Forced to Marry the Enemy Prince

Translator- Xiao He Lian

Chapter 105

The child grew up day by day and became lovelier by the day. When he was with Xian Sheng, it was like a big jade man holding the little jade man

Emperor Jin came over every day to have lunch and hug his grandson. And then the Empress would come and persuade him to go back. He had reached the age of knowing his destiny. He stayed in the deep palace for many years, commanded numerous officials and governed the whole country. Now that he was sitting on a table full of memorials, he suddenly felt that life was dull and insipid. 

The Empress herself made tea for him and put it on the table. Seeing his absent-minded look, she said, “Is there anyone like you? You are obsessed with your grandson, don’t you want the kingdom anymore?”

“Hm.” Emperor Jin smacked his lips and said: “It has been twenty three years since I ascended the throne and I’ve been commanding the country for nearly 30 years. In fact, it wasn’t easy. You have to offend a lot of people and also have to please a lot of people. You have a lot of things to deal with every day, for fear of the throne being stolen by others. It is really dull and uninteresting.”

The Empress’ eyes flashed, her heart moved slightly and she said: “After having a grandson, have you lost the desire for the throne?”

“My grandfather died suddenly at thirty-three and my father died suddenly at forty-three. Tell me, do you think I will die suddenly at fifty three?”

The Empress smiled and said: “Why did you suddenly think about this?”

“I want to take care of my life and enjoy the happiness with my family.” Emperor Jin looked at his feet: “Look at my feet, the child is almost full moon1One month old, and it’s not well yet. The older I get, it becomes difficult to recover.”

“It hurts, doesn’t it? I’ll change your medicine later.”

“You really don’t understand what I mean?” Emperor Jin’s eyes are deep, he said: “I have gathered all the beauties in the world and have given birth to more than a dozen children but I don’t want to die suddenly on the throne one day. Now that Zhan Zhen is here, I still have a chance to choose but unfortunately he is a little young.”

The Empress’ heart started to beat faster: “Do you want to abdicate?”

Emperor Jin smiled: “What do you think?”

 The Empress’ face changed. She stood up and said: “The harem is not allowed to do politics so I dare not say.”

“Do you think that apart from Zhan Zhen, who else can take up such an important task?” He said, “Right now, we are husband and wife, you can speak directly.”

Except for Zhan Zhen, none of the royal family members can handle such an important task. The Empress looked grim and said, “He has a strategy, tactics and he is a prodigy in martial arts. He has all kinds of weapons and equipment and even led troops to capture twenty cities in the Liang Kingdom. His achievements are  unparalleled. Although he was favored since childhood, he was never arrogant. Regardless of character or courage, he is far ahead than others and he has prestige in the army. If you want to pass the throne, I am afraid that some people will not accept it.”

“Only you dare to say these words in front of me.”

“Aren’t we a husband and wife at the moment?”

“Only you dare to believe it.”

Empress Xin didn’t speak, her eyes were a bit cold. Emperor Jin looked at her for a while, then patted the seat beside him and told her to sit down. He said, “The late Emperor also said similar things to my imperial concubine mother and my mother, like you said good things for me and lost her life.”

Empress Xin still didn’t speak but her eyes narrowed slightly. Emperor Jin patted her hand: “Among the people in the harem, I admire you the most.”

*

 In the Crown Prince’s Mansion, Xian Sheng was wondering: “Does your father intend to abdicate?”

“That’s what my mother said.” Zhan Zhen said: “My Grandfather did die at thirty-three and my great grandfather died at forty-three. The father emperor seems to be worried about following in their footsteps. He wants to give up the throne before the age of fifty-three, he is fifty one this year.”

Xian Sheng is a little unconvinced: “Your father’s harem is so big, why are you so young?”

Zhan Zhen stuffed fruit into his mouth and said: “My mother is the daughter of the king of Ming. In her early years, she disguised herself as a man and joined the army. She used to have a strong personality. She didn’t know who my father was and they made a vow. Unfortunately, shortly after the marriage my father ascended the throne and failed to fulfill his promise that she’ll be his one and only woman. So the two drifted apart and had a cold war for many years.”

Xian Sheng suddenly remembered the Empress’ words. She said that the Zhans were lecherous, so she didn’t have to believe Zhan Zhen too much. It turned out that she really had the experience of being betrayed.

