Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 92: Destruction
Li Zhulan was a truly stunning beauty in the harem, but that was all. For Zhu Changluo, the heir's mental health was clearly more important than her beauty. Furthermore, he completely failed to understand the dynamic between Consort Li and the Crown Prince. He simply saw her as a foolish woman who had taken advantage of her husband's illness while he was still enjoying his favor.

With the combination of the two, the extremely favored Li Xianshi became a "cold palace concubine" living idle in the warm room of the Qianqing Palace overnight.

The eighth daughter of the emperor, Zhu Huiti, is a typical example of a daughter's status due to her mother. Because her mother was favored for a long time, she was very lucky to have both maternal and paternal love, unlike Zhu Youxiao, who had only a mother but "no" father for a long time.

In reality, however, Zhu Changluo didn't distance himself from Zhu Huiti because he ignored Li Zhulan; he simply didn't consider it that way. Although princesses were considered the most important figures in history, they were never the primary subjects of historical accounts. This resulted in their presence being extremely subtle, sometimes even less so than their consorts.

"Zhu Youxiao, give what you made to Ti'er." Since he couldn't explain it, he might as well not explain it.

"Okay, father." Zhu Youxiao nodded, then ran to Wei Chao and said, "Wei Bingbi, please give me the things."

"Yes, Your Highness." Wei Chao opened the box in his hand and handed the hollow wooden ball inside to Zhu Youxiao.

"Come here, Eighth Sister, this is for you." Zhu Youxiao pinched the hollow wooden ball and shook it. The two balls collided, making a pleasant sound.

"Thank you, my royal brother!" Zhu Huiti took the wooden ball, poked the inner ball with her index finger, and asked, "How did this ball get in there? The openings are so small, and the ball inside is so big?"

"This is not stuffed in, but the big wooden ball is hollowed out little by little from the middle." Zhu Youxiao used three fingers to make the shape of pinching a knife, and said while gesturing.

While the princes and princesses chattered and answered each other, Zhu Changluo walked over to Li Zhulan, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "What do you think I should do with you?"

What should I do? Li Zhulan didn't even know what she had done wrong.

Li Zhulan looked up at Zhu Changluo. This was the first time she felt that Zhu Changluo was so tall and mighty. "What crime have I committed? Your Majesty, please enlighten me." She was about to cry as she spoke.

"Don't cry, don't kneel, it's not good for the children to see you." Zhu Changluo supported Li Zhulan's body and forced her to continue standing.

"Zhu Youjian!" Zhu Changluo called out.

"Your son is here." Zhu Youjian responded angrily.

"You'll grow taller. Look here." Zhu Changluo patted his chest and said, "Take Ti'er out to play."

"Where is my royal brother?" Zhu Youjian turned his head and looked at Zhu Youxiao.

"Don't worry about it, just go." Zhu Changluo waved his hands repeatedly to make a gesture to drive them away.

"Oh." Zhu Youjian nodded.

"My father asked me to go out and play with you." Zhu Youjian walked to the side of the imperial sister, his tone full of dissatisfaction.

"Humph!" Zhu Huiti held the ball and shook it in front of Zhu Youjian, boasting, "Short brother, you don't have it, do you?"

Zhu Youjian rolled up his sleeves and showed his bracelet to Zhu Huiti: "This is a pair." The two siblings left the West Warm Pavilion while bickering.

"Wang An." After the voices of Zhu Youjian and Zhu Huiti faded away, Zhu Changluo called out.

"I'm here." Wang An took a step forward and stood behind the emperor.

"Clearance."

Wang An's face turned grim. "As you wish."

In just a moment, only Zhu Changluo, Zhu Youjian and Li Zhulan were left in the West Warm Pavilion.

"Zhu Youxiao, come here." Zhu Changluo put away all his smile.

"As you command." Zhu Youxiao swallowed his saliva and breathed a sigh of relief. "Zhu Youxiao, do you know why I came here with you?" Zhu Changluo asked.

"Your Majesty, I don't..." Zhu Youxiao looked into his father's eyes and swallowed his "I don't know". "Your Majesty is here to solve a family case."

Zhu Youxiao was not only clever and skillful, but also very intelligent. He knew very well that his father would not let his younger brother and sister leave without a reason and order the West Warm Pavilion to be cleared.

The emperor must have a purpose, and the only thing between me and Concubine Li that he could consider as "the purpose" was that incident.

"Family case? That's a good word." Zhu Changluo chuckled. Then he turned to Li Zhulan and asked, "What do you think Zhu Youxiao is referring to when he says family case?"

Li Zhulan was frightened by this question and fell to her knees, not knowing how to answer.

Zhu Changluo squatted down and lifted Li Zhulan's chin with his index finger. "If you don't want to say it, I'll say it for you."

"I have a grudge against Xi Li, and I can't redress it." Zhu Changluo asked word by word, "Do you know whose last words these were?"

Li Zhulan had never heard of this, but she could guess. But before she could say anything, Zhu Youxiao, who was standing beside her, had already knelt on the ground in tears: "This is my mother's last words!"

"You heard it." Zhu Changluo looked directly into Li Zhulan's eyes coldly. The mist in Li Zhulan's eyes suddenly condensed into crystal.

Fear, confusion, and grievance all mixed together, finally transforming into silent tears that flowed out of her eyes. "Your Majesty, why?" She still didn't know why she had fallen so far from favor.

Zhu Changluo ignored her and stood up, untied the sword at his waist and threw it in front of Zhu Youxiao. "Pick it up and stand up."

"Father!?" Zhu Youxiao was startled by the sharp sword that suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Pick it up and stand up!" Zhu Changluo emphasized.

"Yes, yes!" Zhu Youxiao breathed rapidly. He stood up tremblingly, holding the scabbard in his hands.

"Kill her." Hot air blew out of his mouth, but it felt like the cold breath of a dragon. "If you kill her, your mother's death will be avenged."

"Your Majesty!" At this moment, Li Zhulan finally understood that Zhu Youxiao's position in the emperor's heart was no longer the same. For this "good son", the emperor was willing to sacrifice himself.

She crawled over and hugged the emperor's thighs, begging him to spare her with pleading eyes.

"Let go." Zhu Changluo's calm yet stern tone was like a sharp needle, piercing Li Zhulan's heart from every angle. "Don't make me say it a second time."

Li Zhulan was desperate, but she had no choice but to let go.

"Zhu Youxiao!" Zhu Changluo called out sternly.

"Your son is here." Zhu Youxiao trembled even more violently than Li Zhulan.

"Draw your sword!"

"No! No!" Zhu Youxiao kept shaking his head, his whole body expressing resistance.

"I heard that Xi Li often insulted and abused you. If you kill her, you won't have to be afraid." Zhu Changluo frowned, his eyes as cold as a piece of iron. "Okay, if you don't dare, I will help you."

Clang! The precious sword was drawn from its scabbard. The blade rushed forward, and when it touched Li Zhulan's shoulder, it had already cut through her long black hair that was floating in the wind.

(End of this chapter)