plead
Xiao Yiqing's father quickly put on a smiling face and said, "Does Your Highness wish to discuss official business with me?"
Shangguan Zeyu couldn't help but sneer: "'Official business'? 'Your humble servant'? May I ask, Lord Xiao, whose servant are you? What official business do you wish to discuss with me?"
Xiao Yiqing's father clearly saw the hatred in Shangguan Zeyu's eyes and was startled. He quickly added, "I am a subject of the Great Zhou, so naturally I must discuss matters of the Great Zhou with Your Highness."
Shangguan Zeyu glanced at him disdainfully, then fiddled with the teacup on the table beside him.
Seeing that he didn't want to speak anymore, Xiao Yiqing's father glanced uneasily at Xiao Yiqing, who then stepped forward to Shangguan Zeyu's left and said softly, "Your Highness, have you had lunch yet?"
There was no tenderness or affection in Shangguan Zeyu's eyes, only cold, hard hatred. With just one glance, he chilled Xiao Yiqing to the bone, let alone Xiao Yiqing's father, who had plotted against and harmed Shangguan Zeyu.
Xiao Yiqing asked instinctively, "Is Your Highness angry?"
Shangguan Zeyu glanced at her lightly, then fixed his gaze on her panicked father.
Xiao Yiqing's father nervously swallowed and stammered, "Your Highness, if I have failed in my duty, please do not blame me."
Shangguan Zeyu sneered, "Inadequate hospitality? What a fine excuse for inadequate hospitality! Fine, I'll be blunt: do you want to end your own life, or will I send you on your way?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yiqing was so frightened that she turned pale, and her father's face also turned deathly white.
Xiao Yiqing hurriedly said, "Your Highness, there must be some misunderstanding! My father did not harm Your Highness!!"
But Shangguan Zeyu ignored her and stared intently at her father, who was cowering to the side.
Xiao Yiqing hurriedly whispered to her father, "Father, please tell me! If you tell me, the Prince will definitely not blame you!"
But her father hesitated and refused to say a word.
Xiao Yiqing anxiously pleaded with Shangguan Zeyu, "Your Highness! Let's talk this out. My father is still your... father-in-law, please... don't frighten him."
Shangguan Zeyu found it amusing: "Father-in-law? Does he think he's my father-in-law? I'm really curious, is he siding with outsiders? Joining forces with others to scheme against his own son-in-law, and even trying to kill him?"
Then he said to Xiao Yiqing's terrified father, "Say any last words as soon as possible, I have other matters to attend to."
Xiao Yiqing's father seemed to have finally come to his senses. He knelt down at Shangguan Zeyu's feet with a thud, tears streaming down his face, and cried, "I was wrong! I was wrong!! I beg Your Highness to spare Qing'er's life, and the lives of the rest of the Xiao family!!"
When Xiao Yiqing saw her father kneeling on the ground, she was shocked and hurriedly tried to pull him up, but her father's knees seemed to be rooted to the ground, and no matter how hard she pulled, she couldn't get him up.
Shangguan Zeyu glanced at him coldly, and after a while, said, "I will naturally grant the Princess Consort's command, but as for the others, including you, I will absolutely not grant them!"
Xiao Yiqing's father was shocked and unconsciously took another step closer to Shangguan Zeyu on his knees, saying, "Your Highness! It's all my fault! I know I was wrong! This has nothing to do with anyone else! They know nothing, they are innocent!!! Your Highness! Please give them a way out!!!" He kowtowed to Shangguan Zeyu.
Seeing her beloved and respected father so humbled, Xiao Yiqing felt as if her heart was bleeding. Without hesitation, she knelt at Shangguan Zeyu's feet and cried out in grief, "Your Highness! I beg you to give my father a way out, and give the other members of the Xiao family a way out!!!" She was about to kowtow again, but Shangguan Zeyu stopped her in time with his right hand.
Seeing that Shangguan Zeyu still felt pity for her, Xiao Yiqing was overjoyed and hurriedly cried and laughed, "Your Highness has agreed, hasn't he? Is Your Highness willing to give my father a way out?" Just as she was about to tell her father this good news, she heard Shangguan Zeyu say without hesitation, "Impossible."
