"Prince Helun, the Imperial Concubine invites you!"
On October 12th, at six quarters past midnight, Wu Chen had just stepped into the doorway where a wisp of smoke was rising from the kitchen when he was taken to the inn where the envoys from the State of Zhaoyang were staying.
"What do you want from me?"
When Wu Chen thought of what his "good sister" had said to him in the East Palace just now, he felt not only resistance but also disgust towards this jeweled woman in front of him.
"Li Chen, I am your mother after all. Is this how you should treat your biological mother?"
Looking at her unruly son, Shangguan Yuechan frowned slightly, and spoke in a condescending manner.
"Wu Chen has no idea who his biological mother is. He only knows how to chant Buddhist scriptures and beat the wooden fish."
Wu Chen's eyes, which seemed to contain stars, dimmed at this moment. The look in his eyes when he looked at Shangguan Yuechan was neither sad nor happy, only disgust.
This woman gave birth to him, but she never fulfilled her motherly responsibilities. From the moment Wu Chen was born, he was abandoned.
From childhood to adulthood, except for the old monk withered wood in Tianlong Temple who occasionally cared about whether he was sick or had enough food and clothes, Su Mu Tianjun, who sat on the golden throne in the Zhaoyang Palace, and Shangguan Yuechan, who enjoyed the glory and wealth in the harem with Su Mulijing, had long forgotten him completely.
Wu Chen had never enjoyed any family love from his father, the Emperor, and his mother, the Imperial Noble Consort. Yet, because of them, his "good sister" was deterred from approaching him. Thinking of this, Wu Chen's heart ached deeply.
His beloved cousin's family was destroyed because of Su Mutianjun, and his "good sister" also restrained her emotions because of his background. Wu Chen had never hated his life experience as much as he did at this moment. This unchangeable fact made him feel deeply powerless.
"I know you harbor resentment, but what happened back then was beyond my control. Sending you to Tianlong Temple was an act of helplessness."
Seeing that her son was unmoved, Shangguan Yuechan had no choice but to continue playing the emotional card.
"Li Chen, whether you like it or not, the Emperor has already decreed that you be named 'Prince Helun' and marry the princess of Laifeng. The Empress of Laifeng has also agreed to the marriage and has arranged for the Imperial Observatory to select a date for your wedding."
Shangguan Yuechan paused before continuing, "The Queen of Laifeng State means that since you are a prince of a foreign country, she is worried that you may not be familiar with the customs and practices of Laifeng State. Therefore, she has granted you permission to enter the Imperial Academy without taking the entrance exam, as the Crown Princess' fiancée, before your marriage."
"This Laifeng Kingdom is a country where women are respected, and only a handful of men can enter the Imperial Academy to study. You must cherish this opportunity. Tomorrow, the princess will also go to the Imperial Academy. You should strive to be in the same class with her and cultivate your relationship with her before you get married."
Imperial College?
Wu Chen was slightly surprised when he heard this, but he didn't say anything.
Let him marry the princess and let him study. For the sake of his "good sister", Wu Chen gave it all.
Because if it weren't for him, Ran Qiyue would have also instigated Su Mutianjun to send other princes to carry out the secret mission. Rather than letting the unknown danger run its course, Wu Chen decided to take it upon himself.
"I will also be setting off to return to Zhaoyang soon. Please do not forget what I told you before. Also, remember to report to the Imperial College on time at noon tomorrow. Okay, I'm tired too. Please kneel down and pay your respects!"
Shangguan Yuechan lowered her eyes slightly, lightly holding her forehead to pretend to be tired. However, Wuchen did not kneel down and say hello as she said, but turned around and left without hesitation.
Shangguan Yuechan's people were able to find him in a wisp of smoke, which meant that a wisp of smoke's base had been exposed. Wu Chen didn't want to go back there, so he came to Situ Ye's villa in the city for some unknown reason.
Just like Hua Qingcheng before, Wu Chen easily arrived at the room where he had lived before just by scanning his face.
"Good sister, will you be happy to see me and your brother appear in the Imperial College tomorrow morning?"
Wu Chen stroked his shiny bald head, curled his lips slightly, and then lay down on the bed to rest. He had to stay alert so that he could go to school with his "good sister" tomorrow.
(The Imperial College's school hours were two hours each, morning and afternoon. The morning hours were from Chenshi to Sishi, and the afternoon hours were from Weishi to Shenshi. School ended at Youshi. There was a one-hour break at noon.)
At four quarters past the hour of Mao, in the bedroom of the Crown Princess of the Eastern Palace.
"Qingqing, it's time to get up!"
Because the fetus was growing rapidly, Mu Lige, who was a light sleeper, pushed Hua Qingcheng beside him.
"Brother Li, it's still early, sleep a little longer."
Hua Qingcheng is only grumpy when waking up, and it's Mu Lige who's the only one who's in a bad mood. If anyone else disturbs her sweet dream, she'll probably beat them up.
Hua Qingcheng, with sleepy eyes, rubbed Mu Lige's hair, and with her ruthless hands, she rubbed his black hair into a bird's nest. Then she buried her head in Mu Lige's arms.
It took a lot of effort to get my body back, so of course I had to hug my brother for a while longer and enjoy this rare warmth.
"Qingqing, today is your first day at the Imperial College, don't be late."
Mu Lige looked at his childish little wife in his arms, feeling a mixture of laughter and tears. He was clearly this woman's husband, yet he had to worry about her like a father. But Hua Qingcheng was willing to reveal her innocent side to him, and Mu Lige happily accepted the role of both husband and "father" to her.
Even though Hua Qingcheng no longer wanted to get up, she finally got up under Mu Lige's urging and washed up with the help of the palace servants. However, when the palace servants were about to change Hua Qingcheng's clothes, they were sent away by Mu Lige.
"Brother Li, you are very heavy now, so you don't have to change my clothes for me. I can put them on myself."
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