He blinked his eyes and said, “The Empress mother is quite open-minded now.”

“She can’t do anything. She is a strong person. She won’t let others stomp their noses in her face, and when she is bullied, she starts to beat them up. The imperial concubines originally wanted to step on her and run to complain. The strange thing is, the emperor actually persuaded the concubines and said that the Empress’ position was higher. Although they were scolded in front of my mother, they weren’t really punished.”

Xian Sheng wanted to say something but closed her mouth again and said: “Your  mother is so brave. She dares to tell you everything.”

“What do you think the royal father means by this?”

Xian Sheng shook his head and sighed: “The Emperor’s heart is hard to predict.”

*

The full moon banquet of the eldest grandson of the royal family was attended by all civil and military officials. The little guy was in the limelight.  After the feast, the city was specially allowed to lift the curfew for seven days and the country celebrated together.

Xian Sheng, who has not been out for a month, was finally liberated. He went out and stood under the sun. With his eyes slightly narrowed and his hands behind his back, he stretched his head lazily, only to see a person leave the study in a hurry. He looked at the other person suspiciously and when Zhan Zhen came out, he asked, “Is that A’Jin?”

“He found out something that may involve the Cai family. I asked Jiang Qin to accompany him to avoid any danger.”

“He has been very busy these days.”

“He wanted to find the person who killed Concubine Mei and he also wanted to show the emperor his strength… I hope he can recover his identity one day.”

Xian Sheng felt the same

“Last time I promised to take you out to play during the Lantern Festival but you missed it after you fell ill. Let’s take advantage of this national celebration and go out and have a look.”

“What about Liu Liu?”

“Give him to the nanny.”

Just as he just finished, the sound of crying came from inside the house. Xian Sheng signed and said: “Look, he’s awake again.”

As long as he is asleep he won’t make trouble but when he wakes up and doesn’t see Xian Sheng he starts making trouble. He  used to sleep a lot when he was just born but now he’s sleeping less and less.

Zhan Zhen began to get annoyed with him a little because the child was too clingy. But this thing was too small to be beaten or scolded, so Zhan Zhen could only swallow his anger.

The little guy came to Xian Sheng’s arms in tears and became obedient again. Xian Sheng held a finger for him to grasp and asked Zhan Zhen to wipe his nose with a handkerchief and said, “You love to cry so much, so ugly.”

Zhan Zhen also said: “Yes, really ugly.”

Ugly is ugly and they still had to hug him. At night, fireworks burst into the sky. It was really like the New Year. Xian Sheng was really moved and went out with Zhan Zhen after Liu Liu fell asleep. 

It was late autumn and the weather was a little cold. Xian Sheng put on thick clothes, and when he went out. He found that the street was really lively, just like during the New Year. The people hung lanterns on their doors and lit them all night.

Xian Sheng was happy because of this noisy midnight, “Liu Liu is so naughty.”

“When I was born, I was naughty too.” Zhan Zhen said to him, “No worse than him.”

“How can you compare yourself with Liu Liu.” Xian Sheng laughed.

The famous Liu Liu must be crying at home right now.

Xian Sheng also thought of this. He didn’t dare to walk around more but he was greedy and bought some food and he hurried back home.

The atmosphere in the Crown Prince’s Mansion was a bit grim. Xian Sheng and Zhan Zhen walked into the mansion door hand in hand, only to find that the Empress and Emperor were there.

There was Liu Liu crying in the house and Emperor Jin was angry: “Where’s the Crown Princess? Go find her quickly!”

Xian Sheng heard it from afar and suddenly felt guilty. He hurriedly stuffed all the food into Zhan Zhen’s arms, carried his skirt and ran over with a slight gasp just in time to collide with the father-in-law who came out with a white face. The other party’s eyelids twitched: “Oh, you’re back, come in quickly.”

Xian Sheng shrank his head, raised his hand to wipe the sweat on his forehead. He walked in and said: “Father, mother.”

Liu Liu was screaming vigorously, but when he heard his voice, his cry became weaker. Then he started to cry so loudly, as if he had been greatly wronged.

Xian Sheng’s heart clenched. Emperor Jin looked gloomy and the Empress hurried to smooth things out: “Quick, hug and coax him. It’s our fault. Originally the child was sleeping well but he walked up when we tried to hug him.”

