diymy Chapter 3: Those who are ugly often live long lives; you will live a long life.
Chapter 3: Those who are ugly often live long lives; you will live a long life.
Upon hearing this, Gao Cheng realized what he had just said, and couldn't help but smile awkwardly, touching his nose.
He then tried to salvage the situation by saying, "Well... I meant that your outfit today... is quite unique."
After saying that, he seemed to realize that something was not quite right.
She then added, trying to smooth things over, "Hmm, have you gotten a tan recently, or perhaps you haven't been sleeping well at night? Your complexion doesn't look too good."
Unexpectedly, his attempt to fix the problem only made Gao Yang angrier.
His fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and he said through gritted teeth, enunciating each word clearly, "So that my elder brother may know that I was born this way."
Gao Cheng was even more embarrassed.
Looking at Gao Yang's face, which was practically an abstract representation of his appearance, he couldn't find anything nice to say, so he could only add, "Well... fine, ugly people often live long lives, you will live to be a hundred."
After speaking, he looked at Gao Yang with considerable sincerity.
Gao Yang: "..."
He took a deep breath, then another, barely managing to suppress the urge to punch Gao Cheng in the face.
Then, gritting his teeth, he explained his purpose: "Brother, stop your words. I have come because Mother has summoned you to the main courtyard immediately, saying that she has something important to discuss with you."
Upon hearing this, Gao Cheng's heart skipped a beat.
He had just finished silencing the maid when his birth mother, Lou Zhaojun, came knocking on his door. The spies in the Prince's mansion had already reached such a level.
When Gao Yang saw that Gao Cheng did not respond, he assumed that Gao Cheng was already afraid and was finally relieved.
He immediately reminded her in a sinister tone, "Brother, Mother is still waiting."
"Okay, okay, let's go."
Gao Cheng snapped out of his daze, realizing that what was meant to be a blessing in disguise was not a curse, and what was meant to be a curse could not be avoided. He could no longer care about the two women who were crawling on the ground, and hurriedly stepped out the door.
The two walked side by side to the courtyard gate. Gao Yang stopped and said expressionlessly, "Brother, please come in. Mother is waiting inside."
Having said that, he turned and left, his steps so swift it seemed as if a demon was chasing him.
As Gao Cheng watched his retreating figure, he couldn't help but mutter again, "That kid has quite a temper."
Just then, a dignified female voice came from inside the courtyard gate: "Come in."
Gao Cheng took a deep breath, composed himself after teasing Gao Yang, straightened his slightly disheveled robes, and stepped inside with his head bowed.
Inside, the air was filled with the fragrance of incense, but there was no warmth to be found.
Instead, it exudes a suffocatingly oppressive atmosphere.
He passed through the screen wall and saw a woman in her thirties sitting in front of the screen.
The woman's hair was piled high in a bun, her demeanor was dignified, and she wore a crimson-purple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). There were no superfluous ornaments on her body, yet she possessed an air of authority that commanded respect without anger.
This is none other than Lou Zhaojun, Gao Huan's first wife, the original owner's birth mother, and the Princess Consort of Bohai.
Upon seeing the anger on his mother's face, Gao Cheng immediately stopped, curtsied from a distance, and bowed, saying, "Your son Cheng greets Mother."
But before he could finish speaking, Lou Zhaojun slammed her hand on the table in front of her, her already dignified face instantly contorted with rage: "You unfilial son, kneel!"
Gao Cheng was prepared; he knew that what was coming would eventually come.
There was no room for explanation or shirking responsibility.
He obediently bent both knees and knelt upright on the blue brick ground, then lowered his head and lowered his eyes, looking as if he could be beaten and scolded at will.
When Lou Zhaojun saw that he neither argued nor defended himself, but knelt down so decisively, the angry curses that were on the tip of her tongue got stuck in her throat.
She had assumed that her son, who had been intelligent and unruly since childhood, would, as he had done in the past, use clever words to defend himself when he made a mistake.
I didn't expect him to admit his mistake so readily today.
Even so, her brows remained furrowed, and her anger showed no sign of abating.
He then asked sternly, "Do you know why I summoned you today?"
Gao Cheng thought to himself, what else could it be?
It's just that ridiculous "small horse pulling a big cart" thing I just did.
