Married To The Cruel Crown Prince

Sheng Li met Lei Wanxi in the courtyard and asked him the reason to disturb him in the middle.

"Brother Sheng forgot to meet me. So, I thought to come here to see him," Lei Wanxi answered and found Sheng Li had not put on the overcoat. "Brother Sheng might catch a cold," he said worriedly.

"You disturbed me because I didn't meet you!" Sheng Li snickered. "Why have you not corrected your habit till now? We were busy, Wanxi." Sheng Li was irked with his behavior.

"I didn't know that Brother Sheng would get intimate with Sister Lili as soon as he stepped into the residence." Lei Wanxi started teasing Sheng Li.

"Leave before I will beat you up," Sheng Li said with annoyance.

"Fine. I am leaving, Brother Sheng," Lei Wanxi said and turned to leave.

"You didn't tell me the reason behind coming here," Sheng Li reminded him. "Is it about you or anyone in the palace?" He queried. He had noticed that Lei Wanxi hid something from him. He would not have come to the residence just to trouble him.

Lei Wanxi turned to face Sheng Li. "Brother Nianzu has fallen sick and he asked me to give you this." Initially, Lei Wanxi thought not to tell Sheng Li, since he was in the private residence to spend time with Ying Lili. However, hiding it would only grow Sheng Li's anger.

Lei Wanxi took out a folded paper sheet to Sheng Li, who asked him why he was ready to leave without informing him. "Don't mind my earlier words," Sheng Li told him and unfolded the paper. He read the message and scrunched his brows.

"What did the Royal Physician say?" Sheng Li asked him.

"Brother Nianzu stayed outside in the cold, so he fell sick. He is asked to be on bed rest. He told me to deliver the message to you as it was important," Lei Wanxi stated. "What has Brother Nianzu written in the message?" He waited for the answer.

"Tell Brother Nianzu to stay strong. I will see him in the evening when he gets better." Sheng Li refrained from telling about the message and folded it back.

"Brother Nianzu has been traumatized from the death of his mother. This happened in just a night. Brother Sheng, we need to make him understand that he is not at fault," Lei Wanxi stated. Sheng Li got into a dilemma and looked at the folded paper in his hand.

"Wait here," Sheng Li told Lei Wanxi and walked in to inform Ying Lili that he had to go to the palace to converse with Nianzu. No one informed him in the morning and staying here would only trouble him.

Sheng Li returned to the courtyard and asked Lei Wanxi to follow him.

"Brother Sheng, you are not supposed to go to the palace. Brother Nianzu only said to deliver this message to Brother Sheng," Lei Wanxi said.

"Lei Wanxi, Brother Nianzu will leave if I won't go to the palace now. I thought to come later in the evening, but it seems I should go now," Sheng Li said with a stern tone and asked him to follow him. They stepped out of the entrance, where a carriage was waiting for them.

Stepping into it, the two left for the Imperial Palace.

The carriage stopped at the Fu Imperial Gates. Sheng Li and Lei Wanxi walked on foot to the Eastern Palace to meet Nianzu. The servants bowed upon seeing the Emperor, who asked them if Prince Nianzu was alone.

"Lady Chuntao is with the Prince," one of them answered.

"Inform the Fourth Prince that I have to see him," Sheng Li ordered her. The maidservant walked in and after a minute returned with Eunuch Chung, who greeted the Emperor.

"This way, Your Majesty," Eunuch Chung said and they walked in.

Sheng Li saw Nianzu was on the bed. His pale complexion was enough to show that he fell severely sick. Why he was not informed about it? This matter should have been reported to him first. Chuntao stood up and greeted Sheng Li.

"Please remain seated," Sheng Li told Chuntao.

"Why did Brother Sheng come here? I told Brother Wanxi to hand him the message only," Nianzu said with a complaining look and gazed at Lei Wanxi.

"Lei Wanxi isn't good at lying. Eunuch Chung, please take Princess Chuntao to her chamber. I would like to converse with Brother Nianzu alone," Sheng Li affirmed. Chuntao bowed before leaving the chamber accompanied by Eunuch Chung.

