Deep love for one's son
The candlelight flickered on the pale face of Prince Ning Yanqing, illuminating the fear in his eyes even more clearly. He tightly grasped an unsigned secret letter, but the thin paper seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, almost embedding in his palm.
The illegible handwriting on the letter read, "Your Majesty, having regained consciousness for a moment last night, heard that the Crown Prince was indecisive and vacillating. He sighed and said, 'This child's character is far inferior to his brother's decisiveness, and I fear he will not be able to shoulder the weight of state. While attending to his illness, His Royal Highness Prince Yong presented a well-organized report from the northern border, which Your Majesty found very comforting. He said that Yan Li resembled me in my youth…'"
"absurd!"
He slowly pressed the letter onto the cold rosewood table, his fingertips trembling slightly. He stood up and paced two steps between the narrow bookshelves with unsteady steps, like a wounded beast trapped in a cage.
"How could the emperor..." he murmured, "Since I became regent, I have been up all night and awake all night. Mingzhu caused such a disaster, and I braved the whole court's criticism to recall her and protect her in the palace. This is already the limit. How else do they want me to deal with it?"
Chen Zhanshi stood solemnly with his hands hanging down, the wrinkles between his eyebrows as deep as if they were carved with a knife.
He avoided the Crown Prince's desperate gaze and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, the origin of this letter is unknown, the handwriting can be forged, and the words are even more heartbreaking. Your Majesty is not in good health and may not be in a clear mind. How could he easily..."
He paused, but ultimately did not utter the word "Yi Chu".
"This is an attempt to sow discord. Your Highness must not fall into this trap."
"Sowing discord?" The Crown Prince stopped abruptly. "If it weren't for the Emperor's true intention, why would Prince Yong have gone to such lengths? He dared to publicly refute me at the New Year's Eve banquet, and now he even dares to fabricate the Emperor's instructions! What's next?"
A foul air mixed with resentment blocked his chest. He glanced at the mountain of memorials on the desk. No matter what he did, no one was satisfied.
Prince Yong is causing trouble, and the ministers are hindering him. Does the emperor also want to change the crown prince?
He reached out and brushed them to the ground almost tiredly, and the pages fell apart silently.
"If it weren't for Mingzhou, if it weren't for her..."
Chen Zhanshi looked at the weakness that could not be concealed beneath the prince's strong back, and his heart sank to the bottom. However, after so many twists and turns, the prince lost his composure like this. If something big really happened, how would the prince deal with it?
The storms in the East Palace never stop.
On the other side, things were not peaceful in Prince Yong’s Mansion.
The curtains blocked out all light and sound, only the candlelight cast ghostly shadows on the stone walls. The air was filled with the rich scent of sandalwood, but it could not dispel the anxious ambition.
Prince Yong Ning Yanli stood with his back to the door and his hands behind his back in front of a huge map of the Southern Dynasty's territory.
His fingertips slowly moved across the vast and bitterly cold land of the northern border, and finally pressed firmly on the cinnabar mark of the three towns of Heshuo.
His back was straight and motionless, with only the candlelight dancing on his shoulders.
"Why?" A deep voice rang out in the dead silence.
"In terms of decisiveness, skill, and talent, in what way am I inferior to that indecisive East Palace Master?"
"Just because he was born in the Pepper Palace? This world should belong to him? And I, Ning Yanli, was born to be the stone stepping stone on his way to the top?"
"Your Highness is truly a rare talent. He will definitely replace the Crown Prince and dominate the world." said Mr. Zhao.
He turned around slowly, the candlelight illuminating his well-defined profile, and swept across his trusted adviser Mr. Zhao who was standing with his hands hanging down, and the two leaders of the death squad.
"My father is lying on his sickbed. He seems to have let go, but in fact he is just watching coldly." Ning Yanli's tone was calm.
"He's using this knife of mine to sharpen his unpolished jade. When the prince has been honed into a more human form, or when this old man realizes his time is up and wants to pave the way for him..."
He paused briefly, his eyes falling on Mr. Zhao's face. "This whetstone of mine is useless now. I will grind my bones to dust and leave no place for burial."
"This is the royal family, this is my good father."
"Your Highness will never surrender and become a prey to others." Mr. Zhao said sinisterly.
The chamber was so quiet that one could hear the subtle crackling of the burning candle wick.
"I don't want to die, so let others die." He took a step forward, and the candlelight finally illuminated his entire face. Beneath that calmness was a determination to go all out.
"Once the Emperor is well and can rule the country, the throne will be passed to the Crown Prince in a few years. Therefore, the Emperor cannot recover. It is best for him to remain bedridden forever."
