Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

559 The Crown Prince always doubt himself

“I cannot believe our father forced Lóng Wei’s mother to live in the palace as his concubine. I never saw Lóng Wei this devastated,” Qiu Mu said and looked at Xiaoming, “what will the Crown Prince do now?”

“I will discuss the matter related to Father’s punishment with Brother Lóng Wei first,” Xiaoming said. “We all thought Brother Lóng Wei was a culprit all these years. He had no choice but to act like an unfaithful child,” he muttered and furrowed his brows together.

“I never saw Lóng Wei crying,” Tianjie stated. “I always thought he was born heartless and he had gotten some special privileges from our father. How wrong was I? I do not think I will be able to meet his gaze,” he said in a low voice and leaned back on the chair.

“Didn’t we all think the same about Brother Lóng Wei?” Zhang Xi finally spoke. “We made him feel neglected. If I had been at Brother Lóng Wei’s place, I would have given up living,” he asserted and looked at all of his elder brothers. “For a moment, I thought he would kill all of us because we all somewhere did wrong with him,” Zhang Xi opined.

“Brother Zhang Xi that would not have happened. After learning the truth, I realized that Brother Lóng Wei is a thoughtful person. Did you not hear that he decided to keep quiet, but after Monk Yuze died, he decided to bring the truth out?” Qiu Mu said. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wooden pillar.

“Father even ordered to wipe out the existences of Li Hua’s and Feng Lao’s families. I even taunted her once. Now, I suddenly feel bad for my past actions,” Qiu Mu muttered.

“Father did not only order to kill everyone in their families, but more than a hundred noble families twenty years ago. But the three people suffered the most because of all this: Uncle Qizhen, Mother Yu, and Brother Lóng Wei,” Xiaoming said. “Suddenly my entire love and respect for my father have changed into hatred. I do not even want to say that I am one of the sons of…” he paused and snickered.

“We feel the same, Crown Prince,” Tianjie said. “Where is Brother Mingquan? He left the palace grounds earlier. Does anyone know where he is?” He asked them.

“I was with Brother Lóng Wei,” Mingquan answered as he had heard Tianjie before entering their private gathering room.

.....

“Where is Brother Lóng Wei?” Xiaoming concernedly asked.

“At his mother’s room,” Mingquan replied and pulled out the chair. He sat down on it and looked at all of them.

“Brother Mingquan was always close to Lóng Wei. Did he tell you about this beforehand?” Qiu Mu asked with inquisitiveness.

“Brother Lóng Wei never told me. I witnessed what happened that night,” Mingquan replied.

They all were astonished to hear the Fourth Prince’s words.

“Why did you never tell us?” Qiu Mu complained.

“Did any of the princes like Brother Lóng Wei earlier?” Mingquan questioned. Qiu Mu furrowed his brows together and averted his gaze.

“Most of us wanted Brother Lóng Wei to be dead because according to the prophecy he was supposed to take the throne,” Mingquan affirmed.

“That is what I am guilty about the most,” Xiaoming murmured and stroked his fingers.

“We all are, Crown Prince,” Tianjie asserted. He then glanced at Mingquan and asked him why he never told about it to the King. “If any of us were in your place, we would have told about it to the father,” he said with a bit of hesitation.

Mingquan smiled and said, “I knew Father was not good to Brother Lóng Wei’s mother for a long time. I saw him slapping Mother Yu when I was a young kid,” he revealed to them.

“The night was painful for Brother Lóng Wei because he got to know about his real father, and then his mother demanded to kill her. When Brother Lóng Wei walked away, she shoved the sword into her abdomen. Brother Lóng Wei could not save her and in a way blamed himself for taking his mother’s life. Because he got that life at the expense of his mother’s sacrifice, he asked our father to punish him to death. Father never did that of which reason we all are aware of now.”

Mingquan explained to his brothers in brief the truth from that night. He wanted them to know that Lóng Wei could never stoop low to kill his own mother.

“It is painful to hear. I wonder how Brother Lóng Wei bore this by himself,” Xiaomiong muttered and stood up from the chair in anger.

