Chapter 5 — On the big wedding day, the Queen Mother exchanged me for another prince

"He said he wanted me back."

I looked at the piece of paper informing me that Mrs. Chung had sent me, turned it over and looked at it twice.

"He doesn't want me back."

"He wants to slap the Queen Mother's face."

"As soon as the Queen Mother fell ill, he immediately reconsidered the marriage."

"That's testing your Majesty's attitude."

Chung ma ma did not respond. There were footsteps outside the door. Tong Hanh walked in. Walk in yourself. There was no one to help. Also don't use a cane. Come in yourself. He wears a narrow, dark-colored robe. Different from the usual baggy robes. Looks like two completely different people. The back is straight like a pine tree. Steady steps. His face is still pale. But the feeling of weakness as if it was about to disappear with the wind was reduced by more than half. Mama Chung turned around and walked out. Conveniently close the door.

"Have you seen the chapter?"

Tong Hanh asked.

"What do you intend to do, Your Highness?"

"That chapter is temporarily being withheld by His Majesty and has not yet been approved."

"But Tong Duc will not stop."

"His next step is to ask to come into court and confront me."

"On the court."

"He will find a reason to discuss this matter before the civil and military officials."

"Forcing Your Majesty to publicly express your attitude."

"The Queen Mother is ill."

"Can your highness cope alone?"

Tong Hanh looked at me.

"If you can't resist, you have to resist."

"I don't intend to fend for myself alone."

He stopped for a moment.

"I want to enter the court."

I thought I heard wrong.

"Your Highness has not entered the palace in thirteen years."

"The civil and martial arts officials all thought that His Highness only had half his life left."

"Now suddenly appearing on the court..."

"That's not a defense."

"It's about turning over your own trump card."

"If you can't turn it over, you can't."

Tong Hanh said calmly.

"Tong Duc's chapter is not the end."

"Which is just the beginning."

"As long as the Queen Mother doesn't wake up."

"He won't stop."

"If I continue to hide..."

"His next step will be to directly ask for an annulment of this marriage."

"Until then..."

"What are you going to do?"

"Returning to the Tham family as an abandoned woman?"

"Or was he taken back to the palace to be used as a decoration?"

I was silent.

"Tham Nhuoc Van."

"When she got married, she said something."

"She said..."

"As long as I don't lie to you, you won't leave."

"I haven't forgotten."

"Then I'll tell you today."

"This is the first time in thirteen years that I have proactively stepped out of Lan Garden."

"If successful..."

"From now on, there will be no need to continue pretending to be sick."

"And if we fail..."

"Even she..."

"You will also have to be buried with me."

He held out his hand.

"Do you dare come with me?"

I look at that hand. But very solid.

"When will the court come?"

"Tomorrow."

Cat time the next day. It's not quite dawn yet. A horse-drawn carriage slowly rolled from the main gate of Lan Vien. Is the main gate. The past thirteen years. This is the first time it has opened. I sit in the carriage. Tong Hanh sat opposite. He changed into a dark blue civilian outfit. Hair is tied neatly without any tangles. On her waist was an old jade block. His face is still not good. It was completely the same person as Tong Hanh who walked into the room by himself yesterday. The carriage entered the capital, passed through three gates, then stopped in front of the royal palace gate. When Tong Hanh got off the bus, the guards guarding the gate were stunned for a long time, flipping through the list three times, then trembling. let it go. I am not qualified to go to court, so I am arranged to wait for news at the heavenly palace. Mama Chung stood next to me, not saying a word, just quietly twisting the corner of her shirt in her hand. What happened at court that day was later told to me by Tong Hanh. Part of it was also spread by those present that day. Tong Duc's collection is ranked third. The Emperor always deliberately delayed and did not allow it to be read. It was Tong Duc who took the initiative to come out and mention it.

"I beg my father to reconsider the Ninth Prince's marriage. Grandmother Hoang's body is currently insecure, the previous marriage took place too hastily, and there were still many unsatisfactory points. I think it should be decided again."

The civil and martial arts officials all know this. It's been discussed behind my back for almost a month. It's just that no one dares to say it in front of them. Now, it is Tong Duc who overturns this table. The Emperor's face was not pleasant to look at.

"This matter is decided by your great-grandmother Hoang."

"Do you want me to deny her wishes?"

"I don't dare."

"It's just that the Ninth Prince's illness won't be cured. Marrying the daughter of the Tham family there, regardless of whether it's for the Tham family, the court or the royal family's reputation, it's all disadvantageous."

"I beg your father to make arrangements."