The relationship between ruler and subject, father and son
Emperor Yun pondered the matter, finding something amiss. Though he didn't want to think in that direction, his long reign made him more trusting of his own eyes, and he preferred to err on the side of caution. No wonder Yun Lan had been so courteous to him these past few days—what were they up to? And why was Tang Feng colluding with the Ninth Prince? Emperor Yun stared at the candlelight before him, lost in thought. Tang Feng had once served as an official in court; if he remembered correctly, he was a pawnbroker, a former subordinate of Li Yunrui. And the Ninth Prince had been living in Li Yunrui's residence for many years… Could it be…? "The Protectorate General Sima Ru greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be well."
"Rise! Go and investigate a few people for me." Emperor Yun threw the letter on the ground, his expression grim. He hated betrayal and disobedience more than anything, and these people had dared to commit crimes right under his nose. Sima Ru opened it, glanced at it, and quickly closed it again. He then looked at Emperor Yun's expression. "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will investigate immediately." Sima Ru was indeed quick; he returned after a few incense sticks' worth of time, handing the letter in his arms to Emperor Yun. He said, "I have reviewed the Ninth Prince's daily records. He has left the palace several times, both large and small, although..." "It's normal for His Highness to need to go to the military camp, but he's left the palace twenty-one times this month, and the military camp record only shows nineteen times. The other three times... Your Majesty... I dare not speak presumptuously. As for this letter, it was found in Consort Yun's palace. Please take a look, Your Majesty." Emperor Yun opened the envelope, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. He then slammed his hand on the table, startling Sima Ru into immediately kneeling down. "How dare you! You're utterly audacious! You've eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard!" Emperor Yun suppressed his anger, coldly saying, "Summon Tang Zhaonan to the palace!"
Tang Zhaonan was summoned late at night, unsure of the situation. After changing into his official robes, he looked at Qin Jiujiu, who seemed worried, and reassured her, "Don't worry, His Majesty probably has urgent business. Being summoned late at night is a common occurrence." Although Tang Zhaonan said this, it was merely to comfort Qin Jiujiu; inwardly, he was also hesitant. Having served as a minor official for so many years, this was the first time he had been summoned so late at night, and he had no idea what was going on. Sitting in the sedan chair, Tang Zhaonan rubbed the beads in his hands, lifted the curtain, and peeked out, asking, "Young eunuch, did His Majesty give a reason for summoning me so late at night?" "No," the young eunuch replied, clearly unaware of anything. Tang Zhaonan also saw a hint of confusion on the eunuch's face. Oh well, he'd deal with whatever came his way. He had lived an upright and honest life; what did he have to fear? Although that's what he thought, he couldn't help feeling uneasy. Given Emperor Yun's character, summoning him in the middle of the night probably meant something bad. Standing outside the main hall, Tang Zhaonan saw Eunuch Feng come out and quickly stopped him, asking, "Eunuch, please wait! What does His Majesty want with me?" "This old servant truly doesn't know. How dare I presume to know His Majesty's meaning? But rest assured, sir, you've served His Majesty for over twenty years; it probably won't be anything serious. You should go in quickly, lest His Majesty wait."
Old minister? Tang Zhaonan gave a bitter smile. In the end, all the old ministers either die or leave. How many can be left? Besides, what can a mere Grand Historian like me do to help him? Summoning his courage, Tang Zhaonan entered the main hall. "Your subject, Tang Zhaonan, greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be well." Tang Zhaonan was about to kneel in obeisance when Emperor Yun stopped him. "No need, no need. Why bother with such formalities when we've been friends for so many years? Come, sit down and chat with me." Seeing that Emperor Yun's expression showed no displeasure, Tang Zhaonan stepped forward to express his gratitude and sat down. "Now, everyone in the court knows that we have been ruler and subject for many years, but few know that we have also been friends for many years. Many years ago, you, me, Zhou Wuhai, and Zhang Ruoming also recited poems and painted together under the moon. I know that you all harbor resentment towards me because of Zili's matter, but haven't I also been heartbroken and filled with regret?" Tang Zhaonan was at a loss for words after hearing Emperor Yun's words, and could only shake his head and decline. "Your Majesty, you are mistaken. You are the ruler of a country; how can you call your subject an old friend?"
