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Chapter 56 Disagreement

Li Xiao's voice was pressed very low, carrying a deliberate threat. However, Song Song who heard his words didn't feel scared at all. He turned his face away and ignored the man. The hand that was placed on his abdomen started shifting upwards, slowly reaching his ribs.

His movement was very slow, however, Song Song quickly realized what he was going to do. Even though that hand didn't reach its destination, his body's ticklish spots already started having a reaction.

Song Song laughed out loud and turned on his side, curling up to hug that hand: "What are you doing ah?""

His back was facing Li Xiao. From this rear view, he seemed like a harmless little animal. Li Xiao moved in and conveniently threw an arm around Song Song, directly pulling the other into his embrace. He lightly blew against Song Song's ear and said in a deep and magnetic voice: "Song-er is so naughty."

Song Song felt his ear go numb and couldn't resist ducking his head. However, he was quickly held still by Li Xiao: "Careful of your injury."

He did feel the sting, and obediently stopped moving. Thinking about it now, he still felt a lingering fear. Death missed him by just a hairline. If that sword was an inch closer, then his neck wouldn't just be bleeding blood. It'd be spewing blood.

Li Xiao gazed at the bandages wrapped around his neck. The two didn't speak anymore until Song Song asked: "Does your highness have any plans?"

"The frontline has been triumphant. The nation of Jin continues to lose ground. The fact that they would send people secretly to the capital to look for an opportunity to exploit is expected. This actually gave me a new idea. We can copy their plans. If their frontline collapses, then their back would also become chaotic. Then things will get interesting."

"We should plot this out meticulously."

At the moment in Yangxin palace, emperor Hong Ren was reading. Ever since empress Zhao passed away, his black hair had whitened a lot. In order to search for a cure for Li Xiao all these years, on top of managing a nation, his body had been growing weaker as each year passed.

Nevertheless, he was still the emperor in the end. Even if he simply took a seat, it's enough to strike fear in people's hearts.

For some unfathomable reason, empress Qin was summoned over here for about 15 minutes already. However, the emperor hadn't said a single word from the start. Since he didn't speak, she could only sit there. Every time the emperor flipped a page in his book, her heart would tighten nervously.

All the way until the other seemed to get tired of reading, Dou gonggong stepped forward to accept the book and put it away, the emperor finally looked over and said: "The empress came huh?"

It's almost as if he just became aware of this fact: "Someone, pour the tea."

The empress stood up to accept the tea cup, very bewildered. The events that occured yesterday, she also felt puzzled, like there was some conspiracy inside.

"Has the crown prince gone to see you lately?"

"The crown prince is very filial. He visits often."

Emperor Hong Ren nodded and said: "He's a good child. Zhen plans to have him bring Xiao-er to take care of the refugee camps. What do you think?"

"All according to your majesty's command."

"What happened yesterday night still requires further investigation. Now that Fu Zhao has died, there's not enough people. Have Qin Ning return to his former post quickly to help Zhen."

The empress's expression remained the same but the look in her eyes became more uncertain: "To help your majesty in your troubled times is the Qin family's duty."

"Very well. You can go."

The empress finished her tea, and stood up to leave. As she walked out, cold sweats covered her entire body. She sat on a sedan and returned to her palace, then immediately collapsed on a chair. Her momo brought her some tea and asked concerned: "What did his majesty say to you?"

"He said to let the crown prince accompany Li Xiao to manage the refugee camps. And even wanted brother to return to his post."

"This is good news! Why's your face this color?"

"What good news?!" The empress said frustrated: "Wives of the emperor shouldn't get involved in politics. This kind of thing he can negotiate in court with his officials, can discuss in private with the cabinet officials, what's the point of calling me over?"

The momo's heart sank with her words: "Then you think his majesty."

"He suspects that yesterday's assassination attempt on Song Song was my doing. He didn't say it clearly, so I can't directly explain myself." The express pressed a hand against her forehead. The momo immediately stepped forward to help her massage. She heard the empress mumble: "The last few days, I left the palace too many times because of father's severe illness, and then there're those past things with Li Xiao I have a feeling that he can't tolerate me anymore."

At the moment, it's as if the emperor held a long sword over her head but it's still unclear when the sword will fall.

The empress closed her eyes, almost as if talking in her sleep: "His heart is biased. He only favors Li Xiao. Look, Li Xiao's cure just appeared and he's already impatiently coming to attack me. The crown prince's protection can't even help anymore."

"Your majesty, you're thinking too much. The emperor has always been benevolent... "

"No matter how benevolent he is, he is still the emperor." The empress laughed bitterly, feeling like she's about to cry: "I can only bet everything on this one last chance."

When Li Yang walked in, the empress was sitting in the back veranda of her palace. The tea set was placed orderly on the long table. Her hair was casually bound without any additional ornaments. When she heard his greeting, she said: "Take a seat."

Li Yang sat across from her, his gaze landing on the black glazed cup in her hand and said: "Today, mother has leisure time to relax?"

The empress smiled, her gaze concentrating on the contents of her tea: "Today I used high quality leaves to make the tea. Take a sip and see if you like it."

Li Yang accepted the cup she handed over and took a taste, then instantly exclaimed: "Mother's tea is peerless. I'm envious."

"You're certainly sweet." The empress lazily replied: "These last few days, you've been together with your big brother. Did he treat you well?"

"Ever since big brother was poisoned, he's been the same. Even Shu-er received the cold treatment from him. We're all used to it."

The empress looked towards her son.

