In the early morning, Jian Guozhi left for Prison to meet his mother. Today was the last day for him to see his mother for the last time. The First Prince narrowly gazed at the prison keeper who bowed and opened the locks of the prison.

  As the First Prince stepped in, he saw the disheveled state of his mother. He was downhearted to see that. Weng Wei was dressed in white clothes, there was no jewelry worn by her; every adornment was removed from her. Her hair was loosely spread till her lower back while her eyes soared. Her lips had left redness and even the skin color had faded.

  ??

  He lowered his eyes as tears formed in them. He would be called the brutal son, who was responsible for the state of his mother. She raised him and today; he went against her. He was shameful of himself. But then he cannot let the crime go. Whatever Weng Wei did in the past, she deserved this punishment. "Mother," with quivering lips he called her out, who lifted her eyes and peered at her son.

  Her eyes were red and swollen. She might have cried a lot. "Why are you here?" Weng Wei asked. "Why did you do this to the one who gave birth to you? The day when I first held you in my hands was the best day of my life. I saw my world in you and decided to go to any extent for you. To save a woman, you killed your own mother!" Weng Wei complained to her son.

  Jian Guozhi broke into tears. "Forgive me," he sobbed.

  Weng Wei scoffed and stood up from the straw mat. She went closer to Jian Guozhi, who was still crying. "I was blinded by the love of my son, which forced me to chose the wrong path. The other day you told me that I did everything for myself, but you were wrong, son! For a mother, more than her husband, her child is important. I did the same for you. I killed Sheng Li's mother because I wanted your future to be secured.

  I urged my father to support His Majesty's position, but he never once acknowledged me after the arrival of Sheng Li's mother. It scared me because you were four years old at that time. His Majesty hardly used to spend time with you. My heart broke seeing that. That's why I chose that path, and I have no regrets. Whatever I did was out of love for my child."

  Jian Guozhi, with a bewildered expression, gazed at his mother. "You did wrong. My future was secured, mother. I was the Crown Prince earlier, but because of my foolishness, I lost. Father gave me a second chance, made me the Governor. And the Crown Princess saved my life. That's why I was trying to stop you. Mother, you were indeed blinded by the power. Do you even know how difficult it is for me?" Jian Guozhi took a step back. He clenched his fist. "Seeing you in this state breaks my heart, mother," he said, wiping the tears that had spread over his cheeks.

  Weng Wei averted her gaze. She did not let her tears fall. Somewhere, she was guilty of her acts. The power had blinded her! Despite all these facts, she did not want to accept her mistake.

  "Please embrace me for the l-last time," Jian Guozhi requested his mother, who looked at him with teary eyes. She kept staring at him and then turned her back towards him.

  A chuckle escaped from Jian Guozhi's mouth. She should at least hug him for the last time. He would miss her presence after today, but his mother was not willing to do that. "I will not come later. So, please hug me for the last time," Jian Guozhi begged his mother this time.

  Tears rolled down the cheeks of Weng Wei. "Go away!" She said with a stern voice. Jian Guozhi knitted his brows and walked out of prison. Weng Wei fell on the floor and started crying profusely.?Should he appeal to his father to pardon his mother? For a second, this thought hit his mind. However, Weng Wei could not be pardoned. He regretted not stopping his mother earlier. He was in all these thoughts when he almost hit the Crown Princess.

  He bowed as he saw the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess in front of him. Sheng Li confusedly peered at him. Jian Guozhi's eyes were teary which, Sheng Li noticed, but he ignored it.

  "How is the Crown Princess doing? I am afraid, but the Crown Princess should not be here," Jian Guozhi quickly said.

  "I am well, Brother Jian." Ying Lili replied with a smile. "Thank you for bringing Hu Jingguo and letting my treatment continue, Brother Jian," Ying Lili lowered her eyes as she expressed her gratitude.

  "I am happy that I could help, Crown Princess. Forgive my mother, if you can."

  Sheng Li raised his brow as he gazed at the First Prince. He scoffed and asked, "Brother, how do you expect this? For your mother, the word forgiveness does not exist." Sheng Li was a little furious after he heard Jian Guozhi's request.

  Ying Lili tilted her head slightly to look at Sheng Li. "I want to converse with Brother Jian in private."

  Jian Guozhi amusingly looked at Ying Lili, and at the same time, was befuddled. "It's fine-"

  "Sure." Sheng Li cut Jian Guozhi's words in the middle and permitted Ying Lili. He glanced at Xiao Zhan and gestured to him to take Ying Lili away.

  "I will see you later," Sheng Li told Ying Lili, who nodded. "Xiao, don't let her go alone anywhere. I have still not forgiven you," Sheng Li walked ahead, leaving Ying Lili, Jian Guozhi, and Xiao Zhan there.

  "Your highness, this way," Xiao Zhan said. Ying Lili turned to go when Sheng Li came there, shocking her. Before she could understand, he carried her up. Xiao Zhan lowered his eyes, so did Jian Guozhi and other soldiers in prison.

  Ying Lili gestured to him to put her down when she heard him, "Crown Princess can not walk so, I am dropping her till the chamber near the barracks." He started walking while Jian Guozhi followed him.

  The Commanders, soldiers who came in their way, lowered their eyes. "I can walk. They are looking at us," Ying Lili whispered.

  Sheng Li tilted his head and found their lowered heads. "No one is watching," he replied to her. Ying Lili did not speak because she knew that Sheng Li would not listen to her. Reaching the chamber, Sheng Li put down Ying Lili on the chaise there. "Now, you can talk. I will come in a while," Sheng Li stated and turned back. He looked at Jian Guozhi and then left the chamber.

  "Brother Jian, please have a seat," softly Ying Lili offered him to sit. Jian Guozhi sat on the chaise, facing her. There was a pin drop silence between them for a while.

  Ying Lili broke the ice and asked, "First Brother, are you alright?"

  Jian Guozhi lifted his eyes to peer at her.

  "I am not!" In front of Ying Lili, Jian Guozhi ended up being veracious. "I can feel the pain which Sheng Li went through all these years. I am in pain seeing my mother in that state though I know she cannot get pardoned for her crimes," Jian Guozhi asserted.

  "Forgive me, but I cannot pardon her for her crimes either. I would have been kind enough to her, but my heart does not go with it. My parents were killed in a conspiracy by your mother. And I do not know how many lives she took away for the throne," Ying Lili pronounced.

  Jian Guozhi recalled his mother saying she did everything for him. Though it was partially true. Jian Guozhi was the one who used to complain to his mother about Sheng Li. Had he not done that then, his mother would not be at this point. "Please punish me as well. I was the one who was always jealous of Sheng Li. I wanted everything for myself and… " His voice trembled, and he paused.

  "But you never harmed him, First Brother. Your mother could have amended your ways, but she encouraged you. Now, it does not matter for whom she did all that! She and her half-brother did wrong. They both tried to kill Sheng Li when he was not even born. They fed poison to his mother when she was pregnant." Jian Guozhi looked at Ying Lili with a shocking expression. He did not know that they fed her poison.

  "That time the First Brother did not even know the meaning of hatred," she rested her words.

  ~~~~~

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