"Daddy."
Following Nuo Nuo's soft call, Princess Fukang held up her skirt and ran towards Zhao Zhen in small steps. The latter was startled and hurriedly stood up and stretched out his hands to support her.
"Didn't I warn you not to run?" Zhao Zhen reproached with a worried look on his face, reaching out to rub his daughter's hair, his eyes full of doting.
"Hee." Princess Fukang grinned and said, seemingly obediently, "I know I was wrong..."
Zhao Zhen sighed helplessly, but then a heartfelt smile appeared on his face.
She is Princess Fukang...
Zhao Yang secretly looked at the girl, who was estimated to be in her early ten years, and saw that the latter was wearing a green and white jacket with wide sleeves, which made her complexion as white and as delicate as mutton fat. Her hair was combed into a bun, her facial features were straight, and her eyes were dark. Bright, slightly curled lips, quite cute and lovable.
At this time, Princess Fukang also noticed Zhao Yang who was still sitting on the stone bench, with a bit of surprise on her face. She raised her finger and pointed at Zhao Yang and scolded him with an adult tone: "Why are you so rude? Daddy got up. , but you are still sitting."
Zhao Yang opened his mouth, but after thinking about it, he was still too lazy to explain to a teenage girl. He stood up and said, "Then I'll stand."
Seeing this, Zhao Zhen gently rubbed Princess Fukang's head and said softly: "Fukang, Daddy has something to do right now. You go to play elsewhere first."
Princess Fukang pouted, broke away from Zhao Zhen's arms and walked slowly to Zhao Yang, saying with some hostility: "I know you... your name is Zhao Yang, and you were with that hateful woman. Before He also injured the Li brothers.”
A hateful woman?
Zhao Yang was stunned for a moment, and the appearance of Concubine Zhang gradually emerged in his mind. After all, when they were in Fanlou that day, Li Wei, the sixth son of the Li family, had mentioned that Concubine Zhang often spoke ill of Princess Fukang in front of the officials. Although he didn't know the truth, Zhao Yang felt that it was most likely true - something that Zhang Niangniang would do.
Of course, he had no interest in getting involved in the affairs of the official harem. He cupped his hands and said calmly: "Princess Mingjian, in fact it was the Li brothers who provoked me first, and the humble minister was just acting in self-defense."
"Hmph!" the princess said angrily: "You, that woman, and that woman's uncle Zhang Yaozuo are all the same, they are all evil people!"
Zhao Zhen was shocked when he heard this and scolded: "Fukang! Don't be rude!"
Princess Fukang was startled and looked at Zhao Zhen with an aggrieved look: "Dad, that woman must have instigated this man and injured the Li brothers..."
Zhao Zhen was annoyed when he heard this and scolded: "This matter is the fault of the Li brothers and must not be mentioned again."
Seeing that Zhao Zhen's face was stern and showed no room for refutation, Princess Fukang's face was filled with grievances, and she cried and ran away.
Zhao Zhen raised his hand to stop her, but failed in the end. He could only urge the palace attendants who followed the princess to catch up as soon as possible to avoid any accidents.
"Alas." Zhao Zhen sighed lightly and turned to look at Zhao Yang: "Zhao Yang..."
"I'm not going to argue with a child." Zhao Yang, who sat back on the stone bench, rolled his eyes, and then couldn't help but glance at the direction where Princess Fukang was leaving in tears, wondering whether he should mention something. .
Hearing Zhao Yang refer to himself as "I", Zhao Zhen, who gradually became familiar with his character, knew that this boy was really uneasy, so he nodded and was about to say something when he suddenly saw Zhao Yang turning his head and watching Princess Fukang leave. The direction made Zhao Zhen feel familiar.
I remember that when this boy first met Zhang Guifei in Funing Palace, he looked like he was hesitant to speak.
Thinking of this, Zhao Zhen felt slightly uneasy and asked tentatively: "Zhao Yang, do you have something to say to me about... Fukang?"
"..."
Zhao Yang was stunned, turned back to look at Zhao Yang, and remained silent.
The uneasiness in Zhao Zhen's heart suddenly increased. He waved his hand to Wang Shougui and others and said: "Everyone, step back, a hundred steps away."
Wang Shougui and others were already familiar with this and immediately resigned.
After everyone retreated, Zhao Zhen lowered his voice and said to Zhao Yang, "Go ahead."
