Chapter 22 The fox's tail has finally been revealed...
Zhou She rolled his eyes several times.
Too lazy to talk to Zhou Ze, he simply packed a few clothes, stuffed a few more lumps of gold into them, and turned to leave.
Liu Zhouze stood there, looking at his back with a puzzled expression.
Although this guy was idle and lazy, he had never actually seen the other person cry.
In the blink of an eye, the person was gone. Zhou Ze stopped thinking about it. Anyway, he didn't have any feelings for this older brother, so wouldn't it be better to have one less person to divide the inheritance?
The two servants who usually accompanied Zhou She were unaware that he was leaving and were sent outside to fetch wine. Zhou She strode out of his courtyard and headed towards the side gate.
Zhou's mother had already arranged a carriage, and no one knew that he was under house arrest, so no one suspected anything. Zhou She put his belongings on the carriage and was about to get in when he suddenly hesitated.
Will simply leaving like this really not bring disaster upon the family? Tianmu's reckless and nonsensical talk has implicated Miss Gu. What should we do now?
For the first time, Zhou She hated himself for being so indecisive.
My heart was pounding, and I was torn between my inner turmoil and my will to live.
As if by telepathy, he sensed something and turned around abruptly. He saw his mother standing in the attic, nodding gently at him. Her gaze was still calm and undisturbed, yet it gave him a sense of security.
That's all...
He nodded upstairs, lifted the curtain to get into the carriage, but his hand moved too much and something sharp pricked his skin.
Zhou She was already feeling guilty, and his heart stopped beating for a moment before he slowly realized that it was... the hairpin he had made.
The coachman turned around in confusion: "Young Master?"
He was already quite adept at escorting the young master out of the city for sightseeing, but this was the first time he had seen him so hesitant and cautious.
Zhou She stood on the front board, his face a kaleidoscope of emotions. At the driver's puzzled calls, he finally gritted his teeth, looked up, and smiled at the driver: "I forgot something. You can wait for me at the city gate."
Once you've decided to lie, it's actually quite easy.
Zhou She felt he was very skilled; he made the decision without even his heart racing. He calmly stepped down from the carriage and smiled at the other person, saying, "I'll be back soon."
"Alright, then I'll park the carriage at the west gate." The driver, unsuspecting, whipped the horse and drove off.
Zhou She stood there and waited for a while.
He had a vague feeling... that the sky was about to fall again.
It was a secret intuition; without further hesitation, he ran towards the Gu residence.
This street was lined with the residences of nobles, and soon the plaque of the Gu family came into view. He wondered if the visiting card he had presented yesterday was still valid today.
Zhou She hesitated for a moment, then stopped and stood a short distance away. He didn't know when Tianmu would expose his identity, nor did he know when Zhao Niang's identity would be revealed.
He came here on a whim, and whether he can take Miss Gu away depends entirely on her decision.
In that case, it's best not to reveal that you've been here.
He took a detour, found the back wall of the courtyard on the other side, and nimbly climbed over it.
At the Gu residence, Gu Xunhui got up very early. She spent the morning looking at the accounts of her dowry and felt a little annoyed, so she changed into more comfortable clothes and watched the maids pack the boxes.
Large items are naturally packed by the workers, while smaller items need to be picked out and carefully prepared.
Feeling somewhat bored, she stood up and said to the maid beside her, "I'll go for a walk outside first."
More than preparing these things, she wanted to see the sky and imagine that she too could leave her name in the annals of history.
If I were born a man, I wouldn't have to get married, and all my talent and learning...
There's no need to shelve it anymore.
Before she knew it, she had already walked into the garden. Springtime brings the revival of all things, and the plants are naturally exceptionally lush. Gu Xunhui stood under a peach tree, quietly gazing at it.
A few light footsteps suddenly sounded behind me, as if I was afraid of disturbing someone, and the leaves rustled slightly.
Gu Xunhui noticed this immediately and frowned. She didn't say anything, but tensed her muscles and cautiously backed away.
Her mind raced as she tried to guess who had sneaked in.
A thief? Or a lecher?
She stared intently at the other person, and saw a corner of a garment peeking out from the dense bushes. The fabric of that corner was of excellent quality, clearly belonging to a wealthy family.
Gu Xunhui's breath hitched.
Various guesses flashed through his mind, but the person in the woods suddenly moved, peeking out half of their face.
"..." Although they had only met three or four times, Gu Xunhui recognized him at a glance. His wariness had not yet dissipated, and doubts arose as well. "Young Master Zhou? You... what are you doing here?"
Zhou She was stunned for a moment, then suddenly turned his head. The leaves rustled, but he laughed with great relief: "Great, I've finally found you!"
