Chapter 164: Living Behind Closed Doors
When Prince Rui Zhao Huailang hurried back to Qingle Palace, the show had already ended.
He stepped into the hall and saw Concubine Chun and Pei Shiyin standing together, hands clasped, whispering something.
Zhao Huailang frowned, but he did not forget to bow. "Greetings, Madam Concubine Chun."
Pei Shiyin also knelt down, "Second brother."
Zhao Huailang raised his eyes, but saw Concubine Chun slightly turned sideways to avoid his salute. Her face was as calm as before, and there was no sign of anything unusual about her.
Pei Shiyin's eyes were red and her face was pale, and she looked like she had experienced a big storm.
"Prince Rui, I have been stripped of my title as a consort and will soon be sent to a nunnery to practice asceticism. I am no longer worthy of your respect."
When Zhao Huailang heard Concubine Chun's indifferent voice, his expression froze.
It seems that Jiang Xun's plan has succeeded...
Just then, footsteps were heard in the side hall. Zhao Huailang raised his eyes and saw Zhao Huaixiang walking towards him.
Zhao Huailang frowned, stepped forward, and said in a deep voice: "Third brother is so vulnerable?"
Zhao Huaixiang raised the corner of his mouth slightly, "After all, I can't compare to my second brother, who has a deep foundation and a group of helpers."
Zhao Huailang ignored the sarcastic words and just tilted his head and said, "Third brother, are you admitting defeat?"
Zhao Huaixiang couldn't help but chuckle when he heard this: "Give up? Second brother, this is not a question of whether I admit it or not. I have already lost miserably."
"My father has just issued an order that from today onwards, I will be imprisoned in Prince Xiang's mansion and cannot leave without being summoned."
"So, second brother, there is no need to look for me anymore..."
After Zhao Huaixiang finished speaking, he bowed to Zhao Huailang and then walked towards his mother and the princess.
Pei Shiyin hurried forward. Concubine Chun stood still, looking at Zhao Huaixiang with a look of relief in her eyes.
Xiang'er has lost the possibility of ascending to the throne. After this incident, Prince Rui has seen clearly the methods of Lord Jiang. His previous words were meant to win over Xiang'er to serve him.
Fortunately, Xiang'er refused straightforwardly, so her efforts were not in vain.
I just don’t know the future…
Forget it, who can tell what will happen in the future?
Zhao Huaixiang first sent Concubine Chun back, and then went back to the palace with Pei Shiyin to pack up.
As soon as the decree was given, they would set off for the capital and would not wait until tomorrow to join everyone else.
As soon as they entered the hall, there was no one around, Pei Shiyin immediately put her arms around Zhao Huaixiang's waist and said in a trembling voice:
"Ah Xiang, I was tricked today and dragged you down, but now I think this is also good."
Zhao Huaixiang heard the fear and uneasiness in Pei Shiyin's voice, and gently embraced her, whispering:
"Ayin, I'm sorry for making you worry. From now on... let's just live our lives behind closed doors."
Pei Shiyin looked up suddenly with tears in her eyes, "Really? But what Ah Xiang did before..."
Hearing this, Zhao Huaixiang couldn't help but think of Zhao Yuanye's resolute departure. His eyes darkened and he smiled bitterly:
"Ayin, even if I had no choice, what I did cannot be erased. I tried my best and have no regrets. As for the rest..."
"Let's leave it to the future."
Pei Shiyin vaguely understood the meaning of Zhao Huaixiang's words. A trace of sadness flashed through her heart, but she also smiled.
"As long as I can be with Ah Xiang and Ling Er, every day that passes is a gift from heaven. I dare not ask for more."
"Ayin..."
Zhao Huaixiang murmured softly upon hearing this, burying his head in Pei Shiyin's hair, and his voice was also tinged with moisture.
"Mother is right. Marrying you is the greatest blessing in my life."
The couple hugged each other tightly.
After a while, the wet nurse brought Zhao Yuanling in. The child hadn't seen his mother for a while, and now he kept snuggling into Pei Shiyin's arms.
Zhao Huaixiang watched with a smile, and told the waiters to leave. Then he straightened his face quietly and said in a low voice:
"Ayin, first tell me in detail how you were led to Qingle Palace."
Pei Shiyin did not dare to be careless and lowered her voice to explain it again carefully.
Zhao Huaixiang was slightly startled when he heard this, and he frowned and repeated, "Ning'er and Miss Shen?"
Pei Shiyin saw Zhao Huaixiang lost in thought and couldn't help but feel a little worried. She had just agreed not to get involved anymore, but now Ah Xiang was...
"Ah Xiang?"
Pei Shiyin called out uneasily.
Zhao Huaixiang suddenly came back to his senses, and at this moment his face showed realization.
"I see......"
He looked up and saw Pei Shiyin's worried expression, so he immediately warned:
"Ayin, from now on, no matter who asks, you must insist that you were led to Qingle Palace because of what Huaizhen's maid said. There is no need to mention Ning'er and Miss Shen."
Pei Shiyin nodded repeatedly when she heard this, and when she saw that Zhao Huaixiang looked thoughtful again, she stopped asking any more questions.
From Ah Xiang's instructions, she could vaguely guess something.
The rumor in the capital was that Ning'er and Miss Shen were having a quarrel because of Lord Jiang, but the two of them happened to appear outside the changing room.
Either An Ning was also used by Miss Shen, or... their discord was simply fake!
It seemed that the water in the capital was deeper than she had imagined.
You have to know that what An Ning did represents the eldest princess's attitude. It seems that the eldest princess... is on Ye'er's side.
Zhao Huaixiang leaned back in his chair, and now he understood the whole thing clearly.
It turned out that Jiang Xun's plan began when the eldest princess returned to the capital and An Ning chose a son-in-law.
This game of chess, the moves were made much earlier than he had imagined...
Now, the only thing he couldn't understand was why the eldest princess chose to help Jiang Xun and stand on Ye'er's side.
But this doesn't matter to him anymore...
In the future, there will be a winner between Ye'er and his second brother. If possible, he naturally hopes that Ye'er will win.
Even though Ye'er spoke cruelly in the pavilion today, he did not make any big mistake on the day of the flower-viewing banquet. Ye'er's temperament is like that of his elder brother, he is open-minded and forgiving.
If Ye'er ascends the throne in the future, he might really be able to spend the rest of his life with A'yin in the palace.
But if the winner is the second brother, I'm afraid he... will become the second Prince Rong.
Thinking of this, Zhao Huaixiang closed his eyes slightly and shook his head gently.
In fact, my father has always been wrong.
In terms of resemblance, it is clear that the second brother is the one who is most like the emperor.
......
And there is Jiang Xun.
Since he dared to let Ning'er participate in the plan, he was certain that even if he knew the inside story, he would keep this secret strictly for the future of Prince Xiang's Mansion.
Is this how Jiang Xun is....does he have every plan in mind?
But did he ever expect that as an outsider he would be so involved in the fight for the crown prince and stirring up trouble? Even if Ye'er got what he wished for in the future, his father would not keep him because of his narrow-mindedness.
From the moment his father arranged him to be with Ye'er, he was destined to die.
Once Ye'er is appointed as the crown prince, the first person his father will sentence to death will be him!
Zhao Huaixiang frowned slightly when he recalled how Ye'er had run towards Jiang Xun so eagerly today, with his heart and eyes full of dependence.
Can Jiang Xun find a way out for himself?
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