Zhao Yang hesitated: "It's hard to say..."
"What's not easy to say?"
"It would have been okay if the incident at Fanlou hadn't happened, but now...it's hard to say."
Zhao Zhen understood the implication and said eagerly: "Just say it, I will make my own judgment."
Seeing this, Zhao Yang nodded and told Zhao Zhen what he knew about Princess Fukang's deeds: "As far as I know, the princess's fate in the second half of her life is not very good... When the official family is still there, no matter how unruly and willful the princess is, , others didn’t dare to do anything to her, but then the official family... left, and no one... supported her. I remember she died of illness in the end, and she was only in her thirties."
"Only thirty..." Zhao Zhen was extremely distressed and endured his grief and asked, "Do you know what disease you have?"
"I don't know." Zhao Yang shook his head and hesitated: "Because...according to historical records, it is said that Li Wei was not considerate of the princess. He also obstructed her with clothes, food, medicine, and medical treatment. The princess even got lice in her clothes." . Even the princess burned her face because she took charcoal to make a fire..."
Zhao Zhen was shocked and angry. He clenched his fist with his right hand and said, "Really?"
Zhao Yang spread his hands and said, "That's why I said, it's hard to talk about this..."
Zhao Zhen clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and questioned for a long time: "Then do you know the reason?"
Normally, if an official questioned him, Zhao Yang would definitely jump in. However, he was quite sad about what happened today. He nodded and said truthfully: "I happen to know a little bit. ...According to historical records, the princess disliked Li Wei's appearance before she got married. She was ugly and refused to get married, but because the official family tried their best to promote it, no one else could stop it, and the princess was helpless. It is said that on the day of the wedding, the princess kicked Li Wei out of the wedding room, but left the eunuch beside her in the room. Li Wei was regarded as a mediocre slave... Oh, there is another story. It is said that one day after the marriage, the princess and the eunuchs beside her were having a drink under the moon. One of them seemed to be Liang Huaiji. During the period, the princess found Li Wei's mother peeping outside, so she took her Li's mother was beaten and injured, and she ran back to the palace overnight. Later, the officials sent away all the eunuchs and maids around her, but the princess threatened to die, and the officials only recalled them. ... Oh, and also, remember who the princess's biological mother is... I forgot, my dear, because she felt sorry for her daughter, she first hoped to seize Li Wei's handle so that the princess could divorce him. Divorce means..."
"I can roughly guess it, let's continue." Zhao Zhen said calmly.
Zhao Yang shrugged and continued: "Unfortunately, Li Wei was cautious and was never caught. Therefore, the empress begged the officials to poison Li Wei, but the officials did not agree... Shi Zai did not speak, and was later dissuaded by the queen and others. , the matter was dropped... Anyway, the Guan family was still alive, so the princess and the Li family were clamoring for a divorce. Until the Guan family was gone, no one could support the princess anymore, and the princess's life became more and more difficult... "
Zhao Zhen listened to Zhao Yang's story with an ugly face. After a long time, he took a long breath and said in a complex tone: "You also know why I married Fukang to the Li family... It's just because I feel that I have treated my biological mother badly, so I love the house and the bird. , I hope to get closer to the Li family, but I never thought that I would actually harm my son..."
"Do you believe what I said?" Zhao Yang asked in surprise.
Zhao Zhen glanced at Zhao Yang and snorted coldly: "If you really hate the Li family and take the opportunity to frame you, you will definitely slander the Li family everywhere. However, what you say more is that Fukang is unruly and willful... I am in your heart Is it that stupid?”
Zhao Yang was annoyed and whispered: "Maybe I did the opposite?"
"..." Zhao Zhen glared at the boy fiercely, and then said melancholy: "I know that I am a little too spoiled to Fukang. She is my eldest daughter, and she was very well-behaved and filial when she was young... When I was sick in the past, she served me all day long. Beside the bed, I prayed to heaven with my bare feet and prayed, willing to bear the sins on my father's behalf..."
At the end of the sentence, a heartfelt smile appeared on his face, full of tenderness and doting.
Seeing that the official family seemed to be a little silent in sadness, Zhao Yang coughed and reminded: "Ahem, official family, the princess is not married yet."
Zhao Zhen suddenly woke up: "Yes, yes."
After saying that, he turned to look at Zhao Yang and said a little unnaturally: "Thanks to you."
