The Tang Family’s Seven Os - Chapter 161

Sheng Cen took Tang Qi Yuan straight through the splendid palace in front and came to the Orchid Palace in the backyard, where he, his mother and his brother had always lived, and where his father had rarely come for as long as he could remember.

The Orchid Palace was different from the front, it was full of flowers and plants, the green lawn was lined with flowers, both red and pink, there were rabbits on the grass and a hammock by the flowers, it was full of life, nothing like the cold palace outside.

“It’s so beautiful here!” Tang Qi Yuan looked around for a while and could not help but exclaim when he saw the hammock.

Sheng Cen curled his lips, “My mother made it all.”

Tang Qi Yuan nodded, he noticed that the terrain of Orchid Palace was very flat, and where there were stairs, there were slopes next to them, which should have been prepared for Sheng Xi who had inconveniences with his legs, and there was a basketball hoop in the open space in the courtyard, which should have been for Sheng Cen. From these details, it can be seen that Empress Xia is very attentive and loves her two sons very much.

When Tang Qi Yuan followed Sheng Cen through the moon gate1A circular opening in a garden wall that acts as a pedestrian passageway and is a traditional architectural element in Chinese gardens.

, a man who looked like a housekeeper greeted him, bowed to Sheng Cen and said respectfully: “Second Highness.”

He looked up and was a little surprised to see Tang Qi Yuan next to Sheng Cen. This is the first time Sheng Cen had brought a classmate back, but he quickly put his surprise away and nodded to Tang Qi Yuan with a very disciplined smile, “How are you, young master?”

“Hello grandfather.”

“What’s going on today?” Sheng Cen asked as he looked at the housekeeper.

The housekeeper hastily replied, “Today His Majesty brought Madam Zhen Wei to the palace again, and the Empress pushed the Eldest Highness out to sunbathe, when she happened to meet her. Madam Zhen Wei……spoke a bit harshly, and took the opportunity to talk about the Eldest Highness’ legs again, and as you know, His Majesty has always disliked the Eldest Highness legs for causing him disgrace, so when he heard Madam Zhen Wei’s words, he immediately became displeased and told the Empress to take the Eldest Highness out less in the future and not to disgrace him……”

The steward’s voice grew softer and softer, and at the end of the sentence, he couldn’t help but sigh. He had been working here for many years and had seen all of His Majesty’s affairs in his eyes, but he was just a man of low position and no ability to change anything.

Sheng Cen’s eyes sank. Holding back his anger, he asked: “What else?”

The housekeeper continued: “After His Majesty finished, the Empress took the Eldest Highness back to Orchid Palace, but I didn’t expect Sheng Lian to come back a little while later, saying that His Majesty had asked him to come and visit the Eldest Highness, so that the two brothers could communicate their feelings and not be cold all the time, he stayed here for a while, not sure what else he said, and just left.”

Sheng Cen pursed his lips, nodded his head and said, “I got it, Uncle Xiao, you go about your business.”

The housekeeper gave him a worried glance, wanting to say a few words of comfort, but when he saw Tang Qi Yuan standing by the side, he didn’t say much and just nodded and went away.

Sheng Cen stood in place for half a minute, calming down a bit before taking a deep breath and leading Tang Qi Yuan into the house.

Tang Qi Yuan had thought that Empress Xia and Sheng Xi must be in a very bad mood right now, but when he walked into the house, he was surprised to see them arranging flowers and discussing in low voices from time to time which flowers looked good, looking like they were in a very good mood.

Empress Xia was wearing a beige sweater, she was kind looking and had a soft face. Tang Qi Yuan had seen her many times on TV, but now that he saw her in person, he realised that she was even more soft and graceful than on TV, with a natural aura of warmth and generosity.

Although Madam Zhen Wei’s face was gorgeous, her temperament was much worse than Empress Xia’s. Madam Zhen Wei had a mean streak in her brow and eyes, and only His Majesty had no eyes, ignoring Empress Xia for many years and favoured only Madam Zhen Wei.

Sheng Xi sat in a wheelchair next to Empress Xia, he looked three points similar to Sheng Cen, his complexion was a little sickly white because he was always in a wheelchair, didn’t go out often and seldom got any sun, unlike Sheng Cen whose features were so handsome, his face looked more like Empress Xia’s and he seemed to have a good temper.

As soon as Empress Xia and Sheng Xi saw Sheng Cen returning with Tang Qi Yuan, they could not help but smile, their eyes all looking at Tang Qi Yuan with curiosity and surprise, their faces full of joy.

Empress Xia first smiled, then put down the flowers in her hand, wiped her hands clean and pushed Sheng Xi over, “Cen Cen is back ah, this little student is?”

Sheng Cen briefly introduced him: “Tang Qi Yuan, my table mate.”

“Hello Empress, Hello Eldest Highness.” Tang Qi Yuan bowed in a regular manner.

Empress Xia hastily took his hand, smiled and said, “There are not so many rules here, you can just call me Aunty.”

Sheng Xi nodded beside her, looked at Tang Qi Yuan and said with a smile: “You can just call me big brother like Cen Cen.”

Tang Qi Yuan glanced at Sheng Cen, who nodded slightly, “Listen to them.”

“Aunty, big brother.” Tang Qi Yuan called out obediently.

Empress Xia and Sheng Xi immediately smiled, their similar faces with charitable and gentle expressions.

Sheng Cen squeezed out a smile and acted as if he knew nothing, pretending to be relaxed as he sat down on the sofa.

Sheng Xi sat on the wheelchair, his voice a little low and soft as he smiled at Tang Qi Yuan: “Cen Cen has never brought a classmate back before, you are the first.”

Sheng Cen raised an eyebrow, “I must clarify, I was afraid that he would continue to annoy me, so I let him come along.”