Xian Sheng hurriedly took the child over. Emperor Jin sat on the chair with a stern face. Looking at his aggrieved expression, it seemed that it was not Liu Liu who was wronged but himself.

Zhan Zhen stepped in. Xian Sheng was sitting on the chair wiping the baby’s tears. The little guy was still crying and there was only his voice in the room, the atmosphere was a little solemn.

Zhan Zhen observed his father’s face, coughed and before he spoke, he was scolded by his father: “Why are you coughing? If you are sick, go to take medicine, don’t be an eyesore here!”

“I have bought toys for Liu Liu.” Zhan Zhen quietly put the food behind his back and said:  “The rattle, small hammer …… and this, hand bells.”

Emperor Jin glanced at him and said: “Let me see.”

Zhan Zhen threw the food from behind with his back and walked over at the same time. Xian Sheng secretly raised his eyes, then looked down at his little baby, frowned slightly and whispered: “Clingy.”

“If he doesn’t cling onto you, who can he be clingy to?”

Clearly he was very quiet but Emperor Jin heard it. He raised his eyes and met Xian Sheng’s face, his tone softened a bit but he still said fiercely: “He is still a child. You have nothing to do, why are you going out? Besides, he is one month old, so why can’t you take him with you? Looks, now he is crying, his face is red! His voice is hoarse from crying! He is so small…You two, young people, you don’t understand what it means to be responsible.”

Xian Sheng nodded again and again: “It’s my fault. I thought it was so bright and lovely outside… I just wanted to go out and have a look.”

Emperor Jin didn’t want to scold him, so he came to scold Zhan Zhen again: “What about you? Why did you go? What are these things that you bought…”

He picked it up and shook it, it rattled. The baby who was originally, suddenly turned his eyes when he heard the sound. Emperor Jin walked over on crutches and said softly: “Liu Liu like it?”

Xian Sheng took it and shook it too.  The little guy stared at it. His face was still red, but his eyes obviously no longer looked aggrieved. 

 The little arm swayed, because he couldn’t lift it up, so he clenched his little hand. Xian Sheng handed it to him but  he still couldn’t hold it. But he was already consciously grasping it. He shook his hands, made a small voice and grinned happily.

Emperor Jin stepped back and said to Zhan Zhen reluctantly: “The things you bought are not bad.”

Xian Sheng breathed a sigh of relief .

He realized that Liu Liu is now the apex of Emperor Jin’s heart. In fact, he can’t understand this feeling very well… Just a child. As for being so angry….

After sending off his father and mother, Xian Sheng finally put Liu Liu, who had been lying in his arms, back in the crib and gently rubbed his arms.

Although he was sitting and hugging him after so long, his arm still inevitably became sour.

Zhan Zhen poured water for him. Xian Sheng took a sip and said, “Your father is too serious. It didn’t even take that long but he was furious.”

He pulled up the stool and sat beside Liu Liu. Zhan Zhen asked someone to warm up the sugar cake he bought and handed it over to him, saying, “I just threw it out in a hurry and fell out of shape. Do you think you can eat it?”

“It’s ok if it’s not dirty.” Xian Sheng took a bite, stuck his head out to look at his son, and said, “Little sticky man, are you still staring at Daddy? Daddy is eating something, look who is aggrieved.”

“Who is the father?” Zhan Zhen said immediately: “You are the mother and I am the father.”

Xian Sheng hit him and Zhan Zhen had no choice but to say: “It’s okay to talk at home… don’t let it slip.”

Xian Sheng pursed his lips and said, “I’m not used to it at the moment, that’s all…mother.”

He didn’t dwell on it and came to Liu Liu again: “Mother is eating something, why are you aggrieved? What are you crying for? Hmm?”

Liu Liu stared at him, babbled and don’t know if he understood

The next day, someone in the palace suddenly brought the memorial and piled it all around Zhan Zhen’s table who was dealing with military affairs: “His Majesty has ordered that in the future, these will be handed over to the Crown prince.”

Zhan Zhen frowned: “What about him?”

“His Majesty is busy with something else.”

Zhan Zhen thought about what he could possibly be busy with but soon, Emperor Jin came over and called Liu Liu as soon as he entered the door.

Zhan Zhen understood.

Busy with his grandson.

 

 

 

The author has something to say about

Emperor Jin: good grandson. 

Lue lue: Huh.

1One month old