"Why are you only coming back now? What did Father Emperor say when he invited you to the palace?"
“My father says I’ve betrayed the country. He listened to my elder brother’s slander but not to me. He wants to remove me from my position as crown prince. I have nothing now, Yan’er. Don’t you think I’m useless?”
Qi Heng became more and more upset as he spoke.
Despite the sweltering summer heat, the Crown Princess felt a chill run down her back.
She comforted her:
"No, Your Highness, as long as you are alright."
She knew that Qi Heng's personality had never been very mature.
He only obtained the position of crown prince because his maternal family was powerful.
I never imagined that he would end up like this, only two years after his mother's passing.
After she finished speaking, she hugged Qi Heng tightly, "Don't forget, our uncle holds great power. My father and brothers are also important officials in the court. You will be alright, you will be alright."
Looking at his wife before him, Qi Heng's dejected face softened into one of composure.
"Fortunately, I still have you."
Does the identity of the crown prince matter?
Under normal circumstances, in Qi Heng's view, this would certainly be important.
But now, if the country falls, what use is the position of crown prince to him?
Thinking that Gu Qian was currently leading troops to attack Northern Qi, he was filled with hatred.
It was all Gu Qian's fault; he put himself in an unjust position.
If Northern Qi wins this battle, given Qi Ze's treacherous nature, he will not let me off the hook.
No, even if Qi Ze wanted to become the crown prince, he would have to get past his uncle and father-in-law first.
Given his uncle and father-in-law's abilities, can he win?
Qi Heng shook his head; nothing mattered anymore.
What good is winning?
If Dongjin wins, will Gu Qian still let him go?
At this critical moment, fleeing for one's life is the best option.
"The Dongjin army is about to attack, Yan'er, I'll take you away now."
"But what about Father..."
"We can't worry about that now."
Qi Heng and the Crown Princess quickly went to their bedroom.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
Who is it?
The Crown Princess felt inexplicably uneasy.
Qi Heng grasped her wrist and stood still, his legs trembling uncontrollably.
The courtyard gate creaked open from the inside by a servant, and then two eunuchs of the Northern Qi Emperor approached one after the other, carrying the imperial edict.
Qi Heng took a step back.
What was bound to happen has finally happened.
"Second Prince, His Majesty has issued a decree."
Qi Hengqiang suppressed his unease, and he and the Crown Princess knelt down to receive the imperial decree.
"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor of Northern Qi decrees..."
Now there is Crown Prince Qi Heng, who is neither talented nor virtuous, and has repeatedly made mistakes, causing heavy losses to our Northern Qi. He is truly to blame.
Out of consideration for his past as the crown prince, he was spared a complete burial.
The Shangguan clan was buried alive with the deceased.
He gave two people a cup of poisoned wine, a white silk ribbon, and a dagger, allowing them to choose one of the three to settle the matter.
So be it!
"What, Father, you want to kill us?" Qi Heng's body went weak.
He swayed, tears streaming down his face.
He glanced at the Crown Princess beside him.
"I'm sorry, I've dragged you into this."
The Crown Princess felt dizzy and unsteady on her feet.
This... is too sudden.
She was the daughter of the Shangguan family; her father and brothers had rendered great service to the Northern Qi dynasty.
My father said he would kill her, and that meant he would kill her.
Is Father Emperor doing this to eliminate dissidents?
Shangguan Yan'er composed herself.
"What exactly did the Crown Prince do wrong that makes Father Emperor treat him like this?"
The eunuch corrected him:
"The Second Prince is no longer the Crown Prince, and you are no longer the Crown Princess. Second Prince, accept the decree."
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