AMTDCPOTEC Chapter 92

After Marrying the Disabled Crown Prince of the Enemy Country

Chapter 92          Hope

Huo Du’s eyes were burning, and Le Zhi faintly felt a little warm between her brows.

Ask?
Actually, I’ve always wanted to ask.

Just that…

“Your Highness trusts me so much?”

Le Zhi slowly got up and looked straight at him. She finally knew what she was afraid of. She was not afraid that Huo Du would not tell her, nor that he would lie to her, rather he would tell her everything.

She was afraid that he would let her know every detail of the plans, the loopholes, and all the uncertainties.

If Huo Du did not tell her, she could follow her own plan, and even if they walked different paths in the end, she could still walk her own path confidently, even if it hurt the feelings between them, and even if it hurt him.

Le Zhi told herself repeatedly that it did not matter, she could do it as long as she was ruthless enough.

But if Huo Du had told her everything, and if she had known his flaws earlier, would she still be able to continue in such a dignified manner?

She did not know.

“What do you think?” Huo Du asked her rhetorically, with complicated emotions in his calm eyes.

There was a long silence.

Le Zhi gradually lowered her eyes, not daring to look at him or answer his question.

“Le Zhi.” She heard Huo Du’s emotionless tone, heavy and cold, “You don’t know anything.”

Not only did not know but also did not trust him. She did not even believe her position in his heart.

She even refused to ask a question.

Huo Du looked at her cowered appearance, like a small snail shrinking into its shell. He glanced at her one last time, no longer hesitated, and turned to move forward.

He walked in such a hurry that he did not even notice that when he turned around, the person in front of him stretched out her hand and tried to pull his sleeve. Maybe the corners of the satin cotton were too silky, or maybe he walked too decisively that the sleeve slid across her slender fingers quickly without stopping.

Le Zhi’s eyes were red and filled with tears. She withdrew the hand hanging in the air and turned her eyes to look at the hurried departing figure, feeling sad and aggrieved.

She clenched her little hand tightly, letting her fingernails embedded in her palm.

Can’t you wait a little longer?
His temper is still so bad.

At this moment, Li Yao came in a hurry with a solemn expression, “Master, something happened.”

Le Zhi’s heart sank. She raised her hand to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Lord Shen went to the Third Prince Mansion and wanted to take Miss Shen away, but Huo Xu refused to let him. There was some pushing around in the back for some reason, and Miss Shen was pushed to the ground in the chaos… a lot of blood was shed.”

“What!” Le Zhi swayed, thinking that Shen Qingyan was pregnant now, and her tone trembled slightly, “How is she?”

“Lord Shen brought her back. I don’t know what is the situation right now.”

Le Zhi frowned, and said, “You can ask someone to check it out later. If possible, I would like to go to the Shen Mansion.”

Li Yao responded with a yes.

—

Yongning Palace.

“You bastard!” Empress was breathless, leaning on the soft chair and panting while clutching her heart, looking helplessly at Huo Xu who was kneeling in front of her.

“How did I know she would fall…” Huo Xu said with an innocent face and said resentfully, “It’s all that old Shen Huai’s fault. If it wasn’t for him, how could things become like this!”

“You know that Shen Qingyan is pregnant, why do you still want to provoke her?” Empress frowned, “If something happens to her, Shen Xiang’s support will probably become your challenge!”

After a pause, she murmured again, “If I had known this, I might as well not let you marry her that time.”

It’s better than getting angry like this now.

“I shouldn’t have married her in the first place, and I don’t like her.” Huo Xu lowered his eyes, a little aggrieved, “I always only wanted Zhizhi.”

“What Zhizhi!” Empress was so angry that her eyes turned red. She could not believe her son would be so stupid, “She’s already Huo Du’s person long ago. What are you dreaming about? She wants you to die now!”

The harsh words made Huo Xu frown.

“Impossible!” Huo Xu was very firm. “Imperial Mother, you don’t know her. She just pretended in front of Huo Du.”

Empress stared blankly at the person in front of her who had been bewitched and did not want to talk to him anymore. Yesterday, Huo Changyun called her to the imperial study and showed her the edict of conferring Xu’er as the taizi.

It was supposed to be a matter of great joy, but she could not help trembling all over.

It went smoothly.
It went too smoothly.

Were the positions of the taizi and the emperor really so easy to take? She did not believe Huo Changyun.

“Imperial Mother think too much.” Huo Xu smiled suddenly, he evoked a triumphant smile, “Imperial Father has been praising me recently. The civil and military of the whole imperial court are tacitly aware that the position of the taizi must belong to me.”

“What is Shen Huai? After I enter the Eastern Palace, will not that old man send his daughter over without hesitation?”

Huo Xu, who was originally worried about Shen Qingyan’s affairs, suddenly got over it. It was naturally good that her baby was saved. After all, this was his first child. If the baby was really gone, it did not matter, just let Zhizhi give birth to him which should have been like this, to begin with.

If Shen Huai was still not tactful at that time, then his position as the prime minister was not a matter of his words.

“All right, go back first.”

After Huo Xu left, Lin Wanning slowly got up and walked to the window, looking at the white snow drifting away.

Huo Changyun’s words from yesterday were still fresh in her ears. He smiled and said to her, “The position of the taizi will be Xu’er’s, so don’t worry.”

