Chapter 50 Consort Li Dislikes Her Own Son

Chapter 50: Consort Li Doesn't Like Her Own Son

Luo Jingshen's face went dark. Twenty thousand taels of gold? Did she really have the guts to say that?

However, he didn't believe Ji Yuntang could actually win. If he could humiliate her and let Ji Qingqing blow off some steam, that would be good enough.

"Alright, it's a deal. If you win, I'll give you twenty thousand taels of gold. Tomorrow at noon at Azure Dragon Square, see you then."

Sitting in the carriage, Tao Zhi was putting ice on the bruises on her face. Her lips moved like she wanted to say something but held back.

Ji Yuntang said softly, "If you have something to ask, just ask. You don't have to hold back around me."

"Princess, I heard that the patients seeking treatment at the Azure Dragon Square medical tournament all suffer from rare, incurable diseases. Not even traveling doctors, let alone the imperial physicians, can cure those strange ailments. Are you really going to take this on?"

Ji Yuntang raised an eyebrow. Was it really that weird? No wonder she asked for twenty thousand taels of gold, and the Crown Prince agreed without even thinking twice.

Though she wasn't afraid, she believed in knowing yourself and your enemy to win, so she decided to get the full story.

"Tao Zhi, tell me, how weird are these cases?"

Tao Zhi thought for a moment and gave her a few examples.

"Some people see blurry stuff, like there's a fog in front of their eyes. Others have faces full of pus-filled pimples that keep coming back even with medicine. Some have blisters on their feet that itch and peel, and what starts with one person quickly spreads to the whole family. People around them think the strange disease is contagious and avoid them like the plague."

"What I find most unbelievable is the youngest son of Squire Liu. He's only eleven or twelve, living a life of luxury, but he's always trying to kill himself. Whenever his family isn't looking, he runs out to jump in a river and kill himself. He's been saved a few times already."

"Squire Liu's wife always thought her son was possessed by some evil spirit. She spent at least fifty thousand taels of silver on Taoist priests to perform exorcisms, but it was all for nothing. With no other choice, she had to take her son to the tournament, hoping someone could cure his strange illness."

After hearing Tao Zhi's description, Ji Yuntang had a general idea.

These symptoms did sound weird, but they were actually common problems in modern times, easy to fix with simple methods or medicine.

But in this ancient time with backward medicine, these diseases had become incurable?

They weren't deadly, but they were torture.

"Princess, these diseases are too strange. Even the famous Ghost Doctor might not be able to fix them. I think the Crown Prince saw you cure the Seventeenth Prince and set this up on purpose to make you back down. Why don't you make up an excuse tomorrow, say you're sick, and skip the medical tournament?"

A smile curled at the corner of Ji Yuntang's lips, her voice full of determination.

"I have to go. I can't let those twenty thousand taels of gold get away."

"Don't worry. I already have these ailments figured out. I can fix them even without medicine."

Tao Zhi felt uneasy. She didn't know where her princess got all that confidence. If she went up there and failed to cure those people, her reputation in the Dongchen Kingdom would only get worse.

But Ji Yuntang clearly wasn't worried. After returning to Prince Ye's residence, she headed straight to the West Courtyard to see Luo Junhe.

"A He, I'm back! Did you miss me?"

"Tao Zhi and I went shopping and bought lots of delicious food and some appetizing fruits. Later, I'll make you some sweet and sour juice."

Ji Yuntang's face was full of smiles, her voice light and cheerful. The weather outside was nice today, so she went straight to the window and opened all four nanmu window frames to let in the air.

Luo Junhe waited for a moment, and when he saw she had no intention of confiding in him, he asked in a low voice, "A Tang, when you went to the palace today, did my mother give you a hard time?"

Ji Yuntang paused in her window-opening motion, a little surprised.

She hadn't told Luo Junhe about her visit to see Consort Li today, had she? How did he know?

But then she thought about it—Chen Hu was a big mouth who couldn't keep secrets. Luo Junhe could easily have coaxed the information out of him.

Ji Yuntang cursed Chen Hu under her breath for being nosy, but she kept a cheerful face. "No, Consort Li asked me to learn palace etiquette. I learned it, and she let me go. She even praised me for being quick to learn."

Luo Junhe pursed his lips and said nothing.

He knew Ji Yuntang was only saying this to keep him from worrying about her.

In truth, what she had faced today couldn't possibly have been so simple.

Luo Junhe was silent for a long time before finally speaking to Ji Yuntang about some of his past.

"A Tang, although I am my mother's only son, I don't know why, but she has never liked me since I was born. As far as I can remember, my mother has never once held me, nor has she ever sat down to eat with me. Her demands on me have always been strict. Growing up, I never had the privileges other princes had, nor did I ever taste the delicacies they enjoyed. I always thought it was because I wasn't good enough, that I disappointed her."

"So for the past twenty-two years, I've trained hard in martial arts, studied diligently, and led troops into battle, all in the hope that my mother would see my abilities and acknowledge me. But later, I realized I was wrong. Some people, no matter how hard they try, can never win their mother's favor. Gradually, I became disillusioned with family bonds."

"The outside world thinks my mother treats me well, but only I know that I mean nothing to her. I'm not even worth a single strand of Luo Qianxue's hair. When I was healthy, she didn't like me. Now that I've become like this, she despises me even more."

The buried memories surged back, and Luo Junhe felt a bitter ache in his heart. He let out a helpless sigh.

"A Tang, marrying me has been an injustice to you. I imagine my mother didn't give you a good time today either. I know I can't help you much in my current state, but if this happens again, don't hide it from me and go see her alone. I'm afraid she might harm you."

After hearing all he had to say, Ji Yuntang's heart ached.

She crouched by the bedside, took Luo Junhe's hand, and warmed it with her own body heat.

"A He, the past is behind us. No matter what happens in the future, I will face it with you. Consort Li's dislike of you is not your fault. Whether she acknowledges you or not, in my heart, you will always be the greatest hero."

------------