Night Talk with Hairpin
But Zhong Yujing is different from this girl. She has had to accept the predetermined fate since she was born, so she has never fought against her own destiny. Even so, she can understand the girl's feelings very well. No one can accept it for a while if they are suddenly told that their fate has been reversed halfway through their journey.
"It turns out that your background and situation are very similar to mine." Zhong Yujing smiled at the girl.
The girl was stunned for a moment, then stopped sobbing and turned to look at her, only to hear her say, "I was destined to be the heir to the family from birth. Before me, all the heirs were men, and I'm the only woman. Therefore, my family has always worried about whether I'm qualified for this position. In this world, women have to do what men do, and many people can't accept it and are unwilling to obey."
"Haven't you ever rebelled against your family? Why do we have to do things we don't want to do? We should also have the right to make our own choices," said the girl.
Zhong Yujing shook her head and smiled, "Perhaps I was born facing this reality, unlike you, who were told about it mid-life, so I didn't have much resistance. When I was little, the other children in my family could play together, but I could only study with my uncle in the study. Over time, the games I once envied became boring, and I no longer wondered if my life would be better if I were just an ordinary child."
She suddenly looked at the woods ahead. The tall, straight trees strained upward, towering into the clouds. With a determined look, she said, "Actually, think about it. Each of us has our own mission in this world. My uncle told me that from the moment I was born, I was chosen by my family to serve them and the people behind them. I'm their protector. This is the mission bestowed upon me by both my family and God. The only difference is that I happened to be born a woman. Everything else is the same. Women can do what men can, protecting a family, a piece of pure land, or even a country. Just like this patch of trees before us..." She pointed to the woods on the opposite bank. "There are both male and female trees among them, but looking around, they all stand tall and proud, reaching the clouds. There's no discernible difference between male and female. Similarly, even we women can do what men can do, and even if they can't, we can do it too."
The girl looked at her intently and didn't speak for a long time.
Zhong Yujing continued, "I believe your father placed you and your mother here out of love and care for you, not just to train you to succeed the throne. Since you were born into a large family, you must have had many unavoidable circumstances. If it weren't for necessity, your father wouldn't have made such a request, knowing full well that you didn't want it, to displease you."
The girl lowered her head quietly, the tears in her eyes had dried.
"We live in this world not just for ourselves, but also for the families who gave birth to us and the fate we carry at birth. Even for our families and our entire clan, we must shoulder the heavy burden and protect them. If fate cannot be fought, then let it grow. When we grow into a great and majestic person, we will have lived our lives to the fullest."
Zhong Yujing turned to look at the girl after she finished speaking, and just happened to meet her gaze. She heard the girl ask seriously, "What's your name?"
"Zhong Yujing." She smiled, like the elegant breeze in the valley, carrying the fragrance of pine wood, both tall and strong.
"My name is Jinhong, this is my maiden name." The girl smiled, her tender face flushed.
There were strong gusts of wind outside the window. Before Eunuch He left, he and the young eunuchs had lit a fire in the hall. The fire flickered in the hall, and the fiery red light was like the sunset that filled the sky when Jinhong returned home that day.
"After we parted that day, I went home and told my father that I was willing to fulfill his wish and become the next emperor of Qi as a prince. From that day on, my father named me Yihong."
Zhong Yujing was filled with emotion, "So that's what you told me that day."
Jin Hong nodded. "Do you know how deeply your words moved me, Yu Jing? You changed the fate of a woman and a nation. If I had insisted on not following my father's instructions, Da Qi would have crumbled long ago and wouldn't be surviving to this day."
Zhong Yujing also sighed.
"After returning that day, I told my father and mother about seeing you in the mountains. They were both surprised and delighted. My father told me that you would be my future Prime Minister. We are the same age and share the same destiny. He felt that this was truly a rare fate and told me that he would stand by you in the future to protect Daqi."
They sat down on the steps in the hall and had a long chat like a pair of sisters who grew up together. Zhong Yujing had been alienated from her brothers and sisters since childhood due to her status as an heiress, and Jinhong had no siblings either. She was raised outside the palace and was alone. Now, the two women who had only met once in childhood were as close as sisters who had not seen each other for a long time, and there was no barrier between their hearts.
Jin Hong took Zhong Yujing's hand and said, "Do you remember what I once told you? Every time I'm in the court, as long as I see you by my side, I feel at peace, just like that day by the stream when you were by my side. Even if the thieves outside the palace came with swords, I wouldn't feel afraid. With Qiao Mu by my side, what do I have to fear?"
Zhong Yujing nodded with satisfaction and listened to her slowly tell the story, "On the day I ascended the throne, when I saw you in the hall, I really wanted to recognize you, but I couldn't reveal my identity..." She said with difficulty.
"Actually, you told me a long time ago, and I will keep this secret for you." Zhong Yujing said sincerely.
