After entering the book, the cold prince begs for favor

Chapter 398 Duke Wei Returns to the Capital

Yuan Wanru gently tapped the teacup with her slender fingers, the white porcelain touching the sandalwood, producing a crisp sound.

She looked up at the Su father and son, a knowing glint in her eyes: "If there were no possibility whatsoever, why would I have asked?"

The room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and even the steam from the medicine stove seemed to freeze.

Su Shaodong's Adam's apple bobbed, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Old Man Su frowned, his gray beard trembling slightly: "Wanru, this matter..."

"It seems it's inconvenient for you to tell me." Yuan Wanru gently put down her teacup, a faint smile on her lips.

"It's not that I don't trust you!" Su Shaodong hurriedly explained, but saw his father shake his head almost imperceptibly.

Yuan Wanru didn't care, her fingertips lightly tracing the wood grain on the table: "Actually, I already had a guess in my heart."

She paused, then added, "That person might be willing to help Doctor Tang one more time. Perhaps Godfather should go and ask?"

Old Man Su's body stiffened, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes: "You knew it was...?"

"How much of it did you guess?"

A faint smile appeared in Yuan Wanru's eyes. "After all, my brother invited me to treat her last time, and we met again at the imperial palace later."

"Little beauty!"

Su Shaodong suddenly stood up, nearly spilling the tea in front of him, "How could you...?"

Yuan Wanru smiled but said nothing, leisurely picked up her teacup and took a sip.

Amidst the fragrant aroma of tea, her expression became even more enigmatic.

"What a clever girl!" Old Man Su suddenly clapped his hands and laughed, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes smoothing out. "She's asking a question she already knows the answer to, just to probe our understanding."

He stroked his beard, his eyes gleaming: "Just for your kindness, I'll risk my reputation to ask for your favor."

He gazed at the clear blue sky outside the window and sighed softly, "It's always good to be alive."

Yuan Wanru rose and bowed: "Then I will await good news."

-

Old Man Su watched Yuan Wanru's receding figure until she boarded the carriage and disappeared from sight.

This girl is something else!

He suddenly turned around, glaring at his son with exasperation: "You good-for-nothing! How could such a wonderful girl end up with that Lu family brat!"

He sighed heavily, his eyebrows twitching three times as he spoke: "Alas, in the end, our Su family is not blessed with such fortune."

Su Shaodong said, both amused and exasperated, "Dad, what you're saying..."

"When I met the young beauty, she was already Lu Jiangnian's lawfully wedded wife."

He touched his nose and chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Your son is shameless enough, but that couple's love is so deep, how could they tolerate any outsiders interfering?"

Old Man Su got even angrier upon hearing this, grabbing a tea tray from the table as if to hit him: "You still have the nerve to talk back? If you were a little more handsome, maybe that girl would fall for you at first sight!"

"father!"

Su Shaodong quickly dodged, "How can you blame me for this? You should be the one to blame!"

He pointed to his face, "If you had made me a third more handsome, maybe..."

"Bah!" Old Man Su was so angry his hair stood on end. "You're useless and you blame me! I married your mother so easily, and you, on the other hand, are left heartbroken and all alone. Tell me, isn't that what you're good for?"

The father and son chatted back and forth, and the Qihuangzhai suddenly became lively.

The sunlight outside the window cast long shadows of the two of them, one chasing and the other dodging, as if they had returned to the mischievous days of Su Shaodong's childhood.

After a while of commotion, Old Man Su suddenly stopped, looked towards the door, and said softly, "That's enough. Fate is something you can't force."

Su Shaodong also quieted down.

Yes, some people are destined to only watch from afar, like the bright moon in the sky. It is already a blessing if it can illuminate the way forward, so how dare we hope to embrace the moon?

-

There was much speculation in the court about the Second Prince, but no one dared to discuss it.

People in the court were watching and waiting, wondering how the emperor would deal with the second prince and Consort Liang.

Little did they know, the Emperor was also waiting for someone.

Similarly, the Crown Prince and Lu Jiangnian are also waiting for someone.

Just after the fifth watch of the night, a group of weary travelers entered the capital city, their bodies covered in morning dew.

