The Emperor’s Beloved Ugly Girl - Chapter 74

Ah Chou, a coarse palace maid, had no knowledge of the secrets of the court. She was shocked but still puzzled, “Even if the Empress truly passed away due to childbirth, His Majesty shouldn’t blame you for it. It has nothing to do with you.”

“You just said it yourself, the Emperor and Empress had a deep relationship, but my birth mother died violently. How can the Emperor not resent me?” Zhong Mingwei looked at Ah Chou, raising an eyebrow with a hint of mockery while his lips remained tightly pursed.

“But, His Majesty appointed you as the Crown Prince early on. If he truly resented you, he wouldn’t have let you become the Crown Prince,” Ah Chou still couldn’t believe it.

“So, you’ve seen what fate has befallen me, the Crown Prince, today,” Zhong Mingwei coldly lifted his lips, looking mocking, yet his mouth remained tightly drawn. “Indeed, he personally raised me to be the Crown Prince, and later he personally decreed my demotion to a commoner, exiling me to Ningguta. That is my father, the Emperor.”

The more Ah Chou heard, the more uneasy she felt. She gently pinched Zhong Mingwei’s shoulder and whispered, “It’s okay now. Look, it’s not bad, is it? Your hands can move, the skin and flesh on your back are not as stiff as before, you’ll surely get better. Maybe next year, you’ll be able to get out of bed and walk. The capital is in chaos. It’s good that we don’t go back. We won’t enjoy the blessings or endure the hardships.”

“Yes, not going back is good,” Zhong Mingwei smiled faintly, turning his head to look at Ah Chou. “When my legs are better, we can go down the mountain and cultivate a few acres of land, grow some crops to feed ourselves. Enjoy good days and endure poor days, live at ease.”

“Really?” Ah Chou’s nose suddenly felt a bit sour. “Do you really think so?”

“Really,” Zhong Mingwei nodded. While sighing softly, he said, “I only hope that the Empress Dowager lives a long life. My father has always been filial. As long as she is alive, I can live my days in peace.”

“She will surely live a long life,” Ah Chou hastily said, wiping her teary eyes. While massaging Zhong Mingwei more vigorously, she said, “You like red bean porridge. In the future, we’ll plant more red beans.”

“Good. Also, plant some shepherd’s purse. Make big dumplings for me every day,” Zhong Mingwei said lightly, a gentle smile on the face of this man in his thirties. “Making dumplings is fine too.”

“No need to plant shepherd’s purse!” Ah Chou was amused by him, pinching the man’s nose while teasing, “Shepherd’s purse is a wild vegetable. It grows all over the mountains here. Why would you bother planting it? You’re so silly!”

“How about wood ear mushrooms?” Zhong Mingwei also didn’t mind continuing to ask questions shamelessly. He knew very well that in some areas, he might have been a king, but in other fields, he was as clumsy and ignorant as a child.

“No need for wood ear mushrooms either. As long as it rains, you can find them outside,” Ah Chou said with a smile. “Just look for rotting wood. They usually grow on top. Sometimes, you can harvest a whole basin from one piece of wood. But if the tree isn’t rotten, wood ear mushrooms can still grow on it. Oh well, enough talking. I’ll teach you in the future.”

“Alright, you teach me,” Zhong Mingwei squinted, “Teach me. Then, you won’t need to go out in the rain.”

The 30th day of the sixth lunar month, the 32nd year of Jiasheng

Capital.

Yanxi Palace.

After returning from Baohua Temple, Imperial Consort Zhao had been wearing a stern face. The Third Prince, Zhong Mingzheng, followed her back to Yanxi Palace, and his expression was also displeased.

“You all can leave.” After entering the main hall with Imperial Consort Zhao, Zhong Mingzheng, with a stern face, ordered the palace attendants.

“Yes, Your Highness. This servant will take her leave.” The palace attendants quickly bowed and withdrew.

“Mother, what does Father mean?” Zhong Mingzheng couldn’t hold back anymore. He angrily said to Imperial Consort Zhao, “Does Father intend to concurrently confer titles of Prince upon me and the Second Brother? How can Father be so biased? What is the background of Noble Consort Shu? What is your background? Moreover, with you as the honored Imperial Consort, the leader of all consorts, Noble Consort Shu is naturally inferior to you. Why should Second Brother be on equal footing with me?!”