When Zhao Xuanqing was very young, he suffered from a serious illness.
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau said that her birth mother was surrounded by evil spirits and was an ominous person. Only by adopting her into the name of someone destined to inherit the Phoenix's destiny could this evil spirit be suppressed.
Emperor Yuming was furious when he heard his words. He felt that the man was being manipulated by someone to sow discord between him and Zhao Xuanqing's mother, so he waved his robe and drove him away.
However, several days passed, and Zhao Xuanqing's illness showed no improvement; in fact, it seemed to be getting worse. Emperor Yuming had no choice but to give it a try and place Zhao Xuanqing under the Empress's care.
At that time, Zhao Xuanyang was not even two years old. He curiously looked at the little guy in the Empress's arms, couldn't help but reach out and poke him, and exclaimed in surprise, "Mother, she's so soft!"
The Empress couldn't help but chuckle and took his little hand away. "This is your sister. Be careful not to poke her too hard, or she'll cry."
"She can cry too?" Zhao Xuanyang wrinkled his cute little nose, pouted and said unhappily, "Your subject doesn't want this little sister. Your subject doesn't like crybabies. Your subject likes someone as powerful as your eldest brother, someone who can protect your subject!"
At that time, Zhao Xuanyang was less than two years old, Zhao Xuanyao was already six years old, and Zhao Xuanqing was still an infant.
Hearing his words, the Empress's eyes flickered, and she smiled, "Qi Yu is a little man, he can't always rely on his elder brother to protect him. Qi Yu needs to become strong on his own so that he can protect himself and his sister."
"Become powerful?" One-and-a-half-year-old Zhao Xuanyang, snot bubbles popping from his nose, looked at the Empress expectantly.
The Empress used a silk handkerchief to wipe his snot clean, then patted his head and said gently, "Qi Yu will definitely be more powerful than his elder brother, as powerful as Father, and then protect his younger sister, okay?"
The Empress's encouraging words excited Zhao Xuanyang, so much so that his nose seemed about to run again. He wiped his face haphazardly, "Yes! Your Majesty, I promise you, I will protect my sister well!"
Emperor Yuming initially believed that the Imperial Observatory had acted on the Empress's orders to have Zhao Xuanqing handed over to her. However, seeing Zhao Xuanqing gradually recovering and the Empress treating her as her own son, he began to waver.
He told Zhao Xuanqing's birth mother about this, and she seemed to have no objection, but bestowed upon her daughter the name "Zhaoyang".
Thus, the first princess of Dayu was given a title, which was her courtesy name—Zhaoyang.
Under the protection of the Emperor and Empress, Zhao Yang grew up healthy. Since she was the only princess in the entire Dayu Kingdom, she was extremely doted on from a young age, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that she was "the most precious thing in the world".
Zhao Xuanyang and Zhao Yang got along surprisingly well. Zhao Xuanyang truly kept his promise to the Empress—to be more capable than the First Prince and to protect Zhao Yang well.
When Zhaoyang was given to the Empress, he was only a year and a half old. After hearing what the palace maids said, he thought that this was his mother's younger sister, whom she had secretly given birth to behind his back. At first, he was a little jealous, but after talking with the Empress, he really took it as his responsibility to protect his sister.
He treated Zhaoyang as his own sister when he was one year old, and in the days that followed, he never remembered that after he was born, his father rarely went to his mother's palace.
And where did this younger sister come from?
So one of the siblings forgot, and the other had no idea at all. Over time, they became the closest of Emperor Yuming's children.
As Zhaoyang grew up, she became a charming and lovely little girl. At the age when she should have been most playful, her fourth brother was already going to the Imperial Academy for classes.
She was furious, and Zhao Xuanyang was extremely obedient to her, so she often dragged him to skip his studies to play with her. Her father doted on her the most, so even if her teachers were furious, her father would not punish her; instead, he would find her adorable.
So she would always trick Zhao Xuanyang into skipping class.
The sun shone brightly that day, and Zhaoyang carefully held the kite that the Imperial Household Department had just made for her, reluctant to let go. She loved this kite; it was shaped like the sun, just as beautiful as she was.
Little Zhaoyang tilted her chin up and thought proudly.
She went to find Zhao Xuanyang with a kite, only to find him studying. Seeing Zhao Yang pout unhappily, and with his playful side clamoring within him, Zhao Xuanyang hesitated.
Zhao Yang then threw a tantrum and dragged him along, and he had no choice but to comply.
The brother and sister arrived at the Imperial Garden—a place they often came to fly kites.
The summer sun shone brightly, cicadas chirped incessantly, and a few gentle breezes blew. Zhaoyang was too small to fly the kite properly, but insisted on holding it herself, so the kite tragically broke.
Fortunately, although the kite fell into the nearby palace, no one lived there, so there was no need to worry about being punished.
Zhao Xuanyang glanced at her helplessly, "You stay here and don't move. I'll go get the kite."
Zhao Yang refused and insisted on picking it herself, so he waited for her in the Imperial Garden.
Five years old is the most active age. Zhaoyang ran to the palace next door with a "thump thump thump" sound. A lotus pond, which was not very big, came into view, and the flowers were blooming in full glory.
A circle of willow trees was planted around the pond, and the sun-shaped kite was hanging on one of the trees.
Zhaoyang tilted her head and looked at it, thinking that the height was acceptable. She walked to the base of the tree, stretched out her two little arms, and started climbing.
The palace maids and eunuchs standing nearby were terrified. They tried to stop the little princess, but she raised her hand to stop them.
"Stop!" Zhao Yang said seriously in a childish voice. Seeing that they were indeed obedient and dared not make any rash moves, he suddenly grinned and swiftly climbed up the short tree.
The palace maids and eunuchs standing nearby: "..."
Zhao Yang was very proud. She felt that she was a big girl now, and climbing a small willow tree was no problem for her. She snorted, "You are all so stupid. You have been following me for so long, and you are not as smart as me at all."
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