Chapter 6: A Trapped Beast
No one knew what Imperial Eldest Son Liu Rong and Princess Guantao discussed at the Tangyi Marquis Residence that day.
However, when many saw Liu Rong emerge from the Marquis Residence, his face so gloomy it seemed water could drip from it, they generally made a judgment: Imperial Eldest Son had come to apologize, and the outcome was likely not optimistic.
No one knew that Imperial Eldest Son, who usually kept his emotions hidden, emerged from the Tangyi Marquis Residence with such a gloomy face because of Liu Piao's 'unintentional remark.'
— Liu Piao intended to marry her beloved daughter, A Jiao, to her own younger brother, Prince of Liang, Liu Wu's Crown Prince…
•
•
•
“Hey, Second Brother,”
“What’s wrong with Eldest Brother?”
Half a month later, outside Chang'an City's East Gate.
Riding alongside his Second Brother, Liu De, towards the Twenty-Mile Pavilion outside the city, Third Prince Liu Yu looked at Eldest Brother Liu Rong’s constantly radiating cold back ahead of them. After much internal struggle, he finally voiced the doubt in his heart.
“Ever since that day he went to apologize to Princess Guantao, Eldest Brother seems to have stopped talking much?”
“Could it be that day…”
Accompanying his Eldest Brother out of the city to welcome Prince of Liang, Liu Wu, who was returning to the capital for the funeral, Liu De had also been pondering this question the entire way.
— Liu De knew very well: if it were merely an apology visit that failed to secure his aunt Liu Piao's forgiveness, his Eldest Brother would never react like this.
At most, he would chuckle, 'The gift wasn't valuable enough, Aunt didn't care for it,' and then go find more rare items to please Liu Piao again.
His current reaction could only prove that something significant had happened that day at the Tangyi Marquis Residence.
As for what exactly happened…
“If you want to know, why not just ask Eldest Brother directly?”
“You’re brothers from the same mother, and it’s not a taboo subject. Eldest Brother wouldn’t keep silent…”
Liu De spoke with a calm expression, yet his gaze subtly shifted towards the figure holding a three-tiered yak-tail fan not far ahead.
As Liu De expected, upon hearing his suggestion, Third Brother Liu Yu quickly shook his head like a rattle-drum: “If I dared, wouldn’t I have gone already?”
“Why would I ask Second Brother then…”
— Hey, wait a minute;
“Why don’t you go ask yourself, Second Brother?”
“Do you really think I’m stupid…”
Vaguely hearing the conversation between his two younger brothers, Liu Rong, who was leading the group and had left his brothers about ten steps behind, subtly tugged on his reins.
Once his two younger brothers caught up and positioned themselves diagonally behind him on either side, he said without looking away: “I told you both earlier: Prince of Liang’s visit to Chang'an this time bodes ill.”
“It's just that at the time, I couldn't see through it clearly, only vaguely felt wary.”
“It wasn’t until that day at the Tangyi Marquis Residence, when Princess Guantao inadvertently mentioned something;”
— Princess Guantao intended to marry A Jiao to Prince of Liang’s Crown Prince.
“It was also that day that I finally understood why Prince of Liang’s presence for the funeral made me uneasy…”
Having achieved his goal, Second Brother Liu De immediately wore a faint smile.
However, upon hearing his Eldest Brother's words, full of worry, that smile, along with Liu De's smugness between his brows, froze on his face.
After a moment of thought, understanding the implications, Liu De's face lost all color.
All that remained was a deathly pale complexion and eyes filled with helplessness.
Third Brother was still younger and hadn't grasped the key, only frowning in confusion: “Isn't this a good thing?”
“Mother refused Princess Guantao’s marriage proposal, and Aunt is still angry about it;”
“Finding a new husband for A Jiao, and with Eldest Brother mediating, even if she harbors resentment, Aunt should eventually calm down, right?”
As he spoke, Liu Yu’s clear yet naive gaze shifted between Eldest Brother Liu Rong and Second Brother Liu De.
