The palace is on fire.
The eunuch beside Liu Kang came in to report, interrupting his reverie and suddenly making him unhappy.
At this moment, the last thing he wanted to hear was that something unexpected had happened.
Afterwards, Liu Kang instructed people to go to the scene to arrange and direct the firefighting efforts. Only after the fire was extinguished and the responsible party, Huang Men, was found and detained did he feel relieved and prepare to rest.
But just as he lay down, he received another piece of bad news, even worse than the fire at Mingying Palace.
"The guards who changed shifts at the hour of Chou (1-3 AM) discovered that all twenty-odd people guarding the back gate of Yanqing Palace had been murdered, all with knife wounds. It is unknown who did it, as no traces were left. Now they have sealed Yanqing Palace off again."
Listening to the report, Liu Kang's head throbbed with pain.
"Have someone search the entire palace to see if anyone has seen anyone suspicious, especially at each palace gate. Also, send people to investigate inside Yanqing Palace to see if it was their people who did it."
Because Yanqing Palace was the palace of the Imperial Concubine, after seeing the deaths of more than twenty guards, they simply surrounded the palace again. Without orders and without knowing the situation inside, no one dared to break into the palace without authorization.
Now that he had received Liu Kang's order, the commander of the guards went back to inform others and sent people to search and question Yanqing Palace.
For some inexplicable reason, something flashed through Liu Kang's mind, and he had a bad feeling.
"Send someone to check if the Imperial Concubine and the two imperial brothers are well. Let's send someone to check on the Imperial Concubine first."
After hesitating for a moment, Liu Kang continued to give instructions.
He originally thought that by surrounding Yanqing Palace, he would have the Consort and the two princes under his complete control, and he could do whatever he wanted with them in the future.
Now that he thought about it, Liu Kang couldn't help but wonder if the Imperial Concubine had such unfathomable strength. If the person who could kill more than twenty guards was one of the Imperial Concubine's men, then what was she planning to do?
The thought of one possibility made Liu Kang's heart pound.
Soon, the people sent to investigate returned with a report that the palace gates had not been opened yesterday, and no one had left the palace. Meanwhile, the Imperial Concubine and the two princes had disappeared from Yanqing Palace.
"Arrest and interrogate all those who serve the Imperial Concubine! Surely someone knows their whereabouts. I need to know where she is now!"
Liu Kang roared and kicked the messenger, the eunuch, half a meter away. The worst-case scenario he had just imagined had come to pass.
Because the investigation revealed that the palace gates had not been opened, Liu Kang assumed that the Imperial Concubine, along with the two princes, must still be hiding in the palace.
At this moment, the imperial concubine escaped his control, and Liu Kang became uneasy. He rushed to Kunning Palace and told the empress about the imperial concubine's disappearance.
"How could that be! Have the interrogation department use torture to extract a confession. They must find out when the Consort disappeared. Who did she instruct to kill all the guards at the back gate!"
What surprised the Empress most was how Lin Yuqiao had done it, and who she had sent to kill more than twenty guards in one fell swoop. The Empress knew best about the situation and manpower of Yanqing Palace.
She knew that the servants in Yanqing Palace were all assigned according to regulations, and it was impossible for her to keep private guards in the palace. Liu Heng was not the kind of person to disregard the rules and allow his favorite concubine to keep private guards.
The most likely explanation is that Liu Heng entrusted the palace's secret guards to her before he left. This would explain the killing of the guards outside Yanqing Palace and Lin Yuqiao's escape from the palace with the two princes.
The Empress could only vaguely guess that the palace guards existed based on rumors, but she had never actually seen or had contact with them, and Liu Heng had never told her about them.
If Liu Heng were to give her the secret guards, just how many would there be? The Empress felt a chill run down her spine the more she thought about it. She felt that Lin Yuqiao was always cunning, and the secret guards were elusive; what if she was planning to deal with Liu Kang?
"Kang'er, be careful lately and keep more guards around you. If I'm not mistaken, your father will definitely entrust a secret guard to the Consort before he passes away."
Liu Kang was somewhat surprised to hear that the palace had secret guards. He hadn't expected that his father would dote on the Imperial Concubine so much, entrusting her with the secret guards in case anything happened to her.