Zhao Yang was stunned for a moment, then chuckled and said, "Do you suddenly feel that I am of some use?"
Zhao Zhen also chuckled, nodded and said, "It's very useful."
The two of them looked at each other and smiled, and were about to get up and go to Funing Hall for a meal. Suddenly Zhao Zhen thought of something and asked: "When my son is seriously ill but no one cares about him, who will I pass on to?"
Zhao Yang was slightly stunned, and after a moment of hesitation, he said truthfully: "The one who was in power at that time was Shenzong."
"Who? Zhao Zongshi or Zhao Yunchu?" Zhao Zhen asked with an incomprehensible look.
"None of them." Zhao Yang shook his head and said: "Zhao Zongshi, also known as Zhao Shu after he succeeded to the throne, was known as Song Yingzong in history. He seemed to have died of illness within five years of his reign. Shenzong was his eldest son Zhao Xu, and his original name seemed to be Zhao Zhongzhen. …”
When he heard the first half of the sentence, Zhao Zhen had a strange expression, quite unbelievable. When he heard the second half of the sentence, he nodded thoughtfully: "I... got it."
Afterwards, Zhao Zhen and Zhao Yang had lunch together in Funing Hall after a long absence.
After they had finished drinking and eating, Zhao Yang stood up and excused himself and left. Zhao Zhen asked Wang Shourui, "I remember that last year, Thirteenth Prince's wife, Mrs. Gao, gave birth to a son. What was his name?"
Wang Shougui thought for a while and said, "It seems to be called Zhongzhen, Zhao Zhongzhen."
"Oh..." Zhao Zhen narrowed his eyes.
Later, when Zhao Zhen rested for a while in Funing Hall and was about to go to Chui Gong Hall, someone from the palace came to report: "The official family, Empress Miao and Princess Fukang have come to ask for an audience."
Zhao Zhen guessed it after thinking for a moment, nodded and said: "Let them come in."
Not long after, Miao Shuyi led her daughter Princess Fukang to the palace and confessed to the officials with some trepidation.
Although Princess Fukang is extremely favored by the officials, the favor of a daughter does not mean the favor of the mother. However, judging from Miao Shuyi's status as Shuyi, she is far less favored than Concubine Zhang.
Looking at the uneasy Miao Shuyi, Zhao Zhen looked at Princess Fukang, who was pouting and looking aggrieved. He unconsciously imagined a scene in his mind: a daughter who had grown up to be in her thirties dragging her sick body. He used charcoal to light a fire, his face was burned, he cried while holding his head, but no one cared.
Thinking of this, his eyes suddenly turned red and he held his daughter in his arms.
Princess Fukang, who was only eleven years old, didn't know her future fate. She blinked her bright eyes and asked weakly: "Dad...don't you blame me anymore?"
Hearing this, Zhao Zhen took a deep breath to calm down, and scolded with a straight face: "How can you not blame me? I used to be too spoiled by you, so that you became more and more unruly and willful..."
Princess Fukang was frightened and cried, but Zhao Zhen felt distressed again and hurriedly said: "Forget it this time, I won't allow it in the future, you know?"
"Hmm." Princess Fukang nodded repeatedly.
Seeing this, Zhao Zhen rubbed his daughter's head distressedly and said, "Go and play. I'll have a few words with your mother."
Princess Fukang begged weakly: "I know I was wrong, daddy, don't blame mom..."
"No." Zhao Zhen shook his head.
"real?"
"Um."
After promising to coax his daughter away, Zhao Zhen turned to look at Miao Shuyi, waved his hand to ask others to leave for now, and then said to the anxious Miao Shuyi: "I... intend to dissolve Fukang and Li Jia Liulang What do you think of your marriage?"
Miao Shuyi originally thought that the officials would blame her for not teaching her daughter well, but she couldn't help but be startled when she heard this.
In fact, she did not agree with the marriage from the beginning. The reason was very simple. Because Li Wei, the sixth son of the Li family, was born ugly, she felt that he was not worthy of her daughter. However, the officials insisted on this at the time and she was unable to change it.
Unexpectedly, the official family suddenly changed their mind today.
She endured her surprise and said: "I am my concubine...but it is up to the official family to make the decision. I, my concubine, have no objection."
