It was not until His Majesty and the officials had left that Long Chi finally lifted his head.
He stared maliciously at the imperial carriage as it got further and further away.
Abolish his title?
Too bad his Royal Uncle would not have the opportunity.
It was already the ninth lunar month. It would take another few more months, at most next year, when the poison would attack his Royal Uncle’s heart. All medicine would fail to cure him, and once his Royal Uncle passes, he will successfully take over the throne.
By then, not only would the land belonging to his Royal Uncle be taken over by Long Chi, but Long Chi would also possess his Empress.
It was only with this thought that the stress given to him by his Royal Uncle totally dissipated.
His Royal Uncle was but a man about to die. It meant nothing for his Royal Uncle to be throwing his weight around right now.
Why did Long Chi even bother feeling like a sword was hanging over his head just now?
Long Chi breathed a sigh of relief and completely shook off the pressure his Royal Uncle had given him. He waited in peace for Lu Liangwei to come over.
At that moment, outside the city gates.
Lu Liangwei was at Ling Lihua’s side.
She saw Ling Lihua on a horse, sitting in a daze as she stared toward the direction of where the troops had just left. A thought stirred in Lu Liangwei’s mind.
Her mother must be staring toward her father and big brother.
“Mother.” Her mother’s gaze remained unmoving for quite a while and Lu Liangwei could not help calling out to her.
Ling Lihua finally woke from her reverie when she heard Lu Liangwei’s voice. When she saw her daughter standing below the horse, the gloominess in her eyes disappeared and a smile bloomed on her face. “What are you doing here?’
She reached out to Lu Liangwei as she said this.
Lu Liangwei reached out to her too.
Ling Lihua pulled with some might and Lu Liangwei got onto the horse behind her back.
“Father and big brother had left for the conquest today. I made a special request for His Majesty to bring me here,” Lu Liangwei wrapped her hand around her mother’s waist and leaned against her back as she said softly.
Ling Lihua patted Lu Liangwei’s hand and turned to glance at her. “You can’t bear for them to leave, can you?”
Lu Liangwei nodded. “That’s right. It is pretty hard to accept. Although, I’m quite fine with Father as he’s always away on conquests when I was young. We don’t see each other often during those times, but with big brother, I am almost never separated from him. I can’t quite bear to see him leave.”
Ling Lihua understood how Lu Liangwei felt when she heard those words. She consoled Lu Liangwei, “Your big brother is a man. Men should have great ambitions and the battlefield is their world. You should support him.”
“I know.” Lu Liangwei nodded.
She gave some thought and tested the waters. “Mother, are you okay with Father leaving?”
Ling Lihua was caught off guard. An uneasiness appeared on her face as she shook her head to deny this. “Don’t be ridiculous. Why won’t I be okay with him leaving?”
Lu Liangwei nodded. “That’s true. How could Mother not bear for Father to leave? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have left for so many years in the first place.”
Ling Lihua was stunned. She grabbed Lu Liangwei’s hands. “Are you angry at me, Weiwei?”
Lu Liangwei shook her head. “Why would I be angry at you, Mother? I’m not angry at you at all. I’ve said before that you must have your reasons.”
Ling Lihua felt slightly dejected when she heard this. Her daughter was understanding and considerate.
Ling Lihua was the one who had been too selfish. All she cared about was living a peaceful life alone, and had abandoned her daughter at such a young age as she left on her own.
She was not a good mother.
“Don’t be worried about this, Mother. Big brother and I have lived well all those years. We have clothes on our backs and enough to eat. Even without Mother by our sides, we’ve managed to get by very well. So there’s no need for you to be bothered about this. I’m the one who is sad for Mother. You’ve been alone all these years. When you’re cold and hungry, you are all you have. Big Brother and I are the unfilial ones who did not go looking for you earlier,” Lu Liangwei consoled her softly.
It was not easy being a woman. Even though her mother was quite powerful, she was still a woman, after all. She had been drifting about out there alone all these years with no one showing concern to her. Moreover, she had to suffer over the betrayal of Lu Liangwei’s father.
This thought saddened Lu Liangwei.
This was also why her father was not entirely innocent.