Xiao Yiqing's heart instantly turned to ashes. She stared at Shangguan Zeyu in disbelief and incomprehension, and finally asked the question she had always wanted to ask.
"Your Highness, have you ever loved me?"
Xiao Yiqing's eyes were sincere and earnest. She stared at Shangguan Zeyu without blinking, anticipating what he was about to say. However, no matter how affectionate, sincere, or loving she was, Shangguan Zeyu never uttered the word she wanted to hear.
"If you wish to return to the Prince's Palace, I will send someone to fetch you tomorrow."
After saying that, Shangguan Zeyu stood up without hesitation and walked out.
Xiao Yiqing watched his resolute departure, her heart aching so much that it convulsed, and her tears flowed like a burst dam. But even so, what could she do?
When Shangguan Zeyu returned to the capital, Empress Dowager Lezheng learned of the series of things he did.
Empress Dowager Lezheng did not want him to make things difficult for the Emperor, nor did she want him to actually end the Emperor's life. One day at noon, the Emperor's brother's life came to him.
Just as Shangguan Zeyu was anxious and flustered because he couldn't find Jiang Yan, she appeared.
But her appearance did not extinguish the rising anger in Shangguan Zeyu's heart like a spring of sweet water; instead, it added fuel to the fire, making Shangguan Zeyu's anger even more intense, threatening to spread like wildfire.
"...Did Mother come here just for this one thing?" Shangguan Zeyu thought with grief.
"Yu'er, of course your mother came to visit you because she was worried about you. As for your brother's matter, your mother cannot sit idly by."
Shangguan Zeyu couldn't help but smile bitterly: "In Mother's heart, my brother's life is far more important than my own."
"Why do you think that way, Yu'er? Your mother is not biased! Your mother treats you and your brother the same."
"'Exactly the same'?" Shangguan Zeyu murmured and repeated with a wry smile, "What does Mother Consort want me to do?"
"Yu'er, you may take the throne if you want, but you must spare your brother's life."
Shangguan Zeyu's eyes reddened with sadness. It felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on his heart, making his chest ache and his breathing difficult.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, tilted his head back, and then slowly lowered his eyes, staring at a certain spot at his feet. He said, "Does Mother think that I am doing this for the throne?"
“Yu’er, since the throne is within your grasp, why give it up? Your elder brother has no talent for governing the country, nor the ability to lead troops into battle. It’s better if he abdicates, then your mother can keep an eye on him.”
Shangguan Zeyu suddenly felt utterly hopeless.
He desperately wanted to ask his mother if he was after the throne. His life was hanging by a thread, so why did everything he did seem like a scheme to seize the throne?
Doesn't his life matter? Doesn't he feel pain?
Could it be that her elder brother is her child, and only he deserves her love and care?
But in the end, he didn't say a word that needed to be understood.
"Mother, please rest assured, I will discuss with the ministers how to treat my elder brother."
"Yu'er, your mother knows you've suffered and been wronged, but even so, it's all in the past now, so don't hold it in your heart or blame your brother."
Shangguan Zeyu suddenly tensed up, his hands clenching into fists uncontrollably.
He hated it so much! He hated being born into an imperial family!
After Empress Dowager Lezheng finished speaking, she returned to the palace, but the pain and sorrow she left behind for Shangguan Zeyu would never be forgotten or let go of for the rest of his life.
Shangguan Zeyu originally had no intention of taking his elder brother's life, so after his mother left, he ordered that his elder brother be imprisoned in Lexu Palace for eternity.
The place where the two brothers lived together since they were little.
As for his mother, Consort Yuezheng, she remained the respected and beloved Empress Dowager, just as before.
However, even though Shangguan Zeyu was so tolerant and forgiving, his elder brother still didn't appreciate it.
His elder brother insisted on not moving out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. The soldiers forcibly dragged him away, and he shouted that if they made him leave the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he would die in front of them. He also said that he wanted to see Shangguan Zeyu because he had something to say to Shangguan Zeyu. Zhang Qin then returned and told Shangguan Zeyu about this.
Shangguan Zeyu originally intended never to see his elder brother again, but after hearing Zhang Qin's words, he decided to see his elder brother one last time, to make things clear and to sever all ties completely.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
