flstandardbreds Chapter 128 The Neglected Crown Prince
Chapter 128 The Neglected Crown Prince
Suddenly, the incomparably noble empress fainted without warning, a sudden turn of events that shocked everyone present! The palace maids accompanying her were especially terrified and panicked.
Upon hearing the news, the Crown Princess rushed over and, seeing the situation, immediately summoned almost all the imperial physicians to treat the child. In an instant, the palace was packed with people, and the atmosphere became extremely tense.
After a thorough consultation, the imperial physicians all concluded with grave expressions that the Empress's illness was caused by a sudden surge of anger and anxiety. Moreover, the condition was quite serious; if she did not control her emotions, her health would likely deteriorate rapidly.
However, how easy is it to achieve inner peace and a calm perspective? At this moment, the Empress lay on her bed, her eyes closed, but her mind was in turmoil. She watched helplessly as the increasingly powerful and prominent Prince Chen and the deeply favored Imperial Consort Li grew stronger. How could she not be filled with worry and anxiety? After all, the power struggles within the palace were fierce, and a single misstep could lead to utter ruin. Faced with such a situation, even with her wisdom and strategic acumen, the Empress found it difficult to maintain a tranquil mind.
Upon hearing the news of the Empress's illness, the Crown Prince was extremely anxious, even neglecting his newborn eldest son at home. He rushed to visit his mother, completely disregarding how others would perceive his actions. Regardless of how the outside world judged his mother, and regardless of what his younger brother truly thought, in the Crown Prince's eyes, his mother had always been the one who cared for him deeply and cherished him—a kindness that ran far beyond measure.
When the Crown Prince finally arrived at the palace, he immediately saw Crown Princess Wei sitting by the bedside. Her face was haggard, and her eyes revealed deep worry and concern. The Empress, lying on the bed, appeared exceptionally weak and powerless. Her face was as pale as paper, devoid of any color; her lips were cracked like parched earth, having lost their former rosy luster; her once neatly combed hair was now disheveled, streaked with glaring white strands. This sight tore at the Crown Prince's heart, and tears welled up in his eyes.
The crown prince rushed into the palace in a panic, then knelt down without hesitation, tears instantly blurring his vision: "Mother! Your son is truly unfilial. Only now have I learned that you are so seriously ill. Your son is too late!"
The Empress struggled to lift her head and look at her son, who was now over thirty. Despite the passage of time, in her eyes, this son would always be a child she needed to worry about; no matter when or where, she could never completely put her mind at ease.
In truth, the Empress had no intention of having more children, for she was acutely aware of the cruelty and treachery of court intrigue. However, fate intervened, and heaven bestowed upon her a second son. Yet, the Empress felt no affection for this second son; deep in her heart, only her eldest son held a unique and irreplaceable place.
Over the years, the Empress had spared no effort in ensuring her eldest son's ascension to the throne. She meticulously planned and executed every step with careful strategy, all to guarantee her son's smooth access to the supreme imperial throne. But now, it seemed all her efforts were about to vanish, and she felt utterly powerless. If she couldn't force the Emperor to abdicate in favor of the Crown Prince as soon as possible, she feared she would never witness her beloved son reign supreme.
At this thought, a bold and resolute idea arose in the Empress's mind and spread rapidly like wildfire. She stared intently at her son kneeling on the ground, her eyes gradually becoming incredibly determined, as if she had made some momentous decision. However, she did not make a sound; she decided to let Consort Nali enjoy her beauty for a few days first, after all, she had not yet seen the birth of her grandson.
The Crown Prince looked at the Empress with a worried expression and said softly, "Mother, I am here to attend to you while you are ill. I hope you can recover soon and no longer suffer from the pain." As he spoke, he stepped forward and gently took the Empress's hand.
The Empress gently raised her hand and stroked the Crown Prince's head, her eyes filled with love and relief. She spoke slowly, "Crown Prince, as the Crown Prince of the nation, you bear heavy responsibilities and should prioritize state affairs. You must not neglect your duties because of your mother's matter. Moreover, many of your concubines are about to give birth, and this is precisely the time for you to take charge. You must not let those women disrupt your Crown Prince's residence. As for your Crown Princess, let her stay in the palace to recuperate. Your mother is fine and will try her best to control her anger in the future. You also need to mature and become more composed as soon as possible, so as not to disappoint your mother's expectations. Now, even your younger brothers are gradually showing their talents and beginning to grow. But in my heart, only you are the one to inherit the throne. The one who will ascend to the highest position in the future will undoubtedly be my son!"
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince said, "Your subject understands. Go, bring me the medicine. I want to personally give it to Mother!" A palace servant then brought the medicine, and the Crown Prince personally blew on it and fed it to the Empress. No one could imagine that this was the same arrogant and conceited Crown Prince. The Crown Prince then said to the Crown Princess, "These days, many concubines and beauties are about to give birth. You don't need to be upset about these things. Just stay here with Mother and watch over her taking her medicine. She should rest well. The imperial physicians in the palace are very skilled. I feel more at ease having them check your pulse every day. Your child will be the legitimate heir in the future; no one can replace you, so just relax."
The Crown Princess looked at the Empress, then at the Crown Prince, and said, "Your Highness, please rest assured. I will definitely serve Mother Empress well here. Mother Empress has been very good to me. A few days ago, I was thinking too much, which caused my poor health. I spoiled the eldest grandson too much and neglected to discipline the servants, which led to that tragedy. It won't happen again! Your Highness only needs to focus on managing affairs at home. I will take care of everything here!"
Seeing his sensible Crown Princess, the Crown Prince felt quite relieved and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Jia'er. I will never let you down!" After saying this, he left the palace. He was indeed quite overwhelmed. Gu Mochen's popularity in the court was growing, while in his own residence, a group of women were constantly fighting over him, giving him a headache. It wasn't until he returned home and saw his eldest son crying in his room that he remembered he hadn't brought Ye Shiqing back. Of all the women in his household, which one would genuinely care for someone else's child? Left with no other choice, he sent someone to bring Ye Shiqing back.