The queen felt very upset, and she even blamed King Liang, asking him why he couldn't be more sensible since he knew her suffering.
"Get up!" The queen sighed softly, "You think I favor your brother, maybe I do, but as his elder brother, shouldn't you give in to him?"
King Liang did not stand up, but remained kneeling, and said sarcastically, "You won't let me? Mother, if I am not injured, if I am just like a normal person, do you think your father will make me the crown prince?"
These were the words that should never be said, and the Queen also believed that he would never say them in his life, and would never know the interests behind his injury.
The queen felt her heart pounding with fear, and a voice in her heart said, this is really going to be bad, he is determined to compete with his brother.
Several thoughts flashed through her mind, but she gently put them aside.
"My mother has always known this, but have you ever felt sorry for me? No, you feel at ease because the prince is still your child, and you have not suffered any loss. I also believe that if another queen's son had injured my leg and made me unable to move, you would definitely fight him to the death. I don't doubt that you love me, you just don't love me enough."
"Xin'er, if you think this way, it really makes me sad. Over the years, you have been wronged and in pain, and I have never felt at ease. I want to make it up to you..."
Prince Liang interrupted her, "If you really wanted to make amends, you wouldn't have refused to let Aunt Huang treat me even though you knew I had a chance to recover. If you really loved me, you wouldn't have asked me to marry Miss Lin even though you knew I didn't like her. The so-called compensation is just a way for you to feel at ease. It's of no benefit to me and makes me unhappy. I don't want this compensation."
Now that the words were spoken so clearly, the queen became much more sober and calm. She admitted that she did favor the prince, but as a mother, she had no other choice.
She said disheartenedly, "In that case, there is no need to say anything. Since you don't like Miss Lin, then forget it. Anyway, the marriage has been cancelled. I will give some compensation to the Lin family. However, I must give an explanation for the fact that you injured the crown prince. I will discuss your crime with the royal family members for seriously injuring the crown prince. Queen Mother cannot protect you, and cannot protect you. Initially, I have decided to strip you of your prince title, but you are still a prince, and you must apologize to your brother, otherwise, in addition to stripping you of your title, you will also be beaten with thirty sticks."
"Thank you, Queen!" The King of Liang fell to the ground, "I accept the punishment and the beating!" It is impossible to cover up? Who covered up for Murong Qiao that day? Who killed or sent away all the imperial doctors and the palace servants who were there
The Queen shook her head. "You would rather be beaten with thirty sticks than apologize to him?"
"Yes!" King Liang said stubbornly.
The Queen felt a surge of anger in her chest, staring at him, "You have really changed, ever since Xia Zian cured your hidden illness, you have changed. You don't use your strength to deal with outsiders, but to deal with your brother and mother. What a promising future!"
King Liang sneered, "What can I do? The ones who bully me are my mother and brother."
The Queen slammed the table and said, "I spoke to you in a very nice way, but you still think I can bully you, right? Do you think I have to protect you? You must admit your mistake to your brother and apologize, otherwise, I will beat you with sixty sticks and take away half your life."
"Empress!" The personal maid Hongyue exclaimed, "Fifty lashes of the cane would be fatal."
"Does he care about his life? If he doesn't care, who will?" The Queen said sternly, with anger jumping between her eyebrows, still staring at him, "I'll ask you again, do you want to admit your mistake or get sixty strokes of the cane?"
King Liang stood up slowly, "I accept the punishment!"
The queen was so angry that her fingertips trembled. "Okay, okay, come on, drag him out and give him sixty lashes of the cane."
The Queen's love and guilt for Prince Liang largely stemmed from his tolerance and obedience. When he rebelled, her guilt towards him disappeared.
Prince Liang was dragged away and pressed on a long bench in the yard, which was used to beat palace maids who made mistakes.
"Beat him until he admits his mistake!" said the queen angrily.
King Liang closed his eyes and swallowed all his reluctance as he did in the past, but this time he felt relieved, because it was only this time. After this time, he would not need to worry about her when doing anything.
Return to her everything she thinks she is owed.
The guard asked, "Madam, do you want to use rattan sticks or bamboo boards?"
There are two types of caning. One is made of rattan, which is divided into a large cane and a small cane. The rattan has thorns when it is used to hit, and ten canes can make a person bloody. As for the board, it is relatively easier, but fifty boards would kill an ordinary palace servant.
The queen hesitated for a moment, and felt a little soft-hearted, but when she saw him closing his eyes and being stubborn, her anger rose again, and she shouted sternly: "Use the big cane!"
The guard gasped. After fifty beatings with a whip, the leg must be really broken.
"Execute!" After the queen gave the stern order, she turned and went in, tears streaming down her eyes. She had no choice but to do this. If Xia Zian had the ability, then she would cure him. If she couldn't cure him, he would never be able to stand up again in his life, and he would never be able to compete for the position of crown prince again.
She went straight back to the bedroom, burst into tears, and kept saying in her heart, Xin'er, you don't understand your mother's painstaking efforts. Only in this way can your life be saved. Breaking your legs and saving your life is the only thing your mother can do for you.
When Da Jin heard that the punishment was fifty beatings with rattan sticks, his heart skipped a beat. He left quietly and ran quickly to the Empress Dowager's palace.
The guards in charge of punishment usually used heavy blows, but they did not dare to be too harsh when it came to King Liang. But they could not be too perfunctory either. They just hit him with whipping sticks one after another, and after only a dozen or so, blood was drawn.
King Liang lay there without saying a word. His legs were in unbearable pain several times a month due to the compression of nerves caused by dislocated bones. As a person who had always been walking in pain, he almost couldn't stand this sharp, piercing pain.
He bit his lip, which was bleeding, his forehead was sweating, and his back was soaked, but his body was trembling with pain. When the thorns came down, they pierced into the wounds on his skin and flesh, causing rounds of burning pain.
When the beating reached thirty strokes, Song Ruiyang arrived with envoys. According to the rules, he, the prince of Liang, came to pay a visit to the queen. He had already paid a visit to the empress dowager early in the morning and came to the queen at noon.
Seeing the execution in the yard, Song Ruiyang thought it was just the eunuch who made a mistake, but he didn't expect it was King Liang. What mistake did King Liang make that he had to be beaten with whips
In Daliang, once someone was conferred the title of prince, he would not be caned in the palace.
He wanted to stop it, but the envoy Gongsun Yan said, "Your Highness, this is a family affair of the Great Zhou, and you should not interfere."
Song Ruiyang thought about it and felt the same way. He couldn't help but look at King Liang with pity. Seeing that King Liang was enduring great pain without making a sound, he felt great admiration and regret at the same time.
The people in the palace went in to report. When the queen heard that the prince of Liang was coming to visit, she straightened her face and said, "Please come in."
(End of this chapter)