Chapter 20 Chapter 20 My brother said I was weak, but I was still...
When Princess Chaoyang mentioned Lady Bai, even this usually selfish person, for a moment, she revealed a look of regret. But when pressed on the truth behind Lady Bai's death, she became evasive: "My secret guards aren't gods. How could they have the ability to ascend to heaven or descend into the depths of the earth? I don't know what tricks Lady Chunyu played behind the scenes to cause Lady Bai to suddenly pass away seven years after giving birth to you."
Yin Jinglong beat his chest and stamped his feet. "My mother's death has always been a source of worry for me. Over the years, I have blamed myself all the time. Why didn't I know the identity of my biological mother earlier? When she affectionately called me 'Long'er' and gave me a golden lock, I should have guessed something, but the princess and the wet nurse kept it in the dark and deceived me. It was not until after my mother's death that I gradually learned about these old secrets. My mother died with hatred in her heart, and she was unable to recognize my brother and me until her death..."
"Don't blame yourself too much. After all, you were just a child at the time. Even if you knew, what could you have done? From the moment Princess Chunyu took your mother into the palace, her goal was to have you two brothers. Bai was just a tool for her to bear children. Who made her a lowly and miserable person?"
"Aunt, you're wrong. Whether it's Princess Chunyu or father, they've always chosen Yin Jingheng. As for me, they gave me up from the moment I was born. It's only because I look so similar to my brother that the princess raised me as her legitimate son."
Yin Jinglong smiled bitterly.
In the past, he couldn't understand why, despite being born of the same mother, he was the only one disfavored by his father, the king. It was as if he had always been his brother's shadow. The Great Yin Dynasty had always valued military power over civil service, and since its founding, the position of general had remained vacant.
My elder brother Yin Jingheng has been appreciated by his father since he was young. When he was four years old, his father invited a famous swordsmanship master in the court to teach him the secrets of swordsmanship.
But when he asked his father if he wanted to learn martial arts like his brother, his father said, "You are born weak and not suitable for martial arts training yet. It will not be too late to learn after you have recovered your body."
He had heard such rhetoric since he was a child. He even hated his mother for giving birth to a strong brother but leaving him with a useless body.
In order to receive the same teachings from his master as his brother, he began practicing handstands in the yard at dawn starting at the age of five. Sometimes, he would secretly pick up his brother's sword and practice according to the master's instructions before his brother got up.
When his brother discovered this, he was very unhappy and reprimanded him several times. Unwilling to accept this, Yin Jinglong asked his brother, "Why do I not have what you have? Am I not our father's legitimate son?"
Countless times, unyielding tears streamed down his face. Seeing his weak brother crying, the elder brother would always soften his heart and allow him to play with it for a while: "You are still young and weak. I am afraid that you will hurt yourself, so be careful when playing."
At that time, he thought his brother was really worried about him getting hurt, because they were twin brothers who had been together since their mother's womb. He regarded his stronger brother as his role model and support, and often followed his brother like a little tail.
When his brother wanted to practice sword, he would wait outside the yard. After his brother finished practicing, he would pester him to fly kites with him.
No matter what request he made, his brother would agree to it lovingly. Until one day, when he noticed the annoyance in his brother's eyes when he took the kite, he gradually realized that his brother actually didn't like flying kites.
When he was eight years old, Yin Jinglong was stronger than before. He decided to be a real man, put down his beloved kite, and pick up a sword to practice martial arts.
On the day he flew a kite for the last time, he mentioned to his brother that he wanted to practice swordplay with him in the future. His brother asked in surprise, "Has father given you permission to practice swordplay with me?"
"My father said that as long as I become stronger, he will allow me to learn martial arts and swordsmanship."
He rolled up his sleeves and proudly showed his increasingly powerful arms to his brother. He then picked up his brother's sword and swiftly chopped down the newly planted peach tree in the yard. The branches of the peach tree, which were half as thick as his arms, were chopped off.
"Look, brother! Am I amazing? If father saw me dancing with a sword, he would be happy and proud of me. Perhaps starting tomorrow, I can learn from the master together with my brother."
Yin Jinglong naively thought that his ability was enough to convince his father to allow him to learn martial arts. That day, he begged his brother to accompany him to fly a kite for the last time.
The elder brother agreed reluctantly. He watched the kite flying higher and higher and fell into deep thought, forgetting to pull the string.
The kite gradually fell down and got stuck on the treetop. Yin Jinglong tried to climb the tree to get the kite.
My brother stopped me and said, "You are weak and can't climb trees. You might fall. Let me do it!"
Yin Jinglong hated to hear others say that he was weak. The more they said that, the more his competitive spirit was aroused.
He climbed the tree to take down the kite despite his brother's dissuasion, but when he got down from the tree, he couldn't help but feel his legs going weak when he looked at the height from the ground.
At this time, the elder brother shouted from below: "Don't be afraid, come down! I will protect you under the tree."
