Chapter 66: Adopted Son (Two Chapters Combined into One)
The next day, Zhao Shiqing left Baihe Mountain with Lingbo, Shen Guanyue and Niuqiu, the two burdens.
In order not to alert the guards living in the village, she got up early and left the village before the rooster crowed.
As you can imagine, the guards were heartbroken when they heard the news that the second young lady had gone on a long journey. It was with great difficulty that they learned from Murong Linlang that she had gone to Wu. Without saying a word, the guards immediately chased in the direction of Wu.
However, little did they know that Zhao Shiqing did not go directly to Wu, but went to Qingquan first to ask Xiao Su for debt.
The debt she asked Xiao Su to collect was not gold or silver, but a syringe.
This syringe is called Xiaoxiang Yeyu. It was made by a famous craftsman and is a well-known hidden weapon in the martial arts world.
Last year, Zhao Shiqing and Xiao Su had a tree-climbing competition. If Zhao Shiqing lost, he would have to find an eagle like Xiaoguai that was both obedient and fierce for Xiao Su. If Xiao Su lost, Xiaoxiang Night Rain would belong to Zhao Shiqing.
As mentioned earlier, although Murong Linlang's martial arts skills are mediocre, she has a father, Murong Xiang, who is known as the best martial artist in the world.
With such a father, even if Murong Linlang didn't focus on practicing martial arts, she would have one or two skills to save her life.
Her skill is hidden weapons.
If Murong Linlang's martial arts skills were only average, then her hidden weapons would definitely be ranked among the top ten in the martial arts world.
Therefore, when Murong Linlang taught Zhao Shiqing, she also focused on hidden weapons. However, Zhao Shiqing's identity was there, and Murong Linlang could not train Zhao Shiqing like she trained a martial artist. As the second lady of the royal family, she practiced martial arts to strengthen her body, and at most to protect herself.
Although Zhao Shiqing thought she had been training hard in the hottest days of summer and the coldest days of winter, in Murong Linlang's eyes, she had never studied seriously at all.
Maybe it was because Murong Linlang had talked about it too much, and he also heard that there was a hidden weapon in this world that even a fool could defeat a larger force with a smaller one as long as he took out this hidden weapon.
This hidden weapon is called Xiaoxiang Night Rain.
Zhao Shiqing has always wanted to own a Xiaoxiang Yeyu. When Xiao Su heard about it, he came to show it off to her because the Xiao family owns such a powerful weapon.
......
But after Zhao Shiqing won, he put this matter behind him. People are like this, they keep thinking about it when they don’t have it, but when they really get it, they don’t take it as seriously anymore.
So much so that for a whole year, she did not ask Xiao Su to pay the debt. Now that she was going on a long trip, Zhao Shiqing finally remembered this matter.
It might be because of the life-saving favor last time, or it might be because Xiao Su did not dare to disturb the Fifth Old Master. In any case, he did not cheat and handed Xiaoxiang Yeyu to Zhao Shiqing very happily.
But when he saw Chen Guanyue, he was surprised and pointed at Chen Guanyue: "You you you..."
Zhao Shiqing: "You, you, you don't know him."
Xiao Su: "I, I, I..."
Zhao Shiqing: "I, I, this is my follower."
Xiao Su: No, none of it is right!
Zhao Shiqing put her finger on his mouth, making a sealing gesture. "Do you understand what your eldest brother told you to do?"
Xiao Su suddenly remembered that his elder brother Xiao Zhen had faked his death, and subconsciously covered his mouth. Only the fifth old master and he knew about this in the family.
He immediately said to Zhao Shiqing, "Zhao Xiaosi, take this syringe, take your people, and get out of here quickly. Don't let me see you in Qingquan!"
This time, Zhao Shiqing did not argue with him. She took the Xiaoxiang Yeyu and took her people and left smoothly.
It took her less than a day to go to Qingquan and back, but she managed to perfectly avoid her guards.
After leaving Qingquan, Zhao Shiqing and his party took the official road and headed towards Wu.
Putting aside Zhao Shiqing who was on the way, after leaving Liangdi, Deputy Envoy Yin and Zhao Sheng traveled day and night to return to the capital. Without the patient Zhao Tinghan, they returned with ease and arrived back in less than ten days.
Upon hearing that they had returned, Emperor Yongjia summoned them both separately.
After meeting the two of them, Emperor Yongjia had a clear idea of the current situation in Prince Liang's Mansion.
Unexpectedly, although King Liang was wise, his two sons were not very capable.
One has a short time left, the other is extremely stupid.
Emperor Yongjia returned to the harem and went directly to Concubine Qiao's Jingyu Palace.
And Concubine Qiao happened to receive Nie's reply letter today.
She presented the letter to Emperor Yongjia, but he did not take it. Instead, he smiled and asked, "Zhuzhu, have you regained the feeling of your youth?"
