Quick Transmigration: What to Do When the Male Supporting Character You Saved Becomes Obsessed with

Chapter 191 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (95)

When he first returned to the palace, he constantly missed his mother, who was in the mountain temple.

In those years, he and his mother depended on each other for survival, spending every day together. His mother was gentle and loving, and the way she looked at him, her tone and expression, were genuine.

Even now, Ji Shuqin has no doubt that his mother loves him, but this love makes him feel increasingly constrained.

He didn't mind spending his entire life in the temple with his mother; to him, it was a quiet place for spiritual cultivation, the place he was most familiar with in the first half of his life.

But Ji Shuqin could sense that his mother didn't like that place. Even though she lived there, she still wanted to return to the capital.

"Mother's roots are in the capital... Qin'er is still young, she'll understand later." Ji Shuqin vaguely remembered that when he was a child, he had asked his mother more than once, but his mother would only gently brush him off.

He did tell himself quite a few stories about the capital.

Ji Shuqin had no longing for the capital. He preferred quiet by nature. If he had a choice, he would rather travel to famous mountains and rivers, visit historical sites, visit ancient temples and monasteries, and study Buddhist scriptures.

But Ji Shuqin was sensible from a young age. He could tell that his mother did not want to see him like this, so he never said anything.

Until now.

Ji Shuqin had wondered why his mother insisted on sending him back to the capital, when his younger brother was already in that magnificent palace.

Ji Shuqin had no ill feelings towards Ji Shumin, his younger brother whom he had been separated from since childhood, and he always kept him in his thoughts.

Every time Ji Shumin spoke coldly to him, Ji Shuqin felt a pang of sadness, wondering if he was the only one who remembered those youthful memories.

Was my younger brother too young at the time?

Ji Shuqin was too embarrassed to ask.

He didn't know what to say to Ji Shumin, but he wanted him to be well, to be a good child, a good husband, and in the future... a good ruler. Many years ago, every time Ji Shuqin saw him arguing and throwing a tantrum, his heart softened with helplessness.

This is my younger brother. I grew up slowly during the time we were apart.

Ji Shuqin was precocious, and even more so during his illness. He felt that his younger brother's spirited temperament made him seem age-appropriate and full of life.

Later, when his younger brother suffered misfortune, Ji Shuqin regretted that he was unable to help him in any way.

During that time, Ji Shuqin watched his mother kneel before the Buddha statue day and night, praying and copying scriptures to protect Ji Shumin from harm. She did this every day and every month until Ji Shumin came to the mountain again and appeared before them almost completely different.

He ignored his mother's thinness and haggard appearance. He was sharp-tongued and rude, seemingly insane. Ji Shuqin felt both heartbroken and somewhat annoyed, angry that he didn't consider his mother's feelings. He took a knife and stabbed it into the heart of the person who cared about him.

After that, he kept trying to persuade him, but they failed time and time again and argued again. They were indeed brothers, and they were just as stubborn and inflexible as each other, neither of them willing to back down.

Later, Ji Shumin got married.

Ji Shuqin was curious for a long time about what kind of girl could stay by Ji Shumin's side like this. He heard that the Lu family girl was unwilling to break off the engagement and insisted on marrying him.

When Ji Shuqin actually met Lu Liruan, what surprised him even more was Ji Shumin.

His expression softened and calmed down. The sinister madness that seemed to threaten to turn the world upside down and disturb everyone's peace was gone. He was as calm as a pot of tea that had been brewed again and again.

On the contrary, the woman beside him seemed more vibrant.

Ji Shuqin had never seen Ji Shumin like this before. Whether for better or worse, Ji Shumin was never willing to be just a foil for others.

So, while Ji Shumin was talking to his mother, he went over and spoke to her.

I wanted to tell him about Min'er's past, but he looked at me with a wary expression.

Ji Shuqin hesitated for a moment, but in the end he did not reveal Ji Shumin's past, nor did he reveal the Ji Shumin in his mind.

Everyone is different; they are a couple, and it's up to them to understand each other.

In the end, Ji Shuqin only said that he hoped she could take good care of and accompany Ji Shumin. He was quite embarrassed because he did not know that Ji Shumin was coming in advance, so he did not prepare any gift for her. He could only give her the hairpin that he usually made.

I didn't think much of it when I gave it to them.

But when Ji Shuqin took the hairpin back from his mother, he realized that it was indeed a bit inappropriate. However, this young lady from the Lu family was too wary.

