Chapter 110 Helpless
The room was instantly in chaos, and all the eunuchs and palace maids rushed in, calling for the imperial physician and for help.
Li Dingning was dumbfounded watching from the side. When he came to his senses, he quickly followed the others and called for the imperial physician in panic.
After an hour of hard work, when Emperor Chengwen's condition was barely stabilized, Li Dingning came out of the room with a tired face and head down.
"Xiao Linzi, did I do something wrong just now?"
Li Dingning still cared about the father-son relationship. When he saw Emperor Chengwen fainted because of his anger, Li Dingning felt very guilty.
Chu Ran thought for a moment before saying, "Your Highness, have you forgotten the stories I told you before?"
"Of course I haven't forgotten!" Li Dingning said, "They are brave enough to go all out for the people they love. I thought so just now, but I made my father so angry. Was it right for me to do so?"
"That should be right." Chu Ran said, "If you marry someone you don't like, your Highness will be unhappy, and the other person will also be unhappy. Wouldn't that ruin both of them?"
Chu Ran said this out of guilt.
Because the point of view he just expressed was not entirely for Li Dingning's sake, he also had some selfish motives.
He could probably guess why Emperor Chengwen was in a hurry to get Li Dingning married and chose the girl from the Liu family as Li Dingning's wife. Regardless of whether Emperor Chengwen's idea could be realized in the end, it can be seen that Emperor Chengwen did not really give up on Li Dingning.
But the throne was not supposed to belong to Emperor Chengwen. They were trying to seize Li Fu's throne.
Chu Ran thought, since this is what Emperor Chengwen wanted to do, he must do the opposite. Emperor Chengwen wanted Li Dingning to marry the girl from the Liu family, and he would not let Emperor Chengwen do it.
However, Chu Ran felt guilty not because of what he had just said to Li Dingning. Even if there was some selfishness in it, it was Chu Ran's true thoughts. He felt guilty because he had included Li Dingning, who had grown up with him, in the scheme.
Perhaps after staying in the palace for a long time, Chu Ran has really changed.
In the past, Chu Ran would never plot against those close to him, but now...
But Chu Ran still doesn't regret it.
"You're right." Li Dingning hesitated for a moment, then quickly made up his mind. "If I agree to marry Miss Liu, I will harm both of us. Moreover, you often told me that if we love each other, we must overcome all difficulties, and parental opposition is one of them. If my father and mother do not agree that Miss Qin and I should be together, then I will die in front of them."
Chu Ran blushed and thought, that's not necessary...
But Li Dingning's eyes were firm. He said, "I will do my best to protect the relationship between Miss Qin and me and prevent them from being destroyed by any external force! Definitely!"
Chu Ran smiled awkwardly and nodded.
He was too lazy to expose Li Dingning.
Now, only Li Dingning is so enthusiastic about the job, while Miss Qin hasn't said anything.
Forget it, I won’t attack him.
However, Emperor Chengwen still did not give up on arranging a marriage for Li Dingning.
Half a month later, Li Dingning almost forgot about it.
Recently, Li Dingning has been concentrating on writing a small notebook in his room. He has been writing for several months in a row, but the progress is very slow. He has only written the 34th chapter so far.
Li Dingning was writing hard in the room, while Chu Ran was chatting with other eunuchs in the yard. Then he saw Emperor Chengwen coming in from outside. Chu Ran was originally sitting and chatting, but after seeing Emperor Chengwen, he quickly stood up. Just as he was about to open his mouth to remind Li Dingning, Emperor Chengwen gave him a stern look, so Chu Ran lowered his head and kept silent.
Emperor Chengwen passed by Chu Ran and suddenly stopped, glancing sideways at Chu Ran who lowered his brows and looked submissive.
Chu Ran plucked up his courage and carefully raised his head, glanced at Emperor Chengwen, then quickly lowered his head.
But I was very panicked.
Eunuchs could not look the emperor directly in the eye.
Perhaps it was because Emperor Chengwen's mind was not here at all, or perhaps he was worried about Li Dingning. In any case, Emperor Chengwen glanced at Chu Ran and quickly looked away.
I don’t know if it was Chu Ran’s illusion, but Emperor Chengwen didn’t seem to have any impression of him.
There were many eunuchs in the palace, and Emperor Chengwen was busy with many affairs, so he could only remember a handful of young eunuchs. Chu Ran rarely appeared in front of Emperor Chengwen, so it was normal that Emperor Chengwen didn't remember him.
But... Chu Ran remembered the imperial edict that Emperor Chengwen issued to him that year.
Chu Ran still feels upset about that incident.
He didn't understand why Emperor Chengwen issued that imperial edict, but what confused him even more was why Emperor Chengwen would specifically issue such an eunuch to him.
He shouldn't have noticed himself.
Did he once have an impression of me but has forgotten it now, or did he never know Chu Ran?
Emperor Chengwen stayed there for a while before leaving.
Chu Ran raised his head and stared in the direction where Emperor Chengwen left, with confusion and puzzlement in his eyes.
Soon, the furious voice of Emperor Chengwen was heard from the room.
"What kind of stuff are you writing? As a prince, you spend all day writing these things instead of doing your job! How could I give birth to such a thing as you!"
"It's like a piece of rotten clay that can't be helped!"
"Father! Father, please don't tear it! Father, please don't tear it!"
"I'll ask you again, are you going to marry the Liu family's daughter or not?"
Li Dingning's crying voice was heard from the room. "This is what I spent several months writing, and Father tore it up like this. Well, in that case, I will tell you the truth. I am a useless person. Since Father knows this, why do you have high hopes for me? I will not marry Miss Liu, even if I die!"
"Say what you just said again!"
"I've already said that I don't want to get married! Why does your Majesty force me to do this? At worst, your Majesty can just kill me!"
"Don't think I really don't dare to kill you!"
"Father, please come!"
"You... cough cough cough, you evil creature! Evil creature! How could I give birth to such a good-for-nothing like you! Someone, come! The fifth prince Li Dingning has disobeyed the emperor's will, drag him out! Punish him with a stick... fifty sticks! Beat him to death!"
"Don't bother your father! I will take the punishment myself!"
The door slammed open, and Li Dingning walked out of the room with great momentum.
The eunuch beside Emperor Chengwen kept trying to persuade him, but Emperor Chengwen said, "Anyone who dares to plead for him will be punished together with him!"
As a result, no one dared to plead for Li Dingning anymore.
Li Dingning lay on the torture bench by himself and didn't utter a single soft word the entire time. Chu Ran watched from the side and was shocked, but he couldn't help but look at Li Dingning with admiration.
He always thought that Li Dingning was a soft-hearted person, but he never expected that when it comes to things he cares about, such a soft-hearted person can become very hard.
After the 30th blow, Li Dingning fainted, covered in blood.
Emperor Chengwen was very angry, and when Li Dingning talked back to him just now, he really wanted to beat Li Dingning to death. However, when he saw that Li Dingning was covered in blood, he knew that he would really be beaten to death if he continued to beat him, so Emperor Chengwen finally regained some of his rationality.
He raised his hand and asked the executioner to stop.
Emperor Chengwen seemed to have aged a lot in an instant. His eyes were filled with sorrow and there seemed to be a rare helplessness in them. "Let's call the imperial physician to take a look."
After saying this, Emperor Chengwen stood up and left.
As soon as Emperor Chengwen stepped out of the gate, Chu Ran and other palace servants started to act. They hurriedly helped the unconscious Li Dingning up from the torture bench. Chu Ran carried the man into the house and ordered someone to call the imperial physician over immediately.