Crown Prince Xiao Tang was born to Empress Yuan. The current emperor was born a concubine's son. In order to ascend the throne, he married the only daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo. Once he achieved success and his foundation was solid, he suppressed and killed those who had supported him to ascend the throne.
When the cunning rabbit dies, the running dog is cooked. It is common for emperors to be ruthless.
Empress Yuan gave birth to Xiao Tang, but passed away after struggling for seven years, leaving Xiao Tang, who was just seven years old, struggling to survive in the huge palace.
If you want to survive in a place like that, you have to be low-key and have extraordinary means.
When the protagonist Ning Yin met him, he thought he was an immortal under the moon, pure and clean. When he heard about his miserable life, he felt pity for him.
They hit it off at first sight and became friends. Xiao Tang learned that he was Shuang'er but did things as a man, and that he was different from himself who was stuck in the mud. He envied her freedom and light.
It was true that they were just friends, and it was also true that he used the forces behind Ning Yin to stand on his side. When he ascended the throne to become emperor, although he did not suppress those he had supported, he was ruthless to those who opposed him and hurt him like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.
Houses were confiscated, people were killed, heads fell to the ground one after another, and the smell of blood could be smelled in the capital's Caishikou for several months.
Such cruelty is not the style of a wise ruler. The ministers pleaded for mercy and the court officials were cautious. Ning Yin realized for the first time that the Moon Fairy was not really an immortal. He was disheartened and left sadly.
The throne was high and cold, and Crown Prince Xiao Tang was already in poor health. He was also busy with paperwork every day, and he was exhausted in just three years. He then passed away before he turned thirty.
It was not until his body was buried after his death that the lotus shape could no longer be concealed. People then learned that this emperor, who had greatly increased the strength of the Xiao Kingdom within three years of his reign, was actually a twin.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince." Father Lin saluted, and everyone behind him followed suit.
"Your Excellency the Protector of the Country is polite." Xiao Tang greeted him.
"The Duke of Protectorate has come a long way and must have worked hard on his journey." Xiao Jin stepped forward and said, "I believe this is your son. He is truly magnanimous."
As the deputy envoy, he could naturally speak, but as soon as he spoke, Xiao Tang kept silent, and his attitude was full of concessions, which made Xiao Jin feel even more proud.
"Who is this?" Lin Su looked at Xiao Jin and asked.
The people in the capital were rich and powerful, and Xiao Jin's clothes and appearance were obviously carefully taken care of. Although this luxurious outfit made him look heroic compared with Xiao Tang, it was somewhat decadent when compared with Lin Su, and seemed deliberate and bloated.
The son of the Duke of Protectorate was not inferior to the son of the Emperor, but rather even more impressive, which amazed the ministers who came to greet him. Xiao Jin naturally realized that he had lost in terms of momentum and felt a little unhappy: "I am the current fifth prince."
"Fifth Prince," Lin Su laughed, "The Fifth Prince is neither the eldest nor the legitimate heir, nor does he hold any official position. Yet he is the deputy envoy to welcome the people from the Duke of Protectorate's Mansion. Could it be that His Majesty looks down on us?"
What he said was true, but he said it with such arrogance that even in the cold wind, Xiao Jin felt his face burning.
This Prince Protector of the Country is really a reckless and foolish man. If he ascends the throne in the future, he will definitely be in trouble.
"Your Highness has misunderstood. I am the chief envoy. Although my younger brother has no official position now, he is also the son of the Empress. His Majesty was overjoyed to learn that you all came. He sent the two of us here because he values the southwest." Xiao Tang said with his eyes lowered.
The Southwest is indeed in power. This person has been able to keep a low profile for several years without being noticed by anyone, so he is naturally not a person who speaks nonsense. He may be dissatisfied with your majesty's previous behavior, but it also shows that the Southwest has long since stopped taking the imperial city seriously. It is enviable that he can be so willful.
"Your Majesty, my brother, is absolutely right." Xiao Jin forced a smile.
When he came here, his mother taught him that there might be rebellious intentions in the southwest, but now the situation has not yet become decisive, so he cannot become an enemy and can only endure.
"So that's how it is. It was I who misunderstood." Lin Su said.
"Your Highness is obviously a man of character. I heard that your sister also came with him this time, but she didn't accompany him?" Xiao Jin asked.
"You mean Ting'er?" Lin Su laughed and pulled over Lin Ting'er, who had been staring at Xiao Tang, and said, "This is my sister, Ting'er, meeting the Crown Prince and the Fifth Prince."
Lin Ting'er had dark skin and was dressed more like a man. Upon hearing this, she glanced at Lin Su and said with a bow, "Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the Fifth Prince."
Her voice was hoarse, but with the heroic spirit of someone who had been through the battlefield. Xiao Tang paused for a moment. When Xiao Jin saw her posture and expression, he swallowed back everything he wanted to say, causing him to cough repeatedly. "This, this is..."
The son of the Duke of Protectorate is good-looking, but why is his daughter so beautiful that she looks like a demon? It was a good idea given by the Queen Mother, but how can he marry her?
"This is my younger sister. She is a rare beauty. What do you think, Your Highness?" Lin Su looked at Xiao Tang and asked.
People in the capital would weigh every word they said three or five times in order to strike a moderate path and avoid offending others. The southwest is not as naturally heroic and majestic as the northwest, but this person's words were directed at one person.
Xiao Tang felt that he was not very conspicuous and had no intention of competing with Xiao Jin this time, but he did not know why the son of the Protector of the Country was so...
"Your sister is very beautiful." Xiao Tang said with a smile.
Her complexion is not like that of an ordinary woman, and there are calluses on her hands. It can be seen that she has been through a lot, and she is bold and heroic.
"Does His Royal Highness think so too?" Lin Ting'er scratched her head embarrassedly after hearing his praise. "Ting'er thinks His Royal Highness is also very beautiful, like the immortal in the painting."
"Miss, you are too kind." Xiao Tang saw that she spoke frankly and did not mean it. Although he did not like others talking about her appearance, he did not feel much resistance when someone said so.
Lin Ting'er listened to him talking to her and was about to respond when Lin Su looked at the Fifth Prince and asked, "What do you think, Fifth Prince?"
Xiao Jin was conflicted. If this woman were to be his legal wife, he would be unable to eat or sleep. But he couldn't say this. The words he spoke against his will made his face look awkward and distorted. "I also think your sister is very beautiful."
"What's good?" Lin Su asked.
Xiao Jin always felt that the Prince of the Protectorate was targeting her. She had originally prepared something that was far superior to any other woman in the capital, a model for a lady, but it was all useless. She could only awkwardly continue, "She looks quite generous. You can tell she's the daughter of a general."
He could feel it, and how could Xiao Tang not feel it? He was a little surprised at Lin Su's dissatisfaction with Xiao Jin, but this kind of problem... really made it difficult for him, the fifth prince who wanted to marry him off and win him over.
A slight smile flashed across Xiao Tang's eyes, but he was too relaxed. The itch in his throat could no longer be suppressed, and he coughed twice with difficulty.
"But it's cold?" Lin Su looked at his pale lips and thought to himself that he was negligent.
There is no overly detailed record of the prince's growth experience in the original world line, but a seven-year-old child is equivalent to being without a father or a mother, and growing up in a place like the palace where people are eaten, the hardships involved are beyond the imagination of outsiders.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com