latelenovela Chapter 240 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (140)
Chapter 240 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (140)
Those used for official robes were made of the finest satin fabric.
When it moves in the candlelight, it appears glossy and luminous...
The deep red color made Ji Shumin's face appear as white as jade and his skin as smooth as porcelain.
He is indeed in good health now; he is no longer as pale as before. Just sitting there, he stands straight and sharp, his back like bamboo.
His eyes sparkled with a captivating light. Hearing the noise, he turned his head to look this way, and that single glance was enough to leave Lu Liruan speechless.
His hair was neatly combed, without a single stray hair on either side, and his jawline was narrow. As he stood up and walked this way, a charming and debonair air naturally arose.
Lu Liruan had seen others wear official robes before, but this was the first time she had seen someone wear them so well.
Did I wake you up?
Ji Shumin still walks very slowly, but his shoulders are straight and there is no sign of him being hunched over.
To ensure he walked steadily, he took each step lightly and slowly...
Lu Liruan couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she always felt that even the way he walked was a bit more graceful than others.
Perhaps God is just so biased; if He wants someone to be good-looking, then they will be good-looking from head to toe... There is no part of them that doesn't attract attention.
Lu Liruan propped herself up slightly and leaned against the bed. When she saw Ji Shumin walking over from that direction, she suddenly realized how tall he was.
The emperor's sons were all exceptionally handsome.
However, if we were to say who is the most outstanding, even those who look down on Ji Shumin would not be able to go against their conscience and say that someone else is better born than him.
Lu Liruan had heard countless times from others how the former Crown Prince was so virtuous and upright, like a towering pine tree.
Whenever the topic comes up, those people show regret on their faces.
Although Lu Liruan did not feel that Ji Shumin was inferior or in any way inferior to others, she did not think that he was better than her.
But hearing them say that, I still felt a mix of curiosity and regret.
Now it felt as if she had really seen it. Besides being amazed, Lu Liruan felt a surge of pride.
Ji Shumin has changed from his previous appearance to where he is now, and I have walked so many roads with him.
"Is it really that beautiful? Is Li Ruan completely mesmerized?" Ji Shumin sat down beside her, slowly leaning down to meet Lu Li Ruan's gaze.
"Look how fresh and new you look in your court robes." Lu Liruan raised her hand and touched the soft fabric, which was just as she had imagined.
"Then wait until I finish court? Li Ruan, take a good look again?" There was no one else in the room. Ji Shumin's voice still carried a hint of the softness of early morning, and his breath fell on Lu Li Ruan's ear.
“If you don’t go out soon, you’ll be late for the first time at court… and then people will have something to say.” Lu Liruan recalled the day Ji Shumin obediently agreed to Ji Shuqin’s request, and the Crown Prince’s face was full of pride.
Lu Liruan thought to herself: Ji Shumin probably saw Ji Shuqin's expression and really didn't know how to pour cold water on him.
They practically had their readiness to go all out on their faces.
Ji Shumin probably imagined the same scene as Lu Liruan. He froze, sighed softly, cupped Lu Liruan's face in his hands, and said quietly, "Liruan's smile is really a bit gloating..."
"No, no!" Lu Liruan giggled, breaking free from Ji Shumin's hand, burying her face in the pillow, laughing louder and louder until her shoulders were shaking, completely dispelling the previous romantic atmosphere.
Ji Shumin sighed helplessly, pinched Lu Liruan's warm earlobe, and gently twisted it: "What will Liruan do after I leave? I'm not used to being away from Liruan all the time."
Lu Liruan coughed, turned around, and said very seriously, "Well, of course I'll continue sleeping. It's not even dawn yet! What, do you think that just because you're going to court, I have to get up too?"
Ji Shumin: ...
"Didn't expect that, did you? Go on, I'm going to sleep." Lu Liruan blinked and waved her hand ruthlessly, without trying to stop her at all.
Ji Shumin sighed, got up and walked out: "Well, I wouldn't dare disturb Li Ruan's sleep." He left as soon as he finished speaking.
Lu Liruan wasn't just saying it; she hadn't gotten up early in a long time. She had barely opened her eyes when, with no one beside her and the candle blown out, drowsiness washed over her again, and she fell asleep again without even realizing it.
