Chapter 763 Sisters & Brothers
Qiao Qinghe and Madam Zheng boarded a carriage from the palace and headed towards the imperial palace.
Whether it was a misperception or an unconscious self-suggestion stemming from unease, Qiao Qinghe felt that there seemed to be many more patrolling soldiers on the street.
Several times when I lifted the carriage curtain to look out, I could see a troop of city guards passing by the carriage.
Just as Qiao Qinghe and Madam Zheng were rushing to the palace, Prince Qi, Prince Chu, Li Sanqi, and Li Jingyue had already entered the palace ahead of them.
Li Sanqi was quite surprised when he encountered Li Jingyue at the palace gate.
"How did you end up in the palace?"
After the marriage between Li Jingyue and Crown Prince Da'e was called off, Emperor Xiaozhao granted Li Jingyue a princess's residence and allowed her to move out of the palace.
However, compared to Li Sanqi's Huaiyang Princess Mansion, Li Jingyue's Liyang Princess Mansion was located in the most remote part of the northern city, and its size was less than half the size of Li Sanqi's Huaiyang Princess Mansion.
Not only that, ever since Li Jingyue moved into her princess residence, she has rarely gone out, almost as if she has disappeared, and is rarely mentioned by anyone.
Li Sanqi had almost forgotten about this person.
He was taken aback when he suddenly saw her enter the palace.
Li Jingyue smiled and nodded at Li Sanqi, "Didn't Seventh Sister also enter the palace?"
Li Sanqi frowned slightly. "I was summoned to the palace by my father. I have important business to attend to."
"Why did you come to the palace at this time?"
Today, the Emperor summoned so many of them to discuss the matter of deposing the Crown Prince.
But she also had her own things to do!
If their plan succeeds...
Li Jingyue ignored Li Sanqi's unfriendly tone and replied with a smile, "I was also summoned to the palace by my father."
"I have no idea what the specific reason was."
Seeing Li Jingyue's complete ignorance, Li Sanqi felt disdain in his heart, but his expression softened. "It is said that the case of the deposed crown prince has been resolved, and Father Emperor summoned us to the palace today for this matter."
She looked at Li Jingyue and said, "You used to be the most favored younger sister of the deposed crown prince. I suppose that's why Father summoned you to the palace."
When the deposed crown prince was mentioned, Li Jingyue's expression darkened, and she said in a low voice, "Probably."
"When my elder brother, the Crown Prince, died..."
"Watch your words," Li Sanqi interrupted Li Jingyue with a frown. "What Crown Prince? Li Chengjun has long been a deposed Crown Prince."
Li Jingyue paused, then glanced at Li Sanqi. "It's been almost a year since the deposed crown prince died, and you still hate him so much?"
Li Sanqi chuckled, "Who said that death wipes out debts?"
"Look what this is?"
Li Sanqi turned his head to show Li Jingyue the scar on his face. "If it weren't for him instigating Father to send me to a marriage alliance, would I have gone through so much hardship, barely surviving, and ended up with this scar?"
"I keep this scar to remind myself not to forget the past."
Li Jingyue looked at Li Sanqi with a complicated expression, "Why are you doing this?"
Li Sanqi glanced at Li Jingyue, not wanting to continue arguing with her about this topic.
"Where were we? Please continue."
Li Jingyue sighed and said in a muffled voice, "When my elder brother died, I went to the palace to beg my father to take my elder brother's children back to my residence to raise."
"But my father refused at the time."
"Now that my elder brother's case is about to be closed, Father has summoned me to the palace."
"Perhaps my father has changed his mind and is now preparing to entrust the children to my care."
Li Sanqi looked at Li Jingyue with a strange expression, "You're not even married yet, but you're raising several children?"
"What? You're not planning to get married anymore?"
Li Jingyue smiled bitterly, "It's an arranged marriage, decided by my parents and the matchmaker. Do you think I can decide my own marriage?"
"Look at how my father and mother treat me. Do you think they're in the mood to consider marriage right now?"
"Look at my current reputation and situation. Do you think any decent family would propose marriage to me?"
Li Sanqi was taken aback, and his eyes showed a hint of sympathy as he looked at Li Jingyue.
Back then, although Li Jingyue was known for her frail health and was not particularly favored by her father, no one dared to ignore her because she had a favored mother.
But what about now?
Who still takes Li Jingyue seriously?
For some reason, Li Sanqi felt a little sorry for Li Jingyue.
"What kind of look is that?" Li Jingyue glared at Li Sanqi, feigning displeasure. "Even if I don't get married, I'm still a princess with an annual stipend. Are you afraid I'll starve to death?"
"Of course, if we can raise my elder brother's three children, there will be someone to take care of us in our old age and see us off when we die."
At this point, Li Jingyue looked at Li Sanqi with hopeful eyes, "Seventh Sister, could you please put in a good word for me with Father Emperor later?"
"Your father has always doted on you. If you plead on his behalf, he might just grant your request."
Li Sanqi glanced at Li Jingyue, neither agreeing nor objecting, only giving an ambiguous reply: "We'll see when the time comes."
If their plan succeeds, everything will need to be replanned and rearranged, and the unmarried Li Jingyue will naturally have a good place to go.
As they spoke, the two had already arrived at the Xuande Hall.
The King of Qi and the King of Chu had arrived before them and were now standing clearly on either side of the hall. Judging from their positions, they looked like two gatekeepers.
Seeing this, Li Sanqi couldn't help but look at Li Jingyue, who was standing shoulder to shoulder with him.
It seems that she and Li Jingyue have a harmonious sisterly relationship.
Sure enough, before they even got close, they heard the King of Qi mocking the King of Chu: "Fifth brother, you are truly heartless, you can't even tolerate your own brother who is born of the same mother!"
"I used to think that my fifth brother was simple and honest, and that he was a man without any guile. But after seeing him bring people into the mansion one after another, I thought he was a man who loved beauty more than power."
"It turns out that Third Brother misjudged you!"
"I never expected that among us brothers, the most ruthless and scheming one would be you, Fifth Brother!"
The King of Chu curled his lip and snorted coldly, "Father hasn't even spoken yet, and Third Brother is already so eager to pin the crime of plotting to harm the deposed crown prince on me?"
"Are you trying to cry wolf because you're guilty?"
King Qi was taken aback, and then King Chu continued, "Speaking of which, Third Brother just came from Consort Jieyu's palace, didn't he?"
"Consort Jieyu is known for her wisdom and resourcefulness, but I never expected her to have such foresight. Knowing that Father Emperor wanted to summon Third Brother, she summoned him to the palace well in advance."
The implied meaning in the King of Chu's words was all too obvious.
The King of Qi frowned and asked in a cold voice, "What do you mean by that?"
The King of Chu smiled meaningfully, "What do you mean? Doesn't Third Brother understand?"
"Don't think I don't know about the little things you and Liu Jieyu have been doing behind my back."
"Hmph, if you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place!"
...
P.S.: Almost finished! If there's anything I forgot to mention, please let me know! I'll fill it in during the final stages! And I'll continue writing any unfinished side stories! o(╯□╰)o
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com