Given his favoritism towards the Imperial Concubine, when the Third Prince grows up, if the Imperial Concubine were to whisper in his ear, the Emperor might very well consider changing the Crown Prince. Moreover, if the Emperor hadn't been assassinated, the Imperial Concubine would have had secret guards at her disposal, and if she were to decide to commit evil, they would be completely unprepared.
Liu Kang increasingly felt that his approach was correct. The future was too unstable; the collapse of the empire could happen at any moment. He wanted to seize this rare opportunity to ascend to the top in one fell swoop. Moreover, if the imperial concubine was found, she could not be allowed to remain.
However, to Liu Kang and the Empress's disappointment, the interrogation department arrested Jiang Mama, Fang Mama, and others who served Lin Yuqiao, and the information obtained from their interrogation was consistent. They knew nothing, nor did they see the Imperial Concubine leave; the Imperial Concubine, the Third Prince, and the Fourth Prince had simply vanished into thin air.
This was the result of Fang Mama and the others' discussion after Lin Yuqiao left. Their united front would buy them some time; His Majesty would return to the palace soon, and they had to hold out until then.
"How could that be! Someone must be lying!"
Liu Kang was incredulous and ordered his men to search the imperial concubine's and the two princes' sleeping quarters. They practically turned the floor upside down, but found nothing amiss.
However, apart from those who served Lin Yuqiao closely, none of the other eunuchs or palace maids saw the Imperial Concubine leave. They only knew that she was still in her bedchamber before nightfall.
"Let's keep searching. Maybe they're hiding in Yanqing Palace through some kind of secret passage or mechanism."
After the Empress sent people to search every palace in the inner palace but found no one, she finally had no choice but to focus her search on Yanqing Palace.
Those were three living, breathing people; how could they just vanish into thin air?
After settling Lin Yuqiao and her son in, Liu Heng prepared to return to the capital. The three of them stayed in the suburbs until Liu Heng had tidied up the mess before bringing them back to the palace.
Lin Yuqiao had no objection to his arrangements; at this point, she should bury her head in the sand for a moment. In her heart, Liu Heng was always a gentle and considerate husband and a loving father, and she didn't want to confront the cold, ruthless side of him that belonged to an emperor.
Liu Heng's pain stems from the deep bond of family ties, which she cannot access or soothe.
Lin Yuqiao knew that Liu Heng's main task in settling things in Kyoto was to deal with Liu Kang.
Liu Heng traveled light and quickly on his return journey, bringing back only a small number of people. However, before even reaching the capital, he sent someone to meet with the garrison commander of Qiongyang Pass. Apart from the Imperial Guard, Qiongyang was the closest garrison to the capital.
Now that the troops stationed at Qiongyang Pass have been transferred under the command of the garrison, Liu Heng led his men to the Jingwei Camp stationed in the suburbs.
The number of men in the Jingwei Camp is not large, because half of them are stationed outside the palace. Currently, the number of men in the Jingwai Camp is only half of the number of soldiers stationed at Qiongyang Pass.
When Liu Heng appeared out of nowhere on the outskirts of the city, the captain of the Imperial Guard's battalion nearly popped his eyes out.
"Will you obey the king's command, or the command of the treacherous crown prince?"
Upon hearing that Liu Heng had used "treason" to convict the Crown Prince, the captain of the Imperial Guard immediately considered resigning. He had originally thought that the Emperor was doomed and wanted to gain some recognition from Liu Kang as soon as possible so that he could be given important responsibilities in the future. Therefore, he accepted the order to come even though Liu Kang did not have a military tally.
Furthermore, with the Qiongyang garrison still watching them menacingly from afar, the commander of the Imperial Guard Camp dared not continue to stand on Liu Kang's side. His knees buckled, and he knelt on the ground.
After gathering the men of the Imperial Guard, Liu Heng did not punish them, but instead ordered the Imperial Guard captain to retreat from outside the city back to the main camp.
Liu Heng led a portion of the Qiongyang garrison into the city in a grand procession. He wasn't actually worried about what would happen to the Crown Prince; he was simply using this to suppress the situation and increase Liu Kang's fear.
When Wang Heqing, the emperor's brother-in-law entrusted with an important task by Liu Kang, heard that Liu Heng had returned to the capital, he was so frightened that he sat down on the ground. He then immediately sent someone to the palace to inform Liu Kang.
