flstandardbreds Chapter 167 Childish Words
Chapter 167 Childish Words
Consort Qin still insisted on going to the ward.
Prince Duan couldn't help but frown: "Mother, you should go back to the capital! With you here, I can't rest and recover in peace!"
Consort Qin: "You unfilial son, do you hate me that much?"
Prince Duan: "Mother, listen to your son, or I will leave this place immediately and you will never find me again in this lifetime!"
Having no other option, he resorted to threats again.
Sure enough, this method was quite effective. Upon hearing this, Consort Qin was immediately frightened: "Fine, fine, fine! I'll leave, I'll leave! You can't get out of bed yet, you must rest and recover. I'll leave!"
Sigh, children are a burden; all they do is threaten their parents.
Consort Qin left in tears.
Prince Duan couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Mother, I didn't want to treat you like this, but you've gone too far. What does my injury have to do with Zisu? Why did you have to insult her like that? She barely even wanted to talk to me if you didn't insult her. I finally won her heart, and this insult will surely chill her heart again.
The things she promised him before are probably going to be out of reach again!
He vaguely remembered hearing her say that she would be with him as long as he woke up and got better. But now that his mother had come along, would she still be with him?
Given her temperament, she will probably avoid him and ignore him again.
Oh, Mother, why do you make things so difficult for me?
Prince Duan's mood plummeted, and he became sullen.
The old physician went next door to find Zisu: "Princess, the Prince is in a bad mood, which will affect his condition. If you have time, please try to comfort him, okay?"
Madam Yu: "No, just now, his mother was insulting Zisu! How can we let Zisu go to Prince Duan at this time?"
Zisu: "Mother, the Prince saved my life. If it weren't for his selfless protection, I would have already met with misfortune! Besides, the Dowager Consort is the Dowager Consort, and the Prince is the Prince. Please don't hold a grudge against the Prince!"
Shangguan Mufeng: "That's right, Madam, Zisu is right. Prince Duan is a good man; what his mother said has nothing to do with him. Let Zisu go and see Prince Duan. He was seriously injured this time. If that arrow had been off by even a fraction, he would have lost his life. It's understandable that the Dowager Consort spoke without thinking; let's not take it too seriously!"
Yu said in a huff, "Fine, you're all good people, and I'm the only bad one! Do whatever you want! I have to go to Wuliping to see Yi'er and Han'er, otherwise I won't be able to rest easy."
Shangguan Mufeng: "It's almost dark. Let's rest for the night and go tomorrow!"
Mrs. Yu: "Alright, I'll do as you say." To be honest, she was quite reluctant to leave her daughter after she had been so frightened.
Zisu went next door and, sure enough, found that Prince Duan's mood was very strange.
"What's wrong with you? You need to keep a cheerful mood so your wound will heal faster! You can't be like this! Besides, in my knowledge, Prince Duan has always been a cheerful person. This Prince Duan is so unfamiliar to me!" Zisu joked with him.
Prince Duan: "I will never be discouraged, no matter what happens. The only thing is, I worry that when you ignore me, it will be hard for me to feel good!"
Zisu: "Don't worry, you're my savior, how could I possibly ignore you?"
Prince Duan: "Then, do you still stand by what you said before?"
Zisu: "What did I say?" Actually, she vaguely guessed what he wanted to express.
Prince Duan: "You said that as long as I get through this ordeal, as long as I wake up, you will agree to be with me."
Zisu: "Aren't I with you right now?"
Prince Duan: "What I'm saying is that you should become my fiancée and accept my marriage proposal!"
Zisu: "Your injuries are serious right now, so don't think too much about it. We'll talk about everything once you're fully recovered! Don't argue with me. Just focus on getting better and recovering! Don't worry, I'll stay by your side until you're completely healed!"
Prince Duan: "Alright then, I'm hungry. Could you cook me a bowl of porridge?"
Zisu: "Okay, I'll go cook you a bowl of lean pork and vegetable porridge!"
"Thank you, you've worked hard!" Prince Duan smiled brightly at her.
Sigh, let's leave it at that for now. Let's not push her too hard. After all, her mother just insulted her; she must still feel wronged, resentful, and fearful. It's already quite kind of her to stay and continue taking care of him and keeping him company.
The next morning, Shangguan Mufeng accompanied Madam Yu to Wuliping.
Zisu stayed by Prince Duan's side, chatting with him, feeding him, and washing his clothes. His right arm was injured, making even eating a problem.
Prince Duan felt that his injury was worthwhile, thanks to Zisu feeding him. He had mixed feelings, hoping to recover quickly but also hoping to recover slowly so that he could continue to enjoy the happiness of being cared for by Zisu.
Dongfang Han and Song Mo returned to the capital. Dongfang Han, on imperial orders, personally investigated the assassination attempt on Zisu. After five or six days of investigation, he finally found out that the mastermind was none other than Tong Qianqian, the eldest daughter of Marquis Weiyuan and a admirer of Prince Duan.