Li Yang and Li Xiao looked somewhat alike, but his personality was more like emperor Hong Ren. In his youth he was also like this. Even when he wasn't smiling, he still looked like he was smiling, gentle with the manners of a nobleman. When he got angry, he would rarely yell and throw tempers like normal people, just like emperor Hong Ren, who when angry, would be very calm and silent, sometimes heaving a sigh and furrowing his brows tightly.

"You and your father are very alike." The empress said: "It's unfortunate that your father was the first son, but you're not."

Li Yang instantly felt the sharpness within her tone, however, when he raised his eyes to look at her, her expression remained the same as before. He asked with uncertainty: "What's going on with mother today?"

"When I married your father all those years ago, I was only a concubine. This title forever represents second place. Even my son has to forever lower his head to someone else."

Li Yang's expression changed: "Please watch your words, mother. I've never lowered my head to anyone."

"How can you say that?" The empress said: "Just look at you. How very pitiful. Even though you're the crown prince, you still have to watch Li Xiao's mood."

Speechless, Li Yang can only reply after a while: "He is older. Even if I am the crown prince, he is still older. I should be respectful towards him... Mother, you do not have to feel indignant for me. I became the crown prince by luck anyways because he fell to the schemes of villains."

"What schemes of villains! That's his fate and this is your fate. You're already the crown prince. You're already the son of the first wife. Everything you have right now is everything you deserve. Li Yang, you need to grab onto this opportunity tightly and show your father that you're stronger than him!"

Li Yang hesitated for a moment then said: "But I'm not stronger than him."

"....... " The empress seemed choked by his words. She suddenly felt dismay surging in her heart: "Ever since I married your father, I had to spend my days watching my step around Zhao Sui. Now that she finally died, don't tell me I have to spend my life stepping around Li Xiao as well?!"

Li Yang frowned and said: "In the end, he's of the younger generation. When he enters the palace, it's just to see father and grandma. How many times do you see him a year? Why would you think like this?"

"It's like this now. But what if he ascends the throne? If he ascends the throne, then I will have to live by his will."

Li Yang's tone was gentle: "Even if he ascends the throne, he wouldn't make things difficult for me. According to customs, the worst that could happen is that we're forced to leave the palace to live outside. Even if I don't become the ruler, I can still take good care of you."

According to customs, that indeed was the case.

For a moment, the empress didn't know what to say to him. Li Yang didn't know anything. He still thought that it didn't matter which brother ascended the throne. He didn't care if he became a king or an emperor all because he believed in a so-called connection between his brothers. How laughable.

The empress suddenly laughed and said: "I understand now. I finally understand"

"What is mother talking about?"

"The style of education your father implemented back then was just to brainwash you guys. He told you brothers to treat each other respectfully, told you guys that people adhere to standards, told you guys to follow seniority. In the end, what he really wanted to tell you guys was that you all needed to listen to Li Xiao and needed to respect Li Xiao. That Li Xiao's things belonged only to Li Xiao, and that you guys shouldn't try to vie for them, shouldn't try to take them by force. From the start, he was paving the road for Li Xiao You're an idiot. I'm also an idiot. Why did I think he did all that for your own good"

"Mother!" Li Yang said: "You overstepped."

"Just look at you." The empress laughed again: "What a stupid child. It's not like your father can hear what I say here. Yang-er, don't tell me you've never felt dissatisfied? Finally you managed to kick Li Xiao down, yet now he's about to climb back up again, don't you feel threatened?"

Li Yang frowned: "I never took any of big brother's things. I only received the title because I was next in line. Otherwise, why didn't father choose 5th brother as the crown prince? Mother, you're thinking too much. I don't need to feel threatened because I never did anything bad to big brother. Even if he ascended the throne, he wouldn't harm me. You should feel the same, just relax and let nature take its course. Our lives won't have any changes. Even if we had to move out of the palace, it's just changing where we live, that's all."

The empress looked down. After a while, she smiled: "Yang-er is right. I was thinking too much Yang-er, do you think you gained your title as the crown prince because it was the will of heaven? Have you ever thought about thanking the person who poisoned your big brother?"

Li Yang's face fell: "Why would mother think this of me? Big brother and I are naturally on the same side against a common enemy. If that thing didn't happen, then he wouldn't have become how he is now. I'd rather not have the position of crown prince in exchange for everyone to be safe and sound. So why would I thank the person who hurt him just because I benefited from what happened?"

A deep sense of exhaustion appeared on the empress's face: "Back then, your father wanted to be together only with empress Zhao for a lifetime and was also willing to throw away the crown prince's position for it what your father said was right. Li Xiao is more fitting of the throne than you, because he's more like empress Zhao."

"How could that be?" Li Yang wasn't affected by her praise of Li Xiao, but instead said curiously: "Empress Zhao clearly was very kind. In the past, she treated all of us brothers very well. Why would mother think big brother is like her?"

"You're wrong." the empress shook her head: "Empress Zhao had a scale in her heart. She only does what she thought was correct. Her shrewdness was hidden deeply. When she was gentle, she was more gentle than anyone. When she was vicious, she was the most vicious."

Li Yang said: "Nevertheless, she would never hurt her own family."

This time, the empress fell silent for a long time before she said: "You can go back."

Li Yang didn't plan to stay long. He stood up, bowed and said: "Tomorrow, I will return to chat with mother again. Just relax, and don't think too much."

He turned to leave. Not long after, the empress's personal momo walked over and said quietly: "The crown prince ordered this servant to make you some tea to soothe your nerves and asked that you rest well. He's concerned for you."

"En."

The empress's gaze fell on the man-made mountain in the courtyard and said: "I spent my entire life paving the road for him. Luckily, even if this road can't be created, he has other paths to travel."