Quick Transmigration: The Female Supporting Character's Counterattack, A Guide to Cunning Strat

Chapter 114 The Fallen Concubine in the Cold Palace - Side Story

"Mother, mother."

Liu Shuwan, who was engrossed in reading a storybook while sitting on the tatami mat, was suddenly interrupted by a series of "tap tap tap" footsteps.

She had just put down her book when the chubby little prince burst in like a firecracker, throwing himself into her arms. His large, grape-like eyes looked at her pitifully, and he began to complain:

"Mother, please save me! Father is punishing me again by making me copy books."

Before Liu Shuwan could ask anything, Li Shangxun, who had just entered after the young crown prince, sternly tried to pull him off Liu Shuwan, looking displeased. After being glared at and rejected by Liu Shuwan, he scolded her in an even worse mood:

"Li Hongxuan, get down here! How old are you? All you do is act like a child. Come with me to the study. You won't be sleeping until you finish today."

"No, I won't. I'm tired, I don't want to copy anymore, Mother!"

The little prince grabbed Liu Shuwan's arm and kicked his legs onto the bed.

Nestled against Liu Shuwan, it grunted like a little pig, and with its back to her, it smugly looked at Li Shangxun, its eyes clearly saying, "I have a powerful backer."

Li Shangxun laughed in exasperation, no longer caring about the young prince's "petty triumph," and sat down next to Liu Shuwan. He took the teacup offered by Liu Quan, letting the steaming tea obscure his expression, and sipped the tea on his own.

Only then did the young prince begin to feel afraid. Based on his experience of causing trouble over the past two years, if Li Shangxun reprimanded him sternly, he might not receive a severe punishment.

But if he shows such an expression, his good days are truly over.

He once naively thought that his father's behavior was a sign that he wasn't angry, but after experiencing many painful lessons, he matured.

Through the lessons of tears and pain, he learned the profound truth that "a wise man submits to circumstances."

He slunk off Liu Shuwan, stood before Li Shangxun with his head down, and whispered, "Father, I was wrong."

"Oh, where did you go wrong?" Li Shangxun asked indifferently without looking at him.

"I shouldn't be roasting sweet potatoes in my study."

After the young prince finished speaking, he glanced at Li Shangxun's expression, and seeing that he didn't speak, he continued:

"Ancient books should not be used as firewood."

"I shouldn't have been lazy and let Xiao Dezi copy the book for me."

“It’s wrong to draw on memorials without permission when you’re angry.”

"He shouldn't have sneaked out before he finished copying the book."

……

After the young prince finished speaking, Li Shangxun put down his cup and said slowly, "That's all?"

"It should be gone, right?" The young prince thought he was being subtle as he observed Li Shangxun's expression and hesitated.

"Ok?"

The young prince was startled and quickly stood up straight: "It's gone."

Do you think I punished you today because of these reasons?

"Ah."

"wrong."

Li Shangxun said in a calm tone, "I am punishing you, firstly, because you put your own safety in danger."

So what if you roasted sweet potatoes with ancient books? But you shouldn't have set a fire in a place like the study, where it's easy to start a fire, and you even drove away your personal eunuchs. What if you were accidentally injured?

"The same applies to having a eunuch write for you. If he learns your handwriting and later colludes with officials to frame you, what will you do then?"

"Secondly, you are still young and inexperienced, yet you dare to challenge me. I have taught you how to remain hidden and how to strike with deadly precision."

"If you still lack a plan when facing your ministers in the future, acting impulsively without a clear strategy, how will you be able to command respect from the officials?"

"Thirdly, knowing one's mistake and still doing it is the behavior of a fool."

……

With each word he spoke, the little prince lowered his head a little further, tears welling up in his eyes, threatening to fall, making him look extremely pitiful.

Seeing his reaction, Li Shangxun sighed silently before softening his tone and saying, "Have your mother take you to wash up. After you've washed up, go and receive your punishment."

Liu Shuwan rolled her eyes at Li Shangxun. These two father and son fight every few days, and after they fight, they always expect her to be the peacemaker. She's almost driven crazy by them.

Despite her inner complaints, Liu Shuwan still took the young prince's hand and led him to the washroom, out of love for her son.

As soon as he was out of Li Shangxun's sight, the little prince threw himself into Liu Shuwan's arms, tears streaming down his face. His small, tearful voice trembled with grievance: "Waaah, Mother, waaah..."

