Dawn breaks and the sky turns pale.
All night long.
"Master, are you... okay?"
Shangguan Shu waved to the secret guards and came out of the dark cell.
He looked up at the sky. Everything in front of him seemed so real, yet it was all fake.
Even his memory is fake.
He once loved Zhao Ying so much...
No wonder……
当初他爹非要给他求娶赵缨，和离之前，他爹狠揍了他一顿，威胁他不要后悔。
It turned out that he didn't have to regret not having experienced Zhao Ying's childhood. He had experienced it, he just... forgot it.
Shangguan Shu suddenly lowered his head, and a tear mixed with pain seeped into the crack of the ground.
It hurts so much.
My heart aches.
Also... so aggrieved.
He suddenly mounted his horse and galloped home. He wanted to find evidence that he loved Zhao Ying.
Shangguan Shu went back to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion and rummaged through it, which alarmed the old duke. The old duke came over and asked directly about those paintings and those unsent gifts. The one called the system said that he had also secretly carved many small wooden sculptures of Zhao Ying. Yes, Wan'er inherited her craftsmanship from him.
The old Duke was very surprised that he could remember it, and kept muttering, "Dad didn't lie to you, did he?" It really happened...
But when asked where the things went, the old Duke became confused, with a look of stupidity in his eyes.
A figure suddenly flashed through Shangguan Shu's mind.
In Shangguan Zhu's yard, he indeed found those old paintings, wood carvings, and various novel little objects.
The old Duke saw it, picked up one and began to explain its origin. As he spoke, his tone was filled with love and nostalgia for his eldest son when he was young.
Finally, it suddenly occurred to him, "Hey, why are all your things here with Tingzhi?"
Shangguan Shu did not give him a chance to think deeply and transferred him away. Then, looking at the old things one by one, his mind was blank. He suddenly squatted down and hugged the paintings of Zhao Ying when she was young. They were so lifelike, as if she was standing in front of him.
Shangguan Shu cried.
It was as if I was crying for the person I had secretly loved, who finally got what he wanted, but was destroyed by someone else.
After crying, Shangguan Shu had Shangguan Zhu beaten up.
As the sun set, Shangguan Zhu returned with a bruised face and nose, and complained to the old Duke that he had not provoked his eldest brother, but his eldest brother had had him beaten in public. The old Duke called Shangguan Shu doubtfully, but Shangguan Shu admitted it all. The old Duke coughed twice and was about to come out to mediate the conflict between the brothers, but Shangguan Shu had Shangguan Zhu tied up, thrown into the yard, and locked him up. No one could let him out without his order.
The old Duke was surprised, and Shangguan Shu explained seriously, "Prince Ding and Concubine Gao are currently in cahoots. His Majesty appears to favor Concubine Gao, but according to reports from the Imperial Palace, His Majesty has never visited her, so this favor has yet to be confirmed. Prince Ding is going astray and challenging his biological mother, and Tingzhi is joining him in this mischief. How can that be allowed?"
"Prince Ding is supported by the guilt of His Majesty and the Queen. As long as he doesn't commit an unforgivable crime, His Majesty and the Queen won't punish him. In the end, they might find a scapegoat, and Tingzhi will be the first to bear the brunt!"
"Father, you've been sick lately. The court is not at peace, so it's best for us at the Zhenguo Mansion to avoid getting involved!"
The old Duke looked at his eldest son with satisfaction, thinking that with Runzhi around, the Duke's Mansion would prosper for another hundred years!
However, he also had to remind him.
"You're right! To be honest, His Majesty has been unwell recently, and I, your father, have noticed something's amiss. Haha, everyone knows that His Majesty dotes on Princess Chengqian. Whenever His Majesty isn't feeling well, Princess Chengqian is always by his side. This time, not only did he not summon her, he even refused to let her into the palace to visit him. Something's wrong, so let's see who's the demon, and who's the stick-wielding Sun Wukong!"
"Your Majesty has few children and has faced many setbacks. If you pass away, His Royal Highness Prince Ding will be the heir, barring any unforeseen circumstances. His Royal Highness Prince Ding is a man of noble character, virtuous, and resourceful. He has already won over many of the court officials within a few months of his return. Runzhi, there is no such thing as an impenetrable wall. Your father knows that you have secretly recommended the princess to the Emperor."
Shangguan Shu's pupils shrank slightly, and he frowned, "Dad..."
The old Duke calmly took a sip of tea and said, "You want to know who spread the news? Don't worry, they don't know yet. It was His Majesty who summoned me and gave me a warning."
Let him support Prince Ding from the Duke's Mansion.
Shangguan Shu's heart sank. "Your Majesty loves the princess so deeply, why does he stop loving her in front of the throne?"
The old Duke was silent for a long moment, but only said, "If Prince Ding wasn't there, this matter would have a 90% chance of success. If Prince Ding were unwise, this matter would still have a 60% chance of success. I can only blame... Heaven. I had the same chips, but I was born a girl."
"The palms and backs of your hands are both made of flesh. If you were Your Majesty, what would you choose?"
Shangguan Shu fell silent. The old Duke thought he had convinced Shangguan Shu, but Shangguan Shu said firmly, "Father, I'm not His Majesty. I don't need to make such assumptions. I am Zhao Ying's man, destined to overcome all obstacles for her and fulfill her long-cherished wish."
"Since Your Majesty is determined to establish a king, then... let's wait and see!"
The old Duke frowned and glared at Shangguan Shu for a long moment, then said, poking his heart out, "You still call yourself the princess's man? You would have been divorced long ago!"
"Dad..." Shangguan Shu looked at the old Duke in disbelief.
The old Duke was annoyed and waved his hand to scold him, "Go away, don't get in my way. I won't interfere with what you do, but you can't damage the reputation of the Shangguan family, and you can't bring the whole family down with you!"
Shangguan Shu's eyes flickered and he responded softly.
After leaving Ning'an Hall, Shangguan Shu went to the princess's mansion without thinking.
But he came face to face with Zhao Ying's carriage.
Zhao Ying had just returned from the palace, looking solemn.
Shangguan Shu originally wanted to be affectionate with Zhao Ying, but he was no longer in the mood. The two of them went into the house, dismissed their attendants, and carried the excited Shangguan Qingyue away.
Zhao Ying took a sip of herbal tea and angrily asked, "Shangguan Shu, do you know what just happened?"
Shangguan Shu soothed her, "Tell me slowly."
Zhao Ying's expression was filled with anger and sadness. "Today, I went to the palace to visit my mother and met Concubine Gui. She actually brought an imperial decree for my mother to move out of Kunning Palace and temporarily stay in Cheng'an Palace. The reason was that the Imperial Astronomical Observatory observed the celestial phenomena at night and found that my mother had offended my father, and that was why my father's illness had not been cured!"
"None of this matters. What makes me angry is that the Emperor agreed to it."
Zhao Ying's eyes were red as she looked deeply at Shangguan Shu. "Later, in a rage, I stormed into the Yangxin Palace to demand an explanation. My father told me that Concubine Gang should be my empress dowager, and that I should be as discerning and perceptive as Prince Ding, and not be seduced by evildoers."
"My mother gave birth to two sons for him, but in the end, he called her a monster."
"Men in this world are truly heartless..."
Zhao Ying said stubbornly, "I will not recognize that bastard Imperial Concubine Zi Ci, even if I die!"
"No, I won't die. I should let her die!"
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