Chapter 234 Abandoning Identity
Three days ago, when Liu Jinzhang revealed all the rumors about the palace coup at the New Year's Eve banquet and the substitution of the crown prince, Chen Yanqing guessed the truth almost instantly.
He himself was the one of the royal bloodline who had fallen into obscurity, the emperor's true son.
When he received confirmation from Liu Jinzhang's expression, an overwhelming surge of joy welled up in his heart.
But this ecstasy was not because he learned of his noble birth.
Rather, it was because Li Yuanzhao kept him by his side not because he resembled Shen Churong in some way, nor because he saw him as a substitute for Shen Churong.
It was because of him!
Those days and nights spent together, those gazes that were sometimes cold and sometimes complex falling on him, those actions that seemed like imprisonment and harm—all of them were for the sake of "Chen Yanqing."
Her gaze belonged solely to him.
It wasn't for anyone else, it was only for him.
This realization instantly transformed the grievances and unease he had long suppressed into an indescribable surge of emotion.
It even briefly rescued him from the grief of being abandoned.
But the next moment, a chilling feeling, which was hard to believe, welled up in his heart.
Based on everything that happened at the New Year's Eve banquet, she clearly already knew the truth about the two of them having switched identities.
Although she was a fake princess, she held the power of life and death.
Although he was a true prince, he was merely a "lowly person" kept in the dark and manipulated by others.
His existence is undoubtedly a firecracker that could explode at any moment for her soon-to-be emperor.
She had countless opportunities to kill him silently and eliminate the threat forever, but she didn't.
Not only did they not, they kept him by their side, under their watchful eyes, neither too close nor too far, neither killing nor releasing him.
Why is this...?
With questions churning in his mind, Chen Yanqing could no longer contain himself. He looked up at Liu Jinzhang opposite him and asked directly, "Then why didn't Li Yuanzhao kill me?"
Even Chen Yanqing himself found it strange to ask that question.
He and Liu Jinzhang were not familiar with each other, and were even separated by a blood feud.
For some reason, when facing Liu Jinzhang, he felt a natural sense of trust, certain that Liu would not be hostile to him, much less deceive him.
Liu Jinzhang originally thought that Chen Yanqing would at least be aware that he "couldn't die".
Surprisingly, he knew nothing about it.
However, this is good, as it is more beneficial to his plans.
Now, Li Yuanzhao has already established the legitimacy of his bloodline in front of outsiders, and most of the forces in the court have already submitted to him.
As long as Chen Yanqing doesn't cause any problems, her ascension to the throne is a done deal and cannot be changed.
What he needed to do was to use Chen Yanqing's feelings for Li Yuanzhao to persuade him to give up the idea of regaining his identity and stay by Li Yuanzhao's side to become a considerate and obedient royal consort in the future.
In this way, the Qi kingdom would not have fallen into the hands of outsiders.
Moreover, Chen Yanqing's extraordinary good fortune can not only bring blessings to the Great Qi Dynasty but also help Li Yuanzhao consolidate his power.
More importantly, if one day their identities are exposed again, by then the two will already be husband and wife, sharing both honor and disgrace.
Even if the court officials and the common people knew the truth, they had no reason to overthrow an emperor who had married a legitimate prince and whose power was secure, simply because of "legitimate bloodline".
Therefore, he has made up his mind to help the two get married.
Since that's the case, we naturally can't let Chen Yanqing harbor any more resentment towards Li Yuanzhao.
Liu Jinzhang's expression remained unchanged, and he said calmly, "I think the reason she didn't kill you is because she cares about you. I've been by her side for six years and I know her personality well. She's always ruthless towards her enemies and will never show the slightest mercy. If she really didn't care about you, she could have just killed you, but she chose to keep you by her side. This difference is proof that she values you."
"No..." Chen Yanqing immediately denied it.
“That day, when arrows rained down, she clearly chose to save Shen Churong over me. I took several arrows for her and fell into a pool of blood, but she didn’t care about my life or death. She just grabbed Shen Churong and left. Before leaving, she didn’t even look at me.”
Although Liu Jinzhang was not clear about the specific circumstances at the time, he still went along with his words and continued to persuade him.
“Young Master Chen, you are aware of the situation at the time. She was surrounded by assassins, and the situation was extremely urgent. Her saving Shen Churong may not have been out of favoritism. It is very likely that Shen Churong happened to be within her reach. In a life-or-death situation, instinctive reaction does not allow for careful consideration.”
"Besides, if she doesn't leave, she'll die there with you. Do you really want to see her perish at the hands of an assassin while protecting you?"
Chen Yanqing shook his head blankly.
Yes, he rushed forward without hesitation to shield her from the arrow, just to prevent her from dying.
Knowing is one thing, but recalling the resolute look in her eyes at that time, I still feel uneasy.
Seeing this, Liu Jinzhang continued to coax, "Young Master Chen, there's something else I haven't told you yet. After the Princess escaped, the first thing she did was order a search for you, even mobilizing all the Imperial Guards to inquire about your whereabouts. However, my current status is awkward, and I can't show myself in public for fear of causing more trouble, which is why I haven't sent you back yet."
Liu Jinzhang's words reopened the wound of "being abandoned" in Chen Yanqing's heart, but also allowed him to see the original intention hidden beneath the wound.
He never wanted her to stay for him; he only wanted her to live.
When he collapsed that day, the last thought that flashed through his mind was, "Thank goodness she's alright."
Only later, lying alone in the cold snow, did the feeling of being "abandoned" gradually outweigh the relief.
But now that he knows Li Yuanzhao didn't kill him and is still looking for him, the resentment he felt before because of her resolute decision gradually dissipates as he speculates that "she still has me in her heart."
"Perhaps... I'm overthinking it."
Chen Yanqing's voice was soft, with a hint of self-consolation.
"The situation was critical at the time, and she may have really had no other choice but to do that."
Seeing that his expression softened, Liu Jinzhang's tone became even gentler.
“Young Master Chen, it’s good that you can understand. The Princess has always been aloof and not good at expressing herself. Her feelings are often hidden deep inside. As a man, you need to understand her more.”
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