During this period, Wang Heqing had finally achieved a great deal of pride and glory, as the emperor's brother-in-law had finally received the honor he deserved. He knew that Liu Kang would need to rely on his uncle after he ascended the throne, and he was almost certain that Liu Heng would not return alive.
Wang Heqing was invigorated by the prospect of a bright future. But his joy was short-lived, as Liu Heng unexpectedly returned unharmed.
Inside the palace, Liu Kang and the Empress were struggling to figure out where Lin Yuqiao was hiding. They couldn't get any information from her, and they couldn't find her anywhere, which was causing them great distress.
When Liu Kang heard the messenger say that Liu Heng had already entered the capital and was on his way to the palace, his face turned ashen.
"Mother, how could this be? No way! Uncle must have been mistaken and deceived. Yes, he was deceived!"
Liu Kang's eyes were blank. Then, as if he had thought of something, he murmured anxiously to the Empress, his voice growing louder and louder.
The Empress's heart sank to the bottom. She had long suspected why Liu Heng hadn't suppressed the attack immediately after being stabbed, instead allowing the news to reach the capital. But she found an excuse for herself: Liu Heng must have been seriously injured and unable to control the situation, which led to the news leaking out.
But now that Liu Heng has returned so quickly, the news they received must be false.
Seeing that the Empress's face was equally pale, Liu Kang, who had been in a frenzy, suddenly covered his face, shrugged his shoulders, and burst into tears.
"How could this happen? How could this be! Why isn't God on my side?!"
Liu Kang knelt on the ground, covering his face and weeping. Seeing her son's behavior, the Empress suddenly came to her senses.
“Kang’er, what’s done is done. How can you act so childishly now? There are still guards from the Imperial Guard outside the palace, and the Consort, the Third Prince, and the Fourth Prince are still in the palace. They are not without the ability to fight.”
The Empress helped Liu Kang up, and seeing the tear stains on her son's eyes, she was filled with mixed emotions.
She regretted urging her husband to seek a title and honors. If Liu Heng hadn't been an emperor, how much better it would have been if he had remained the Prince of Huaiyang. Liu Kang could have easily been the heir apparent, and things wouldn't have turned out this way.
"Yes, and the Imperial Concubine's too. Father Emperor is always reluctant to part with my third and fourth brothers. He doesn't dare to force his way in; if we guard the palace, he can't get in. And the ministers, the ministers."
After being reminded by the Empress, Liu Kang didn't think much of it and blurted out whatever came to mind, as if trying to comfort himself.
In the afternoon, Liu Heng and his entourage arrived outside the palace.
Xu He, the commander of the Imperial Guard, was surprised to see that the person sitting on the horse at the head of the group was none other than the Emperor, who was rumored to be on his deathbed.
"Our Emperor is here, why do you not come to pay your respects as always!"
Liu Heng stopped outside the palace. Xu Yi, who was beside him, dismounted from his horse and looked at Xu He, raising his voice to shout.
Xu He hesitated. He was a captain in the Imperial Guard, but he had come from the camp without the Crown Prince's orders without a military tally. He was well aware of the Crown Prince's current actions, which were preparations for rebellion, and Liu Heng would surely punish him in the future.
"Surrender quickly, and I will forgive you for what you did not know the truth."
Liu Heng gave Xu He a deep look, then addressed the soldiers at the palace gate.
After hearing Liu Heng's words, everyone looked at each other, dropped their weapons, and knelt down.
After the palace gates opened, Liu Heng went to the Wenhua Hall, greeted by kneeling guards and palace servants.
The ministers had been imprisoned by Liu Kang for many days. Although they had plenty of food and drink, they had never seen the light of day. Now that they had finally been released and saw Liu Heng return, many of the old ministers couldn't help but burst into tears.
Upon seeing Liu Heng's return, the faces of Prince Pei and the others turned deathly pale, and Prince Fuling collapsed to his knees. Of the three princes who had come to the capital, he was the least timid. As for Prince Jiling, he pointed at Liu Heng but could not utter a word.
He was the one who was sent to the border city to assassinate Liu Heng. After receiving news of Liu Heng's serious injury, Prince Jiling was extremely pleased with himself.
He was not only very cunning but also quite shrewd. After entering the capital, he made no move, simply watching Pei Xianwang make his moves silently. Regardless of whether Liu Kang, Liu Bowen, or Pei Xianwang ultimately emerged victorious, he was accumulating strength, waiting to deliver a fatal blow to the winner.
