bayedsolid Chapter 126 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (30)
Chapter 126 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (30)
You couldn't eat it yourself, but you still insist on blaming me...
Lu Liruan always felt that if he didn't eat more, he would starve to death sooner or later.
Ji Shumin crossed his fingers and rested them on his chin, waiting for Lu Liruan to speak.
Lu Liruan also put down her chopsticks: "Why did the Emperor punish the Imperial Concubine this time? I heard that the Emperor has always been lenient with the Imperial Concubine." Lu Liruan didn't hide anything and asked what she didn't understand.
When there is someone much smarter than you around, Lu Liruan feels that if she doesn't think things through, sooner or later she will not be able to understand what he is doing at all.
"Many grains of sand make a tower, and little by little, one can achieve great things." Ji Shumin seemed to have anticipated her question.
"You think the Imperial Concubine can run rampant in the palace? Then you still dared to cause a scene in her palace. The Crown Princess is quite bold." Ji Shumin tilted his head, glanced at Lu Liruan with the corner of his eye, and smiled coldly.
“We have to test the waters first.” Lu Liruan shrugged. “If I’m this weak and easily bullied from the start, won’t everyone look down on me? Then I’ll be in for a lot of trouble.”
"Besides, I've just entered the palace and there are many things I don't understand. Even if I cause trouble, I probably won't be severely punished. But if it suddenly escalates later, I'll be criticized for doing it on purpose!" Lu Liruan didn't hide her thoughts.
Ji Shumin had no idea that his Crown Princess was secretly considering quite a lot.
"That makes sense. I'm glad I didn't bring in a fool." Ji Shumin praised her casually.
To Lu Liruan, praising someone sounded like insulting them.
“Father also had this thought. Why did the Consort have to bully you, a concubine of a disabled prince who just entered the palace…” Ji Shumin’s long legs were limply resting on the footrest of the wheelchair.
"The emperor's heart is unfathomable. He usually enjoys the concubine's capriciousness, but that capriciousness is only in matters he doesn't care about. However, my father has already decided to depose me from the position of crown prince, and I am heartbroken..." At this point, Ji Shumin smiled, his lips slightly parted.
Lu Liruan felt she hadn't misheard; Ji Shumin's tone was indeed sarcastic and mocking.
"My father personally presided over my wedding to show his love for me. Everyone in the court and the palace should be moved by my father's loving heart and care for me with utmost devotion."
"As a result, my good brothers showed no brotherly affection whatsoever, only thinking about forming cliques and seeking personal gain. After Father warned them, the Consort even went so far as to make trouble for my Crown Princess over a few pieces of fabric..." Ji Shumin blinked, his tone low and melancholic.
"Do you think Father Emperor believes she's really after these few bolts of fabric, or is it something else, just an excuse?"
Lu Liruan suddenly realized.
Then he realized that his brain was really not up to par. Ji Shumin's brain had gone through eighteen circles, while his had only gone through eight before he gave up.
"If the Imperial Concubine is of sound mind, she should not have sent the imperial physician here today."
"You mean the second imperial physician was..." Lu Liruan thought to herself, it seems that the Imperial Concubine can't stand even the slightest grievance, and actually told the Emperor directly that she was faking her illness.
"Hmm. Was it fun?" Ji Shumin confirmed Lu Liruan's idea, and reached out his fingers to pinch Lu Liruan's slightly parted lips together.
It was shaped into a flat duck beak.
Lu Liruan couldn't break free: "Waaaaah—waaaah!"
"I knew it. The Crown Princess would find it amusing, just like me."
I didn't! I didn't! I didn't find it funny at all! Lu Liruan pulled Ji Shumin's hand away, but held it tightly for fear that he would cause trouble again.
Ji Shumin, held in Lu Liruan's soft hand, did not pull away, but instead played with Lu Liruan's fingers one by one.
If you didn't listen to what they were saying, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, such a beautiful couple, sitting opposite each other, looked so affectionate and loving.
