Chapter 135 Recognition

When Ming Huazhang saw Princess Taiping in this room, he was shocked beyond words. Why was it Princess Taiping who came? Was someone plotting against him and Princess Taiping?

Unexpectedly, when Princess Taiping saw that it was him, she breathed a sigh of relief and said angrily, "I was so scared. I thought they had discovered me."

Ming Huazhang raised his eyebrows slightly, unsure of what Princess Taiping was up to. Princess Taiping changed her usual stern and domineering attitude, took Ming Huazhang's arm and looked him up and down.

Ming Huazhang felt uncomfortable with this look, so he took a step back and avoided Princess Taiping's hand: "Your Highness Taiping, what are you doing?"

It was disrespectful for a minister to speak to the princess like this. However, Princess Taiping didn't care about his offense at all. She carefully examined Ming Huazhang and finally stopped her eyes on his face. Tears welled up in her eyes: "It's like him, it's really like him. Why didn't I notice it before? And you still call me Your Highness?"

Ming Huazhang's pupils shrank, and he suddenly raised his head. However, when he met Princess Taiping's gaze, he fell silent again. Ming Huazhang paused for a long time, lowered his eyelashes and said, "I don't understand what you mean."

Princess Taiping glanced at Ming Huazhang in reproach, and suddenly said with deep emotion: "You look like Changsun's family, that is, your great-grandmother's lineage. He looked like you when he was young."

Ming Huazhang lowered his eyes and remained silent. Princess Taiping had not thought of that old friend for many years. When she saw Ming Huazhang today, those faded and deteriorated memories, along with her girlhood, hit her like a tide.

Princess Taiping blinked and couldn't help crying: "When I first saw you, I thought you looked like Xue Shao. Now that I think about it, you don't look like Xue Shao at all, but like Aunt Chengyang. Your eyebrows and Aunt Chengyang are almost like they were carved from the same mold, but your demeanor is exactly the same as my second brother."

Ming Huazhang felt a sense of emptiness when he heard the name again. He didn't know whether to pretend he didn't know the name as usual, or to ask for more details.

Princess Taiping wiped away her tears, but she was used to living in luxury, and had long nails on her hands, so she couldn't stop crying no matter how hard she tried. She said with a mixture of relief and resentment, "Second brother is really something, he didn't even tell us a word about such a big thing. If I hadn't planted spies around the King of Wei, I wouldn't have known that Second brother still had a blood relative alive. Fortunately, he didn't find you."

At this point, it seemed unnecessary to pretend not to understand. Ming Huazhang sighed and asked, "How did you find me?"

Princess Taiping looked at him, smiled in an ambiguous way, and said, "You are really brave. You knew that Xuanxiaowei was mother's private soldier, but you still dared to come in. But it was also thanks to you that my third brother did not encounter any major problems when he returned to Luoyang."

Ming Huazhang was startled and raised his head suddenly: "Do you know Xuan Xiaowei?"

"Of course I know." Princess Taiping seemed to understand what he was thinking, and said proudly, "Otherwise, why could I find you before the King of Wei? Many contact points in Chang'an and Luoyang were established by me. It's just that mother doesn't completely trust me. The inner walls of Xuanxiaowei are heavily guarded, and they monitor each other. Even I can't control it. Otherwise, I would contact you using the Xuanxiaowei code. But it's good this way. I invited you in the name of holding a banquet. It's aboveboard and legitimate. Mother and the King of Wei should not be suspicious. From now on, I will be in the light and you will be in the dark. We will control Xuanxiaowei together, and the world will return to our Li family's hands in no time!"

Ming Huazhang realized at this moment that Princess Taiping dared to hold a grand banquet when Chang'an was in turmoil because of the explosion, just to find an excuse to meet him. The King of Wei was looking for Li Xian's orphan, and it would be too obvious for Princess Taiping to invite Ming Huazhang alone, so she simply called all the dignitaries in the capital to come, so that everyone would only think that Taiping was extravagant and willful, and would not think in other ways.

Ming Huazhang was a little surprised, but thinking back, it made sense. If Princess Taiping didn't know about Xuan Xiaowei, why would Jiang Ling be stuffed into it by his father? If he hadn't received any news, how would Jiang Anhou know that entering Xuan Xiaowei would guarantee a rapid rise to prominence?

He should have thought of it long ago. Xuan Xiaowei has so many industries in both cities to support him. Who else has the ability to weave such a huge dark web behind the scenes except Princess Taiping?

It turned out that Jiang Ling had told them the answer from the beginning. Ming Huazhang silently summed up the lesson. It seems that next time he has a secret, he must not tell Jiang Ling. This prodigal son can't keep secrets.

