Married To The Cruel Crown Prince

Nianzu was writing a message for the Prime Minister when Eunuch Chung came to him. "Your Highness, the Royal Physician examined Lady Chuntao. Her Majesty had sent him to the Eastern Palace," he informed Nianzu, who hummed as he was writing an important message on the paper.

"Your Highness, the Empress Dowager is herself making the sweets for the Empress and Lady Chuntao in the royal kitchen," Eunuch Chung said.

The brush in Nianzu's hand stopped and he looked up at Eunuch Chung, lifting the brush up to prevent the sheet from getting a huge dot.

"I am going to the Northern Palace," Nianzu said and finished writing the message on the sheet. He let it dry and asked Chung to bring the warm overcoat for him. Eunuch Chung brought one silk woven coat and lifted it. Nianzu outstretched his arms and put his hands in those sleeves. Chung buttoned it from the shoulder and took a step back.

Nianzu folded the paper and put it inside a scroll. He left for the Northern Palace to find out why his mother decided to make sweets for Ying Lili.

He ascended the stairs and soon reached outside the main chamber of the Empress. "Tell Her Majesty that the Fourth Prince wants to see her," Nianzu asked a maidservant, who walked in. After a minute, she returned and delivered the order of the Empress. Nianzu walked in and found her mother was so enthusiastic to feed Ying Lili those sweets.

It was unusual of her. It made Nianzu skeptical of her intentions, but luckily Ying Lili did not eat the sweet upon seeing him. Nianzu greeted them and decided to taste sweet. When Deng Hui made an excuse, he suspected his mother. So, he went to the servant, who was holding the tray, and picked the sweet from the circular bowl.

Nianzu noticed every expression of Deng Hui. Whatever he was thinking should not be right. He did not want his mother to plot against Ying Lili when Sheng Li was not around.

"Mother, the last time I tasted sweets made by your hands was a year ago. It is indeed delicious," Nianzu answered and glanced at Ying Lili, who was also eager to taste sweet.

"Mother, I have an important matter to discuss with Her Majesty. So, the mother shall return to her chamber," Nianzu thought to send Deng Hui at any cost. Ying Lili realized that something odd was going on between the mother and the son.

"Can my son not discuss the matter in front of me?" Deng Hui queried. She was dejected again by the strange behavior of her son.

"Mother also knows that the Empire's matters are to be discussed with the Emperor only. In his absence, I can discuss it with only the Empress, Mother," Nianzu explained to her, keeping a tiny smile on his lips.

Ying Lili thought that Nianzu's words might hurt Deng Hui, so he decided to intervene between them. "Empress Dowager, Brother Nianzu is only following the protocols. Moreover, he does not want to trouble his mother by discussing the Empire's matters. The situation in Changying isn't hidden from anyone," she said humbly.

Deng Hui rose to her feet and so did Ying Lili. "Do eat these sweets. Take care, Empress Ying Lili," Deng Hui said and left the chamber. Both Ying Lili and Nianzu bowed as she walked away while he narrowly glanced at Deng Hui when she walked past him.

Once she left, Nianzu lifted his head and looked at the servant, who was holding the tray. He then walked to Ying Lili. "Sister Lili, please give this platter to me," he urged. Ying Lili did so and Nianzu put it on the tray.

"Throw it away," Nianzu ordered the servant.

Ying Lili gaped at Nianzu. The servant bowed and walked out of the chamber.

​ "Forgive me, Your Majesty, for acting this way, but as per the orders of the Emperor she is supposed to eat after careful examination of every cooked food," Nianzu said, reminding her of Sheng Li's words.

"The Empress Dowager has prepared the sweets with so much love," Ying Lili said and asked for a handkerchief.

"Except the Court Ladies, everyone shall leave. Eunuch Xing-Fu, you must inform General Wang that I would like to see him," Ying Lili said while wiping her fingers with the handkerchief.

The servants left silently.

"Take a seat, Brother Nianzu," Ying Lili said and asked him what important matter he had to discuss.

Nianzu recalled there was no such matter. As soon as Eunuch Chung told him that his mother prepared the sweets for Ying Lili and Chuntao, it terrified him. He knew his mother would not harm Chuntao because she was pregnant with her son's child, but she might harm Ying Lili.

Ying Lili understood from Nianzu's silence that he still did not trust his mother fully.

"Brother Nianzu shall trust the Empress Dowager," Ying Lili said softly.

"I did," Nianzu answered and finally peered into her eyes, "Sister Lili, I put my faith again in my mother. But I do not know why I again feel something is wrong. I have promised Brother Sheng before returning to Luoyang that I will not let the Empress get into any kind of danger."

"I don't think Prince Nianzu's mother will ever harm me," Ying Lili said with faith in Deng Hui.

"Forgive me Sister Lili, but a child knows his mother better," Nianzu argued with her. "I also do not want any more fights among the members of the royal family, but I cannot help and only doubt my mother when she had already plotted against Father, Brother Sheng, and Sister Lili," he reasoned.

"People change, Brother Nianzu. Even the First Brother changed; Sister Xue changed and then the First Consort Dowager also changed," Ying Lili gave him the examples. She wanted Nianzu to believe his mother.

"Sister Lili, you must not forget that not every noblewoman thinks of family. I don't want any problems to arise because of my mother. I was the one who complained to my late father about the mistreatment of my mother. When she got power, she misused it. I do not want any mishap to happen through her hands," Nianzu asserted and curled his fingers, before lowering his head.

"I will never be able to forgive myself if any wrong happens because of my mother," he affirmed.