After Hu Jingguo left the chamber, Sheng Li brought Ying Lili to the bed. "So, Hushu did friendship with him and did not even tell me," Ying Lili huffed and pouted. Sheng Li passed a faint smile to her.
"Hmm."
"That's why you said you cannot get angry at him because he is your friend now," Ying Lili moved her feet up on the bed. She picked the bowl of strawberries and placed it on the bedside table while Sheng Li was putting the medicine on another table. He was tense about his father's health. If Jingguo could not find any cure, then there was no way he could save his father. He had to watch his father slowly die in front of him.
"I ended the military campaign as quickly as possible because I wanted to meet my father. I wanted to become a good son to him. But, now, it feels as if I lacked in my duties towards my father. I neglected his health," Sheng Li suddenly blurted out. Ying Lili turned to look at him and saw the deep frown on his forehead. Sheng Li sat on the mattress and gazed at Ying Lili.
"I know death is a bitter truth from which everyone has to pass one day, but I want my father to live a little longer. I want him to feel the happiness that he never did. He kept quiet for over 20 years and stayed closer to Weng Wei despite knowing she killed my mother, his beloved wife. It must have been tough for him. And, now after her dethronement, a fight will definitely break out for the position of the Empress." Sheng Li's worries were now visible on his face. He wanted to save his father and also prevent the fights among the wives and Ministers for power.
Ying Lili was aware of this. When she first came to the Imperial Han Palace, she never thought that everyone would be so mad about the power. Since Juyan was a tiny kingdom, she never saw the actual fights among Ministers for power. Moreover, his father only had one wife. Though later, her uncle betrayed them because of the loyalty of Ministers towards Late King Song, her uncle's intentions could not be successful earlier.
Now, in Luoyang everything was complex. To keep the power, the wives of the Emperor were fighting among them. Though it was not visible now, it would be soon.
"If I want, I can be heartless to them, but then I do not want them to see me as a terror," Sheng Li proclaimed. Ying Lili kept staring into his eyes. "I want your opinion on this. I don't want to be called a Cruel Person, who did not spare his own family," he waited for Ying Lili's answer.
Ying Lili contemplated for a while before answering him. "What if Prince Nianzu's mother becomes the Empress?" Ying Lili queried him.
Sheng Li looked at her with a shocked expression. "To tell you the truth, Lili, I do not trust anyone among them. And Mother Hui cannot become the Empress. Even if we ignore the fact about her status, people will not! Since the eldest is the First Consort, she will acquire the position of the Empress. I do not have any problem with her. I will give this Crown Prince position to her son, but it will not be good for the people of Han. If anything happens to the father, the Empress will come to power for a certain time, leading to drastic consequences." Sheng Li explained it to Ying Lili, who understood his words.
Ying Lili recalled the Emperor's words, which he told her, and even-handed her the will. 'Sheng Li will become the Emperor.' But she needed to hide it from Sheng Li because she had little faith that Hu Jingguo would save the Emperor.
"Wait till tomorrow. Sometimes, if a solution is not visible, waiting for a little gives wonderful results," Ying Lili advised him.
Sheng Li agreed with her.
Ying Lili motioned her hand in the air, gesturing to him to come near her. Sheng Li climbed on the bed and sat beside her. "So many responsibilities you have! Hu Jingguo will do his best to save his majesty. Brother Jian has left the path of vengeance and the same with Sister Xue. So, you can see things turned right with time and mutual efforts. We won't let any fight break in the Palace," Ying Lili rested her head on his shoulder.
Sheng Li frowned. He was hoping the same because if a fight broke out, he might end up killing those people that did not want to do.
~~~~~
Nianzu re-read the message on the scroll. 'Princess of Huan is waiting for the reply of Prince Han Nianzu.' He kept staring at those words.
"Master, you have been staring at it for the past ten minutes. Is there something wrong in the message?" Eunuch Chung worriedly asked.
Nianzu heaved a sigh and placed it on the table in front of him. "Father wants me to marry the Princess of Huan Province, though he did not say directly," Nianzu told Eunuch Chung.
"King Huan always helped His Majesty during the wartime. Does the Master have someone in mind who has kept him in a dilemma?" Eunuch Chung waited for the answer.
"No," Nianzu simply refused. "I never thought I would marry a Princess. I thought I would fall in love with someone and marry her," Nianzu added.
"Why don't My Master meet the Princess of Huan and spend time with her?" Eunuch Chung suggested.
"That would be like an arranged meeting. I know I cannot step back from this marriage because King Huan always rescued my father and even got injured for him in the war." Nianzu was always considerate to others from a young age. He never raised his voice for the things he wanted.
"Master, you never shared what kind of woman you want? May I know, My Master?" Eunuch Chung humbly asked.
Nianzu fell silent. He never once put a thought on it. But then, there was one woman who came to his mind at that moment, Chuntao. Yes, she was the woman whose personality somewhere attracted him since the day he encountered her. After a while, he answered, "I will try postponing this marriage. Maybe by then, I will find someone whom I can marry, but if my father insists, then I need to agree with this." Nianzu picked the scroll and put it inside the drawer of the table.
Getting not the desirable answer which Eunuch Chung wanted to hear, he did not ask Nianzu again. "Master, Miss Chuntao is working with other palace maids," he informed Nianzu, who was befuddled a little.
"Why?" Nianzu confusedly asked.
"She said that it would be inappropriate if she lives here for free. His highness does not let her pay the debts so, she decided to do the Palace works," Eunuch Chung replied.
"That girl always wants to pay my debts," unbeknownst to him a smile appeared on his lips. "I am going to meet father," Nianzu stood up from the chair and left the chamber.