was willing to talk to him, but he was also worried about Consort Liu.
"Father, I'm alright, I want to kneel down..." He couldn't bring himself to ask his father for a pardon.
He was self-aware enough to know that pleading for leniency now would be useless.
"Whatever! Consort Liu, speak your mind quickly."
Consort Liu looked at the child kneeling beside her, her heart filled with emotion. She thought to herself, "He is truly my child; he is so thoughtful."
"Child, get up quickly, don't be silly. Your mother has made a mistake, but you haven't. Come sit down next to Wen Nuan."
Chu Tianyang felt a sharp pain in his heart. He didn't answer, but simply knelt down beside Consort Liu.
Chu Batian picked up the teacup, took a sip, and looked down again.
Consort Liu knew she couldn't delay any longer, or the Emperor would be displeased.
So he slowly began to speak: "I don't know who that person is either!"
The people in the room looked at her strangely.
She gave a bitter smile, her eyes filled with sorrow: "Since you have returned from Jiangnan, you should know very well what kind of person Patriarch Liu is."
You've probably seen the small rooms specifically used to imprison those women; that's where I came from.
Because of her good looks, she was given special training and her life wasn't too difficult.
That year, when I had just reached the required age, the head of the Liu family personally came to summon me and told me that he would send me to the palace, where I would become a concubine and live a life of luxury.
I was delighted that he gave me a cup of drugged tea that evening.
I passed out after drinking it.
When I woke up the next day, I found that they had already succeeded in their attack and had sent me to the capital overnight.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
