Chapter 62: The King Seizes His Minister’s Wife? “Your Highness, please don’t do this.” Yun Yang…
"Your Highness, please don't be like this," Yun Yang said in a trembling voice. "You, you are going to be a father. I congratulate Your Highness on the birth of your precious son. I wish Your Highness and the Crown Princess a long and happy marriage."
The prince hugged her in silence, trying to guess whether there was any bitterness in her words, but no matter how he thought about it, her tone was calm and nervous.
The prince was good at understanding people's hearts. He expected that Yun Yang came with a sad look on his face, which meant that he must have encountered something that needed his help to solve.
Moreover, this matter either hit a wall with Master Xue, or Master Xue was powerless to do anything about it.
But, what could make him powerless?
At this point, the bitterness in his heart faded, and a sense of relief emerged. Why should he always sigh in despair? She had no interest in him, so he didn't ask for her heart or her body. It was also good to keep her by his side.
"Being a father is nothing. I don't care." The prince's breath was against her neck. "Yun Yang, Yun Yang... I want to have a child with you more."
"Don't worry, I will give you a title. Not just a title, but also power, status, and wealth. Except for the position of Queen, I can give you everything else. How about a concubine? Concubine Yun?"
Then she muttered to herself, "The title Yun isn't good, it's too common. Do you like the word Chen? Chen means respected, so Concubine Chen?"
Yun Yang looked at the Crown Prince's gloomy and frantic appearance, her body stiffening. She took a deep breath and said, "This humble woman understands your Highness's situation and how difficult it is. This humble woman does not seek the position of Imperial Concubine. Your Highness, please let me go first. I have something to tell you."
Her red lips moved, her eyes were moist, and her chest heaved rapidly. She seemed to be captivated by his aura. She was afraid, but she didn't dare to hide. She just turned her head away as much as possible, looking panicked and pitiful. But the part of her neck that was exposed was slender and white, and the thin blood vessels were throbbing slightly, hidden in the embroidered collar, which made people's blood boil.
"Yunyang, don't be afraid." The prince slowed down his tone, still reluctant to let her go. He just loosened his grip a little, "Your brother-in-law is watching you closely. I haven't seen you for a long time. I miss you very much. Let me hold you, and talk to you while I hold you."
Yun Yang felt numb all over from being held in his arms, her hands and feet were cold, and it felt like thousands of ants were crawling on her skin where it touched his. Especially when she thought about how he was about to become a father and still so dissolute, she felt a wave of nausea in her chest.
"If you have any problems, come to me. Who has made things difficult for you, or has provoked you? I am here to support you." The prince closed his eyes slightly, buried his face in her black hair and murmured.
"Your Highness, do you know the newly crowned top scholar, Lu Jie?" Yun Yang asked. "There have been many rumors in the capital lately that he is collaborating with the enemy and betraying his country. What do you think?"
The rain outside was getting heavier. Looking through the tall palace gate, one could see a vast expanse of sky and earth. The greenery in the East Palace was like smoke, and the palace was getting darker.
"Lu Qing, Lu Qing is young and promising, well-educated, upright, and never participates in party struggles or takes sides. He is a loyal minister." The prince also gave Lu Jie a high evaluation.
Yun Yang felt relieved, and after a moment's pause, he said, "Prince, do you know how he is doing now?"
"Mr. Lu is on his way back to the capital. He will arrive in two or three days. He will then be taken directly to the imperial prison to await trial." The prince's tone was extremely gentle and intimate. "Sister Yunyang, are you friends with Mr. Lu?"
"Your Highness, you, you let me go first. It's difficult for me to talk to you like this." Yun Yang said half coquettishly and half angrily.
The prince liked the way she seemed to be close to him, so his heart softened and he let her go.
Yun Yang thought about it and told the prince without reservation about his relationship with Lu Jie. It had nothing to do with love between men and women, but she wanted to repay him for saving her life, and she also felt guilty for causing him to be separated from his family for more than ten years. She told him everything.
After saying this, his tired eyes drooped, his face was calm, but his heart was heavy.
The prince looked down at her. She looked so adorable, panicked yet feigning composure. He wanted to kiss her, but was afraid to frighten her. He said patiently, "I never thought you and Lu Qing had such a past. So, what does Sister Yunyang want me to do?"
He didn't care about the life or death of a minister at all, nor did he care whether this person was framed or the crime was true. Where there are people, there are struggles, especially in the court. If you are not careful, you will be dragged into the abyss.
Lu Jie himself was too upright and he offended people without realizing it, which meant that he did not have the ability to be a minister.
Especially since he had such a history with Yun Yang, he couldn't live like that.
"Your Highness, can you help Lord Lu get rid of the charges? Lord Lu is a good man... I haven't had the chance to repay him yet, and I don't want him to end up like this." Yun Yang said.
"Of course," the prince said calmly, with the ease of someone in high position, his fingers gently caressing her cheek, "But why should I help you?"
"I know your Highness's feelings for me, but your Highness, you are about to become a father, your first child. Your Highness, you should also think more about the child and the Crown Princess. If you marry me now, the Crown Princess will be very sad. If she is sad, it will affect the little prince in her belly, which will not be good." Yun Yang raised his face and said, "Also, your Highness, I have already settled down with the Zhang family. Do you think your Highness wants to take my wife away?"
"What's a child? I'll have a second and third child in the future. Isn't it normal for a royal family to have more children? Do you think I'd want to have her child?" The prince sneered, "She's the Crown Princess. If she gets upset over this, then it's her fault."
Yun Yang was surprised and said, "But, but it is said among the people that His Highness dotes on the Crown Princess very much."
