Xie Tingzhou stepped out of the emperor's bedchamber without looking back.
The emperor's heart tightened.
The empress was still shouting, "He's faking it! How could he really give up the position of crown prince? If he didn't want it, he wouldn't have returned to the capital last year..."
In her anger, she suddenly thought that it would be better if the Crown Prince hadn't returned to the capital and could have continued to be the heir of the Marquis's mansion on the border.
In this way, Ye Zhen would still be living under Liu Shi's control, and she wouldn't be so arrogant today. Prince Yun would still be alive and well, and she would still be the favored empress. She only needs to maintain her dignity and kindness and be an empress praised by everyone.
But before she could finish speaking, she felt a sharp pain in her chest.
She was kicked by the emperor.
The empress was incredulous; the emperor actually kicked him.
"Why?"
She demanded, "Why would you treat me like this? Why did you suddenly change?"
Seeing Xie Tingzhou walking further and further away, the emperor had no time to say more to her and instructed Chen Banjun, "Keep an eye on her and shut her up if she talks nonsense again."
Even if a son has a temper, how can a mother say those things to her child?
This hurts the child's feelings so much, forcing him to leave home.
He hurried after him and called out in a deep voice, "Zhaolin, stop."
Xie Tingzhou stopped in his tracks.
The emperor sternly said, "You quarreled with your mother and now you don't even want me, your father?"
As the crown prince, you bear the heavy responsibility of the nation and its people. How can you simply abandon your duties? This is no child's play.
"Your subject must show Father Emperor just how far Mother Empress is capable of."
Xie Tingzhou let out a breath, "Father, if I don't leave, believe it or not, Mother will send a message to the Prince of Yan's heir without anyone else having to do it."
Previously, the emperor would have certainly thought it impossible.
But he could clearly see the guilty look on the Empress's face when the Crown Prince questioned her.
He suddenly remembered a folk saying: "Sleeping on three beds, you still can't figure out what's going on in the quilt."
"Come with me to the Imperial Study."
Xie Tingzhou wasn't really abandoning his empire and his father, so he obediently followed them to the imperial study.
The emperor had a lot of things to say in reprimanding him, but seeing how obedient he was, he couldn't utter a single word of scolding.
After a long silence, he said, "Your mother is confused. I will consider taking concubines, but as for offspring, you are enough for me."
Having enjoyed a peaceful life in the harem for most of his life, he didn't want to cause trouble again in his old age.
But the Empress certainly deserves some lesson.
"Thank you, Father Emperor."
Another well-behaved and obedient remark.
The emperor glared at him, pointed at him with his finger for a while, and finally tapped him on the forehead.
"You, you actually schemed against your own father! I've spoiled you all these days for nothing. Aren't you afraid that I'll chop off your head in a fit of anger?"
When he was young, he and his brothers would never have dared to plot against the late emperor like this. Even the slightest disrespect would have made the late emperor wary of them. They would have to think twice before speaking to the late emperor, let alone dare to be so presumptuous.
I don't know if it's because I lack the authority of a father in front of my child, or if the child is just too bold.
"Father wouldn't."
Xie Tingzhou pursed his lips. "Only those who are favored can act with impunity. I know that Father Emperor truly cares for me, which is why I dare to do this."
But it was indeed my fault that I took my anger out on you, Father. I'm sorry.
The emperor's last bit of energy dissipated completely.
He scoffed, "You and your mother are the same; you both knew I was soft-hearted."
He paused, then asked, "Do you want to reveal your background?"
Xie Tingzhou nodded, then shook his head.
"I didn't want to be the late emperor's son, and this thought became even stronger after I recognized my father."
But I also know that my identity must never be revealed. Even though you and she were both tricked by the late emperor, it would do no good for the three of us or for the stability of the empire..."
He chuckled, "So be it. It's enough that I know who my father is."
The emperor sighed, "It is I who have wronged you."
No one knew better than him how bad the late emperor's reputation was, because he was the one who exposed many of the late emperor's misdeeds in order to seize the throne smoothly.
He hadn't really thought much about how much of a burden the Crown Prince would bear the title of the late emperor's posthumous son.
At that time, the Empress often advised him that as long as his son was the Crown Prince, no one would dare to criticize him to his face.
As long as the crown prince is outstanding enough, those who harbor resentment towards the late emperor will be powerless against him.
Looking back now, it seems that the Empress was not entirely acting for the Crown Prince, or rather, she was more concerned with her own interests.
He was indeed grateful to her because she had insisted on protecting his child when she was the late empress.
Feeling pity for the hardships she had endured, he indulged her even more...
Concealing his gloom, the Emperor patted Xie Tingzhou on the shoulder. "You don't need to take the Empress's words to heart. I know you've suffered in the past years, but I still want to hand over this empire to you."
Although Dayuan cannot compare to Dawei, it is still your strength to marry Ye Zhen. Return soon; I look forward to your marriage and the birth of your children.
Xie Tingzhou had breakfast with the emperor and played chess with him all morning before returning to the Eastern Palace to prepare for his journey to the Great Wei.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty went directly to the Imperial Study and did not see the Empress. I heard that the Empress cried for a long time."
In the afternoon, Yu Nie came to report.
Xie Tingzhou paused slightly as he wrote, a subtle undercurrent surging in his eyes.
Today, he deliberately acted cleverly in front of the Emperor to make the Emperor feel guilty. Isn't this the Empress's usual trick?
He exposed the Empress's true colors and followed her path, so her previous tricks were no longer as effective.
Of course, this is not the behavior of a gentleman.
But if he can't even protect the one he loves, and his future is controlled by others, what's the point of being a gentleman?
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