Quick Transmigration: What to Do When the Male Supporting Character You Saved Becomes Obsessed with

Chapter 169 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (73)

Then he remembered his eldest son, whom he hadn't seen for many years, and specially summoned him back to see him.

"My son is so kind and virtuous, I am deeply moved..." The Emperor would say this whenever he mentioned Ji Shuqin.

On the surface, it's about how filial Ji Shuqin is, but it's also a subtle way of saying that she does care about him.

The reason why Ji Shuqin still kept his father in his heart was naturally because he was not a heartless person.

From the Empress Dowager down to the concubines and noble ladies in the palace, everyone had to offer their congratulations with smiles, but who knew what they were really thinking behind the scenes?

The most anxious person about this matter was Consort Rong, because she had not received any news at all.

She learned about the First Prince's return to the palace from the Seventh Prince.

In the past, Consort Rong would be fully aware of any slight movement or disturbance in the palace.

She originally devoted most of her attention to the inner palace, and only heard a little about the affairs of the court.

But this time, let alone having heard a little about it. Until the Seventh Prince was complaining bitterly and angrily in her palace, Consort Rong didn't say a word of comfort for a long time.

"Mother, what do you think Father Emperor really means?"

"Ji Shuqin... Ji Shuqin! He should have been dead long ago!" the Seventh Prince said through gritted teeth.

His hatred extended to Ji Shuqin, and his resentment towards Ji Shumin naturally spilled over to Ji Shuqin as well.

In fact, he had only met Ji Shuqin a few times since birth and had no recollection of him at all.

At that time, the Empress and the Emperor had a falling out, and the eldest prince was frail and sickly, spending almost all his time in medicine pots and rarely seeing anyone.

The Empress was obsessed with protecting the eldest prince as if he were her own eyes. At that time, she was surrounded by enemies in the palace, and she felt that everyone she met was trying to harm her and her son.

Consort Rong did indeed consider plotting against the Empress's palace, but ultimately failed.

Consort Rong did not have such great abilities or such a noble status back then.

The reason she was able to rise to the position of Imperial Concubine and become the Emperor's most favored woman was because of this.

Besides possessing an exceptionally beautiful face and giving birth to the Seventh Prince, a prince favored by the Emperor, there was another reason:

At that time, her relationship with the Empress was delicate.

Consort Rong was a woman who knew how to assess the situation. No woman who could gain a foothold in the palace was stupid.

Someone who seems arrogant and domineering may actually be cautious and prudent; someone who seems honest and obedient may be ruthless and cruel behind the scenes.

In this palace, not to mention the concubines and princes, even the palace servants and slaves below often have two faces.

Consort Rong was well aware of the discord between the Emperor and the Empress. In order to leave a better impression on the Emperor, she often clashed with the Empress.

Although her status was not as noble as the Empress's, the Emperor did not want the Empress to have an easy time, so he indulged her and gave her a lot of convenience.

It was thought that the Empress would never have a chance to turn her life around, after all, an Empress who was disliked by the Emperor could only have a tragic end.

But unexpectedly... after so many years, just when she had almost forgotten what she had done, the eldest prince returned.

What about the Empress?

What is the Empress's current situation?

Will she come back too?

Could it be that the Empress only sent the eldest prince, Ji Shuqin, back because Ji Shumin was completely crippled, in order to continue vying for the throne?

How could that be... The eldest prince has been away from the palace for so many years. What could a prince possibly learn in that dilapidated temple?

He simply doesn't have the ability to compete for that position!

Consort Rong thought more deeply than the Seventh Prince, who, confident in his current status, did not consider that possibility.

He simply hated Ji Shuqin for blocking his path to gaining favor with the emperor, making it seem as if Ji Shuqin was a filial son and virtuous grandson!

Why should he receive the Emperor's praise? The Seventh Prince was indignant.

"You must be more careful..." Consort Rong advised with a worried expression.

The seventh prince, however, looked disdainful.

"He used crooked methods to make the emperor think he was filial and gain the emperor's favor for a while. Can he expect to be favored by the emperor forever?"

"Only someone like me, who can share Father's burdens, will continue to receive Father's love and respect!" The Seventh Prince picked up the tea on the table and drank it all in one gulp, moistening his throat, which was dry from his rapid-fire complaints.

"It is best to be cautious in everything." Consort Rong did not tell the Seventh Prince about the past grievances between her and the Empress.

After the Seventh Prince left, she sat in front of the mirror and touched her face. She noticed that she had developed fine lines around her eyes, which even the finest makeup couldn't conceal.

With a sigh, she said to the palace maid Lanxiang beside her, "I have grown so old now. I wonder what the Empress looks like in that secluded place of cultivation?"