He had planned for so long, all for the sake of successfully taking over the palace. But now, upon seeing Liu Heng in person, he realized that his plan had failed from the very beginning.
This blow left King Jiling completely disoriented.
After detaining the three princes, Liu Heng stopped paying attention to them. Now, the person he most wanted to see was Liu Kang.
The Empress originally planned that the guards outside the palace could hold out for a while, find the Consort, and then use the Consort and the two princes as a threat to force Liu Heng to spare Liu Kang's life.
However, to everyone's surprise, the Imperial Guards surrendered immediately upon meeting the Emperor, and the rest of the palace followed suit. In front of Emperor Liu Heng, neither the Crown Prince nor the Empress had any influence whatsoever.
At the last moment, the Empress calmed down. Such was fate; the fire at Mingying Palace foreshadowed their impending defeat.
Either live a life of glory at the pinnacle, or die a resigned death as a prisoner.
Born into royalty, they never had a third way.
"Kang'er, don't be afraid. Tidy yourself up. You'll see your father soon. Life and death are determined by fate, and the victor is king, the loser is villain. Why be sad?"
☆、89|
"Mother..."
Liu Kang looked at the Empress in despair, his eyes bloodshot, as she helped him straighten the crown on his head and smooth out the wrinkles on his clothes.
At this critical juncture, the Empress felt no fear, only a tinge of reluctance. She was worried about Liu Ling; without her protection as her mother, Liu Ling might be bullied by the Consort and her son in the future.
Liu Ling is too proud. How could she bear it if she lost this identity that she is so proud of in the future?
The Empress felt a pang of regret. She shouldn't have spoiled Liu Ling so much. The child always held onto her status and refused to bow her head. Now that her mother was gone, Liu Ling was bound to suffer.
The Empress knew perfectly well that Liu Heng would not let her and Liu Kang off the hook, but she only hoped that he would spare his daughter from the fact that Liu Ling was his only daughter.
After tidying herself up, the Empress, accompanied by Liu Kang, walked to the entrance of the main hall of Kunning Palace to welcome Liu Heng.
Behind her, the plaque hanging in front of the door, bearing the inscription "Kunning Palace," still gleamed with gold.
Looking at the palace with its double eaves, yellow tiles, and glittering glazed tiles, the Empress couldn't help but recall the scene when she first entered Kunning Palace.
On that day, after offering sacrifices to the ancestors and paying homage to them, she received Liu Heng's conferment of a title amidst the kneeling and kowtowing of civil and military officials, attracting widespread attention.
At that moment, she was truly happy. She was simply thinking that she had accompanied this man through more than ten years in the royal palace, through his most difficult times, and finally witnessed his ten years of hardship as he ascended to the throne.
Whether he loves her or not, she is the only one who can stand by his side and watch him rule the world.
Seven years have passed in the blink of an eye. The joy of that time has long faded, and all the glory he once gave her has been slowly worn away, layer by layer, until it has faded and fallen away.
The Consort's exclusive favor, Liu Yan's growth, Liu Heng's indifference towards Liu Kang, and even Liu Heng's imprisonment of her in Kunning Palace because of the Consort's schemes, all of these things made her begin to fear. Her son's position as Crown Prince was teetering on the brink, and she was increasingly disliked by Liu Heng.
She became so anxious and insecure that she wanted to hold onto everything she could get her hands on tightly.
But the tighter she held on, the faster what she cared about slipped away, like sand through her fingers. Eventually, she ended up in this situation.
When she learned that Liu Kang had sent someone to the border city to assassinate Liu Heng, she was only worried about the success or failure, and didn't want to think about Liu Heng himself.
Over the years, her feelings had long since cooled. After many years of marriage, they had become strangers. First, they were separated by the Lin family, and later, by the distance of the entire country.
In the very beginning, all she cherished was his gentle smile, a fleeting radiance. He was both far away and close at hand, yet she could never truly understand him. Later, with sudden changes and the arrival of the new, charming woman, she could only watch coldly from the sidelines.
Who would fall in love with the flower reflected in the water? Who would lie and reminisce about the past, with whom they were both closest and most distant?
In the end, her blooming season was over, and she burned with passion, hoping he would walk into that murderous ambush.
She lives, he dies. Or, she dies, he lives.
