Chapter 19 He turned and left.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingzhan stopped picking up food with his chopsticks, looked up at her, and asked with a deep gaze, "Oh? What did Mother say?"
"Her Majesty said... offspring are the foundation of the nation. Your Highness's status is noble, and you must... bestow your favor equally on all, for this is the way to ensure longevity." Su Jingyu carefully chose her words, not wanting to displease him.
Xiao Jingzhan put down his jade chopsticks, leaned back slightly, and looked at her: "Then... what does Yu'er think?" His voice was calm, but it carried an unavoidable scrutiny.
Su Jingyu's heart tightened. Of course she minded, a thousand times, ten thousand times! She came from an era of monogamy, and deep in her soul, she yearned for a lifelong, monogamous relationship.
But reason told her that this was ancient times, he was the crown prince, and the future emperor; having three palaces and six courtyards was the norm. The fact that he could give her such extreme favor was already a miracle; she shouldn't, and couldn't, ask for more.
She lowered her eyelashes, concealing the complex emotions in her eyes, and tried to make her voice sound calm and understanding: "Your Majesty, I think... what Your Highness says is very true. Your Highness is the Crown Prince, and it is your responsibility to continue the family line. As long as... as long as Your Highness has me in your heart and is willing to protect me, I will be content. As for... offspring, it doesn't necessarily have to be me who gives birth..."
Her words were the standard response of a virtuous concubine in this era, a helpless act to protect herself to the greatest extent possible. She even told herself to accept reality and just keep his heart.
However, she underestimated the depth of Xiao Jingzhan's affection for her and overestimated her ability to conceal her emotions. When she said, "It doesn't necessarily have to be me who gives birth," the barely perceptible hesitation she showed, which she herself didn't even notice, and the hint of bitterness she tried so hard to suppress, still betrayed her true feelings.
The moment she finished speaking, Xiao Jingzhan's eyes darkened. The air in the hall seemed to freeze instantly.
He stared intently at her, trying to find even the slightest hint of reluctance or jealousy in her downcast eyes. But there was none. She appeared so magnanimous and understanding.
An indescribable sting and disappointment suddenly gripped his heart! He had given her everything, even defying his parents and standing up against the rules of the world for her, but what about her?
How could she so easily push him towards someone else? Did she... not love him as deeply as he loved her? Is that why she could so calmly accept him having a child with someone else?
"Heh." A very soft, cold laugh escaped Xiao Jingzhan's throat, carrying a chilling aura. "What a fine 'I don't necessarily have to rely on you to give birth'! What a fine 'I'm content as long as you're in my heart'! Su Jingyu, you are indeed very virtuous and magnanimous!"
Su Jingyu was startled by his sudden anger and looked up in panic: "Your Highness, I didn't mean to..."
"What do you mean, 'not what'?" Xiao Jingzhan suddenly stood up, looking down at her with a terrifying storm raging in his phoenix eyes. "You don't care at all? You don't mind other women bearing my children? You can really be so indifferent to me touching other women?!"
His questioning, like a sharp blade, pierced through the calm Su Jingyu had been trying so hard to maintain. She cared! How could she not care! Just imagining that scene made her feel a suffocating pain in her heart!
But... what could she say? Should she forbid him from going? Should she say she couldn't stand it? Wouldn't that be considered jealousy? Wouldn't that put him in a position of disloyalty and filial impiety?
Her hesitation, her struggle, and her pain were seen by Xiao Jingzhan as tacit consent and irrefutable proof that she didn't love him enough!
Just as Su Jingyu opened her mouth to explain, the last glimmer of light in Xiao Jingzhan's eyes went out. He looked at her deeply, his eyes filled with disappointment, heartache, and a chilling sense of betrayal.
“Good, very good.” He nodded, his voice cold and devoid of any warmth. “Since this is what you wish for, I… will grant your wish.”
Having said that, he resolutely turned around and left with a flick of his sleeve! The wide sleeves of his robe overturned a porcelain cup on the table, and the crisp sound of it shattering was particularly jarring in the deathly silent hall.
"Your Highness!" Su Jingyu exclaimed, trying to chase after him, but tripped over the threshold. When she staggered to the outside of the palace, she only saw Xiao Jingzhan's dark robe disappear into the night at the end of the palace road.
He left without looking back.
Su Jingyu leaned weakly against the doorframe, looking at the mess on the floor and the broken porcelain cup. Tears finally welled up in her eyes. That's not what she meant… she really didn't…
However, from that night onward, Crown Prince Xiao Jingzhan never set foot in the Liuli Pavilion again.
When the news of Crown Prince Xiao Jingzhan's arrival at Changchun Palace arrived, the entire palace was instantly abuzz with excitement, as if boiling oil had been poured into it!
Crown Princess Li was removing her makeup in front of the mirror when she heard the news. Her hand trembled, and she almost knocked over her makeup box. She stood up abruptly, her face filled with unbelievable joy, and her voice trembled: "Quick! Quickly help me with my makeup! Bring me that bright red palace dress! And the pearl headdress that His Majesty bestowed upon me!"
The trusted nanny, Granny Sun, was overjoyed and wept with joy. While quickly combing his hair, she whispered excitedly, "Your Highness! I told you, His Highness has principles after all! That vixen is ultimately no good. It's only been a few days, and His Highness has already changed his mind! Your Highness, you must seize this opportunity tonight!"
The Crown Princess gazed at her meticulously groomed face in the bronze mirror, her eyes gleaming with unwavering determination. "Don't worry, Granny," she said, "I know what to do. As long as His Highness stays tonight, with my family background and beauty, how could I not give birth to a legitimate son!" She thought to herself that once she had an heir, her position would be as secure as a mountain, and that Su Shi would ultimately be nothing more than a fleeting moment.
When Xiao Jingzhan stepped into the main hall of Changchun Palace, the Crown Princess was already waiting at the door in full dress. She bowed gracefully and said in a soft and melodious voice, "Your Majesty, I respectfully welcome you."
Xiao Jingzhan gave a faint "hmm," his gaze not lingering on her for long, and walked straight into the hall.
The hall was filled with a strong scent of ambergris, and the furnishings were luxurious and orderly, yet it exuded a rigid coldness, completely different from the warm atmosphere of the Glazed Pavilion, which always carried her faint fragrance and was filled with casually placed fresh flowers and storybooks. He frowned almost imperceptibly.
Dinner was served, the dishes exquisite, yet they held no appeal for him. His mind involuntarily drifted to the times they dined at the Crystal Pavilion, when that little woman always liked to sit next to him, sometimes secretly transferring the food she didn't like into his bowl. When he caught her, she would blink her innocent eyes and smile mischievously, or he would hold her on his lap…
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