Chapter 813: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
TRANSLATION COMPLETED ✨Want to read advance chapters and help me keep the series going? Join me on Patreon or Ko-fi. Every bit of support helps me dedicate more time to translating!✨
Chapter 813: Father and Son's Rift and Anger (2)
This resentment, which he had thought would remain hidden deep inside, proved he had overestimated his own patience. With so few people close to him, over the years, he had come to regard his two cousins as brothers. He could not tolerate anyone plotting against them for any reason, and this was his bottom line—something he would never allow anyone to cross.
"Heng'er, no... Father did not..." Emperor Hui'an looked at Chu Heng’s distant and indifferent gaze, feeling a sharp pang in his heart.
He had always known that his son did not respect him as much as he appeared to, and he had a sense of where the problem lay. But when everything was laid bare before him, even as an emperor, he could not accept it.
Indeed, the decision to bring Imperial Concubine Lin into the palace was made with ulterior motives, but if he had known that it would lead to the tragic death of his first wife, he would never have done it. But there was no turning back—his Empress would never return, and his most beloved son now resented him in his heart. All of this bitter wine was of his own brewing, and he could only drink it, one mouthful at a time.
The flash of pain on Emperor Hui'an’s face was clear to Chu Heng, who, after seeing it, tightened his fists, releasing them again, his agitation and frustration only deepening. Speaking out his feelings wasn’t much more relieving than keeping them bottled up.
It felt as though he was running away from something; he did not want to hear any more explanations from his father. He just wanted to dismiss the emperor's unrealistic thoughts. Forcing himself to look away, he said in a cold, firm tone, "Father, I pretend I never heard about Miss Mo being taken as a concubine. As for your worries, I won’t let them come to pass! If it comes to that, I’d rather forfeit my position as crown prince than act like a villain who would betray family and steal someone else’s love!"
After saying this, Chu Heng turned sharply, as if to escape, leaving the suffocating and frustrating place in haste. As for whether Emperor Hui'an would stubbornly push Miss Mo on him, he had said all that needed to be said—he could no longer control the outcome. One thing was for sure: he would never compete with his cousin for a woman.
In the spacious imperial study, Emperor Hui'an was left alone, gazing at the back of his son, who had left without a glance. He slumped back onto the dragon chair, feeling as though he had aged several years in an instant...
The carriage entered the boundary of Liuyang Village and stopped. Xiao Ruiyuan had to get off here; otherwise, if he were taken to the Mo family’s house, seeing his future father-in-law would surely destroy the small amount of goodwill he had painstakingly built up.
Mo Yan also got off the carriage and looked around. Not seeing Xiao Ruiyuan’s mount, she asked in confusion, "Are you going to walk back?"
Xiao Ruiyuan’s gaze softened as he gently shook his head. He then took a short flute from his waist and played a brief melody.
Not long after, Mo Yan heard the sound of hooves approaching from behind. Soon, a tall horse appeared in front of them, followed by a person on horseback. Xiao Shiyi dismounted, greeted Mo Yan respectfully, and stood behind his master as usual.
Xiao Ruiyuan’s horse was lively. Upon seeing its owner, it happily neighed and affectionately rubbed its neck against its master’s shoulder, giving Mo Yan a charming look.
If the horse hadn’t been trained so strictly by Xiao Ruiyuan to resist outside distractions, it would have rushed toward Mo Yan the first time it saw her, as animals are far more sensitive to spiritual energy than humans.
Of course, it was too dark for Mo Yan to notice the horse's gaze, so it might as well have been directed at the air. Nevertheless, it didn’t stop Mo Yan from liking the horse, and she reached out to pat its neck, praising it, "What a good horse! Next time you come to my house, I’ll bring you something good to eat."
[End of Chapter]
No comments: