Chapter 111: We’re Not Free Enough Yet
Yan Bei carried A Li back to the courtyard, then eagerly grabbed him and sat him down on the little wooden stool: “Son, do you know what happened recently?”
“I know.” A Li nodded vigorously: “Mother defeated the bad guys and is taking A Li home.”
“That’s not your home!” Yan Bei lowered his voice, “You’re Father King’s son. Can you bear to leave Father King here alone?”
“I can’t bear it.” A Li sat on the little stool, shaking his head with great sincerity: “So A Li gave up Mother’s pillow to come sleep with Father King.”
Yan Bei gave him a sidelong glance: “Little ungrateful one, Father King raised you for three years and only gets half a night from you.”
A Li’s eyes darted around, then he leaned to his ear, cupping his little hand to block the wind as he said: “Father King, don’t worry. A Li will be the vanguard, go with Mother to set things up first. When the opportunity ripens, A Li will come get you!”
Mother had instructed him not to fall for Father King’s tricks or let him be deceived away.
“Little liar.” Knowing he was just coaxing him, Yan Bei still felt a warmth in his heart. He pinched his cheek and said: “In the end, you’re still going, right? But if you go, you won’t be able to see Father King often.
“Prince Duan’s Mansion is so big, and Mother managing it alone is already hard enough. If A Li goes too, what if it tires Mother out?”
A Li was stunned: “Aren’t there Grandpa Gao and Grandpa Jin? They can help Father King, so they can definitely help Mother too.”
“Why does your elbow always turn outward?” Yan Bei grabbed the brat’s shoulders. “Your Grandpa Gao and Grandpa Jin are Father King’s people; they can only stay at Prince Jingyang’s Mansion.”
“Then is A Li the heir of Prince Jingyang’s Mansion?”
“Of course! Absolutely!”
“Then isn’t that fine?” A Li spread his hands and shrugged: “Father King’s people are also A Li’s people. Why can’t A Li bring Grandpa Jin and Grandpa Gao to help Mother?
“If Father King can’t bear to part, he can come with us too!”
Yan Bei was choked speechless.
This guy not only wanted to leave himself but also take all the people by his side. Was there anyone so disloyal?
Yue Tang, who was sitting on a tree on this side of the wall top with arms crossed, couldn’t help curving her lips.
A figure quickly approaching from afar caught her peripheral vision. Looking closely, it was Wei Zhang.
In the courtyard, Yan Bei continued to persuade: “Father King can’t go to Prince Duan’s Mansion with you. If I go, someone will take Prince Jingyang’s Mansion. All these people who raised you from childhood will be homeless. Father King has to give them all a home.”
A Li said: “Then let Mother live at Prince Jingyang’s Mansion.”
“Mother won’t work either.” Yan Bei rubbed his head. “Mother has her own people to protect. None of us are that free.”
A Li thought for a moment, then looked up: “Then why doesn’t Father King lock A Li up?”
Yan Bei sighed: “Because Father King is conflicted too. Father King wants you to choose for yourself, to be free. But he’s afraid your choice will leave him unsatisfied, so he has to persuade you like this.”
A Li was silent for a moment, then got down from the stool and hugged his Father King, pressing his face to his: “Father King, A Li can’t bear to part with you either. If you can’t go to Prince Duan’s Mansion, then A Li will have Mother build a house between the two mansions. A Li will live there, and you can both come keep me company.”
He also couldn’t bear to part with Mother and looked forward to living with her back at Prince Duan’s Mansion.
But his Father King was the one who went out on the street to buy candy figures and candied haws for all his little friends. He didn’t want to lose either one.
“Silly boy,” Yan Bei rubbed his cheek hard, “The two mansions are very far apart.”
The child’s innocent words made the adults’ hearts ache like knives twisting.
Yue Tang withdrew her gaze and jumped down from the tree.
Wei Zhang had just reached her and lowered his voice: “Princess, people outside are using Prince Jingyang’s support for the Princess to stir things up. Many are speculating how you and the Prince know each other. This momentum is almost as big as the Chu Family’s downfall.
“This afternoon, this subordinate and Lord Dou checked and found Mu Family people behind it, with the Shen Family fanning the flames.
“It seems their current goal is to figure out the details between the Princess and the Prince!”
Yue Tang slowly stepped onto the long corridor: “So what conclusions have they reached?”
Back then, when she chose to bring Yan Bei in, she had anticipated this situation. But the two would still need to fight side by side in the future, so Yue Tang continued to live openly at Prince Jingyang’s Mansion without any intention of avoiding suspicion.
“What else?” Wei Zhang said irritably. “Vulgar people can only spew vulgar words.”
One a widower, one a widow, both around the same age—people couldn’t help gossiping. Plus, those who had seen Yue Tang noted her stunning beauty, and Prince Jingyang was naturally top among men. Topics about the two were inevitably quite salacious!
Yue Tang glanced at him with indignation on his face and slightly raised her lips.
But after walking a distance, her expression calmed again.
“It seems after A Li’s background is revealed, it will inevitably stir up another huge commotion.”
Wei Zhang stopped: “What does the Princess mean?”
Yue Tang sat on the railing, looking up at the new moon in the sky, wrapping her cape tighter: “Yan Bei is indeed a good father.
“The child is still young and doesn’t understand many things. He doesn’t know that if I take him away tomorrow, it will sever his relationship with his father.
“No matter how you think about it, that’s somewhat cruel.”
“Princess!” Wei Zhang dropped his crossed arms. “You’re not changing your mind, are you? Are you going to give up A Li?”
“Of course not.” Yue Tang shook her head. “He’s the flesh and blood I bore through hardships. How could I give him up?”
“Then you—”
“Because besides not wanting to put A Li in a difficult position, I also have to consider Yan Bei’s situation.” Yue Tang looked at him. “Having A Li recognize his ancestry isn’t a problem. But when he married me, he entered the capital incognito.
“As a border defense minister, entering the capital without authorization is a grave crime.
“Insisting on this would immediately make Yan Bei a target for all.
“Letting A Li become Prince Duan’s Heir again, Yan Bei as his birth father won’t be able to explain how he was born in Mobei yet became my son-in-law.
“So at that point, he won’t be able to hide it.
“He has formed his own faction in court and intimidated everyone, but he’s also feared.
“If it’s exposed that he’s my son-in-law, his unauthorized entry to the capital will become a handle in the enemies’ hands.
“You’ve seen Mu Chang’s cunning. He luckily slipped away from us this time, knows I’m suspicious of him, and now surely sees Yan Bei as a thorn in his side.
“Once the handle falls into his hands, it will be spun into a big article.”
If Yan Bei were targeted, what good would it do for Prince Duan’s Mansion.
Wei Zhang was silent for a moment, then sighed: “Then not seeing A Li, won’t the Princess be sad? Over time, Prince Jingyang won’t let go either, right?”
“Not necessarily.”
Yue Tang smiled faintly and flicked the banana leaf in front of her. “Prince Jingyang’s Mansion holds the lives and futures of countless soldiers. The situation won’t allow him to remain a widower forever.
“Once that day comes, I’ll find a way to get A Li back to me no matter what. What he says won’t matter.”
