Chapter 467
What a pity that joyful days are indeed too short lived .
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Before his daughter was delivered, he had to attend to something important and reluctantly left both mother and daughter .
When he returned, the small wooden house which once was filled with blissfulness was just an empty room . On the table lay a coldly written letter — that woman left because of some “difficulties”, and she sent someone to escort her daughter to him so he could raise her .
Only, Prince Changshou’s daughter never arrived . She and that confidante entrusted with her disappeared from the face of the earth suddenly .
Prince Changshou couldn’t find that woman, neither could he find him and his daughter . Moreover, that so-called confidante was also missing .
Presently, what was this weird letter trying to convey?
Liu She’s illegitimate daughter is the child he lost back then?
These confounding thoughts were swirling in his head, but it wasn’t entirely impossible .
Before that woman had left Dongqing, she indeed was observant of Liu She’s inner courts . In her farewell speech, she once revealed that if she didn’t have the means to raise a child, she would leave it in front of Liu manor for Liu She to help bring up . However, Prince Changshou didn’t take it seriously .
As he reflected, surely it was possible… thinking of this, Prince Changshou’s expression turned unsightly .
When the realisation hit him that the illegitimate daughter of Liu manor married into the imperial family, she had since become the Fourth Prince, Wuma Jun’s princess consort, his face crumpled into horror .
Nonetheless, he didn’t pity his daughter . Rather, truthfully his expectations of his daughter were built on the foundations of his wife . Without her, this so-called daughter was redundant .
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His facial expression took a turn for the worse only because he was afraid the existence of Liu Huan would hinder his great ambitions .
Liu She raised Liu Huan, married her off with ten miles’ worth of dowries, and he sought for her such an optimal marriage partner . Evidently, he didn’t suspect the identity of this daughter and even loved her dearly .
If back then someone broke the news that Liu Huan’s biological father wasn’t Liu She but him, what would Liu She’s reaction be?
Prince Changshou tried putting himself in Liu She’s position, and discovered he would probably be enraged!
The daughter whom he loved for years isn’t his biological daughter, who could bear such a grievance?
What man could tolerate such humiliation?
Dongqing had six prefectures and twenty-one counties . Liu She dominated Chongzhou, and he played a critical role in monopolizing the rice stocks in Hu county .
Prince Changshou narrowed his eyes, which were filled with murderous intent . Regardless of whether the content in the letter is true or not, he could not take the risk .
The safest solution was to assassinate Liu Huan and aim to leave no traces of the murder .
It was a pity, but nevertheless, he had never met Liu Huan . Both had no father-daughter relationship to speak of .
If one doesn’t fend for himself, the world will consume him . Indeed, he would let his daughter down but a daughter sacrificing herself for her father was rightful, after all he gave her life… Afterwards when he donned the imperial robes, he would confer a posthumous title to his daughter and perform a glorious funeral .
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At this, Prince Changshou considered pitifully that if Liu Huan wasn’t Liu She’s daughter but had another identity, he would immediately bring the child to his side, love her endearingly… but who had asked her to be Liu She’s “daughter”!
His great aspirations could not have any flaws, at this critical point he couldn’t afford to offend Liu She . Thus, only regrets were left .
Perhaps it had never crossed his mind, before he did anything to Liu Huan, she had already brought upon herself a great misfortune .
Since she became pregnant at the end of April, she was about eight months into her pregnancy .
When she reached a full six months into her pregnancy, her womb could be compared to regular women who were about to deliver .
Presently, it increased in size, the doctor examined and diagnosed that she was pregnant with twins . Her children’s breathing was strong .
Liu Huan smiled, raising the sides of her lips . Despite Wuma Jun being despised by the Emperor, she didn’t feel any discomfort .
