Chapter 2 None of them are fit to be emperor…
The Imperial Palace.
The emperor was only fifty-five years old, but a serious illness he suffered years ago has left him unable to recover, let alone in good spirits.
As he listened to the sound from the sky, his beard twitched, but what he was thinking was: How can this tyrant be called Emperor Zhongzong?
“Zhao Wen…”
Chief eunuch Zhao Wen stepped forward and heard the emperor's faint voice: "Is everyone able to see this canopy?"
"Your Majesty, the princes have just entered the palace, and they can indeed see all the places they know of so far."
The emperor coughed lightly twice. Tyrant—what a terrifying word. He feared that this word might be misused by those with ulterior motives. If his descendants were truly incapable of being trusted, they would plunge the people of Ning Dynasty into misery…
He sighed heavily and ordered, "Order the inspectors in all regions to keep a close watch on the situation and not let any petty scoundrels take advantage of the opportunity to cause trouble!"
During the conversation, a hint of murderous intent crept into his voice.
Zhao Wen accepted the order and left. A moment later, he returned to the emperor with several princes.
Except for the sixth prince, who had just turned one year old, everyone was present.
The crowd eagerly crowded around the emperor, serving him tea and water, while gazing expectantly at the sky.
The emperor noticed their distracted state and gave a forced smile: "Alright, stop pretending."
A bunch of useless people, they're a pain to look at.
I've talked about several oddballs from the Ning Dynasty before. I originally wanted to talk about Emperor Zhongzong a long time ago, but it's been delayed for a long time because his tomb has been under excavation.
Everyone is familiar with Emperor Ning Zhongzong; he's a required subject in junior high school history, and his story is frequently featured in television dramas, with various propaganda circulating. Today, we'll mainly discuss the inevitability of Zhongzong's ascension to the throne and his seemingly indifferent attitude towards his scandalous affairs.
Rumors? Private matters
The emperor felt a chill run down his spine.
Their private royal affairs are being brought up in public; how can they save face?
As for the word "history," in the midst of his confused state of mind, Emperor Hong'an vaguely understood the person's identity.
So you're from the future?
Emperor Ning Zhongzong was known as the most extraordinary man of the Ning Dynasty, possessing a unique duality of divine and supernatural qualities. He was both a filial and unfilial emperor, with a mind far ahead of his time, and a mental state comparable to that of a modern-day working person.
She went on and on with these comments without a single stutter or explanation, leaving everyone completely bewildered.
Emperor Hong'an was equally confused. What did he mean by thinking that was far ahead of its time and having a dual nature of gods and ghosts? Did he mean that Emperor Zhongzong was both a god and a ghost?
A thought suddenly struck him: Could he be an envoy sent by heaven?
Thinking about it that way, it seems quite reasonable.
The right of kings is divine right; the Zhong family were originally emperors. It's perfectly normal for some deity to be reincarnated into the mortal realm.
How could a deity descending to earth become a tyrant? That is the question.
Emperor Ningzhong had a well-known nickname: "The Emperor of Three No's." This wasn't something we made up; it was a self-proclaimed title, quite ridiculous and adding a significant chapter to his life story.
What is "roaring laughter"?
The four princes sat together, resembling a family surrounded by their children and grandchildren. At this moment, one of them asked a question in confusion.
However, Emperor Hong'an, who was surrounded by people, was not in a good mood. His intuition told him that this was not a good word.
The female voice from the sky indeed explained:
[The "three no's" doesn't refer to the unbranded, counterfeit products we buy. Emperor Jungjong explained that the "three no's" refers to products without a father, mother, or ancestors.]
The previously noisy scene instantly fell silent, and even the Second Prince, who was usually the most talkative, kept his mouth shut.
Zhao Wen's gaze quietly drifted toward the emperor.
The emperor was still lying in the rocking chair, his expression unchanged, but he could already see the dissatisfaction in the other's eyes.
No father, no mother, no ancestors.
This is by no means a good word. Regardless of whose son this Zhongzong was, the current emperor can be considered his ancestor!
The second prince also saw the look in his father's eyes, and his heart sank. He both hoped that Emperor Zhongzong would be him and hoped that he would not be Emperor Zhongzong.
"Ideally, it would be my descendants," the second prince thought to himself.
