Chapter 670 I'll Wait for Him to Come Back
When people drink alcohol, their emotions become more outward, and the sadness buried deep in their hearts seems to find an outlet, surging outward.
The King of Qin picked up his wine cup and took a big gulp, a bitter smile on his lips: "She entered the palace at a young age to accompany the Empress Dowager, and grew up with us princes. She knew each of us well. All the women in the capital envied her for having so many princes protecting her, but who knew the suffering she endured... Of course, it was only much, much later that I realized that her fate was sealed the moment she entered the palace..."
A man in his thirties, after drinking, kept rambling on and on.
Cheng Wanwan understood the whole story. The Qin King's sweetheart was surnamed Mu and was the eldest daughter of the Mu family. Because of her noble family background, she entered the palace at the age of five to accompany the Empress Dowager, who was then the Empress. As a result, she became acquainted with a large group of princes in the palace.
From the perspective of the King of Qin, he and Miss Mu were in love and could have married at the appropriate age. However, after he came of age, the late emperor suddenly developed health problems. As a result, the princes who were originally harmonious and friendly began to secretly compete for the throne, and the palace became unstable. His marriage was also put on hold.
He thought it was only a matter of time before he married his sweetheart, but to his surprise, she told him that she loved the Third Prince.
How could someone as proud as him lower himself to beg?
And so, he watched helplessly as his beloved married his third brother and became the Third Imperial Consort.
However, Miss Mu died suddenly less than half a year after her marriage, which angered the Mu family. The entire Mu family became enemies of the Third Prince and brought him down from his throne. As a result, the Third Prince lost his qualification to compete for the throne...
"Later I realized that it was my elder brother who made her marry my third brother..." The Prince of Qin's eyes were bloodshot. "My elder brother told her that if the third prince's family became too powerful, then I, who shared the same mother as my elder brother, would become a thorn in his side. Coupled with the constant pressure from my mother, she stepped into this vortex of the struggle for the throne... How could she be so foolish? How could she make such a choice? Men are fighting for the throne, what was she doing getting involved... She was only seventeen years old back then, and she died of illness at seventeen..."
Cheng Wanwan sighed.
Miss Mu's life was short and tragic, no wonder the King of Qin never forgot her.
If you count the time, it's been eighteen or nineteen years. So many years have passed, yet the King of Qin can still remember every detail. He was clearly a romantic at heart.
But if you say he's a romantic, then why has he been so absurd all these years?
Perhaps his absurdity was a protective shield, and also a reflection of his resentment towards the Empress Dowager and the Emperor forcing Miss Mu to marry.
But we can't make such absurd claims about her.
Cheng Wanwan lowered her head and took a sip of wine, then slowly said, "My husband also died young... He was a very good person. After I married him, I never had to worry about making a living. As long as he was there, life was very peaceful."
She tried hard to sift through her memory for information about Zhao Youjin, and then put it into words that were gentle and affectionate.
"Sixteen or seventeen years ago, when the princes in the palace were fighting for the throne, the borders were also in chaos. The court conscripted soldiers everywhere, and my husband also joined the army. After he joined the army, he came back less often. When the war was busy, he would come back once a year, and when he had free time, he could come back two or three times a year. Every time he left, I felt like I was pregnant. After the child was born, he would come back. My children and I are in Dahe Village. I think he will never forget the way home."
"But four years ago, he died in battle and never came back..."
Cheng Wanwan lowered her head, her head resting against the wine pot, and spoke in a very low voice.
"After Sidan was born, he never came back. Every time he wrote a letter, he said he would come back to see his youngest son after the war ended. He waited and waited until Sidan was nine years old. What came back was the pension issued by the imperial court... He died on the battlefield, and his remains were never found..."
"He just abandoned us, a widow and her children, like that. He's a liar..."
"But I promised to wait for him, to wait for him my whole life, even if he dies, I will wait for him to come back in Dahe Village..."
Hearing her low, sorrowful words, the King of Qin sighed almost imperceptibly.
He always had someone in his heart, and she had someone in her heart too.
What made him think that this woman would like him?
Perhaps it was because they shared a similar fate, or perhaps it was because he had revealed his truest emotions, but the King of Qin's mood calmed down considerably.
“Your suffering was brought about by the court. The internal strife of the previous dynasty led to border unrest. Your husband died because of the Xiao family’s empire. You finally managed to start your life anew, and I…” He smiled bitterly, “I was too impulsive these past few days. Don’t worry, Lady Sui, I will set off north tomorrow morning. As for whether I can reach the capital before the New Year, I’m not sure.”
Cheng Wanwan was suddenly overjoyed.
However, it was so inappropriate for her to suddenly become happy after pretending to be so sad.
She raised her hand, pretending to wipe her eyes, before looking up and asking in a hoarse voice, "Is Your Highness in such a hurry to leave?"
"I suddenly feel like going back to sweep her grave." The King of Qin drank another cup of wine. "This wine is quite good, Lady Sui. Prepare some more to take back to the capital. It's getting late, I'll go back and rest now."
He stood up and walked out with a slightly unsteady gait.
Only after his figure disappeared into the courtyard did Cheng Wanwan breathe a sigh of relief.
It was a delightful surprise that by sheer chance, the King of Qin abandoned his absurd idea.
She summoned Granny Qi to prepare local specialties to bring back to the capital for the Prince of Qin. Tonight's wine was packed into ten large jars, along with various unique delicacies from Dahe Village. She also had someone stay up all night to make some pastries and fruits, all of which were packed into boxes. Just like that, she casually packed twenty or thirty large boxes.
The King of Qin's travels were always grand affairs; he didn't mind having twenty or thirty boxes, all of which were placed on his luxurious ship.
As dawn broke, the King of Qin rose, dressed in a white robe, with a jade crown on his head and a fan in his hand, looking nothing like his passionate self from the night before.
In the cold wind, he fanned himself and looked at Cheng Wanwan with a smile, saying, "I came to Huzhou to supervise the construction of the Xiao Qin Grand Canal. Now that the Grand Canal has been successfully completed, I can go back to report. The completion of the Grand Canal is all thanks to Lady Sui. Rest assured, the court will reward you handsomely. Lady Sui, just wait to receive your reward."
Cheng Wanwan slightly curtsied: "This humble woman respectfully sees Your Highness off!"
The maids, servants, and villagers behind her all knelt down to see her off, their heads bowed, but they smiled happily.
The King of Qin's status was too noble; his presence in the town would have made them tremble with fear. It's good that he left; everyone will be at ease now.
The King of Qin lifted his robe and boarded the ship. The river surged on, and the luxurious ship gradually sailed away.
The villagers dusted themselves off, stood up, and began to busy themselves with the funeral arrangements for Old Lady Zhu.
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