Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved

Chapter 76: Chapter 76 I shall grant her the position of Empress
 

At that moment, Murong Jiu finally understood why Jun Yuyan had kept a low profile for so many years and had not sought revenge on the Second Prince.

She had always thought that his being ambushed and falling off the cliff was the doing of the Second Prince, but she could never have imagined it also involved the Emperor.

If Jun Yuyan actually eliminated the Second Prince, the Emperor would only become more wary of him.

Everyone said that Jun Yuyan was the Emperor’s most beloved and promising son, but he was actually destroyed by the Emperor himself.

The higher you are held, the harder you fall.

She suddenly understood why Jun Yuyan wasn’t proactive about treating his leg.

At the moment he discovered the truth, how cold his heart must have felt.

A feeling named compassion arose in her heart, perhaps her expression was too evident, for Jun Yuyan said warmly:

“Ah Jiu, being in the Royal Family means kinship is the least you can expect. I have long become accustomed to it.”

Accustomed?

“Is it because of Noble Consort Qi?”

He nodded slightly, “In my childhood, there were many young and beautiful women in the palace, and the Emperor was vigorous. To secure her favor, my mother would often immerse me in cold water for three-quarters of an hour and then use my sickness as a pretext to call the Emperor away from the other concubines’ quarters.”

Murong Jiu frowned deeply.

Noble Consort Qi was too domineering, but undoubtedly clever. The Emperor liked her brainless scrambling for favor; not many men appreciate a woman who schemes deeply at their side.

But to use her own son’s health as a tool to secure favor, Noble Consort Qi was too cold-hearted.

The indifference of Jun Yuyan towards her had its reasons.

She even felt that if her own parents treated her like this, she might have broken off relations with them long ago.

People of the Royal Family too often have no choice.

She looked up, her voice low, “Prince, do you want to fight for this position?”

Instead of answering, Jun Yuyan asked, “Does Ah Jiu hope I become the Crown Prince?”

Murong Jiu nodded without hesitation, her expression resolute, “I think, apart from you, no other prince is qualified for this position. In the future, you will surely be a wise ruler.”

Her earnest tone slightly shook Jun Yuyan’s heart.

Her regard for him was unexpectedly high.

“I have always been uninterested in the throne.”

Murong Jiu felt a bit disheartened, but Jun Yuyan added, “But if I don’t fight, yet others see me as a strong rival, for my self-preservation, and for…”

He looked at Murong Jiu, “For Ah Jiu’s expectations of me, I should also compete.”

For some reason, hearing this made Murong Jiu’s heart flutter like a frightened deer, thumping wildly. Even though she knew there was no other meaning to his words, she couldn’t help but blush and feel her heart race.

“Is Ah Jiu willing to help me?”

“Of course.”

She nodded without hesitation.

Jun Yuyan’s laugh contained more pleasure, half-jokingly he said, “If Ah Jiu helps me win the realm, I will grant her the position of Empress.”

Murong Jiu’s eyes widened, she quickly waved her hands, saying, “That cannot be, that cannot be. I am helping you, Prince, because you have always been helping me. Also, you are a noble gentleman, surely to be a wise ruler in the future, no one is more suited than you. The kingdom needs you.”

She did not utter a single false word; the Second Prince was insidious and cruel, with immense ambition yet not as capable as Jun Yuyan. If he became the Emperor, the people of Great Yan would suffer.

The Third Prince had ambition but no means, while the Fourth Prince was indecisive. Both were no match for the Second Prince.

In his previous life, the Third Prince met a tragic death, and the Fourth Prince was plotted against by the Second Prince, causing a huge mistake, which led the Emperor to send him to a remote location to become an idle Prince.

The Emperor appointed the Second Prince as the Crown Prince because he had no other options.

This time, the Emperor was severely injured and could no longer enable the concubines to conceive; the choice for the Crown Prince could only be made from among the four princes.

Now, before the tragedy had occurred, Murong Jiu would never let Jun Yuyan suffer a tragic death like in his previous life.

The one who should die was the Second Prince, Jun Haoze!

The carriage entered the Prince Mansion, and by the time they returned to Qiyun Courtyard, Chun Tao had already prepared the hot water for the bath.

Murong Jiu soaked in the warm water while Chun Tao gently washed her long, black hair.

“Miss, the prince cares so much about you,”

She looked slightly startled, “Why do you suddenly say that?”

“Before you came back, the Prince had already sent a guard to convey a message, asking us to prepare your bath so that as soon as you returned, you could comfortably soak and wash away the fatigue,”

Surprised, Murong Jiu hadn’t thought about Jun Yuyan; she assumed it was Chun Tao who had been keeping the water warm, waiting for her return.

Earlier, when the Emperor had vomited, it splashed onto her, and although a palace maid came over to clean her up in time, there was inevitably a bit of smell.

She hadn’t expected Jun Yuyan to be so thoughtful and considerate.

In her heart, she envied even more the woman whom Jun Yuyan delighted in; in her previous life, she must have saved millions to earn such merit.

As Chun Tao continued to count the Prince’s virtues, Murong Jiu’s heart grew increasingly bitter — no matter how good the Prince was, he was someone she shouldn’t dare to desire.

After the bath, it wasn’t long before the kitchen brought over various dishes.

Her appetite wasn’t good, but she forced herself to eat a bit, thankfully without feeling nauseous right after eating.

Suddenly, her master came over to take her pulse.

“This child in your womb is very strong. You didn’t sleep all night and looked haggard, but it didn’t affect the fetus at all,”

Murong Jiu suddenly recalled when in her previous life, despite having twins, they were born extremely healthy, soft and tender at birth, but she had fainted after just a few glances.

Such good children, yet they ended up emaciated, all her fault!

“Master, is there a good way to exercise during pregnancy to strengthen the body?”

Her delivery had been difficult in her previous life, involving a lot of blood loss, which deteriorated her health; this time, she didn’t want history to repeat itself. Only if she was strong could she protect her two children effectively.

“Of course, there is. Your grandmaster created a form of martial arts suitable for women, similar to the Five Animal Frolics but more fitting for women, which could strengthen the body and make it more flexible and agile, also suitable for pregnant women. I was planning to teach it to you these days to help you deliver more smoothly in the future,”

Upon hearing this, Murong Jiu’s eyes gleamed brightly, and she nodded vigorously.

“Don’t think about it now, go have a good sleep first. When you’re fully rested, the old man will teach you and also give you some medicine to remove the toxins from the fetus and clear the birthmarks as soon as possible,”

She sniffled, “Thank you, Master. It’s great to have you.”

The old master’s face showed a cheesy grin as he waved his hand and hurried out, moving agilely.

Murong Jiu slept until she naturally woke up but still felt a bit nauseous. After eating a few sour plums, she felt much more comfortable.

“Miss, today, the Fourth Lady sent a message for you, asking you to visit the Marquis Mansion when you have time. The lady is ill, and it seems quite serious,”

While Chun Tao was tidying up, Zhen Zhu came forward to speak with Murong Jiu.

Murong Jiu’s eyebrows raised slightly, “Oh? What illness does she have?”

Zhen Zhu explained, “It seems she has caught a cold and has been bedridden for several days now. You should go back to perform your filial duties, or else outsiders might talk,”