Princess Taiping was very excited when she first met Ming Huazhang. After shedding a few tears, she soon calmed down and became the most favored Tang princess. Princess Taiping asked: "We didn't know your identity before and ignored you for so many years. We are sorry for you. But since you know your life experience, why didn't you come to us all these years?"

Ming Huazhang half-closed his eyes, his eyelashes as long as crow feathers, casting a faint shadow on his face. He had been taciturn since he came in, and now he looked even more suppressed and cold. Although he said nothing, it seemed that he had said a lot.

Princess Taiping sighed in her heart and stopped pursuing the matter. She took Ming Huazhang's hand and sat down, saying worriedly, "Mother's suspicion is getting worse and worse. There are some things that even I dare not persuade her. If you show up at this moment, she will definitely think that I have been deceiving her all these years. Alas, you can only hide for a few more years. When the Li family takes power, I will immediately let the third and fourth brothers restore your status."

Ming Huazhang finally spoke, and said softly, "No need. Duke Zhenguo has been very good to me, and I sincerely regard him as my father. In fact, I have never thought about restoring my identity. As long as I can finally regain the Tang Dynasty and restore peace and prosperity, that's enough. As for me, it doesn't matter whether I live or die, whether I restore my original name or never existed."

"How can that be possible!" Princess Taiping said decisively, "Mother insisted on her own way back then, but we all know that my second brother died unjustly. He was such a good man, and as his sister, I have not been able to restore his innocence for so many years. How can I let his only offspring wander around and bear someone else's surname for the rest of his life? Don't worry, as long as I, Taiping, am still alive, I will let you recognize your ancestors and be crowned a king."

Princess Taiping gave the assurance, and was surprised to find that Ming Huazhang's face was still indifferent. In the past, she was the king and he was the subject, and she never cared about what a man from a poor mansion thought. Now he suddenly became her nephew. Princess Taiping wanted to make up for it, but she was not sure how to get along with him. Princess Taiping asked tentatively: "When did you know your life experience?"

When did he know that he was not the biological son of the Duke of Zhenguo? Ming Huazhang looked far away, lost in memories.

That was many years ago.

That year, he was just four years old. That year, the monks of the Eastern Weiguo Temple wrote four volumes of "Dayun Sutra", saying that Empress Wu was the incarnation of Maitreya Buddha and should be the master of the world. The ministers reported that "Phoenixes gathered in Shangyang Palace and red sparrows appeared in the court." Li Dan abdicated and Empress Wu was crowned emperor, with the title of Holy and Divine Emperor.

That year, someone in Yangzhou rebelled in the name of Crown Prince Zhanghuai Li Xian, demanding to overthrow Zhou and restore Tang. The relationship between Emperor Wu and his second son, who had been dead for four years, deteriorated again. The seven-year-old Prince Anle, the eldest son of the late Crown Prince Li Xian, died suddenly on the way to exile.

That year, the autumn sunshine was particularly brilliant, the sky was blue, the maple leaves were red, and the colors were so beautiful that they made people panic. The Duke of Zhenguo invited a teacher to teach him. Ming Huachang used ink as sugar water and often splashed Ming Huazhang with it. Ming Huazhang was so angry that he couldn't beat Ming Huachang, so he simply painted on Ming Huachang. The two of them fought all day long and no one listened to the teacher's lectures.

Ming Huazhang still remembers it to this day. The weather was particularly good that day. The teacher was lecturing on the Thousand Character Classic while he and Ming Huashang were fighting below. Suddenly, the Duke of Zhenguo came back from outside, stood on the corridor, and looked at him for a long time.

Then the Duke of Zhenguo called him out alone. Ming Huazhang thought his father was going to scold him, but unexpectedly, the Duke of Zhenguo just asked him to sit down and called him "Your Highness the Prince."

Ming Huazhang was stunned. He thought his father was angry, so he went over to admit his mistake: "Father, I was wrong..."

Ming Huachang had always used this trick in the past, and it always worked. Ming Huazhang had seen it many times and learned it. However, his father, who was always soft-hearted, was not moved at all this time. He said in a tough tone that Ming Huazhang was unfamiliar with, "Prince, I am following the will of the Crown Prince to protect the young master. The Crown Prince had a photographic memory when he was young. When he grew up, he had a dignified appearance and dignified behavior. At the age of 20, he read a lot of books and compiled books and annotated history with the talents of the world. His talents and virtues were praised by the court and the people. Such a brilliant and amazing person... Being born into an imperial family should be a blessing for the Tang Dynasty, but God is jealous of talented people. The prince committed suicide in the East Palace at the age of 29. Today, even his eldest son died. In the world, there is only a four-year-old child, the Prince of the County, who can prove that the prince existed. The prince entrusted the Prince of the County to the Ming family because he trusted me. If Your Highness grows up to be a scoundrel, I will never be able to deny my crime even if I die a thousand times."

