TFWYH – Chapter 714 The Emperor’s Thoughts

After all, ever since Jiang Shi had arrived in the capital, she had rarely left the residence. Hardly anyone had ever seen her.

The Emperor quickly made all the arrangements on his own and ordered the Shadow Master to take Gu Yanshuang’s body away.

He intended to haul it back and chop that woman into eighteen pieces himself!

From that day on, life at the Second Prince’s residence went on as if nothing had ever happened.

The only difference was that the servants soon discovered that the prince’s consort had become incredibly kind—but that is a story for later.

As for Ling Yu’s birth mother, it was announced that she had fallen gravely ill and returned to the countryside to recuperate.

From then on, only the three siblings and Tang Wan remained living at the Minister of Revenue’s residence.

When Jiang Shi awoke groggily, she found herself lying on an ornate bed.

The clothes she was wearing had also been changed into the ceremonial attire of a second-rank prince’s consort.

She was so startled that she sat bolt upright.

Who am I?

Where am I?

What happened?

After mentally asking herself those three existential questions, Tang Wan walked in, followed by Aunt Qiuwen, who carried a tray.

“The Prince’s Consort is awake!” Tang Wan said as she picked up a bowl of medicine and walked to the bedside. “Your Highness, you suffered a terrible shock. I prepared some calming medicine for you. Please drink it while it’s still warm.”

“Prince’s… Consort?” Jiang Shi was dumbfounded. “Wan’er, what are you talking about?”

Tang Wan carefully explained the Emperor’s decision from beginning to end before saying earnestly,

“Mother, from now on, you’re the legitimate Second Prince’s Consort.”

Jiang Shi: “…”

No!

How did I suddenly become a prince’s consort?

How could all of you add such a dramatic role to my life without even asking for my opinion?

Jiang Shi hurriedly threw off the blanket and tried to get out of bed.

“This won’t do! This absolutely won’t do! I… I was a married woman. Even though my husband is dead, I still can’t…”

“Mother!”

Tang Wan stopped her and said seriously,

“Since His Majesty intends to support my husband, he definitely won’t leave behind any future troubles for him. He’ll also make sure everything is perfectly legitimate. Think about it. If the person sitting here now were Gu Yanshuang, would she ever allow this situation to exist? Forget about my husband—even Elder Sister. Do you think Gu Yanshuang would let Elder Sister continue living peacefully right under her nose?”

Jiang Shi froze.

Well…

Of course she wouldn’t.

She knew her elder sister better than anyone.

If Gu Yanshuang found out that Ling Yu was the Second Prince’s son, she would stop at nothing to kill him.

And there was Ronglan too.

That poor child had been tormented by her elder sister since childhood until she had barely seemed human.

Even though Ronglan had now recovered, Gu Yanshuang would never have let her go.

Tang Wan gently helped Jiang Shi lie back down before continuing,

“His Majesty already said that, when the time is right, Second Prince will acknowledge Ling Yu as his son. Then the four of you can finally be reunited as a family. As for Yue’er and A’Chen, you don’t need to worry about them. With my husband around, no one will dare bully them.”

Jiang Shi was utterly bewildered.

She simply couldn’t understand.

“But… I’ve been married before. I even had another pair of children afterward. How could His Majesty possibly tolerate someone like me? He… he should have executed me instead…”

…

“I originally intended to execute Jiang Shi.”

At that moment, only the Emperor, Huangfu Yi, and Ling Yu remained in the waterside pavilion of the imperial garden.

Only then did the Emperor speak quietly.

Ling Yu’s expression immediately turned sharp as he looked directly at the Emperor.

Meeting his gaze, the Emperor sighed before continuing,

“Yu’er, there is no family affection within the imperial house. Ever since you came to the capital, you should have understood that this day might come. There was a very real possibility that Jiang Shi would lose her life. Yet you came anyway.”

“That means you should also have been mentally prepared for the possibility that I would execute her.”

Ling Yu pressed his lips together tightly.

He slowly lowered his eyes without saying a word.

That was true.

He had indeed prepared himself for that possibility.

But he also knew the Emperor well.

The Emperor was a wise and just ruler.

He would never be so narrow-minded as to be unable to spare the life of a helpless woman.