Concubine Qiao chuckled. "This Princess Liang has been acting like a lady since she was little. It's probably become a habit. Even now, at such an old age, she still acts like that. It's quite interesting."
Emperor Yongjia became interested and picked up the letter to read it. A barely perceptible smile spread across the corners of his mouth. He threw the letter aside and said to Concubine Qiao, "My beloved concubine, since you have nothing to do, please write a few more letters to Princess Liang."
As if she had thought of something, Concubine Qiao said, "The Third Prince's wife came to the palace to pay her respects today. She didn't come alone, she also brought the daughter of Lang Jing, the prefect of Hancheng."
Emperor Yongjia frowned slightly: "Lang Jing? Oh, I remember now, he seems to be Feng Ke's student."
Concubine Qiao blinked her innocent eyes and said, "Really? No wonder the Third Prince's wife brought her with her even when she entered the palace."
The Third Prince's wife, Feng Jiahe, is the apple of Feng Ke's eye.
Emperor Yongjia shook his head: "One by one, they are all staring at my sons, alas."
Concubine Qiao smiled and snuggled into Emperor Yongjia's arms: "Your Majesty, maybe she's not attracted to the prince, but to you? It's time for your harem to have a few new sisters."
Emperor Yongjia pinched her cheek and said, "You are teasing me again. I have more than enough of you. It's time to arrange the marriages for the fourth and fifth sons. However, Lang Jing's daughter is of a lower birth."
Emperor Yongjia had a good memory. He remembered that Lang Jing was a man who was good at scheming and relied on the Yue family to get close to Feng Ke.
It was rare for Concubine Qiao not to respond. She thought of the Fourth Prince, the disabled one. Did he still want to marry a daughter of a noble family like Feng Jiahe?
Although Lang Jing is just a dog of Feng Ke, Lang Jing is in a very good momentum now. If used well, he can also become a helper to the third brother. It is a pity to marry his daughter to the disabled fourth brother, but if she is placed in the fifth brother's harem... I'm afraid that bitch Shufei will not agree.
......
At this time, the Fourth Prince, who was being talked about by the Emperor and Concubine Qiao, threw away the crutch in his hand, gritted his teeth, with veins bulging on his forehead, and took the first step with difficulty.
Xiao Zhen died in the accident in Shijishan a few months ago. Although he survived, he was seriously injured.
Today, the news that the Third Prince went to the Five Camps to review the troops on behalf of his father and the Fifth Prince went to the Ministry of Revenue to observe government affairs reached the Fourth Prince's mansion, and the Fourth Prince could no longer lie down.
He suddenly realized that the last time he saw his father was when the crow gave the warning and his father led them to the Taimiao to worship their ancestors.
He was carried there at that time, and his father didn't say a word to him from beginning to end.
Since then, no more rewards were sent from the palace, and no one even came to visit him, including his biological mother, Concubine You, and even his uncles and cousins. Those useless people used to rush to curry favor with him, but now that he is disabled, they ignore him. They are all snobs.
Has the emperor already forgotten that he has a son?
Or maybe it was because the emperor disliked him because he was not doing his job well?
The fourth prince became more and more afraid the more he thought about it. For the first time, he threw away his crutches. He wanted to walk. He wanted to get before his father. He wanted to let his father know that he was still useful!
But he fell to the ground after taking only one step. The maids rushed over and tried to help him up, but he was furious: "Get out, all of you, get out! This prince doesn't need your help, you dogs and slaves, do you think this prince is disabled? Get out, get out!"
He tried to get up again and again, but in the end, he failed and fell to the ground crying loudly.
At this time, the fourth prince's biological mother, Concubine You, was looking at herself in the mirror. She was more beautiful in the bronze mirror. There was a one-meter-high Western beauty mirror in Concubine Qiao's palace. When she looked at it that day, she was shocked. Who was this woman with wrinkles on her face?
It definitely wasn't her.
The things used by the demon concubine are also demons, that mirror is a demon.
The best bronze mirror is still the one you use yourself. The more Concubine You looks at herself in the mirror, the more she loves herself.
Why didn't the emperor turn over the card for such a beauty?
Concubine You stood up, walked to the outer room, and lit a stick of incense for Lord Tianzun, muttering to herself, "Lord Tianzun, please bless the emperor and let me turn over my name card. My son is already useless, and I want to give birth to another prince for the emperor. Lord Tianzun, please bless me and let me have a son."
......
Zhao Sheng, who had just walked out of the palace, did not return to the clan house, but returned to the clan camp.
When he returned home, he went straight to see his father.
When Zhao's father heard that he had returned early in the morning, he sat here waiting for him.
Seeing him coming, he couldn't wait to ask, "How is it? Is this job lucrative?"
