jdhmnovel Chapter 236 The Reasons for Neglect
Chapter 236 The Reasons for Neglect
"His Majesty?"
Qin Shuang was still immersed in the tenderness and affection of the king last night when Emperor Yuan's words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly shattering her expectations.
Yuan Huaijun was about to leave, but seeing her like this, he dismissed all the palace servants and turned to sit down.
"Your Majesty, do you not wish for your concubine to bear you an heir?"
Her beautiful face was filled with heartbreak. She stared blankly at the man before her, but his indifferent and aloof gaze pierced her heart.
After a long pause, Yuan Huaijun withdrew his gaze from her and said calmly, "I had some expectations, but... those were in the past."
"once?"
He looked towards the door with his phoenix eyes, not continuing the topic, but instead asked Qin Shuang a question, "Shuang'er, tell me, who is the person I care about most?"
Qin Shuang was slightly taken aback, then replied, "It is the Empress Dowager."
"Ah."
He nodded, and some distant memories seemed to be stirred in his eyes. "Back then, besides my mother and Consort Xuan, my father had three other concubines. They also gave birth to three younger brothers. People said that my father's harem was the most harmonious in history, and my mother was also praised by the people."
“However, that’s not the case.” He raised his hand, gesturing for Qin Shuang to sit down and talk.
"That year, the Empress Dowager was busy taking care of me and Ah Lie, who had just lost his mother, and had no time to attend to the affairs of the six palaces. Consort Xuan also rarely appeared in public, so Consort Huan received great favor. At that time, she was pregnant with the sixth prince. I remember that the fifth prince was just learning to walk at that time. His mother, Consort Suning, relying on her family's three generations of purple robes, used some underhanded means to deliberately harm Consort Huan by taking advantage of the ignorant fifth prince. This caused Consort Huan to give birth prematurely, and the sixth prince was saved by the Imperial Hospital for countless days and nights, which is how he survived."
Qin Shuang had a vague feeling that something was wrong, but she still asked seriously, "Your Majesty, what happened next?"
"Later, Consort Huan died prematurely from postpartum hemorrhage, and Consort Suning was executed. My three younger brothers became motherless children. The Empress Dowager was not at ease with anyone, so she brought them to the palace to eat and live with her. I could not imagine that such a weak woman would take on the heavy responsibility of caring for four children. Soon after, Xue'er was born. We naturally cherished Xue'er as a treasure. The fifth prince was also frightened by that incident. Over the years, apart from the Empress Dowager, he did not trust any woman."
"Tell me, what power could possibly make the Empress Dowager so protective of those children who are not her own? They are not her children, yet she loves them so much. And Xue'er and I are siblings from the same mother, yet the Empress Dowager has never shown her any less care."
Upon hearing this, Qin Shuang was greatly alarmed, not by the truth behind it, but by the fact that His Majesty was suddenly telling her all this.
Turning back, he stared intently into Qin Shuang's eyes. "With such a virtuous and kind stepmother who treats everyone equally, A Lie and the others remember her well and are even more filial to her than to their father. Shuang'er, do you know what I hate most in my life?"
Qin Shuang shook her head. She seemed to have guessed something, but she didn't dare to say it.
Yuan Huaijun saw her expression, stared intently into her eyes, and said, word by word, "I despise people who exploit children, especially mothers who exploit their own children."
Her legs went weak instantly, but thankfully she managed to brace herself on the table next to her, preventing her from falling over.
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty, in the end, you still don't trust me?"
Tears welled in her eyes like those of a kite with a broken string. Through her blurred vision, Qin Shuang gazed in the direction of Emperor Yuan, daring not to approach even a fraction closer.
Yuan Huaijun's expression grew increasingly cold. "Shuang'er, as clever as you are, you know very well why I have neglected you these past two years."
Her face was deathly pale, and she choked out, "Your Majesty, you saw it yourself back then. The child in my womb... was murdered. But you've suspected me ever since. That wasn't just... Your Majesty's child, it was my own flesh and blood! How... how could I bear to..."
Yuan Huaijun chose not to look at the tearful, heartbroken face, and instead focused his gaze on the purple jade beaded curtain not far away.
"Since I ascended the throne, you are the only concubine I have ever truly favored. The honors you received back then far surpassed those of others. Two years ago, Qi Yun was sent to marry a foreign ruler, and Consort Yun entered the palace. I naturally took good care of her. After that, you became pregnant with my first child, and I was very happy. With Shuang'er's talent, she will surely be able to raise the prince well in the future..."
As he spoke, his expression softened slightly. "Shuang'er is intelligent, considerate, and understanding. She is also the one who pleases me the most. At that time, I thought that this might be what is meant by a harmonious and respectful marriage!"
"Your Majesty~"
Qin Shuang knelt on the ground, staring blankly at the man in front of her. Her throat seemed to be choked by something, and she could only shed tears, unable to speak for a long time.
Then, his gaze suddenly turned cold. "But... no matter how much I favor you, it can't compare to the position of Empress, can it?"
She shook her head. "Your Majesty, I...I have never considered the position of Empress."
"Is that so? Heh~" Looking at that pitiful face, Yuan Huaijun couldn't help but sneer.
His slender fingers tapped lightly on the table, his tone growing increasingly indifferent. Staring into Qin Shuang's eyes, he said, word by word, "Qin Shuang, let me tell you, whether it's the imperial court or the harem, or certain mavericks, none of them can escape my eyes."
“The imperial family is the most ruthless. I never thought I would meet someone I truly love. Three years ago, when you first entered the palace, I admired your talent, your voice, your gentleness and virtue. The loving moments we shared back then gave me a false impression. At that time, I thought that with your personality, you would surely be a virtuous wife and loving mother in an ordinary family.”
"Two years ago, you were pregnant, and Consort Yun was the emperor's favorite. Relying on her status as a princess from a neighboring country, she would often act capriciously. Although Consort Rou and Consort Ning were dissatisfied with this, they dared not act recklessly. However..."
He paused for a moment, then asked, "When did I say that if my first heir upon ascending the throne is a prince, I will definitely make him the crown prince?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Shuang immediately raised her head, and the tear tracks on her cheeks were clearly visible.
Yuan Huaijun didn't care about her expression and continued, "Two years ago, your father, Grand Tutor Qin, was supported by all the officials in the previous court. In addition, you were pregnant with the imperial heir. There were rumors in the streets that although the empress had not yet been established, Consort Yun was favored and pregnant. I wanted to follow the example of the late emperor and establish the first son as the crown prince. At that time, you asked your maternal family to find a famous doctor in the countryside who could see the signs of pregnancy and secretly enter the palace to see the gender of the child in your womb, right?"
"His Majesty?"
Qin Shuang's eyes widened, her mouth slightly agape, her pupils filled with disbelief. How could His Majesty know?
"As diagnosed that day, the fetus not only showed signs of being a princess, but also had very weak fetal breathing, suggesting it might not survive past six months, is that correct?"
"Your Majesty, I am my concubine..."
He raised his hand, interrupting Qin Shuang's explanation, "Let me explain in detail."