Chapter 31 Get out of here!
Emperor Jinghui always wanted to be a good emperor who was diligent in governing and loved his people, and did not want to leave a stain on history. Therefore, after learning that Su Jun was about to get married, he tried hard to suppress his emotions and repeatedly advised himself not to act impulsively or force the issue.
Until that day after court, he passed by the Imperial Garden and heard the zither music that should only be known to him and Su Jun.
He asked the palace servants, "Who's inside?"
The palace attendant replied, "It is His Highness the Crown Prince and Miss Lou."
Miss Lou, the Crown Prince's beloved, and the future Crown Princess.
As the emperor, he also gave his approval to this marriage.
At that moment, my blood went backward, and everything began to spiral out of control.
Some dark thoughts, like a malignant tumor, spread wildly.
After that day, he spent two days trying to calm himself down and become a normal emperor and a normal father. But whenever he heard Eunuch Zheng report on what the Empress had added to the Crown Prince's wedding, he felt a splitting headache and a feeling of suffocation.
He finally couldn't take it anymore.
He had worked diligently his entire life, and this was his only chance to experience such a moment of pure joy. Even if it left a stain on his record, he would accept it.
On the evening of the third day, the imperial edict arrived at the Lou residence, bestowing upon the third young lady of the Lou family the title of Imperial Concubine.
That night, the Crown Prince stormed into the palace. Unwilling to argue, the Empress ordered him taken to the Eastern Palace and placed under house arrest. The Empress was similarly imprisoned.
But Su Jun's reaction was more intense than he had imagined.
He felt guilty and dared not press the matter further.
Those months were exhausting for him. He had to face the piercing questions from his ministers, the resentful inquiries from the Crown Prince, and the cold words from the Empress.
His only destination was her imperial concubine's palace, but although she couldn't drive him away, she didn't give him any kind looks either.
He was at a loss; aside from offering empty rewards and apologies, he didn't know how to win her forgiveness.
Sometimes he would ask himself, is seeing Su Jun so sad and in pain what he wanted?
No, he didn't want Su Jun to be sad and in pain. But he couldn't bring himself to give her up. He could only visit her palace again and again, deliberately telling her interesting things, or sitting beside her and playing some music she might like.
He silently observed her, from fierce resistance to numb indifference, and from numb indifference to occasional reactions. Every tiny change filled him with ecstasy.
By the spring of the following year, shortly after her mother visited him in the palace, her attitude towards him finally softened completely.
He could not forget that spring night, the drizzle falling softly. He visited her palace and played a piece he had recently composed for her. After he finished, he observed her reaction and, seeing that she didn't seem to like it, felt disappointed. Seeing that it was getting late, he decided to get up and leave.
Unexpectedly, her voice suddenly sounded behind him, low and soft, with a slight tremor: "It's late and the rain is heavy. Your Majesty, why don't you rest here?"
He turned around in disbelief and met a pair of misty eyes.
That night, he slept in the same bed with her, his heart filled with boundless gratitude and joy.
He thought that from then on, they could finally stay together forever.
...
"Zheng Rui, Zheng Rui!"
Upon hearing the emperor's shout, Eunuch Zheng, who was waiting outside the palace, rushed inside, shouting, "This old servant is here!"
It's really strange. His Majesty just dismissed him, so why has he been called back so quickly?
He ran to the dragon bed, but saw that the curtains were lowered, obscuring the emperor's face inside, making it impossible to see clearly.
"The court session will be adjourned tomorrow," Emperor Jinghui said in a low voice.
"Yes, this old servant will send someone to deliver the message immediately," said Eunuch Zheng. "The imperial physicians have also said that His Majesty should rest quietly for the next few days. This old servant was worried that His Majesty might be concerned about state affairs and insist on attending court. I was thinking of how to persuade His Majesty."
Emperor Jinghui then asked in a low voice, "Do you still remember when the Grand Princess first held a flower-viewing banquet?"
After thinking for a moment, Eunuch Zheng replied, "It seems to be March 19th? It rained heavily that day, and His Highness the Crown Prince almost didn't want to go."
"Investigate why the third young lady of the Lou family did not attend the banquet that day."
Eunuch Zheng's heart skipped a beat: "Does His Majesty still intend to investigate the matter of the Marquis of Wu'an's wife?"
The person inside the tent raised their head, their gaze passing over the curtain, and gave a cold glance.
Eunuch Zheng swallowed hard and changed his words, saying, "This old servant was unaware that Miss Lou was also on the Grand Princess's list. I will send someone to investigate."
He waited a while, and when he didn't receive any further instructions, he cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, the medicine is ready... Would you like to drink it?"
"Bring it here." Emperor Jinghui paused, then said, "Also, thoroughly investigate the Imperial Hospital, the Imperial Kitchen, and other places where I frequently come into contact with the Emperor. If anyone there has any contact with the Empress or the Crown Prince, regardless of how close or distant, immediately find a pretext to expel them."
Eunuch Zheng was startled.
What does this mean? Does His Majesty suspect the Empress and Crown Prince of plotting against him? Could it be that his vomiting blood and fainting today are related to them? This...this...
