Chapter 1147: Chapter 1138: Prince Ling (23)
The Princess Consort was eager to send the Prince back to the Capital.
She didn’t expect him to help, but could he at least not cause trouble?
The Princess Consort really doubted whether the Prince had ever taken care of Xie Jingchen when he was young.
Afraid of disappointment, she didn’t ask.
Actually, it was obvious that the Prince couldn’t have taken care of Xie Jingchen.
Back then, the Empress Dowager was pressuring the Prince to marry Princess Nanzhang, and there was that fake Old Madam in the mansion. How could they allow the Prince to spend all day around a child?
Seeing Xie Jingchen once a day was already a rare occurrence.
The Prince had absolutely no experience with childcare.
Even if he once did, nearly twenty years later, whatever experience he had would have vanished with time.
The Princess Consort put the Little Princess into the Prince’s arms, asking him to soothe her.
How could the Little Princess be willing to let the Prince hold her?
She cried and reached out to the Princess Consort, who simply turned and left.
The Prince, "...."
The Princess Consort went to see Yuanyuan, just in the neighboring courtyard, easily accessible through a small gate.
Inside, a brazier was burning, making it very warm.
Outside, the cold wind was chilling, piercing through to the neck, making one’s teeth chatter.
Fortunately, once inside, it was warm again.
Inside, Su Jin was playing with Yuanyuan using a rattle-drum, while Xie Jingchen was reading in the study from afar.
Seeing the Princess Consort enter, Su Jin said, "Mother Consort, why have you come over?"
"The Prince made Ruoruo cry, so I’m having him make it right," said the Princess Consort.
"...."
The Princess Consort reached out to Yuanyuan, who smiled with a slightly open mouth.
The Princess Consort played with Yuanyuan.
After some time, Xique lifted the curtain and entered the room.
She quickly approached, and the Princess Consort asked, "Is Ruoruo still crying?"
"She’s already calmed down," Xique replied.
So quickly?
The Princess Consort was surprised.
"How did the Prince soothe her?" the Princess Consort asked curiously.
"...."
Xique hesitated.
The Princess Consort frowned, and Xique said, "The Prince took the Little Princess up on the roof beam, and she stopped crying."
The Princess Consort, "...."
Su Jin, "...."
Even Xie Jingchen, reading from a distance, "...."
Father had quite the way with children.
The Princess Consort was almost beside herself with anger.
Quickly handing Yuanyuan to Su Jin, she hurried off.
It was snowing, and if not, who knows if he’d have taken Ruoruo up to the roof.
If Ruoruo found being up on the roof beam to be fun, who would take her to the rooftop next time?
The Princess Consort was nearly biting through her rage at the Prince.
She hurried back to her room and saw the Prince standing on the ground tossing the Little Princess in play.
Tossing her high and catching her safely.
The Princess Consort’s heart was in her throat.
The Little Princess laughed gleefully.
The Maid beside them was equally frightened, knowing the Prince would catch her, but it was terrifying to watch.
Seeing the Princess Consort standing behind the beaded curtain, Caiju quickly said, "The Prince, the Princess Consort has returned."
The Prince turned with the Little Princess in his arms, "See, I’ve soothed Ruoruo."
That smug tone caused the fire in the Princess Consort’s eyes to ignite fiercely.
The Prince suddenly sensed danger.
The Little Princess clung to the Prince’s neck, urging, "Higher...."
The Prince, "...."
The wet nurse hurried forward, taking the Little Princess from the Prince’s arms.
The Little Princess cried again.
The Princess Consort had a headache.
Ruoruo was usually well-behaved, but this illness made her cry excessively.
Though still young, she couldn’t be so indulged.
The Princess Consort gave the Prince a glare, taking the Little Princess to soothe her.
Exhausted from crying, the Little Princess soon fell asleep.
After the wet nurse carried the Little Princess away, the Princess Consort looked at the Prince and said, "I don’t think we’ll be able to set off for the Capital for half a month."
