Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Good Wife
[To get back to the main point, Emperor Zhongzong and Zhuang Shi met again; the good brothers were reunited, and their eyes were filled with tears. That year, Zhongzong had been working on the northern frontier for over five years. His military experience had greatly changed him compared to a few years prior; the once纨绔子弟 (spoiled brat) had gradually become mature and steady.]
The gray sky gradually became more colorful, and after a moment of shaking, it gradually turned into a lush green landscape.
Upon closer inspection, everyone saw that what was displayed on the sky was the scene outside the capital.
It's just too clean; it doesn't look like a place where people live.
A procession of carriages swayed into the arena and stopped outside the city gate. Three people stepped out of the carriages.
A young man, a woman dressed as a man, and a girl being held in someone's arms.
The woman slightly raised her face, and everyone under the sky held their breath.
"Such breathtaking beauty exists in this world..."
Someone murmured.
As a relative, the Fourth Prince, to show his respect, personally came to greet him. To his surprise, besides a person worth winning over, there was also a woman who aroused his lust.
The fourth prince fell in love with her at first sight and quickly took control, attempting to forcibly take her away after Emperor Zhongzong entered the palace late at night.
The Gu residence.
It was already getting dark when Miss Gu Er returned from outside.
It was mealtime, but neither of my parents were in the banquet hall; instead, they were sitting outside in the courtyard.
"Second daughter." Seeing her approach, Gu's father turned his gaze away from the sky. "It's getting dark. Remember to come back earlier next time. I told you about something yesterday..."
He hesitated for a moment, then said to his wife, "You tell her."
Gu's mother glared at her husband: "Ignore your father, he's obsessed with climbing the social ladder. If you're really unhappy, I'll refuse for you!"
Gu Xunhui's face flushed instantly, and he didn't look at his father: "Mother, I can do anything."
Mr. Gu understood his daughter very well.
When she doesn't want to, she'll say "no," but when she does want to, she's too embarrassed to say it and will say "okay."
So he nodded: "Then I will send someone to deliver the message."
Mother Gu felt helpless but didn't know what to say.
She said she would discuss it with her daughter, but her husband and Minister Zhou had already made their decision, so what right did the two children have to say no? She was willing to go all out, but her husband would never agree.
She said anxiously, "But I've heard that Zhou She isn't exactly a considerate person. This spoiled brat may seem glamorous on the outside, but inside he's..."
She couldn't continue.
Gu Xunhui was no less worried. However, she understood things more clearly than her mother: her father's official position was respectable, but in the capital, a third-rank official wasn't particularly high or low. To climb the social ladder to become a high-ranking official or a member of the imperial family…
She's marrying above her station.
Gu Xunhui knew his father's thoughts. His father wanted to climb the social ladder. He and Minister Zhou were classmates, and although Zhou She was young and impetuous, he was much better than those lawless young scoundrels.
Therefore, Gu Xunhui simply said, "Zhou She should be a good person. We just want to live a peaceful life, that's all we ask for."
As she spoke, she looked up.
The sound of the sky drifted into my ears:
The fourth prince completely disregarded Emperor Zhongzong. From beginning to end, all he had in mind was the throne, and he firmly believed that power could buy everything.
Before doing this, he had already prepared to exchange his future wealth and status for this woman with Emperor Zhongzong.
Little did he know that this one action had completely ignited the murderous intent within the previously neutral Emperor Zhongzong.
The screen moves again.
The sky gradually darkened, with only a faint ray of light illuminating the two people holding chess pieces on the left and right.
The man on the left, playing black, had a full head of white hair and looked very haggard. He coughed twice and said in a low voice, "Your chess skills still haven't improved."
On the right was the young man from outside the city. He sat upright, his fingers steady, calmly making a bad move: "If Your Majesty had known this would happen, why summon me to the palace?"
The emperor chuckled and said, "I have something to say to you."
The young man remained silent for a moment, then pointed to the chessboard and said, "Your Majesty, it's your turn."
The emperor in the picture is none other than Emperor Hong'an. Although he bears no resemblance to Hong'an himself, the dragon robe he is wearing is enough to confirm his identity.
Emperor Hong'an, watching intently from the chessboard in the sky, casually placed a piece on the board while saying listlessly, "You've known the Fourth Prince for many years, and I know you look down on him. But among the Zhong family's descendants, he's the only one capable of shouldering great responsibilities... You must protect him and ensure he secures his throne..."
As he spoke, he coughed again.
The young man listened attentively. He raised his eyebrows slightly, and under the emperor's gaze, finally lowered his eyes: "I dare not disobey Your Majesty's command."
