lcionline Chapter 270 The Deposed Crown Prince
Chapter 270 The Deposed Crown Prince
It should be noted that obtaining Zhou Zhen's letter from the Red Lotus Sect, as well as framing the Zhou family and Zhou Qianqian through Liu Yue earlier, were all done by his Ah Li.
Having risked her life twice, how could there not be danger? She was willing to take any risks to bring down the Crown Prince, which shows the depth of her hostility.
“Ah Li’s affection for me is so deep that even a blind man could see it. If I still have doubts, I would not be worthy of being a human being.”
Shen Li smiled with relief. Her husband was naturally suspicious and sensitive, yet he believed everything she said. She didn't know if he was insightful or just foolish.
"I just wanted to see what it would be like if the crown prince, who was only one step away from the throne, suddenly went to jail," she said truthfully.
"It's not gentlemanly to kick someone when they're down." Gu Chang'an wondered, "This isn't A-Li's style."
"People always change, wouldn't it be too boring if everyone were a gentleman?" Shen Li felt a surge of anger when she thought about how long she had lived in a single room in her previous life.
Of course, she was happy to be moved to a multi-person room, since there were many sisters, most of whom were younger and hadn't heard of any of their deeds at that age, so she had nowhere to look for them.
"Alright, Ah Li can do whatever she wants, as long as you're happy." Although Gu Chang'an was a scholar, he was not rigid. He was only focused on feeding Shen Li, and after she ate the oranges, he fed her pastries.
Shen Li, her cheeks bulging from eating, asked with a hint of dissatisfaction, "Then my husband mustn't forget, you must let me go another day."
"How could I forget about Ah Li?" Gu Chang'an smiled indulgently, his voice full of tenderness.
So Shen Li had no choice but to go home reluctantly.
"Miss, has His Majesty bestowed any rewards this time?" Peony, who hadn't gone with them, came out from the inner courtyard upon hearing the voice.
Shen Li shook her head: "It's good enough that I wasn't punished for riding my horse out of the capital. There will be no reward."
"Oh, it's good that there was no punishment."
"But being able to take a vacation at home for the winter, could that be considered a reward?" Shen Li thought.
Now, not only the peony, but also the forsythia and rain butterfly beside it stared wide-eyed. This reward was far too generous.
Moreover, their young lady already has everything she needs, so staying home and not having to go out in the cold winter is perfect for her.
"That's wonderful! We can play with Miss during the winter instead of going on duty." Peony was the happiest.
Shen Li was fairly satisfied with this, but she still wanted to borrow the case files to read, not wanting to miss the opportunity to learn.
After all, a winter lasts for three months.
Just as she was making her plans, Gu Chang'an returned to the Dali Temple with a serious expression. His face was ashen, and no one in the yamen dared to meet his gaze, but just by sensing his aura, they knew that a storm was brewing.
Gu Chang'an knew something was wrong when he thought of what Shen Li had mentioned. If the Eastern Palace kept the correspondence, it would be very disadvantageous for A-Li.
If the Crown Prince were willing to risk his life to bite someone to death, it would be too easy for him.
At this point, the cabinet had unanimously approved Emperor Cheng's edict. Even though two of the three were members of the Crown Prince's faction, they could not turn a blind eye to such charges.
The crown prince really courted death.
When the imperial edict arrived at the Eastern Palace, even Li Heng, who was prepared, was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, unable to get up.
“Impossible…impossible…” Li Heng muttered to himself, “I am the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince appointed by my ancestors, and no one can depose me.”
Zhou Qianqian's pregnant belly was already showing, and when she heard the imperial decree, her face turned pale and she seemed to be in a daze.
How could they have suffered such a crushing defeat!
Are those troops all useless?! Thousands of men couldn't kill a weak, scholarly couple? How is that possible?
Their plan was to quickly eliminate Shen Li and Gu Chang'an, making it appear as if they had been killed by bandits or enemies. Even if someone were sent to investigate, they would have a flawless explanation and plan.
After all, the Zhou family had many followers in those two provinces who supported the Crown Prince. How could they not kill two people on their own turf?!
They even planned for the collapse of the tax reform in the entire court after Gu Chang'an's death, which would divert the attention of Emperor Cheng and his officials to the greatest extent possible, and even give Zhou Zhen a chance to be reinstated.
After all, the new prime minister has not yet established himself firmly, while Zhou Zhen's influence extends throughout the country. In terms of stabilizing the situation, Zhou Zhen is the one who can do it.
They once thought this was a chance for God to give them a chance to fight back, after all, who could have imagined that Gu Chang'an would happen to encounter a landslide.
But they never expected that more than half a month ago they would receive a message that Gu Chang'an and Shen Li were safe and sound, and that they had even captured the commander. This was simply unbelievable!
"Master, the ground is cold. Let me help you up."
Zhou Qianqian only regained her senses when she heard the voice of the palace maid beside her. Her angry and bewildered eyes looked around, but she could no longer see the Crown Prince or the person who came to deliver the imperial decree.
"Your Majesty, please accept my condolences. No matter what, His Majesty will consider the royal child in your womb and will not harm you." The palace maid helped her sit down in a chair.
"Does the royal family still lack bloodlines?" Zhou Qianqian's eyes were lifeless, and her hand touched her slightly protruding belly, her expression turning sad again: "It seems that Mother shouldn't have called you here at this time."
She had hoped to have a child and then use her father's influence to become the Crown Princess, but unexpectedly, in just a few months, her father was imprisoned, the Crown Prince was deposed, and her future and her child's future were completely ruined.
Although she was the daughter of the prime minister, she was born to a concubine. Only she knew how many tricks she had used and how much suffering she had endured to get to where she was today.
Despite all the scheming and plotting, the path to the pinnacle turned out to be nothing but a pipe dream, and who knows who will ascend to the most revered position of empress?
Zhou Qianqian's path has come to an end, and now it's uncertain whether she can even save her life.
Thinking of this, she suddenly felt a sense of relief. Finally, she didn't have to fight anymore? She didn't have to flatter, deceive, or constantly have to put up with others and swallow her anger?
However, she forcibly banished the thought as soon as it appeared. She couldn't die yet. Even if she had no hope, she had to save her life.
She has a child, and although the child came at an inopportune time, she is determined to give birth to the baby and give her child a chance to live.
But how can the bloodline of the deposed crown prince be preserved? Who has the ability to do so? And who can she rely on at this time?
Thinking of the Crown Prince's previous instructions, a glimmer of hope rekindled in her eyes; the things she possessed were enough to threaten that person's future.
She refused to believe she could stand idly by!
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
"My lord, the deposed crown prince has been taken to prison and is being watched by guards on a rotating basis. His life is safe," the jailer reported.
Gu Chang'an looked at the case file in his hand, and without raising his head, he said indifferently, "Keep an eye on him, and don't interrogate him for now."
"But the deposed crown prince has declared that you must go see him in person, saying you'll regret it if you don't go." The warden spoke of this with some caution.