Chapter 88b: Hatred Born of Jealousy
With a cold sneer, Luo Qing Shuang replied, “What, don’t tell me that you truly have never thought about it? You’re a respectable Fifth Prince, but His Majesty simply doesn’t like you. Don’t tell me that you’re actually perfectly happy to live under people all of your life, looking on helplessly as your oldest brother inherits the throne, to finally sink into the life of an idle prince, sullen for a lifetime until death?”
Nangong Chen was filled with astonishment as he looked at the woman before him. He didn’t expect that the Luo Qing Shuang who formerly only knew of riches and glory, pleasure and acting spoiled, jealous in love, actually became so unfamiliar. Did she know what she was saying? If these words were to spread, he’s afraid the entire Fifth Prince’s Mansion would be turned upside down.
Grabbing her wrists with an iron grip, Nangong Chen’s complexion became increasingly unsightly, saying between gritted teeth, “These are matters for men to deal with. You women should care less about them. You only need to properly nurture your fetus and give birth to the child properly, that’s enough. You don’t need to bother with anything else and are also forbidden from taking part in them. Do you hear!”
“Child? Do I still have mood to care about a child?” Luo Qing Shuang was aggrieved and inconsolable, tears already flowing down. “You don’t know how I was humiliated today? And how my mother was also humiliated? This is the first time I’ve felt so vexed in my life, so vexed that I wanted to die, did you know that?”
Almost screaming through her sobs, her voice hissed and cracked. “Luo Qing Luan, that loathsome girl. Relying on the fact that she’s marrying Nalan Ye, she actually chastised my mother for being a concubine who failed to have a son and even wanted my mother to dance for her. She’s taking my mother to be a lowly performer. Even more so, she was humiliating me!”
“Chen, I’m indeed your Imperial Side Consort. You’re a stately Fifth Prince. Why is it that Luo Qing Luan dared to humiliate me? Wasn’t it because she relied on the Prince of Chu’s power! That Nalan Ye basically is not someone from the royal family, yet struts about even grander than a prince. Why is that, what does he count as!”
Forcibly shaking Nangong Chen’s hand, Luo Qing Shuang wept as she vented, not caring about anything else. “Chen, if you’re a man, you should take back everything that belongs to you! You’re a prince, you’re His Majesty’s son. How can an outsider like Nalan Ye step on you under his foot? As long as you’re willing, I can do anything for you. I’m willing to pay any price. As long as you can ascend to that position! I don’t want to be looked down upon. I don’t want to be humiliated again!”
After letting everything out in a breath, Luo Qing Shuang seemed as if she’d lost all of her strength, nearly falling to the ground paralyzed.
Nangong Chen listened with fury rocketing, depression and boredom suddenly changed into a raging fury. He quickly supported Luo Qing Shuang, expression already as dark as the bottom of a pan.
Nalan Ye! It’s Nalan Ye again!
If it wasn’t for him, last time, when facing Imperial Father, how would the matter of him marrying a princ.i.p.al consort forcibly be turned into taking in a concubine? Nalan Ye was slapping his face, looking down upon him. Otherwise, how could he have taken him lightly like that!
“Qing Shuang, did you return to the General’s Mansion today?” Nangong Chen asked apathetically and had Luo Qing Shuang tell him everything that happened today.
“Chen, I’m truly not reconciled……why is it that Luo Qing Luan can rely on Nalan Ye’s power, yet I have to be humiliated by her like that?” Luo Qing Shuang wrapped her arms around Nangong Chen’s waist and wept like raindrops falling upon a beautiful flower, lovely and pitiful. “If you’re a crown prince, how good would that be. How would she dare to bully me like that, and even bullied my mother?”
As if something had bloomed in his heart, a root which had already started germinating slowly matured. Now that he’d heard Luo Qing Shuang lament like that, Nangong Chen increasingly felt that he could not continue to endure it. In the past, he had continually been preparing. Even though he felt that his preparations were already meticulous enough, he still didn’t take action, afraid that he’d be discovered.
Yet now, he had no choice but to make a move now. If he continued to remain inactive, his everything will vanish like smoke, thoroughly disappear until nothing’s left.
Now that Nangong Qing was away. If he waited until his brother returned from the border in triumph, how wouldn’t his brother earn great merit in Imperial Father’s presence?
As the oldest son of the emperor, this older brother of his was naturally not someone he could pit himself lightly against. However, taking advantage of the time Nangong Qing was absent, he could do some other things. If he could earn some favors, then that would establish a foundation for the future.
Thinking to this point, Nangong Chen calculated things over and over again, then finally said, “Qing Shuang, don’t worry, you’re my woman. I naturally won’t treat you unfairly. If you want to help me, then there’s something for you to do at the moment. I need to carry it out immediately.”
“What is it, Cheng, tell me. I’ll definitely do it well.” Luo Qing Shuang was overjoyed at the turn of events. She didn’t expect that Nangong Chen not only didn’t scold her, he instead really wanted to strive to move ahead. If it’s truly like that, then that’s indeed something she would be willing to give her all towards.
Nangong Chen replied, “A few days ago, I heard that Imperial Mother has conceived.”
Luo Qing Shuang was startled. “What? Imperial Mother is actually pregnant? Hasn’t the imperial physician already determined that she can’t give birth anymore?”
Nangong Chen answered, “I also know that. In any case, Imperial Mother has already conceived. Therefore, what you need to do now is to go into the palace and spend time with Imperial Mother. On the basis that you’re also pregnant, you can have a few more talks with Imperial Mother. Your pregnancy is earlier than Imperial Mother’s so naturally you already have some experiences which you can tell her about. But what’s most important is that, you need to do your best to make Imperial Mother like you, understand?”
Such a simple matter. How could Luo Qing Shuang not understand? If Fifth Prince can first leave a good impression upon Her Highness the empress, whatever they need to accomplish in the future will become a bit easier. Moreover, it’s just spending a few days chatting with Her Highness, basically not strenuous at all. This was really too easy.
Thinking to this point, Luo Qing Shuan rubbed her belly and laughed, “Chen, I got it. I’ll go to the imperial palace to pay a visit to Imperial Mother.”