“Sheng Chujun, I haven’t been seeing you around these few days. Where have you gone?” Madam Sheng immediately turned her attention away.
Sheng Chuling felt that his pained heart had been healed. Thank goodness for the youngest in the family. Even if he could not compare to his elder brother, he still had his younger brother.
“Oh right, Sheng Chujun. Something big happened at home. Where did you go?” Furthermore, he could use this opportunity to get on his mother’s good side.
“Mother, Second Brother, let me show you guys something good.” Sheng Chujun seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere and he pulled out a paper from his waist. He spread the crumpled paper out on the floor. “I worked very hard these few days! Look at the handprints on this. They represent the compliments and good words the citizens of Chang’an have to say for me. Now, I am probably the most famous rich playboy in the Chang’an! Hahaha! By the time I propose my marriage to the Sun Residence, I will let Sun Tan see this sheet of paper. This will be the evidence that I am a respected and famous person. In addition, I will bring spectacular betrothal gifts for him. Then, I can marry his daughter.”
“Who did you say you want to marry?” Both Madam Sheng and Sheng Chuling asked at the same time.
“The second daughter of the Sun family, Sun Lingwei.” Sheng Chujun was meticulous for his marriage. “Do you guys really want to let Elder Brother marry Sun Lingwei?”
Sheng Chuling shook his forefinger. “Elder Brother will definitely not agree to marry her.”
Sheng Chujun heaved a sigh of relief. “Then I can be rest assured.”
Madam Sheng shook her head. “You will not be able to marry her.”
Sheng Chujun asked in shock. “Why not?”
“Because her sister is the Crown Princess.” Sheng Chuling had not imagined that his younger brother would actually fall for the Sun family’s daughter. He felt that it was an ill-fated relationship.
“So what?” Sheng Chujun wore a blank face.
“Elder Brother has been caned. The Crown Prince did not want to make things hard for Prince Han and his wife in front of the Empress, so he took his anger out on Elder Brother. The Crown Princess also did not help and both husband and wife backed each other up.”
“Lingwei said that her sister is gentle and kind, she would not even step on an ant.” Sheng Chujun could not believe it. “Could this be a misunderstanding?”
“Our innocent Elder Brother was caned with a hundred strokes. Do you know what the Crown Princess did? She told the internal attendants to hit him strongly without any mercy. Xinnan had personally overheard this.” Sheng Chuling had a reliable source.
“But…” This did not concern Lingwei at all.
Madam Sheng said, “There are no buts! Chumu barely survived! The eldest daughter of the Sun family is too vicious and the younger daughter will not fare any better. If you interact with any Sun family member again, I will break your leg!”
Sheng Chujun’s face immediately turned solemn.
Chapter 65.2: Empathy
Lu Yingying trudged towards Grand Prince Liang’s room. She spotted Yan Zifang from behind but her expression did not change as she kneeled down to help the drunk Grand Prince Liang take off his shoes. Grand Prince Liang narrowed his eyes and stared at Lu Yingying for a while before he suddenly lifted his feet and kicked her.
Yan Zifang took a step out subconsciously.
Although he had already mentally prepared himself and knew that Lu Yingying was suffering, he had not imagined that she would be bullied like that. She was as skinny as paper and her complexion was as white as a ghost. The clothing she wore looked like rags and she did not seem like a consort at all. She could not even compare to a regular palace maid. He still remembered how beautiful she was when they first met. She was like a fairy who was out of this world. The stark contrast between then and now made his eyes and heart hurt.
Grand Prince Liang held Yan Zifang and pointed at Lu Yingying. He bellowed, “Let me tell you. You definitely have not met someone as dirty as her! She could have been the respected Consort Liang and my beloved wife but she was not willing and she chose to be a bitch instead!”
Grand Prince Liang yanked Lu Yingying’s arm and shook her violently. “Bitch, why are you not speaking? Talk! Don’t make it seem like I am mistreating your pitiful self! You are the only one who knows that it is you who shamed me! You have always been shaming me! I will strangle you to death! I will strangle you!” Grand Prince Liang placed his hands around Lu Yingying’s neck coldly.
Lu Yingying’s face turned red but she did not make any sound.
Yan Zifang stealthily walked closer to Grand Prince Liang. All of a sudden, Grand Prince Liang collapsed onto Lu Yingying’s shoulder, completely drunk.
Lu Yingying supported Grand Prince Liang with her arms, preventing him from falling. She glared coldly at Yan Zifang but remained calm. Yan Zifang followed her gaze and stared at his own hands. He had unconsciously taken out a dagger.
He came to a realisation. “Right, it would not be good if blood can be seen. I can make it seem like he died from drinking too much. No one will suspect us. A drunkard like him will not live long anyway.”
Lu Yingying struggled with all her might to support Grand Prince Liang back to his bed. “If you dare to touch a single strand of hair of his, I will scream and call everyone in the residence here.”
“Lu Yingying, has he made you dumb with his beatings?” He wanted to save her.
“He is my husband.” She will handle the consequences of her choice. “Although he hits and tortures me, I was the one who made the wrong move first. At least, he has given me status. What about you? What can you give me?”
“What do you want me to give you?” Aside from marriage.
“Yan Zifang, you are too poor. You cannot give me anything.” She had thought things through.
“So you would insist on staying here and receive his torture to make me guilty?” He wanted to add that this was useless but he knew that it would be a lie.
“Keep your volume down. My husband is asleep, don’t wake him up.” She did not even bother to look at Yan Zifang.
Anger boiled within Yan Zifang and he stomped out of the room. However, he heard Lu Yingying singing a song. It was the song she sang when they had first met. Unfortunately, she was now singing it to another man. He did not know why but the pain in his heart seemed to threaten to tear him up internally.
The Crown Prince lay on his bed and lifted his hand to carefully caress Sun Lingshu’s face. Sun Lingshu also raised her hand but she used it to block the Crown Prince’s view. She did not want him to see her ugly state.
The Crown Prince held her hand. “You have suffered because of me. I swear that when I ascend the throne and become the Emperor in the future, you will always be my Empress. You will stay beside me forever.”
Sun Lingshu gently lay beside him.
“Let me tell you. When I fell down the horse, I had a vision for a moment and I thought that I saw Chen Ji.” He was honest with her.
She turned around, facing him with concerned eyes.
“Chen Ji came to my side and he touched my neck like he was trying to comfort me and persuade me to persevere. I knew that Chen Ji did not leave me behind, his soul is always by my side. Every time I meet with danger, he would appear and help me.” The Crown Prince could not help smiling.
Sun Lingshu was quiet.
“Why are you quiet? Did I make you unhappy by talking about Chen Ji?”