"What's wrong? Tell your mother, does my Xuanbao think your father punished him wrongly, or too harshly?" Liu Shuwan gently stroked his hair and asked softly.

The young prince sobbed, "No, no, it was me who did it. I made a mistake and I should be punished."

"Then why are you still so aggrieved?"

"Mother, Mother, does Father not like me anymore? He was so scary today." The little prince looked up with tears welling up in his eyes, his voice filled with fear.

Liu Shuwan slightly bent her knees so that he could look her in the eye, then wiped away his tears with a handkerchief and comforted him:

"How could that be? Your father is just too worried about you. Putting aside everything else, just the fact that you set fire to the study all by yourself is so dangerous. I'm terrified just hearing about it. If something happened to you, how heartbroken your father and I would be."

The young prince's eyes lit up, but thinking of what he had done today, he lowered his head in frustration: "But I made so many mistakes and angered Father. He never used the title '朕' (zhen, meaning 'I' or 'the emperor') when he was angry before. He must not like me anymore."

"Your father is out of his mind. Once you finish copying the book, show it to him and promise that you will never do it again. He will definitely forgive you."

"Really?" The little prince looked up with hopeful eyes, relying on his loved ones with the whole heart like a little animal.

"Of course it's true. When has your mother ever lied to you?"

"Then I'll go right away!" Children's emotions come and go quickly. After getting the answer he wanted, the little prince was full of energy and rushed to the study.

Liu Shuwan quickly grabbed his collar and patted his head, both amused and exasperated: "Wait a minute, wash your face first."

……

"Have you appeased her?" Seeing Liu Shuwan return, Li Shangxun stood up, put his arm around her waist, and asked casually.

"Otherwise what?" Liu Shuwan glared at him and shook off his hand from her waist. "Don't touch me, we still have some scores to settle!"

Seeing that she was truly angry, Li Shangxun pulled out a chair in a conciliatory manner: "Alright, Your Majesty, please have a seat."

Liu Shuwan ignored the chair he pulled out and walked straight to the couch to sit down: "I didn't want to interrupt you while you were disciplining your son, but now let's sort things out properly."

"What does it matter if it's called 'ancient book roasted sweet potato'?"

"So what if it's something written on a memorial to the throne?"

……

Liu Shuwan grew angrier and angrier as she spoke, and in her anger, she, like the young prince, had tears welling up in her eyes.

But then she felt that this would make her lose face, so she turned away so that Li Shangxun wouldn't see her.

But the twist of her body was too large, and she couldn't help but shed tears.

“It’s my fault for not teaching him properly, Awan, don’t be angry with yourself. Today I just wanted to make the important things clear. Tomorrow, no, after he finishes copying the book, I will explain to him that ancient books and memorials are very important and cannot be damaged, okay?” Li Shangxun put his arm around Liu Shuwan and coaxed her tenderly.

"Moreover, our Crown Prince is still sensible. The ancient books he burned were all handwritten copies, while the original copies are still kept safe. The memorials he sent were all greetings."

Seeing that Liu Shuwan's expression was off, Li Shangxun quickly changed the subject, "But, this is also wrong, I will definitely teach him a lesson."

Liu Shuwan's complexion improved, and she turned to lean against him: "Also, please don't use '朕' (the imperial "I") on him when you're angry in private, okay? He was terrified by you today."

"Okay, I understand, it won't happen again." Li Shangxun lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "I was so angry today, he's really getting more and more troublesome as he gets older."

Actually, the little prince was quite cute when he was first born.

Unfortunately, less than two years later, once he could run and jump, he started teasing cats and dogs, climbing trees and going into the water, and even walking around with all the palace maids and eunuchs who followed him.

Neither he nor Liu Shuwan were like that, yet this troublemaker was born.

He took on the role of a strict father in order to keep him in check.

"He's probably the only child in the palace, and he's too lonely," Liu Shuwan remarked casually.

“In that case, let’s have another baby for him, a younger brother or sister, so he’ll have a companion.” The more Li Shangxun thought about it, the better he felt it was.

Moreover, if he had younger siblings, the Crown Prince wouldn't be able to cling to Liu Shuwan all the time.

Liu Shuwan dodged his kiss and said hastily, "It's daytime, we can't be lewd in daytime."

Li Shangxun picked her up and laid her down on the bed.

The curtains fell, blocking out the sunlight.

"Look, it's getting dark."

……