"Though we were ruler and subject just yesterday, tonight we are only brothers. What do you think?" Emperor Yun put down his teacup and continued to ask before Tang Zhaonan could reply, "I happened to see your son when I left the palace during my spring break today. He has the air of a scholar, speaks elegantly, and knows his place. He is becoming more and more like you." Tang Zhaonan's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. Although he did not know what Emperor Yun meant, he had an ominous premonition. "It's just that your child seems to be in poor health. He was fine before! I remember when he was working at the pawnshop, he even went on a mission to the Qiang and Hu tribes. How did he become like this?"
"Your Majesty may not know this, but I had an adopted son in my household who grew up with my youngest son. Some time ago, my adopted son passed away, and my youngest son was so grief-stricken that he fell ill with a heart condition. He has seen many doctors, but none of them have helped him."
"Indeed... People who have been ill for a long time are prone to overthinking at home. Didn't you try to persuade him?" Tang Zhaonan shook his head. "Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. He married into the Marquis's household, and Ziliang has not mistreated him. I don't need to nag like an old woman every day. My wife passed away early, and it was only with great difficulty that this child grew up and got married. I can finally breathe a sigh of relief." Emperor Yun, looking at Tang Zhaonan who was speaking with his head down, suddenly interjected and asked, "Tang Feng is quite talented. I originally wanted to appoint him to an official position in the palace, but I didn't expect him to fall ill. What a waste of talent." Tang Zhaonan finally understood Emperor Yun's meaning and thought that Emperor Yun wanted Tang Feng to enter the court as an official. He quickly refused and explained, "My son has been suffering from a heart ailment and rarely leaves the house. The doctor also advised him not to worry too much. Entering the court as an official would inevitably be beyond his capabilities. Moreover, my son has no interest in the court. Now that he has married into the Marquis's household, he spends his days recuperating and cultivating his mind. Your Majesty's good intentions are truly beyond my ability to agree on my son's behalf."
"No heart for the court? Seeking healing and cultivating the mind? Zhao Nan! Looking at your face today, your illness seems to be worsening. Perhaps I could give you a prescription?" Emperor Yun took an envelope from his robes and handed it to Tang Zhao Nan, watching him with interest, anticipating Tang Zhao Nan's reaction upon reading the contents. Tang Zhao Nan slowly filled the envelope, his brows furrowing deeper. The handwriting on the envelope was indeed that of his son, Tang Feng, and the contents were a letter Tang Feng had written to the concubine Yun Lan in the harem. Although Tang Zhao Nan hadn't read it carefully, he roughly understood that Tang Feng intended to join forces with Yun Lan to help the Ninth Prince ascend the throne. Tang Zhao Nan quickly rose and knelt on the ground, hurriedly saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I have failed in my duty to raise my son. He did not intentionally participate in these matters; he must have been instigated by someone. I will certainly educate him upon returning home and discipline him strictly."
"Instigated by someone?" Emperor Yun sneered. "Read that letter yourself. Every single word was orchestrated by Tang Feng! Your son's illness, though in his heart, is truly not in his mind! His analysis is clear and logical, even my concubines obey him! Tang Zhaonan, your son has truly grown wings. He's no longer the Tang Feng who knelt outside the palace years ago, crying and begging for a marriage decree. He's now the Tang Feng who went on a diplomatic mission to the Qiang and Hu tribes, successfully controlled the floods, and now wields absolute power! It seems your son isn't indifferent to the court!" Tang Zhaonan had almost forgotten about Tang Feng and the Ninth Prince's affair. He thought that after the last incident, when he scolded and hit Tang Feng, Tang Feng would realize his mistake and change his ways. Who would have thought that not only would Tang Feng not repent, but he would also... Having stirred up such a huge mess, he remained unmoved. "Your Majesty, please calm down... My son is young and unaware of the taboos surrounding the succession struggle. I beg Your Majesty to spare him for the sake of this old minister!" Emperor Yun looked at Tang Zhaonan kneeling below and couldn't help but sneer. "Spare him? If I remember correctly, Tang Feng was once a subordinate of the Crown Prince! Now he has instigated the Ninth Prince to participate in the succession struggle. Zhaonan, tell me, considering both things, which one should I spare him for?" Tang Zhaonan looked up at Emperor Yun. Having followed Emperor Yun for so many years, he could understand his thoughts. Looking into Emperor Yun's lifeless eyes, he knew that the emperor's murderous intent was stirring. Suddenly, a thunderclap rang out, illuminating the dimly lit study.