Despite his sparse white hair, Duke Liang Jing of Wei still stands tall with the back he was injured on the battlefield years ago.

He gazed at the familiar palace walls, a hint of pain flashing in his cloudy eyes—the scene of riding and whipping his horse here with the late emperor was still vivid in his mind, but now he had to enter the palace as a criminal.

"Your humble servant Liang Jingyou greets Your Majesty."

On the cold, gold-brick floor, the old general knelt heavily, the floorboards creaking dully.

The emperor looked at the old man who had saved the late emperor's life three times and found that his body, beneath his plain clothes, was so hunched over.

"Duke of Wei, please rise."

The emperor's voice softened, "I summoned you back to the capital because..."

"This old minister is guilty!" Liang Jingyou suddenly interrupted the emperor's words, his white beard trembling violently. "I have failed in my duty to manage my household, raising such a rebellious descendant!"

He took out a brocade box from his robes, opened it, and presented it with both hands, saying, "This was a gift from the late Emperor. This old minister has no face to keep it any longer. I beg Your Majesty to take it back!"

The eunuchs standing in the hall gasped – that was a golden plaque that could save nine generations of a family from death!

The emperor's gaze fell on the gold medal, and the late emperor's dying words, "Treat Liang Qing well," still echoed in his ears.

He slowly descended the steps and personally helped the elderly minister to his feet: "The Duke is advanced in years and has been away from the capital these past few years. What does Liang Shangjiong's actions have to do with you?"

"Your Majesty is wise, benevolent, and compassionate, and is unwilling to take your anger out on others; this is a blessing for the world."

"It is the father's fault to raise children but not teach them properly, and this old minister would not be able to escape the blame even if he were to die ten thousand times."

Liang Jingyou prostrated himself on the ground, tears streaming down his face, pleading, "This old minister only begs Your Majesty to show mercy and spare the children of the second wife."

He kowtowed heavily, blood immediately appearing on his forehead. "They broke with the eldest son's family long ago; they were innocent victims."

"Old Duke, please get up and speak slowly."

The emperor interrupted him and did not accept the gold medal.

"You've been away from Beijing for many years, how can you be so sure the second wife was completely unaware?"

Liang Jingyou sighed deeply, looked up at the emperor, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

He understood that the Emperor was still willing to see him and give him this respect only because of the late Emperor.

The Duke of Wei was once a valiant general, but now his temples are gray, and the golden token granting him immunity from death shines brightly in his hand.

Unfortunately, all those glorious military achievements and countless escapes from death could not outweigh the misdeeds of his children and grandchildren.

Liang Jingyou spoke calmly, revealing a family matter that had been buried for many years.

"This old minister comes from a humble family in Longxi. Back in my military days, I was greatly helped by my mentor, General Wen."

A look of reminiscence appeared in his eyes. Back then, he was just a minor centurion, but General Wen betrothed his only daughter to him, which was like a second life to him.

Although he had started a family, the war was ongoing and he was often away from home. He hadn't been able to return to his hometown even once in eight years.

"When I was victorious and received my title, and returned to court," Liang Jingyou's throat bobbed, "I went back to my hometown to bring my parents to the capital to care for them, only to discover that they had already arranged for me to marry another woman."

"That woman was a farmer's daughter from a neighboring village. During the years I was away from home, she served her parents and managed the household chores."

The emperor only knew that Liang Jingyou's principal wife was Lady Wen and that he had few concubines, but he did not know that his second wife and concubines had such a background.

“I truly cannot bear to disappoint you,” Liang Jingyou’s voice lowered, “so he brought her into the capital as well, making her his second wife.”

Wen made things difficult for the second wife in every way, but the peasant girl remained docile and forbearing.

More importantly, the two elders of the Liang family favored the second wife.

To be honest, Liang Jingyou had been caught in a dilemma for many years, caught between his parents, wives, and concubines.

After the passing of Liang's parents, Liang Shangjiong and his half-brother Liang Shangde from the second wife's family have grown up. In order to maintain a balance in the relationship, Liang Jingyou has been deliberately suppressing the second wife's family.

Liang Shangde, the illegitimate son, had always been mediocre, and the two families seemed to be getting along peacefully.

But Liang Si broke this balance.