Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

434 Imprisoned in her manor

Li Hua’s decision came as the result of her angst. She wasn’t angry with the fact that she was tried to be harmed. She was furious because Zhu Liling wanted to harm Lóng Wei.

If there was someone who was most delighted with this decision of hers, then it was Xiuying. She would be the next Queen and her son be the next Crown Prince.

Because this opportunity would never come again, Xiuying decided to support Li Hua.

“Prince Lóng Wei has earned the Governor’s Title because of his effort. I think Li Hua as a wife is right. If any of us places ourselves in her shoes, then her judgement is correct,” Xiuying asserted and looked at Qiu Zedong.

Jin Yu wondered what Xiaoming would say in this matter. His mother gave an explanation that no one would like to hear. How Zhu Liling could hate Lóng Wei to the extent that she decided to take away Li Hua’s life.

“This is so wrong. You all wanted my husband to stay in the cold palace all alone, in the dark. He also deserves family love. My husband’s judgement is better than the others. His Majesty gave back Kang Huijuan his powers when he was supposed to be hung. Is this way His Majesty give justice?” Li Hua broke down into tears and in her emotions, she blurted out many things. “I don’t understand this palace and the people here. My husband deserves a happy and satisfying life too,” she sniffled while speaking out her feelings.

“Li Hua!” Lóng Wei stood in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Calm down,” he said in a soft tone. She shook her head and urged him to let her speak.

“Why? Why must I stay quiet?” Li Hua questioned him.

Jin Yu curled up her fingers and stepped forward. “Your Majesty, the act of Her Majesty must not be forgiven,” she requested and bowed before the King. She knew that Xiaoming might not like it, but she wanted to stand with true people. Whatever Li Hua said, she agreed with that.

.....

“Your Majesty, I cannot be punished. When Lóng Wei can be spared even after killing his mother, then my crime is nothing before that. Not a single scratch can be found on Li Hua’s body. I admit that I planned it, but it failed. Li Hua is safe and sound. So, I request His Majesty not to punish me,” Zhu Liling pleased with the King.

Qiu Zedong fisted his palms which were behind his back. Li Hua demanded a death sentence for Zhu Liling which he had not expected. The Crown Prince was asking for dethronement while the Crown Princess asked him to punish Zhu Liling.

The King didn’t like the fact that Li Hua questioned his judgement. Why she had to bring Kang Huijuan out of the blue? She indeed had gotten emotional after hearing the Queen’s words against Lóng Wei.

Lóng Wei wiped Li Hua’s tears using his thumbs. “Don’t be emotional,” Lóng Wei told her. “Who doesn’t want me to be unhappy? This isn’t the way you should react,” he made her understand and asked Gao Bing to take her to the manor.

“I do not want to,” Li Hua said.

“Trust me,” Lóng Wei asked for her understanding and gestured to Gao Bing to take her away. The Eunuch did what Lóng Wei wanted and Lóng Wei turned to the King.

“Forgive Li Hua for her sudden outburst. I think His Majesty should decide on this matter,” Lóng Wei proclaimed.

Tianjie wondered why Lóng Wei still had not asked to hang Zhu Liling to death. Was it because he didn’t want Xiuying to be the Queen? He pondered and gazed at Xiuying.

Xiaoming got up, bringing a new twist to the entire matter. “Earlier, I asked for my dethronement. However, after hearing the words of Princess Consort Li Hua, I decided not to take the punishment for the wrong that my mother had done. I truly wished that the hatred for Brother Lóng Wei wasn’t the reason for attempting to take his wife’s life,” He affirmed and bowed.

“I will not give the death penalty to the Queen,” Qiu Zedong announced and it brought a smile to Zhu Liling’s lips. “However, she will be imprisoned in her manor until her last breath. The services of the servants will also get limited. Though she will remain the Queen of the Kingdom. But she will not possess any power in the internal affairs of the court,” the King gave out his judgement.

“Noble Consort Xiuying will look after the inner palace affairs from today onward,” Qiu Zedong pronounced.

That was one harsh punishment that Queen deserved. Everyone respected the King’s decision and no one objected to it.

However, Zhu Liling did. “Why am I being punished, Your Majesty? I didn’t kill Li Hua. She is safe. When Lóng Wei cannot be-” she paused as the King’s voice roared in the courtyard of his manor.

“Prince Lóng Wei has been punished for the wrong he did to Concubine Yu Jun. He has asked me to give him the death penalty, but I didn’t do that. After today, if anyone brought the past, then he must be ready to get punished,” the King scolded the Queen first and then warned everyone of them.

“I am disappointed in the Queen. Take her away from my sight!” The King ordered and the two soldiers quickly came to Zhu Liling’s side. They requested her to stand up which she did. With a blank expression, she left the manor.

Qiu Zedong looked at Lóng Wei and asked him to follow him while he dismissed everyone from there. He was annoyed with all that nuisance. But he was hurt too seeing that his Queen hated Lóng Wei merely because of his odd nature and the prophecy that he carried.

Lóng Wei went behind his father while the others left except Xiaoming and Jin Yu.

Jin Yu approached him when Xiaoming said, “Brother Lóng Wei must be hurt.” He looked at her with frown on his forehead.