He pulled Gu Xunhui into the room like a thief and quietly closed the door. Gu Xunhui sat near the door, while he covered half his face, hiding where he couldn't be seen, and whispered, "Zhaoniang."
"..." Gu Xunhui was somewhat puzzled and displeased. This was really too rude. "What does the eldest young master want to say?"
What are some things that can only be said when someone climbs over the wall into another person's house?
Zhou She understood the implication in her words. He moved forward slightly and said nervously, "The people Tianmu was talking about, I guess... are you and me."
He felt a little thirsty and couldn't help but purse his lips. He briefly explained his guess in a few words, concealing the fact that he had told his parents about it, and only said that he was going out to avoid trouble.
Although they were all in the same boat, he himself was fine, but he couldn't let his family get involved.
Having said that, he took out the nascent gold hairpin from his sleeve: "I was making it yesterday, the blueprints are already drawn, but... let me look for it..."
Gu Xunhui was somewhat stunned. She stared blankly at Zhou She as he rummaged through something haphazardly, finally pulling out a somewhat crumpled drawing after a long while.
Zhou She had originally intended to hand it directly to Gu Xunhui, his hand raised in the air, but seeing that Gu Xunhui did not come to take it, he realized that this was quite abrupt.
He quickly pulled his hand back, about to place the drawing on the table, when suddenly, Gu Xunhui stretched out his arm, gently and deftly pinched a corner of the drawing, and smoothly took it: "This is..."
She didn't finish her sentence; her eyes widened slightly involuntarily due to extreme shock.
Anyone who has seen the sky screen will recognize it as the golden hairpin that the sky screen displayed yesterday.
However, this is just a blueprint; a complete physical object has not yet been made. The ink is dry, and the details are exquisite. The artist has made several revisions and annotated many details with lead type.
“This…isn’t this what the eldest young master painted after seeing the sky?” Gu Xunhui’s hands trembled uncontrollably. She placed her wrists on her knees, pretending nothing had happened, and even smiled. “The eldest young master’s painting skills are so profound, I truly admire him.”
Zhou She sighed softly: "I guessed you wouldn't believe me. I only came here today to ask you one question: do you want to come with me?"
"..." Gu Xunhui listened attentively to those words, then stood up and glanced at the crack in the door behind him. The slanting sunlight streamed in, casting a long shadow of her.
Zhou She patiently waited for her to make a decision.
“I will not go with you.” Gu Xunhui answered in a very short time. “If what you say is false, what will I do? If what you say is true, and I leave... what will my family do?”
Although she had many ambitions and many grievances, her family had not treated her unfairly in the end.
If she hadn't been born into the Gu family, even more survival challenges awaited her. Having absorbed the family's resources, she needed the courage to make decisive decisions at crucial moments.
Escaping might work, but then she wouldn't be a daughter who cares about her family.
Zhou She didn't seem surprised. He nodded to Gu Xunhui: "Second Miss Gu, then I'll be going."
Gu Xunhui responded softly, "I'll cover your escape."
The woods in the back garden were very dense. Gu Xunhui blocked Zhou She's view, and the two of them walked into the back garden discreetly.
Zhou She nimbly climbed to the top of the wall, but still hesitated. He sat on the wall and half-bent over, saying, "Second Miss Gu..."
The response he received was Gu Xunhui's gentle yet firm voice: "Young Master, farewell."
Zhou She sighed softly.
He leaped off the wall, quickened his pace, and ran towards the west of the city.
Almost at the same moment his feet touched the ground, melodious music suddenly filled the long-silent sky. What used to sound pleasant now sounded like a death knell.
Zhou She quickened his pace, almost running the whole way, his clothes getting a little disheveled, but he still made sure to listen carefully to the sound of the sky.
[Hello everyone! Welcome back to the bizarre history of the Ning Dynasty: a special episode on Emperor Zhongzong. I'm pretty fast, right? I edited this episode in just two days, without slacking off at all, haha!]
The woman's voice was light and cheerful, with a hint of smugness. Zhou She, however, felt like crying: he didn't care at all that she was slacking off.
Eating melons (gossip) never brings good things; before you know it, the fire has burned you.
As we mentioned earlier, So-niang instigated King Jungjong to rebel and ascend the throne. So, what was King Jungjong's response to these words?
The entire process was divided into three stages: The first stage was refusal. "I am a good general of the Ning Dynasty, a loyal subject of His Majesty, and a law-abiding citizen. How could I possibly rebel?"
Emperor Hong'an waited for the new video on time, and upon hearing this, he couldn't help but narrow his eyes.
A loyal subject of His Majesty?
What a joke.
He turned around, not forgetting one thing: he summoned his sons, who had just been expelled from the palace the day before, to him, lest he be so angry that he had nowhere to vent his frustration.