Ming Huazhang was completely stunned. Although a four-year-old child was not very sensible, he was very sensitive to adults' emotions. He probably realized what had happened and asked cautiously, "Father, are you saying that I am not actually a member of the Ming family?"

"You are a descendant of the royal family, the only son of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. What virtue and ability does the Ming family have to dare to accept your incense?" Duke Zhenguo said, "The son I met has a good name. The Crown Prince hopes that you can live a free and glorious life without losing the rules of etiquette and music, so he named you Huazhang and then let me take you away. My wife happened to give birth to twin girls in Zhongnan Mountain. I named one of them Huashang and pretended that we were twins. I didn't want to tell you this so early, but the Crown Prince's injustice has not been cleared, Prince Anle died suddenly on the way, and the Li princes were involved in treason one by one. I am afraid that if I don't tell you now, this country will be bloodbathed, and no one will restore the Li Tang Dynasty, and it will be too late."

The young Ming Huazhang was silent for a long time. It turned out that his father was not his father and Shangshang was not his sister. After a long time, Ming Huazhang asked in a low voice: "Where are Shangshang's biological siblings?"

The Duke of Zhenguo, who was so passionate and concerned about the country and the people just now, suddenly choked up, tears welled up in his eyes, and said, "She was sent away by me. Don't worry, you will be the prince of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion in the future, and you can use anything in the Ming family as you like. As long as I live, I will never let anyone threaten your position."

Ming Huazhang could not remember what the Duke of Zhenguo said afterwards. He only remembered that the autumn of the first year of Tianshou was exceptionally bright, so dazzling that it made him feel that it would never end.

That day was not a pleasant memory. Ming Huazhang did not want to recall it and simply recounted the process of changing the child.

Wang Yulan, wife of Duke Zhenguo, was pregnant with twins, but Duke Zhenguo, who was trapped in Chang'an, didn't know about it. At that time, the relationship between the Eastern Palace and Empress Wu was becoming increasingly tense. Li Xian felt that it was difficult for him to die peacefully, so he used medicine to make Liangdi, who was pregnant at the time, go into premature labor, pretending to have a miscarriage, but actually let Duke Zhenguo secretly take the children away. Unexpectedly, after Duke Zhenguo brought the children to the villa, he learned that his wife was pregnant with twins.

Giving birth to twins is common, and twins of a boy and a girl occasionally happen, but triplets are absolutely impossible. In order to protect the young master, the Duke of Zhenguo could only choose the strongest twin daughter from the twin daughters that his wife risked her life to give birth to, and let the wet nurse Su take her away. The remaining one was named Huashang after Ming Huazhang - or Li Huazhang, and it was announced to the outside world that she gave birth to twins of a boy and a girl.

Seventeen years passed in a flash, and the misplaced fate of their three children also lasted for seventeen years.

Princess Taiping looked satisfied and nodded, saying, "Ming Huaiyuan is a loyal minister. You were right about him. However, the Xie family was also assisting you at the time. The Xie family has better family education and is more suitable for educating the young master. Why didn't you choose the Xie family?"

Ming Huazhang did not know the truth either. He only knew that on the day when Li Xian entrusted his son to the care of his father, Xie Jichuan's father Xie Shen was also present and was one of the few ministers who knew the truth.

Sending a child of one's own blood to foster care requires a third party to witness it, otherwise how can the child's identity be proved after he is gone? So Li Xian let the Duke of Zhen take the child away, with a jade pendant as a token of trust. At the same time, he gave Xie Shen a handwritten letter, which stated all the causes and effects, so that the two families could check and balance each other and jointly protect their son to grow up.

Therefore, Xie Jichuan knew Ming Huazhang's identity at a very young age, and with the connivance or encouragement of his family, he became friends with Ming Huazhang.

Ming Huazhang had no intention of talking about these things, and did not answer Princess Taiping's question. Princess Taiping was only confused for a moment, and did not insist on an answer. She quickly put aside the matter and said to Ming Huazhang: "This is a good opportunity. The King of Wei has found the old servant in the villa. I'm afraid he already knows that the children were swapped seventeen years ago. But outsiders only know that a child was brought in, but they don't know which of the twins it is. We can make a fuss and draw suspicion to Ming Huachang."

"No!" Ming Huazhang suddenly raised his voice, his tone cold and stern, "Because of me, the sisters are separated from each other, and she grew up alone in the inner house. I have already owed them, if I put her in danger again, what difference would I make from a beast?"

