Chapter 61 He and a woman had a child!
The welcoming ceremony in front of the palace gate was grand and standardized, with such precision that it seemed as if it had been rehearsed countless times.
The air was filled with resounding music and banners, with civil and military officials standing on both sides, demonstrating the dignity and majesty of the Celestial Empire.
Liu Jin was wearing a dragon robe and a crown on his head, standing on the jade steps.
His face was calm, except for his deep eyes, which flashed with a very fast and cold light as he looked at the slowly approaching Nanyue's royal carriage.
"Your Majesty the Emperor of the Celestial Empire, long time no see." Xiao Ziran spoke politely, his voice gentle and mellow.
He tried hard to remain calm, but his slightly tense cheeks revealed his inner unrest.
He looked greedily at the man in front of him whom he had hated and missed for almost twenty years.
Liu Jin has changed. He is no longer the sharp-tongued young prince in people's memories, but has truly become a profound and unfathomable emperor of the Celestial Empire with overwhelming power.
The coldness between his brows and the ice in his eyes made Xiao Ziran's heart tighten, and he felt a dense pain.
Liu Jin took in the complex emotions in the other person's eyes, but there was only cold ridicule and hatred in his heart.
Acting? Even now, she was still putting on this show of deep affection in front of him?
The corners of his mouth curled up in a cold arc, and he responded politely, his voice so steady that no emotion could be heard: "Your Majesty the Emperor of Nanyue has come from afar. Thank you for your hard work. Please."
The two emperors, each with their own ulterior motives, walked side by side onto the red-carpeted palace steps under the gaze of countless people.
The distance was so close that Xiao Ziran could smell the familiar, faint scent of ambergris on Liu Jin.
This made him feel dazed for a moment, as if he had returned to twenty years ago.
Liu Jin, on the other hand, could feel the subtle emotional fluctuations of the people around him, who tried their best to suppress them but still existed. This made the hatred in his heart grow like poison ivy.
Why would he still show such emotions in front of me? !
The welcoming state banquet was held in Taiji Hall.
There was singing and dancing, and drinking and chatting, and everything seemed to be going well for both the host and the guests.
Liu Jin played the role of a perfect host, behaving appropriately and chatting cheerfully.
He discussed border trade, joint suppression of bandits and other matters with Xiao Ziran, as if the two were just monarchs of friendly neighboring countries meeting for the first time.
But only Crown Prince Liu Xiao and Second Prince Liu Cong, who were sitting below him, could vaguely feel the almost freezing coldness emanating from beneath their father's perfect mask.
Liu Xiao was a little confused, but didn't think too much about it.
Liu Cong's vigilance was at its highest point. His sharp eyes swept over Emperor Nanyue and his entourage from time to time, not missing any abnormality.
Xiao Ziran's gaze always involuntarily drifted towards Crown Prince Liu Xiao, who was sitting below Liu Jin.
This is the child...the child Liu Jin had with another woman!
This realization gnawed at his heart like a poisonous snake.
Although he kept telling himself that this was evidence of Liu Jin's betrayal, he shouldn't care.
But when she saw a familiar shadow between the young man's handsome eyebrows, a mixture of jealousy, resentment and indescribable bitterness still surged up.
He forced himself to look away, picked up the wine glass, and took a sip to disguise it, but he found the wine extremely bitter.
After the state banquet, Xiao Ziran was arranged to stay in the carefully prepared embassy accommodation.
However, in the dead of night, he relied on his familiarity with the old roads of the imperial palace to quietly avoid the patrolling guards, sneaked into the harem like a ghost, and came to the vicinity of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
He really wanted to talk to Liu Jin alone!
These twenty years of longing, pain, resentment and confusion almost drove him crazy!
He had to get it clear! Even if he didn't get an answer, even if he was humiliated again, he wanted to get it over with!
The lights in the Hall of Mental Cultivation were brightly lit.
Liu Jin did not rest. He was staring at a map of the territory on the wall, stroking an ordinary green jade pendant that had long lost its luster.
That was the "token of love" Xiao Ziran gave him back then.
There was pain and struggle in his eyes.
Suddenly, he keenly noticed a very subtle breathing sound outside the hall! It was not Fu An, nor the guards!
"Who?!" he shouted sternly, instantly putting the jade pendant back into his sleeve and regaining his emperor's coldness.
The palace door was gently pushed open, and Xiao Ziran's figure appeared at the door, with the moonlight casting a long shadow behind him.
"It's me." Xiao Ziran's voice was a little hoarse.
Liu Jin's pupils suddenly shrank, and after shock, he was filled with rage! How dare he break into his bedroom at night?!
"Your Majesty Nanyue is in such a good mood, coming uninvited so late at night. Do you think my imperial palace is your Nanyue's back garden?"
Liu Jin's voice was icy cold and full of sarcasm.
Xiao Ziran felt a pain in his heart at the coldness in his words. He closed the door of the hall and walked closer step by step.
His eyes were fixed on Liu Jin. "Ah Jin... do we really have to talk like this? It's been twenty years... I just want to ask you one question, why did you do that back then?"
"Back then?" Liu Jin looked like he had heard a huge joke, with red anger burning in his eyes.
"Xiao Ziran! How dare you bring up those days?! You left without saying goodbye, leaving a heartless letter behind, and now you're accusing me of aspiring to the throne. How hypocritical and ridiculous! And now you dare to ask me why?!"
Xiao Ziran was stunned, and the color drained from his face in an instant.
"A heartless letter? Accusing you? No... Ah Jin, the letter I left behind was asking you to wait for me! Once I've dealt with things back home, I'll come pick you up! How could I..."