"The Imperial Concubine has taken herself far too seriously all these years," Ji Shumin commented casually.
Lu Liruan muttered to herself, "Indeed, the emperor's heart is unfathomable. Today he sees you as good and wants you to live, tomorrow he sees you as angry and wants you to die. It's all up to his whim."
If the woman beside me were to become an empress in the future, would she be the same?
"Ah, of course it will be so," Lu Liruan had no doubt about it.
"What's wrong! Why is the Crown Princess looking at me like that?" Ji Shumin keenly sensed the probing and defensiveness in Lu Liruan's gaze.
"No." Lu Liruan leaned over and ladled out a small half-bowl of soup for him, then pushed it towards him.
"Your Highness, please use more." Your mind works so fast, it must be tiring.
“I…” Ji Shumin felt uncomfortable just smelling the food and was about to refuse when he saw Lu Liruan take a bite of the telecommunications, her cheek puffed out and she looked cute and adorable.
"Ok?"
"It's alright, I'll keep the Crown Princess company while she eats some more." Ji Shumin listlessly picked up the spoon, and when he swallowed it, he was surprised to find that it wasn't so hard to swallow.
"Your Highness, I have another question."
"Speak." Ji Shumin swallowed the last mouthful of soup, barely suppressing the nausea rising in his throat.
"Did you already know what I would do? Did you know that the Imperial Concubine would anger the Emperor at this time?" Lu Liruan genuinely wanted to know.
Ji Shumin glanced at her sideways, revealing a sinister and somewhat gloomy smile.
"I'm not a fortune teller. I just don't miss any opportunity to make things difficult for others."
It's just... just so real.
You're the kind of person who accumulates little by little; as long as you can annoy others, you don't care about the consequences!
Lu Liruan felt that this spirit was very worthy of her learning.
Lu Liruan did not expect that the Emperor's anger would not only fall on the Consort, but also that he heard news that evening that the Second Prince had been reprimanded by the Emperor for throwing all the memorials on the ground.
Wow, what a pleasant surprise!
Lu Liruan glanced at Ji Shumin, who was leaning against the bed with his eyes closed, looking unwell. He had just taken his medicine.
His medicine was much more bitter than Lu Liruan's; Lu Liruan could smell its bitter and astringent aroma as it passed by.
Lu Liruan wanted to ask him what medicine he was taking, and why he was taking more medicine than food. But she hesitated and didn't speak. She felt that Ji Shumin was not the type to be completely open with her. When it came to his own affairs, Ji Shumin was quick-witted and sharp.
Lu Liruan sensed something.
Women are expected to return to their parents' home on the third day after their marriage. This rule does not apply to women who marry into the palace or to the emperor's concubines, but women who marry princes are allowed to return home for a visit.
Lu Liruan went to bed early. Seeing that Ji Shumin had no intention of sleeping in a separate room, Lu Liruan didn't bother to say anything.
Who knows what strange and sensitive nerve I touched that made His Highness the Crown Prince go crazy and disturb my sleep.
"Tired?" Ji Shumin asked softly.
"I need to leave the palace earlier tomorrow."
Ji Shumin nodded, personally relit the dragon and phoenix candles that had not been removed from the bedside table, and then turned off the lamp on the table.
Two faint flames flickered on the bedside table. Yesterday, Lu Liruan was preoccupied and didn't pay much attention, but today, seeing those two flames floating above her head...
"Your Highness, isn't this for the wedding night?" Lu Liruan asked quietly.
“Anyway, it has an auspicious meaning, so let’s keep burning it since it wasn’t finished last night,” Ji Shumin said matter-of-factly as he lay down.
Lu Liruan: ...
This thing isn't meant to prolong your life! The more you burn, the longer you live.
Your ancestors were feudal and superstitious.
-
I had a fever today and got an IV to bring it down. I'll update again in one more day, and I'll be back to normal tomorrow (weakly twitching).