Chapter 419: Chapter 242: Just in Case_2
After Zhao Yao fell asleep, the Emperor personally carried him to bed.
The Emperor sat by the bedside, watched his little son for a while, then led Liang Zhaoyi to the study.
"Your Majesty, Yao Yao wants to go to Lingnan."
The Emperor was about to tell Liang Zhaoyi about this matter, but unexpectedly, Liang Zhaoyi mentioned it first.
"Did he tell you?"
"Yes, he wants to go to Lingnan..." Liang Zhaoyi detailed the conversation she had with Zhao Yao to the Emperor.
After listening, the Emperor sighed inwardly: As expected.
"Do you want little Ten to go to Lingnan?" the Emperor asked.
Liang Zhaoyi looked at the Emperor, hesitatingly said, "I want to, but also don’t want to."
"The suggestion for little Ten to go to Lingnan was made by He Lianfang. He Lianfang has already discussed this with me." The Emperor held Liang Zhaoyi’s hand, "I also agreed with He Lianfang."
"What?" Liang Zhaoyi asked in surprise, "It was He Lianfang who suggested Yao Yao go to Lingnan?"
"That’s right." The Emperor relayed to Liang Zhaoyi what He Lianfang had told him. "I thought his proposal was very reasonable, so I agreed."
"You..." Rationally, Liang Zhaoyi felt the Emperor’s agreement was not wrong. However, emotionally, she could not accept it.
Seeing Liang Zhaoyi was angry, the Emperor gently coaxed her, and after a long while, finally calmed her down.
"Xiao Xiao, I also can’t bear for Yao Yao to go to such a far place, but for Yao Yao’s sake, I have to endure the pain and let him go to Lingnan."
"I know Yao Yao going to Lingnan is the safest." After learning that the Emperor had already sent someone to arrange everything in Lingnan, Liang Zhaoyi felt much more at ease.
"Xiao Xiao, do you have something you’re hiding from me, that you haven’t told me?" the Emperor asked with a playful smile.
Liang Zhaoyi didn’t understand the Emperor’s meaning for a moment and asked with confusion, "What thing?"
"The movable type printing, the stirrups, the soap, these things little Ten came up with, aren’t something an ordinary person can think of." The Emperor gently squeezed Liang Zhaoyi’s palm, "You must be hiding something from me."
Liang Zhaoyi was slightly startled at his words, then laughed lightly, "You finally asked, I thought you wouldn’t ask."
"I wanted to ask before, but with so many things happening, I forgot to ask about it." The Emperor didn’t believe these things were the creation of a six-year-old child, "Shouldn’t you tell me now then?"
Liang Zhaoyi looked deeply at the Emperor, a trace of hesitation on her face.
"What, you can’t tell me?" The Emperor looked at Liang Zhaoyi with a grievance, "You and our son are keeping a secret from me, not telling me."
Liang Zhaoyi was amused by the Emperor’s pitiful demeanor and then told the Emperor in detail about Zhao Yao’s illness-induced dreams.
After hearing this, the Emperor’s expression was not too surprised.
"So that’s how it is, no wonder the old Taoist said little Ten was born with the great responsibility of Great Zhou’s prosperity on his shoulders."
"Your Majesty, don’t you find it strange?"
"This is God’s special favor to little Ten." The Emperor not only didn’t find it strange but was extremely pleased, "It seems my decision to let little Ten carry the burden of Great Zhou is right."
"I’m just afraid Yao Yao would be unwilling." Liang Zhaoyi was, after all, aware of her son’s temperament.
"Whether he wants to or not, he has to be willing." As the Emperor spoke, he pulled a seal from his bosom and placed it in Liang Zhaoyi’s hand, "Xiao Xiao, this is my birthday gift to little Ten, you keep it for him first."
Liang Zhaoyi looked down and found it was the Emperor’s seal, and she was astounded, "Your Majesty, this..."
The Emperor closed her hand over it, letting her tightly hold the seal.
"You keep it safe for little Ten."
