Chapter 279 Keep this box for me, okay?
The eunuch took out a golden box. Shen Ruzhi thought it was some kind of jewelry and resisted the urge to snatch it away, so she pretended to be polite.
Before she could speak, a slender, white hand flew over, snatched the box from the eunuch's hand, and stuffed it into Chen Ruzhi's arms. "Take it, this is what you deserve."
"Mother...this...isn't this a bad idea?"
She wanted to take it, but she could at least say a few polite words of thanks to the old man to appease him. Otherwise, what if the old man regretted it? She also wanted to bring gifts for Zhizhi and Lao Deng when she returned.
"What's wrong with it? He owes you all of this."
Emperor Tuoba Xiong waved his hand, "Take it, your mother is right."
Shen Ruzhi didn't stand on ceremony anymore. She put the box in her pocket and examined it carefully. "This box looks very expensive. I wonder if the contents inside are also very expensive?"
Lin Qingshuang said, "If you want to know, just open it and take a look."
Sinking like a branch...
"Is this okay?" Open the gift in front of people to see what it is.
Emperor Tuoba Xiong coughed twice. "I originally intended to wait until after I was gone before you opened it, but since your mother said so, you can open it now."
"You'll have to find out about these things sooner or later, so knowing them earlier might give you time to prepare."
Upon hearing Tuoba Xiong's words, Shen Ruzhi opened the glittering box without any hesitation. The weight of the box was estimated to be enough to exchange for a decent house in the capital.
"This..." Shen Ruzhi's smile froze on her face, "Just a piece of paper?"
"It's a bit wasteful to use this box to store it."
She thought the box was so luxurious that it contained an imperial seal, a throne for her to inherit.
"Ahem... Open it and take a look..." Tuoba Xiong said.
Reluctantly, Shen Ruzhi placed the box in the hands of the eunuch beside her and whispered, "Keep this box for me, okay?"
eunuchs...
"Your Highness, please rest assured."
Relieved, Shen Ruzhi took out the letter, opened it, turned it around once before straightening it, and said, "This is..."
The drawing above depicts a place in a winding, meandering pattern, complete with a landmark. "Is there a gold mine here?"
"Don't you want anything else besides gold mines?" Emperor Tuoba Xiong asked.
Shen Ruzhi shook her head. "No."
Tuoba Xiong......
“My days are numbered, and the position of Crown Prince has not yet been decided.” Tuoba Xiong pointed to the paper in Shen Ruzhi’s hand, “This is where my portrait will be kept.”
"After I leave, go find this portrait. With your mother here, I can entrust Western Xia to you with peace of mind. But I have only one request: you cannot have the surname Chen; you must change it back to Tuoba."
Lin Qingshuang glared at Tuoba Xiong.
Startled, Tuoba Xiong quickly softened his tone, "Surely the future emperor of Western Xia can't not have the surname Tuoba, can he?"
Shen Ruzhi then realized that Tuoba Xiong wanted to pass the crown prince position to her, and her eyes instantly filled with tears.
"There's no need to be so moved. These are all things I owe you. You've suffered all these years."
"I didn't suffer much, but you owe me so much, yet you have to hurt me like this!" Shen Ruzhi wiped away her tears. "Don't you know how many people want you dead if you sit in this position?"
"Besides, I'm barely literate and grew up in Dongling. Aren't you just trying to harm me?"
"I think it's not that I'm the one who brings bad luck to you, it's that you bring bad luck to me," Shen Ruzhi cried, feeling wronged. "I thought it was something good."
"This...this..." Tuoba Xiong was completely baffled. "Not to mention how many people outside would kill for this thing."
"None of your brothers and uncles are not coveting this position."
"Do you really think your three elder brothers were able to recognize you because of me? They were all after this position."
"Why don't you want this back?"
“Precisely because everyone wants this position, it’s not something I can just sit on just because you give it to me,” Shen Ruzhi said anxiously.
She didn't want to be an emperor; she just wanted to travel, enjoy the scenery, and eat all the delicious food.
Besides, if he became the emperor of Western Xia, how would he return to the Eastern Tombs? How would he see Zhizhi? How would he go out and have his fun?
"Isn't your mother here?" Tuoba Xiong pointed at Lin Qingshuang and said, "With your mother around, how many people dare to act wildly?"
"I believe your mother can raise you to be a qualified emperor."
"The key is that I don't want to be emperor."
Emperor Tuoba Xiong...
Lin Qingshuang quickly comforted Shen Ruzhi, "Zhizhi, if you don't want to be the heir, then you don't have to be. It's not like I'll let you inherit it now. If you want to be the heir in the future..."
"If you don't want to be the one, just choose someone else to be the one."
"No!" Tuoba Xiong stopped him. "How can we easily hand over such a big opportunity to someone else?"
He also knew that if he were to die, none of his princes would be able to take the throne; one was cruel and the other was weak and indecisive.
Only Tuoba Wenjing could be considered a candidate for crown prince, but he was warlike.
If he were to ascend the throne, there would inevitably be many battles to come. Although Western Xia and Eastern Ling are now standing side by side, Eastern Ling has not only produced a Prince of Langya, but now it has also produced a Princess of Langya.
It seems that he will soon occupy the mountain peak alone, and having Ling'er sit on the throne will be supported by Empress Lin Qingshuang.
Secondly, Ling'er has a very good relationship with the Princess of Langya in Dongling, which might ensure that Western Xia can continue for another hundred years...
Lin Qingshuang naturally understood Tuoba Xiong's thoughts. The debt was only a small part, and since Zhizhi was unwilling, she would not force her.
"It's not your place to speak here," Lin Qingshuang said sternly.
Tuoba Xiong obediently shut his mouth. His fear of the Empress had penetrated to the bone. He pleaded, "Good child, your father only has a few days left to live."
"Even if you don't want to in the future, you can have your mother temporarily act as regent for you."
In short, the throne must not fall into the hands of others.
Shen Ruzhi felt a pang of sadness when she saw the fat old man leaning weakly against the bed. "Then let my mother take care of him for me from now on."
If all else fails, give this thing to Ningning to manage; she's a master at it.
Lin Qingshuang would fulfill any request that Zhizhi made, saying, "Zhizhi, don't worry, Mother will take good care of you."
"But let Yu Hai take a look at him, and let him stay for a few more years."
“Shuang’er…” Tuoba Xiong was deeply moved.
“Don’t cry. I just feel that your so-called retribution for Zhizhi back then wasn’t enough, so I’ll make you live in this position for a few more years with fear.”
Tuoba Xiong......
Yu Hai, understanding the situation, stepped forward to take Tuoba Xiong's pulse. After a while, he said, "I'll prescribe some medicine. Take it as needed, and with gradual conditioning, you'll get better. At least you can live for another year."
Of course, assuming no one attempts to assassinate them.
"Hehe, it seems I've come out ahead this time. The imperial physician originally said I wouldn't live more than three months," Tuoba Xiong said.
I should have kept quiet about the will in the first place.
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