"Cough cough..." Tang Feng coughed twice, covering his mouth. Seeing the sound of thunder outside, he tried to get up to close the window, but Zhou Ziliang pressed him back onto the bed. "I'll close it. Don't let the wind blow on you." As soon as Zhou Ziliang closed the window, he heard Tang Feng chuckle. "No need to close it so tightly. Listen to the wind outside. Doesn't it sound like a storm is brewing?" Zhou Ziliang draped his coat over Tang Feng and teased, "I didn't hear any storm brewing. What I did hear was Xiao Feng complaining while drinking his medicine."
"You're teasing me now? I'm a patient! Is this how you treat a patient? Be careful, or I'll tell Auntie when we get back." Tang Feng closed his book and continued, "It's been a long time since I've seen Auntie. I'll go back in a few days." Zhou Ziliang carefully observed Tang Feng's expression and then tentatively asked, "Going back to see her is a good idea, but... would you like to invite Uncle Tang over for a small gathering? Since the wedding, the two families haven't had a proper get-together." Tang Feng knew that Zhou Ziliang intended for him to reconcile with his grandfather. He also knew that his grandfather was incredibly proud and arrogant, and if he didn't find an excuse to meet him, his grandfather would probably never even glance at him again. Zhou Ziliang had given himself a way out, but he still felt a little awkward. He continued, "Today you were trying to bring His Majesty and His Highness together at the military camp and hunting grounds, but when it comes to yourself, why can't you understand?" Tang Feng knew he was in the wrong, so he nodded. "Alright, let's go back the day after tomorrow. I'll get some rest tomorrow; my cough is starting to flare up tonight, and I don't want my aunt and uncle to worry." This surprised Zhou Ziliang. "Little Feng, you're afraid of people worrying? I'm chasing you around for medicine every day, why don't you consider how worried I am about you?" "It's only right that you worry about me!" Tang Feng rolled his eyes, put the book aside, and crawled into bed. He looked up at Zhou Ziliang, a sly glint in his eyes. "Otherwise, why would you marry me?"
"So, I'm announcing the engagement now?" Zhou Ziliang extinguished the candle, took off his boots, climbed into bed, covered Tang Feng with the blanket, and then said, "If I annul the engagement, won't you turn my house upside down?"
"No," Tang Feng smiled. "At most, I'll just run away from home in a huff. It'd be too embarrassing to argue at your house." "Alright, alright, embarrassing? Go to sleep! Sleep in a little longer tomorrow. I'll have the kitchen make you some light food and bring it over later, so as not to disturb your sweet dreams." Although thunder and wind raged outside that night, the house was peaceful. Tang Feng was already fast asleep in Zhou Ziliang's arms. Meanwhile, in the palace, Emperor Yun stood up and looked at Tang Zhaonan kneeling on the ground, saying, "Tell me, one colluded with a faction to support a prince's succession, and the other is a former subordinate of the deposed crown prince. In your opinion, which of these two things is more unjust to him?"
"Your Majesty! My son truly has no such intention. He genuinely has no interest in court affairs! Please, Your Majesty, spare my son..." Tang Zhaonan's heart trembled uncontrollably. He didn't want to lose his only son, but he knew Emperor Yun's mind was made up. Any explanation or defense he offered would seem futile. "Spare him? Fine! You speak so sincerely, then I can spare him. But are you willing to die in place of your son? You yourself know that any one of Tang Feng's actions would warrant the death penalty. You're pleading here now, and I'm only doing this out of consideration for our years of brotherhood. You'll exchange your life for his!" Tang Zhaonan looked at Emperor Yun... The Emperor bowed deeply, and after a long silence, slowly said, "If Your Majesty is willing to spare Xiao Feng, I... am willing to exchange my life for yours, as Your Majesty has said." The Emperor seemed satisfied with the answer, and his expression softened. "Then you may end your own life! Before sunrise, I hope one of you and your son will disappear." Tang Zhaonan looked at the Emperor, his face showing no remorse or fear, but only a slight plea, saying, "After my death, I hope Your Majesty will spare Xiao Feng. He is inexperienced and naive, and has been overly protected by this old minister. This time, he offended Your Majesty and broke a taboo; it was not his intention. I beg Your Majesty to allow him and Ziliang to live in seclusion in the mountains."
"That depends on Tang Feng's own wishes; I naturally won't force him."
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