"It is certainly not as good as Your Highness's. Your Highness is so graceful and noble, your appearance is nothing more than that." Lanxiang said calmly as she tidied her hair again.

"Indeed, how many people in this palace would dare to look me in the eye these days?" Consort Rong chuckled.

A ruthless glint flashed in her eyes. No matter who it was, if they dared to stand in her way of becoming the most honored woman in the palace, she would not show them any mercy.

"Has Your Majesty summoned any of those young and beautiful concubines to your bedchamber lately?" Consort Rong asked lazily.

A sudden realization dawned on her. A thought stirred within her: back then, she had spent her days worrying about which palace the Emperor visited and which concubine or noblewoman had slept with her, which had made her feel sullen and unhappy...

But now, when Consort Rong asked the question, she couldn't remember how long it had been since she had paid close attention to it.

"His Majesty has been unwell these days, and I haven't heard of him choosing anyone."

"That servant Decheng is indeed loyal, but after all these years, he still doesn't listen to me," Consort Rong said with dissatisfaction.

She used to try to find out about the Emperor's whereabouts, but she always ran into a wall with De Cheng. Even now, this servant is still the same as always. No matter how noble a person is, it's all useless to him!

"Since you are so loyal, then continue to serve me," Consort Rong said lightly, touching her newly styled hair.

But the fate of Decheng had already been decided. If the Emperor passed away and the Seventh Prince truly ascended the throne, she would have Decheng go down to the underworld to serve the Emperor.

"Aren't you going to see the First Prince?" Lu Liruan asked.

Now that the eldest prince has become a favorite in the palace, Lu Liruan has not seen any change in Ji Shumin.

His slender-necked vase, which he could never be satisfied with no matter what he did, seemed to occupy more of his attention.

"Clap-"

With a crisp sound, Ji Shumin raised his hand and brushed the half-finished vase blank onto the ground.

The sound of shattered porcelain breaking was somewhat pleasant, but Lu Liruan had heard it countless times in the past few days.

"Wasn't it pretty? How did it break again?" Lu Liruan put down the book she was reading halfway through, rocked the rocking chair, and leaned over to look.

Ji Shumin slowly wiped the paint off his hands with a damp cloth.

"I made a mistake in drawing a stroke, and I don't like it."

"Then why did you break it? You could have just left it there and kept it for later use."

"No, how can I let such a flawed thing remain in my sight? If someone finds out that I made it, it will ruin my reputation."

Ji Shumin remained composed, a faint, meaningful smile playing on his lips: "I can't stand the sight of anything tainted in front of me. It makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable. I might say or do something inappropriate, and when that happens, we won't be able to live such peaceful lives anymore..."

Even if Lu Liruan had the worst hearing, she could tell that he was talking about more than just the vase.

"I don't understand," Lu Liruan said bluntly.

Ji Shumin glanced at her: "It's alright, even if Li Ruan is clumsy, I will never abandon her."

Lu Liruan: ...

Ji Shumin's mouth can be really hateful at times.

Ji Shumin was just teasing her. Seeing Lu Liruan pouting, he pushed his wheelchair over and asked, "Liruan, do you believe there are truly kind people in the world?"

“I believe that in this vast world, there are always people whose realm transcends the ordinary,” Lu Liruan affirmed. “Don’t you believe it?”

"I believe."

Lu Liruan thought to herself: Judging from your expression, you don't seem to believe it.

“The goodness of a truly good person is not just the goodness of that person alone, but rather that goodness is not suppressed by evil and hatred.” Ji Shumin said, twirling his prayer beads.

"If one is truly ignorant, or is floating in a state of self-intoxication with one's own goodness, never bothering to understand or look at others, only speaking of goodness, and then using so-called goodness as a standard to demand and measure others."

Lu Liruan remained silent, but seeing Ji Shumin's cold snort, her eyes lowered and flashed with disdain: "I only feel hypocrisy. What is the difference between hypocrisy and evil? To this day, I still cannot distinguish between them..."

“Hmm…maybe it’s a difference between whether one intentionally harms others or not.” Lu Liruan usually enjoyed chatting with Ji Shumin. His words were witty and interesting, he was never rigid or didactic, he was a good listener, and he had no interest in disciplining others.

Just like now, Ji Shumin rested his chin on one hand and affectionately played with Lu Liruan's hair with the other, nodding to signal her to continue.

“Some people wear a mask of hypocrisy, beneath which lies real evil, a hypocrisy that can harm others. And some people are unaware of their own hypocrisy; in their hearts, they truly believe they are good,” Lu Liruan argued.

