Married To The Cruel Crown Prince

"Did you send Mingze to prison?" Sheng Li asked him.

"Yes, Your Majesty. He thanked His Majesty for saving his life."

"Wang Hao, why couldn\'t you find that Empress Dowager planned to harm my wife? What if Lili had consumed the sweet that Empress Dowager brought? I had told you to keep your eyes and ears open, yet you failed to notice it." Sheng Li was not happy with the irresponsibility of Wang Hao.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty." Wang Hao downcasted his eyes in guilt. "I deserve to be punished." He was ready to take the punishment for being unable to fulfill his duties behind the Emperor.

"Wang Hao, you should give me a valid reason. Did you see the hatred in Empress Dowager\'s face, words for me? She could have succeeded in destroying my world if Brother Nianzu had not come in between," Sheng Li said and pinched the skin between his brows. He was scared about it from the beginning that someone might try to poison Ying Lili in his absence.

"Your Majesty, I had no idea that Empress Dowager would try to go against you. I know that I made a foolish mistake by not keeping an eye on her. Instead, I focussed on the ministers," Wang Hao accepted his mistake and kept his gaze low.

"I will be out of the Palace for a week. Probably, tomorrow morning I will leave with Lili for our private residence," Sheng Li stated. "I have a task for you. Keep an eye on three Consort Dowagers. I no longer trust any of my step-mothers." His skepticism towards them grew stronger after what Nianzu\'s mother did.

"I will, Your Majesty," Wang Hao assured Sheng Li.

"You may leave. Tell Huo Jin to meet me in the morning," Sheng Li ordered Wang Hao, who nodded and bowed.

"I will escort His Majesty to the Northern Palace," Wang Hao said humbly.

"That\'s fine. I can go. I am good," Sheng Li said. "Leave first," he stressed. Wang Hao didn\'t argue with the Emperor and left the barracks. Sheng Li decided to meet Mingze once but then shoo that idea away as his betrayal had also broken him from inside.

As he came to the open, the rain started to pour. Sheng Li looked up into the sky and the drops covered his face. He closed his eyes and it appeared as if he cried with the rain. With the downpour, the weather turned colder than usual. Sheng Li, for a moment, forgot that his wound had not yet healed.

An oil-paper umbrella covered his head, and he opened his eyes. "Weng Yu." Sheng Li was stunned to see the youngest prince. Sheng Li\'s hair was wet, and only some of the parts of his robes were wet.

"I never hated Brother Sheng. I was indeed scared of him, but I never once hated him. I can never hate him because he is my ideal. He showed me the path which I could not find being born as a Prince. I was timid to even lift my eyes, let alone voice my opinions. However, Brother Sheng made me find my true self. I am still a young kid, who needs to learn a lot," Weng Yu stated. His tone was firm, and the words were genuine.

Sheng Li\'s back was drenched in the rain because the umbrella was tiny. The left portion of Weng Yu\'s hanfu dress was drenched too.

Sheng Li smiled and took the umbrella from him. Weng Yu was still a teenager, so he was still in a growing stage. Sheng Li lifted his hand a little and they both were prevented from the rain in a better way.

"You indeed have grown up. I might sound harsh, but I never expected it from you. Also, don\'t make me your ideal. I am imperfect in many aspects. My personality isn\'t likable to many," Sheng Li affirmed. He didn\'t want Weng Yu to think the way he did for half of his life. He didn\'t want Weng Yu to be like him in any aspect.

"Brother Sheng is too perfect in many ways," Weng Yu said and smiled. "I am glad that I come in a category, who like and respect Brother Sheng\'s personality," Weng Yu opined, and it made Sheng Li feel overwhelmed.

He lifted his hand and brought it to Weng Yu\'s shoulder. He patted it and said, "It is good to see such a great change in you. However, I feel Lili\'s contribution is maximum. Don\'t deny it."

Weng Yu nodded. "Yes, Brother Sheng. Thanks to Sister Lili, I am able to see Brother Sheng\'s true self," he said with a broad smile.

Weng Yu opened his mouth but quickly brought his palm over it. He sneezed and apologized to Sheng Li.

"It\'s cold. Come, I will drop you to the chamber," Sheng Li said and put his arm around Weng Yu\'s shoulder. After dropping Weng Yu to the Eastern Palace\'s corridor, Sheng Li left for the Northern Palace, where Ying Lili must be waiting for him.

He handed the umbrella to the maidservant outside the chamber and asked her if Ying Lili was awake.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the maidservant answered in a low voice, keeping his head low. The giant mahogany doors opened, and he walked in.

To his surprise, the room was dark, and he wondered about the reason.

"Xing-Fu! Court Lady Xu!" He called out their names. His heart raced, thinking about why the chamber was dark when Ying Lili was inside.

He paused as he saw a faint yellow light that peeked out of the opening of the chamber adjacent to the bedchamber. He lifted his hand and slid the doors.

Stepping inside the room, he saw Ying Lili seated around a table. The candle had illuminated the entire room and was put on a small candle holder on the table.