The Third Prince was still sitting in his residence, drinking tea expressionlessly: "How ridiculous! A mere rebel dares to call himself a loyal subject?"
He should be killed!
[Phase Two: Wavering. Hmm, actually, this is a really good suggestion, but I'm not officially in a position to implement it right now. It seems like I wouldn't even be considered for a position based on seniority. Is it really just something I can only think about?]
really.
What an enticing offer! It's only a matter of time before people waver. Besides, this man commands tens of thousands of elite troops. If he insists on marching from the northern border to the capital, the consequences will be unimaginable.
Emperor Hong'an could almost guess what would happen next: "He would raise an army, start from the northern border, and no one in the court could stop him. Eventually, this person would storm into the capital, hold the emperor hostage to command the princes, and seize the throne when the time was right!"
Isn't this just a successful version of someone's operation from the previous dynasty?!
Just thinking about it is enough to make him angry.
[The third stage: acceptance. Well, although theoretically I have no right to inherit, times are changing, and ideas are progressing—what I mean is, who stipulated that only royalty has the right of succession?]
What does this mean?
"Can the right of succession extend to those outside the royal family??"
"Absurd, utterly absurd! Does this person intend to obscure the royal bloodline?!"
"I don't think so. They're clearly too lazy to even bother with the basics."
"this--"
Emperor Hong'an's vision went black; the thing he feared most was about to happen.
The Ning Dynasty lasted for three generations before it fell, and now it has perished at his hands. This is his fault!
He abruptly closed his eyes, as if in a moment of weakness. But when he opened them again, that vulnerability vanished, instantly transforming into sharpness.
The sky was still telling its story:
It sounds quick, but in reality, this period of wavering lasted a long time. But what finally made him decide was not Fang Jingruo and Zhao Niang's persuasion, but the Fifth Prince's renewed actions.
In the thirty-third year of the Hong'an era, spring arrived late, and with it came the Crown Prince's envoy. Yes, before he had been secretive, using the guise of study to plant spies; now, he was openly interfering in the military.
Zhou She stayed close to the wall the whole way, his heart heavy. When he heard the sound of the sky, he couldn't help but sigh.
Your Highness! Are you trying to force me to my death?
Indeed, with such a large army at his disposal, and none of them being his men, the Crown Prince would probably have to keep one eye on guard even while he sleeps at night.
Emperor Hong'an's face was grim. He thought whatever the Fifth Prince did was perfectly normal; the most urgent thing was to find out the root of this trouble, not to be angry with the Fifth Prince.
[In addition, another letter arrived with the Crown Prince's messenger. The main content of this letter was to remind Emperor Zhongzong that the Crown Prince's constant making things difficult for him was twofold: firstly, he was too conspicuous; secondly, had he forgotten that he had a younger brother serving the Crown Prince?]
ah?
Under the sky, everyone was stunned.
So it's not just that there are no fathers, sons, or brothers in the imperial family; you're fighting to the death even before you've become emperor?
The nobles shook their heads and sighed: "The struggle for power has always been like this..."
As Tianmu predicted, things went exactly as everyone had expected:
King Jungjong had indeed forgotten. But as for his younger brother, he really didn't care about him. In Jungjong's words, "He's just a fool, not worth worrying about," so there was no need to bother with him at all.
But after reading the letter, he still decided to target his younger brother, not for any other reason than simply disliking him. Then he became very puzzled: "This is strange, where did this kind of inside information come from? It's so hard to guess."
Anyone with a little brainpower would know that you're still saying "It's so hard to guess," Tianmu, you're really mischievous.
I wonder which unlucky person will be the next to be called out?
Zhao Wen stood behind Emperor Hong'an and quietly switched legs. From his angle, he could see the emperor's silent face.
He gripped the whisk tightly, a long list of names flashing through his mind—all young people who had risen to fame in recent years. But his intuition told him that... Tianmu was referring to someone no one could have predicted.
As the object of Tianmu's long-term surveillance, Huai Leju stood solemnly to the side, his eyes fixed straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to Tianmu's voice or the faint gaze.
Yes, the young Emperor Zhongzong had no idea that this person was actually Ren Duan, who had just been transferred to be the Crown Prince's tutor.
Ren Heng: "Hiss—" He looked at his son, glancing up and down with some surprise.
Ren Duan: "..."
Ren Duan sat quietly, giving his father a simple yet slightly awkward smile.
What happened? I really don't know!
In the autumn of the thirty-second year of the Hong'an era, Ren Duan, then thirty-two years old, was transferred back to the capital, ending his six-year-long posting. If the young Ren Duan was a spirited and impetuous young man, then the Ren Duan of today was a cunning old fox.
