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Chapter 288: 288: Exile in Disguise
Chapter 288: 288: Exile in Disguise
Chapter 288: 288: Exile in Disguise
Translator: 549690339
“But, His Majesty had just issued an edict making me the Princess Consort of Yu, and Wenzan and Lingzi were named the Crown Prince and Princess respectively. Isn’t this his way of saying we should accompany you?”
“Emperor Father didn’t say. Whether you, the weak, and the young ones leave or not, probably no one cares.”
“Then, after you go to the Imperial Mausoleum for the holiday, can you come back?”
Li Hongyuan looked at her, “Do you really not understand?”
“What?”
“Me going to the Imperial Mausoleum to guard the tomb is a nicer way of putting it. To be frank, I’ve been exiled.”
“Ex…exiled?”
“What else? Do you only worry about Wenren Zong going to the harsh climate of Lingnan, thinking the bitter cold of the Imperial Mausoleum is comfortable?” Li Hongyuan sneered, “Think about it yourself, for these exiled people, unless there’s a general amnesty, is there any possibility of returning? Do you really think Wenren Zong can return?”
Jiang Ning was dumbfounded, “But you’re not Wenren Zong, you didn’t commit treason.”
“Even if I had done nothing, just being alive, in the eyes of the crown prince, is a great sin.”
“I understand now.”
“I came here to inform you and say goodbye,” Li Hongyuan said.
Jiang Ning couldn’t quite accept it.
She didn’t mind not seeing Li Hongyuan again, but what about Wenzan and Lingzi?
Do they really have to never see their father again?
The atmosphere was somewhat heavy.
When the carriage arrived at the Jiang family’s gate, Li Hongyuan helped her onto her wheelchair and was about to leave, but Jiang Ning stopped him.
“Your Highness, don’t leave yet, come with me.”
“What’s the matter?”
“You’re leaving tomorrow, don’t you want to see your children one last time?”
That was true.
Jiang Ning watched him jump off the carriage and grumbled: “Seeing your face full of concern when you hold your daughter, I’m not sure now if you truly love them.”
Li Hongyuan didn’t respond to her, and walked straight inside.
Huang Ying came out, took over pushing Jiang Ning’s wheelchair, and after hurriedly asking the reason, sighed: “Don’t you realize, miss? His Highness can’t bear to see them.”
“If he can’t bear to, he should look more.”
“He used to be the most honorable prince in the palace, but for us, he has even lost his position as the Crown Prince and is being expelled from Chang’an City, possibly never to return. You should at least sympathize with him.”
“It seems you’re more sympathetic. Why not send you to be his concubine and accompany him to the Imperial Mausoleum?”
“No thank you,” Huang Ying laughed, “His Highness isn’t without concubines. If the miss doesn’t go, I’m sure they will follow. Even if His Highness is going to the Imperial Mausoleum, we should still move back to the Prince of Yu’s mansion. We can’t let it stand empty.”
These words reminded Jiang Ning.
She pushed the wheelchair to the door of the side room, where she saw Li Hongyuan squatting by the small bed, looking at the two children.
The children were asleep.
Sleeping children are ten thousand times cuter than awake ones, especially in a father’s eyes.
Li Hongyuan gazed at the pink little faces of the children, somewhat lost in thought.
They were only a few months old. In the future, when they learn to walk, to speak, he won’t be able to see any of it.
He might not even be able to hear them call him ‘daddy.’
Li Hongyuan stretched out his finger, poked Lingzi’s chubby face and said softly: “Lingzi’s cry sounds nice, her talking must be even more so.”
Jiang Ning watched quietly for a while before saying, “If you really can’t bear to leave, I could beg His Majesty…”
“What can you exchange with Emperor Father?” Li Hongyuan’s eyes stayed on the children, but his voice was cold, “You have already exchanged the lives of the Wenren family with the promise of bringing the children home..”