Peaceful Farm Life

Chapter 1088: Chapter 1089: Disobedient

”I never thought Chenglin and Chenghan would be burned to death,”

”Looking at their charred bodies, their little faces unrecognizable, I regret, I regret not giving them more love during their lives.”

”I didn’t actually dislike them, I just redirected some of my hatred for Mrs. Han onto them. I knew, deep down, they were innocent, and they were so young, and hardly knew anything. Sometimes they couldn’t even speak properly, yet I found myself unconsciously taking my anger out on them.”

”This led to later, when I wanted to take out my anger, I couldn’t. They were burned to death. Dead. All I could do was reminisce about them.” At this point, the Emperor of Xiyun sighed deeply, seemingly powerless.

Xiao Changyi responded, ”They didn’t die, they are still alive and well. Su Chenglin is Gong Juechen, and Su Chenghan is Gong Juese.”

After a pause, Xiao Changyi asked, ”Does Chengyu know that his foster mother was killed by Mrs. Han and Lady Tao?”

The Emperor of Xiyun shook his head, ”No, I didn’t tell him. When his mother died, he had just learned to walk, and at that time, I feared the Han family and the Tao family, and couldn’t immediately avenge his mother for fear of provoking a rebellion from the Han family and Tao family.”

”Later, when I no longer feared the Han family and Tao family, I could avenge his mother. However, to maintain the dignity of the imperial family, I couldn’t let such matters become public gossip, so I still didn’t reveal it.”

”Until now, Chengyu only knows that his mother was murdered, not knowing who did it.”

”If he knew, he wouldn’t disobey me, always sneaking off to see Chengjin, who is the son of his mother’s killer.”

”I keep him from seeing Chengjin, also fearing that Chengjin might harm him. But he just won’t listen.”

”Every time I see him sneaking off to see Chengjin, I really want to tell him everything, but after much thought, I still think it’s better not to tell him. At least this way, he still has an older brother.”

”He has always felt that he has many sisters but few brothers, so he especially cherishes Chengjin, this surviving older brother, sneaking off to see him even though I forbid it.”

”But this brother of his is too restless, harboring thoughts of poisoning him and usurping the throne.”

”Oh, Yi Er, it’s true,” the Emperor of Xiyun continued, sounding weary, ”If it weren’t for Chengjin being too restless, forcing me to kill him, I would have absolutely not done it.”

To the Emperor of Xiyun’s sorrow and helplessness, Xiao Changyi offered no words of comfort but said, ”Gong Juechen said that Mrs. Han, seeing the imperial princes dying one by one, did not want him to die and thus secretly sent him out of the palace. It’s very likely that Mrs. Han misunderstood, thinking that those children were killed by you for Chengyu.”

The Emperor of Xiyun reflected for a moment before saying, ”After Chengyu’s mother died, I kept Chengyu close to me to raise him myself to prevent anyone from harming him again. Chengyu is my child with Min Rong, naturally, I care deeply for him, but to kill all my other sons for him, that’s something I could never do.”

”You mentioned Mrs. Han seeing each imperial prince die... This...” The Emperor of Xiyun pondered for a moment, then continued, ”Lady Tao harmed at least six of my sons, five of which were after Min Rong’s death, and at that time, I was so protective that I even brought Chengyu with me when I went to court.”