Emperor Hong'an was old, but not yet senile. His last decree before falling into a coma was to transfer Ren Duan to the Crown Prince's inner circle. The intention was clear to everyone: Ren Heng was loyal and indeed useful. Ren Duan was a seasoned veteran, but also very capable, with outstanding political achievements.
Ren Duan was the minister he selected to assist him.
Ren Duan: "..." Me?
He was a little puzzled: I'm not even a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) yet, how could I have such a glorious time?
The more he thought about it, the more smug he became. Ren Heng, seeing his son's smugness, slapped him hard, making him jump up: "What are you so happy about? When did you betray His Majesty?!"
Reminded by this, Ren Duan finally came to his senses and belatedly became somewhat nervous: "Father, is this matter very serious?"
Ren Heng remained expressionless: "How would I know?"
However, though he didn't say it aloud, he was extremely jealous: His Majesty could even choose his own son, so why not him? He was the one who truly loved His Majesty!
As for the Emperor Cheng that Tianmu mentioned, does he know him?
Looking beyond the personal grudges of that time, Ren Duan was an ambitious and promising young man. Regardless of his opinion of Emperor Zhongzong at the time, it was perfectly reasonable for him to stand by and watch the Crown Prince persecute a meritorious official.
But for Emperor Zhongzong, this was quite strange. You see, for a long time, he and Ren Duan disliked each other; their relationship was more or less hostile, so… Duan Duan, you've had a tough time.
Ren Duan looked slightly embarrassed.
He felt he was working very hard, but not in that aspect. Rather, it was because of Tianmu's designation that he was destined to become the emperor's primary target of observation once again.
Ren Heng saw his expression and slapped his son on the back again: "What are you afraid of? His Majesty has known about you for a long time!"
Ren Duan: ...You know, you know that I got into fights at the Imperial College. Is that something to be proud of?
Of course, King Jungjong did not know that the letter was written by Ren Duan, otherwise he would most likely have thought that Ren Duan was plotting against him.
Of course, going back to deal with his younger brother was only one of the things he needed to do; Bian Jiang also needed to occasionally return to assert his presence. Coincidentally, he had a perfectly legitimate reason for returning to the capital: to go home and pay his respects to his father.
Zhou She: "?"
He doesn't remember where he was told about his father's death.
Zhou Xuyan stopped stroking his beard: "Huh?"
Was Zhou She's foolish son telling the truth or not?
If that's true, does that mean he's been cursed to death?
Every spring, Emperor Zhongzong would offer sacrifices to his father from afar. It is well known that the father and son had a very bad relationship, which was once extremely strained. The family property was given to his younger brother, and he himself had nothing, spending his days picking up trash in the northern frontier.
As for the so-called remote sacrifice, it was actually a pretext for eating and drinking, and just a reason for his indulgence.
A couple of days ago, while researching, I came across some things that were read as unofficial history and fabricated rumors. For example, "Emperor Zhongzong was not actually his biological son. His parents knew this, but his father didn't dare to confront the princess because of her, so they reached a tacit agreement."
Looking at it this way, the strained relationship between father and son becomes understandable.
Zhou Xuyan was shocked: "What is that?"
Zhong Zhun: "...No wonder it's an unofficial history."
Putting everything else aside, their relationship as husband and wife was actually quite good. Although the unofficial history is rather unreliable, this actually makes more sense, and it corresponds to almost everything Zhou She said.
The only question is, how did this idle and good-for-nothing eldest son suddenly become emperor?
Is it really the pressure of survival that forces people to grow up?
Emperor Hong'an's eyes widened slightly, not even having a chance to hear the topic of the prince consort being cuckolded: What princess? There are plenty of princesses in the Ning Dynasty, and they are all arrogant and domineering, which sounds exactly like what we imagine.
Before he could continue thinking, Tianmu chuckled and changed the subject:
[Then another unofficial historical account says, "Emperor Jungjong had an ambiguous relationship with his younger brother. His brother pressured him several times, but Jungjong refused even at the cost of his life. Subsequently, the brothers turned against each other, and love turned into hatred..." This one takes the incestuous route. You can only believe one of the two. Everyone can pick which one they like and spread rumors... no, I mean, propaganda.]
Zhou She cursed under his breath.
He knew that these guys from later generations would never hold back when making fun of others, and would put all sorts of nonsense on him.
Zhou Ze's face... just thinking about it makes me feel disgusted.
Even some of those who had always criticized Emperor Zhongzong for his wolfish ambitions couldn't stand it anymore: This Emperor Tianmu was truly indiscriminate in his speech, even going so far as to talk about brotherhood and sexual misconduct!