"Your Highness, the people who will seduce the prince have already been arranged, so don't worry." Mr. Zhao added.
His finger pointed at the "Three Towns of Heshuo" on the map again.
"Go and invite Prince Tuoba Hong of Beishuo. Tell him that I have a big deal that concerns the eternal foundation of Beishuo, and I need to discuss it with him."
The corners of Prince Yong's mouth curved slightly. "Tell him that if he is willing to lend me five thousand Beishuo cavalrymen to help me when I need him."
He paused, each word clear and distinct: "After this is accomplished, these three towns of Heshuo will be my sincere gift to my allies in Beishuo. My Southern Dynasty will also help Beishuo annex the Western Qiang."
Mr. Zhao's eyelids jumped suddenly. Although he had a premonition, he still felt a chill from his feet to his head when he heard with his own ears that the three towns of Heshuo were ceded. He had known that this person was ambitious, but he did not expect it to reach this point.
This is utter treason...
But he knew very well that King Yong had no way out at this moment.
He lowered his head deeply, hiding all the emotions in his eyes: "Yes, I will do it immediately."
The turmoil in Prince Yong's Mansion spread to Xuehan Palace in an unexpected way.
It is not difficult to guess that Tuoba Hong was responsible for this.
It was late at night, and the palace lanterns in Xuehan Palace lit up one after another.
The soft glow on Ning Lingyi's focused profile made her breathtakingly beautiful. She was lost in thought, her fingertips caressing the rough pages, but her thoughts had already soared beyond the palace walls, landing on the freshly green fields of Mingzhou. The vitality captured by Shen Qingyan's brushstrokes and the bustling city life depicted by Su Qingfan were the glimmers of hope in her heart.
The sound of hurried footsteps broke the silence in the hall.
Lu Qiao came in quickly, her face pale, holding an envelope with the unique wax seal of the Beishuo Royal Court.
"Your Highness..." Lu Qiao's voice was slightly tense. "Prince Tuoba Hong of Beishuo has presented a formal letter of credence to both His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Royal Highness the Imperial Concubine. It's about setting a wedding date!"
Ning Lingyi's heart suddenly sank. She took the letter and unfolded it. Next to Tuoba Hong's vigorous Northern Shuo script was a neat Southern Dynasty translation:
"Prince Tuoba Hong of Beishuo County respectfully presents this letter to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dayin and His Royal Highness Consort Yu: I am pleased to hear that Her Royal Highness Princess Mingzhu is recovering. Several years have passed since the signing of the alliance. This year, blessed with favorable auspices, is the perfect time for her marriage to take place, solidifying the friendship between the two nations of Qin and Jin and alleviating the anxious hopes of the people. I earnestly request that you discuss an auspicious date and choose a suitable time so that Her Royal Highness Princess Mingzhu can depart northwards and return to the royal court. The people of Beishuo County eagerly await your arrival."
Every word was a plea, every sentence was full of meaning, but the heavy burden of the wedding date was firmly placed on her, leaving no room for maneuver.
The atmosphere in the hall was stagnant, but outside the door, there was a sound of slightly ostentatious footsteps, accompanied by the sound of pearls and jade gently touching each other.
Before anyone could pass on the message, Ning Lingli came in on her own. She was dressed particularly brightly today, with a newly acquired red jewel hairpin swaying brightly at her temples and an undisguised smug smile on her face.
"Hey, is Sister Mingzhu here?" She pointed directly at the dazzling letter in Ning Lingyi's hand. "I heard that Beishuo is pressing for her return. Tsk tsk, it seems that Prince Tuoba can't wait to welcome my sister back."
She deliberately took a few steps closer, walked half a circle around Ning Lingyi, and looked her up and down with contempt in her eyes: "Indeed, my sister is so pretty, it would be a pity to leave her in this deep palace to meditate. She should have gone to Beishuo early, served the prince, and had children. That would have been her proper use."
"Speaking of which, my sister's Xue Han Palace is now quiet, which is a good opportunity for self-cultivation and learning the rules of Beishuo. I heard that the wind and sand there are strong, and the men are rough, not as refined as our Southern Dynasty. My sister is so delicate..." She smiled softly with her hands covering her lips, and her malice almost overflowed.
"But don't worry, sister. With your looks, you'll always be able to gain a foothold in the Beishuo Royal Court. But from now on, you won't have your father and mother to pamper you like this anymore. You'll have to learn to be humble and modest."
"Don't worry about me, sister. Just worry more about yourself!" Ning Lingyi retorted.