Tang Qi Yuan looked at Sheng Cen and then at Sheng Xi, he thought their relationship didn’t look as bad as the rumours out there.

“Don’t bully Xiao Qi.” Before Tang Qi Yuan could retort to Sheng Cen, Empress Xia glared at Sheng Cen and led Tang Qi Yuan to sit down on the sofa.

The housekeeper served tea and several people sat on the sofa and talked for a while. Empress Xia was very gentle and always took care of Tang Qi Yuan, Sheng Xi said very little but was very attentive and always managed to say a few words at the right time to regulate the atmosphere, Sheng Cen sat on the side and usually didn’t say much, but when the tea in front of anyone was empty, he would sit up and silently refill it for everyone.

Tang Qi Yuan sat for a while, gradually relaxing under Empress Xia’s loving gaze and no longer being so formal.

“I’ll cook personally tonight, Xiao Qi, you stay and try my cooking.” Empress Xia stood up with great enthusiasm, not giving Tang Qi Yuan a chance to refuse at all, and went straight into the kitchen.

Sheng Xi looked at Empress Xia’s back and smiled, saying to Tang Qi Yuan: “Just stay for dinner, I can tell my mother likes you a lot, she hasn’t been this happy for a long time.”

Tang Qi Yuan looked at Sheng Xi and nodded, “Alright then, thanks.”

Sheng Xi smiled and nodded, pushing his own wheelchair to help Empress Xia in the kitchen.

After they left, the smile on Sheng Cen’s face darkened for a moment, he looked in the direction of the kitchen and frowned, walking over with his cigarette without saying a word.

Tang Qi Yuan hesitated for a moment and walked out with him.

Outside, the sky had darkened at some point, and a cold wind swept across the ground in bursts, with thick clouds rolling in the distant sky, looking like a storm is approaching.

Sheng Cen stood under the eaves of the house, leaning against the wall. He took out a cigarette, the light of the lighter suddenly lit up and went out, he exhaled the smoke, the cigarette held between his fingers flickered with a faint light.

Tang Qi Yuan opened his mouth, but said nothing in the end, walking over and standing quietly next to him.

After an unknown period of time, Sheng Cen suddenly spoke, his voice, which was always clear, seemed a little dry in the darkness, “They are afraid that I will be worried, so they pretend to be happy.”

Tang Qi Yuan nodded gently: “Your brother and mother are both good people.”

Empress Xia and Sheng Xi, with such uncontentious and non-competitive personalities, would have been happy if they lived in an ordinary family, but unfortunately they lived in royalty.

Sheng Cen took a deep puff of smoke, the night and his pitch black pupils almost melted into one. He looked at the moon rising in the sky, hooked his lips and gave a soft smile, “Yes, they are both good people, but unfortunately good people don’t have good rewards……so it’s up to me to be the bad guy and just protect them. ”

“No, you have to be good too, good people can genuinely protect good people.” Tang Qi Yuan all of a sudden became serious, looking at Sheng Cen and saying with a serious tone of voice.

Sheng Cen exhaled a mouthful of smoke and asked noncommittally: “Do you know how my brother’s leg was injured?”

Tang Qi Yuan shook his head, this had always been a secret of the imperial family, Sheng Xi had injured his leg when he was five years old, the imperial family had always claimed to the public that Sheng Xi’s leg injury was because he had accidentally fallen off the wall when he was climbing up the wall by himself, but everyone knew that the truth of the matter could not be that simple. Sheng Xi was the first prince of the empire at that time, the entire palace attached great importance to him, there were many people who took care of him, they simply would not let him climb up the wall alone and fall down from it.

Sheng Cen took a puff of his cigarette and spoke slowly, “It was the day I was born, my mother was suddenly going into labour, but that father of mine received news that Madam Zhen Wei was also in labour, so on the way to the hospital, he left my mother and us and switched to another car to see Madam Wei. After he left, the car we were in met with an accident, my brother’s legs was completely ruined, my mother almost died from the difficult labour, and I also almost couldn’t be born.”

He paused for a moment and snorted coldly abruptly, “Do you think there are really such coincidences in this world? Sheng Lian was only born a few hours after me. If my mother, my brother and I had all been sorted out together that night, wouldn’t he and his mother have been the empire’s rightful empress and only prince by now?”

Sheng Cen’s voice had a deep, unseen chill to it, which was particularly cold in the night, and Tang Qi Yuan unconsciously touched his arm.

When Sheng Cen took out another cigarette and tried to light it, Tang Qi Yuan stepped forward and snatched it away, “You’ve already smoked one, don’t smoke anymore.”

Sheng Cen was annoyed and couldn’t help but frown, “Give it back to me.”

Tang Qi Yuan took a deep breath and looked at him: “Classmate Sheng, I don’t know if they really did what happened back then, nor do I know how bad they were, but you can’t turn yourself into a bad person just because they are bad, what you should do is to use them to warn yourself and not let yourself become like them.”

Sheng Cen was stunned as it suddenly rained from the sky, a light drizzle trickling down the eaves, and there was a moment of silence in the air.

His face was hidden in the shadows and he tugged at the corners of his mouth, his voice indifferent as he spoke, “I have my father’s blood in me, maybe I’ll become as selfish and cold as he is, or maybe I’m originally a bad person.”

“If the genes are really that strong, you wouldn’t be so bad at studying.”

Tang Qi Yuan sighed, thinking that his table mate was really thinking too much, although His Majesty’s character is a bit lacking, his grades back then weren’t as disastrous as his.

melon: Xiao Qi just has to flame him one way or another

1A circular opening in a garden wall that acts as a pedestrian passageway and is a traditional architectural element in Chinese gardens.