Ch 98: Perhaps He… Regrets It
“Husband, why would you doubt me? Is someone whispering in your ear? Those people are jealous of our deep love, trying to drive a wedge between us. Husband, please don’t fall for their tricks.”
“How could I do such a despicable thing, making money from the nation’s suffering? Husband, you’ve known me for so many years, don’t you know my character? How could I have the audacity to do such a thing?”
Meng Qingjiao put her arms around Prince Qing’s thin waist, her words full of grievance and incitement.
Prince Qing looked down at his beloved’s fluffy hair, listening to her defense, his eyes filled with deep sadness and heaviness.
He slowly closed his eyes, his voice carrying an unspeakable chill, his words cold.
“Do you know who told this to me?”
“It doesn’t matter who, it’s completely the servant’s incitement.”
Meng Qingjiao was focused on how to eliminate Prince Qing’s suspicions, guessing who had leaked this matter.
If she found out who had gone to Prince Qing to report, she would have that person executed.
“It was Father Emperor who said it.” Prince Qing’s words were like a sudden frost in winter, making Meng Qingjiao’s heart tremble.
“Father… Father Emperor said it?” Meng Qingjiao was shocked, and involuntarily let go of his hand, staggering back a few steps.
How could Father Emperor know about this? She had done it so secretly.
She racked her brains but couldn’t figure out the reason, only thinking that someone in the shop had leaked the rumor.
Prince Qing caught the fleeting panic in her eyes, and knew it was true.
For a moment, his breathing was disordered, his chest rising and falling unevenly.
“Cough cough… cough——”
He coughed violently, as if he was going to cough up his insides.
Seeing this, Meng Qingjiao quickly stepped forward, hurriedly finding a medicine bottle from the drawer, and carefully fed it to Prince Qing.
Her soft hand rested on Prince Qing’s back, gently patting him to soothe his breathing, the panic in her eyes even more intense, “I… I was just momentarily confused, blinded by others’ slander, that I made a big mistake. I never thought it would be profiteering from a national disaster.”
“Husband, please see that this is my first offense, forgive me, okay? I won’t dare to do it again, I won’t ever do it again.”
Having said that, bright tears slid down her beautiful face, like broken pearls, falling heavily onto her clothes one by one.
Subtle and intermittent sobs, intertwined with gradually weakening coughs, echoed in the quiet room.
A trace of heartache arose in Prince Qing’s heart, then it was replaced by a faint sadness, he slowly closed his eyes.
“Have you ever considered the consequences of this action?” His voice was low and heavy.
Meng Qingjiao just sobbed softly, shaking her head gently.
“Father Emperor has ordered that I will leave for my fiefdom at the latest after this New Year.” Prince Qing’s words carried a hint of imperceptible bitterness.
As soon as these words were spoken, a flash of panic appeared in Meng Qingjiao’s eyes.
This didn’t happen in the last life.
If she went to the fiefdom, could she still come back?
Too many changes have occurred in this life. She worried that the Crown Prince didn’t die in this life, Prince Qing wouldn’t be able to ascend to the position of Crown Prince, and she wouldn’t be able to become the Crown Princess, or the Empress.
Prince Qing didn’t look at Meng Qingjiao’s expression, muttering softly to himself.
“Once I go to the fiefdom, it means I’m completely cut off from Jingdu. I won’t be able to know anything that happens in Jingdu.”
“Originally, Father Emperor ordered me to leave in two months.”
“But my weak body can’t withstand the hardships of a long journey. It was the Crown Prince who pleaded with Father Emperor to let me recover before leaving.”
“But how long can this be delayed? If it’s like other princes, after going to the fiefdom, I can only return to Jingdu during the New Year.”
“And my body, how can it withstand the hardships of the long journey and the biting cold wind.”
A strong sense of unwillingness appeared in Prince Qing’s eyes.
As long as his frail body recovers, his plan can be put on the agenda.
At that time, the Crown Prince will perish, and he, as the only prince in Jingdu who hasn’t gone to his fiefdom, will have more time than those princes to win over the ministers of the Court.
But now…
“Cough——”
Prince Qing coughed softly, the unwillingness in his eyes turning into firmness.
He must quickly invite Physician Qi to treat his illness.
Once his illness is cured, he can immediately implement his plan.
He just didn’t know if the people he sent could succeed smoothly.
“Have you heard that the Xiao Family in Jiangnan made great contributions in the disaster relief efforts? What kind of honor did Father Emperor bestow upon them?” Prince Qing’s eyes were clear and calm as he looked at Meng Qingjiao.
Meng Qingjiao shook her head with tears in her eyes upon hearing this.
“Father Emperor appointed the Xiao Family as the Great Zhou’s number one ‘Imperial Merchant,’ and bestowed a plaque as a reward. When the Imperial Edict reaches Jiangnan, an envoy will personally lead the head of the Xiao Family back to Jingdu for an audience.”
“A merchant, granted an audience with the Emperor. This kind of honor is unprecedented in our Great Zhou! Cough——”
When Prince Qing mentioned this, his emotions were agitated, and he couldn’t help but cough again.
Meng Qingjiao, upon hearing this, was shocked, and she shook her head repeatedly, muttering to herself: “How is this possible? The Xiao Family is just an ordinary merchant in Jiangnan, how could they have such a great face, to be granted an audience and become an ‘Imperial Merchant’?”
Hearing this, Prince Qing closed his eyes wearily.
Ordinary merchants?
The Xiao Family, whether in Jiangnan or in the whole of Great Zhou, are prominent and well-known merchants.
In the past, because the Xiao Family’s business rarely extended to the bustling Jingdu, the female relatives in Jingdu knew little about them.
After this morning’s court meeting, the Xiao Family’s name will surely spread like a spring breeze, quietly entering the ears of the people and women and children of Jingdu, becoming a hot topic in the streets and alleys.
When the Xiao Family members grandly enter Jingdu for an audience, the Xiao Family’s status and glory as Imperial Merchants will surely resound throughout the Great Zhou.
Prince Qing asked again: “Do you know who came up with this idea?”
Meng Qingjiao kept shaking her head, her eyes full of panic.
“It was Meng Tingyue who proposed it.”
Prince Qing’s mood was extremely complicated upon learning this.
That a woman would come up with such an outlandish idea of the Court cooperating with merchants.
Prince Qing didn’t believe that there was no selfishness involved.
He now had to admit that his Imperial Brother had married a good wife.
“Impossible! How could she come up with such a plan!” Meng Qingjiao naturally didn’t believe it.
Prince Qing looked at her slightly distorted face, and Wang Qishen’s words echoed in his mind again.
“If you can marry the eldest daughter of the Meng Family, it will be especially helpful to Your Highness in the future.”
Yes, it was very helpful.
He had underestimated Meng Tingyue.
He perhaps… regretted it.