The Emperor was furious and immediately issued an edict stripping the Marquis of Weiyuan of his title, confiscating his property, and exiling him, his family, several accomplices, and their families to the harsh northeastern lands. As for Tong Qianqian, the Emperor bestowed upon her three feet of white silk and resolutely executed her.
Zisu was assassinated, but it was Prince Duan, the Emperor's most beloved nephew, who was injured. Therefore, in the Emperor's eyes, Tong Qianqian was unforgivable. Not executing the entire Marquis of Weiyuan's family was already an extraordinary act of mercy. Otherwise, if anyone could arbitrarily take lives simply because they disliked someone or felt someone was in their way, that would be unacceptable!
In particular, the other party was Princess Yulin, a person who had made great contributions to the country and its people. This time, even if it was just to make an example of one to warn a hundred, the confiscation of the property and exile of the Marquis of Weiyuan's family were inevitable.
For a time, perilla became incredibly popular.
Everyone says that Princess Yulin is highly favored by the Emperor, which is why the Marquis of Weiyuan's family was severely punished. This move by the Emperor also served as a strong deterrent to other women who wanted to harm Zisu.
No matter how good Prince Duan is, even if someone desperately wants to marry him, they still have to consider whether they'll live. Moreover, if they fail, they'll lose their entire family. In a worst-case scenario, their entire clan could be implicated. Few people would do something without a chance of success, unless they're a fool.
To appease Zisu, and also to appease Shangguan Mufeng, the Emperor bestowed upon her a large amount of gold and silver jewels. The princes, princesses, and dukes of Xiliang Kingdom did not have fiefdoms, only a considerable stipend.
Even Prince Duan did not have a fiefdom, but his annual salary exceeded ten thousand taels. Moreover, the emperor also bestowed two imperial estates upon him, each with a thousand acres of farmland and forests.
After spending ten days recuperating at the Good Days Restaurant in Lishu County, Prince Duan said to Zisu, "I want to go back to Wuliping and stay at the thatched cottage in Xiaoshitan, is that alright?"
He also knew that Zisu was deeply concerned about Shangguan Yi and Yu Han, and worried that her two younger brothers might meet with misfortune. If he went to Xiaoshitan to recuperate, the guards' strength would be greatly enhanced. Crucially, he also owned a house in Wuliping, right next to Xiaoshitan. The guards wouldn't have to worry about finding a place to stay there.
Zisu consulted with Doctor Chunyu and three other imperial physicians.
Doctor Chunyu said, "The prince's injuries are healing very well. If he travels by carriage to Wuliping at a slower pace, there will be no problem. Princess, please rest assured, I can go with the prince to Wuliping to take care of him!"
Zisu: "Then thank you very much, Doctor Chunyu!"
The treatment of Prince Duan's injuries was primarily handled by Physician Chunyu, with the other three imperial physicians playing only a supporting role. Therefore, she would be happy to see Physician Chunyu go to Wuliping.
Prince Duan said, "Leave the young imperial physician behind, and send the other two back to the palace. There's no need for so many physicians to guard me! I'm much better now; all I need to do is recuperate!"
The young doctor, who was in his thirties, was very skilled in dietary therapy. Therefore, Prince Duan advocated keeping this young imperial physician.
The young imperial physician was named Yu Banxia, who happened to share the same surname as Zisu's uncle. They were said to be distant cousins who were not related by five degrees of kinship.
Yu Banxia was overjoyed and happily followed Prince Duan and Zisu to Wuliping. Prince Duan settled her in the main bedroom in the backyard of the thatched cottage, while Yu Banxia and Doctor Chunyu stayed in the guest rooms in the front yard. Half of Prince Duan's ten personal guards lived in the front yard of the thatched cottage, and the other half lived in the back yard.
The thirty guards sent by the Emperor all lived in the Pomegranate Garden next to Little Stone Pool, which was also Prince Duan's residence in Wuliping. However, these thirty guards were divided into three shifts, taking turns to guard the safety of Little Stone Pool.
Shangguan Mufeng and Madam Yu visited Xiaoshitan last time, but only stayed for one day before returning to the capital. As the Protector General and Minister of War, Shangguan Mufeng was very busy, and Madam Yu was worried about letting him return to the capital alone.
Now, there are one or two maids in the general's mansion who seem to be trying to seduce him. She needs to go back to prevent them from doing so, or at least sell them off cleanly and efficiently!
Being a woman is tough. Even the usually kind and virtuous Madam Yu had to resort to drastic measures. Otherwise, if Shangguan Mufeng were to be outmaneuvered by the maid, the harmonious atmosphere of the General's Mansion would be completely shattered.
Shangguan Yi and Yu Han were both very happy to see Zisu.
Zisu was assassinated, and Prince Duan was injured. While at the academy, the two had heard some rumors and were deeply worried. They wanted to visit Prince Duan and Zisu, but Shen Laihui forbade it. Without Shen Laihui's permission, they didn't know where to go to see Zisu and Prince Duan. Moreover, they dared not act rashly, fearing they might fall into the assassins' trap, which would be disastrous!
