Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The Crown Prince quickly gained power, putting the positions of the Third Prince and Eighth Prince in jeopardy.
To eliminate any threats, the Crown Prince secretly ordered the assassination of both the Third Prince and Eighth Prince. Instantly, the court was thrown into turmoil.
I hadn’t seen the Seventh Prince for some time, and I was quite worried about him. From some servants at the Crown Prince Hall, I learned that the Emperor's health was deteriorating. I secretly speculated that this was likely another scheme orchestrated by the Crown Prince.
I couldn’t help but feel anxious. Without me by his side, could the Seventh Prince take care of himself? He was so innocent; what if he fell victim to those with ulterior motives in the palace?
The more I thought about it, the more restless I became. Until one day, the Seventh Prince appeared before me as usual, acting silly and carefree.
It was the Emperor's fiftieth birthday, a day of national celebration.
I followed behind the Crown Prince, walking on a red carpet. I noticed that the Emperor looked unwell, coughing intermittently. Beside him sat Consort De, the current Empress, and Princess Mingye, who was favored by the Emperor.
This was my first time seeing the Empress; she was the Crown Prince's biological mother.
I knew that the Crown Prince's hatred for the Seventh Prince stemmed from grievances of the previous generation. The Emperor had favored the late mother of the Seventh Prince, while she had often made things difficult for the Empress during her lifetime, which led to the Crown Prince harboring resentment towards the Seventh Prince.
The Crown Prince raised a glass of wine and walked over to the Seventh Prince, tilting his head back to drink it all in one go.
I lowered my head and remained silent.
When I looked up again, I saw the Seventh Prince's foolish gaze, which inexplicably tugged at my heartstrings as if he were silently saying, “Shaohua, I miss you so much.”
The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow and said, “Seventh Brother, you’re not a child anymore. When will you get married? Why not let the Emperor arrange a marriage for you today?”
He cast a meaningful glance at me before bursting into laughter.
That look seemed to remind me not to forget my identity and situation and to abandon any fantasies about the Seventh Prince.
“No!” The Seventh Prince furrowed his brow and shouted loudly, “I don’t want to marry!”
“Seventh Brother, don’t be ridiculous.” The Crown Prince chuckled, stepping forward to whisper a few words in the Emperor's ear. After hearing him, the Emperor smiled as if basking in spring sunshine.
“What you say is indeed true. Qing Yu has grown up; I actually forgot about this matter,” the Emperor said, pointing at the respectful Princess Mingye standing nearby. “Qing Yu, you shall be betrothed to him tomorrow.”
My heart sank painfully. I turned to glance at the Seventh Prince, who frowned and returned my gaze with a complex expression filled with reluctance and sorrow, as if asking me, “Shaohua, what should I do?” He remained silent and did not refuse.
After a long moment, he finally lifted his head and said softly, “Yes, Emperor.”
His gaze wandered to me, his eyes appearing dazed yet holding a hint of calmness and wisdom.
“What’s wrong? Are you reluctant?” Back in the Crown Prince Hall, the Crown Prince’s expression was stern as he spoke softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
I sighed inwardly; how could I not be reluctant? After all, the Seventh Prince was my only and best friend in this era.
“You’d better not have any thoughts of your own. By following me, you will become the future Empress.”
I forced a bitter smile, realizing that I truly had no right to negotiate terms with the Crown Prince.
“Shaohua, come to my side of the bed.”
“Yes.” I thought the Crown Prince was simply tired and wanted me to massage his back, so I rubbed my hands together.
To my surprise, as soon as I got close, he pulled me into his embrace.
I began to struggle and asked in panic, “Crown Prince, what… what are you doing?”
“Soon you will be my woman. For now…”
"Your Highness! Please don't do this!" I struggled desperately in his embrace, but the Crown Prince was too strong for me to break free.
"If you keep this up, I'll die right in front of you!" I pulled a hairpin from my hair and pressed it against my neck, breathing heavily.
The Crown Prince's eyes widened, his voice laced with obvious anger. "What is it about Qing Yu that makes you refuse to submit to me?"
He slammed his fist into the wall behind me, and my heart leaped into my throat.
"Shaohua, why do you refuse to believe that I want you because I love you?"
Love me... This power-hungry Crown Prince dares to say he loves me?
What else could he possibly care about besides the throne?
Suddenly, he released his grip on me and sighed bitterly. "Forget it. The idea that possessing you would mean possessing the world is nothing but a joke. If you don't want to stay, then go."
"Your Highness..."
"Get out!" He pushed me hard, and I stumbled forward.
Then came the sound of a vase shattering, and my vision plunged into darkness.
Comment 0 Comment Count