"How could I not know, it's just Yu Jing..." Jin Hong's expression suddenly dimmed, "Now I have no scruples and am honest with you, because for a long time, I have been really tired... This position on the ladder even makes me disgusted and afraid... Yu Jing, you and I both know that Da Qi is already hollow. It was hollowed out by Uncle Ping Wang a long time ago. Now relying on my brother to resist foreign enemies can only survive for a while. Looking at China, disputes have become inevitable. Even if there is no Qing Kingdom, there will be other countries to invade. Without a solid economic foundation, Da Qi will not be able to survive for a long time. "Ji, whether it's fighting or governing the country, the national treasury needs support. Without money in the national treasury, even if my brother is a god-like soldier and general, he won't be able to resist for long. The annexation of Qi State is a foregone conclusion..." She covered her eyes with her hands and cried bitterly, her voice intermittent, "Yujing, I often dream of my father recently. He looks at me with worry, without saying a word. I know in my heart that he may have already known that Qi State's fate is nearing and it is powerless to save the country... I feel guilty towards my father for not being able to protect the Shangguan family's kingdom..."
Zhong Yujing was powerless to comfort him. She had already calculated the fate of the country of Daqi, and she got the Shan Ze Sun hexagram, which meant that one side's interests would be sacrificed in exchange for long-term stability. That night, she observed the sky and saw that the Purple Star was dim. All this meant that the country of Qi would be annexed by a powerful country, and then a long-term stable pattern would be achieved.
While pondering, he heard Jinhong say, "I often despise what I've done. My brother, the prince, gave me every possible help in maintaining my power, yet I ignored his father's death and even forced him to voluntarily abandon his investigation into the true culprit in King Yao's murder... If I weren't in this position, I wouldn't have to become so cold-blooded and heartless. I wouldn't have to be like this now, forced to face an inevitable defeat, powerless to change it, and feeling such pain in my heart...
"Yujing, you advised me to resign myself to my fate that day, but today I want to ask you, if you could choose, would you be willing to be born into such a family and have such a fate?"
Zhong Yujing was stunned. Yes, it was not that she had not wavered. When that person jumped off the cliff for him, when he held her tightly in his arms, when his tears wet her cheeks... She wavered, but she couldn't. She was firmly imprisoned by fate and could not move an inch. She had to stay in this palace that was as tightly closed as a prison, and she would die if she jumped off the ground.
"Actually, I've known for a long time that you and Brother Wang..."
Zhong Yujing suddenly withdrew his thoughts and looked up at Jinhong. She said faintly, "When you like someone, your eyes won't lie."
For a moment, Zhong Yujing was at a loss and lowered her head in panic.
Jinhong took her hand, looked at her gently and said, "Yujing, I like you and Brother Wang too. I hope you two are a couple more than anyone else. You are such a perfect match. I often think that if we were both born in ordinary families, you could be my brother and sister-in-law, and we would be a family. How wonderful it would be."
Zhong Yujing slowly raised her head and looked at Jinhong. Seeing her eyes looking at her and blinking at her, Zhong Yujing smiled.
"My brother is someone you can trust. Like you, he won't easily change his mind once he's made up his mind, whether it's about people or things. Although I've never been around him, I often heard my father mention him when I was a child. He's the most outstanding of our generation in the Shangguan family. I'm more familiar with his military exploits than the classics taught by my grandfather; I can recite them by heart. Therefore, I've admired him since I was a child. When I first ascended the throne, the Qiang and Rong invaded, and he led the troops into battle. I knew we wouldn't lose! He's the undefeated god of war, the patron saint of Daqi! You are the towering tree in my heart, and he is my strongest armor. As long as you two are with me, I have nothing to fear in my position.
"Later I learned that he was the dream lover of many princesses and young ladies, but I didn't fancy him at all. How could anyone be a match for my prince? Even if he was a princess or young lady, so what? I didn't fancy Shen Qingci at all. I only did it out of consideration for my mother's favor. It wasn't until you came back from Nansai that I learned about you two. I was naturally overjoyed! My prince finally found his perfect match! Only Yujing in the world could stand shoulder to shoulder with my prince, and only with my prince by Yujing's side would they be the most suitable match!
"Yujing, promise me that if one day we can both live the life we want, don't hesitate or look back. Follow your heart and move forward without hesitation. Just like you said to me at the beginning, once you've made up your mind, live your life to the fullest and move forward courageously." Jinhong's eyes suddenly misted over, and she added, "Don't be like me. No matter how much I hate to let go, the other person won't know. They'll never have the chance to know..."
Zhong Yujing looked at her for a moment, then suddenly realized, "Is it Sun Shaoqing?"
Jinhong's tears flowed down her cheeks like pearls. "He will never know I'm a woman... I'm afraid I'm the only one who still remembers this encounter in our youth."
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