This was their final end; her heart was already filled with the sandstorm that swept across the sky and the earth.
When Liu Heng appeared, he saw the Empress and Liu Kang standing alone outside the palace, seemingly waiting for a long time.
If he truly didn't care, Liu Heng wouldn't have suddenly lost so much weight after learning of Liu Kang's treasonous intentions. Now, his only motivation is to personally deal with Liu Kang.
Liu Heng kept his eyes fixed on Liu Kang's face, trying to see genuine remorse or guilt, but he saw nothing. Liu Kang kept his head down, not daring to look Liu Heng in the eye, only cowering and fear.
"Kang'er..."
Liu Heng's throat moved; he wanted to say something, but he didn't know what to say.
This eldest son, on whom he had placed so much hope, ultimately disappointed him the most. Even now, Liu Heng still remembers the excitement he felt when he first held Liu Kang in his arms.
This is his eldest son, whom he has watched grow up from childhood, and who is now married and a man.
“Your Majesty, it was all my doing. Kang’er is a filial child. Now that the plan has failed, I am willing to admit my guilt. But Kang’er is Your Majesty’s flesh and blood, so I beg Your Majesty to spare his life. As for Ling’er, she knows nothing. I also beg Your Majesty not to implicate her because of my crime.”
Although the Empress knelt down, she still looked directly at Liu Heng with her head held high. She couldn't bear to see her son lose his life so young; even if he couldn't become the Crown Prince, it would be better if he could at least live.
"Mother..."
Hearing his mother ultimately take all the blame upon himself, Liu Kang knelt down beside the Empress with a thud, burying his face in her shoulder and sobbing uncontrollably.
In this ordeal, he had already lost his second son. Looking at Liu Kang, Liu Heng sighed heavily.
Even a tiger won't eat its cubs; even if his son wanted him dead, the father couldn't kill him himself.
Liu Heng glanced at the Empress indifferently; at this moment, this woman was the one he loathed most.
If it weren't for her ambitious desire to become Empress Dowager and her insatiable lust for power, perhaps Liu Kang wouldn't have ended up like this. If she had properly guided and advised Liu Kang, how could such fratricide and father-son animosity have occurred?
Just as Liu Heng was about to have the Empress and himself taken away together, a figure suddenly rushed towards them—it was Consort Ning.
With a flash of light, before anyone could react, Consort Ning's dagger had already pierced Liu Kang's back.
"Do you think you can continue living just because my Yan'er is dead?"
Consort Ning's clothes were disheveled. Because Liu Heng had returned to the palace, everyone was in a state of chaos. The people who had been guarding Jinghe Palace had also relaxed their guard, allowing Consort Ning to take the opportunity to escape.
Before Wei Jiang was arrested by the court interrogation officers, he dutifully relayed the news to Jinghe Palace that Liu Yan had been poisoned by Liu Kang.
Soon, Consort Ning found out. At first, she didn't believe it, but after using all means to escape, she went to the back hall of Zhaoning Palace and saw Liu Yan's body in the coffin. The thread in her mind snapped.
She endured half her life with forbearance, painstaking planning, and scheming, only to have her son, to whom she poured her heart and soul, murdered. How could Consort Ning not hate her?
Even if it costs her everything, she will make Liu Kang pay the price to Liu Yan! At this moment, Consort Ning's eyes were filled with hatred, like a mother wolf who has lost her cubs in the snow, willing to die together with her, she would bite off the neck of the person in front of her.
Knowing that Liu Kang and the Empress were both in Kunning Palace, Consort Ning sneaked over there.
Because the palace was in complete chaos, Consort Ning easily made her way to the outside of Kunning Palace.
After Consort Ning pulled out her knife, Liu Kang's blood sprayed all over her face. The Empress, who had been stunned by Consort Ning's sudden action, let out a wail and embraced the blood-covered Liu Kang, weeping bitterly.
Seeing Liu Kang lying on the ground covered in blood, Liu Heng's eyes widened in horror. No matter what, Liu Kang was still his child.
When the guards held her down on both sides, Consort Ning showed no fear and laughed loudly at Liu Heng.
"Your Majesty, now that your two eldest sons are dead, the future Crown Prince will surely be the son of the Imperial Concubine! I congratulate the Imperial Concubine on achieving her wish! Hahahaha..."
"You crazy woman!"
