Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

“Your Majesty, the Queen Mother has requested His Majesty to allow her to see her husband in prison,” Sun Fuguo asserted with his head low.

Xiaoming wore a white overcoat with golden borders at all ends, and said, “Bring the Queen Mother to prison.” Sun Fuguo bowed and left to inform Zhu Liling about it.

Xiaoming knew that his father’s death was near. On the last day, he had gone to see Qiu Zedong and got to know from the soldier that Lóng Wei fed poison to Qiu Zedong. Xiaoming did not question Lóng Wei as he knew it was Lóng Wei’s right to punish Qiu Zedong.

Soon, Xiaoming reached the prison where his father was captivated. The soldier bowed and opened the lock on the door. Xiaoming walked in and saw his father lying on the ground.

His lips had turned purple and beside him, the earthen pot was broken. Xiaoming walked up to his father and got on his knees. Qiu Zedong gradually opened his eyes, but his vision was blurry. He focused hard and finally recognized Xiaoming.

“Y-you… wh-why did you come?” Qiu Zedong asked.

“I cannot believe this is your end,” Xiaoming said. He wanted to show mercy to his father, but he was tied with his duty too. He could not let injustice happen. He could not break Lóng Wei’s trust in him either.

Xiaoming helped his father sit up and asked the soldier to bring water.

.....

“It is painful,” Qiu Zedong said.

Xiaoming’s eyes turned teary to hear his father. “Father wanted to give this poison to Lóng Wei’s mother,” he stated. “Only if you had stopped, today this day we would not have to see,” he asserted.

“I did it for all of you… for my family,” Qiu Zedong stated.

“It was not for us, Father,” Xiaoming corrected him. “We gained nothing. We lost you and also our trust in you has been completely broken,” he opined.

Qiu Zedong nodded at him. “I asked Lóng Wei to kill me, but he chose to give me this painful death to me. My bones start paining in the night and I see weird things. I cannot either drink water or eat. Xiaoming, just give me a death sentence. I need to leave this body,” he requested and held both of Xiaoming’s hands.

“I cannot do it. I am not strong enough to decide your punishment,” Xiaoming said.

“Where is Lóng Wei? I would like to see him. He will definitely kill me,” Qiu Zedong stated.

The soldier walked in with a servant, who carried an earthen pot and a glass. The soldier filled the glass with water and handed it to Xiaoming. He forwarded it to Qiu Zedong, who refused to drink.

“I am not thirsty,” Qiu Zedong said. The soldier and the servant left while Xiaoming placed the glass of water on the floor.

“Brother Lóng Wei has left the palace. He has gone on a journey with his wife and father. He wants to be in peace,” Lóng Wei asserted. Qiu Zedong hummed and recalled his last conversation with him.

“He told me he respected me the most. I did wrong to poison Yuze. I thought his death would stop Lóng Wei from getting out of my hands,” Qiu Zedong said and took a deep breath. He felt the sharp pain in his forehead and shut his eyes tightly.

“Tell Lóng Wei to forgive me. I was always impressed with the way he worked. I thought he was like me because he would kill anyone without any mercy. However, I was wrong. I failed to see the soft spot he carried in him. Xiaoming, gi-give my message to Lóng Wei when he returns,” Qiu Zedong said and another stroke of sharp pain hit his head.

He screamed for a few seconds which terrified Xiaoming. He caught his father’s arms who was going to fall back. “Father,” Xiaoming said with a stutter as he found he got unconscious. At that moment, Zhu Liling entered the prison and ran toward them.

“My husband!” Zhu Liling quickly got on her knees while crying and asked Xiaoming what happened to Qiu Zedong. The soldiers ran inside in fear.

“Bring Pang Yuxian!” Xiaoming ordered the servant and he patted the cheek of his father asking him to wake up. He was too terrified to check Qiu Zedong’s pulse.

“Son, take your father to the chamber,” Zhu Liling said. Xiaoming did not listen to her because he knew his father was no more.

Everything happened so quickly that Xiaoming could not understand anything. Pang Yuxian had arrived too. He checked Qiu Zedong and delivered the news to them with a gloomy face.

Qiu Zedong was dead!

Tears poured down Xiaoming’s cheeks. The loud cries of his mother fell into his ears. This was not the way he had predicted his father’s demise. But it was the karma of his deeds.

~~~~~~~~

Lóng Wei stretched out his arms as he got out of the carriage. It was almost midnight, and they had already crossed Qinping’s outer border.

He turned and extended his hand to Li Hua who was still inside the carriage. She grabbed his hand, placed her foot on the footplate, and landed on the ground.

“We will rest for four hours here and then will resume the journey,” Lóng Wei informed all of them. As they walked in, the resthouse owner welcomed them and told them he had already prepared the rooms for them.

“Send the dinner in every room,” Lóng Wei told him and then went upstairs with Li Hua. Qizhen looked around and asked the owner if the place was safe.

“Yes, My Lord,” the owner said and asked them to follow the young man who was one of the workers in the rest house.

“The resthouse is safer,” Feng Lao informed Qizhen. “Prince Lóng Wei already checked everything before deciding to choose this place,” he asserted. Qizhen felt the assurance of Feng Lao’s words and ascended the stairs.