“Brother, you know that the ministers will not agree to let that child succeed to the throne. They would rather you choose a son of the royal family to be adopted.”
Xiao Lingchen said smugly, "Of course I have a way."
His solution was to put on a show for the world.
The deposed emperor escaped the pursuit. Years later, Emperor Yongzhao and his empress both fell seriously ill and died without leaving any children. The deposed emperor then made a comeback, reclaimed the throne, and changed the era name to Guangxing.
The Xiao family disappeared overnight, leaving everyone in a state of anxiety and suspicion. However, Emperor Guangxing quickly stepped forward to deny the rumors and posthumously honored Emperor Yongzhao and the late Empress, openly recognizing them as his imperial father and mother, and inviting them to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to be treated with utmost respect.
Seeing his sincerity, the courtiers barely managed to suppress their anger.
When Emperor Guangxing was enthroned, a large ship was swaying along the coast of the South China Sea, carrying a full load of people away from the shore.
If there were people from the capital here at this moment, they would be surprised to find that the legendary Xiao family, whose house was supposedly deserted, was actually all on this ship!
"Look! Wow! I caught a weird fish!"
"Haha, I never expected there to be so many wonderful things in the South China Sea! It's so much more fun than the capital! I don't want to go back to the capital!"
"We have to thank our master for taking us out to have some fun!"
On the bow deck, a tall, handsome man, though over thirty, stood with a hint of self-satisfaction on his face.
"...Emperor Guangxing? Not bad for the reign title. Back then, you were the one who found and rescued that kid from a pile of beggars. He treated you like his own mother. After hearing my plan, that brat actually said, 'I can leave, but you have to stay and enjoy the good life.' I gave him a good beating."
The woman in his arms was both amused and exasperated: "Brother, who could understand your plan? Besides, that little guy looks different from the deposed emperor, won't the ministers be suspicious?"
"He does look somewhat like the deposed emperor. The young ministers have never seen the deposed emperor, and seeing that the old ministers have tacitly agreed, how could they doubt him? As for the old ministers... humph, those old fogies are all trustworthy. How much of the truth do they know? Besides, Helian is watching over them, so there won't be any major trouble."
"Aren't you afraid of angering this old minister by acting so recklessly?"
“If they dare to pressure you and say that the Empress has no son and requests a talent selection, I would simply abandon the empire and take you with me.”
Xiao Shisan was cutting fruit for Cuiyu when he heard this. He rolled his eyes and pouted rudely.
"Master, you've already been thoroughly ruined in this life, so please stop lowering the bar for our understanding of what's acceptable, okay?"
Xiao Lingchen didn't turn around, but threw an orange at him.
Xiao Shisan dodged with a grin and said, "Miss, am I wrong?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Cuiyu kicked him in annoyance: "You're becoming more and more unruly. How can you speak to your master like that!"
“…Cuiyu, even you are kicking me.” Xiao Shisan said aggrievedly, “The young ladies always protect their masters, but you hit me every day.”
"Because you deserve a beating!"
Tong Su watched the two bickering with a smile. Xiao Lingchen reached out and put his arm around her waist. She was in his arms, enjoying the sea breeze.
"Although that child is young, he is quite shrewd. You don't need to worry about him staying in the capital on his own. Those old officials are not enough for him to play with. Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. In the future, it will be the next generation's turn to rule the world."
"I'm not worried about him, I'm only worried about you—brother, are you really willing to leave? That's the supreme position above all others, are you willing to give it up?"
He chuckled softly, lowered his head and kissed her forehead, his gaze tender.
"What is there to be reluctant about? The highest place is lonely and cold, but nothing compares to being with you, to see the vastness of the world and the boundless expanse of the rivers and lakes."
The sea was calm and the sky and sea blended into one. Looking into the distance, all that could be seen were the white waves and the faint shadows of leaping fish.
In a vast expanse of blue, where the sky meets the water and the water meets the sky, every corner is the most beautiful place in the world.
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