"Your Majesty, I can’t accept it. If I lose the seal, Great Zhou..." Liang Zhaoyi dared not imagine, "Your Majesty, Yao Yao can’t have it either."
"Xiao Xiao, haven’t you been keeping the Jade Pendant I gave to little Ten?" The Emperor held Liang Zhaoyi’s hand tightly with both of his, speaking gently, "I trust you can take good care of it for little Ten."
"Your Majesty, with both the Jade Pendant and the seal, what exactly are you planning to do?" Liang Zhaoyi felt the Emperor was making arrangements for his own demise, which made her uneasy.
"Just in case."
"What if?" Liang Zhaoyi, hearing the Emperor say this, felt more and more uneasy, "Your Majesty, don’t scare me."
"Little Ten is too young." The Emperor’s expression turned serious, "I worry that if I’m not around in the future, little Ten might not be able to ascend the throne smoothly. These two things can ensure his smooth succession and also guarantee his safety."
"Your Majesty..."
"Listen to me first." The Emperor gently caressed the back of Liang Zhaoyi’s hand, speaking earnestly, "These two objects might even save the entire Great Zhou at that time..."
Liang Zhaoyi listened quietly to the Emperor’s words. After listening, she understood the Emperor’s painstaking deliberation.
"Don’t worry, I will keep these two things safe for Yao Yao." Liang Zhaoyi tightly grasped the seal in her hand, promising the Emperor, "If it really comes to that time, I will have Yao Yao use them."
"I believe in you." The Emperor had great trust in Liang Zhaoyi, otherwise, he would not have entrusted the Jade Pendant and seal for her safekeeping.
Looking at the Emperor, Liang Zhaoyi gave him a gentle smile, then leaned in to softly kiss the Emperor’s lips.
It was two hours after the Emperor left Kunde Hall.
Sun Kui saw the Emperor return with a face full of joy, his eyes and brows all smiles, and sighed inwardly: The Emperor and Zhaoyi really are... alas, nothing a servant like him can meddle with.
As soon as the Emperor returned to the Imperial Study, Sun Doudou reported that Noble Princess Consort Rong was truly ill, not pretending anymore.
"To Yongxin Palace."
Soon, the concubines in the harem learned that the Emperor went to visit Noble Princess Consort Rong and gave her many rewards. The Emperor even stayed with Noble Princess Consort Rong for a long time, personally feeding her medicine.
The concubines knew the Emperor’s heart had softened and that Noble Princess Consort Rong was about to be reinstated, which was something they didn’t want to see. However, Noble Princess Consort Rong’s reinstatement was also within their expectations, they just didn’t expect it would happen this soon.
In the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince, upon learning of this matter, angrily threw away the brush in his hand.
The Eighth Prince picked up the brush and placed it back on the table in front of the Crown Prince.
"Brother, getting angry harms your health."
"Eighth Brother, what do you think Father means by this?" The Crown Prince was very displeased at the thought of Prince Dai co-hosting foreign envoys with him.
"Brother, in the end, Father’s favorite is still Prince Dai." The Eighth Prince was not at all surprised by what happened today. He knew that after the Wanshou festival, Father would decree for Wang Siqi’s sister to be bestowed to Prince Dai as a concubine.
With a bang, the Crown Prince slammed the table violently. His expression twisted, his gaze menacing.
"Brother, there’s no need to get angry over this, it’s not worth it." The Eighth Prince comforted him, "Brother, although the foreign envoys have not yet arrived in Great Zhou, you should consider how to use this matter against Prince Dai..." Without finishing his sentence, his intent was clear.
"Uncle has already set this up." The Crown Prince sneered, "Prince Dai won’t escape this time."
"It seems Duke Zhen already has a plan for dealing with Prince Dai."
"Uncle didn’t say, but Uncle told me not to worry about this." The Crown Prince laughed, "Let’s just wait for Uncle’s good news, this time, Prince Dai will surely die!"
When he said "die," the Crown Prince’s expression turned malicious.
"I really hope the Wanshou festival comes soon, I can’t wait any longer."
The Crown Prince was impatient to see Prince Dai fail miserably and die an agonizing death.