Yin Jinglong believed that his brother would be able to catch him, so no matter how scared he was, he gritted his teeth and climbed down.
This was his first time climbing a tree. He had already used up most of his energy going up the tree. When he was coming down from the tree, his legs went weak, his shoes slipped, and he accidentally fell from the tree.
His brother said he would protect him, but when he fell, he saw his brother suddenly step back without making any move to protect him, allowing him to fall from the tree.
It was that accident that caused him to lose his right arm and he could no longer wield a sword.
When his father learned about this, he not only did not blame his brother, but instead scolded him for playing and climbing trees. After losing his arm, Yin Jinglong was even less favored by his father. Being arrogant, he resented his brother and father for many years.
Princess Chaoyang remained silent. She showed no sympathy for Yin Jinglong's miserable childhood and instead taunted him, "You know our Yin family is a latecomer to the throne. To consolidate imperial power, we must not only win over ministers from the previous dynasty, but also cultivate a general within our family who can protect the nation. Only someone with both civil and military prowess can maintain a firm foothold in these turbulent times. Your resentment towards your father and brother is personal, but they had no choice. Without the support of the Yin family, could you even hold the position of Regent?"
"Is that really the case?"
"Since ancient times, which emperor has not ascended to the throne by stepping on the corpses of others? This includes the corpses of their own relatives. Your mother was of low status. Being able to marry into the palace and expand the Yin family is already her greatest honor. However, her status as a lowly merchant will ultimately be detrimental to your and your brother's status in the court. The princess is also concerned about your future and the prince's title, so let's let go of those old things if we can!"
Yin Jinglong sneered, "It's not your fault, so you say it so easily. Do you think my mother must be sacrificed for the sake of His Majesty's imperial power? Auntie always said she would stand by me, but now I can see clearly that you were just using me to help you obtain the statue. Now that your goal has been achieved, you've crossed the river and are demolishing the bridge, no longer cooperating with me. If that's the case, then there's no need for me to stay any longer."
He stood up excitedly and strode towards the door, where he happened to meet the virtuous prince who was looking for someone.
"Long'er, you...if you want to blame someone, blame me. Your mother has been managing the palace for many years, and everything she's done is for the future generations of the royal family. She's treated you and your brother as her own, raising them with care. She's fulfilled her responsibilities as a mother. As for your biological mother's death, the imperial physicians said it was due to an illness she contracted during childbirth that hadn't healed for years. Why do you insist on placing the blame on your mother?"
"Since my father thinks it's not her fault, then it's your fault. After my biological mother died, did my father give her a proper burial and did he compensate the Bai family?"
Prince Xian was suddenly speechless and stammered, "How... no? You were young back then, so you might not remember. After your biological mother died, she was buried with the same scale as a concubine in the palace. Bai's father was a businessman all his life, never married, and had no children. He only had your biological mother as his illegitimate daughter. After her death, Bai's father no longer had any contact with the palace. Not long after, I heard that he also died of illness. Who do you want me to compensate?"
Speaking of Bai's life experience, it is hard to describe in a few words.
The Bai family has been engaged in business for three generations. Although they have a fortune, it has been passed down to only one person for three generations. It ended with Bai's father. Bai's father was a playboy and often frequented brothels. Therefore, few daughters from respectable families were willing to marry him.
When Mr. Bai was young, he had a relationship with a prostitute named "Silan". Soon after, Silan became pregnant. She hoped that Mr. Bai could redeem her, but was stopped by the elders of the Bai family.
Si Lan felt that she had no hope of being freed from her citizenship and was in a depressed mood when a local official who came to Beijing to report on his work took a fancy to her. He did not mind her identity as a prostitute and wanted to redeem her, but on the condition that he could not keep the unborn child.
Silan, a new mother, was in a very difficult situation. She wanted to escape from this hell and become a good citizen, but she couldn't bear to give up the child in her womb. So she secretly gave birth to a daughter before the official redeemed her. At night, she sent the baby to the threshold of the Bai family mansion, left a letter to Bai's father, and disappeared from then on.
Although Mr. Bai could not marry a prostitute, he could not bear to see his newborn daughter left unattended. He asked people to inquire about Silan's whereabouts, but there was no news. The official who wanted to redeem her had never seen her again.
In desperation, Bai's father insisted on raising the child despite his family's opposition and named him "Bai Rune". It was precisely because of the existence of Bai Rune, an illegitimate daughter, that it became more difficult for Bai's father to marry, and he ended up remaining single for the rest of his life.
The romantic affairs of Bai's father when he was young caused the Bai family to be extinct, and eventually angered his father to death. From then on, the Bai family began to decline. Fortunately, the family was well-off, and the Bai father and daughter had no worries about food and clothing in their lives. The only thing that troubled him was that he had no children.
Bai Ruen was originally the daughter of a businessman and the daughter of a prostitute. It was difficult for her to be a good match with someone of her status. Even though her father had raised her to be a beautiful young lady since she was a child, no one was willing to be her matchmaker. This is how the subsequent events happened.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
