Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 264 - 263. Regent Prince and Crown Prince

Due to the Emperor’s severe illness, even before the New Year was over, the entire palace already seemed uncharacteristically gloomy. These days, Prince Li’s faction and Prime Minister Liu’s faction were openly and secretly feuding without cease in the imperial court. The reason behind the Emperor’s illness was clear to everyone who was well-informed, and all eyes were fixed on the glittering golden throne in the great hall. Even the petition for help from Zijing Pass was ignored by all. Mo Jingqi lay in bed, muddled and delirious, unable to care for himself, let alone manage state affairs.

"My Prince." The eunuch guarding the bedchambers, huddled due to the cold, quickly scurried forward to pay respects and flashed a naturally obsequious smile when he saw the nobly dressed man striding in. Mo Jingli looked down arrogantly at the eunuch before him and said coldly, "I have some affairs to discuss with His Majesty."

The eunuch hesitated and said with some difficulty, "But His Majesty is currently..." Mo Jingli’s stern gaze pierced him as he retorted coldly, "What? Do I need your permission to see my imperial brother?"

All the eunuchs standing by the door quivered inwardly. They had indeed been ordered by Her Highness Noble Consort and Prime Minister Liu to prevent Prince Li from entering, but who could fully comprehend the current situation in the palace? Prince Li’s power was at its apex, so they dared not offend him. After much hesitation, the guards eventually stepped aside, saying with a placating smile, "Of course not... After you, my Prince." Mo Jingli snorted lightly and stepped into the bedchamber.

The luxurious, bright yellow, and opulent furnishings caught his eye, causing his gaze to flicker slightly. Looking at Mo Jingqi, who lay motionless on the bed, a sense of indescribable glee welled up in Mo Jingli’s heart. He knew Mo Jingqi was not asleep. He strode to the bedside, looking down at the sallow and emaciated man. A satisfied smile tugged at his lips. The secret drug he’d acquired from the Southern Border was far more effective than the so-called Five-Stone Powder. While taking it, there were no obvious effects, but once stopped, the withdrawal effects were a hundred times more astonishing than those of Five-Stone Powder. In just a few days, Mo Jingqi had been reduced to skin and bones.

After a moment’s thought, Mo Jingli stuffed a tiny pill into Mo Jingqi’s mouth. Mo Jingqi’s dull, bewildered eyes gradually regained a spark of clarity. Seeing the man standing before his bed, his eyes blazed with anger, and a gurgling sound emitted from his throat. Mo Jingli, feigning nonchalance, tilted his head and asked, "Imperial Brother, is there something you want to say?"

"You... you dare to come?!" Mo Jingqi rasped. Having not spoken or eaten for several days, his voice was terribly hoarse and dry. Mo Jingli chuckled. "Why wouldn’t I dare? Imperial Brother, your younger brother is worried about you, you know."

Mo Jingqi glared at him with seething hatred, as if wishing he could bite the man to death. Mo Jingli calmly sat beside the bed and looked at Mo Jingqi’s enraged face with a strange smile. "Imperial Brother, you really shouldn’t blame me. Blame... the Empress Dowager. If she hadn’t constantly instilled those ideas in me to suppress you, if she hadn’t propped me up to oppose you for her own power, perhaps we could have been respectful and loving brothers. Imperial Brother... do you realize how much of a failure you are? Look at you... The Empress Dowager wants to deal with you, your younger brother wants to deal with you, and the imperial kinsmen ignore you. Do you think they don’t know your illness is suspicious? But have they asked? If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for being too harsh on the imperial kinsmen. So now, when you’re in trouble, no one is willing to help you. Even your most favored Noble Consort Liu and the Liu Family... HEH HEH, I’m afraid they’ve long had their own plans."

Mo Jingqi stared wide-eyed, disbelief filling them. Mo Jingli paid him no mind and continued languidly, "Has Noble Consort Liu visited you these past few days? No, right? Well, Noble Consort Liu has her heart set on Mo Xiuyao; how could she have time to visit you at a time like this? The Liu Family is busy figuring out how to push Noble Consort Liu’s son onto the throne."