But despite his complaints, he didn't dare to be evasive and obediently lowered his head in response:
"I know. But I was foolish and disobedient, and I broke into Aunt Zheng's bedroom and committed an incestuous and rebellious act, which disgraced the Gao family and caused my mother worry and hardship."
"My son, your sins are unforgivable."
Upon hearing Gao Cheng's words, Lou Zhaojun finally lost her temper.
She stood up, walked a few steps to Gao Cheng, looked down at him, and said with heartache, "Foolish! You are truly the most foolish and muddle-headed person in the world!"
"Zheng is the king's favored concubine; everyone in the household treats her with utmost respect."
"You are the eldest son of the King and the heir apparent of the Bohai Kingdom, bearing the weight of the ancestral temple and the foundation of the dynasty. How dare you have an affair with your father's concubine, committing this incestuous and rebellious act!"
"Do you think your position as crown prince is unbreakable?"
She grew angrier as she spoke, her chest heaving violently: "In the past, Your Majesty and I rose from humble beginnings in Huai Shuo, sacrificing our families to relieve the nation's turmoil, and risking our lives countless times, only to achieve our current power and influence, and to look down upon the world with a vengeance."
"Now, how many enemies across the country are watching us with suspicion, how many nobles are eyeing us? How dare you, with a single night's desire, try to destroy the life's work of my husband and me?"
"Do you know that once this matter reaches the King, not only will your position as Crown Prince be revoked at any moment, but my position as the Imperial Consort will also be implicated by you?"
"How could you be so muddle-headed! What is the reason for this?"
His words were piercing, each one hitting the nail on the head.
Gao Cheng thought to himself, "Just as I thought," and at the same time, he was somewhat relieved that he hadn't tried to argue.
Otherwise, he might get a beating from Lou Zhaojun before Gao Huan even returns.
He quickly kowtowed deeply, earnestly saying, "Mother, please calm your anger. I know I was wrong; it is all my fault."
"But now the mistake has been made, and it is too late to regret it."
"I only beg Mother to save me this once. I promise that I will restrain my behavior and be careful in my words and deeds from now on, and I will never dare to do such absurd and rebellious things again. If I break this vow, may I be punished by both heaven and man."
After saying that, he lay down on the ground, refusing to utter another word or offer any further explanation.
Lou Zhaojun was already seething with anger, and had prepared a whole bunch of insults for him.
But seeing Gao Cheng's meek and submissive demeanor, he simply couldn't bring himself to utter the next words of abuse.
After all, she had six sons and two daughters in her lifetime.
But the one she valued and loved the most was her eldest son.
This child was known as a child prodigy from a young age. At the age of twelve, he married Princess Fengyi, the younger sister of Emperor Wei. At the age of fifteen, he was able to take over the management of the Jinyang Prefecture on behalf of his father and handle all affairs in an orderly manner.
Even though they were veteran generals and highly respected, none dared to underestimate them.
This is her pride, and also the foundation for the future of the Gao family.
Even though he has caused such a huge disaster today, he is still her biological son and the heir to the legacy she and Gao Huan built over half their lives.
If we don't protect him, are we just going to watch him be deposed by Gao Huan and let those collateral branches and illegitimate sons benefit from it?
With this thought in mind, she finally let out a long sigh, then turned around and sat back down in front of the screen, pinching her brow as she said, "Get up."
Upon hearing this, Gao Cheng felt a huge weight lifted from his heart.
He still dared not get up, prostrating himself on the ground and saying, "I have done wrong and deserve to be punished. I dare not get up."
"I told you to get up, so get up!"
Lou Zhaojun retorted irritably.
Upon hearing this, Gao Cheng cautiously raised his head.
Seeing that although Lou Zhaojun still had a stern face, the anger in her eyes had subsided considerably, he immediately felt reassured.
As expected, no matter how fierce Lou Zhaojun was, the person she loved most in her heart was still her eldest son, Gao Cheng.
This point is clearly stated in both history and the original owner's memories.
Without further hesitation, he stood up in response.
Seeing him rise and stand to the side with his head bowed, his face still showing some fear, Lou Zhaojun finally softened her heart and sighed, "Do you only know fear now? When you barged into someone's bedchamber and grabbed their clothes, did you not think about the consequences?"