The emperor said sternly, "I know you can do it."
The young man frowned, looking somewhat hesitant, but still said, "Your subject is willing to do his utmost."
Emperor Hong'an stared intently at him, then suddenly smiled, saying with a touch of melancholy, "If you were my son..."
The young man blinked: "I do not have that honor."
“My five sons are all incapable of shouldering great responsibilities. Yet I am unwilling to relinquish the throne.” Emperor Hong’an raised his eyelids, his cloudy eyes reflecting a sharp light in the candlelight. “After much thought, I believe you are the only one who is truly loyal. I trust you.”
The young man laughed jokingly: "His Majesty didn't say that when he sent me to the northern frontier back then."
The eerie atmosphere gradually eased, and Emperor Hong'an came to his senses: "I knew you were intelligent all along."
With a click, the last chess piece was placed. The emperor carefully examined the situation on the chessboard and smiled, "It seems I have won this game again. Very well, I will not keep you any longer. It is late, you should go home early."
The young man immediately stood up, bowed his head, and was about to take his leave when he suddenly heard a knock on the door. The chief eunuch stood silently outside the door and gave him a cryptic glance.
"Your Majesty..." Zhao Wen was unusually shy.
Emperor Hong'an's expression darkened slightly: "Speak."
“Just now… His Highness the Crown Prince’s men came from Nanning Lane, saying…” Zhao Wen closed his eyes and blurted out a string of words, “His Highness broke into a private residence at night and was accidentally injured…”
Since Emperor Zhongzong returned to the capital, he has been temporarily residing in Nanning Lane. Upon hearing this, everyone present understood what had happened.
As a competent politician, Emperor Hong'an was in a rare awkward situation: one second he was trying to arrange a marriage for his son, and the next second he was going to ruin someone else's wife.
What is a bad teammate? This is a bad teammate.
In the scene, both Emperor Hong'an and the young man have ashen faces.
Emperor Hong'an flew into a rage and shouted, "Fool! Why didn't you break his legs?!"
Zhao Wen looked embarrassed and didn't dare to speak.
The young man quickly knelt down, both to help Zhao Wen out of the predicament and to add fuel to the fire: "I suppose my wife is often at the border and has never seen Your Highness, so she was somewhat rude. Most of the soldiers I lead are rough men who only know how to march and fight, but not how to be polite. I will punish them when I get back."
Emperor Hong'an shifted his gaze to him, paused for a few moments, and then smiled bitterly: "Very well, you can go back first. The fourth prince brought this upon himself. You can send him back later, and I will discipline him personally."
Both of them knew what the other was thinking. Later, when King Jungjong recalled this moment, he only wrote one sentence: "Jongjin deserves to die."
Emperor Hong'an wanted to protect his fourth son. However, he understood one thing: Emperor Zhongzong had only been willing to assist his son because of him, and now that this had happened, it was very likely that the emperor would run away.
But he considered many possibilities, and never expected that the fourth prince would soon be unfit to be emperor.
Above and below the sky, the two Emperors Hong'an, who looked different, both had equally grim expressions.
The usually gentle and composed Emperor Hong'an finally lost his temper. He grabbed a teacup from beside him and threw it forcefully at his fourth son.
With a thud, the teacup slammed heavily onto Zhong Zhen's forehead, and a stream of blood instantly flowed down his cheek, staining his face red.
The fourth prince was stunned. He couldn't imagine how disappointed his father must be at this moment.
The situation that had initially seemed to be progressing smoothly...
My heart felt like it was being clenched tightly, and I felt a sharp pain.
The next morning, Emperor Hong'an saw his fourth son again. His earlier words had come true—"Why didn't you break his legs?"
King Jungjong strictly followed this instruction.
It's said that this had nothing to do with him; it was all the Fourth Prince's fault for running around drunk and climbing over his wall. Everyone knows he returned with a guard, these guards are rough men from the northern frontier. On a dark and windy night, who knows which lecherous fellow it was?
Startled by the shout, the fourth prince accidentally fell off the wall and broke his leg.
This is clearly just an excuse.
Anyone with a bit of sense can guess it, but it's still really a bit of a snag.
It's truly absurd that a member of the imperial family would break his leg while climbing over someone else's wife's wall... It's ridiculous to even talk about it.
Under the sky, millions of women wore joyful smiles.
"That lecherous scoundrel truly deserves it!"
Taking advantage of a break from work, they clapped their hands in hushed tones.