Mo Jingqi’s face turned livid with rage, but he lacked the strength even to shout his fury. Mo Jingli continued, unconcerned, "Imperial Brother, you know... if your younger brother, I, were to ascend the throne, you might still have a way out. After all... even considering the Empress Dowager and Mo Xiuyao, your younger brother would let you live. But if Noble Consort Liu’s son ascends the throne, I guarantee you won’t live for a month. After all, if there’s a Grand Emperor still above the young emperor, how could Noble Consort Liu become the Empress Dowager ruling from behind a curtain? Imperial Brother, you never imagined your cold and haughty Noble Consort harbored such ambitions, did you? Do you know why she wants to rule from behind a curtain? HEH HEH... She wants to control the entire Great Chu, then compete with Ye Li for Mo Xiuyao. Such a devoted woman, wouldn’t you say, Imperial Brother?"

"ARGH—!" Mo Jingqi’s face flushed red, then turned deathly pale, and he finally vomited a mouthful of blood. He lay on the bed, utterly devoid of the strength to even sit up. The blood stained his neck and the front of his robes, even spattering the lower half of his face, making him look both terrifying and pitiful. One could only imagine the anger and sorrow of an emperor reduced to such a state.

Mo Jingli looked at him without a shred of pity. "Well? Imperial Brother, have you thought it through?" Mo Jingqi stared at him for a long while before suddenly bursting into laughter. His blood-soaked face, combined with that eerie smile, made Mo Jingli narrow his eyes in displeasure.

Mo Jingqi panted for a moment to catch his breath before speaking. "Trying to force my hand? Little brother... don’t forget, I am the elder brother. All those tricks of yours are just things I played with and discarded. If I... hadn’t shown you mercy back then!" Mo Jingli frowned. Staring at Mo Jingqi’s smile, he felt a flicker of unease. Even at this stage, he couldn’t imagine what other card Mo Jingqi could possibly play.

Staring intently at the disheveled man on the bed, Mo Jingli’s brows furrowed tightly. Mo Jingqi gave him a faint, unreadable smile and said slowly, "Jingli... all these years, you still only have that one child, don’t you?" Mo Jingli’s eyes narrowed slightly, wondering why he would bring this up at such a time. Mo Jingqi continued slowly, "What if I told you that you will only ever have this one child in your entire life? What would you do then?"

"What do you mean?!" Mo Jingli’s expression changed drastically. He lunged forward, grabbing Mo Jingqi’s lapels and yanking him up from the bed, demanding fiercely, "What did you do?!"

For men, heirs are sometimes more important than power itself. While many might sacrifice children for power, that’s often because they have many. If one has no children at all, then all worldly power and status immediately lose much of their meaning. To sit on the throne yet be unable to pass it to one’s own heir is as heartbreaking as a man toiling his entire life to save money, only for it to benefit someone else’s son. Although Mo Jingli did have a son, his only child—the one born to Ye Ying—was perpetually sickly and frail. Though not yet seven years old, there were constant worries about whether he would live to adulthood.

Mo Jingqi’s words struck Mo Jingli like a thunderbolt. He glared fiercely at Mo Jingqi. "What did you do? No... you couldn’t have had the chance to poison me!" Mo Jingli was not a careless man; in fact, he was more guarded against his imperial brother than anyone else. He was exceptionally careful about his food, clothing, and daily life. Mo Jingqi couldn’t possibly have had an opportunity to poison him.

Mo Jingqi chuckled dryly; his younger brother’s fury clearly amused him. "Jingli, you should thank me for at least letting you keep one child. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for not being content as a Prince and insisting on opposing me." Mo Jingli’s face darkened. After a long moment, he suddenly sneered, "You said it yourself, I still have one son. Believe it or not, I’ll kill your sons, one by one!"

Mo Jingqi, however, was completely unfazed by his threat. He chuckled faintly. "You think the one in your Prince Li’s Mansion is really your son? Jingli, you don’t know this, but when Princess Consort Li had just given birth to that child, I personally held him. He was a plump, fair-skinned, and robust little boy. Your sickly whelp isn’t even half his size."

"Bastard!" Mo Jingli roared in fury. He violently flung Mo Jingqi back onto the bed, then lunged forward, his hands closing around Mo Jingqi’s throat. "Where did you take my son?!" he bellowed. "Speak!"

