Chapter 119

119 She is not suitable

The King wore the silk robe and tied a loose knot on it. He reached his chamber and found Xiaoming was standing instead of sitting on the chair. Upon seeing his Father, Xiaoming greeted him formally and bowed.

“Why didn’t the Crown Prince take a seat?” Qiu Zedong asked and settled on the broad cushioned red mahogany wood chair, which had beautiful golden patterns carved on it.

Xiaoming got on his knees and put his palms on the floor.

He bowed, and his forehead touched the floor. Qiu Zedong was bewildered to see this act of the Crown Prince.

“I am here to admit the biggest crime I ever committed, Royal Father,” Xiaoming started to speak. Qiu Zedong widened his eyes, wondering what the Crown Prince had to say.

“The Royal Father knows well about my feelings for Li Hua. For some reason, she stole my heart, and I wanted to marry her. Because of the strange fear inside my heart, I was preparing for the right time. However, by then, Brother Lóng Wei arrived at the palace and claimed that he was in love with Li Hua. The Royal Father agreed to their marriage which I was unable to accept. That’s why I made a plan. I thought if the Sixth Brother somehow returned to the cold palace, then I could marry Li Hua again. I hired that assassin and ordered him to murder those thirty servants. I framed Brother Lóng Wei for no reason. Please punish me, Royal Father.”

Xiaoming didn’t hesitate to reveal the truth to his father. It was the best solution for his every problem- to admit his crime and get punished for it.

“Royal Father, please punish me for not only taking the lives of those thirty innocent servants but also putting the false accusations on my youngest brother. I deserve to be punished,” Xiaoming said.

Qiu Zedong could not believe that his first son went this extreme for a mere woman. He didn’t like to know that for Li Hua, Xiaoming also forgot Lóng Wei was his youngest brother. His duty was to protect him not to harm him.

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“I didn’t expect that Xiaoming would do something like this. I had told him that he didn’t deserve Li Hua as his wife. She is a servant, who will never benefit him. As the Crown Prince, his main focus should be on how to strengthen himself. Did he not think even once that his actions could make me force to dethrone him?” Qiu Zedong shouted at Xiaoming, who kept his head low.

“I will accept the punishment gladly, Royal Father. I am ready to repent the mistake that I have made. I will apologize to Brother Lóng Wei when he returns to the palace. If the Royal Father thinks that I am not capable of the Crown, then he can take it away,” Xiaoming pronounced.

“Xiaoming!” Qiu Zedong lost his temper. “How dare you tell me what to do and what not to do? Does this all look like a play to you?” He could not believe that Xiaoming talked about giving away the Crown.

“If a Prince makes a mistake, he is punished to bring him on the right path. However, if the Crown Prince makes a mistake, he is supposed to hide it. The Ministers, and the officials all will be ready to go against you. Don’t you know destabilization in power benefits them the most?” Qiu Zedong’s words forced Xiaoming to look at him.

“Does it mean the Royal Father will not punish me?” Xiaoming was confused. He again downcasted his eyelids and waited for his father’s reply.

“I will announce my decision when both Lóng Wei and Li Hua return to the palace. I am glad that Xiaoming didn’t hide his crime from me. However, before their return, I will give another punishment to you. I cannot let it go unnoticed either,” Qiu Zedong asserted.

“I am willing to accept any punishment that the Royal Father will give,” Xiaoming said.

“Meet the family of those thirty servants,” Qiu Zedong told Xiaoming, who promptly agreed to him.

“It isn’t going to be easy. When you will see their sad faces, you surely realize that as the Crown Prince, your duty is to protect them, not to take innocent lives. I want you to take care of their families,” Qiu Zedong stated. Xiaoming agreed to what his father told him. He was in deep guilt after that day. He should not have done such a wicked thing. He indeed had lost his mind while ordering their murder.

“Xiaoming, you remember the prophecy for Lóng Wei, right?” Qiu Zedong asked him out of the blue.

Xiaoming lifted his head again to peer into his Father’s eyes. “Yes, Royal Father,” Xiaoming said.

“He has a bigger aim in this life. I know as the eldest son of the family, you are destined to be on this throne after me. Don’t ever think that Lóng Wei will try to snatch it from you. In terms of leadership, no Prince is better than you. So, don’t feel insecure because of that prophecy. Lóng Wei focuses his mind on the wrong things and it will take time to bring him on the right track. As his eldest brother, your duty is to protect him and lead him,” Qiu Zedong explained to Xiaoming.

“I understand, Royal Father. However, Brother Lóng Wei thinks that I am his enemy,” Xiaoming said. “Every time I tried to help, he thought the same.” He looked upset.

“Because Lóng Wei’s mother never took care of him. Since she never did, he grew up that way. He finds new ways to get the attention of people around him. Neither my Queen nor my Consorts put attention on him the way a mother should do. He thinks of everyone as his enemy. Being the eldest brother, it’s your duty to make him feel secure.”

Qiu Zedong didn’t want Xiaoming to hate Lóng Wei just because he could not marry Li Hua. The thought troubled him, because of Li Hua Xiaoming didn’t think of Lóng Wei. He had seen Xiaoming protecting Lóng Wei even from the punishments, but this was something unexpected from his side.

“Royal Father, I understood your words. I again sincerely apologize for my terrible mistake. I will wait for my Royal Father’s judgment,” Xiaoming said while remaining seated on the floor.

Qiu Zedong hummed. ‘If Li Hua doesn’t succeed in her mission, I will have to kill her. She’s not suitable for this royal family,’ Qiu Zedong thought in his mind.