Your Highness, Please Love Me Tender

66. The Emperor’s Anger

Translator: Flying Lines

The capital of State Yanhui.

In the imperial study, the emperor in his bright yellow dragon robe was sitting in the throne, deadpan. He was over fifty but well maintained, looking majestic and noble. He had a pair of slanted eyes and exhibited charisma of a mature man of high nobility, enough to capture the hearts of countless women.

“Father.” Xiao ShengNian got on his knees and kowtowed to greet the man in dragon robe, refined gentleness and admiration on his face.

“Do you admit your crime?” The emperor’s voice sounded so cold like the chilly wind in winter.

“Yes, father, even death cannot atone for my crime.” Xiao ShengNian replied with utmost sincerity and guilt. He knelt down on the ground and continued, his voice full of remorse, “I’m so useless that I let Sun Shu be rescued. Such a hideous crime is unforgivable. I’m willing to accept any punishment, father!”

With a cold hum, the emperor scolded, “You can’t even handle such a small matter. I’m so disappointed in you.”

Xiao ShengNian buried his head down on the ground, not saying a word.

The emperor continued to review the memorials and just ignored Xiao ShengNian who was still on his knees.

Xiao ShengNian remained calm. Having been playing dumb for all these years, he had developed patience unmatched by any other.

“Get up,” said the emperor after about two hours.

Xiao ShengNian’s legs felt limp from the pain and numbness. Though pain of such a degree was nothing to him, he still pretended like he couldn’t take it and even his face turned ghastly pale. He, with great difficulty, first tried to get up but stumbled and collapsed to the ground.

The emperor, shocked, immediately ordered the eunuch to send for the imperial doctor and hurried to Xiao ShengNian’s side.

He was after all a father who, when seeing his son fainted on the ground, naturally got worried, his anger dispersed. This was his favorite son. He might have faked it in the beginning to cheat the officials but after all these years, it actually developed into a habit and some true feelings grew. And they were connected by blood which was a fact couldn’t be denied.

He helped Xiao ShengNian get up from the ground and sighed, “YouGuang…Among all the kids, I love You and JiaLe the most. You’ve already been a reliable kid. Though a bit weak, you’re the most suitable candidate for the throne.”

The emperor’s voice this time sounded a bit low with somewhat complicated emotions coloring his tone. And it was hard to tell whether he was murmuring to himself or to Xiao ShengNian.

The imperial doctor was shocked, his heart skipping a beat and his eyelids twitching the moment he stepped into the imperial study and saw the emperor supporting the unconscious Prince Rui. It was rumored that the emperor favored Prince Rui and Prince Xian the most. He was now sure that it was true love as the emperor had never stooped down to support an unconscious prince.

“Your Majesty,” kowtowed the imperial doctor after placing his medicine case on the ground.

“Get up. Now come and check on YouGuang.” The emperor straightened up and watched nonchalantly as the doctor supported Xiao ShengNian to a chair.

“YouGuang’s lost quite some weight this time out,” sighed the emperor.

The imperial doctor didn’t dare to say a word. He just opened his case, put a cushion under Xiao ShengNian’s hand and placed two fingers on the prince’s smooth and delicate skin, his brows slightly knitted out of habit.

Xiao ShengNian looked alright except his slightly pale face.

The doctor immediately realized what was happening. Prince Rui wasn’t sick. He was faking all this, he thought. But he didn’t dare to speak the truth right now or Prince Rui would kill him. Or worse the emperor would probably have him dragged out and beheaded right on the spot for the embarrassment caused.

Therefore, to save his own life, the doctor got on his knees and said, “Your Majesty, Prince Rui’s pulse is weak. His Highness passed out because of insufficient qi and blood. I’ll prescribe some tonics to…”

“Pass my order, send all the tonics State Xi offered these years to YouGuang’s place.”

“Thanks, your majesty.” The imperial doctor kowtowed to express gratitude for Prince Rui as the one being rewarded was still unconscious. And this further confirmed his speculation, Prince Rui was the most favored prince.

“Somebody, take Prince Rui to get some rest in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.” The emperor ordered after sitting back in his throne, his face calm as usual.

Xiao ShengNian didn’t go back to his mansion that night as he had to make his acting more convincing. He waited till the noon of next day and went to see the emperor.

Su Jie, on the other hand, went out of Prince Rui’s Mansion alone.

The journey to City Hao took almost two months yet Su Jie had only one antidote to suppress the death Gu. Zhou ZaiYue had prescribed him some herbs but antidote was still a must. So he had to see Prince Qin.

Prince Qin would usually give him three pills at a time. That was to say, he had to find a way to see Prince Rui every three months.

They still chose to meet in Drunken Spring, the brothel Prince Qin ran, where they wouldn’t be exposed as long as they were careful.

Quite unexpected that this time Prince Qin arrived earlier than Su Jie. When Su Jie walked into the room, he saw Prince Qin sitting upright in the chair, looking extremely thin in his black robe. Xiao Luoxuan’s face was somewhat haggard, and his eyes were more profound than ever. His expression was stained with a trace of sadness, like falling leaves in autumn, with a melancholy aesthetic feeling.