Ji Shuqin noticed that she was unwilling to approach him that day, and it seemed that she also had a disagreement with the Empress Dowager.

Ji Shuqin asked the Empress, but his mother did not explain to him or mention Ji Shumin and Lu Liruan again.

When Ji Shuqin returned to the palace, the words he spoke to Ji Shumin were somewhat tinged with resentment.

Since that departure, Ji Shumin has never visited his mother again.

Ji Shuqin couldn't understand why his mother had prayed for his younger brother's safety for so long before the Buddha, but remained silent when she stood before him.

Ji Shumin didn't care at all, seemingly because he wasn't close to his mother and didn't care about her feelings. He was caught in the middle, feeling quite powerless, but he didn't know where things had gone wrong...

Then Lu Liruan pointed her finger at him and berated him. Looking at the stern and angry woman in front of him, Ji Shuqin's mind was buzzing, but it was as if something suddenly broke through the chaos.

Ji Shuqin felt like he was fleeing in utter disarray.

After returning home, he pondered for a long time and felt a strange and deep sense of guilt towards his younger brother. He only felt that he cared about his brother, but that was just what he thought. He had said it a thousand times in his heart and recited it for many years, but that was only what he felt.

And with his younger brother...

From that time on, Ji Shuqin gradually moved from one perspective to stepping outside of himself and trying to see everything from other angles.

Although this description seems inappropriate...

But Ji Shuqin felt that he deserved the word "sudden enlightenment" at that time. He had read the scriptures countless times but never understood or felt the words. They suddenly appeared in a place he had never thought of.

As for his mother's feelings towards his younger brother, Ji Shuqin felt as if there was a void in his heart, as if something was being lost uncontrollably.

Ji Shuqin entered Fengyi Palace, where Granny Ma was already waiting at the entrance.

Her expression softened for once; only when she saw the eldest prince, whom she had raised herself, would a smile appear on Mama Ma's face.

"Her Majesty is already waiting for you inside."

Upon entering Fengyi Palace, a strong, invigorating incense wafted from my nostrils into my head.

Ji Shuqin was startled and looked up to see the Empress standing beside him, looking him over with a calm and expressionless gaze.

That feeling was fleeting. Ji Shuqin blinked and felt that his mother looked no different than usual.

"Mother."

"Qin'er, you've lost weight from all that hard work."

The empress touched his cheek and pulled him to sit beside her.

The Empress had thin calluses on her hands. When Ji Shuqin was a child, he felt very safe being held by his mother's hand. As he grew up, he felt sorry for her. Now, Ji Shuqin no longer feels that way.

The mother who lived in the mountain temple and depended on him for survival gradually became a stranger to Ji Shuqin.

Did your father say anything to you?

"What does Mother Empress mean?" Ji Shuqin frowned, not understanding what the Empress meant.

The Empress smiled and said, "You solved such a big case. Did your father reward you?"

The Queen, like an ordinary mother proud of her child's success, inquired carefully.

"These are things I should do," Ji Shuqin replied, unable to lie but also unwilling to upset his mother.

Recently, Ji Shuqin clearly sensed that the Emperor's mind was not on these matters.

He appeared angry and furious, but in reality, he wasn't particularly heartbroken. After imprisoning the Second Prince, he seemed to have encountered something wonderful the next day, looking radiant, which made Ji Shuqin suspicious.

"You're always so unambitious..."

The Empress spoke casually, then, as if unconcerned, inquired about other matters, from Ji Shuqin's daily life to his health, showing great concern for him.

"Bring the things here."

The Empress waved.

Granny Ma brought over a stack of neatly arranged clothes.

After the Empress returned to the palace, she took even better care of Ji Shuqin than before.

Ji Shuqin's clothes and accessories were all sent from Fengyi Palace.

Whenever Ji Shuqin told the Empress that he could take care of himself, the Empress would lovingly insist: "In the past, your mother couldn't take good care of you, but now... let your mother worry about you more. What, now that you're grown up, you don't need your mother anymore?"

Since the Empress had said so, Ji Shuqin had no choice but to comply, and so things continued as they were.

The young eunuch in Ji Shuqin's palace hurriedly took it and sent it back first.

Ji Shuqin sat for a while longer before getting up to take his leave. The Empress saw him off at the palace gate.

Ji Shuqin didn't need to turn around to know that his mother was watching his back and hadn't gone back. It wasn't until he turned the corner that Ji Shuqin slowed down and couldn't help but look back.

"Do you think Qin'er might notice something?" the Empress suddenly asked Granny Ma after returning to the palace.

