Chapter 298 Selfishness
The room fell into silence, and neither the couple spoke.
What happened today happened too suddenly. Even though they have a strong ability to accept things, some information still needs time to digest.
Shen Qingtan didn't expect that Zhao Yi was not the biological son of the eldest lady and the eldest master, and the degree of love that the eldest lady and the eldest master treated him was something that even some biological parents could not achieve.
She herself had experienced a tortuous life and could understand Zhao Yi's feelings.
However, their situations were different. The Cheng'en Marquisate used her as a tool to gain benefits, and because her existence threatened their lives, they burned her to death.
When she learned the truth, she felt only hatred.
The eldest master and mistress treated Zhao Yi as their own son.
No matter how calm and composed he is, he must be very sad, right?
Shen Qingtan came to Zhao Yi and hugged him from behind.
Zhao Yi lowered his eyes to look at her hand around her waist, gently held her wrist, and whispered, "Do you have anything to say?"
Shen Qingtan put her face on his back and nodded: "Yes."
Zhao Yi's heart sank. Once his life experience was revealed, the Zhenbei Palace, his in-laws' family, would be affected to some extent.
He didn't know what the Zhenbei Palace would do, whether to face it with him or take Shen Qingtan away.
"My dear, the Northern Qi envoys are spreading rumors that you are the emperor's son. They are clearly targeting you." Shen Qingtan knew that Zhao Yi did not need any words of comfort, but only needed her attitude to reassure him: "The Northern Qi has pushed us to the limit, so we will lend money and food to the emperor to prevent future troubles."
Zhao Yi was stunned. He thought Shen Qingtan would comfort him, discussed his life experience, and worried about his current situation.
He didn't think of any of these. She stood firmly behind him, thinking wholeheartedly about how to protect him.
"Okay." Zhao Yi turned around and hugged her in his arms: "We won't charge interest from the emperor."
Shen Qingtan: "..." As expected, her worries were unnecessary.
Zhao Yi could almost imagine the look on her face as she glared at him. His heavy mood instantly lightened a lot, and his eyes became firm and calm.
As long as the people he cares about are standing by his side, everything in this world is just a trivial matter to him.
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In the study in the front yard, the Duke sat in the armchair, his eyes sweeping across the faces of the eldest master and the eldest lady, and from their strange expressions, he saw a clue.
"Are you here because of the rumors?" The Duke gestured for the eldest master and mistress to sit down. "Are you going to look for Yi'er?"
The eldest master smiled bitterly and said, "Father, truth will come to light sooner or later. Instead of letting others tell Yi'er, why don't we tell him ourselves?"
The Duke remained silent. Emperor Jing'an had sent him as an envoy to Northern Qi to welcome Princess Yizhen back to the country.
Emperor Jing'an did not go to Northern Qi, but came to the border town where the two countries bordered each other, preparing to personally welcome Princess Yizhen back to the capital in the border town.
Unexpectedly, when he arrived at the capital of Northern Qi, he learned that Princess Yizhen had died, leaving behind only a child.
He wrote about Princess Yizhen's deeds in a letter and ordered someone to send it to Emperor Jing'an in the border town at an accelerated speed of 800 miles.
Emperor Jing'an quickly replied, asking him to bring the child back to Da Zhou at all costs.
The child is the child of Princess Yizhen and the Emperor of Northern Qi, and has the blood of Northern Qi flowing in his body. Even if the Emperor of Northern Qi does not like the child and casually gives the child to a palace maid to take care of and ignores him, he will not let him bring the child back to the Great Zhou.
Finally, with the help of the Northern Qi imperial tutor, he was able to successfully bring the child back to the Great Zhou.
Emperor Jing'an originally wanted to raise the child himself, but the child had the blood of both royal families. No matter how much Emperor Jing'an doted on the child, he would still endure public criticism.
Emperor Jing'an was reluctant to let the child grow up in rumors, so he asked him to find someone with a clean family background in the clan, foster the child in that family, and then find an opportunity to promote that family in the future.
He did not return to the capital with Emperor Jing'an, but secretly took the children to the clan. On the way to the clan, he received a letter from the eldest son.
The family letter stated that the eldest grandson had died young. Zhao Qishi, unable to accept the loss of her child, fell ill in Wen County. The eldest son, fearing that this would upset Zhao Qishi, kept the death a secret for the time being.
The eldest brother asked him to ask the emperor for mercy and send a royal physician to treat Zhao Qi. After Zhao Qi recovered from the pain of losing her son, he would report the news of the child's death back to the family.
The moment he saw the letter, an idea struck him: Instead of fostering the child with a branch of the clan, it would be better to foster the child with the eldest son.
First, it can help Zhao Qi fill the pain of losing her son.
Secondly, his legitimate daughter was the queen in the palace, and raising this child in the family could consolidate the queen's position.
Emperor Jing'an had deep feelings for Empress Yuanrong, but no one could guarantee that the imperial family's favor would last forever.
Princess Yizhen died for Emperor Jing'an, and her position in Emperor Jing'an's heart was unmatched. Moreover, she was already dead, and this feeling of guilt would not fade with time.
In the future, Emperor Jing'an no longer favored Empress Yuanrong. If Empress Yuanrong made a mistake, Emperor Jing'an would show her special mercy for the sake of the child.
He then went to Wen County and left the child to be raised by Zhao Qi, and changed the child's name on the grounds that the name was too big and the child could not bear it.
Afterwards, Zhao Qi took the child to the farm to recuperate for nearly a year before returning to the Duke's Mansion.
Because Zhao Qi's pregnancy was very difficult and her reaction was strong, the child was born weak, often sick, and difficult to raise.
Now he has contracted smallpox and his condition is serious. They stay on the farm to recuperate and no one will suspect anything.
The child, who was over one year old, changed every day. He was raised away from home for almost a year and then returned home, hiding it from everyone.
As they got to know each other better, he began to treat Zhao Yi as his own grandson.
This child is weak, well-behaved, and intelligent, and is very lovable.
He asked for the title of Zhao Yi, more or less out of selfish motives.
The eldest brother knew that he had no successor and was unable to lead the family to new heights, so he was unwilling to be the crown prince.
The second son is a hopeless case and has no ability to be the crown prince.
As for grandchildren, the Duke's Mansion has only one legitimate grandson, Zhao Jue. With his ability and vision, it is difficult for him to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the Duke's Mansion.
Among the descendants of the Duke's Mansion, only the fourth brother has real ability, but he is a concubine's son.
The only person who could take on the responsibility of the Duke's Mansion was Zhao Yi, but the emperor had made it clear in front of him that once Zhao Yi's illness was cured and he made achievements in the court, he would be appointed as prime minister and given a title of nobility, and would also be given a new mansion.
He thought to himself, let's first appoint Zhao Yi as the crown prince. By the time Zhao Yi has made achievements in the court, Zhao Qiyuan will have given birth to a child, right?
If it is a boy, he will be registered under the name of the eldest son. After Zhao Yi sets up another mansion, the title will be passed on to Zhao Qiyuan's child.
It’s a pity that Zhao Yi is indifferent to fame and fortune, and has no interest in the position of the crown prince.
He had once tried to sound out the emperor, but the emperor never gave in.
It was not until Zhao Yi got married and took the initiative to fight for the position of the crown prince that he submitted a petition to the emperor requesting the title. The emperor withheld it for several days before approving it.
Everything was going according to his plan. The emperor did show mercy to the people in the Duke's Mansion several times because he took into consideration the fact that the Duke's Mansion had raised Zhao Yi.
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