Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved
Chapter 276 He is the Son of Me and Lady Zhang

Chapter 276: Chapter 276 He is the Son of Me and Lady Zhang

The Empress Dowager’s grandfather was originally the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor, that is, the late emperor’s teacher,

The Zhang family, known for its scholarly heritage, was the most distinguished and noble family in the Capital City.

Although the old Grand Tutor had already retired, many still sought his guidance, and his eldest son, the father of the Empress Dowager, was also famously talented. Consequently, the Zhang family was a hub of activity, with guests filling their home and their influence reaching far and wide.

Even the Princes would respectfully call Mr. Zhang their teacher and were frequent visitors to the Zhang household.

Before His Majesty became the Crown Prince, he was just an unfavored Prince with several outstanding brothers above him who were much more loved by their father, the Emperor. His maternal family was not prominent, and he himself was sickly as a child, which led the Emperor to dislike his presence and seldom invite him to palace banquets.

Those servants in the palace who were adept at flattering the more favored and stepping on the less would often covertly mistreat him, seeing his unfavor. Of course, they wouldn’t beat or scold him to his face, but he would frequently encounter various inconveniences concerning his food, clothing, and other necessities.

Fortunately, he needed to start his education, so he was able to attend the Grand Academy alongside the other Princes, with Mr. Zhang as their teacher.

Consequently, he also had the opportunity to leave the palace to visit his teacher and enter the Zhang residence.

Due to his diligence and scholarly excellence, his teacher took good care of him on a regular basis. The other Princes grew jealous, and even when the teacher was sick in bed, he would make a point of asking him about his studies in private, with the young lady from the Zhang family present. Rumors suggested that she would become the future Empress, and every Prince tried to court her, acting as if marrying her meant they would be established as the Crown Prince.

Moreover, she was dignified and beautiful, with a lovely face, especially her pair of eyes that seemed to speak, making her very likable.

That day, because the teacher kept him back alone, the young lady from the Zhang family also gave him several extra glances and spoke with him for a bit.

Sadly, this did not escape the attention of his several elder brothers. Once the young lady from the Zhang family had left, they cornered him and beat him up, warning him to stay away from her.

What the Princes didn’t know was that the young lady from the Zhang family had not gone far, because she had dropped her sachet. He didn’t remind her, but quietly picked it up. Thus, when she returned, she came across the pitiable sight of him.

From that time onward, the young lady from the Zhang family took even greater care of him, and their relationship grew progressively closer. They even exchanged small gifts, truly embodying the relationship of childhood sweethearts.

Inside the Imperial Study Room, the Emperor gently caressed the portrait on his desk. The painting was lifelike, clearly the work of a master craftsman. To anyone at his side, one might think it was a portrait of Consort Jing in her youth.

But for those familiar with Consort Jing or the Empress Dowager, it was clear that this was not her.

It was the Empress Dowager in her years of early youth.

The Emperor reminisced about the tacit understanding he shared with Lady Zhang in their youth, the innocence of childhood, the bond of adolescent friends, the mutual affection that had formed between them, all of which couldn’t stand against the imperial edict that separated them forever.

He had thought Lady Zhang was unwilling. The late emperor was even two years older than her father, but it wasn’t until the late emperor passed away, and Lady Zhang confront him after learning the news, going so far as to smash her head against a palace column, that he realized in those short three years the late emperor had taken her heart. Lady Zhang wished to be buried with him in the Imperial Mausoleum.

How laughable.

An older husband and a young wife, could there be true affection? So, the smiles he saw when he used to pay his respects, they weren’t just for show?

He killed the late emperor, admittedly coveting royal authority, but what was it really for? Lady Zhang surely knew.

However, once Lady Zhang awoke, she resolutely entered the Imperial Temple to mourn the late emperor, forever closing her doors to his requests for an audience.

Afterward, when he was upset and restless, on a secret visit in plain clothes, he encountered the peasant girl Xiao Yu after a bout of drinking, who is now Consort Jing.

