Chapter 215: Then let him remain in the dark.

Chapter 215: Then let him remain in the dark.

"It was a forced hand; the alternative was a dead end."

Princess Jianing's words only fueled Prince Duan's ire. He stood up abruptly, facing his dignified and beautiful daughter who looked back at him serenely, as if he were seeing his deceased wife of many years past.

His wife often did the same; when he was in a rage, she would simply watch him with a detached calm, as if he were a child unable to control his emotions, and she, the adult, ever clear-headed.

He despised that about his late wife, despised it profoundly. In her presence, he felt like he would never grow up.

His wife's death had been a release for him. These past years had been comfortable, more so than ever before. Yet today, he saw the same expression on his daughter's face.

"I am your father!" Prince Duan couldn't help but bellow in anger.

"I know," Princess Jianing replied with a scornful laugh, "I am aware you are my father. But father, what brings you here today? Speak plainly."

Ever since she decided to bring her brother from their fief to the capital, this man was only their father in name. So, upon this reunion, she refused to mince words, tearing off the pretense.

Yet, Prince Duan still presumed the role of a biological father, his face twisting in rage as he said, "You ask what I am here for? I should be asking you, why have you come to the capital unannounced? Why have you lodged complaints against me to the Emperor?"

"Father," Princess Jianing's voice remained steady, "Haven't I already said? My brother and I were driven to this. Without coming to the capital, we faced certain demise."

"When have I ever sought your siblings' lives? I, the Prince..."

"Father!" Princess Jianing interrupted Prince Duan, "Let's not repeat what has already been said."

Prince Duan: "…"

What does she mean by 'repeating what has been said'? He came today precisely to confront the siblings.

Princess Jianing exhaled deeply. It was fortunate their grandfather had only this one son; otherwise, her so-called 'beloved' father would never have ascended to his title. She said, "Father, do you know who Lin Yuquan is?"

Prince Duan, still in the throes of fury, frowned upon hearing the name, asking, "Who is Lin Yuquan?"

"Then perhaps, Father, you should take the time to investigate," Princess Jianing suggested.

"Why should I bother with him?" Prince Duan persisted, still intractable.

"Father, will you continue in this manner before me and my brother?"

Princess Jianing's eyes brimmed with tears as she recalled the past. "Have my brother and I ever harmed you, Father? I am yet to be betrothed, and my brother is yet to be named the crown prince. If you are unwell, how does it benefit us? Are my brother and I your enemies?"

Prince Duan was left speechless by her questioning. Princess Jianing continued, "When mother was alive, you acted in the same manner before her—speaking and acting as you pleased, with no regard for others.

"Father, think about it. Why should mother have endured you? Why should my brother and I have to endure you? What gives you the right to act this way? Just because mother was your first wife, just because my brother and I are your children? Father, think about it, who truly cares for you?"

Prince Duan fell silent, standing motionless before finally sitting down, muttering, "I... I never imagined your mother would die. I really didn't."

Tears streamed down Princess Jianing's face as Li Jinghao stood beside her, looking at Prince Duan. "Father, you should investigate Lin Yuquan," he suggested.

Prince Duan rose somewhat frantically and headed for the door. At the threshold, he turned back to Princess Jianing and her brother, saying, "I will draft a memorial to the emperor requesting that Jinghao be named the crown prince."

Neither Princess Jianing nor Li Jinghao showed any joy at these words, their expressions remaining indifferent. They were well aware that their father's actions were prompted by the emperor's pressure.

A sense of discomfiture once again enveloped Prince Duan, and he hastened outside. He couldn't understand how the siblings, once as docile as kittens in their domain, could suddenly bare their claws at him upon arriving in the capital.

Watching his flustered departure, Princess Jianing sighed deeply, feeling some of her longstanding resentment dissipate. She had been only four years old when her mother died, and Zhao Shirou, the current Princess Consort Duan, had entered the prince's household a year later.

At that time, she was merely five years old, too young and naive to outwit an adult. Although Zhao Shirou appeared fragile, she was cunning and ruthless. After years of maneuvering, the prince's household was filled with her supporters, and their so-called loving father always defended her. The siblings had no choice but to endure their plight in their domain.

But now, in the capital, Zhao Shirou had no connections, and the emperor did not side with her. The siblings no longer feared her. And there was Lin Yuquan, someone Princess Jianing had only recently learned about.

This time, if their beloved father continued to be obstinate, then let him remain in his folly.

As Prince Duan left the residence, a gust of wind lifted his robes, helping to clear his mind. Looking back at the plaque above the residence's gates, he recalled his father's words before his death:

"I observed for a long time before choosing the eldest daughter of the Li residence as your wife. You're mature beyond your years, Huada. You must listen to her, do you understand?"

At that time, he had nodded. His father continued, "Support each other as husband and wife. I don't ask for great achievements from you; maintaining the prince's household is sufficient. You are a man and must take responsibility, cherishing your wife and children."

After his father's death, he relied on his first wife for a long period. Those were the happiest times in their marriage. But as time passed, he grew to despise her control over him, and Zhao Shirou, then a concubine, seemed so gentle and caring. His disdain for his wife grew, leading to irreconcilable differences between them.

Even so, he had never imagined she would die in childbirth.

Gathering his thoughts, he mounted his horse, whispering the name Lin Yuquan to himself before riding off. Upon returning to his residence in the capital, he sequestered himself in his study and penned the memorial requesting that his eldest son, Li Jinghao, be named the crown prince. He then rode to the imperial palace and presented the memorial to the emperor.

The emperor, pleased upon reading the memorial, picked up his brush and wrote a single word—approved. He then issued an imperial edict naming Li Jinghao as the crown prince of Prince Duan.

"Though my imperial uncle passed away early, he did everything he could for you during his lifetime, sparing no effort," the Emperor said to Prince Duan, "The eldest daughter of the Li family was the best in every aspect in Upper Capital back then — family background, appearance, character. He thought if he were to pass away, she could be there to assist you. But look at what you've done?"

Prince Duan lowered his head and said, "Your subject understands."

"Leave now, and henceforth treat the children of your first wife with kindness."

The Emperor waved Prince Duan away and then sighed, "My uncle was so astute and yet he has such a muddled son."

After saying this, he thought of himself and sighed deeply once more. Could it be that the Li family's tribulations were approaching?

P.S.: There's a reason for devoting so much description to Prince Duan's household, it will be relevant later.