northernbook Chapter 298 Selfishness
Chapter 298 Selfishness
The room fell silent; neither the husband nor wife spoke.
Today's events were too sudden. Even though they are very receptive, some of the information still needs time to be processed.
Shen Qingtan never expected that Zhao Yi was not the biological son of the First Madam and the First Master, and that the love and affection the First Madam and the First Master showed him was something that even some biological parents could not do.
Having experienced a complicated past herself, she could understand Zhao Yi's feelings.
However, their situations were different. The Marquis of Chengen's mansion used her as a tool to gain benefits, and because her existence threatened their lives, they burned her to death.
Upon learning the truth, she felt only hatred.
The master and mistress treated Zhao Yi like their own son.
No matter how calm and composed he is, he must be very sad inside, right?
Shen Qingtan came to Zhao Yi's side and hugged him from behind.
Zhao Yi looked down at her hands wrapped around her waist, gently grasped her wrist, and whispered, "Is there anything you want to say?"
Shen Qingtan pressed her face against his back and nodded: "Yes."
Zhao Yi's heart sank. Once his background was revealed, the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion, which was his in-laws, would be affected to some extent.
He didn't know what the Prince of Zhenbei's Mansion would do—whether they would face it with him or take Shen Qingtan away.
“Husband, the Northern Qi envoy is spreading rumors that you are the Emperor’s son. They are clearly targeting you.” Shen Qingtan knew that Zhao Yi didn’t need any comforting words, but only her attitude to reassure him: “If the Northern Qi pushes us too far, we will lend money and grain to the Emperor to prevent future troubles.”
Zhao Yi was stunned. He had thought that Shen Qingtan would comfort him, that she would discuss his background, and that she would worry about his current situation.
He had none of those thoughts; she stood firmly behind him, wholeheartedly focused on how to protect him.
"Okay." Zhao Yi turned around and pulled her into his arms: "We won't accept the Emperor's interest."
Shen Qingtan: "..." Sure enough, her worries were unnecessary.
Zhao Yi could almost picture the look of her glaring at him, and his heavy heart instantly lightened, his eyes becoming firm and peaceful.
As long as the people he cares about are all by his side, nothing in this world matters to him.
-
In the study in the front courtyard, the Duke sat in a grand chair, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the First Master and First Madam, and from their strange expressions, he discerned a clue.
"You've come because of the rumors circulating outside?" The Duke gestured for the First Master and First Madam to sit down. "You went to find Yi'er?"
The old man smiled bitterly and said, "Father, the truth will eventually come out. Rather than letting others tell Yi'er, we should tell him ourselves."
The Duke remained silent. Years ago, Emperor Jing'an sent him as an envoy to Northern Qi to welcome Princess Yizhen back to the country.
Emperor Jing'an did not go to Northern Qi, but instead came to the border town where the two countries meet, intending to personally welcome Princess Yizhen back to the capital.
To his surprise, when he arrived in the capital of Northern Qi, he learned that Princess Yizhen had passed away, leaving behind only a child.
He wrote about Princess Yizhen's deeds in a letter and ordered it to be sent to Emperor Jing'an at the border city by express courier.
Emperor Jing'an quickly replied, ordering him to bring the child back to the Great Zhou at all costs.
The child was the child of Princess Yizhen and the Emperor of Northern Qi, and had the blood of Northern Qi flowing in his veins. Even if the Emperor of Northern Qi disliked the child and casually handed him over to a palace maid to take care of, ignoring him completely, he would not allow him to take the child back to the Great Zhou.
Finally, with the help of the Northern Qi imperial tutor, he was able to successfully bring the child back to the Great Zhou.
Emperor Jing'an originally wanted to raise the child himself, but the child carried the blood of two royal families. No matter how much Emperor Jing'an doted on the child, he would still face criticism from the public.
Emperor Jing'an couldn't bear to let his child grow up amidst gossip, so he entrusted him to find a family with a clean reputation within the clan to foster the child in, and to find an opportunity to promote that family in the future.
Instead of returning to the capital with Emperor Jing'an, he secretly took his children to the clan's ancestral home. On the way, he received a letter from his eldest son.
The letter stated that the eldest grandson had died young. Zhao Qishi was unable to accept the news of her child's death and fell ill in Wen County. The eldest son, fearing it would upset Zhao Qishi, temporarily concealed the news of the child's death.
The eldest son asked him to plead with the emperor for a favor, requesting that a royal physician be sent to treat Lady Zhao Qi. Once Lady Zhao Qi had recovered from the grief of losing her son, the news of the child's death should be relayed back to her family.
The moment he saw the letter from home, an idea struck him. Rather than having the child fostered by a collateral branch of the clan, it would be better to have him fostered by the eldest son.
Firstly, it could help Lady Zhao Qi alleviate her grief over the loss of her son.
Secondly, his legitimate daughter is the empress in the palace, and raising this child in his own family can consolidate the empress's position.
Emperor Jing'an had deep feelings for Empress Yuanrong, but no one could guarantee that the emperor's favor would last forever.
Princess Yizhen died for Emperor Jing'an, and her place in his heart was unparalleled. Moreover, she is now deceased, and this sense of guilt will not fade with time.
If Empress Yuanrong were to fall out of favor with Emperor Jing'an in the future, and she were to make a mistake, Emperor Jing'an would show her leniency out of consideration for the child.
He then went to Wen County, leaving the child with Zhao Qishi to raise, and changed the name on the grounds that the name was too grand and the child could not be restrained.
After that, Zhao Qishi took the child to the estate to recuperate for nearly a year before returning to the Duke's mansion.
Because Zhao Qishi had a very difficult pregnancy and experienced severe morning sickness, the child was born weak, frequently ill, and difficult to raise.
Now they've contracted smallpox and are seriously ill, so no one will suspect anything if they stay on the estate to recuperate.
The child, just over a year old, changed every day. After being raised outside for almost a year, he returned home, keeping it a secret from everyone.
As they spent more time together, he came to regard Zhao Yi as his own grandson.
This child is frail, well-behaved, and intelligent; he is very endearing.
His request to appoint Zhao Yi was, to some extent, motivated by personal motives.
The eldest son knew he had no successor and no ability to lead the family to new heights, so he was unwilling to become the heir apparent.
The second son is utterly useless and has no ability to be the heir apparent.
Among the grandchildren, the Duke's mansion only has one legitimate grandson, Zhao Jue, whose abilities and vision are insufficient to shoulder the heavy responsibilities of the Duke's mansion.
Of the Duke's bloodline, only the fourth son has real talent, but he is born out of wedlock.
The only one capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of the Duke's Mansion was Zhao Yi, but the Emperor had clearly stated to him that once Zhao Yi's illness was cured and he made achievements in the court, he would be appointed as a prime minister, granted a marquisate, and granted a separate mansion.
He thought to himself, "First, I'll ask that Zhao Yi be made the grandson of the emperor. By the time Zhao Yi has made achievements in the court, Zhao Qiyuan will have already had children."
If it is a boy, he will be registered under the eldest son's name, and the title will be passed on to Zhao Qiyuan's child after Zhao Yi establishes his own residence.
Unfortunately, Zhao Yi was indifferent to fame and fortune, and had no interest in the position of heir apparent.
He had tried to gauge the Emperor's opinion, but the Emperor had not given any indication.
It wasn't until Zhao Yi got married and actively sought the position of heir apparent that he submitted a memorial to the emperor requesting the title. The emperor held it for several days before approving it.
Everything was proceeding according to his plan. The Emperor did indeed show leniency towards the Duke's Mansion several times, out of consideration for their care of Zhao Yi.