Seeing one frowning deeply and the other pale-faced, he grew even more bewildered.
“Third Brother, have you only just met Princess Guantao?”
Second Brother Liu De's whispered murmur, like a dream, made Liu Yu vaguely sense a thin veil, but he couldn't pierce through it.
It was Liu Rong's deep voice that completely struck Liu Yu like lightning, causing the reins to slip from his hand, leaving him stunned on horseback with wide eyes.
“Princess Guantao will only let the Crown Prince of our Han family be her son-in-law at the Tangyi Marquis Residence.”
“The fact that the son-in-law Princess Guantao has chosen is not the Crown Prince can only mean one thing.”
— This person will eventually become the Crown Prince.
“At least in the future, Princess Guantao will spare no effort to make this person the Crown Prince.”
With that, Liu Rong uncharacteristically turned his head, looking at Third Brother Liu Yu with a solemn expression.
“Do you understand now?”
• • •
Being stared at so intently by his Eldest Brother, Liu Yu instinctively felt: Oh no, something big is about to happen!
After carefully replaying Liu Rong’s words, his already wide eyes grew even wider, like copper bells…
“Prince of Liang!”
His subconscious shout caused a stir among the retinue behind the three brothers, who all craned their necks to look into the distance.
Finding no sign of Prince of Liang's party in the distance, they all turned their bewildered gazes towards the shocked Third Prince Liu Yu.
Liu Rong gave his foolish younger brother a cold glance, then looked forward again, spurred his horse's flanks, and increased his speed.
Behind Liu Rong, Third Brother Liu Yu struggled to control his fine steed while trying to keep his voice down, yet still unable to hide his shock: “Prince of Liang wants to be Emperor?!!!”
Seeing that his Third Brother had finally caught on, Liu De's lips trembled as he slowly nodded, then subtly shook his head.
“Yes;”
“And no.”
•
“At least in Princess Guantao’s view, making Prince of Liang the Crown Prince, and having him inherit the throne after Father’s passing, is something that could happen and is worth striving for.”
“Only this can explain why Aunt would think of marrying A Jiao to Prince of Liang’s Crown Prince.”
— If Prince of Liang truly became Father’s Crown Prince, then today’s Prince of Liang’s Crown Prince would naturally become tomorrow’s Imperial Crown Prince…”
At this, Liu Yu finally understood everything, but the shock on his face was impossible to suppress.
Even his speech inexplicably became a bit halting.
“But, but!”
“How could Father be so, so muddle-headed?!”
“Even if Princess Guantao intends it, Royal Grandmother surely wouldn’t!!!”
Mid-sentence, Liu Yu abruptly stopped speaking, having a rare moment of clarity.
“That’s right…”
“If Prince became the Crown Prince, he wouldn’t have to stay in Changling anymore, but could be in Chang'an, accompanying Royal Grandmother day and night…”
“In that case…”
In an instant, Liu Yu’s once clear eyes dimmed, and his face turned ashen white.
If Prince of Liang became the Crown Prince, it would mean a collateral branch usurping the succession, and the The Liu Family family changing its main lineage.
And after transforming from the main lineage to a collateral one, every single one of Emperor Qi’s descendants would have no reason to survive…
“Father, surely wouldn’t…”
“But Royal Grandmother…”
“We…”
For a moment, Liu Yu’s mind was in turmoil, as if he had lost his parents.
At the very front of the procession, Liu Rong’s gaze, fixed on the distance, held a hint of determination amidst his worry.
— There was no retreat.
From the day he was born, entering this world as the 'Imperial Eldest Grandson of Han,' Liu Rong had already lost his path of retreat.
Either he would ascend to the throne, ruling all under heaven;
Or he would fall into the abyss, shattered to pieces.
A trapped beast still fights, do not pursue a cornered foe.
Imperial Eldest Son Liu Rong was that trapped beast, born surrounded by wolves and in a desperate situation…