Mo Jingqi seemed oblivious to the hands tightening around his neck. His sallow face flushed crimson from the pressure, yet his eyes remained half-closed, indifferent. Ultimately, Mo Jingli had to release him in frustration. He couldn’t actually kill Mo Jingqi now. If he did, forget the throne; he’d be branded a regicidal villain. Looking at the man lying on the bed, Mo Jingli sneered, "Still won’t talk? You think I can’t deal with you? I’ll kill one imperial son a day for you to see. Sooner or later, you’ll talk."

Mo Jingqi opened his eyes and looked at him, saying calmly, "I am about to die; do you think I still care about them? So what if you kill all my sons? Changle is still in the Northwest. Even as a daughter, she is my bloodline. But you... you are fated to be without descendants. For every imperial son you kill, I guarantee your son will be served on your dining table the very next morning."

At this, Mo Jingli had to admit that when it came to ruthlessness, he was no match for his imperial brother. "What exactly do you want? You should know your body is beyond recovery. Do you think giving the throne to Noble Consort Liu will make you safe and sound?" To ensure there was no chance of recovery, he had definitely used a poison without an antidote. When Noble Consort Liu was mentioned, a ruthless glint flashed in Mo Jingqi’s eyes. He lowered his gaze and pondered for a long while before finally saying, "What I intend to do is none of your concern."

Before long, an imperial decree from Mo Jingqi circulated through the palace: Mo Xiaoyun, eldest son of Noble Consort Liu, was appointed Crown Prince. Furthermore, Prince Li, Mo Jingli, was promoted to Regent Prince, tasked with overseeing all government affairs. The decree naturally stunned the entire imperial court; everyone was puzzled by the Emperor’s intentions. The courtiers who had been planning to pick a side were now bewildered. Should they support the Crown Prince or Prince Li?

「In Prince Li’s Mansion」

Upon Mo Jingli’s return, Ye Ying and Princess Qixia greeted him. Princess Qixia was as beautiful and radiant as ever. In contrast, Ye Ying appeared notably pale and gaunt. Though barely in her early twenties, the young woman looked closer to thirty. She held the hand of a small boy who seemed to be less than five years old. However, people in Prince Ding’s Mansion knew that this little heir of Prince Li, doted upon by the Prince and his Princess Consort, was already approaching his seventh birthday this year.

"Your Highness, congratulations on your appointment as Regent Prince. You now wield great power." Princess Qixia’s smile was bright and gentle, appearing genuinely pleased without any deliberate fawning. This even brought a faint smile to Mo Jingli’s initially somber face.

A flicker of jealous resentment crossed Ye Ying’s eyes. She stepped forward with her son and said with a smile, "I and the young heir also congratulate Your Highness on your appointment as Regent Prince..." Then, she lightly pinched her son’s hand, prompting him to speak.

The little boy was pale, his body so frail he looked as if a gust of wind could knock him over. He clung tightly to Ye Ying, clearly terrified of his father, Mo Jingli. Ye Ying inwardly bit her lip. She truly couldn’t understand why this son, born to her and Mo Jingli—neither of whom were timid—was so mouse-like, even afraid of his own father. The child timidly raised his head and called out, "Father," in a voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, then fell silent.

Looking at this cowering child, Mo Jingli felt a surge of rage roiling within him, about to erupt. How could such a cowardly, timid, and frail child be his son, Mo Jingli’s son?! He couldn’t help but recall Mo Jingqi lying on the bed, weak yet with triumph in his eyes. The more he thought about it, the more furious he became, his gaze fixed on the child as if it could shoot flames.

"Your Highness..." Ye Ying looked at Mo Jingli, puzzled. She could now see that Mo Jingli wasn’t pleased about becoming Regent Prince; in fact, he was furious. Carefully shielding her son, who was trying to hide behind her in fear, Ye Ying cautiously asked.

Mo Jingli snorted coldly and kicked the child, sending him flying. After he sent people to investigate thoroughly, he learned that the midwives present at Ye Ying’s delivery had all been arranged by Mo Jingqi. After Ye Ying gave birth, everyone in that courtyard estate had been replaced, their whereabouts unknown. Only then did Mo Jingli realize Mo Jingqi hadn’t lied; this sickly child was indeed not his son. He resembled neither Mo Jingli nor Ye Ying. He wasn’t ugly, but it was clear that even when grown, he would only be an ordinary-looking child.

