The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

39

After listening to the King of Huaiyu, Shen Yu felt worried and looked over at Shang JunLin.

Whatever the relationship, the previous emperor was Shang JunLin's father. It couldn't be easy for a child to hear that his father was given a green hat.

Shang JunLin's face didn't show anything unusual. When he saw Shen Yu look at him, he whispered, "Ah Yu, don't worry. The King of Huaiyu described quite a show. To be honest, this emperor would like to see it too."

Shang JunLin didn't feel any father-son affection for the late emperor. Throughout the ages, fathers are expected to be kind and sons to be filial. However, if a father gave his son not love but multiple assassination attempts, no child would have the slightest bit of fondness for him.

But there was more to the story. Shang JunLin lowered his gaze to conceal the turbulent, ink-black emotion in his eyes. He and the late emperor were divided by the deep-seated hatred of a blood feud involving his mother's entire family!

After the King of Huaiyu said his piece, he gradually fell silent and looked at Shen Yu with obscure thoughts in his eyes. "Shang JunLin is the son of my dear imperial brother and might turn out exactly the same. You're such a cute little thing. Don't give your heart to him."

Shen Yu didn't know why the King of Huaiyu was still trying to persuade him. Just as he was about to reply, the King of Huaiyu continued:

"You can't take him seriously. When my dear imperial brother ascended to the throne, he was passionately devoted to Shang JunLin's mother. She was his one and only. But look how that turned out. No matter how many solemn oaths of love he swore, they didn't stop his heart from changing all too quickly. When the late emperor took power, he sealed his empress at the same time. Many people envied how deeply in love they were. But no matter how deep love is, it can't resist the ravages of time. A mere five years later, the vows he made were thrown away. After the first betrayal, countless more will follow.

"I warned her at the time, but she refused to listen. She fell headlong into a gentle but carefully woven trap and dragged down her entire family in vain."

"Has the King of Huaiyu said enough?" Shang JunLin's chilly voice rang out.

"Half the blood in your veins belongs to that man. Do you really think you'll escape the shackles of your bloodline? Look at the other children he left behind. Which of them isn't a scourge, each one worse than the last? Don't think I'm saying these things just to frighten you. A person can't change his nature, and love runs thin in the blood of the Shang family."

Shen Yu couldn't agree with what the King of Huaiyu said. "What about you, King of Huaiyu? Are you unchanged after all these years? The thing that makes people human is the fact we restrain our nature. A normal person knows what to do and what not to do. It's people who don't know how to behave that use their 'nature' as an excuse."

"An interesting argument, perhaps." As if the last breath of his anger had been dissipated, the King of Huaiyu seemed to shrivel into himself. "Don't waste any more time on me. The matter ends here. You needn't investigate further."

With these words, the King of Huaiyu closed his eyes and refused to say more.

Shang JunLin took Shen Yu outside. When they passed Minister Fang, he ordered, "That's enough interrogation."

Minister Fang didn't know why, but he replied respectfully, "Yes."

As they walked out of the iron-walled prison into the bright spring scenery outside, the warmth of the sunlight dispelled the cold and gloomy thoughts that followed them from the prison.

As he felt the warmth, Shen Yu breathed a sigh of relief. "It's so pleasant out here."

"This emperor told you the dark prison was cold and wet and you shouldn't come along, but you wouldn't listen."