My Lord, the princess doesn't want you anymore.

He remembered that half a year before the previous emperor passed away, a eunuch who had worked in the East Palace for many years informed him, "Your Highness, do you remember the spring hunt in the ninth year of Qingfeng?"

Of course he remembered that on the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month in the ninth year of Qingfeng, the woman he loved most gave birth to a son for him, a son whom he loved like the apple of his eye for several years - Cui Hongjing.

He also remembered the spring hunt that year, when the concubines in the harem and the women from various mansions all went together.

Concubine Jing didn't like noise, so the tent was set up a little to the side.

"Your Highness, do you remember that on the first night after returning to the palace, you drank a few more cups, and Concubine De helped you to her tent?" The eunuch continued, "That night, I got up in the middle of the night to urinate, and saw a man coming out of Concubine Jing's tent from a distance. I became more cautious and quietly followed him to take a look. Unexpectedly, I saw a huge secret... That man was actually the emperor..."

"You, what did you say?" He was shocked. Concubine Jing was diagnosed with pregnancy just over a month after returning from the spring hunt, and his father doted on this grandson so much. Could it be...

That was the first time he had that terrible guess: Could the third brother be our father’s child?

The eunuch said that it was precisely because that person was the Emperor that he had not dared to say it. It was obvious that the Crown Prince loved Cui Hongjing so much and could not bear to see the Crown Prince being kept in the dark, so he could not help but tell the truth.

The eunuch was not stupid, and he knew that he had to keep it secret for four years. Only when he saw that the emperor had been in poor health for the past year and his time was running out, and the prince was about to ascend the throne, did he dare to speak out.

In fact, he was really stupid. He thought that he had made great contributions before the crown prince ascended the throne, and the crown prince would use him after ascending the throne. However, he did not expect that this secret would lead to his head and body being separated on the spot.

Once some ideas sprout, they will grow wildly in his heart. Recalling his father's extraordinary love for Cui Hongjing, and even wanting to make him the crown prince; recalling the admiring look in his father's eyes when he looked at Concubine Jing, he had always thought that it was a father's admiration for his daughter-in-law. Cui Qimo increasingly believed that Cui Hongjing was not his son, but the illegitimate child born out of the affair between his father and Concubine Jing.

"Do you know how happy I was at that time? The woman I cared about the most had my child. How could I not be happy? After learning the truth, I felt like a joke. Does she deserve it? Do you think this bitch deserves it? How could I endure such a great humiliation?"

"Tell me, if it wasn't for this bitch who had an affair with my father and gave birth to that bastard, how could my father love that bastard so much and even want to make him the crown prince... I was not dead at that time, I was his son, I was the crown prince, the crown prince!..."

"But I actually doted on such a bastard for five years! Five whole years. How foolish am I?"

"I asked her just now, and she never refuted it. If she explained, I might not believe it. Tell me, if she is innocent, why didn't she explain?"

"Not only will I kill her with my own hands, I will also wipe out the entire Dong family! ..."

……

"Your Majesty, please take care of yourself!" When the elderly eunuch Li heard Cui Qimo mention the forgotten past, he glanced at Cui Hongjing who had been kneeling outside the palace. He wanted to say something, but felt powerless. He could only repeat "Take care of yourself".

After all, no man could stand such a thing, let alone a king.

He didn't dare to ask how to deal with Prince Jing. In Cui Qimo's current mood, it was possible that he would directly chop off Prince Jing's head.

Just when he was getting anxious, the guard came to report: "Your Majesty, it's bad. We just received an urgent report that the Changguo army is gathering at the border and may be planning to attack our Dazhen..."

"What?" Cui Qimo staggered and almost fell.

Didn’t Zhenchang just sign the letter of credence?

Could it be that Changguo really dares to go against the world's condemnation and break its promise, and isn't afraid of giving people a chance to criticize him?

Eunuch Li calmed down and said, "Your Majesty, the current Emperor Chang is the former King of Chu, Yan Yuanzong. You know that Yan Yuanzong is a lunatic who does not play by the rules. Or maybe the news is wrong?"

"Tell Xiang Zhong..." Cui Qimo started to speak, then he remembered that General Xiang had been beheaded.

"It's Qian Weimin..." he changed his words.

But in the end, he did not hand the tiger talisman to Qian Weimin.

He trusted Qian Weimin, so he had to keep this confidant by his side to guard the imperial city and ensure his safety.

The scene that happened half a year ago seemed to be happening again.

At that time, the King of Chu of Changguo led his troops to invade. After an inspection, he could not find a prince who was capable of taking on the task.

Finally, he had to appoint Prince Jing as the General of Pyeongchang.

Today, Prince Qi is plotting a rebellion, Yuezhou is in rebellion, the tiger division of Changguo is eyeing them covetously, and the people in the court are unstable...

Faced with internal and external troubles, coupled with the extreme frustration of being alone and without anyone to rely on, Cui Qimo was so angry that he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

After a long pause, he waved his hand at Eunuch Li and said, "Let that evil creature go, and send someone to watch over him."

Eunuch Li hurried out to announce the decree, and when he came back, Cui Hongjing followed him.

Cui Hongjing looked a little haggard, but his back was still straight.

"Your Majesty, I bow to you in gratitude for your grace!" He made a long bow but did not kneel.

Cui Qimo looked at him with extremely disgusted eyes, gritted his teeth and blurted out one word: "Get lost!"

Cui Hongjing smiled faintly, "Although the emperor pardoned me because of the invasion of Changguo, I still want to thank you, so as to show the father's love and filial piety."

"You--" Cui Qimo almost vomited blood again.

Cui Hongjing knelt respectfully outside the palace for two days, earning the sympathy of court officials and palace maids.

But since he entered the palace, he never knelt, and was even a little arrogant. He poured himself some tea and ate a few snacks. "Maybe it's because I haven't eaten or drunk anything for two days, why do I feel that the tea in my father's palace is really good. I am short-sighted, it seems that this is a special health tea, with a faint medicinal fragrance."

Cui Qimo saw his unusual behavior and felt inexplicably panicked.

"Don't you think I'm old and confused? Don't think I don't know what you did on your way to Changguo last time."

Cui Hongjing even dragged a chair and sat down in front of Cui Qimo. "But there are some things that are not open to the public, and your Majesty may not know them. It seems that your Majesty really wants to know what else your son has done. No matter what your Majesty wants to know, your son can satisfy your Majesty today."

Cui Qimo's heart skipped a beat again and he winked at Eunuch Li standing beside him.

Eunuch Li came over and stood silently beside Cui Hongjing. He seemed casual, but he was fully alert.

Cui Hongjing lazily raised one leg and poured himself another cup of health tea. "I know what Eunuch Li is capable of, but father, don't be nervous. I will never do anything that will leave a bad reputation for eternity."

Cui Qimo: "What do you want to do?"