When Qinghe woke her up again, it was already bright outside. If Ji Shumin hadn't actually not been by her side, the scene that happened in the morning would have seemed like a beautiful dream.
Looking back now, I feel a little dazed.
"Has the Third Prince not returned to his residence yet?" Lu Liruan asked, taking a sip of her light honey water. It should be well past the time for the court session to end.
"A message came from the palace saying that His Highness the First Prince has kept His Highness the Third Prince here and will not be back until later." Qinghe helped Lu Liruan put on her outer robe. She hadn't noticed it when she got up early and hadn't gotten out of bed, but now she realized that the temperature had dropped a lot overnight, and her fingertips were cold when her hands were exposed.
Lu Liruan had a small brazier brought in, a small silk net was set up on it, some sweet potatoes and chestnuts were placed on it, and teacups were also placed on it. She then sat leisurely on the small couch and read a storybook.
Ji Shumin didn't return from outside until the afternoon.
"Li Ruan lives so comfortably all alone in the mansion?" He took off his cloak and moved his wheelchair to Lu Li Ruan's side.
"Huh? How did you go to court today?" Lu Liruan thought that Ji Shumin had stood up to attend court today.
"Walking and standing at the same time, isn't that comfortable?" Ji Shumin took Lu Liruan's teacup, took a sip, and said contentedly.
“I thought they were all just making a fuss about you not being able to walk, but today you walked up and gave them all a real shock.” Lu Liruan imagined the scene, and the people around her were whispering amongst themselves. Ji Shumin suddenly stood up and turned to them, asking, “Huh? What are you talking about me?”
The more I think about it, the funnier it gets, but I also feel that Ji Shumin couldn't have done it.
“If others say I can’t stand, then I’ll stand and show them. They seem quite glamorous, don’t they…” Ji Shumin scoffed.
"Whether I stand or sit, lie down or recline, they can only watch." Ji Shumin spoke calmly and deliberately, his words befitting his character.
"Are people talking about you?" Lu Liruan asked him.
Ji Shumin thought for a moment and said, "I don't know." He was too lazy to care about others. Even in court, he stood in front of everyone, so why should he look back?
There were indeed people gossiping, but those who had offered so many reasons to Ji Shuqin that day remained silent today in court, in front of Ji Shumin…
The Third Prince's influence remains strong. Just seeing him is enough to deter many from speaking out of turn. People originally thought that since the Third Prince was no longer the Crown Prince, he would no longer have such a powerful presence. But now it seems that it has nothing to do with whether he is the Crown Prince or not... As long as he is who he is, that's how it is!
So they only dared to stay behind Ji Shumin, heads bowed, exchanging knowing glances. After court, acquaintances would whisper amongst themselves, but when facing Ji Shumin, they still had to be extremely respectful...
Even Ji Shuqin found it a bit strange. He thought someone would cause trouble today, but the court was quiet and peaceful, even more orderly than usual.
While having lunch with Ji Shuqin, the eldest prince even sighed a few times. When he saw his younger brother looking at him with a half-smile, he slowly shut his mouth.
As everyone speculated about the Crown Prince's motives—whether it was to consolidate his position, win over the Third Prince, or simply out of brotherly affection—the situation remained unclear.
Not only Ji Shuling could see it, but many others could as well. The way the First Prince acted was somewhat similar to that of the former Crown Prince.
Now it seems that it wasn't just a simple resemblance, but rather an idea that the Third Prince had given him! When did the brothers become so close?
It's obvious to everyone that the Empress favors her eldest son. It was assumed that since the eldest and third princes didn't grow up together, there wouldn't be any affection between them, and who knows... there might even be some friction between them.
I once heard that when the First Prince first returned to the capital, he had more than one argument with the Third Prince!
I don't know where this news first came from, but it spread like wildfire, from one person to ten, from ten to a hundred, until it was said as if everyone had seen it with their own eyes!
But now it looks like...
Is the Third Prince really at odds with the First Prince?
"Who knows..."
Some people speculate that the reason why the eldest prince takes such good care of the third prince is that he wants to use him for his own purposes. After all, no matter how ambitious or cunning a disabled prince is, he cannot sit on that throne.
The eldest prince felt at ease using them; after all, they were brothers. Regardless of what had happened in the past, they were still born of the same mother, and the eldest prince didn't seem like the kind of heartless person...