Zhao Sheng took out a silver note from his pocket and handed it to his father respectfully: "Dad, this is a gift from your son to you. Take it and have a drink."
Father Zhao took a look at the amount of the banknotes and saw that it was worth one hundred taels. He immediately smiled and said, "Good boy, it seems you have made a lot this time."
Zhao Sheng looked around seriously, and the two maids tactfully retreated.
Zhao Sheng lowered his voice and told his father everything he had seen and heard in Prince Liang's mansion, including the matter of the two shops.
Father Zhao's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you talking about those two shops? They've been around for decades, and you're just giving them to me like that?"
"Yes, those two shops are now owned by our family. As soon as my son arrived in the capital, he sent people to check on them. The two shops are still doing well. They were not burned down and were not involved in any lawsuits. They are still operating there safely." Zhao Sheng said.
Zhao's father's beard twitched with joy, but he heard Zhao Sheng say, "Dad, these two shops are not given away for free. Zhao Tinghan is not just a sickly person."
"What's wrong?" asked Zhao's father.
This time, Zhao Sheng leaned close to his ear and whispered something. After a long while, Zhao's father said, "This isn't difficult. Of course, you can't do it alone. I, your father, have to step in. How about this? You pay for a good meal and invite two young opera singers to sing. Tonight, I'll invite your second, third, fifth, sixth, and eighth grandfathers to come to my house for a drink."
......
A few days later, in Prince Liang's mansion, Nie received the second letter from Concubine Qiao.
In the letter, Concubine Qiao told Nie that the old guys in the royal family camp came to the emperor like crazy, crying and snotting, saying that they could not bear to see King Liang without a successor, and persuaded the emperor to choose a child from the royal family and adopt him under the name of Zhao Tinghan. The emperor did not refuse at all.
Nie's hands trembled as she held the letter. What did this mean? Those old fools actually asked the emperor to adopt a son for Zhao Tinghan?
What is the purpose of adopting a son?
Inherit the throne?
The Prince of Liang's family is not extinct, so why should they adopt someone from the clan?
Even if Zhao Tinghan is dead, there is still Zhao Tingxuan. Do they want to bypass Zhao Tingxuan and let that adopted bastard inherit the throne?
Are they crazy?
How could such a ridiculous idea come up?
Nie had been married into Prince Liang's mansion for more than 20 years and had never dealt with those people in the clan camp. The royal family was different from ordinary families, especially a vassal prince like Prince Liang, who was far away from the capital, and even the poor relatives of the family could not come to them to ask for money.
But Nie could never have dreamed that relatives whom she had not had any dealings with for more than 20 years would actually set their sights on her family's throne. Her two sons were still alive, and these people were planning to wipe out her entire family.
Yes, it means eating up the entire family!
The adopted child must be selected from the royal family camp, and may be the grandson or great-grandson of these old people.
Although she had never dealt with the royal family camp, Nie also knew what kind of life those royal family members in the capital lived. Those who had titles and favors were living well, but those who had no titles and no favors were all extremely poor.
Now these shameless paupers actually want to take over Prince Liang’s Mansion. They are really dreaming!
Why didn't the emperor punish them?
The more Nie thought about it, the angrier she became, but after a while, she became afraid again.
The emperor wouldn't be so impulsive as to agree to the requests of those old immortals.
She quickly asked someone to call Zhao Tingxuan over and told him about this matter.
Zhao Tingxuan was confused and didn't understand why those people in the royal family camp did this.
Nie couldn't figure it out, and Zhao Tingxuan certainly couldn't figure it out either.
He walked out of Suining Palace and unknowingly arrived at Duanxiu Palace.
Unlike the deserted Suining Palace, there are guests in Duanxiu Palace every day.
Ever since Zhao Yunnuan spread the news that Princess Liang refused to see guests, the officials' wives turned to show their courtesy to Princess Zhao Yunnuan.
The person who came today came with his daughter.
Her daughter has a good physique, big breasts and a big butt, and it is obvious that she is good at giving birth.
The news that the emperor had ordered the crown prince Zhao Tinghan to get married within a year had already spread throughout Liang.
Although Zhao Tinghan doesn't have much time left, he's not dead yet, is he?
If you marry him, even if you become a widow after the Mid-Autumn Festival, you will still be the widow of the prince and a real member of the royal family.
If she is pregnant and gives birth to a posthumous child, she will occupy the position of the Nie family in the future.
If they were unlucky and didn't have their own children, Zhao Tinghan would be the crown prince, and the emperor would not let him have no descendants. He would definitely adopt a child for him. As long as this child was there, even if he couldn't inherit the throne, there would still be a place for them and their son in the Prince of Liang's Mansion.
Therefore, this was a good marriage. The women who wanted to marry Zhao Tinghan could line up from Prince Liang's mansion to the city gate.
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