"Your Highness?!" Ye Ying shrieked. Everyone present—servants, maids, even Princess Qixia—was stunned. Ye Ying rushed towards the child. Having fallen to the ground, the boy vomited two mouthfuls of blood and couldn’t even cry out, his breathing shallow and faint. Ye Ying was so terrified she barely dared to touch him, screaming, "My son... Quickly! Fetch the imperial physician!"

The servants snapped back to their senses and looked hesitantly at Mo Jingli. The young heir had been kicked by the Prince; whether to call the imperial physician was naturally the Prince’s decision. Besides, most of them, though not medically trained, could see that the young heir, who had been frail and sickly since birth, was clearly near death after such a vicious kick from the Prince.

"Don’t fetch anyone!" Mo Jingli commanded coldly. Ye Ying looked up at him, startled, tears streaming down her face, utterly bewildered. "Your... Your Highness..."

Mo Jingli’s disgust for Ye Ying had reached its peak. This woman is useless, only good for messing things up! I must have been insane to want to marry her back then. And because of that, I missed out on... He grabbed Ye Ying’s arm and began dragging her towards the inner courtyard. Ye Ying struggled ceaselessly, her eyes fixed on the barely breathing child on the ground, crying hysterically.

"No... Your Highness, the child..." Mo Jingli’s figure vanished behind a screen wall. The people present exchanged glances, unsure what to do. Princess Qixia looked at the child on the ground, a hint of malicious pleasure playing on her lips. She waved her hand. "Wait for the Prince to finish his business before dealing with this."

Ye Ying struggled as Mo Jingli dragged her, but how could a weak woman break free from his grip? He dragged her all the way back to a room and shoved her roughly. Ye Ying stumbled and crashed into a table. Lifting her tear-streaked face, she cried, "Your Highness, why are you doing this? That’s our child! How can you be so heartless...?"

"Shut up!" Mo Jingli snapped, his icy gaze fixed on Ye Ying. "You incompetent fool! You didn’t even realize your child was swapped, letting me raise some unknown bastard for seven years!" What? Ye Ying froze, utterly unable to comprehend his words. Mo Jingli stared at her coldly. "Still don’t get it? That sickly whelp is not my son at all! That child was swapped right after he was born!"

"How... how could this be? Impossible!" Ye Ying cried out, aghast. The son she had doted on for years, cared for so meticulously, wasn’t her biological child? Then where had her own child gone? "Your Highness... then... where is our child?" Ye Ying asked frantically.

Mo Jingli spat out with venom, "In Mo Jingqi’s hands!" Hearing this, Ye Ying collapsed onto a chair, devoid of strength. She knew full well the state of Mo Jingli and Mo Jingqi’s relationship over the years. If their child was in Mo Jingqi’s hands, could they ever hope to get him back?

Panicked, she clutched at Mo Jingli’s sleeve, sobbing, "Your Highness, save our child! Ying’er begs you, please save our child! WAHHH... my poor child..."

Mo Jingli shoved her away in irritation. Of course, he would save his child; he had to. He looked coldly at Ye Ying, who was sobbing by the table, feeling only intense annoyance towards this woman who had once seemed so gentle and lovely. "From today, you are confined to the harem! Don’t come out! I don’t want to see your face again!" Ye Ying was stunned. Her son was in Mo Jingqi’s hands, and now Mo Jingli was confining her to the harem? How could she bear it?

"Why... why?" Ye Ying stared blankly at Mo Jingli. Over the years, she had long since lost his favor. If not for her son, she would have been forgotten in some dusty corner long ago. Their past love and sweetness felt like a distant dream. And now, was she about to lose even the little she had left?

Mo Jingli said icily, "If not for your idiocy, how would I have remained ignorant of my son’s whereabouts for so many years? Do you have any idea what your stupidity has cost me? My mother consort was right; you truly are a foolish and inept woman! If I hadn’t married you back then..." He thought of the gentle woman he had met just once the previous year in Ancheng City. So many years had passed, yet she remained as refined as an orchid, graceful and elegant. If it had been her... if it had been her, something like this would never have happened.

Mo Jingli cast one final glance at Ye Ying, then swept his sleeves and departed without a shred of lingering affection. Behind him, Ye Ying remained, stunned and motionless, silent tears streaming down her face. A long time later, the room finally filled with the sound of choked sobs.