Liu Heng already loathed Consort Ning's wickedness to the extreme. He never expected that, now, on the verge of death, she would still try to implicate Lin Yuqiao.
Liu Heng waved his hand, ordering his men to drag Consort Ning away. Her cackling laughter slowly faded into the distance.
Even when her plans failed and she faced Liu Heng, the Empress had never shown any fear, her eyes remaining bright and clear. But now, seeing Liu Kang die in her arms, all her bracing spirit vanished, her face turning ashen and pale, like that of an old woman over fifty.
Liu Heng couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he ordered his men to drag the Empress away and carry Liu Kang away.
They ordered that Liu Yan, whose body was still lying in the Zhaoning Hall, be buried together with him.
He hadn't even turned gray yet when he lost two sons. Even with Liu Heng's strong will, he couldn't bear such pain.
Afterwards, Liu Heng rallied his spirits and ordered a reorganization of the inner palace and the imperial court. He unleashed his fury, ruthlessly eliminating everyone involved in the case without exception.
The three princes who had entered the capital from their fiefdoms without permission were all executed, along with their male relatives, and their families were exiled. Officials who had made any unusual moves were all dismissed and imprisoned, and punished according to their crimes. The emperor's brother-in-law, Wang Heqing, and others were all beheaded, and the Cheng'en Duke's mansion was also raided and the family exiled.
When the emperor is angry, blood can flow like a river.
When Lin Yuqiao was brought back with her two sons, Liu Heng was exhausted and fell seriously ill.
"It will be alright, you still have us."
Lin Yuqiao took care of Liu Heng in Zhengqing Hall. She knew the pain in Liu Heng's heart. Although her words of comfort afterward were too pale, she had to repeat them again and again.
Liu Heng's lips were dry and pale. Looking at Lin Yuqiao's worried face, he smiled slowly and took her hand.
Looking at his thin, bony hands, Lin Yuqiao felt a pang of sadness and reached out to grasp them in return.
She leaned over and slowly moistened his chapped lips with the tip of her tongue, finally kissing his stubble-covered chin.
Having experienced such pain, Liu Heng's heart will become even colder and harder in the future.
There will never be another love in the world that can break his heart so deeply. His soft ribs were removed, and his heart bled. Beneath the concealed wings behind him was the soul of a blue dragon, coiled and gazing into the sky, roaring across the heavens.
She felt sorry for him and was sad, but she couldn't take his place.
Nestled affectionately in Liu Heng's arms, Lin Yuqiao traced his features with her fingers, repeatedly planting deep kisses upon him.
She was infinitely grateful that she had met him in the prime of her life, and that she had fallen in love with him while he was still able to give her his true heart. The palace was never a paradise, yet they were still able to grow old together.
Now, she knows that she has been placed in the last tender corner of Liu Heng's heart.
That's enough. She will protect this peaceful haven where he can breathe. Their hearts are in harmony; that is perfection.
Liu Heng hugged the person who was leaning over him tightly. Her hair was as black as ink, with a few strands falling down and intertwining intimately with the hair on his pillow.
Time may pass, but I will only grow old with you.
The End
90
She was made empress in the eighth year of the Fengyuan era, but Lin Yuqiao felt no change in her life. She continued to live her life as usual, raising her children.
Initially, court officials suggested that the emperor select candidates for the imperial concubines, but Liu Heng not only refused firmly but also lashed out at them in court.
After that, no one dared to step forward again, and they could only watch as the Empress enjoyed exclusive favor in the inner palace.
Throughout history, if an emperor wanted to select concubines, he would hold them not only every three years but also twice a year. But the current emperor doesn't want to select concubines, so no matter how you suggest it, it's useless. Even if he wanted to send his own daughters and nieces into the palace, you can't force them into it.
Later, the Emperor and Empress remained deeply in love, sharing the same bed and rising together. The Empress gave birth to two more sons, and everyone's attention to the inner palace waned.
All four princes, including the crown prince, were born to the empress. What hope could the others possibly have?
As the crown prince grew older, those with ulterior motives turned their attention to him.
The emperor doesn't hold a selection of consorts, but the crown prince will eventually need to choose a consort. Families eager to compete begin to focus on selecting girls close to the crown prince's age, nurturing them with all their might, hoping that they will be chosen in the future and bring glory to their family.
