Chapter 131- Regent

"Here, I brought it for you. I kept it covered in the car, and it's still hot."

"What is it?" Liu Yusheng opened the paper bag in confusion and was greeted by the smell of onions.

"Green onion pancakes," Qian Wanjin said. "A new pancake stand opened in town. The taste isn't bad."

Not far from Liu Yusheng, Wei Hong's back stiffened. Did that fool, Wei Lan, really go to sell sesame pancakes?

Liu Yusheng tore off a small piece of the pancake and held it in her hand. It was still warm, and she nodded after tasting it. "Well, it tastes pretty good."

"Do you like it? That stall is right across the street from the restaurant, so I'll take you there next time. This kind of pancake tastes the best when they're fresh out of the pan," after saying that, Qian Wanjin looked at the woman who's been busy for a long while yet never disappeared from their sight. "Is this your relative?"

"No, I forgot to tell you. This is Aunt Hong. She's staying at my house for the time being." Liu Yusheng downplayed it. "What took you so long to come back this time? Did something happen in the capital?"

Wei Hong, who was standing a short distance away pretended to be busy and immediately pricked up her ears.

"What can happen in the capital? It's nothing more than those in high positions pinching each other at the top, causing tension to those below." Qian Wanjin sneered and then looked at Liu Yusheng subtly. "I heard that the current emperor is ill and unable to continue ruling the court, so he's ready to crown the crown prince. The most vociferous is the sixteenth prince, King Nanling. The emperor has been doting on him. Lucky Nannan, do you think he has a chance?"

"Those related to the royal family are too far away. It's not something that insignificant commoners like us to debate on. We just have to live our own lives."

After nibbling on two bites of pancakes, Liu Yusheng paused. "Young Boss, you mean that sixteenth prince traveled back to the capital last year?"

Qian Wanjin's eyes darkened. "That's what the news that came out said."

"Then… do you know his name?"

"The sixteenth prince has a state surname – Feng, Feng Qingbai."

Liu Yusheng's shoulders slumped a bit. So his surname was Feng, Feng Qingbai.

It wouldn't be him.

Not long after Qian Wanjin brought this news back, the court posted an imperial decree, and the emperor's edict was made known to the world.

It dictated that the imperial grandson, Feng Mohan, was the crowned prince. And until the Crown Prince was capable enough to run the affairs of state, Nanling King, Feng Qingbai became the Regent with Mo Wenhai, the Chief Minister, and Feng Qian, the Imperial Grand Tutor, as his assistants.

The country was in an uproar!

The entire royal family was even more incredulous.

Feng Mohan! If it wasn't for the name clearly written on the Emperor's Decree, they wouldn't even remember the existence of this person!

The posthumous child of the fourth son of the emperor! His birthday was also the death of his biological mother! He was two years old! He has no father or mother, but he was of true royal blood!

They all pooled their resources to fight against Feng Qingbai, but in the end, the crown sat on another person?

So all the emperor's love Feng Qingbai has gained over the years was a lie? Were they blindfolded?

The emperor's favorite son was nothing more than just a shield?

That was the biggest joke ever!

In the harem, a hideous-looking woman smashed the brass mirror and said, "He's dying, yet his heart is still filled with that evil witch! He made him the Prince Regent, so he would avoid the fetters of the palace! But still be the one with the highest authority! Yes, yes! I'm impressed by his chess move! Hahaha!"

In the Imperial Chamber, the emperor was lying on the bed. His face was green and grey; his was short, and he was already lingering on with one last breath.

"Qingbai… Xiu'er, I can only help until this point. From now on you … walk the road on your own. Don't hate me…" As if there was a hole in his mouth, the emperor wheezed and gasped for breath. "Take these things… enough… to protect yourself. Make good use of them."

The old eunuch immediately took a locked brocade box and handed it to Feng Qingbai. He received it and then raised his eyes, the ends of his eyes slightly reddening slightly. "Hang on, famous doctors from all over the world are coming…"

The emperor shook his head. "No need…it's useless for them to come. It's time for me to go. I'll go earlier, and perhaps even meet your mother. I will…apologize to her…"

The emperor's eyes gradually drifted into a trance, and he vaguely saw the ten-year-old girl who came to him to take care of his health. By then, he was over the age of 18.

She was with him for twenty years. She has grown from a young girl to a gentle and graceful woman, and the hair on his temples also began to turn frosty white.

In the end, it was he who fell in love and wanted her, despite the huge difference in age and status.

He thought she must have hated him intensely, so she went before him, leaving him unloved for years to come.

Now, he was going to have to find her.

He has to apologize to his little girl and beg for her forgiveness.

If there was an afterlife…he didn't want this country. He would just…spoil her.

In June, Nanling Kingdom went into mourning.

When Emperor Hongyuan died, the whole country was in mourning and was forbidden to hold any celebrations within half a year.

In the same month, the two-year-old crown prince, Feng Mohan, became the emperor and changed his name to Hongjing.

As the new emperor was still young, Nanling King, Feng Qingbai, took over the reins of government by the late emperor's decree with the assistance of Chief Minister Mo Wenhai and Imperial Grand Tutor Feng Qian.

With the blessing of these two veteran ministers, who were loyalists of the late Emperor, Nanling King Feng Qingbai was able to control half of the court.

Liu Yusheng heard most of these things from Qian Wanjin, and Yan Hong, who would sometimes run to town and come back and tell the rumors she heard as gossip tales to Grandma Liu.

She was most fond of listening to all kinds of gossip.

For all of these, Liu Yusheng laughed it off after listening to them.

People would hustle and bustle for profit.

Especially in a place where the imperial power was most concentrated; the competition was even more cruel.

Everyone wanted to climb to that position, but there was only one position. So whoever survived to the end was king.

And the hands of the one who ended up king would be stained with blood. He must have a heart of iron.

Liu Yusheng shook her head. That world was too distant from her life to ever intersect. What was she lamenting here?

Tending to the fruit trees, herb seedlings; developing remedies; healing the sick; spending time with her family; this was her life. Uneventful and fulfilling, simple and pristine.

Time flew like a white horse.

It was spring once again. In a neatly painted farmhouse, there were boughs poking out from the courtyard wall. With the fresh green, a few budding pink flowers were on the boughs, emitting a subtle cloistered fragrance.

A carriage stopped in front of the gate of the farmhouse, and a tall, sturdy young man jumped off the carriage. He pushed the door with familiarity. "Grandma, I'm back. Ouch, I'm so exhausted. Is there something to eat?"

In the kitchen, a beautiful old lady poked her head out, holding a pot and spoon in her hand, and said loudly, "Xiao Jinzi, did you escape from marriage again?"

"Oh, come one, grandma! Keep your voice down! What do you mean escape again? I've told you that anything I don't agree to doesn't count!" Qian Wanjin lowered his voice, flustered and exasperated, and his face was red.

The old lady shimmied into the kitchen, her voice still loud and clear. "You're already 22 this year, right? If you had gotten married earlier, you all would have been fathers by now."