He suddenly realized something and his voice trembled. "The letter you received...what did it say?"
Looking at his "confused and innocent" look, Liu Jin's hatred grew even stronger, and he repeated the contents of the unforgettable and heartless letter almost word for word.
After hearing this, Xiao Ziran was struck by lightning and staggered back a step, his face full of disbelief and great panic.
"No... Impossible! That wasn't written by me! I wrote it so that you would trust me and wait for me! It was my father... It must be my father!
He discovered our affair and forced me to leave, or he would kill you! I had no choice but to pretend to agree... He must have swapped the letter!
He excitedly stepped forward and wanted to grab Liu Jin's arm: "Ajin! Believe me! I have never thought of betraying you! All these years..."
Liu Jin suddenly shook off his hand, looking at him as if he were the most clumsy liar.
"Make it up! Keep making it up! What a drama of being forced by the emperor and being in love but not living long! Xiao Ziran, do you think I will still believe you? If you were really forced, why didn't you try to contact me in these twenty years? Explain!
You returned to Nanyue, ascended the throne smoothly, and lived a carefree life. How could you still remember the fool you played with so easily back then?!"
"I..." Xiao Ziran was speechless and closed his eyes in pain.
"I tried... but my father kept a very strict watch on me. When I first ascended the throne, the political situation was unstable. I... when I stabilized the situation and sent someone to find you, I learned that you... you had already given birth to a child and even suppressed my Nanyue in many ways... I thought... I thought you had already forgotten me.
You even hate me to the core... The contents of that letter, perhaps... perhaps it's also what you're thinking, you just expressed it through my father..."
His voice was filled with despair and self-mockery.
Isn't this the reason he used to convince himself to give up all these years?
Liu Jin was so angry that he was shaking all over. He pointed at the palace door and said in a voice that was unusually calm due to his extreme anger, but it was even more terrifying: "Get out."
"Ajin..."
"I told you to get out!"
Liu Jin slammed the table, his eyes filled with undisguised murderous intent.
"If it weren't for the diplomatic ties between our two countries, I would tear you to pieces right now! Put away your hypocritical rhetoric! Between you and me, there are only state affairs, nothing else! If you dare to overstep the mark again, don't blame me for being rude!"
Xiao Ziran looked at Liu Jin's resolute and hateful eyes, and his heart seemed to be completely crushed.
He knew that no matter what the truth was, the twenty years and numerous misunderstandings between them were like an insurmountable chasm.
He smiled bitterly, stopped arguing, and looked at Liu Jin deeply for the last time, as if he wanted to carve him into his soul. Then he turned around and staggered away into the night.
Xiao Ziran walked back in a daze, his heart filled with great sadness and powerlessness.
Just as he was passing by the Imperial Garden, he saw an unexpected figure - Prince Liu Xiao.
Liu Xiao seemed to have just finished handling government affairs and was about to return to the East Palace to rest. He was accompanied by only two personal eunuchs and... the second prince Liu Cong, who was following him not far away with a vigilant look.
Under the moonlight, Liu Xiao's profile has soft lines and a hint of fatigue, but it also shows a clean and untainted youthfulness.
This should have been a pleasing picture, but in the eyes of Xiao Ziran, who had just experienced a heartbreaking questioning, it was particularly glaring!
It’s this child!
This is the child Liu Jin had with another woman!
This is the child he left behind out of kindness!
This is living evidence that proves that Liu Jin had already betrayed their love and even gave birth to a son for the sake of inheriting the throne!
A twisted, crazy jealousy and hatred instantly devoured Xiao Ziran's sanity!
All the sadness and helplessness turned into vicious resentment against this innocent boy!
If it weren't for this child, perhaps there would be a chance for improvement between him and Ajin?
If it weren't for this child, how could A Jin become so cold and heartless?
This child shouldn't exist!
He wanted to destroy this child! Not only did he want to make Liu Jin suffer, but he also wanted to make him regret his "betrayal"!
He quickly hid all his emotions, restored the grace of an emperor, and even took the initiative to step forward and showed a gentle smile.
"But His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"
Liu Xiao stopped when he heard the voice and was surprised to see that it was the Emperor of Nanyue, but he still responded politely.
"It turns out to be His Majesty the Emperor of Nanyue. Has His Majesty not rested yet?"
"I'm new to your place, and I'm a bit sleepy, so I'm just taking a walk."
Xiao Ziran's gaze seemed to fall gently on Liu Xiao, but in fact it was as cold and sticky as a poisonous snake.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince is so young, yet he is already assisting His Majesty in handling state affairs. He is truly a formidable young man, and he deserves admiration."
His words were full of praise, but his eyes were filled with malicious scrutiny.
Liu Cong immediately stepped forward, implicitly protecting Liu Xiao behind him, his tone respectful but with an unquestionable sense of distance.
"Your Majesty, thank you for your kindness. It is late, and Your Highness has classes tomorrow, so it is inconvenient for you to stay for long. Please, Your Majesty, retire early."
His intuition told him that there was something extremely wrong with the way the Emperor of Nanyue looked at the Crown Prince.
Liu Xiao also felt a little uncomfortable, so he took the opportunity to say goodbye: "Junior, please leave, Your Majesty."
Looking at the backs of Liu Xiao and Liu Cong leaving side by side, the smile on Xiao Ziran's face disappeared instantly, replaced by cold resentment and murderous intent.
"Liu Jin..."
"You owe me... let your precious prince repay me... I will let you witness with your own eyes how your cherished heir is destroyed step by step..."
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