The prince suddenly smiled, "In the future, there will be rumors that I dote on this concubine or that concubine, but remember, my sister, those are all lies. Only you can have my heart."
"But..." Before Yun Yang could finish her words, he picked her up by the waist and strode towards the inner hall.
"Yun Yang, I have missed you for a long time. Just think that you shouldn't have provoked me. If you have provoked me, you will never be able to escape in this life or in the next..."
The high-hanging curtain was originally very thick, but it swayed violently due to Yun Yang's struggle.
Yun Yang's long hair was disheveled, her snow-white shoulders half exposed. With both hands, she pushed against the prince's hot, firm chest and said hurriedly, "Your Highness! Your Highness, I have promised you! I will be the daughter-in-law of the former general of the Zhen Army. Your Highness, have you forgotten that the emperor said that the general's entire family should be treated well? If you bully the daughter-in-law of the Zhang family, have you ever thought about how to put the emperor's face?"
The Crown Prince had long suppressed his feelings for Yun Yang. The bitterness and helplessness he felt upon hearing she was betrothed to the Zhang family washed over him. He clasped her hands and pressed them above her head, leaning over to fumble with her lips. His breaths were ragged as he spoke haltingly, "So what? As long as we're connected, the worst that can happen is we can just do it in secret... and tell no one. Wouldn't it be exciting to steal someone's sweetheart? When I inherit the throne, I'll find a reason to wipe out the entire Zhang family. Then, I'll give you a new identity and make you my favorite concubine once again... Your brother-in-law has found you a great marriage. I doubt Zhang Qian will touch you even after we're married..."
As he spoke, he pulled the leather belt around his waist and pulled her hand down, "Yunyang, Yunyang, please... respond to me, okay..."
The moment she touched that object, Yun Yang could no longer bear it and broke free from his shackles with a force. The prince was pushed against the bedpost by her force.
The prince groaned, and Yun Yang jumped off the bed in fear and knelt on the ground, trembling.
"Your Highness, please calm down. Your Highness, please calm down. Please take back those absurd words!" Yun Yang said in a trembling voice.
The Crown Prince curled his lips into a cold smile, his expression gloomy. He bent one leg and leaned lazily on the edge of the wide bed. He had never been rejected like this before, and he couldn't help but provoke: "You came to the Eastern Palace today, weren't you here to seduce me? Sister Yunyang is really amazing. Since coming to Shangjing, you have won the hearts of many nobles and young men, right? How did you do it, to make every man have you in his heart? And yet you can marry that unromantic Zhang Qian as if nothing happened? Can Zhang Qian satisfy you?"
Yun Yang's eyes widened as he stared at the Crown Prince in disbelief. He felt dizzy with anger and blurted out, "Your Highness actually thinks this way? I thought Your Highness was a good man, a ruler..."
"Then you think you're wrong!" The prince suddenly interrupted her, leaning forward and staring at her intently. "I am just a man, a man who covets you! You came to me to plead for Lu Jie, but didn't you expect it would come to this? Sister, you are so selfish, wanting everything, but not willing to give anything."
Yun Yang was panting with anger, but she couldn't say anything to refute. She finally came to her senses and realized that she was too naive and thought that the prince was easy to talk to. It turned out that everything in the world is an equal exchange. If you want to get something, you have to pay accordingly.
Should she be thankful that the prince is the crown prince and is extremely wealthy? Shouldn't she at least have something to exchange with him?
Yes, she has nothing but herself.
If he wants...
"Don't be angry with me." The prince said slowly, waving at her, "Come here, let me comfort you. Don't use your fists on me again, my body can't withstand my sister's beating."
Yun Yang hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and stood up, walking step by step towards the prince on the bed. He reached out and grabbed her wrist, stood up and bent down to kiss her. She turned her head to avoid his kiss and said in a trembling voice, "Your Highness, Your Highness, can you promise to save Lu Jie's life?"
"He can't guarantee it." A violent voice came from outside the hall.
With the light behind her, Yun Yang squinted her eyes and saw the tall and upright figure striding towards her.
"Brother-in-law?" Yun Yang murmured.
Xue Yu extended his long arms and pulled her from in front of the Crown Prince to his side. His eyes were sharp, his jawline was tight, and his face was cold, as if he had become a different person. He looked at the Crown Prince with an angry smile and said, "Your Highness, are you full? Are you reaching into my house?"
"I advise Your Highness not to plot against Yun Yang again..." Xue Yu's eyes were cold, and there was a hint of thunder in his words. "Serving the king is the ambition of me, the cabinet elders, and the ministers of the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Rites. But as for this king, we only recognize a benevolent ruler who leads by example!"
The Crown Prince's face turned pale. He stood up and approached step by step. He was extremely angry, but he restrained himself and said, "What do you mean by this, Master? Are you now disregarding the etiquette between the monarch and his subjects?"
Xue Yu's brows knitted together, but he stood firm, as pure and bright as the moon in the sky. "If Your Highness is upright, why should you fear what I say? If Your Highness doesn't mind the seizure of an official's wife, I will disclose the matter to the public, allowing the civil and military officials to judge the matter, and let the scholars of the world see Your Highness's majesty!"
The Crown Prince said with a half-smile, "If Young Master really does this, it would be a noble act, but this noble act would mean sacrificing Yun Yang's lifelong happiness. If people knew she had an affair with the Eastern Palace, who would dare to marry her in the future? I'm afraid her marriage to the Zhang family would be ruined!"
"Don't worry about it, Your Highness." Xue Yu said contemptuously with a gloomy face.
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The author has something to say: No more tomorrow
It's not far from the Gaoling Flower breaking through the defense and descending from the altar.
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