In short, King Jungjong's family relationships were all terrible; this is a well-established fact recorded in history. In the thirty-third year of Hongan, influenced by a letter from Im Duan, King Jungjong decided for the first time to return to his ancestral graves to pay respects.
At this time, he and his mother had not seen each other for seven years. Even during his last trip back to the capital, Emperor Zhongzong did not return home, demonstrating that the conflict between them had never been resolved.
Zhong Zhun said with a half-smile, "I'm truly surprised that Zhou She still has such backbone."
Zhou Xuyan, who was also well-informed, appeared calm and composed: "You forgot, if he really was Emperor Zhongzong, those years in the northern frontier when there was no money or food were enough for him to grow."
Zhong Zhun certainly remembered.
That makes sense, but she didn't want to talk.
Of course, by this time, Emperor Zhongzong was no longer a carefree person who could just leave whenever he wanted. As the direct leader of the Northern Frontier Patrol Army and the backbone of the garrison, what kind of business would it be for him to run around everywhere?
At this time, the northern frontier was mainly held up by three forces: one was Zhongzong's men, one was Zhuang Ziqian's men, and the other was a smaller force from the Cheng family, which will be discussed in detail later.
Emperor Zhongzong was a reliable teammate most of the time. Before leaving, he made a handover with Zhuang Ziqian and took the opportunity to defeat the Northern Di one last time to intimidate them.
So look at them, Third Brother, you really need to learn from them. Focus on doing your own job well before talking about vying for the throne. Your head is always full of random, chaotic thoughts; I don't know where all your studying has gone.
The Third Prince, who was inexplicably scolded: "?"
Emperor Hong'an: "..." Insulting his son felt almost the same as insulting him. But upon further reflection, if he didn't want to hand over the throne, it seemed... he had no other choice.
Looking at them, there's only one greedy third brother and one eccentric fourth brother.
What should I do if I feel hopeless no matter which option I choose?
After winning a battle, the ceremony for returning to the capital was completely different from before. It was a grand affair with gongs and drums, firecrackers, red flags waving, and crowds of people...
Then he arrived in the capital, looked up, and exclaimed, "Oh dear, isn't this an old acquaintance?"
The sky shifted, and the camera panned down, pulling across a long army and landing on the leader.
It's only been a few days, but everyone remembers that this is exactly the scene from the last time they returned to Beijing.
At that time, it was still...
Various ambiguous gazes fell upon the Fourth Prince, all subtly and restrainedly directed. But the Fourth Prince was no dead man; those gazes were more scorching than flames, like needles pricking him, making him feel uncomfortable all over.
The fourth prince's face flushed red, and he twitched restlessly. He was about to say something, but under Emperor Hong'an's intense gaze, he silently shrank back.
Emperor Hong'an spoke, his tone laced with sarcasm: "If you dare to do it, why are you afraid of what others might think?"
The fourth prince dared not speak. After Emperor Hong'an finished reprimanding his son, he turned his head slightly and saw that no one behind him dared to raise their heads. Only then did he lie back down with satisfaction.
You can discipline your son yourself, but it's very inappropriate to let outsiders laugh at your family affairs.
He was very satisfied with the sky, but he was extremely dissatisfied with this one thing.
The heavens are a celestial being descended to earth; if she wants to speak, she can. But to proclaim it to the world—what kind of logic is that?
Spreading all sorts of nonsensical and unofficial historical accounts everywhere is even more outrageous.
That's right. The last time the emperor received him was by the then Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince. Now that the new Crown Prince has risen to prominence, it's not surprising that he came to receive him personally. He also brought the emperor's younger brother along.
You see, Emperor Zhongzong already disliked the fifth prince for his series of bizarre actions. Then, his younger brother was standing right next to him… well, that was just unpleasant. It was like having one pile of shit next to another, stinking and extremely offensive.
Fifth Prince: ...
Haha, I'm not surprised at all. Such vulgar language is something Tianmu would say.
The fourth brother, who had been sitting on pins and needles just moments before, was now completely calm and even seemed somewhat pleased with himself.
He knew that, while both were disliked by the Sky Curtain, the Fifth Brother was the one who suffered the most damage, while he was merely a minor victim.
Emperor Hong'an clearly saw the changes in the expressions of the two men and was speechless. He really wanted to pry open the fourth prince's head to see what was inside. Was it shit?
What are you so proud of? Are you pleased with yourself for forcibly taking a subject's wife?!
[The exact name of King Jungjong's younger brother is not recorded. King Jungjong thoroughly cleaned up history, including erasing all instances where his name was originally recorded in historical annals after his ascension to the throne. Therefore, for clarity, I will refer to him here as "the sixth son."]
Emperor Hong'an fell into deep thought: What does "sixth son" mean? Does it mean being the sixth son in the family?
