0p0 Chapter 412 A World Without You
Chapter 412 A World Without You
At this time, Emperor Shenwu and Lan Qingwu were enjoying the hot springs in the hot spring royal villa.
This time, Lan Qingwu only brought out the seventh princess's child.
The seventh princess was very lively and cheerful. At this time, she was having fun in the back garden of the imperial manor.
When Emperor Shenwu received the news, he was soaking in the hot spring with Lan Qingwu. His arms were casually draped on the steps, and drops of water slid down his strong and smooth muscles.
Li Xiang bowed and walked closer to Emperor Shenwu, half squatted down and reported in a low voice what happened in the palace.
Emperor Shenwu raised his eyebrows in surprise and flicked his fingers to let Li Xiang retreat.
Li Xiang didn't dare to look around and retreated step by step.
Emperor Shenwu turned to look at Lan Qingwu, who lay dozing by the pool. Remembering the reports from the palace, Emperor Shenwu had long felt that the Third Prince had been acting a bit unruly. It was just that Concubine Yang had recently passed away, and he was too lazy to bother with the Third Prince. He was still in his prime, and the Crown Prince was the legitimate son of the Empress. Barring unforeseen circumstances, his plans wouldn't change. As for the unmotivated Third Prince, he could simply provide him with a stipend and support him. It wouldn't require much effort, but as for favors and attention, there would be no such thing.
The Third Prince was obsessed with the Emperor Shenwu's indifference to Concubine Yang, unaware that to the Emperor, all concubines were merely concubines. He was the legitimate son of the Empress Dowager, the youngest of the legitimate sons, but he was the most cherished by the late Emperor, personally raised by him as he grew older. With such noble upbringing, how could he possibly empathize with the status, feelings, and experiences of a concubine or a son of a commoner? Furthermore, the Emperor Shenwu, neglected by his own mother since childhood, possessed no tenderness in his heart. If not for Lan Qingwu, he would have been a typically cold, domineering, and suspicious monarch.
Emperor Shenwu was not in a position to teach the Third Prince a lesson at this time, so he taught the Sixth Prince a lesson. Emperor Shenwu did not think it was wrong at all. If any minister felt it was inappropriate, they could say it was just a martial arts exchange between brothers.
Emperor Shenwu narrowed his eyes and looked at Lan Qingwu for a while, then reached out and picked up a string of water droplets, which fell accurately on Lan Qingwu's cheek.
Lan Qingwu looked up blankly and wiped the water droplets from his face: "Brother Heng, what are you doing?"
Emperor Shenwu hooked his finger and said, "Come here!"
Lan Qingwu was somewhat dissatisfied with Emperor Shenwu's gesture, but he still walked towards Emperor Shenwu step by step on the water.
She was wearing a pure white nightgown, and once soaked by the hot spring water, her hazy figure was revealed. It was hard to tell whether she was transparent or not, pure and sexy. The Emperor Shenwu looked at her, his eyes becoming even deeper.
As Lan Qingwu approached, the Emperor Shenwu held her on his lap. His large palm gently covered Lan Qingwu's lower abdomen, and he said softly, "Does it still hurt?"
The dazzling red flashed in Emperor Shenwu's mind from time to time, and he never wanted to see Lan Qingwu in pain again.
Lan Qingwu shook his head gently, "It doesn't hurt anymore. Was there anyone here just now?"
Emperor Shenwu paused and said, "Li Xiang came to report that the Sixth Prince and the Third Prince exchanged martial arts and had a fight."
To be precise, it was the Third Prince who was beaten unilaterally.
Lan Qingwu asked in surprise: "Did they fight?"
Emperor Shenwu responded nonchalantly, "I fought, I fought when I was a kid too! Yeah, it was with that guy..."
He was the fifth prince, his elder brother from the same mother.
"When you're young and reckless, you'll always do one or two impulsive things. It's not a big deal."
Lan Qingwu thought of Concubine Yang again. Although she felt that what happened to Concubine Yang was not her fault, in this dynasty and in this harem, she owed Concubine Yang, and even any woman in the harem.
Lan Qingwu sighed softly and said, "Your Majesty is an outstanding ruler in both civil and military affairs. You are wise and brave, and you love your people like your own children. The new civil administration and laws you have implemented, as well as your defense of the border grassland tribes, all make me admire you deeply!"
The Shenwu Emperor's phoenix eyes sparkled with stars, "I really like to hear you praising me!"
Lan Qingwu lowered his eyelids slightly. "If it weren't for Ruo Ruo, Your Majesty would surely be a better emperor. He would have a queen like Concubine Jiang. The two of them would surely be remembered for generations and praised by the world."
Tragedy like that of Concubine Yang will never happen again.
The Shenwu Emperor lifted Lan Qingwu's snow-white chin and said, "How could I have known this would happen? Perhaps it would be just the opposite. In a world without me, my heart would be hollow and rotten, and I would act with suspicion and drasticism. I would certainly launch a war and conquer the entire world. By then, the blood of those foreign races would probably fill the moat of the imperial city! I have killed too many people. Even my subjects would be afraid of me, give me perfunctory treatment, and avoid me. Even the heavens would think that my hands are stained with too much blood and that I have committed many sins. I would have no one to confide in, no one who is sincere to me, and they would even hope for my early death! So that they can escape from a tyrannical and unbridled emperor!"
Lan Qingwu was stunned by the scene described by Emperor Shenwu, "Your Majesty!"
Lan Qingwu felt vaguely uneasy. Emperor Shenwu looked at Lan Qingwu and asked, "Don't you think this is a very likely thing to happen?"
Lan Qingwu's hands trembled slightly, and scenes seemed to flash before her eyes: "Brother Heng, stop talking!"
She reached out and grasped the Shenwu Emperor's palm: "Ruoruo will never say that again! I will always be with Brother Heng!"
The Shenwu Emperor embraced Lan Qingwu and said word by word, "Okay! Remember what you said! Actually, it's only in the past two years that I've gradually come to understand your heart. When you asked me that way back then, you were asking for my loyalty!"
Unique loyalty in both body and mind!
"It's a pity that I realized it too late!"
What you ask of me must be the laws, rules and regulations of the time and space you are in, and the most basic etiquette and trust between men and women.
"If you ever leave me, I will search the heavens and the underworld to find you! We will meet again in the next life!"
Lan Qingwu gently closed his eyes and finally said those words: "Brother Heng, if there is a next life, let us be an ordinary couple! Just the two of us! Just our children!"
Lan Qingwu's voice was barely audible: "In fact, it's very hard and tiring for me to manage such a large harem and control your concubines and princes and princesses!"
Emperor Shenwu solemnly promised: "Okay!"