Blooming Flowers, Silent Sorrow

Chapter 89

Several people at the scene held their breaths and watched the small porcelain bowl intently, observing as the few droplets of suspended blood drew closer and closer until they finally merged together slowly.

Huai En glanced at it only once before shifting his gaze away, not at all surprised by the outcome. If he really were Zongzheng Yuzhan's son, how come his devotion to his mother did not manifest in him at all?

Among the three, only Zongzheng Lihan remained somewhat composed, his eyes rolling as he pondered something. Zongzheng Shaoyu's face turned ashen in an instant; with a loud thump, he knelt heavily on the ground, his body uncontrollably trembling. He touched his forehead to the ground, his voice choked with emotion, "My son begs the emperor, remembering the years of marriage, to spare the empress mother!" When he lifted his head, his eyes were bloodshot, glaring fiercely at Huai En. Those still youthful, bright eyes were filled with resentment, defiance, and an unmistakable fragility and sorrow that could not be hidden.

Zongzheng Yunlian seemed completely unresponsive, as if his soul had departed his body. After a long time, he exhaled deeply, his body slumping against the back of the chair as if he had been disconnected from it, and silently closed his eyes. Tears seemed to form in the corners of his eyes, aging him by a decade in an instant.

When he opened his eyes again, they shimmered with tears, filled with vast sadness and pain. He trembled as he reached out, his arm extending over the tabletop as if about to touch Huai En's face, muttering through tears, "Tong En... Tong En... I..."

Zongzheng Lihan stood firm and ready, guarding against Huai En's potential outburst at any moment.

However, Huai En remained motionless, allowing Zongzheng Yunlian's hand to touch his face. His expression was still icy and empty, but there was a strange emotion in his eyes.

Zongzheng Yunlian simply kept his hand gently on Huai En's face, looking at him intently without any other action. After a long while, as if coming back to his senses, he sadly lowered his hand and stared at his own palm, on the verge of tears.

Huai En gave him a complicated look, then stood up without hesitation and demanded from Zongzheng Lihan, "The thing, give it to me."

"Huai En!" Zongzheng Yunlian called out urgently, "Come back to the palace with me... I will..."

Huai En shook his head, "I won't go to any palace, nor do I want to have any more to do with you people. Don't waste your time."

"You... you are my royal son! If you would come back, I would treat you well. I owe it to you and your mother; I can't let you wander anymore."

Huai En made a sarcastic face, "I'm fine as I am now, suffering only when involved with you. Go settle your debts with whoever you owe, not me. The best thing you can do is to never bother me again."

What parental affection? He didn't need it. When he needed it, no amount of crying could bring it, and luckily, he didn't need it now.

"Huai En, we may have been estranged for many years, but blood is thicker than water. Do you really feel nothing stirring in your heart? Come back, let me make it up to you. Whatever you want, I can make it happen."

Huai En merely stretched out his hand towards Zongzheng Yuzhan Li Han, meaning to hand him the object, and continued to shake his head, "I will not bear the Zongzheng surname anymore, I shall take the surname Jin."

Zongzheng Yunlian's face underwent a drastic change, his expression darkening with anger, "You are the son of the emperor, how can you utter such rebellious and unfilial words?"

Yet Huai En was lost in his own thoughts, considering that he could indeed take the surname Jin. With the surname Jin, he could even change his first name. Huai En? He had loathed this foolish, one-sided name from childhood to adulthood, as if he was born and lived only for a woman he had never met. If he were surnamed Jin, he should let Xiao Bao choose a name for him. Although Xiao Bao might not come up with a good name, it didn't matter; he liked whatever name he was called, making it seem as though they were married...