Emperor Jungjong had a rather strained relationship with his parents. He was known for his habit of freeloading, living off his parents from his youth to adulthood. After getting married, he failed to establish himself and endured a very difficult life, constantly begging for food from his father, much like a certain emperor of the Gyeong Dynasty in his youth.
However, King Jungjong was better off because his father provided financial assistance. Historical records state that when King Jungjong was twenty-five years old, he wrote to his father saying, "My family is poor, and we are struggling to make ends meet. I hope you can provide me with gold to help me through this difficult time."
Emperor Hong'an astutely grasped the meaning of the term "Qing Dynasty".
The Qing Dynasty is not mentioned in historical records. Could it be a later dynasty?
He didn't expect the Ning Dynasty to last forever, but hearing these things while he was still alive was simply unlucky.
He tried to sit up, and two eunuchs quickly brought him a cushion so he could lean against the rocking chair.
The third prince, observing the situation, offered flattery: "Father, you have worked diligently to govern the country. It is the will of Heaven that ensures the continuation of our Great Ning Dynasty. Even if there is a Qing Dynasty, it will be a thousand years from now!"
Emperor Hong'an was well aware that his third son was eloquent, yet he still wore a faint smile, which made his brothers feel a pang of jealousy.
How disgusting!
So you, the third brother, are the only ones who know how to flatter?
However, seeing the smile on her father's face, the sourness turned into tension: Father, you must not be senile and let him trick you out of the throne!
Emperor Hong'an paid no attention to his troublesome sons' petty thoughts, listening attentively, hoping to glean some clues about the future. However, the heavens seemed to be locked in a struggle with Emperor Zhongzong's poverty:
Some people say, "Jungjong was an emperor, so how could he really be broke?" Rest assured, there is no doubt about it. He was openly and honestly poor, and everyone knew that he had to be very careful with every penny.
After breaking ties with his father, he became even poorer. His mother also stopped caring about him, so he had to take on another job to support the family. It was truly tragic.
Everyone: ...
All I could tell was that you were gloating.
Furthermore, our Ning Dynasty's emperor is impoverished and destitute; what are you worried about?!
The second prince had already decided that they were descendants of his lineage, and began to sigh, "How could the descendants of my Great Ning Dynasty have fallen to such a state..."
Upon hearing this, the fourth prince immediately retorted sarcastically, "Yes, but why is my elder brother so concerned about a disgraceful descendant?"
Emperor Hong'an didn't want to listen to them and waved his hand, saying, "Shut up."
They argue all the time, it's so annoying.
[Later, when King Jungjong ascended the throne, he had already broken ties with his mother, and the two had a major falling out. In a fit of rage, King Jungjong uttered this classic line: "I am a person without fathers, mothers, or ancestors. Mother, you can pretend you don't exist as my son, and I will pretend you don't exist as my mother!"]
"This is an insult to scholarship! An insult to scholarship! How could such disrespectful words come from the mouth of an emperor?!"
"This...this is absolutely outrageous!"
Under the sky, everyone was in an uproar, and the scholars couldn't believe their ears.
Is this really the future emperor? A tyrant who could be revered as Emperor Zhongzong?
Emperor Hong'an shook his head repeatedly. He said that the rule of the country in every dynasty was inseparable from the concept of filial piety. How could such an unfilial person be worthy of the throne, and how could he be worthy of the temple name of Emperor Zhongzong?
Could it really have been obtained by threatening the ministers...?
Emperor Hong'an remembered those words clearly and couldn't help but let his mind wander: I don't need a Zhongzong Emperor, but a Renzong Emperor or a Xianzong Emperor would be just as suitable.
Tianmu continued cheerfully:
[Many screenwriters also love this line, and they always bring it up whenever they see scenes involving Emperor Zhongzong. I remember there was a scene in the popular drama "Jinghua Dynasty" where the actor playing Zhongzong cried so hard, he seemed to embody a tragic figure.]
Pear blossoms in the rain?
Everyone's thoughts were immediately diverted, and a chill ran down their spines.
This is so uncultured; how can you describe an emperor like that?
They didn't find it disgusting.
[Actually, I've never really believed in the tragic story of Emperor Zhongzong, after all, he rebelled and ascended the throne. Although he himself wouldn't admit it, Emperor Hong'an certainly didn't intend for him to ascend the throne before his death, otherwise why would he have made him regent...]
Hearing a certain word felt like being struck by lightning.
It was myself!