"Yes, that's true, but there's not much difference. It's even more foolish to think you're good when you're evil. Li Ruan, don't run into someone like that." He scoffed.

Lu Liruan understood his thoughts. No matter what, he was unwilling and resentful. The eldest prince, who was raised to be kind, looked down on him with a compassionate and benevolent attitude, which Ji Shuminjue would not be happy about at all.

“If you don’t like it, then stay away from it,” Lu Liruan agreed.

"It makes it seem like I'm afraid of him." Ji Shumin said sarcastically and angrily, and then smashed two more shaped vases that didn't quite suit his taste, which made Lu Liruan glare at him.

"If you're so bored, why don't you go outside and soak up some sun?" Lu Liruan lay back in the rocking chair and waved her hand lazily.

Ji Shumin raised an eyebrow, moved next to Lu Li, propped himself up on his arm, and squeezed into Lu Liruan's rocking chair.

The rocking chair began to shake violently.

"Oh!" Lu Liruan was startled.

Then Ji Shumin wrapped his arms tightly around her waist: "Don't move, Li Ruan, be careful not to drop me."

You won't fall if you don't come up!

Lu Liruan held onto the armrests, waiting for the rocking chair to stabilize...

"What are you doing?" Still worried about hurting Ji Shumin, Lu Liruan didn't dare to move, so she could only let his face press against her back and rub against her.

"The sun is warm here, let's bask in it together," he murmured softly.

“Li Ruan, look at us, don’t we look like the pair of cats I saw a few days ago?” He stroked Lu Li Ruan’s back and long hair as if petting a cat.

Lu Liruan felt that he was indeed as gentle as a cat. After being pulled around by him, she nestled down contentedly, closed her eyes, and after a while, her breathing gradually became even.

Lu Liruan looked at his sleeping face. His skin was so pale that fine blood vessels and bluish-black veins could be seen under his eyes, and his bones were prominent, supporting his skeletal frame.

The sunlight made him frown slightly. Lu Liruan moved slightly and raised her hand to shield his face from the light. The two of them curled up together, looking just like two animals huddled together.

Lu Liruan had fallen asleep at some point, and Ji Shumin slowly opened his eyes.

Looking into her eyes, one sees a calm yet resolute determination, shining brightly.

Ji Shumin did not take the initiative to see the eldest prince, but the eldest prince took the initiative to see him.

When Lu Liruan saw him at Songjingyuan, she paused. Ji Shuqin at this moment was both the same and different from when she saw him at the temple that day.

He remained as dignified and gentle as ever, but his attire had changed, making him appear even more noble.

"Sister-in-law," he greeted.

Now that Ji Shumin has been deposed, Lu Liruan is no longer the Crown Princess.

"Elder brother." Lu Liruan bowed on the spot, said nothing more, and turned to go back to her room.

Ji Shuqin entered Ji Shumin's study and saw Ji Shumin sketching something on a canvas. There were several pieces of fabric draped beside him, which were clearly not colors that men would wear.

"Min'er." He asked, slightly puzzled, "What are you doing?"

"The patterns for making clothes." Ji Shumin put down his pen and answered casually, his eyes briefly sweeping over Ji Shuqin.

"Aren't you investigating the matter of embezzlement and misappropriation of military pay and provisions when the troops were sent to fight in the Western Rong?" Ji Shuqin asked.

“Your Majesty seems to know quite a lot,” Ji Shumin said, his tone barbed and undisguised.

Ji Shuqin was not displeased by his tone: "Min'er, your father is unwell, and this is the time for you to share his burdens."

"The seasons are almost over, and Li Ruan doesn't have any new clothes. It's time for me to think about her," Ji Shumin said, jokingly.

"Why would you do this for..." Ji Shuqin looked puzzled.

“Elder brother, now that I’m a free man, I can do whatever I want. I’ve been busy for the first half of my life, and now I just want to relax and enjoy myself.” Ji Shumin raised an eyebrow.

"But eldest brother, you've been idle for so many years. Has Mother taught you anything? Now it's time for you to take charge and work hard," Ji Shumin said, hitting the nail on the head. He watched as a hint of surprise flashed across Ji Shuqin's face before he regained his composure.

"Mother was just giving me ordinary advice." He was puzzled: "Why haven't I visited Mother recently? Min'er, Mother mentioned you the other day."

Mentioning me? Ji Shumin sneered inwardly. They were sending letters privately one after another, but in front of his elder brother, the Emperor, they still had to pretend that there was no connection at all.

"Oh, I'm not feeling well, so I won't bother with anything else."

"What's wrong? Has your leg injury worsened?" Ji Shuqin's concern was genuine and not feigned.