"Big sister, you're back! Are you alright?" The two little ones ran over together and asked in unison, their faces full of worry and unease.
Zisu hugged the two little ones and gently comforted them, "Big sister is alright, big sister is not injured, it is Prince Duan who is injured."
Shangguan Yi: "I'm so glad my older sister is alright, I was so worried! How's Prince Duan? Is he alright now?"
Zisu: "Prince Duan was injured while protecting my eldest sister. His injuries are very serious. Why don't you and Han-ge go and inquire about Prince Duan's well-being and thank him?"
Shangguan Yi nodded understandingly: "Big sister, I understand. I will go with my cousin to visit Prince Duan and thank him for saving you!"
Prince Duan was drinking water when the two little ones walked in and, without saying a word, knelt down and bowed deeply to him: "Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness, for saving my sister!"
Prince Duan quickly waved his hand: "Get up, all of you, get up quickly, there's no need for such a grand ceremony! It's only right that I saved your sister, no need to be so polite with me!"
Shangguan Yi tilted his head, looking bewildered, and asked, "Your Highness, do you like my sister? Do you want to marry my sister as your princess?"
Prince Duan couldn't help but laugh, and answered very seriously, "Yes, I do like your sister very much, and I want her to be my queen! May I ask, Yi-ge'er, would you like me to be your brother-in-law?"
Shangguan Yi: "Your Highness, I do like you very much. You are very handsome, skilled in martial arts, and a Grand Marshal. However, if you want to be my brother-in-law, my sister has to like you and marry you willingly. Otherwise, I won't like you as my brother-in-law! Yes, my sister has to like being your princess before I'll like you as my brother-in-law!"
Prince Duan: "I understand. I will work hard to make your sister marry me willingly! After I become your brother-in-law, no one will dare to bully your sister anymore! And no one will dare to bully you two little ones either!"
Yu Han: "But I heard that the mastermind behind my sister's assassination attempt was a woman who liked you. She thought that if she killed my sister, you would like her and marry her as your queen! So, in the end, my sister is actually very unsafe by your side! What makes you think that as long as you marry my sister, no one will dare to bully her?"
That's a really sharp question!
Prince Duan was suddenly stumped by the question and was speechless for a moment.
Yu Han: "So, I think if you want my sister to be safe, you'd better hurry up and marry another woman! That way, those infatuated women will shift their focus to your wife and won't keep eyeing my sister!"
Yu Han is almost eight years old now, and she was raised by Zi Su. She is very intelligent and not so easy to fool.
Prince Duan was stunned.
Is this little guy really only eight years old?!
Oh my, that's such a sharp question, how is he supposed to respond?
Upon hearing his cousin's words, Shangguan Yi suddenly realized and said, "Yes, cousin is right. Your Highness shouldn't be with my sister. Otherwise, my sister will live in constant fear and never have a peaceful day! Brother Duan, you should go and like another woman. That way, my sister won't be targeted by a ruthless woman!"
These words left Prince Duan speechless once again.
Oh dear, Shangguan Yi, are you really only five years old? How can you understand such profound truths? Aren't five-year-olds supposed to only remember wanting to eat candy and play in the mud?
Prince Duan couldn't help but smile bitterly: "But I only love your elder sister Zisu. I can't love other women. What should I do?"
Yu Han waved her hand forcefully: "I can't control that. Otherwise, you can just find any woman to marry! Anyway, I don't agree to my sister marrying you, so you can forget about it! My sister is so wonderful and kind, I can't bear to see her being schemed against by those ruthless, infatuated women! My sister is so wonderful and kind, she deserves a happy and peaceful life!"
Shangguan Yi: "Yes, cousin is right! My sister is so good and wonderful. She should live a happy and peaceful life without any infatuated women causing her trouble! My sister deserves to live to be a hundred years old. She can't be ruined by those stupid women!"
Prince Duan was speechless once again.
These two little guys are incredible!
However, there is no denying that what they said is absolutely right!
After thinking for a moment, Prince Duan finally found an excuse: "It will never happen again. No one will dare to assassinate your sister because of me! The mastermind behind the assassination attempt on your sister has been given a three-foot-long white silk ribbon by the Emperor, forcing her to commit suicide! Her parents and family, including the families of those accomplices, have all had their property confiscated and been exiled to the harsh and cold Northeast. For five generations, they are not allowed to set foot outside the Northeast!"
Such a punishment is already quite severe. Of course, if the emperor were a tyrant, he might very well have executed the entire family, including nine generations of relatives. Now, only the families of the culprit and the accomplices have been punished, which is already considered merciful by the emperor.
Yu Han nodded: "Hmm, that's acceptable. If that's really the case, those infatuated women will have to think twice before trying to harm my sister! So, if my sister is willing to be with you, and my aunt and uncle don't object, then I won't object either!"
Shangguan Yi: "Well, it depends on whether my sister is willing or not. You can't force her! Otherwise, I'll never forgive you!"
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