This Emperor Zhongzong is actually my successor?!
Emperor Hong'an's initial indifference vanished instantly. He stared intently at the sky, the word echoing repeatedly in his mind.
The palace servants had already knelt down in a flurry, and even the emperor's four sons dared not speak, sliding to their knees and bowing their heads like quails, with only the emperor's panting sounds audible.
"Rebellion?" In his anger, Emperor Hong'an calmed down and kept considering the word.
Looking at his four sons, he asked himself, "Do they really have the ability to usurp the throne?"
No!
His eldest son, whom he loved most, died at the age of twelve. The child was both scholarly and athletic, intelligent and adorable, but his early death was a pain that would forever remain in his heart.
As for his remaining five sons, the youngest had just turned one year old, and he hadn't even considered them. Of the remaining four, the second was impulsive and easily angered, the third was overly shrewd, the fourth was arrogant and self-important, and the fifth was easily swayed…
None of them were cut out to be emperors.
Emperor Hong'an had been troubled for a long time, unable to make a decision, fearing that whichever he chose would jeopardize the vast territory of the Ning Dynasty.
With that thought, he slowly looked away, and his mind calmed down.
Since Tianmu hadn't specified which son would inherit the throne, he couldn't afford to lose his temper now; he should wait...
[Unfortunately, Emperor Hong'an's idea was good, but all his sons died along with him, ultimately allowing Emperor Zhongzong to ascend the throne. What's all this talk of support? You're all gone now, old man, it's normal that I, a lawless person, can't hear you!]
Emperor Hong'an's heart, which had just settled down, began to pound wildly again.
All of his sons... are dead?
Could it be that some troublemaker has actually usurped the throne?!
But this person is clearly still Emperor Zhongzong, and he is still a descendant of the Zhong family of the Ning Dynasty!
Under the sky, Emperor Hong'an and his brothers couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.
We couldn't compete with my brother back then, but now that all his sons are dead, shouldn't it be our turn? Clearly, the heavens are on my side, and the throne rightfully belongs to our family!
Emperor Hong'an and his brothers, a total of seven, all stared at the sky with longing in their eyes.
While Emperor Hong'an was still lost in thought, he was suddenly caught off guard by a tight grip on his leg. He looked up in surprise and saw that it was his third son who had hugged his leg.
The third prince, always eloquent, grabbed his father's trouser leg in front of everyone and said, "Father, I can't bear to part with you..."
She burst into tears on the spot.
The fifth and fourth princes were dumbfounded. They wanted to say that this was an insult to their culture, but when they saw their father's teary eyes, they chose to follow suit and hug his leg.
The second prince reacted a step too slow, and all the good spots were blocked, so he had to find another way and started wailing while clinging to his father's arm.
The father and his five sons performed a grand opera, and the eunuchs all lowered their heads, not daring to utter a sound, for fear that they would be remembered by the shameless princes and retaliated against in the future.
However, I believe many people, like me, just want to say, "Good riddance." After all, of Emperor Hong'an's five adult princes, apart from the sixth prince, who cultivated Taoism (albeit somewhat off-track, seeing everyone as a god), the other four were all scoundrels.
Emperor Hong'an abruptly withdrew his trembling hand from his son.
The wailing of the four sons also stopped. The second prince wiped away non-existent tears and stammered, "What do you mean, not a good thing..."
Emperor Hong'an looked embarrassed and lightly scolded, "What kind of behavior is this, crying and wailing?!"
Under his gaze, the four princes stood up tremblingly and returned to their seats.
Emperor Hong'an was neither a harsh emperor nor a demanding father to his son.
Knowing all along that his children were unlikely to amount to much, he wasn't particularly surprised.
How could he not be a good person? Could he even commit patricide?
They don't have the guts, nor the ability.
Emperor Hong'an knew his sons too well and thought it through with certainty.
[As early as the thirtieth year of the Hong'an era, the third prince had already passed away, the second prince's attempt to seize power failed, and he subsequently committed suicide. The fourth prince was imprisoned. The only remaining prince, the fifth prince, was successfully appointed crown prince, but he was no ordinary man either, and he slapped his father, the emperor, in the face twice.]
The second, fourth, and fifth princes, who had just sat back down, instantly felt their hair stand on end and slammed their knees heavily to the ground.
Only the Third Prince looked around before kneeling to the side, his eyes filled with a triumphant smile.
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