Without waiting for the King's reply, the Queen said coldly, "Because you are easier to manipulate than your brother."
At first, your maternal grandfather also tried to manipulate the crown prince, but the crown prince gave him eight words.
The Crown Prince said, "The ruler is a ruler, the minister is a minister, the father is a father, and the son is a son." At that time, he was only three years old, but he could see through your maternal grandfather's instigation and admonish him with the Analects, "The ruler has the responsibilities of a ruler, the minister has the righteousness of a minister, and a minister should be loyal to his duties. What about you?"
You secretly associate with malicious people behind your parents' backs, committing heinous acts, and show no remorse after being exposed.
Over the years, watching me worry about your brother, have you ever felt a single pang of pity for your mother? You sent assassins to kill your brother, knowing he suffered terribly, have you ever felt a single wave of compassion?
"You show such disregard for brotherly affection that your elder brother could have killed you outright, yet he handed you over to the Empress Dowager and your father for disposal. We, on the other hand, have only imprisoned you, which is already a disservice to your elder brother. What more could you possibly want?"
"impossible!"
King Yun shook his head repeatedly.
He selectively listened to the Empress's earnest words, his mind filled with thoughts that the Crown Prince was also his father's son, and that his mother was praising the Crown Prince while belittling him.
What hope does he have of winning that position?
"You're lying to me, Mother. You're just being biased. If he were also Father's child, what right would an illegitimate son have to be the heir apparent?"
Normally, he would never have spoken so rashly at this time, but Xie Tingzhou had deliberately made the Emperor and Empress neglect him, and the Empress's judgment on him had made him lose his mind.
"Smack!"
He slapped Yun Wang across the face.
The person, who was already weak due to a leg injury, was beaten so badly that his vision went black for a moment.
The emperor's face turned ashen with anger. "He is your own elder brother. How dare you speak of him like that?"
He dared not reveal his identity as the crown prince for fear of public criticism, but he never expected that his most obedient and kind second son would curse his elder brother as an adulterer.
His parents were also scolded along with him.
He looked at the Empress with concern and saw that her face was pale and bloodless. He quickly bent down to pick her up.
The empress covered her face with her hands, trembling all over. "Yes, it's all my fault. I should have ended my life that day instead of living a life of shame."
"It's all my fault that my eldest son only learned about his true parentage today. He suffered so much in the past, caused discord among you brothers, and even implicated your father, the Emperor. It's all my fault, all my fault..."
"Don't talk nonsense. How is this your fault? It's the boy's character that's the problem, and it's also because I haven't taught him well."
The emperor glared at Prince Yun. It took the empress so many years to get over the trauma of that year; it's all this bastard's fault.
He really wished he could just die like that, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.
But a brat needs to be punished to be useful. He said coldly to Xie Tingzhou, "Since he orchestrated the assassination himself, then he doesn't need to stand up again."
Perhaps only when his legs are crippled can his heart find peace.
Xie Tingzhou nodded.
Even if his father hadn't given the order, that was his plan; otherwise, why would he have personally treated his injuries?
Upon hearing this, Prince Yun became anxious. "Father, you can't treat your son like this. I don't want to become a cripple."
The emperor didn't want to hear a word he said and directly chopped off his neck.
King Yun fainted.
The emperor then focused on comforting the empress, but the effect was not ideal, so he looked to Xie Tingzhou for help.
Xie Tingzhou dropped the half-finished needle and thread and squatted down beside the Empress. "Mother, I had already guessed it. I don't blame you."
"Your son doesn't feel ashamed of his background; on the contrary, he is grateful to you for giving him his life."
His presence constantly reminded his mother of the humiliation she suffered that day, but his father told him that his mother had never intended to abandon him.
Before the autumn hunt, although his mother was stricter with him than with his two younger brothers, she never showed any disgust or resentment.
Xie Tingzhou was not a woman and could not truly empathize with the Empress.
but.
"Your son will never look down on you, Mother. On the contrary, your son admires you. You have survived hell and are still alive."
He reached out and gently embraced the Empress from the side. "Your son also feels sorry for you. I only regret that I was born too late to avenge you."
The Empress's sobs gradually subsided. She slowly moved her hand away, turned her head cautiously to look at Xie Tingzhou, her lips moved, but in the end, she said nothing.
Upon learning of what had happened and that she was pregnant, her father told her to end her life to avoid bringing shame to the Zheng family.
She was unwilling to accept her fate and couldn't bear to die, so her mother went to the palace to persuade her, "You, the dignified empress, have been defiled by livestock and had an affair with your brother-in-law. Now you are pregnant with his child. We are sending you to die for your own good."
You have no shame, yet you still want to give birth to that bastard child. Even if you're not afraid of the world's ridicule, aren't you afraid that this bastard will despise you in the future?"
Later, after the late emperor died, she became the empress of her brother-in-law.
His parents came to persuade him again, "This child was born in a dishonorable way. You should abort it. Otherwise, when his true parentage is exposed, you won't be able to hide your dirty deeds anymore."
Do you really expect him to understand you? Who in the world wouldn't be disgusted if they knew their mother had such an experience?
When he is condemned by the world in the future, he will surely resent you for giving birth to him. What's the point?
That was her first child; how could she bear to give it up?
She ignored their advice and insisted on giving birth to the child, but their words had indeed taken to heart.
She also felt that she was dirty, and in her dreams she saw the prince's eyes filled with disgust and resentment.
Being disliked and resented by her son was her nightmare, and even after all these years, she would still be awakened by that nightmare.
But now her son tells her that he will not look down on her, and is even grateful that she gave birth to him.
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