“Mengmeng is so young, and they already have their eyes on my son.”
Another noblewoman came to the palace during the day to request an audience, trying her best to promote her daughter. Lin Yuqiao was exhausted and complained to Liu Heng that night.
“Liu Yang is already thirteen. It’s time to consider who will be the Crown Princess. If there are any girls of suitable status, you can meet them first and make a selection in advance so that you can teach them a thing or two.”
Liu Heng ruffled her hair. Ever since Mengmeng became the crown prince, he stopped calling her by her nickname. Although it sounded affectionate, it wasn't very formal.
"No, no, no, my Mengmeng is still too young!"
Lin Yuqiao shook her head like a rattle-drum, as if Liu Heng had told some unbelievable story.
In this day and age, thirteen-year-olds are only in the first or second year of junior high school. Parents are too busy preventing their children from falling in love early, and now they're already choosing wives for them.
In her eyes, Mengmeng will always be a well-behaved child who is held in her arms.
“Even if you don’t plan to let Liu Yang marry the Crown Princess so early, you should at least consider giving him two palace maids to teach him how to be an adult.”
Before Liu Kang and Liu Yan were married, these arrangements were made by their respective mothers, so Liu Heng hadn't paid attention to Mengmeng's situation. But today, she suddenly realized that Mengmeng was already thirteen, and she, as her mother, hadn't made any preparations at all.
Seeing Lin Yuqiao's initial surprise upon hearing his words, followed by a "you must be lying to me" expression, Liu Heng shook his head with a wry smile. Perhaps, as Liu Yang's father, only he could make the arrangements.
Child control is something you can't afford to get hurt by.
Lin Yuqiao's mouth gaped slightly. Mengmeng was still a child, and Liu Heng was already going to let him have sex! This was simply outrageous. Thinking of her son's cute face, Lin Yuqiao felt that this was child abuse.
Her son is still a young boy, how can she let another woman ruin him?
"Mengmeng is still too young, she doesn't need that, she doesn't need that. Don't corrupt our son!"
Lin Yuqiao grabbed Liu Heng's collar, righteously refusing him, and looked at him with a "how can you be so improper" look.
Liu Heng was almost laughing in exasperation. He pinched her face, wondering why he couldn't wake up this person who was pretending to be asleep.
“Mengmeng is thirteen years old now. It’s time to teach him about things, so that he won’t fall in love with this in the future.”
According to Liu Heng's idea, this is how everyone does it. Once boys have reached puberty, they are taught about sex, letting them know and understand women. Of course, the frequency is controlled to avoid harming their health. Once they have experienced the pleasures of sex, they will no longer be curious, nor will they focus too much on women and indulgence.
That's just how he is.
Lin Yuqiao was so conflicted that she couldn't sleep for most of the night. Her son was still young, and in her imagination, those kinds of things were things her son should only try after he turned eighteen. But then she thought, this is the Great Qin Dynasty. What if things weren't done according to the rules of the Great Qin Dynasty, and it wasn't good for Mengmeng?
The next day, after much deliberation, Mengmeng took her two younger brothers home from school and returned to Yanqing Palace.
"Mother, why are you looking at my brother?"
Guai Guai pushed Nao Nao's hand away, snatched the last piece of pastry from the plate, and asked while eating.
Ever since they returned, Mother has been acting strangely, constantly staring at Third Brother, which puzzles Guagua. Surprisingly, Mother didn't hug Fifth Brother and call him "My little darling," which also astonished Guagua.
"Go away, you're bullying your brother again."
While obediently and smugly enjoying the spoils of war, Nao Nao pouted and looked at Lin Yu Qiao with a wronged expression, waiting for Lin Yu Qiao to avenge her.
Lin Yuqiao did not disappoint Nao Nao's expectations. She gently slapped Nao Nao's hand and had Granny Jiang serve Nao Nao another plate of auspicious cakes.
Nao Nao smiled and took a piece of pastry, looking at Guai Guai with a smug expression. "So what if you took it? Mom gave it back to me."
Guai Guai made a face at him, then secretly stomped on Nao Nao's foot, "Sycophant."
The kick hurt Nao Nao. He threw down his snacks, pouted, and looked at Guai Guai. "Fourth Brother, we agreed to be good brothers. Can good brothers step on their younger brother's foot? Look how Third Brother treats you, and how you treat me. How am I supposed to face Liu Liu in the future?"