“The Crown Prince has always trusted you. With your care for him, how could he possibly doubt you?” Granny Ma said matter-of-factly.

"Yes... Qin'er has never disobeyed me. She is my good child." The Empress nodded as if she had thought of something.

"I'm doing this for Qin'er's own good," she muttered to herself.

"Qin'er helped him with such a big case, how could he not reward her?"

The Empress's eyes were cold and disdainful: "Since he is unwilling to reward me, then I will make him have no choice but to reward me and to think of Qin'er's good points!"

The Empress always preferred strong incense. When they were in the temple, the incense was mixed with the smell of burning incense, which Ji Shuqin had long been accustomed to.

The Empress prepared clothes for him, which he would wear on ordinary days. He didn't know much about incense, so he couldn't tell the difference if there was too much or too little.

A few days later, the emperor's headache returned.

Upon hearing that the Emperor had once again missed court, Lu Liruan asked in confusion, "My elder brother hasn't left the palace these days either. Why has the Emperor's headache flared up again? Could it be that the medicine isn't working?"

"Has drug resistance developed so quickly?" Lu Liruan wondered to herself.

"Won't it be clear when the eldest brother arrives?" Ji Shumin said lazily. The weather was getting colder and colder, and now it was the kind of weather where you would shiver as soon as you opened the door.

Ji Shumin gradually became more and more sleepy, sometimes sleeping for seven or eight hours a day, and even when he woke up, he was still groggy.

If it weren't for the fact that he could still be woken up by Lu Liruan for meals on time, and that his weight had actually increased instead of decreased, Lu Liruan would have thought that he had fainted.

Last winter was also difficult for Ji Shumin. But at that time he was just listless, not yet in such a state of sleep.

Lu Liruan placed her cool hand on his neck. Ji Shumin opened his eyes briefly, but didn't flinch. He turned his head to the side, pinning Lu Liruan's hand underneath, and continued to rest his eyes to conserve his energy.

When Ji Shuqin arrived, he was wearing a thick cloak and managed to speak for a while, albeit awkwardly.

After Ji Shuqin left, he shook his head: "My eldest brother doesn't have that herbal smell on him today."

"Huh? How did you smell it? I didn't sense anything different." Lu Liruan asked incredulously.

As a result, I felt admiration when Ji Shumin accurately pointed out the difference between the incense she had been using recently and the one she had used a few days before winter arrived.

You have this skill too?

Even a dog doesn't have as keen a nose as you!

That doesn't sound like a compliment.

"What does the Empress intend to do?" Lu Liruan was now used to thinking about the underlying effects of things.

"Do you want the Emperor to realize the importance of the First Prince again?"

"almost……"

"Is it related to solving the case of the robbery of government silver?" Lu Liruan was already very perceptive; she could analyze many things with a high degree of accuracy.

Ji Shumin glanced at her with admiration: "Father did not give my brother any real reward for this, so how could Mother be willing? She threatened me with my life, so naturally she got what she wanted step by step."

"Your Majesty...have you been doing a lot these days?" Lu Liruan asked tentatively.

"Ah."

Lu Liruan bit her lower lip. If she wasn't mistaken, the Empress was now acting entirely on her emotions, and becoming increasingly out of control.

"Why is this happening? Immortal... tell me!" In the emperor's palace, he held his head in his hands. In the shadows in front of him stood a thin figure whose face was obscured and whose back was slightly hunched.

"Those who have been tainted by my dragon aura... what must I do to achieve this...?"

The other party said a few words in a low voice, and the emperor slumped into his chair in pain.

"The more I value it and the more effort I put into it, the more dragon energy will be generated and the more it will be of use to me."

"Very well, thank you, immortal! I understand!" The emperor's face was flushed as he repeated the other's words. His expression was painful and bizarre, and anyone who looked at him would surely feel fear.

The next day, the emperor lavishly rewarded the eldest prince, showering him with gifts and praising him as the most filial son. The emperor's actions left everyone feeling both bewildered and perfectly justified.

Now, the situation in the court has changed drastically, and the eldest prince seems to have suddenly become the popular choice. What was once a cold and indifferent position is now a hot potato.

When Ji Shuqin tried to see Ji Shumin again, he was refused entry.

Inside the house, on a snowy day, all the windows were wide open, letting the cold wind howl in.

Ji Shumin, his clothes disheveled, curled up on the small couch. His face was flushed and his body was burning hot. Despite the cold wind blowing on him, he still felt as if he were in flames.