Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 474 Daddy

But within two or three days, the prince's round face had rapidly become thinner, and his chin had become pointed.

When Emperor Zhaoming saw him in the morning, his face was still pale due to excessive blood loss, but at this moment, there were two abnormal blushes on his cheekbones.

So, it is indeed a last hurrah.

Emperor Zhaoming felt uncomfortable in his heart, as if a big hand was gripping his heart tightly.

I feel so heartbroken.

This child has a hard life.

When he was born, he was just an idle prince, struggling to survive in the bloody battle for the throne between his eldest brother and several older brothers.

At that time, he didn't dare to appear too upright, brave, or broad-minded. In order to prevent his mother and his first wife from becoming his weak points, he didn't even dare to appear loyal.

So at the age of sixteen he started to indulge in women and become sarcastic.

On the night his child was born, he even went out drinking with others until his father-in-law came to his house in person, and then he went back.

As for the name, he asked the child's mother to give him the nickname "Cheng'er". It was not until the child was three years old and was included in the royal family's imperial genealogy that he asked the Supreme Lord to give him an academic name.

But the child of the prince was deposed first, and he became famous when he was three years old.

The child's mother was a most gentle and considerate woman, so she understood his strategy of keeping a low profile and never blamed him.

But such a good woman died due to dystocia in the third year after he became the crown prince.

Cheng'er, who had never received much love and care from his father since childhood, lost his mother.

Although Tai Shang felt pity and love for her, how could it compare to the love of one's own biological parents?

As for the previous deliberate coldness and alienation he had shown in order to survive and achieve his great cause, he really couldn't explain it to his children.

Cheng'er is also afraid of him.

Therefore, the emotional connection between father and son has always been weak.

He originally thought that since the Supreme Lord was old and he was in his prime, he would be able to wait until the time came to teach Cheng'er about state affairs.

At that time, he will show Cheng'er in detail how to balance the political situation, how to hide one's strength and pretend to be stupid, and how to use the opponent's force to counter the opponent's force. I think the child will understand why he was forced to do so back then.

But who knows...

There is such a sudden disaster!

I will never have the chance to make up for it!

Emperor Zhaoming looked at the profile of his sleeping son and felt heartbroken, with tears welling up in his eyes.

Maybe it was his heavy breathing, maybe it was his slight sigh, or maybe it was the sobbing that Tao Xingjian and Tao Mo beside him couldn't hold back.

The prince woke up from his dream, turned around and looked towards the bed, just in time to see Emperor Zhaoming wiping his tears.

"Father..." the prince said softly.

Emperor Zhaoming was startled, and hurriedly looked up, forcing a smile unconsciously: "Cheng'er, are you awake?"

The prince was in a trance for a while, and he curled his lips slightly: "Father has not called me by my childhood name for many years..."

"It's my fault, father. I have been busy with worldly affairs these years and neglected my son." Emperor Zhaoming couldn't hold back his tears again.

He forced a smile and said, "When Cheng'er is well again, let's follow your grandfather's example and go to Jiangnan together to visit your mother's hometown, okay?"

The late Empress Xiaodun was from Fujian.

The prince's eyes lit up and he smiled happily, "Sir, don't joke! You have to keep your word, father!" As he said that, he took the initiative to hold Emperor Zhaoming's hand.

Emperor Zhaoming looked at the father and son holding hands, and listened to his son's coquettish words at such an adult level. He knew that the child might have guessed the truth about his injury...

He gently took the prince's hand in his palms and Emperor Zhaoming had never spoken so gently before: "Okay.

“Father keeps his word.

"When you recover, while your grandparents are still strong, let's go to Fujian together as a family!"

The prince laughed.

His eyes became brighter and his face became more rosy.

"Father, I have good news for you!" The prince was very excited. "After the Crown Princess got married, didn't she catch a cold once? Doctor He has been asking her to take care of her to prevent her from getting pregnant, right?

"He came to check on the Crown Princess' pulse at the end of the year before last and said that her body was in good condition! He said we could try it this year!

"Father, can I give you a grandson?"

Emperor Zhaoming couldn't stop crying, nodded repeatedly, and his voice choked with sobs:

"Okay, okay! I'll be waiting! When you give birth to a legitimate son, I'll immediately make him the Crown Prince!"

“I don’t even know who is wise, who is foolish, and who is unworthy… How can I… make him the Crown Prince…” The Crown Prince laughed, his expression relaxed, and he spoke much more freely than usual.

But, he was short of breath and his voice was weak.

"Daddy, my chest hurts, it hurts... I want to sit up..."

The prince could no longer lie still, and his eyes began to become unfocused.

This is the end.

Emperor Zhaoming looked up at Tao Xingjian with tears in his eyes.

Tao Xingjian nodded and looked up at Tao Mo and winked.

Tao Mo understood, turned around, quietly took a few steps back, walked around the curtain, lifted his robe, and ran out with big strides.

Tao Xingjian himself stepped forward, assisted Emperor Zhaoming in helping the Crown Prince sit up, and was about to place a large pillow behind the Crown Prince.

The prince shook his head with difficulty, but looked at Emperor Zhaoming with attachment: "Daddy, Daddy, can you hold me up?"

Emperor Zhaoming hurriedly sat beside him and held his son in his arms: "Okay, Daddy will support you. Just lean on Daddy and don't be afraid of anything!"

The prince carefully relaxed his body backwards and leaned completely into his father's arms. His eyes were red, and he smiled and whispered:

"Daddy, you haven't hugged me like this since Mom died..."

Emperor Zhaoming laughed and cried at the same time, and said with a smile: "How old are you? You are about to become a father, and you still have the nerve to let your father hold you!

"If people heard that our prince was so attached to his parents, they would probably laugh at us for spoiling our child!"

The prince also smiled softly: "Yes, yes, it's all because my son is spoiled..."

While the father and son were chatting about nonsense, Tao Mo was crying and reporting the news to various places.

After the meal, the Emperor sent Prince Kejin and Zhou Yan to rest. He then took a walk to the Empress Dowager's palace, waited for her to finish her bath, and then accompanied her to eat noodles.

The old couple ate while quietly exchanging various news from inside and outside the capital. The emperor only reported good news and not bad news, while the queen mother only reported bad news and not good news. Each of them told the other what the other wanted to hear the most.

The Crown Princess washed up in a hurry, and when she heard that there was no news from anywhere, she ate her meal in peace. She was drinking tea while waiting for someone to notify her to see the Crown Prince.

Jia Yuanchun, on the other hand, washed herself thoroughly inside and out, then ordered her maid to hold the zither and sent a message to Tanchun: "Come and see me when you have time."

Tanchun's reply was simple and straightforward: "I'm busy."

Yuanchun thought about it again and again and decided to go talk to Tanchun herself, so she told the kitchen to bring her noodles to share with Princess Yimin.

The kitchen replied more tactfully: "The county lady has finished her meal and is going to serve the empress dowager. Do you want the imperial concubine to have her meal with you?"

Yuanchun had no choice but to give up and sat down there staring at the bowl of plain noodles with no appetite.