“Where is the Crown Prince heading to?” Qiu Mu asked.

“To see Brother Lóng Wei,” Xiaoming replied.

“I would advise the Crown Prince to let Brother Lóng Wei alone for a while. He accepted the truth after so many years. All the time, he kept telling lies to everyone and himself about how much he hated his mother. Today, he accepted the truth, so we must give him time,” Mingquan suggested to Xiaoming.

“Then, I am going to see Li Hua and Feng Lao. I need to beg forgiveness from them,” Xiaoming said and turned when he saw his mother in front of him.

The other princes also stood up to see Zhu Liling.

“Why did the Crown Prince let his father get imprisoned?” Zhu Liling asked with teary eyes.

“Who let Mother come out of her manor?” Xiaoming asked.

“Is the important to answer?” Zhu Liling took steps toward her son.

“Royal Mother, Father deserves to be imprisoned,” Xiaoming affirmed. He gazed at Sun Fuguo and asked him to escort Zhu Liling back to her manor.

“I will not go anywhere unless my husband comes out of prison,” Zhu Liling said with a menacing look.

“Please follow me,” Hei Chengxi pronounced and stepped toward her. He stood before Xiaoming and continued, “Sadly, you are no longer the Queen nor Qiu Zedong the King. Upon the orders of Prince Lóng Wei, none of the women would be harmed here.”

“What did General Hei say?” Zhu Liling questioned and pushed him away. She held the arms of Xiaoming and said, “I told you not to trust Lóng Wei. Why did you do this? Now, the entire army is listening to Lóng Wei’s orders. You are the Crown Prince, then why are they compiling with the commands of that witch’s child?” Zhu Liling screamed when Hei Chengxi pointed the sword at Zhu Liling’s neck.

“Forgive me, Crown Prince, but your mother should not use such disgraceful language,” Hei Chengxi asserted. “I am listening to Prince Lóng Wei’s order on some specific matters only, so do not brainwash the Crown Prince,” he stated.

Hei Chengxi glanced at the maidservants, who had accompanied him earlier, and asked them to take Zhu Liling away. When she left, Hei Chengxi put the sword back into the scabbard.

“I apologize for this kind of act, Your Royal Highness,” Hei Chengxi said.

“General Hei scared us,” Zhang Xi murmured which was audible enough.

“The Crown Prince’s uncle wants to see him,” Hei Chengxi stated. “Please come with me,” he said.

Xiaoming hummed and asked the princes to continue their conversation. He left with Hei Chengxi and soon reached outside the chamber where Qizhen was present. Xiaoming went inside, but Hei Chengxi did not follow him.

The Crown Prince stopped to see Qizhen, who had a golden scroll in his hand. Xiaoming formally greeted him and asked him if he was well.

“I do not what to answer, Crown Prince,” Qizhen said and walked up to him. He handed him the scroll and said, “Be the next King of the Qiu Kingdom, Crown Prince Xiaoming.”

Xiaoming was stunned to hear that statement. He looked at the scroll and then at Qizhen. “Should uncle Qizhen not give this to Lóng Wei? He is the one who was born to be on this throne. If my father had not usurped the throne, then uncle Qizhen would have been the king,” Xiaoming expressed his thoughts.

All these years, Xiaoming trained himself to be the best leader and the best next King. However, he suddenly got a realization. Lóng Wei deserved to be the King than him not because of the prophecy, but also his marvelous way of bringing justice to the people. The truth which they all were unable to see, Lóng Wei saw it. He always was different and more capable than Xiaoming. The Crown Prince told Qizhen the same and asked him to give this responsibility to Lóng Wei.

“I told the Crown Prince that I never was interested in the throne.”

Both Qizhen and Xiaoming heard Lóng Wei’s voice. Xiaoming turned to look at Lóng Wei and found how red his eyes were. He must have cried a lot.

“But, Brother Lóng Wei I do not deserve to be the next King,” Xiaoming said.

“Why does the Crown Prince always doubt himself?” Lóng Wei arched his eyebrow.