EMPRESS LIU

~THIRTY-FIVE~

In the palace politics there are always some very suspicious things going on in the harem. And the owners of the harem didn't really pay heed to it, nor did they have the time to.

Which is why in Liu Changsheng's time concubine Du of the second prince's harem could hurt him so much. To the point of throwing him off the prince's favour.

But little did anyone in the palace know that the person that Hong Daqing believed the most in the palace was Liu Changsheng and no one else. Even he did so much to hurt him, he was the person who brought back all those rumours to prove his Wangfei's innocence. He knew all along the actual Liu Changsheng. But just because none of us can see the future, disaster happened. And he had to lose the only person he wanted to protect all his life.

But unfortunate enough Liu Changsheng didn't know any of these.

He didn't know just to keep his sheltered life intact, his laogong sacrificed the right to the throne. Just to keep him away from the dirty palace politics and to protect him Hong Daqing sacrificed his only friend.

But those are the things he'll know sooner or later. And right now the said man is sitting by a decorative pond in his disguise of maniac Xiao Long and playing with a dried bamboo shoot he found somewhere.

Looking at him right now you might find the shadow of a fifteen years old carefree boy who used to run around on his horse.

He had already spent two months in the palace and he has long been used to the palace servant's treatment to him. No one knew he was their Xiang Wangfei and no one knew of the encounter that happened behind the closed shabby doors of the maniac servant's courtyard.

So none of their treatment changed much.

He wasn't aware when or how the area he was sitting in was emptied but when he found out, another young woman was already sitting by his side.

He looks at her keeping his act intact.

"You don't have to pretend with me. I know who you are."

If she says so, he doesn't have to pretend. He thought. And looked away from her. He hated this woman. This is the woman who took his life away in the Xiang Wang's palace.

"I know you hate me. But would you listen to me?"

Liu Changsheng didn't answer. Actually he didn't have to. His expressions were answer enough. And Duan Jiali, being the acting Princess consort of the Xiang Wang knew as much.

"Remember that time when your family sent those teas to the Xiang Wang's palace as gifts?"

"If you want to remind me of the mistakes I made in believing the Xiang Wang and loving him, you don't have to. I already know."

He stood up from the side of the pond and moves to leave the place. He didn't want to have anything to do this woman. He wanted to get away. He has had enough of the court politics pulling him down.

But Duan Jiali had other plans. She followed him.

"Liu Changsheng!"

Stopping in his track he sighs.

"What do you want, your highness?"

Duan Jiali's face didn't show any contempt she's supposed to have against him.

"Changsheng."

But without letting her continue he speaks first.

"Who gave you the right to call me by my name?"

"Ok. Liu Gongzi. I am sorry."

Liu Changsheng frowns. He rummaged through his head but couldn't find a single reason that this woman would feel sorry for to apologise in front of an audience.

"What is your highness apologizing for?"

"For everything. Everything I did to you. It was not my intention to hurt you. My duty was to protect you all along. Which I failed. So I apologise."

Liu Changsheng looks at her face. Maybe trying to find the pretense in her words. Even though the reason for the pretense was not known to him. Why would she be the one to protect him? Who is she? Liu Changsheng wanted to yell at her face. But her rank stopped him. Her position in the Xiang Wang's heart stopped him. He knew his place. He knew he was nothing. And he didn't need to be reminded.

"You don't need to apologise, your highness. You did all of that because you love him. It's my fault that I was naive enough to believe he had me in his heart."

He wanted to leave again but was stopped again by the same woman.

"You are still that naive impulsive young man." She said. Maybe something will be triggered in Liu Changsheng's heart and he would suddenly see all those things he put a blind eye to. "What happened on my status announcement day was my fault. Not the Xiang Wang's.

"He never wanted anything to happen to you. That Luo Guang came to the palace knowing full well the Xiang Wang wasn't home. I couldn't go to save you because he was well prepared and kept me engaged with his own shadow guards. Or else do you think I would have let that happen to our Wangfei?

"Why do you think no one knew about it? How do you think you could keep your title after what happened? You know very well what happens to a Wangfei after 'that'!

"Liu Changsheng. For once, open your eyes. I know what happened to you wasn't the right thing. But if you really saw, you would have seen far more than you actually did. You would have seen the pain in his highness's eyes after he saw you. You would have seen how scary he was right after he found Luo Guang. It all was happening in front of your eyes. You just chose not to see."

Saying this much, she couldn't contain the trembling in her heart. She stops to take a breath. To not show her true pain in front of the other man. She was determined to make things right. Even though it was not her place to do that. She was determined to get these two people to see clearly the love they hold for each other.

"Liu Gongzi. It's true. I love him. I always have. But it's also true that he only loves you. He finds his happiness in you. And taking care of his happiness is my happiness. I failed once. But I'm not going to fail twice."

And thus she was the person who left the place first. She was a strong and fierce woman. But still she was a woman.

And a woman's heart hold a depth no man can ever dive into and expect to be able to survive.

Hello everyone!! Look who's updated.... It's your favourite (😜) author....

Today's chapter shows a different type of interaction with Liu Changsheng and Duan Jiali.... Let's see how the next chapter goes...

I hope you enjoy!
All the love
C 💕

Also please don't forget to vote!! ⭐⭐