At Princess Zhaoping's residence, Madam Zhou lowered her eyes and asked, "Is Ze'er the fourth child in the Zhou family genealogy?"
Mr. Zhou answered definitively, "Of course, the ranking doesn't match."
"It seems that the hairpin was just a coincidence." Madam Zhou raised her eyes and suddenly smiled. "That's fine. Getting involved in the struggle for the throne is never as terrible as being personally involved..."
Mr. Zhou agreed wholeheartedly. He held his wife's hand and said tenderly, "It would be good for him to go out and experience some of life's hardships on his own."
Everyone guessed based on birth order, nickname, surname, etc. Only Zhou She, who was still running wildly along the wall, understood.
"Pfft..." Zhou She nearly choked to death on the name Tianmu had given him while running wildly. "What is this thing..."
But then he thought to himself, his future self was really smart to know to cover up his name, otherwise he would be dead by now.
Emperor Zhongzong completely ignored the "sixth prince." Meanwhile, the fifth prince, who had fought for several years and finally outlasted his brothers, was overjoyed and forgot all about being cautious. He said to Emperor Zhongzong: "Now that I am the crown prince, shouldn't you be more respectful and follow my lead?"
Oh, and here's a quick aside: the fifth prince was indeed a fool. He never considered that Emperor Zhongzong was originally left to him by his good father, and he thought every day that he belonged to the fourth prince.
He was also unaware that the fourth prince and Emperor Zhongzong had long since become enemies.
Under the sky, everyone in the palace was deep in thought.
Ah, this...
The Fifth Prince was nearly depressed by what he heard.
I killed my own people?
Even he himself was shocked.
Ever since the fourth prince's prize slipped away, he had been feeling depressed. Hearing this, he could no longer hold back and asked his younger brother sarcastically, "Fifth brother, now that you've become the crown prince, why are you even more flamboyant than your eldest brother?"
His elder brother was his elder brother, the crown prince, who died young and was deeply favored by the emperor.
Although they had never met, it didn't stop him from using his elder brother as a raft.
The Third Prince also laughed: "My younger brother has great ambitions. I wonder if he can keep the position of Crown Prince in check?"
Why not give them a little flak? The two brothers, rarely in sync, exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with schadenfreude.
Their beloved younger brother was clearly uncontrollable; otherwise, how could they have allowed Emperor Zhongzong to ascend the throne?
Caught between two attacks, the Fifth Prince, emboldened by some unknown source, surprisingly displayed his cleverness: "Since Father has appointed me as Crown Prince, Father's subjects are naturally subjects of the Ning Dynasty!"
The crown prince is also a ruler!
That makes some sense. Although Emperor Hong'an disliked the fifth prince, if it were him, he would certainly make his ministers obey the crown prince, which is not wrong.
Therefore, he chose to remain silent.
The sky also aptly said:
"His Highness the Crown Prince was a bit boastful, but the problem isn't really that big." Emperor Zhongzong gave him a few perfunctory words and then prepared to go see Emperor Hong'an.
As a result, "Sixth Brother" saw him about to leave, moved aside to block his brother, and began to lecture him. The gist of his sentence was: His Majesty the Emperor is very good, but you also need to find a backer. His Highness the Crown Prince is quite good, so hurry up and prostrate yourself in submission!
This kid really dares to say things.
If you were just saying this at home, that would be one thing, but now the emperor is sitting right in front of you, and he's listening!
Not only the Fifth Prince, but several other rebellious sons present also lowered their heads, feeling extremely uncomfortable under the gaze of Emperor Hong'an.
Could Emperor Jungjong listen to him? At this point, his public persona was that of a good minister to the emperor and a good grandson to his maternal grandfather. But his good younger brother didn't care; brotherly affection and respect had to be maintained from head to toe.
When King Jungjong ignored him, he went back and started talking to the fifth prince about how King Jungjong was about to raise an army in rebellion and tear him apart with five horses.
As mentioned earlier, the fifth brother was petty and narrow-minded. Later, everyone suspected he had paranoia because after listening to the sixth brother's words, without considering whether the two brothers had a personal grudge, he started having sleepless nights. The next morning, he woke up and decided, "I have to kill him!"
Emperor Hong'an couldn't listen any longer and glared at him, asking, "Fifth Prince, what are you thinking?"
It's a foregone conclusion that Emperor Jungjong will rebel. But you don't have a secret police force, so is it appropriate to make such a hasty decision without even consulting a few advisors?
What I'm saying is, you have to bear half the responsibility for King Jungjong's rebellion.
Moreover, this level of ability is not good enough, so how did they allow Emperor Zhongzong to ascend the throne?