This matter concerns the health of the emperor and the fate of the nation; it is of utmost importance. Concealing his inner shock, Eunuch Zheng hurriedly took his leave.
Emperor Jinghui did not sleep all night.
As dawn broke, he had just finished his breakfast when Eunuch Zheng came to report: "The Empress and the Crown Prince have heard that His Majesty is unwell and have come to visit you. Your Majesty... shall you see them or not?"
Emperor Jinghui raised his teacup, concealing a cold smile from the corner of his lips, and said, "I will see you."
The Empress and the Crown Prince soon entered.
"Your Majesty," the Empress sat down beside him, looking at him with concern, "You were perfectly fine a few days ago, how come you suddenly fell ill today? What did the imperial physicians say?"
"Father, you've even canceled the morning court session. Are you perhaps very ill? Your complexion doesn't look too good. Perhaps you should go back to your bedside and rest?" The Crown Prince asked with concern.
Emperor Jinghui watched them quietly.
The Empress was dignified and graceful, and the Crown Prince was gentle and refined; everything seemed so perfect and impeccable.
Yes, just a few days ago everything was fine. He could even chat and laugh with them while having lunch at the same table. Now, all that's left is endless resentment.
He hated their audacity in murdering the emperor and seizing power, and he also hated that they refused to fulfill even his dying wish.
But he also knew that if he hadn't been in the wrong first, they wouldn't have gone this far.
However, was his mistake really so great that it was so irreparable?!
He doted on Su Jun to the extreme, but even without Su Jun, he had other concubines in the harem, and the Empress never uttered a word about it. After taking Su Jun as a concubine, all her allowances were in accordance with the rules for a Noble Consort, without the slightest transgression, and the rare and precious items that Noble Consorts possessed were no less than those in the Empress's palace.
He and the Empress were childhood sweethearts. Although they were not deeply in love, they treated each other with respect. He knew he owed the Empress something, so he tried to make up for it in other ways. He turned a blind eye to her increasingly obvious interference in politics, hoping she would find something else to do and not pay attention to Su Jun.
Moreover, the Empress's interference in politics was ultimately for the sake of the Crown Prince. Although she had stolen the Crown Prince's beloved and deeply resented the Crown Prince's repeated provocations, she never considered deposing him.
He was his eldest son, and was named crown prince from birth. He watched him grow from a babbling to a eloquent speaker, from crawling on the ground to becoming a graceful and elegant man. He truly loved this son and devoted a great deal of effort to raising him into a qualified heir. Every minister who met the crown prince praised him for his intelligence, gentleness, and good manners.
He did not want to completely turn against his son for the sake of a woman, nor did he want to cause turmoil in the court and lead to chaos, making him a sinner of the Great Yue.
Therefore, he turned a blind eye to the Crown Prince's behavior.
But what did they all do to him?
As the years passed, he thought they had let go and would no longer pursue the past. But when he suddenly fainted after the morning court session one day, and his body rapidly deteriorated at an incredible speed, while the Imperial Hospital was helpless, he realized that they had never let go.
His retribution came unexpectedly.
He didn't know when or where they started their attack on him, but he no longer had the time to resist them; he only wanted to beg them to let him see Su Jun one more time.
But they wouldn't even give him that chance.
Whether Su Jun was truly unable to come or simply didn't want to come is no longer important. When the Empress deliberately told him, "The Consort herself doesn't want to come," she was already retaliating against him and trying to destroy his spirit.
What he thought was that the crown prince, who only held a grudge against him temporarily but ultimately prioritized the greater good, dared to act so rebelliously behind his back!
Having been given a second chance at life, he could never be so forgiving towards them again. Yet, when they looked at him with such blank eyes, he felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
In this life, the Crown Prince did not fall in love with Su Jun at first sight, nor did he steal her love. The Empress still respected him, and the Crown Prince still loved him. Even if he killed them both now, what difference would it make?
Su Jun has already been personally betrothed to Marquis Wu'an by him!
Could he possibly kill Marquis Wu'an? By the end of the year, other tribes will be raiding the border, and Marquis Wu'an will have to personally pursue them to keep them quiet!
In his past life, he forcibly married the Crown Prince's fiancée, which incurred the Crown Prince's vicious resentment. In this life, if he forcibly takes the already married Lady Wu'an, who knows what the Marquis of Wu'an might do? The Crown Prince still needs time to plan, but the Marquis of Wu'an is different. When he raises his arm, hundreds of thousands of troops will respond!
Most importantly... why did things turn out this way? Why is the course of events in this life completely different from the previous one? In the previous life, Su Jun and Marquis Wu'an were complete strangers!
Her connection with the Marquis of Wu'an stemmed from that incident at the Duke of Guangping's residence where she fell into the water. He didn't know whether she had attended the Duke of Guangping's banquet in her previous life, but at least, nothing like falling into the water had happened.
But this is only the beginning of her relationship with Marquis Wu'an in this lifetime.
The real turning point for all these changes should be the flower-viewing banquet on March 19th.
