"Treason".
"He dared to attack Yuan Cheng in Sizhou, which means he has already grown powerful enough."
"Father, Consort Ji is very important to you."
He asked me to risk my life to protect her, saying I only wanted her sister, not her daughter.
"She, she is your biological mother."
The grass in my hand fell to the ground. I picked it because it looked nice when I dismounted.
"Father, she is, yes."
"She and I had you."
"No, that's impossible, you're not."
"No, we are not blood siblings. She was adopted by your grandfather from outside the family because she was the daughter of a disgraced official. At the time, she was given a formal status so that she could live well in the Ji family."
My mind was in turmoil. What about my mother? What happened to her?
"Your mother couldn't have children. That time, I was drinking in the house, and I got drunk because I had something on my mind. Just then, she came back to the mansion, and..."
“Father, I am a girl, how could she not know?”
“It was your mother and me who lied to her. When she was six or seven months pregnant, we couldn’t hide it anymore, so your mother pretended to be sick, and I pretended to lead troops into battle. The Prime Minister helped us, which allowed her to stay in the mansion for a few months. After she gave birth, the Emperor had already become suspicious, so she rushed back to the palace without even seeing you.”
"How could this be? How could she be my biological mother?"
I immediately covered my head and squatted down. My father continued, "At that time, the court was in turmoil, and the midwife was confused. The news had already spread. If we went back on our word, the Ji family would be implicated. Moreover, Yun'er is an adopted son. If the Ji family has no heir, they will probably have no place in Dazhao. That's why we lied and said you were a boy. Even she didn't know that."
"Father, are you sure what you're saying is true?"
"If Ying'er doesn't believe me, she can go back to the manor and ask her mother. I've wronged her the most in my life."
"So, do you prefer Consort Ji or Mother?"
“Ying’er! Consort Ji is your own mother. For the sake of harmony in the harem, the Emperor made Consort Ji infertile. If she gave birth to a prince, the Empress would target the Ji family. If the Ji family were to fall into trouble, the Emperor would lose a pawn to restrain the Empress’s relatives.”
It's all partisan infighting. We're all under the emperor's power. Xie Yuancheng's words back then were absolutely right.
"I don't acknowledge her."
Father also squatted down: "This is not her fault. It was all my fault back then. Ying'er, she was all alone in the palace. To make up for my mistake, I had to stay away to guard a region for a long time. It made your mother suffer and harmed her too."
Tears welled up in my eyes. How could Father make me believe this was true? Even if Consort Ji was my biological mother, she didn't resemble my mother at all.
"General, the Crown Prince is coming this way."
Father told the messenger to go back and helped me up: "Ying'er, these are special times. As long as we get through this, everything will be alright. I know you can't bear to part with Yu'er or Yuan Cheng, but your mother needs you more. Even just seeing her once would make her very happy."
She doesn't need me at all; all she wants is power in the harem.
I heard the sound of horses' hooves and quickly wiped away the tears on my face.
Are General Ji and the Prince Consort discussing matters?
The prince's voice came over; he was sitting on his horse, moving like a hoodlum.
"Your Highness is joking. I was just talking to my husband about family matters, and she missed her mother. She couldn't help but feel emotional."
"Oh~ family matters, shouldn't the prince consort's family matters be the royal family's business? Don't trouble him with the affairs of the manor."
"yes."
"Your Highness, my little sister Le'er is still waiting for you in the camp. You should go back now."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness."
I gave my father a look and walked towards the horse. His temples were already gray, and I didn't want him to worry.
"General Zhang, you and the prince consort should go back together. It will be good to have someone to look after you if something happens on the way."
"Your humble servant obeys."
I scoffed at him in my heart; he was a two-faced, despicable man.
As I was about to speak, I recalled the past. Consort Ji always smiled when she saw me. Back then, when I thought it was Ji Shuang, she seemed no different from usual. But when I married Li Zhaole, she really put in a lot of effort behind the scenes. Knowing that she argued with me every day and wouldn't even let me into her room, she sent Wan'er over because she was afraid I would be mistreated in Heqing Palace.
Later, because of her relationship with Xie Yuancheng, she started a fight. These are things a mother would do, but how can I accept this?
Upon entering the camp, they saw Li Zhaole. She was pale, but in good spirits.
"The prince consort is back, and I have prepared wine and dishes for you."
My mind was in turmoil, and I didn't want to eat, but she was, after all, a princess, and I couldn't refuse her.
As soon as I entered the tent, I smelled the aroma of vegetables. She must have sent someone to buy them in Sizhou City.
"My lord, I heard from General Ji that you will be back soon, so I have prepared wine and dishes for you."
"Princess."
"Let's eat first."
Given her temperament, why would she talk to me like that? She probably wants something from me.
I ate a little bit, which was already being very kind to her, and I still felt nauseous after eating it.
"It's true that you don't want to eat, Prince Consort. The food here is really hard to swallow. I'll prepare a more exquisite meal for you when we return to the palace."
"Thank you for your trouble, Princess."
Li Zhaole suddenly stood up and ordered the people outside not to let anyone in.
She pulled me to the very edge of the tent and suddenly knelt down before me.
I was so frightened today that I quickly helped her up.
"If the prince consort doesn't agree, I won't get up." Li Zhaole said, her voice trembling with tears; she even had a pitiful side.
"Princess, please get up. I'll do whatever you ask."
I have a headache. She's only half a year younger than me. What serious problem could she have?
"This is a very serious matter. Your Highness really needs to help me get through this difficult time."
"Okay, you get up first. If you don't get up, I'll kneel down too."
She really wouldn't get up, so I knelt down in front of her. The ground was really hard, and my knees started to hurt. It's amazing she could kneel like that.
"I...I'm pregnant."
My mind was reeling. She said she was pregnant, with Lin Yu's child?
"The Emperor of Dongqin?"
"Yes. I... I've known him for a long time. I originally wanted my father to bestow a marriage upon me, but he always refused. Then my father suddenly betrothed me to you. I was so angry at the time that I was rude to you. Please forgive me."
"These are all minor matters, not worth mentioning."
“This is no small matter. I am having an affair with an enemy country. If this gets out, I will be sentenced to death.”
I wanted to remind her that the Crown Prince was using her, but she just couldn't see it coming.
“Back then, my brother, the Crown Prince, sent me to Linyang. He told me about this plan on the way. I was very resistant at first, but I still wanted to see him one last time. Originally, I thought that since I liked you, I was just going to show off to him. But after actually meeting him, I still like him so much. Even though he married a princess from another country to ascend the throne, he never lied to me from beginning to end.” Li Zhaole suddenly burst into tears. She was still leaning on my shoulder, and the two of us were leaning directly against the rough tent surface.
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