"What was this letter about? Don't tell me the Fourth Brother again wants to leave this Palace," Sheng Li raised his voice at Nianzu and his brows furrowed.

Lei Wanxi asked Sheng Li to calm down.

"I want peace, Brother Sheng. I am unable to even look at myself. I am unable to take off this burden," Nianzu said. "Forgive me, Brother Sheng. I don't think I ever deserved to be a Prince. This life isn't for me," Nianzu said.

"What's the use of the knowledge that the Fourth Brother acquired all these years when he is unable to apply it in his real-life?! Are you the only one who suffered here? No, Brother Nianzu. We all have our share of suffering. However, we overcome it with each passing day. Think about your wife and your child, who's shaping the womb of your wife! It was not Brother Nianzu's fault that he was unable to see his mother's true self. She did all this because she was the daughter of a low-rank official," Sheng Li pronounced. He crumpled the paper in his hand and his jaw clenched.

"Brother Nianzu, more than you, I am afraid. The moment that arrow hit me, I," he paused as his voice quivered and he gulped the lump that had formed in his throat, "thought what would happen to the people behind me? Especially for my Lili, my kids, and for you all… I was scared. Be strong, Brother Nianzu. If a person like you fall weak, then anyone can."

Lei Wanxi agreed with Sheng Li's words.

"If Brother Nianzu needs time, then he can take a leave from Kingdom's affairs. He needs to heal himself and he truly needs time for it," Sheng Li opined.

"Brother Sheng is absolutely right," Lei Wanxi stated. "Brother Nianzu, we are here for you. You don't need to feel low or ashamed of anything," he said.

"Wanxi, let me talk. Stay quiet," Sheng Li told him.

Lei Wanxi pouted his lips and kept his mouth shut.

"Brother Nianzu, tell me what's going in your head. Tell me. I will listen to you and will give you the solution," Sheng Li asserted.

"It is tough to explain. Everything was for my mother. Why did I fail to reach her expectations?" Nianzu questioned.

"Brother Nianzu does not need to reach anyone's expectations. Also, everyone still sees you as the Fourth Prince, as the advisor to the Emperor. You are the same person for them, who makes efforts along with the other princes to uplift the destitute and vulnerable," Sheng Li pronounced.

Nianzu stayed quiet.

"I shall take my leave. Brother Nianzu can do anything to take out his anger, his frustration, except talk about leaving this palace. Last time, I helped you. I supported you. However, this time it will be the opposite," Sheng Li said with a stern tone and stepped back before leaving the chamber.

Lei Wanxi ran after Sheng Li, who seemed furious. He encountered Jian Guozhi and Rong Zemin outside the chamber.

"Is everything good?" Jian Guozhi asked.

"I conversed with Brother Nianzu. He needs time. Also, no one will talk about Empress Dowager Deng Hui in front of him unless he initiates the conversation about it. I want everyone to follow my command," Sheng Li told them.

"Can I talk with the Fourth Brother? I have been into that situation once," Jian Guozhi asserted.

"No. Talk to the Fourth Brother tomorrow. Today, he needs to reflect upon himself. He needs to find answers on his own," Sheng Li advised Jian Guozhi, who nodded his head.

Sheng Li walked ahead while the three princes stayed back.

"Brother Sheng almost burst out in anger at Brother Nianzu. I think Brother Nianzu talked about leaving again in the message which infuriated Brother Sheng," Lei Wanxi told them.

"Brother Nianzu was in the palace for his mother from the beginning. This is not the first time he talked about it. However, I thought he would never bring such a thing ever again after his return," stated Rong Zemin.

"Brother Nianzu is triggered. Nothing more. As Brother Sheng said, except giving time to the Fourth Brother, we can't do anything," Jian Guozhi stated and asked about Chuntao.

"Sister Chuntao is in her chamber," Lei Wanxi informed him.

"I will talk to Princess Chuntao. Brother Nianzu will listen to her more than us," Jian Guozhi opined.

"I will accompany the First Brother," Rong Zemin told Jian Guozhi, who hummed and they both left to see Chuntao.

"What's happening? I thought everything had turned well," Lei Wanxi murmured and sighed.