Since the Third Prince could be used by him, he was willing to give him dignity so that he would no longer be in an awkward position and stay in his own mansion all day without showing his face.
If Lu Liruan heard this, she would only find it funny.
If Ji Shumin cared so much about his so-called face and the glory he enjoyed in front of others, he wouldn't have gotten to where he is today.
There was indeed no need for him to leave the mansion, and he didn't want to go out and cause trouble.
Seeing that the Third Prince's return to the court was a foregone conclusion, no one raised any objections to his presence on his first day. It seemed that as soon as the Third Prince glanced at the crowd, no one dared to be the first to speak out.
He came again on the second and third days, and that was the end of it...
So, some people started speculating again.
Even if the Third Prince returns to the court, what kind of trouble can he stir up?
Now all he can do is offer advice behind the scenes through the Crown Prince; he has no other skills. If one day he and the Crown Prince disagree, the Crown Prince might simply stop being close to him without anyone else saying anything.
Some people say that the First Prince would not be able to tolerate the former Crown Prince's strong and arrogant personality, since how could a person in a position of power be willing to be manipulated by others?
The Third Prince was so lacking in judgment and self-awareness, pointing fingers at the First Prince and even getting the First Prince to admit that most of the things that brought him honor and could be considered political achievements were thanks to him.
The eldest prince may still be bewitched by him now, but as time goes by, he will certainly not tolerate him anymore...
If the Third Prince is reasonable, he should restrain himself and not wait to be disliked by others!
They guessed left and right, as if trying to figure out what the two brothers were thinking. They felt that Ji Shumin was overstepping his bounds, and they thought that Ji Shumin should keep a low profile.
After thinking about it for a long time, I realized... I was completely wrong!
After the Third Prince went to court, he showed no restraint whatsoever, while the First Prince consulted his younger brother on everything, and each time... he even seemed to have a rather... proud expression on his face.
It's unpredictable and baffling.
But soon, they had no time to guess or analyze, because the Third Prince had actually extended his reach into the capital!
Originally, it was thought that this was just a punishment for the unruly and arrogant factions in the south, to make them behave themselves. But the more I look at it, the more it seems like... it's about to completely solve this stubborn problem, with no intention of stopping.
Even if they encounter resistance, they will never give up. As long as the court shows this attitude, those in the south will eventually be afraid. From the initial resistance, they are now trying to find excuses for themselves.
Things have come to this point. Originally, it was thought that only the south would suffer, but recently the eldest prince has been relentlessly pursuing the issue of buying official positions, peeling back the layers one by one, and then... it has even involved the capital!
The practice of buying official positions has a long history. Officials in the capital would try to buy a post for their sons in the provinces, and this was a common practice. Originally, this was called "buying an official position," but since the founding emperor of this dynasty, it has been explicitly prohibited.
But secretly... it still persists despite repeated prohibitions. Since the late emperor, it has never been investigated, but unexpectedly, the eldest prince has been relentlessly pursuing it!
Not only did they relentlessly pursue the matter, but they even brought it to the capital! Under the emperor's nose, while the various aristocratic families weren't as rampant as the southern factions, they were still...
This threw them into disarray.
Those with discerning eyes realized that what the Third Prince said in court was not simply about buying an official position.
That's clearly a pretext to deal with these aristocratic families in the capital! They're already sharpening their knives, giving people no time to react!
The Third Prince probably went to court specifically for this matter! The two brothers may have already discussed it!
The Third Prince is like a sharp knife; with him in court, nothing can escape his eyes or outwit his tongue!
Soon everyone realized that when he was the crown prince, the third prince was much gentler, but now he was exceptionally sharp, and just mentioning him gave people a headache...
Sure enough, the various families were soon weakened one after another. Many of those with titles of marquis or earl were demoted. The meaning was clear: the imperial power was becoming more centralized, and all the transgressions they had made before would now have to be paid for!
At this point, some people wanted to resist, but as soon as they had the idea, the Dali Temple and the Supervisory Commission would always find something to shut up those who wanted to speak.
You haven't even sorted out your own mess yet? If you don't want to be the first to be targeted, you'd better keep quiet!
The person who spoke understood the implication after receiving a cold glance from the Third Prince...