Gu Xunhui was somewhat taken aback, not expecting the plot to advance so rapidly, but he couldn't help but smile: "Emperor Zhongzong is indeed very direct."
This brilliant move immediately eliminated any future troubles.
Even so, she was still a little nervous. The Fourth Prince's broken leg was said to be an accident, but would Emperor Hong'an really believe it?
In the flower hall, Emperor Hong'an's anger subsided slightly.
Although he was furious that his fourth son was foolish, disregarded human relations, and had no sense of responsibility as a ruler, he did not want his son to harm his body.
His gaze shifted, and he saw that the Fourth Prince was also looking up at him, tears streaming down his face. Their eyes met, and both were filled with hesitation.
After the incident, the fourth prince was quickly sent to the hospital for treatment, but unfortunately he was left with a slight limp.
King Jungjong personally escorted him back to the palace, and even pretended to write a letter saying, "I am truly a pure white jasmine flower. I do not know what happened. Your Majesty, you have always been the most merciful. If you are truly saddened, then punish me!"
Listen to that sarcastic tone, that cryptic, cryptic speech in the memorial. It's a pity that after Emperor Zhongzong ascended the throne, he never used that tone again.
Although everyone found the phrase "tea talk" strange, they immediately understood once they saw the text displayed on the screen.
The Third Prince was quite adept at saying such things, and although he tried to hold back, he couldn't help but say in a sarcastic tone, "This person is truly rude, making it sound like Father Emperor is so heartless."
Emperor Hong'an smirked: "Third brother, are you asking for a beating?"
The Third Prince was not afraid of his father.
Tianmu said that even though the eldest brother rebelled, he was only imprisoned. What's wrong with him jumping around?
Moreover, looking at it now, all his good brothers are too incompetent, so he should be the future emperor.
Xiao Yichun watched them banter silently: "..."
The personal qualities of these princes were truly a cause for concern for him. His Majesty's expectation that he would assist the princes in the future was visibly unbearable.
Tianmu continued:
But everyone can guess that King Jungjong definitely played a part. If something happens on his doorstep, you can't escape responsibility no matter how many reasons you give!
Although Emperor Hong'an was kind-hearted, he wasn't stupid, and he didn't really believe his explanation. However, he trusted Emperor Zhongzong, so after some hesitation, he simply locked the man up first and then slowly considered how to deal with him.
The author consulted historical materials, including official and unofficial histories. Excluding some bizarre stories in the unofficial histories, such as those claiming "the fourth prince was actually taking the blame for his father" or "the fourth prince's leg wasn't broken by the guards, but by Emperor Zhongzong's wife, who was strong enough to lift a tripod, and broke it on the spot," their accounts of this period are basically consistent.
The main plot can be summarized as follows: the fourth prince, lusting after a beautiful woman, broke into the general's residence at night, and Emperor Zhongzong, displaying his power, broke his leg. As for what happened next…
Emperor Hong'an was still struggling with his decision. His dilemma lay in the fact that only the fifth and sixth princes were currently capable of ascending the throne, but he was too worried that the sixth prince wouldn't live to adulthood! The fifth prince was a notorious idiot who had offended Hong'an's confidant, Huai Leju, so he was clearly not the best choice for succession.
Speaking of this, spoiling a child is like killing a child. Of Emperor Hong'an's six sons, apart from the late Crown Prince who was personally raised by Empress Xiaozhen'an, the rest were all incapable of being of any real use. It's really hard to say that Hong'an was without problems.
Emperor Hong'an: ...
He was so enraged by the outrageous and unofficial history that he almost fainted when he heard the beginning, but when he heard the end, Tianmu's words really struck a chord with him.
Although King Jungjong was a "tyrant," the extent of his tyranny remains unknown. If he were truly his son, he could have received the title of King Jungjong...
That's not impossible either.
He was still lost in thought when he heard Tianmu complaining about his childcare skills.
Hong An was speechless.
How can you blame me for this?
Since ancient times, has any man ever personally raised his children? Educating offspring has always been the wife's responsibility!
Moreover, once one becomes emperor, there is even less time to personally educate and raise children, which is the norm.
Tianmu seemed to guess what he was going to say and immediately contradicted him:
I know some people will start licking his boots again. Our Emperor Renzong was kind-hearted. And as an emperor, he raised several sons with great difficulty. Was it easy for him?
I admit that Emperor Renzong was indeed a rare and kind father; after all, his magnanimity reached a certain level, making him an anomaly. But you can't deny that he was truly terrible at raising children; he raised a bunch of unruly kids, and the quality of his four sons wasn't even as good as that of Emperor Zhongzong alone.
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