Xiao Yu only bore a slight resemblance to the Empress Dowager, but in his drunken longing, he imagined she was identical. He thought she was Lady Zhang.

Later on, he kept Xiao Yu by his side, making every move of hers mimic that of the person he liked.

When her voice did not resemble hers, he refrained her from speaking and renamed her Yu Jing.

On the day the Third Prince was born, the day the Empress Dowager returned to the palace, he indulged in the affection of the past and was sick with yearning. So, he bolstered his courage with wine and thought, now that he was the Emperor, what in the world wasn’t his to claim? Why couldn’t he obtain even one woman? No, there was no woman he could not have.

He fully savored the power of imperial authority, or rather its sweet rewards, understanding why since ancient times there had been so much fratricide and conflict between fathers and sons. He could do anything he wanted as long as he did not become a tyrant.

He thought, as long as Lady Zhang was willing, he could have her fake her death and re-enter the palace as the daughter of a high official to become his consort.

He could also decide not to hold any further selections for consorts. Their children would be the Crown Prince.

Lady Zhang would agree; had she not lived a solitary life akin to that of an ancient monk these past few years? Would she not feel lonely?

The Zhang family had been secretly oppressed by him; surely Lady Zhang would want to seek a clear path to glory for her family?

He was full of pride and satisfaction, but what he received was a slap from Lady Zhang and a bloodied dagger.

Lady Zhang’s snow-white neck threatened with the blade, beads of blood dripping down. One more cut, and the vein would be severed.

He almost fled in panic yet hated himself for being so easily manipulated by Lady Zhang, but he truly did not wish for her to die. The yearning from his youth had persisted to this day. Lady Zhang must have had some feelings for him; otherwise, why would she have asked the late emperor to appoint him as Crown Prince?

Yu Jing arrived at just the right time.

He treated Yu Jing as though she were Lady Zhang, releasing nearly a decade of pent-up emotions. He pretended that Lady Zhang had never refused him and that they went to Wu Mountain together.

So it was in this reckless night that the Third Prince was conceived.

The day the Third Prince was born was also Lady Zhang’s birthday, and the child bore a strong resemblance to both Lady Zhang and him. It was as if their child had been born out of Yu Jing’s womb.

Whether he was deceiving himself or for some other reason, the son he doted on the most was the Third Prince.

Cherishing what affects the heart, Yu Jing gradually became dear to him. Whenever he was restless, Yu Jing’s place was always where he was willing to retreat to. She never competed for favor, never had any undue aspirations, and diligently played her role as a substitute. Naturally compliant and obedient, she was favored in all aspects.

Noble Consort Qi was beautiful but foolish, and she made the perfect shield. The Empress, though outwardly warm and dignified, had a heart as venomous as a snake. Many pregnant women in the palace fell victim to the Empress’s schemes. In his earlier years, he paid little attention, but now he realized that his lineage was indeed lacking in heirs.

With the Second Prince having already made an assassination attempt on the Third Prince, the Emperor’s tolerance for the Empress had reached its limit.

Softly caressing the portrait, he slowly folded it and murmured, "We’ve both aged; the Third Prince is our child. I must remove all obstacles in his path to make him the supreme ruler."

He carefully put the treasured portrait away and summoned Divine Doctor Miao.

"Has the Third Prince’s hand fully healed?"

Divine Doctor Miao spoke with neither humility nor arrogance, "Your Majesty, rest assured, the technique I use is painful, but the Third Prince’s hand has indeed been properly set back into place. Once it is fully healed, he will be able to use it normally in the future."

Contrary to palace rumors, the Third Prince’s hand had been properly mended, and not only that, his concealed illness had also been cured. As long as he did not excessively indulge himself, the lineage would not be affected.

The Emperor was pleased and praised Divine Doctor Miao before inquiring, "I’ve heard that you are skilled in using Gu. Is there one that can put someone into an endless sleep?"

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