Seeing this, Zhao Zhen sighed softly: "It seems that you don't like Liu Lang of the Li family either..."
Miao Shuyi panicked in her heart: "I am an official, I am a concubine..."
"Needless to say, I don't blame you." Zhao Zhen shook his head and said: "In the past, I felt that I owed my birth mother, loved my house as much as I loved her, and hoped to get closer to my uncle's family. Now that I think about it, I'm afraid there is something wrong... Let's make this decision. "
Miao Shuyi secretly glanced at Guan Jia's expression and asked tentatively: "Do you really want to break off the engagement? What about the Li family..."
"I will explain it to my uncle... Anyway, I will handle it. You don't need to ask any more questions."
"Yes." Miao Shuyi nodded, and then asked: "If the engagement with the Li family is terminated, who should Fukang marry?"
"Let's talk about this later."
"Yes." Miao Shuyi did not dare to ask any more questions.
After a while, when Miao Shuyi resigned, Zhao Zhen did not go to Chui Gong Hall immediately. Instead, he sat in Funing Hall and thought about how to terminate the engagement with the Li family and how to explain it to his uncle Li Heyong.
But after thinking for a long time, he couldn't come up with a proper solution.
Let's find someone to discuss it. The ministers in the court must not be looking for it. The harem... Zhang Guifei can't be counted on. Empress Cao doesn't want to go. The other concubines don't seem to be able to come up with ideas. After thinking about it, Zhao Zhen can only hesitate. He then discussed with Wang Shougui: "If I intend to terminate the engagement between Fukang and the Li family, does Wang Dou know what to say?"
Wang Shougui was shocked and dumbfounded. He was secretly speechless and suggested: "You can take advantage of the fact that the princess just accused Mr. Zhao of being young, saying that the Li family instigated the princess. If the officials pretend to be angry, the engagement between the princess and the Li family can be terminated." .”
Zhao Zhen's eyes lit up when he heard this, but then he hesitated: In this case, wouldn't that kid have to bear the crime of marrying a bad person?
If it was about other things, he wouldn't mind asking that boy to take the blame, but as the saying goes, it would be better to demolish a temple than ruin a marriage. The reputation of a bad marriage is too heavy.
Thinking of this, he shook his head and said: "No, I will think about it again."
In the evening, Empress Cao rarely took the initiative to come to Funing Hall.
After ordering the others to leave, Empress Cao, the daughter of a military attache, asked the officials in an imposing manner: "This afternoon, Miao Shuyi went to the concubine Kunning Hall and said that the officials intended to dissolve the marriage between Fukang and the Li family. I don't know. Is this possible?"
Zhao Zhen was somewhat in awe of Empress Cao. While secretly scolding Miao for talking too much, he frowned and asked, "The empress doesn't agree?"
Seeing that the official family was a little displeased, Empress Cao softened her tone and sighed softly: "Fukan is the only flesh and blood of the official family, and the ministers and concubines also regard her as their own. In the past, the official family wanted to marry the Li family, and the ministers and concubines also had a hard time. Persuasion, but the officials insist on going their own way. Now that the officials want to terminate the engagement, I naturally agree...even if someone instigates it."
Zhao Zhen was stunned, frowned and asked: "Who is the Queen referring to?"
"At noon today, when the officials met with Mr. Zhao, Fukang was quite rude to him, wasn't he?" Empress Cao asked tentatively.
Zhao Zhen sneered and said: "That kid doesn't bother to argue with a little girl, let alone instigate behind his back. ... In the past, Qian Mingyi and others made up charges to jointly impeach him. When he counter-impeached everyone, he didn't bother to make up charges. How could it be so? Will he instigate someone behind his back? If the Li family offends him again, he will probably just beat them in front of them, even in front of me."
Empress Cao had a strange expression, nodded and said: "My brother has mentioned this son to me many times, and I don't think it's the same... It's just that today the official has just met the young Mr. Zhao, so he changed his mind." The idea was to dissolve Fukang's marriage, so I couldn't help but think too much... I thought the official had changed his mind and wanted to marry Fukang to that young Mr. Zhao."
"Huh?" Zhao Zhen was stunned for a moment, but then he smiled bitterly and shook his head: "I'm afraid that boy doesn't like it..."
He could see clearly that when Zhao Yang mentioned all the willful and unruly behaviors of Princess Fukang in history at noon today, his eyes were full of disgust.