The fifth prince trembled, unsure whether his father was asking whether Emperor Zhongzong should be killed or how he should kill him. After a long silence, he finally replied, "Your subject... is terrified."
After saying that, he lay down on the ground and pretended to be dead, not daring to lift his head.
Emperor Hong'an wasn't angry at all about the fifth prince's brilliant move. He even smiled and pondered Tianmu's words, "the emperor's good grandson," several times.
The fox's tail has finally been revealed.
However, if the son cannot ascend the throne, then the grandson...
No, no, no.
Emperor Hong'an once again restrained his thoughts. After all, his grandson was not of the same surname, and there were restrictions imposed by the powerful clan; this door absolutely could not be opened.
Even if we were to skip over these fools, we'd have to pick from among the grandsons.
Unfortunately, he doesn't have any grandchildren yet.
The third prince, unaware of Hong'an's thoughts, jumped up in anger: "Father! How can someone of a different surname sit on the throne?!"
The other two, who were never on the same page, nodded in unison: "Yes, Father!"
Danger must be nipped in the bud. What does it matter if we didn't win in the last life? We can just kill him this time, right?
The three of them were completely in agreement about their nephew, and were very much in sync.
Emperor Hong'an: "...Summon those boys into the palace first."
The curtain of light continues to fall:
Over there, King Jungjong ignored the two ill-intentioned men and went straight into the palace without even changing his clothes.
It wasn't because he disrespected the emperor, but rather that he was there to play the victim. He had done this to his own father many times before, and now he was just as adept at it with the emperor.
Before he even reached the palace, he began to wail loudly, the sound carrying from outside to inside, waking the emperor.
Historical records describe this scene as "the emperor was grieved and wept bitterly." There is also a letter Emperor Zhongzong later wrote to his daughter, which roughly describes the situation. He praised his own "superb acting skills" and said that Emperor Hong'an was "deeply moved and felt the same way" by his weeping, and thus decided to entrust him with independent military command.
Zhou She had already run to the city gate, where the coachman was still waiting for him. Upon seeing him arrive, the coachman quickly invited him into the carriage.
Zhou She wiped the sweat from his forehead, pretended nothing had happened, got into the carriage, and said to the driver, "I'll drive myself. You don't need to worry about this place. Go back first."
The coachman didn't think much of it, assuming it was the same as before, that he had arranged to go on a long trip with some young masters from various families, and after bowing, he went back.
In the palace, upon hearing about his performance, Emperor Hong'an's lips twitched.
He wasn't surprised by his frequent appearances in the news. After all, he wasn't dead yet, and no one could avoid these monkeys and their offspring.
But how could Emperor Zhongzong be so shameless?
When it comes to crying scenes, this is a required course for emperors and their ministers. As for scenes of holding hands and gazing at each other with tearful eyes, these are often performed and are not surprising.
But no one has ever written about this scene for future generations, let alone praised it highly...
Emperor Hong'an shook his head, no longer knowing how he had become a tyrant.
If you ask him to give his opinion, he'd be more like an incredibly shameless thug.
The sky continued to add:
Emperor Hong'an may have just woken up and his mind is still not quite clear. One of Emperor Zhongzong's favorite things to do was to fabricate history books out of thin air. After passing through his hands, the history books can only be believed half of what they say.
I guess the story goes like this: Emperor Zhongzong entered the palace and saw Emperor Hong'an lying sickly in bed. He immediately knelt down and cried, "Grandfather, you are so sick, and I am so sick too. Your son is now trying to seize my family property. My money is Your Majesty's money. I am happy to give it to you, but he also wants my life!"
Emperor Hong'an still had a bit of a protective instinct towards his own son. Although they weren't close before, relationships are built over time, and after nearly ten years, they were quite familiar with each other. His original arrangement, appointing Emperor Zhongzong as a regent for the fourth prince, showed a great deal of trust. Unfortunately, the fourth prince truly couldn't seize the opportunity.
The fourth brother was called out again, and he almost ground his teeth to powder.
Really... there's no need to remind him of what stupid thing he did...
My heart aches so much.
Zhou She was still galloping away on horseback. Once he was out of the city, he was in an extremely cheerful mood. He felt the world was vast and he even had time to point and say, "Am I really that bad?!"
He is clearly a man of great social skills and adaptable to circumstances, yet he is portrayed as a treacherous minister.
Wait a minute… Zhou She felt like he'd been struck by lightning, thinking in disbelief, could his current position really be that of a treacherous minister?!
Emperor Hong'an was not entirely sober. After listening to Emperor Zhongzong's tearful account, he pulled his grandson into his arms and said protectively, "Don't be afraid, I will protect you. That unfilial son has really gone too far."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Zhongzong immediately pressed his advantage, continuing in a teasing tone, "Grandfather, my mother doesn't value me and wants to give all the family property to my younger brother. I feel like no one in the family loves me except you. If you don't mind, I'll take your surname!"
