Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress
Chapter 475 - 472: Joyful Heart_1

Chapter 475: Chapter 472: Joyful Heart_1

"And... I only knocked King Liang unconscious, both of them were made to sleep with incense!" The Crown Prince was equally bewildered, his face pale as a ghost. "How could King Liang do anything to the Commandery Princess! Impossible!"

The Emperor’s temples throbbed. How could he not understand the convoluted thoughts of the Crown Prince?

Of course, the Crown Prince didn’t want King Liang to marry Liu Ruofu. Behind Liu Ruofu stood King Xian, whose only daughter she was. King Xian held significant military power!

The Emperor closed his eyes. The reason he had valued King Xian for so many years and allowed him to control military power without suspicion was because King Xian had once saved the Emperor’s life at the cost of his own wellbeing, losing the ability to have more children in the process. Liu Ruofu was his only child!

The Emperor felt deeply indebted to King Xian, which was why he had always trusted King Xian and treated Liu Ruofu as if she were his own.

King Xian in Nandu hadn’t received the news yet. If he did, he might be so enraged that he would spit blood. King Xian treasured his only daughter as his most precious possession. With her reputation now tarnished, he could hardly bear it.

But how had the news spread so quickly?

Could it be... King Liang?!

The Emperor couldn’t help but start doubting his weak and incompetent son. The spreading of this matter... would only benefit King Liang.

Given the situation, Daliang would certainly not take back a Commandery Princess with a damaged reputation for their Fourth Prince. To appease King Xian, King Liang would have to marry Liu Ruofu.

But the Emperor felt somewhat unwilling. He still wanted to test King Liang and see if he was truly being victimized by the Crown Prince, or if he intended to marry King Xian’s only daughter all along.

The Emperor squinted and instructed Gao Demao, "Go summon King Liang!"

After washing his face and changing clothes, King Liang was brought into the hall by Gao Demao. He respectfully paid his respects to the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

Just as the Crown Prince was about to speak, the Emperor interrupted, looking at King Liang, who was kneeling on the ground. "Just now, Master Wang from the Ministry of Rites entered the palace and said your affair with the Commandery Princess Liu Ruofu is now known by everyone. Even the peace envoy from Daliang has come to seek an audience. How do you think this matter should be resolved?"

King Liang didn’t dare to raise his head. His palms couldn’t help but tighten. This was his opportunity to marry King Xian’s daughter, Liu Ruofu.

He looked up at the Emperor in shock. "How could it be?! How could everyone know?"

King Liang’s gaze fell on the Crown Prince. "Crown Prince... Brother Crown Prince? Could it be..."

"The Crown Prince would have to be mad to spread this matter!" The Emperor stifled his rage, gritted his teeth, and said, "Speak, how should this matter be resolved?"

"Father, I... I..." King Liang hung his head in despair, his voice very low. "Tingzhen must know too. She must hate me greatly..."

The Crown Prince almost couldn’t hold back from berating King Liang for playing the victim in front of the Emperor but then heard King Liang sobbing, "But... the Commandery Princess is also innocent. Since I have ruined her reputation, I am willing to take responsibility for this!"

As soon as King Liang finished speaking, the Emperor hurled his teacup at him. "I really haven’t seen it before! My son actually has this kind of ambition, going to such lengths to marry the daughter of a powerful minister with military authority. What do you intend to do? Stage a coup?!"

King Liang’s face turned white as a sheet. "I dare not! I dare not, Father! I absolutely do not have such intentions. Father, you know me, I am timid and weak, but I am a man! Father said it is already widely known. What can I do?"

The Emperor looked at King Liang continuously kowtowing, his forehead bloody from hitting the stone floor. Fists clenched, he impatiently said, "Enough! Stop kowtowing!"

King Liang shuddered in fear, almost collapsing to the ground, trembling and sobbing softly.

"Given the current situation, you can only marry Liu Ruofu. But remember, this is my final act of tolerance! Understand?" The Emperor spoke.

King Liang kept kowtowing, unable to utter a complete sentence.

The Crown Prince, filled with rage, returned to the Crown Prince’s residence. After hearing that the death warriors he had sent to monitor King Liang had all mysteriously disappeared and were most likely dead, his apprehension towards King Liang intensified greatly.

He hadn’t expected that King Liang still had men he could use!

It didn’t require much thought. The news about Liu Ruofu and King Liang was certainly spread by King Liang’s men.

Yet the Crown Prince worried that if he brought this matter up to the Emperor again, and the Emperor investigated... the fact that he harbored death warriors in his residence would be exposed.

When admitting to setting up King Liang today, the Crown Prince had feared the Emperor would investigate. Luckily, the Emperor hadn’t looked into it deeply, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief. Bringing up the matter again would only court disaster.

From the Crown Prince’s understanding of the Emperor, the Emperor summoning King Liang to ask how to handle the matter with Liu Ruofu was merely a probe. If King Liang expressed a desire to marry Liu Ruofu, the Emperor would certainly become wary of King Liang!

"Keep an eye on King Liang’s mansion! A fox will eventually reveal its tail!" The Crown Prince said with a sinister expression. "Furthermore... the Commandery Princess Liu Ruofu has always been proud and arrogant. Now that she is forced to marry King Liang, she surely harbors resentment! Call the Crown Princess Consort! She must visit Liu Ruofu and offer her comfort!"

Quan Yu acknowledged the order and hurried out to summon the Crown Princess Consort.

·

Due to bringing along Dong Tingzhen, who was not accustomed to long travels, Bai Qingyan’s party made numerous stops along the way. By the time they reached Shuoyang, it was already July 18th.

This time, Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi had earned military honors in the Northern Frontier. One was promoted to Princess, and the other to Commandery Princess. To ordinary people and the Bai Clan, it showed Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi’s immense favor and high status.

Though Bai Qingyan had sent a message to the Bai Mansion in Shuoyang about their return, Mrs. Dong hadn’t informed the clan.

Bai Qihe behaved himself, believing that if Bai Qingyan hadn’t mentioned it, he shouldn’t inquire further for fear of displeasing her.

But Bai Qihe’s wife, Mrs. Fang, was more daring. She secretly sent someone to investigate Bai Qingyan’s whereabouts. When Bai Qihe found out, the couple had a severe argument, and early this morning, Mrs. Fang packed her things and went to her parents’ home.

The Governor and Magistrate Zhou met again at the city gate. They were already accustomed to this. Magistrate Zhou raised his hand and greeted with a smile, "I heard that your youngest son followed the Princess of Zhen, now assisting in the training field, and is very much in her favor! Congratulations, my lord!"

The Governor remained calm, sitting under the oilcloth canopy, holding his teacup, and leisurely replied, "Have you finished investigating all the cases related to the Bai Clan, Magistrate Zhou?"

"Naturally. I heard that the Princess of Zhen is returning to Shuoyang today. I am here to report in person. Those who should be exiled are exiled, and those who should do hard labor are doing hard labor! Punished according to the law!" Magistrate Zhou said with a bright smile.

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