Ning Lingli watched her stubbornly refute, admired Ning Lingyi's pale face, and stroked his sleeves contentedly: "I can take care of myself. I just came by to see how graceful my sister is about to get married. You should get used to the desolate Xuehan Palace. After all, in the future..."
"In a foreign country, this kind of quietness is hard to come by! Goodbye."
After saying this, she walked away like a victorious peacock, with her head held high and a fragrance all over her body.
Luqiao was so angry that she was shaking all over, but she didn't dare to show it because of her status.
Concubine Yu came out upon hearing the noise and first glanced at her daughter's expression. Ning Lingli's blatant humiliation had only added to her daughter's already tense expression due to the letter from the emperor.
Sitting next to his daughter, his well-maintained face no longer had its usual grace. Tuoba Hong chose this time when the court was turbulent to force her into marriage in the name of justice. The timing was so cruel and his intentions were so obvious that it made her feel cold in her heart.
"Why did Tuoba Hong suddenly bring up the wedding date..." Concubine Yu was puzzled.
But this matter is reasonable and logical. The prince will not refuse, and the emperor has no way to refuse. If it goes to the Ministry of Rites, they will naturally discuss a wedding date.
"Mother." Ning Lingyi raised her eyes. How could she be locked up in the deep palace of Beishuo like this?
Even though Tuoba Hong was a good match for her, she still didn't want him.
Is it true that women in this world can only survive by relying on their husbands and devoting themselves to others? Even if everyone does this, she still has to fight, fight for a possibility, fight for her own life.
There was indeed a grudge between them, and it couldn't be said that she had no good feelings towards him. He had saved her many times, and she remembered it in her heart. To her, he was indeed a person who deserved to be taken seriously.
But this was not enough for her to entrust her body and soul to him. Love might be important, but she was the most important. Her mother loved her more than her own life, and her father doted on her even more than the crown prince. There was no luxury and beauty in the world that she had not enjoyed. She really couldn't imagine how she could fall in love with this man.
Concubine Yu met her daughter's gaze. She took a deep breath, suppressed her surging anxiety, and her eyes became unusually clear.
"Yier," Concubine Yu thought.
"We can't confront him forcefully, but we can't let him get what he wants." She held her daughter's slightly cold hand, transmitting strength through her fingertips.
"Listen to Mother, we will also submit a memorial."
"As long as we bite him to death, His Majesty's health has not yet recovered. As a daughter, you are worried sick. How can you feel at ease to marry far away at this time? A marriage is a grand ceremony for both countries, with extensive rituals. It cannot be hastily completed in a few months. If you act rashly, you will lose the dignity of the country. At least postpone the wedding until the end of the year."
"The end of the year..." Ning Lingyi repeated softly.
"Yes, at the end of the year." Concubine Yu said firmly.
"These few months, no matter what, must be fought for."
Tuoba Hong's sudden pressure made her smell a deeper sense of foreboding, but at this moment, she had to do something for her daughter.
Once you marry Beishuo, there will be no room for maneuver.
She would never accept that she and her daughter would never see each other again in this life.
From spring to winter, this is the limit of what they can achieve and it is also her last chance.
In Xuehan Palace, a memorial in the name of filial piety and propriety was written by Ning Lingyi at the instruction of Concubine Yu. Every word was carefully written on the paper, waiting to be presented tomorrow.
"Your Majesty is bedridden, and I worry about you day and night. If I marry far away at this time, I will be deeply uneasy. I am afraid that I will be unworthy of Your Majesty's years of love and care, and I am also afraid that people all over the world will think that the princess is unfilial."
"The marriage ceremony concerns the national dignity. Rushing it would not only be disrespectful to Northern Shuo, but would also make the surrounding vassal states laugh. According to the 'Rules of the Ministry of Rites', the complete ceremonials for a princess marrying far away would take at least a year..."
Every word written on paper is filled with love for the son.
"Mother, do you think the Crown Prince will agree? Will Tuoba Hong let it go?" Ning Lingyi looked at Concubine Yu like a baby bird seeking warmth.
"Yier, you underestimate your father. In the past few months, we have been staying peacefully in Xuehan Palace. It is thanks to your father's efforts. We will definitely be able to do it. Don't worry." Concubine Yu comforted her daughter's heart, just like she had done in the past ten years.
After saying that, she thought about it again and again and finally came up with a plan.
I do not believe that I will ultimately bring disaster upon my country. Even a beautiful woman like me has the potential to save the country. Deep within the palace, where strict discipline is always enforced, there has always been a beginning of hope in desperate situations.
Concubine Yu gently held her daughter's trembling hand. The mother and daughter depended on each other, like a vow pledged to the mountains and seas. This love and loyalty was incomparable.
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