Zhou Xuyan: "?" This can't be his unfilial son!
Zhong Zhun: "..." No father, no mother, no ancestors, indeed consistent and unwavering.
However, logically speaking, the clear-headed Emperor Hong'an should not have agreed to this proposal.
Even Emperor Hong'an was stunned.
You dare say that?
Regardless of which family the son belonged to, he had a total of three daughters, each of whom had two children after marriage. Since he was the eldest son, changing his surname to the imperial one was a reward, but it couldn't be done so casually!
"Your Majesty." Just as they were in silence, the guard returned, followed by five boys of different ages and with different expressions.
These were Emperor Hong'an's grandsons.
Emperor Hong'an had three daughters: Princess Zhaoping, Princess Zhaoyang, and Princess Zhaoming. All three princesses were married and had children.
The boys bowed respectfully to their maternal grandfather, and then Emperor Hong'an calmly said, "Get up, all of you."
Emperor Hong'an rarely met with his grandsons, and even less often did he scrutinize them so closely.
Of the five, the third daughter's son, Fu Yuntao, is the oldest. He has already come of age this year and appears to be refined, polite, and taciturn.
Since Emperor Hong'an knew that the future Emperor Zhongzong would have a younger brother, he skipped over the second sons of each family and instead looked at his second daughter's eldest son, Tan Zhao, and Zhou...
Huh?
He narrowed his eyes slightly and asked calmly, "Where is Zhou She?"
As he spoke, he glanced to the side again, but did not see Zhou She's figure.
A young guard stepped forward and said respectfully, "We went to the princess's residence but did not find Zhou She. We have already sent people to search for him in the city."
Emperor Hong'an nodded slightly, a shadow flashing in his eyes.
This kid was only grounded yesterday, and today he's nowhere to be found. It's just unbelievable.
His gaze first fell on Tan Zhao. He had seen this young man a few days ago. He was about the same age as Zhou She, nineteen years old, not yet of age, with a handsome face, seemingly smiling even when not smiling, and his eyes naturally exuding tenderness.
Emperor Hong'an didn't know much about his grandsons. The only one he was somewhat familiar with was Fu Yuntao from the Zhaoming family. He knew that Fu Yuntao was intelligent, polite, and was a leading figure among the imperial relatives.
So, which of these three people was Emperor Jungjong?
Emperor Hong'an's eyes darted around, and the comments from the heavens echoed in his mind.
"Without father, mother, or ancestors."
"He kills without blinking an eye and is very skilled at sliding to his knees."
"He has a bad relationship with his parents and is a classic henpecked husband."
First, we can rule out Fu Yuntao. That kid is the pride of his third daughter and her husband, and he's always showing off.
As for Tan Zhao and Zhou She... both are reckless and unruly, with mediocre relationships with their brothers, and both know Zhuang Shi. However, Zhou She is carefree, while Tan Zhao is adept at social maneuvering, and Tan Ying seems to fit the stereotype of being smooth and sophisticated.
Tan Zhao felt a chill run down his spine under his maternal grandfather's gaze. He thought to himself, "Don't think I'm Emperor Zhongzong. I wouldn't have enough lives to kill you." He quickly exclaimed, "Your Majesty, my calligraphy is not even as good as Emperor Zhongzong's!"
His shout was so decisive that even Emperor Hong'an was taken aback.
Then a feeling of disappointment and frustration rose in my heart: "You still think you're so proud?!"
Tan Zhao lowered his head, seemingly sincerely admitting his mistake, but in reality he was thinking: I don't need the imperial examination.
These incompetent fools are clearly the best in-laws.
As for Fu Yuntao, who reads books every day and looks down on him and Zhou She, well, in his opinion, this person is a hidden danger!
Logically speaking, although King Jungjong's father had been dead for several years and he had two sons who could inherit the title, the eldest son's title was still of a different value.
Emperor Zhongzong didn't actually intend to change the name. He was just taking advantage of the emperor's pity as the maternal grandfather, thinking how pitiful the child was, unloved by his father and mother.
After some thought, the emperor surprisingly thought, "Actually, this suggestion isn't bad." So when he left the palace, he had become a general with command of troops, and was granted the imperial surname Zhong, thus changing his name from Zhou She to Zhong She.
As Tianmu finished speaking, a gust of wind began to blow at just the right moment.
A silent thunderclap boomed, leaves rustled, a light rain fell, and the sky instantly darkened, mirroring Emperor Hong'an's mood.
Just like everyone else present, they were instantly filled with a mixture of shock and anger.
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