The Whole Dynasty Spoils the Tyrant's Beloved Youngest Daughter-Chapter 278: The Crown Prince’s Deep Grievance
Jun Ning’s words were a little heavy, and as soon as Nanny Zhang heard them, tears welled up in her eyes, as if asking Jun Ning, is it really necessary to do this?
Jun Ning didn’t want to speak so harshly either. However, she was genuinely worried about her mother’s condition. In order to find out, she had to speak more sternly. Of course, if Nanny Zhang still refused to speak, she wouldn’t blame her, much less send her away.
She was merely trying to scare Nanny Zhang a bit.
Nanny Zhang didn’t realize Jun Ning was just trying to scare her into submission.
She really wanted to stay by Jun Ning’s side.
In order to stay by Jun Ning’s side and to protect her well, Nanny Zhang no longer worried about whether Jun Ning would be frightened by the news she was about to hear.
She said, "Princess, Madam Qi... she died from complications during childbirth... only a baby girl was saved..."
And even that baby girl was saved through the tireless efforts of the Imperial Physician.
As an Imperial Physician, living up to the beneighborly heart of a healer, they naturally wanted to save Madam Qi. After all, since General Qi was already gone, they couldn’t afford to lose Madam Qi too, leaving Qi Xiao and the baby girl as orphans without parents.
However—
The Imperial Physician could exhaust all medical skills to save someone, but couldn’t force someone to have the will to survive.
General Qi’s death struck Madam Qi deeply.
Madam Qi was unconscious with no urgent desire to live. After the baby girl was born, she suffered massive bleeding and couldn’t be saved.
Upon learning this news, Jun Ning didn’t know if it was due to emotional overwhelm or something else, but she fainted and fell seriously ill. By the time she recovered, two months had passed.
The Crown Prince managed to repel those rioters from Bei Xia and had already returned triumphantly, but no one gave him a hero’s welcome; the palace did not praise him for defeating Bei Xia or reward his merits.
Not only that, but there were also voices of blame directed at the Crown Prince.
They said if the National Guardian General hadn’t died protecting the Crown Prince, who was useless and a burden, how would he have perished?
Now that General Qi was dead, it’s good; surrounding countries were eyeing Dong Chu covetously, all attempting to annex it.
Who was to blame?
They naturally blamed the Crown Prince, who was incompetent and caused more troubles than solving them.
What good was repelling those troublemakers from Bei Xia? Because of him, Dong Chu faced even greater disasters.
The credit simply didn’t outweigh the blame.
There were multiple unfounded reproaches like that.
It’s uncertain how the Crown Prince viewed these remarks, but others said he seemed well, behaving as always, seemingly unfazed by those messy rumors.
When he returned, he even brought sweets for Jing Shu as promised. Jing Shu excitedly shared them with Jun Ning, but Jun Ning didn’t eat a single one; she had no appetite.
How could her brother, the Crown Prince, possibly not care about those rumors?
Rumors are like invisible knives, capable of killing.
The Crown Prince seemed indifferent, but how could he truly not care?
Jun Ning, clutching the sweets Jing Shu gave her, went to see the Crown Prince. After finishing his official business, the Crown Prince was playing chess with himself. Jun Ning glanced at the board; the game was in chaos, without any order.
Clearly, his mind was also in turmoil.
However, he did not express it; his face was so calm, calm enough that everyone who saw him overlooked his inner pain.
Jun Ning approached him, holding his hand, and said, "Brother, if you’re sad, just cry, don’t hold it in."
The Crown Prince lightly shook off her hand, saying, "Yi Yi, what are you talking about? Sad or not, I don’t understand."
"Go play somewhere else? Brother is busy and can’t play with you, or you can look for Jing Shu..." The Crown Prince said, staring at the chess board in front of him.
Jun Ning was silent: "......"
She felt her Crown Prince brother had changed.
Changed more than just a little.
"Brother, no matter how others criticize you, I believe in you. I believe in everything you do... and also believe that it wasn’t your fault that Uncle Qi died saving you... it really wasn’t..."
Hearing this, the Crown Prince looked up at Jun Ning, smiling and said, "Sister, what are you talking about, go back?"
The Crown Prince’s attitude seemed like there was truly nothing wrong in his heart.
But how could there be nothing wrong if he wasn’t facing the issue Jun Ning mentioned head-on? Instead, he kept urging Jun Ning to leave, as if he didn’t want her to talk about it.
"Brother..." Jun Ning tugged at the corner of the Crown Prince’s robe, shaking it vigorously, "During Yi Yi’s most difficult times, it was you who protected Yi Yi; to Yi Yi, you’re a very important family. Now that you’re like this, how could Yi Yi not care about you?"
A touch of emotion flashed quickly across the Crown Prince’s eyes, and he said, "Yi Yi, you’ve grown a bit more, and your words have become more interesting. If it were in the past, I would’ve had a good talk with you, but now..."
Many things are not black and white, nor are rumors necessarily true.
The matter of General Qi dying to save him was deeply distressing for the Crown Prince.
Clearly... it was...
On the battlefield, Qi Qin was eager for victory and did not follow the plan to kill the enemy properly, suddenly going to assassinate the main general at the Northern Xia border, ignoring his command, leading to falling into a trap and dying.
He risked his life to retrieve Qi Qin’s body from Northern Xia.
How did the story turn into General Qi dying to save him upon returning?
Listening to those scoldings, he really wanted to argue a few words, to tell everyone, he was not wrong, and not useless...
But would anyone believe him if he argued? Now everyone had made up their minds that Qi Qin died saving him.
Also, since the person was dead, no matter how he defended himself, Qi Qin couldn’t testify for him. Those who listen to his defense would only think he’s biting back at a dead man, and those scolding him would become even more aggressive.
Therefore, the Crown Prince was not planning to argue.
Firstly, it simply couldn’t be clarified.
Secondly, he wanted to preserve Qi Qin’s posthumous reputation. Let everyone firmly believe that Qi Qin was a hero, and that his death was to protect the future of the Crown Prince and the country, not due to battlefield recklessness.
These were things the Crown Prince wanted to tell Jun Ning, the only person who trusted him, the only person who made him want to speak the truth.
But he feared Jun Ning was too young, that after hearing it, she might tell others, ultimately bringing disaster to her.
So, for now, it’s better left unsaid!
"Yi Yi, there is too much pain in my heart to share with you right now, but I promise you, one day, I will tell you." The Crown Prince said, "Could you refrain from asking for now?"
"Eating a candy won’t make the heart bitter anymore." Jun Ning said while shoving a candy into the Crown Prince’s mouth and continued, "Yi Yi won’t ask anymore, wait until you want to say it."
The Crown Prince nodded appreciatively, "...Brother has one more thing to ask of you. Could you study well? With Jing Shu."
