"Let me help you remember," Zhao Yi said, while casually drawing a doodle on a piece of Xuan paper.
Zhao Zhi looked over curiously and saw a picture of a little girl riding on a boy's shoulders, seemingly fighting.
"I fought with Shen Hanshan? When did that happen? I have no recollection of it at all!" Zhao Zhihao said, feeling wronged.
"You were so unruly when you were little, relying on your grandmother's favoritism."
From Zhao Yi, Zhao Zhi learned that when she was eight years old, she got into a fight with Shen Hanshan, who had come to Kangning Palace to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager, for some unknown reason.
Because he was intimidated by the Empress Dowager's authority, Shen Hanshan always yielded to Zhao Zhi. However, Zhao Zhi became arrogant and took advantage of the Empress Dowager's favor, riding on Shen Hanshan's neck and pulling his ears and hair. In the end, things turned out very ugly.
Shen Hanshan was so angry that he scolded her, "Someone like you will never get married in your entire life!"
Zhao Zhi also put her hands on her hips and scolded him, "Someone like you will never be able to get a wife in your entire life!"
"Then, he became obsessed with marrying me to get revenge on me?"
Recalling the past, Zhao Zhi almost laughed herself silly.
Zhao Yi shook his head and said that was not the case.
Shen Hanshan is a vengeful man; he will definitely take revenge on anyone who has offended him.
After the fight at Kangning Palace, Shen Hanshan took notice of Zhao Zhi. Unexpectedly, he gradually fell in love with this young girl without even realizing it.
Zhao Zhi found it a bit unbelievable, saying that she was still young at that time!
“In the royal family, which child doesn’t mature early? The reason you feel like you’re still young is because you’ve been overprotected.”
Speaking of children, Zhao Zhi recalled that Zhao Yi had forbidden his daughters from keeping vigil in front of the Empress Dowager's coffin, so she tentatively asked what had happened.
Zhao Yi glanced quietly out the window to make sure no one was around before lowering his voice and revealing the royal family's deep-seated secret to Zhao Zhi.
“Zhizhi, although you have learned the history of our Great Xuan Dynasty from the Master, you may not have delved into the hidden details.”
Since our father, Emperor Wenxuan, the royal bloodline has gradually declined, and this was not without reason.
Royal marriages, often between close relatives, are a double-edged sword. While they help the ruler consolidate imperial power, they also make the heirs as fragile as glass, making them difficult to raise.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhi's expression changed drastically. She looked at Zhao Yi in astonishment and asked in a trembling voice, "Brother, then...am I...am I related to Shen Hanshan...are we also considered close relatives?"
She's carrying Shen Hanshan's child!
Seeing how nervous she was, Zhao Yi gently patted the back of her hand to comfort her.
"You can rest assured that although Shen Hanshan is a king of a different surname, he has no blood relation with our Zhao family."
He was granted the title of a prince of a different surname, which was actually a stopgap measure taken by his grandfather to appease his former subordinates.
"Just ten years ago, Shen Hanshan was a renowned young general, a true undefeated hero. Actually, you two are quite similar in personality sometimes. If you don't dislike him that much, why not try spending some time with him?"
Considering Shen Hanshan's past contributions to the Zhao family's rule, Zhao Yi couldn't help but act as his advocate.
After hearing what Zhao Yi said, Zhao Zhi suddenly felt that Shen Hanshan wasn't so annoying anymore.
The young general was victorious; his achievements were earned through countless battles and countless deaths.
She took a deep breath and continued to press, "Brother, what does the matter of the consanguineous marriage you just mentioned have to do with preventing my nieces from keeping vigil for Grandmother?"
Zhao Yi's face suddenly turned gloomy. He sighed and said, "This matter involves a scandal within the royal family. I would not have mentioned it if it were not just a matter between my closest relatives. I sent your father, Chief Minister Zhao, to Qinglian County to investigate this matter. I expect there will be results in the next few days."
Zhao Zhi's heart skipped a beat, and a bad feeling arose within her.
She dared not ask any further questions.
If you ask again, it's like taking off the green hats on the emperor's head one by one and letting them bask in the sun.
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