Married To The Cruel Crown Prince

Nianzu went to his mother's chamber to congratulate her on raising her rank as the Empress. Never even in his dreams, he had thought that it would be possible for him to see his mother in a dignified position. She was disrespected by many in the Palace. He remembered each of those faces. 

As he reached there, he found the Minister of State Affairs, Gu Zhenya, coming out from there. He skeptically looked at him before bowing. Minister Zhenya passed a tiny smile to the Prince and left. Nianzu walked in and found many servants there. He realized that his mother would live in the special inn of the Empress. 

Seeing Prince Nianzu, the servants stopped working and, on the command of Deng Hui, left the chamber. 

Nianzu walked to her mother and hugged her. "I am happy for you," Nianzu stated. He pulled back and found his mother did not even smile at him. "What happened? Are you tense about becoming an Empress and handling such a big position?" Deng Hui had never been given such a big responsibility ever in her life. All these years, she stayed in her quarters, and even her participation was limited. 

"Why did Prince Nianzu refuse to become the Crown Prince?" Hearing this question from the mouth of his mother, Nianzu was a little shocked. The smile on his lips gradually disappeared, and he frowned. 

"Because I am not suitable for that position," Nianzu replied. "Mother knows that I never had a liking towards becoming a Crown Prince." Nianzu remained calm. The last time he got angry at his mother then she had fallen sick. 

"You should not have refused such a great position. Even Minister Zhenya stood up for you there to support you, yet you simply declined this. Your mother did not bear the tortures of the former Empress because she was weak but because she wanted her son to be safe and in a good position." Nianzu could not believe that his mother was speaking like that. Was he wrong about his mother's true nature? He was disheartened to learn that his mother was not less than the late Weng Wei. 

"Mother, this is the last time I will hear this from you. I cannot lead a nation. I am good at giving advice that is why I accepted the position of an Advisor to the Emperor, else I would have even refused for that." The way Nianzu talked seemed as if he warned his mother. "Since it is a great occasion for you, I do not intend to ruin your good mood. I shall take my leave." Nianzu bowed, and before Deng Hui could stop him, he left her sight. 

Angrily, Nianzu reached his chamber. Eunuch Chung greeted him, but he ignored it and went straight to his study chamber. Closing the door behind him, he rested his back against the door and closed his eyes. How could his mother speak that way? She always considered Sheng Li as her son, so why? In the eyes of Nianzu, other than Sheng Li, no one could be the Crown Prince.

"Your highness," a familiar voice interrupted him, and he immediately opened his eyes. Chuntao was standing in front of him with a pile of old books in her hands.

Nianzu dashed towards her and helped her in carrying those books. He placed them on the study table. "What are you doing here?" Nianzu turned to her and then again looked back at the books. It slipped his mind that he had told Chuntao to send the old books to the local bookshop in the market so that future civil servants, who could not afford high price books, could purchase them at a lower price.

"His highness has commanded me to send these books to the local bookshop," Chuntao answered. 

Nianzu recalled immediately. "I forgot about that. Take the help of a servant. You shall not carry so many books alone." Nianzu was a little concerned.

"These are not heavy at all, your highness. I do not want to disturb the servants for the work which I can do easily," Chuntao stated and put the books one above the other, again to carry them. 

"Do this later. Spend time… I mean stay here. I want someone to have a conversation with me." Nianzu made a request. Chuntao peered at him and nodded her head. 

Nianzu pulled out a chair for her and gestured to her to sit. "Your highness, how can I sit first before you?" Chuntao mumbled when Nianzu put his hands on her shoulders and made her sit, startling her.

Nianzu then took another seat in front of her around the study table. He put aside the books so that he could see her face, which was blocked because of the piles of the books. 

"What does his highness want to converse about?" Chuntao queried. 

Nianzu leaned his back on the chair. Suddenly, his mind had turned calm. It used to happen when Chuntao was around him. A moment ago, he had a surge of various negative thoughts, but the moment he thought to share them, they vanished as if they never existed. Chuntao kept staring at him for a few minutes. When she did not get any response from the Fourth Prince, she decided to ask him again. 

"You shall leave." These words fell from the mouth of Nianzu, leaving her in a confused state. His eyes had turned blank as if there was nothing to say. Chuntao was indeed astonished by the behavior of the Prince, but she did not think it would seem right to ask him the reason. She stood up, carried those old books, and left the study chamber. 

Nianzu watched her leave the room. "Involving her in my matters will not be good," Nianzu murmured and opened the drawer to read the book, which he had left the last time in the middle. As he opened it, he saw the scroll that seemed familiar to him. "What is it doing here?" Nianzu muttered. "Did Chung put it here?" He wondered and threw it on the desk. 

He stared at the scroll. "What if Mother forces me to marry this girl?" Suddenly this thought came into his mind. He brought his hands over the desk, joined them, and rested his forehead over them. "I will leave the Palace if she does this," Nianzu concluded after thinking hard.