In her previous life, she went there and met the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince fell in love with her at first sight and turned back halfway to tell the Empress that he already had someone he liked, and that the Grand Princess did not need to hold a banquet.
In this life, she didn't go, while the Crown Prince obediently went to the flower-viewing banquet, but didn't take a liking to anyone.
What exactly happened in between?
He was reborn, so logically only he should know everyone's fate and only he should be able to change everything. Why was the situation different before he was reborn?
Could there be someone in this world... just like him?
Emperor Jinghui suddenly remembered the zither in the Five-Tone Zither Workshop that had not yet been claimed. His heart clenched as if it were being squeezed tightly. His face turned pale instantly, and the teacup in his hand fell to the ground, splashing tea everywhere.
"Father!" The Crown Prince suddenly stood up, his face pale. "Quickly! Summon the imperial physician!"
"Get out of here!" Emperor Jinghui roared angrily, panting heavily as he leaned on the table.
The crown prince had never been rebuked by the emperor like this before, and he stood there stunned for a moment.
"Your Majesty?" The Empress rushed to help him, "If Ji'er has done something wrong, Your Majesty can punish him. You must not upset yourself!"
"Get out of here too!" Emperor Jinghui shoved her away.
The empress staggered two steps and was supported by the crown prince beside her.
The mother and son exchanged a glance, both filled with surprise and doubt.
Eunuch Zheng quickly stepped forward: "Your Highness, Your Majesty, His Majesty is not feeling well. He didn't sleep well last night and vented his anger on this old servant this morning. Your Highness and Your Majesty, please don't worry. The imperial physician has said that His Majesty is fine and only needs to rest. Your Highness and Your Majesty, why don't you go back first?"
"Well... since Father Emperor needs to rest, your son and Mother Empress will not disturb you any longer," the Crown Prince said hesitantly.
Emperor Jinghui closed his eyes, letting Eunuch Zheng pat his back to soothe him, without even glancing at them again.
The Crown Prince and Empress had no choice but to leave.
As soon as they stepped out of the main hall, several imperial physicians carrying medicine boxes rushed over. Upon seeing the two, they didn't even have time to properly bow before quickly running into the inner hall.
The crown prince turned to look at them, and couldn't help but murmur, "What's wrong with Father?"
I've never seen him so angry, and I rack my brains but can't figure out what I did wrong recently.
Could it be that his marriage is still undecided? But he clearly just went through the motions of meeting Miss Yao, following his father's wishes!
"Let's go first," the Queen said softly. "We'll talk about it when we get back."
The Crown Prince sighed and left Changqing Palace with the Empress.
-
Lou Xueying was surprised to find her father still at home when she got up in the morning, and that she was going to have breakfast with them.
Upon learning that His Majesty had caught a cold and canceled the morning court session, she was stunned.
Madam Lou said, "Is he so ill that he's even skipping the morning court session?"
"Yes," Lou Shu said. "He was fine yesterday, so it was probably just a sudden illness. The palace has also sent word that he will recover in a few days and that we don't need to worry."
Mrs. Lou: "People are like this when they get old. You don't know why you get sick. You can't deny that you're getting old. You're the same. Don't always think you can compare with young people. When you should be lazy, just be lazy. It's not worth ruining your health."
“That’s right,” Lou Zhongyan replied. “Don’t my older brother and I still have family at home?”
Lou Shu smiled.
Lou Xueying, however, seemed somewhat distracted.
The weather is gradually getting warmer, so it's not surprising to occasionally feel the heat.
But she was always uneasy. She couldn't forget Emperor Jinghui's deep gaze at her, and she always felt that his fever and his suspension of court might be related to her.
She finished her breakfast in silence, then bid farewell to her parents and brothers, and boarded the carriage back to the Marquis's residence with Li Pan.
Sitting in the carriage, Li Pan asked her, "You're reluctant to leave?"
"Hmm?" Lou Xueying paused for a moment, then shook her head. "No."
"Then why do you look so sullen?" Li Pan said. "I thought you wanted to stay at home for a few more days."
Lou Xueying: "I just... I just accidentally ate too much and I'm a little bloated."
Li Pan was quite surprised: "With your appetite, how could you possibly overeat?"
He quickly reached out and touched her abdomen, saying, "It's not bloated at all!"
His interruption dispelled all her worries, and Lou Xueying couldn't help but say angrily, "Stop touching me like that!"
Li Pan touched her again, and not only that, he pinched the soft flesh on her waist, shamelessly saying, "Where did I use my feet? I only used my hands."
Lou Xueying glanced at him, then found the right spot and stomped on his foot hard.
“I’ll use my foot, okay?” she said.
Li Pan's eye twitched. She was getting more and more audacious. Yesterday she hit him once, without using much force, but today she used a lot of strength.
But he still said, "It's nothing special, it's not even as painful as a horse trampling a person."
Lou Xueying snorted: "You're just being stubborn."
Li Pan smiled, moved closer to her, and said, "That's good. I'll do the work, you can do the feet. Teamwork makes the work easier, don't you think?"
Lou Xueying: "..."
She turned her head away, not wanting to stoop to his level.
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