The Prince said, "Everything is for Yuanyuan and them. Even if the Emperor wishes to see his grandson, we can’t ignore their health."
"You can just stay at the border for a while longer."
After all, it’s been a long time since they’ve seen each other; a few more months won’t hurt.
As for the Prince, since he came to fetch her, he naturally had to return to the Capital with the Princess Consort.
Although there’s still some contact between Nanliang and Daqi, it’s rare. In this bitterly cold weather, news is even more scarce.
After the snow melted, news from Nanliang finally arrived, stating Zhao Xu was already less than a hundred miles from the Nanliang Capital.
The Princess Consort marveled at the speed upon hearing this.
Xie Jingchen rubbed his forehead and said, "Mother Consort, this happened twenty days ago."
Which meant that twenty days ago, Zhao Xu had already reached the foot of the Imperial City.
Whatever developments occurred in the past twenty or so days were unknown.
The Princess Consort was grateful to be at the border, believing that if she were in the Capital City, she would receive the news even later.
Each day, the Princess Consort spent her time awaiting news from Nanliang.
After more than half a month, more news arrived.
Zhao Xu brought troops into the Capital, directly targeting the Nanliang Imperial Palace, capturing the Emperor of Nanliang alive, and endorsed Prince Ling’s ascension.
Qin Hanhan was stunned upon hearing this news, "Why did Prince Ling ascend instead of Young Master Zhao?"
Chu Shun thought for a moment and said, "Brother Zhao must have done it for the Princess Consort Ling."
"The realm of Nanliang was conquered by Brother Zhao; this throne is surely his."
The Prince laughed, "Young Master Zhao’s move was brilliant. With many descendants of the Nanliang Royal Family, even out of respect for Prince Jing and Prince Ling, he couldn’t possibly wipe out the Nanliang Royal Family entirely."
"With such a change of dynasties, the Nanliang Royal Family surely won’t resign easily."
Nanliang, struck by both external enemies and internal strife, wouldn’t recover its strength in two to three years.
If the Nanliang Royal Family seized the chance to stir trouble, the throne wouldn’t be stable even if Zhao Xu ascended.
This throne was seized from the Emperor of Nanliang and given to Prince Ling.
After Prince Ling’s ascension, if he abdicates in favor of Young Master Zhao, the Nanliang Royal Family would have no excuse to rebel.
This throne was a voluntary abdication by Prince Ling.
As long as Prince Ling is around, there would be no excuse to eliminate rebels.
Ten years would be enough for Zhao Xu to stabilize the court.
Moreover, as Chu Shun mentioned, it was for Princess Consort Ling.
With Prince Ling’s ascension, Princess Consort Ling becomes the Empress.
After abdication, Prince Ling becomes the Supreme Emperor, and Princess Consort Ling is the Empress Dowager.
They can justifiably reside in the Imperial Palace. Prince Ling married Princess Consort Ling back then to save Princess Hengyang and the Donglin Prince Mansion. Given Prince Ling’s past grace, Zhao Xu respecting him as a father is logical.
After much anxious waiting, the Princess Consort finally felt at ease.
Tears glistened in her eyes.
The Princess Consort wiped away her tears, looking up at the sky in the direction of Nanliang.
When she looked back, her gaze fell upon the branches of the trees.
The trees, barren through the winter, now bore a hint of tender yellow, budding anew.
The Princess Consort’s gaze lingered on those branches.
The Prince took her hand and said, "If you wish to return to Nanliang, I will accompany you."
It has been sixteen years since the Princess Consort entered the Prince Zhenbei Mansion.
It’s reasonable for the Princess Consort to wish to see Nanliang again.
However, it was difficult for her to vocalize this, as she was now the Princess Consort of Prince Zhenbei.
The Little Princess was still very young, not suited for a long journey.
The Prince said, "We managed to rush to the border before, why not Nanliang?"
"Our daughter is not that fragile."
"Besides, with the establishment of the New Dynasty in Nanliang, the court will surely send envoys to offer congratulations."
"I’ll send a letter to Marquis Dongxiang, asking him to secure this task for me."