Princess Taiping was stunned for a moment, not understanding why he reacted so strongly: "You are the king, and they are the subjects. It is their honor to die for you."

"No." Ming Huazhang's voice was not loud, but the meaning was very firm. "She is not. She is my sister."

His childhood ended the day he learned that his father was forced to commit suicide and his mother and brother were all killed by his grandmother. The day after the Duke of Zheng told him about his life story, he went to the school as usual to listen to the teacher's lecture. Ming Huashang came to play with him again. He looked at Ming Huashang who painted himself into a flower cat and was still smiling foolishly, and he was both envious and sad.

If it weren't for him, she wouldn't be separated from her sister. He felt sorry for Ming Huashang and the girl who was sent away. After that, he never dared to stop. The reputation of Prince Zhang Huai spread all over the world. He was afraid that he could not live up to the name of his biological father, nor could he repay the kindness of his adoptive father.

So he was particularly tolerant of Ming Huashang. On the one hand, it was to repay his debt, and on the other hand, he wanted Ming Huashang to have a happy childhood, including his share.

Unexpectedly, the Duke of Zhenguo also had the same mentality. He had been living in guilt towards his wife and eldest daughter all these years, and could only double his efforts to compensate his youngest daughter. Under their doting, Ming Huashang did not encounter any pressure or urgency during her growth, and successfully grew into a salted fish.

But no matter what Ming Huachang becomes, no matter if she is arrogant, rude and willful, content with being ordinary and not making progress, or dreamy and unmarried, or even wants to go out and investigate cases like a man, Ming Huazhang will protect her all her life. He will take responsibility for her mistakes and repay her debts.

These feelings were not to be told to outsiders, even if the person in front of him was his blood aunt. Princess Taiping frowned, totally unable to understand: "You are my second brother's only blood, your sisters should be Anle, Yonghe and others, how can Ming, a mere servant, be worthy of being your sister?"

Ming Huazhang remained silent, not wanting to argue with Princess Taiping. He just raised his eyes and looked at this princess who dominated the court and had power over the government and the country with an unusually serious look: "Your Highness Taiping, if you still think I am a member of the Li family, then don't hurt her, and don't try to use others to hurt her. As long as she makes any mistake, I will fight you, the crown prince, the prince, and everyone in the Li family to the death."

Princess Taiping looked into his eyes and was stunned for a moment. At that moment, she thought she had seen the empress.

This was the look in her mother's eyes when she knelt on the steps holding her newborn baby and begged her mother to spare Xue Shao's life.

After Princess Taiping came to her senses, she looked at Ming Huazhang's features inch by inch, feeling mixed emotions.

This child looks like Xue Shao, but has the temperament of Li Xian. One of these two men is her first love and first husband, and the other is her most admired brother in childhood.

However, they both died. One starved to death in prison, and the other committed suicide in the East Palace.

They were her girlhood that she could never go back to, and the turning point of the Li Tang royal family's rise and fall. So when Princess Taiping learned that her second brother still had children, she was ecstatic. It seemed as if this was a symbol, symbolizing that after seventeen years of loss, the Li family finally saw the light of day.

Princess Taiping immediately arranged to meet Ming Huazhang. She couldn't let King Wei find out that they had met, and more importantly, she had to hide it from the Empress. For this reason, she sent invitations to half of the nobles in Chang'an, just to allow the Prince of Zhenguo to come to her house unnoticed.

Princess Taiping looked at Ming Huazhang, wanting to say something but stopping herself. Finally, she sighed, stood up and said, "Forget it. You were raised by the Ming family, so it's inevitable that you have feelings. But you must remember that being born into a royal family, emotions are the biggest burden. You want to be a gentleman, repay your kindness, and take care of your adopted sister, but how do you know if others will treat you the same way?"

Princess Taiping clasped her hands in front of her belly, and returned to being the graceful and shrewd princess she once was. The swaying hair on her high bun swayed gently, like the autumn light of the first year of Tianshou, dazzling people's eyes: "Your father died because of his kindness. I hope you will not repeat the fate of your second brother. While no one has discovered you now, we still have a chance to save you. Once your existence is known to the King of Wei and the King of Liang, and they report it to your mother, no one will be able to save you. By then, you, me, and Taiping will all be in trouble.

The prince, the prince of Xiang, and the few remaining princesses of the Li family must all die."

"I messed up the banquet hall. No one will notice that you and I are not here, but I can't disappear for too long. I'll go back first. You change your clothes and come back after an incense stick of time. Don't worry, I've already sent people away. You don't have to do anything. If someone asks you, just say you changed your clothes and got some fresh air."

"I can wait for you to figure it out, but you have to remember that we are a family after all."