Chapter 80

Lady Bai arrived at Mingguang Palace but was told that the Crown Prince was not there.

Upon inquiry, she learned that the Crown Prince had been summoned to the Pepper Room by the Empress.

Lady Bai was left disappointed.

Liu Xu劝道：“既然太子不在这里，我们便先回去吧。”

Lady Bai did not want to give up so easily.

After some thought, she said, “Let’s go to the Qingge Pavilion.”

Liu Xu was taken aback. “Why are we going to the Qingge Pavilion?”

“To find Xiao Liangdi.”

Although Liu Xu did not understand her intentions, she knew that her mistress always had a good reason for her decisions. Since her mistress insisted on going to the Qingge Pavilion, she, as a servant, did not dare to ask too many questions.

She helped Lady Bai into the sedan chair and headed for the Qingge Pavilion.

Before entering the Qingge Pavilion, Lady Bai specifically instructed a young eunuch to stay outside and keep watch. If he saw the Crown Prince approaching, he was to mimic the call of a bird three times.

The young eunuch agreed.

At that moment, in the Pepper Room, Empress Qin was coldly scrutinizing the Crown Prince. Her sharp gaze seemed to pierce through his skin, trying to see into his heart.

When he was first brought to the Pepper Room, he was only a little over three years old, wobbling as he walked, like a small Weeble.

Back then, he would tug at her sleeve and softly call out, “Mother Empress, hug me~”

But now, he had grown taller than her.

He knelt before her with a straight back, his clear and composed features mirroring her own coldness.

Empress Qin coldly asked, “Why did you decide to hold the rain-summoning ceremony? Do you realize how disastrous the consequences would be if it fails?”

Prince Qinghan calmly replied, “Your son merely wanted to try. Even if it fails, I am willing to accept my fate.”

Empress Qin could not understand his decision.

To her, the rain-summoning ceremony was nothing but nonsense. Such practices were only used to comfort the ignorant masses and had no real effect.

The Crown Prince’s insistence on holding the ceremony was undoubtedly asking for trouble, a classic case of doing something difficult without any benefit.

At this moment, who knew how many people were secretly laughing at his foolish arrogance!

The more Empress Qin thought about it, the more disappointed she became in the Crown Prince.

“I thought you had grown up, which is why I used all the power of the Qin family to force the emperor to make you the Crown Prince. But now it seems I was wrong. You are still a child, acting on impulse without considering the disastrous consequences. You are truly disappointing!”

Every word, every sentence, felt like an ice blade piercing into Prince Qinghan’s heart.

Prince Qinghan had heard similar words from Empress Qin many times before.

Empress Qin was probably the strictest mother in the world. She never smiled, was strict and rigid, and treated everyone with coldness.

Even for a young child, she demanded the highest standards. If he failed to meet her expectations, he would face reprimands or even punishment.

Prince Qinghan had been sent to Empress Qin at the age of three and was raised by her. He had spent fifteen years by her side but had never heard a single word of praise from her.

When he was young, he might have cried secretly in his bed because of the Empress’s reprimands.

But not anymore.

He had long grown accustomed to this suffocating pressure.

Prince Qinghan calmly said, “Mother Empress, your reprimand is well-taken. I have learned from it. However, Father Emperor has already granted me permission to go to the south for the rain-summoning ceremony. A royal command cannot be disobeyed. I hope Mother Empress will understand.”

Empress Qin stared at him for a moment.

In the past, she could easily read his thoughts, but now, she suddenly found herself unable to see through him.