Good boy can't stand his serious nonsense. He talks so much just from stepping on Liu Liu's foot. Who cares how he treats Liu Liu? If he steps on Liu Liu's chubby foot, Mother will naturally punish him.
"Alright, alright, you're always so talkative."
Guai Guai looked impatient; surely he should just give up now.
"No, let me step back."
Nao Nao, who never suffers a loss, stared intently at him.
Guai Guai naturally refused to let him step back, and the two brothers started their daily antics again.
Unlike Mengmeng who was easy to talk to back then, Guai Guai has been angry for a long time ever since Lin Yuqiao got pregnant with Xiao Wu. Despite Lin Yuqiao's repeated assurances that she still loves him very much, it hasn't been very effective.
Lin Yuqiao learned from her previous experience with naming her child. If the fourth child was named "Guai Guai" (乖乖), then none of them would be well-behaved. So, she decided to name the fifth child "Nao Nao" (闹闹), so that their personalities would be the opposite of their names and that the child would be a quiet angel.
As it turned out, fate played another trick on her. Nao Nao, true to her name, was quite mischievous and, like Guai Guai when she was little, was a night crybaby.
Even after Nao Nao was born, Guai Guai still didn't like him. Seeing him lying in his stroller like a chubby little bundle, she would secretly bully him. Every time Nao Nao was bullied, he would throw a tantrum for a long time, crying so loudly that everyone would come over, and Guai Guai would get a lecture from her parents and brother.
After being burned a few times, Guai Guai didn't dare to pinch him anymore.
As he grew older, Nao Nao became quite the chatterbox, especially adept at explaining things slowly and deliberately. Guai Guai couldn't stand his constant talking and found it incredibly annoying every time, but he would agree to any of Nao Nao's requests.
For example, carrying him on your back, reading to him, or taking him to play.
As the two brothers grew older, Guai Guai still claimed to dislike Nao Nao and continued to secretly bully him. However, Nao Nao became attached to him, and the two would bicker and fight every day, their relationship a mix of love and rivalry.
"Liu Fu".
Mengmeng was getting a headache from their bickering and glared at Guai Guai. Since becoming Crown Prince, his authority had only grown stronger. Although he rarely showed emotion, Guai Guai and Nao Nao would immediately quiet down at his mere glance. Even Lin Yuqiao hadn't dared to steal a kiss from him in recent years.
The wet nurse brought the sixth prince, who had just woken up, over. Mengmeng, being a dutiful older brother, took the little prince and held him in her arms, coaxing him and talking to him. She didn't mind him drooling and carefully wiped it away with a handkerchief.
Guai Guai and Nao Nao were of one mind in this regard; neither of them liked Xiao Liu, who stole their mother's attention. Every time Nao Nao saw Xiao Liu drooling with laughter, she would call him "Drooling Baby."
When Lin Yu-Chiao was pregnant with her sixth child, unlike with her three sons, experienced people, such as Mrs. Li, predicted that she was carrying a "little princess".
Little princess, oh dear! After having three boys, Lin Yuqiao felt that their family was now male-dominated and female-deficient, and they desperately needed a sweet and gentle little girl to pamper them.
Liu Ling is already married, and Liu Heng is now hoping to have a daughter. He has even prepared a princess's title in advance.
After nine months of pregnancy, Lin Yuqiao was shocked to find out it was a boy.
The nickname she had originally prepared for the girl was no longer suitable, so she came up with a new one on the spot: since the child was the sixth in her family, she would call her Liuliu (Six-Six).
Compared to the thoughtful nicknames her other brothers gave her, Liu Liu's nickname was rather mediocre. Later, Lin Yuqiao realized that she had been too "favoring girls over boys" and felt a little guilty towards Liu Liu, so she started to spoil her a bit.
The "Nao Nao Baby" who was once cherished and loved like a precious treasure has now been replaced by the new "Liu Liu Baby". Nao Nao is feeling unbalanced, and no matter how much Lin Yu Qiao tries to coax and comfort her, or how many sweet words she says, it doesn't seem to work.
However, compared to Guai Guai's straightforwardness, Nao Nao has much higher emotional intelligence. He firmly refuses to admit that he is jealous that his mother has a little brother and therefore pays less attention to him. Instead, he attributes his dislike for Liu Liu to him.
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