But until now, instead of feeling relief, she had always been in an anxious state.

She really hoped that she thought too much.

Tomorrow, after the edict was announced to the world, her heart could settle down.

—

Shen Qingyan’s child still could not be saved.

Le Zhi handed over the invitation, without any hope, but Shen Xiang agreed. Huo Xu’s people found out that she entered the Prime Minister Mansion through the side door after dark.

A distinct smell of blood overflowed into Le Zhi’s nostrils when Lu Ying led her to Shen Qingyan’s boudoir. Le Zhi walked slowly to the bedside and looked at the person with a pale face and dazed eyes.

Lifeless, like a ghost.

“The day the soldiers of country Qi attacked Great Li, my relatives left me in an instant.” Le Zhi sat down on the soft bed and tucked the quilt for Shen Qingyan, “At that time, I was just like you, completely disheartened. But you have to think about how heartbroken your relatives who are still alive will be if they see you like this.”

“Think of your father.”

The dead pupils trembled slightly, and then the eyes filled with tears, rolling down. She cried louder and louder gradually.

Le Zhi picked up the clean silk handkerchief, wiped Shen Qingyan’s tears quietly, and then patted her back gently.

“I, I thought I didn’t like that child, but… but when he really left me little by little, I was really in pain.” Shen Qingyan burst into tears and sobbed, “It’s my fault. He must have left because he thought I didn’t love him…”

“No, it’s no! It’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself for other people’s fault.”

Hearing this, the tearful Shen Qingyan gradually stopped crying. Had to say that Le Zhi was very persuasive. It was not her but Huo Xu who caused her to lose her child.

“I hate him.” Shen Qingyan clenched her fists tightly.

“Huo Xu, he’s a beast hated by everyone.” Le Zhi sneered and said concisely, “Have a good rest. You have to take good care of your body, and then watch his end with a smile.”

“You mean?” Shen Qingyan murmured.

“Go to sleep.” Le Zhi smiled and helped her lie down, “I heard that your embroidery is very good, so don’t bury your talent. Don’t worry, you will have a bright future.”

Future? Would she still have it?

Before Le Zhi came, Shen Qingyan was completely disheartened. But now, some hope was gradually rising in her heart. With these hopes, she closed her heavy eyelids to sleep.

When she closed the room door, she saw Shen Xiang at a distance.

Le Zhi stepped forward and gave a farewell ceremony. But Shen Huai suddenly joined hands and gave a big ceremony to Le Zhi.

“Lord Shen, this is…”

“Thank you, princess, for my daughter.”

Princess…

Le Zhi was taken aback for a long time as she had not heard anyone call her that for a long time. With a faint smile and a slight nod, she lifted her legs to leave.

But…

“As long as my daughter’s wish can be fulfilled, the old minister is willing to listen to your instruction.”

……

On the carriage back to the mansion, Le Zhi looked blank and suddenly lost her mind. Obviously, everything went according to her expectations, but her heart seemed to be empty.

“Master, my elder brother will act according to your instructions.”

Le Zhi turned her eyes, looked at Jing Xin, and said softly, “Jing Xin, am I bad?”

“What are you saying, Master!” Jing Xin frowned in disapproval and shook her head, “You are a very good person.”

“But when I asked you to be by my side, it was a selfish move. I wanted An Xuan to owe me a favor.” Le Zhi laughed self-deprecatingly.

She was not a good person, everything she did had a purpose. Whether it was Jing Xin or going to the Shen Mansion today, she had selfish motives.

It was true that she wanted to persuade Shen Qingyan, and it was also true that she wanted to use this matter to win over Shen Xiang.

Le Zhi knew that she was no longer the simple and kind princess of the country Li she used to be.

She was not a bad person, but she was not a simple good person either.

“Even if you are selfish, you are a good person too.” Jing Xin took her hand and said, “Those who are good to us are all true.”

Le Zhi did not answer, just lowered his eyes.

Jing Xin felt that her master was good everywhere, but she was too demanding of herself. Was this the innate sense of morality and responsibility as a princess?

Master… it’s really tiring for her to live.

It was already late at night when they arrived back at the mansion.

Le Zhi asked Jing Xin to rest first, but instead of going back to the bedroom, she walked towards the back garden.

It was rare for the snow to stop, and the bright moon and the stars were all over the night sky.

She stared blankly at the moon which shone the cold light down. Just like her and Huo Du, how did two icy cold people keep warm?

After experiencing all kinds of things and learning about Huo Du’s childhood experience, Le Zhi was distressed but could not do anything, nor could she promise him anything.

Just like even though she liked him, she would not let go of her hatred because of this love. No matter how much she liked him, she still wanted to kill his father.

She was like a cold moon without warmth.

If possible, Le Zhi hoped that the bright warm sun would be standing beside Huo Du.

Year after year, warming him. Let him come out of his childhood’s pain and had no worries for the rest of his life.

Unlike her. Even did not dare to have basic honesty and trustworthiness, what a selfish coward.

Suddenly, her waist was tightened, and her back was pressed against a warm chest. Under the familiar scent, Le Zhi slowly lowered her eyes, covering the redness at the corners of her eyes with her long eyelashes.

Rationality told her that she should not indulge, but her heart leaned against him uncontrollably.

I want to be held a little longer.
Just a little longer.

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The author has something to say：
Du: I just like the moon.

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