Wei Hanzhang was a little embarrassed when he was led to sit down. Then he heard the emperor opposite him say, "Can you guess why I summoned you to the palace?"
The voice was old, with the shortness of breath and weakness of a person who had been ill for a long time.
Xiao Junzhan sat beside her, raised his hand to pour her a cup of tea, and said softly: "She is still young, father, please speak directly and don't scare her anymore."
The one who spoke was too young, and the one who closed was too young. The emperor finally raised his eyelids and took a serious look at the girl his son was protecting. He said indifferently, "She is so young, why are you in such a hurry to marry her instead of raising her for two more years?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Junzhan said, "It's the same if I raise it myself."
The emperor's breathing stagnated, and he was obviously very upset by his words. He coughed several times before saying, "How can this be the same?"
Xiao Junzhan smiled slightly and said nothing more.
Wei Hanzhang, who was watching the entire conversation between father and son, tilted her hand holding the teacup and almost dropped it. She poked the person next to her with her elbow, trying to remind him not to upset his father.
...I have been bedridden for many years, what will happen if my true energy is damaged?
Xiao Junzhan thought she was scalded by the tea, frowned, and gently wiped the tea off her hands with a handkerchief, saying, "Be careful."
The emperor simply couldn't bear to watch, and waved his hand and said, "Take your little girl out, don't disturb my peace here."
"Father, don't you have something to ask?" Xiao Junzhan said, "The treatment of Cheng Yi was my own decision, and it has nothing to do with Ran Ran."
"Nothing to do with it?" The emperor snorted coldly, "If the person Cheng Yi wanted to kill wasn't her, would you not care about family affection at all?"
"Changle and you share the same mother, Chengyi is your niece. As long as she is not committing treason, what crime is worth her life?"
Hearing this, Wei Hanzhang could not help but look up and finally saw the face of the current emperor clearly.
The old man, who is nearly sixty years old, has been bedridden for many years. His face is pale and his eye sockets are sunken, but his eyes are still wise.
He took a quick look and lowered his head without interrupting the conversation between the father and son.
Xiao Junzhan put his arm around her shoulders, patted her soothingly, and said calmly, "Father, you think that Cheng Yi's murder of the Crown Princess is nothing, but does murdering your son count as treason?"
The emperor said, "How can this be the same?"
"In the eyes of this son, there is no difference." Xiao Junzhan raised his hand to pour tea for his father and said softly, "Cheng Yi must not be kept. If he can get away with murdering the Crown Princess, then the dignity of the royal family will become empty talk."
His tone was gentle, but he left no room for maneuver.
The emperor looked at him with sunken eyes. This was his eldest son who was born when he was over thirty years old. He lost his mother at a young age and was raised by him personally.
As heir to the dynasty, his crown prince did a better job than him.
He was praised by the court and the public for his generosity and kindness. He was a truly righteous and benevolent monarch, and he also had the dignity of a monarch.
But now he can be murderous towards his own niece.
All this is because...
The emperor's eyes were like cold stars as he looked at the well-behaved girl holding the teacup.
"Father!" Xiao Junzhan was so perceptive that he almost instantly embraced the girl in front of him into his arms and suddenly raised his eyes to look opposite.
"Don't worry, I'm still waiting to hold my grandson." The emperor looked away, his old face showing some emotion: "I thought you were pure and innocent before, and I wanted to become a monk, but I didn't expect you to be like this."
He protected a woman more precious than his own eyes. Did he really protect her as if she were his life? The emperor didn't believe it. They were both men, but he had never experienced love and the novelty hadn't worn off yet.
However, as long as my son is willing to marry and have children, it doesn't matter whether he truly loves a girl as if she were his life or just wants something new.
He was old, and the sharpness and ruthlessness of his youth had long been worn away by the years he was bedridden. The dynasty was governed very well, and there was no need for him to teach his son how to be a good king.
Now he is just like an ordinary old man, hoping to have children and grandchildren around him.
Wei Hanzhang was somewhat confused about the confrontation between father and son, but also somewhat enlightened.
She breathed very lightly, and only took a deep breath after leaving the hall.
Xiao Junzhan lifted her chin, carefully examined her face, and said with a smile, "Why are you so scared? Aren't you very brave in front of me?"
Wei Hanzhang said awkwardly: "...That's different."
Xiao Junzhan said "oh" and teased her deliberately: "What's the difference?"
Wei Hanzhang: “…”
Seeing the little girl's face turn red, Xiao Junzhan was afraid that she would be angry with him again, so he coaxed her softly, "No matter how bold you are, it's because I spoiled you."
Now this person's sweet words really come out of his mouth.
Wei Hanzhang couldn't figure out what he was feeling either, so he took a deep breath and pulled his hand off. "Your Majesty urgently summoned me to the palace. Was it because of Qi Yuxiao's matter?"
Xiao Junzhan nodded, and led her to the imperial garden, saying softly, "Don't listen to my father's words and feel pressured. Don't think that she died because of you."
"I have already explained the cause of her death very clearly. Murdering the Crown Princess is similar to murdering the Crown Prince."
Wei Hanzhang pursed his lips and said, "Your Majesty will be dissatisfied with me because of this, and Princess Changle..."
"Don't worry about that. Father knows that it was me who wanted to kill you. It has nothing to do with you. As for Changle..." Xiao Junzhan pinched her face and coaxed her, "If you marry me, you don't have to worry about offending anyone. There is no one you can't offend, and no one dares to be dissatisfied with you."
...I will protect you.
He added in his heart, smiled slightly, hugged the girl in front of him, and bent down to kiss her.
After not seeing her for many days, he missed her so much that he wanted to take action in his father's palace.
Wei Hanzhang was still pondering his words when he was stopped and pressed against the red-painted pillar on the corridor. His lips were covered and his eyes suddenly widened.
There were so many palace maids and eunuchs following them! How could this man say such words to her in public?
Wei Hanzhang tried to push but couldn't move. The touch on his lips was soft.
As their lips touched, I could still hear the words that escaped his lips: "Ranran, be good... don't move."
Wei Hanzhang knew him very well. Upon hearing this, he did not dare to refuse and just stared at him.
After a long time, as if he noticed her gaze, Xiao Junzhan's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he finally moved his lips away, slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. The dark lust in his eyes could not be restrained in time, or perhaps he did not want to restrain it at all.
Wei Hanzhang looked at him with horror, and said with averted face: "Send a carriage to take me out of the palace."
"Leave the palace?" Xiao Junzhan laughed, as if he had heard something stupid, and said in a hoarse voice: "Ran Ran is back to the palace for the first time, how can I let you leave the palace like this."
Wei Hanzhang looked alert: "What do you want to do?"
Xiao Junzhan took her hand and got on the imperial sedan chair that had been waiting for a long time. Then he said, "I'll show you the way. You have to remember what the place where you will live in the future looks like."
Hey, I did it~~~ If there are any typos, please help correct them.
(End of this chapter)