Chapter 857: Not Becoming the Crown Prince

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Su Xiaoling was not calm. She realized something.

Zhou Heng only smiled at her.

Zhou Wei and Zhou Xuan had entered the academy. Apart from holidays, they would not come back for the next year. Zhou Qing and Zhou Huan were still young and had yet to meet the requirements to enter the academy.

After the two children washed up, the family had dinner together.

Zhou Heng gently picked up some food for his two sons and carefully picked out the fish bones. He did not forget to give Su Xiaoling a piece.

After dinner, Zhou Qing and Zhou Huan left to revise.

Only the couple was left in the room.

Zhou Heng held Su Xiaoling’s hand in his palm and said softly, “Xiaoling, I’ve decided to give up the position of the Crown Prince.”

Since he was going to lose Su Xiaoling if he became the Crown Prince, he would not be the Crown Prince anymore.

Ever since that incident, he had been very tired, and so had Su Xiaoling. Their family was tired, so he should give up the position of Crown Prince.

Su Xiaoling was stunned. It took her a while to react to what Zhou Heng had said. She looked at Zhou Heng. His eyes were filled with fatigue and he looked very haggard.

“Brother Heng, I don’t know what to say, but I don’t want you to be sad. I’ve had you for more than ten years. It’s enough.”

Su Xiaoling was extremely worried, but she didn’t know where to start. She wanted to say that she didn’t mind him bringing more women into the palace, but she still couldn’t bring herself to say such straightforward words. He must know what she meant.

“Xiaoling, we still have many decades to go. These ten years are too little. It’s not enough. In the past few months, I’ve also reflected a lot. I’m not suitable to be the Crown Prince. I have too many concerns. I’m always very passive towards everything. Sindili has long had disloyal thoughts. If I hadn’t been indecisive, things wouldn’t have ended up like this. It’s precisely because I didn’t do well that she had the chance to break your heart.”

“I’m not a three-year-old child anymore. My temper has long been set. After avoiding Sindili this time, there will inevitably be times when I fail in the future. At that time, how will I face you and the children? Therefore, if I don’t become the Crown Prince, there won’t be such a problem.”

Zhou Heng did not make this decision on a whim, but after thinking for a long time.

If he couldn’t be the emperor he wanted to be, then he couldn’t be anything. Now, he was only being neglected. What about in the future?

He didn’t want to think about it, so he quit.

Su Xiaoling was already in a mess. Was this really worth it?

“Will Father agree?”

Su Xiaoling looked worried.

Zhou Heng smiled faintly and nodded. “Father will agree. In this world, people have only failed at trying to become the Crown Prince. No one has ever failed at giving up this position.”

No matter who it was, it was difficult to take a step forward, but it was easy to take a step back.

If he didn’t want to be the Crown Prince anymore, many people would naturally come to fulfill his wish.

“Then can we leave the palace after you stop being the Crown Prince?”

Su Xiaoling was in a daze. Her heart tightened.

Zhou Heng pulled her into his arms and replied gently, “Yes, we can go to many places.”

Su Xiaoling couldn’t help but smile.

Zhou Heng could feel Su Xiaoling relax. He also relaxed. This was what he wanted.

Zhou Heng wrote a letter of resignation and presented it.

Zhou Zhao frowned as he read it. He was in disbelief for a long time.

Looking at the indifferent Zhou Heng kneeling below, Zhou Zhao finally couldn’t help but fly into a rage. He smashed the memorial down and growled angrily, “Do you think you can stop being the Crown Prince just because you want to? You actually did this for a woman? Do you believe that I’ll kill her!”

Zhou Zhao was filled with killing intent. Zhou Heng was devoted to Su Xiaoling. Would it be resolved if he killed Su Xiaoling?

Zhou Heng’s gaze was calm. He looked up and said calmly, “Father, you can kill Xiaoling. I’ll just go accompany her.”

Zhou Zhao looked at Zhou Heng. He knew that he had really given up.

Such a devoted and sentimental person was actually the Crown Prince. How ironic was that?

Zhou Zhao sat back in his seat. He was unwilling to accept it at all. He looked at Zhou Heng and said, “You’ve been back to the capital for more than ten years.

How many years have you spent at that place? Can’t you make up for it? Su Xiaoling gave birth to two sons and two daughters. Even if you have more, who can shake her status? When other women have more, her children will already be old. How can others compete with her?”

“Father, it’s precisely because she gave birth to four children for me. I love these four children. If other women have my children, I can’t wait for them to die as soon as possible. What’s the point of this? If I can’t even make decisions for myself as the emperor, then I might as well not be the emperor.”

Zhou Heng did not expect his father to understand him. He had already made a decision and was unwilling to participate.

He did not want to be on tenterhooks all the time in the future.

His father thought that the temper he had developed during his years in Southern Mountain Village had caused him to be like this. Actually, that was not the case. He only felt like a human when he got there. Only then did he understand what true feelings and warmth were.

It was his responsibility to return to the capital, and so was inheriting the position of Crown Prince.

It was the same now that he was giving up the position of Crown Prince. “Heng’er, there’s no turning back after making the decision.”

Zhou Zhao finally looked at Zhou Heng. He had given him another chance. It was not too late to regret it now.

He could tell that Zhou Heng was not suitable to be the Crown Prince, but he had carefully nurtured him after all. His heart ached for him to give up just like that.

Zhou Heng did not avoid his gaze. He said, “Father, I’ve made up my mind. I can’t take it anymore. I’ve disappointed you. Please forgive me.”

Zhou Zhao waved his hand. “You may leave. Father will consider this matter. You have to let Father think about it.”

Zhou Heng nodded and stood up to leave.

The country was still stable, but if Zhou Heng retired as the Crown Prince, the situation was hard to say.

Zhou Liao, Zhou Ying, and Zhou Yan’s minds would become active.

However, the three of them were not the best candidates in his heart. Zhou Zhi was.

His Zhi’er should be returning to the capital soon.

Without a short lifespan, he could naturally fight for it. However, he did not know if he had already changed after being far away for more than ten years. The situation in the imperial court was ever-changing. If the old went up against the newbies, what would Zhou Zhi be like when he faced these people?

Zhou Zhao did not think for long before answering Zhou Heng with his actions.

First, he found a few mistakes in his work and suspended him from his post. When this happened, everyone began to move.

The courtiers thought that the Crown Prince’s department, led by Su Hua, would take action, but no one did. Even if the Crown Prince was punished in public, they were very quiet and watched quietly as Zhou Heng was removed from the position of Crown Prince and imprisoned.

Zhou Heng was temporarily imprisoned. If nothing went wrong, after the confinement ended, the position of Crown Prince would be vacated.

Su Xiaoling had received the news long ago. She knew that this was a process and most of her worries were gone. She raised the herbs in peace. Hui Xiang looked at her from the side. When a series of footsteps sounded, Su Xiaoling stood up and looked back. When she saw that Wei Ling was in the lead, she panicked for a moment..

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