“That magic pill is indeed useful . Now that the pregnancy is stable, the children will be born healthy…” Thinking of that, the smile on her lips became more cheerful . “The doctor predicted from the pulse that there’s an eighty percent chance it’ll be a boy and girl; the dragon and phoenix will descend, which is a sign of fortune . The heavens are smiling on the imperial family . ”
The children in her womb served as trump cards for reversal of fate . As the dates nearing her delivery approached, she became more cautious .
Her personal maids had served her even before her marriage, and they knew the temperament of this Fourth princess consort extremely well .
On the surface, she seemed pure-hearted but truthfully, she was cunning beyond compare .
To ascertain if the miracle pill she stole was indeed helpful for conceiving a child, she even sent men to rape innocent women . Afterwards, she was determined to get rid of the Fourth Prince’s beloved concubine Huijun, thus she unleashed her evil plans to have Huijun and the Emperor pair up .
Huijun would probably die in injustice if not for the Emperor’s favor .
Serving as this woman’s personal maids, they had to constantly worry as they might well be the next unfortunate one .
They despised her in their hearts, yet didn’t dare to oppose her directly . They continued to dutifully comb her hair in an elegant fashion .
Upon viewing her plain makeup, she frowned with dissatisfaction and said, “Give me a more elegant makeup . This is too plain . ”
The maid’s lips moved as if to speak, but she had to concede and follow her orders, giving her an enchanting make-up and adorning her with luxurious, precious accessories . Her entire head was full of pearls and jade, leaving her looking incomparably honourable and affluent . As a maid, she had the duty to advise Liu Huan that a pregnant lady should appear more modest . Rouge and face powder were harmful to the fetus in her womb, but since she had been slapped previously for her good intention in counselling, she kept silent .
Admiring the stunning beauty in the mirror, Liu Huan smirked, then said, “How can I be lower in status than this slut?”
Regardless of whether Huijun was the apple of the Emperor’s eyes amongst the 3000 concubines, she was unwilling to lose even one bit .
She was but a lowly companion to a bride, did she think a wild chicken could transform into a phoenix just by gaining the Emperor’s favor?
Her maid lowered her head in silence, but in her heart, she knew who the “slut” Liu Huan referred to was .
Huijun, the woman who was most favored by the Emperor . The truly lucky one, surpassing 3000 others .
Let alone the other concubines and princes, even the Empress and Crown Prince must accord her due respect when facing her .
Recently, Huijun had not been well in body, her lingering illness demanding that she lie in bed . Having heard her grievances, the Emperor commanded all the princess consorts to serve at her bedside . Such honour has never been bestowed to the Empress before . It was evident how important Huijun was to the Emperor .
Her personal maid couldn’t comprehend why her princess consort could stubbornly want to compare herself to Huijun .
With their present statuses, they had no reason for comparison .
Regardless of what they thought, Liu Huan already adorned herself gloriously and elegantly; there was no indication that she was going to attend to the sick .
Getting on the horse carriage to enter the palace, Liu Huan’s mind was filled with schemes on how to get Huijun to concede defeat .
She was still ignorant that yet within the palace, a swirl of disaster was secretly brewing, and that what awaited her was a road that would send her to death .
She touched her stomach tenderly, and with the other hand she held the arm of her personal maid, while with gentle steps she headed with the imperial servants toward Huijun’s chambers .
Naturally, Huijun was well . She only used an excuse to keep her eyes on the Second Princess Consort and to make Liu Huan angry simultaneously .
All day long she had been bullying the ladies in the inner court, and after a while, she felt it was boring and unsatisfying . So she shifted her focus to the daughters-in-law of the imperial concubines .
She was apparently healthy, yet wilfully claimed she was sick and lay lazily on her bed . She derived her joy from feasting on fresh, seasonal fruits while bossing the crown princesses around .
The ones who got bossed around most were the Second Princess Consort, An Yina and Fourth Princess Consort, Liu Huan . An Yina once offended Huijun with her speech so it was natural for her to be blacklisted . As for Liu Huan…many secret rumors abounded that Huijun would be vied for and embraced into the palace . The Fourth Princess Consort contributed much effort to this .