Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 386 The Secret History of Ninghe (11,000 words)

Among intelligent people, some things are understood without being said.

Both Emperor Ninghe and Song Yan knew very well that Song Yan would not easily return after leaving this time.

This time, because of the Ghost Cave incident, it seems that Emperor Ninghe has come out on top. However, both the White Egret Academy and the Yang Clan are ruthless. If they are really pushed to the limit, no one can guarantee that they won't resort to desperate measures. Emperor Ninghe also couldn't bear to let Luo Yuheng and Luo Tianshu be dragged into the vortex of Dongling City.

Perhaps, this parting will be the last chance to meet.

For Yu Ning and the Emperor, being able to see their daughter was an extremely happy thing.

He could understand his daughter's reluctance.

After all, his daughter had grown up in an environment without a father, and he was even the enemy who killed her.

Although he felt a pang of bitterness in his heart, he did not complain. His hands rummaged through his clothes somewhat helplessly, as if trying to find something suitable that could at least be used as a gift... but he, the emperor, was used to being poor.

Even though this raid yielded many valuable items, most of them were left in the storeroom. He was determined not to take them out and wear them. For a moment, he couldn't find anything of value, and his expression became somewhat awkward.

It turned red, very red.

He hesitated, unsure of what to say.

Song Yan could see Ninghe Emperor's predicament, and felt even more sorry for the middle-aged man in front of him.

Turning to look at Luo Tianxuan and Luo Tianyi, the two sisters were also staring at Song Yan, their big eyes full of questions, obviously wanting to find out what was going on. They had been living in a single-parent family for more than ten years, so how did they suddenly have a father?
Song Yan pursed her lips, feeling it was more appropriate for her to speak up herself, since the two sisters' attitude towards Emperor Ninghe was not exactly good. With that in mind, Song Yan spoke up: "Let me speak. Although most of what I know is based on my deductions, please correct me if there is anything wrong."

Emperor Ninghe nodded.

“My lady, Tianyi…” Pointing to Emperor Ninghe, Song Yan slowly said, “This is His Majesty the present.”

The two sisters were clearly startled; their pupils contracted. The current emperor? Wasn't that their mother's eldest brother? Their uncle?

Why does the gentleman also say that he is their father?

Could it be that it was Mother and Uncle...?

Considering the various rumors about the strained relationship between my mother and Emperor Ninghe... could it be that my uncle forced my mother?

In an instant, the expressions on Luo Tianxuan and Luo Tianyi's faces became extremely interesting.

If the initial feeling was one of resistance and rejection, this moment was one of intense disgust, as if the Ninghe Emperor before them was an utterly wicked scumbag and a beast.

Just by looking at the expressions on the two women's faces, Song Yan knew exactly what kind of nonsense they were thinking. He was speechless and couldn't help but flick their foreheads lightly.

With Luo Tianxuan and Luo Tianyi's strength, they could easily dodge Song Yan's head-smashing blow. However, Luo Tianxuan made no attempt to dodge, taking the blow head-on. She then covered her head with her hands, looking at Song Yan with a tearful expression, as if she had suffered some great injustice.

I feel pity for you.

This little expression made Song Yan find it very cute.

Luo Tianyi didn't take it seriously at first. The moment her brother-in-law made his move, she knew he wasn't very strong and it wouldn't hurt at all.

Seeing her sister like this, she followed suit, covering her forehead, puffing out her cheeks, and looking at her brother-in-law with a resentful and aggrieved expression, like an angry pufferfish.

Seeing his adorable face, Song Yan couldn't help but laugh out loud, which eased the atmosphere a bit.

"Listen to me slowly." Song Yan's eyes widened: "In the first year of Ninghe, the current empress became pregnant."

"It just so happens that the eldest princess, who is also the mother, is pregnant, and the timing of her pregnancy and delivery is very close. So the empress invited the eldest princess to enter the palace to give birth together. In the end, the empress gave birth to a princess, and the eldest princess gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. Rumors circulated that the emperor was depressed and asked his son-in-law about it. The son-in-law replied: I am delighted to have twins, a boy and a girl. The emperor was furious and rebuked him: Since the time of Chu, the emperor has been regarded as the dragon and the empress as the phoenix. You say that the twins are a boy and a girl. Does that mean that the emperor is the son and the empress is the daughter?"

“Kill him in anger.”

Luo Tianxuan's face was gloomy; she naturally knew about this matter.

Because of this incident, she lost her father at a young age, so Luo Tianxuan had no feelings for the royal family and even harbored some hatred towards them.

Now, she possesses the strength of a grandmaster.

If she weren't worried about causing trouble for Song Yan, she probably would have stormed into the palace at night, held a sword to Emperor Ninghe's throat, and asked him why he had to kill his own father.

Could it be because of that one phrase, "twins"?

Emperor Ninghe looked embarrassed.

“Actually, there are some problems with this rumor.” Song Yan sighed. He carefully chose his words, slowly unveiling the mystery of the secrets that once existed in the palace. “If I’m not mistaken, the one who gave birth to the baby boy was the Empress, and the one who gave birth to the eldest princess was the daughter.”

Swish.

Upon hearing this, Luo Tianxuan suddenly raised her head, her bright eyes fixed on Song Yan, her pupils trembling slightly.

"What kind of place is the palace? It's a place that eats people without spitting out their bones."

Emperor Ninghe opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say that his palace wasn't so bad, but after thinking about it, he didn't say anything. As the emperor, he knew about the sordid affairs of the harem.

Nothing is dirtier than the imperial palace.

This is not just talk.

When those women became ruthless, even Ninghe and the capital city were terrified.

"The son born to the Empress is the legitimate son and the eldest son. It can be said that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he will definitely be the Crown Prince and the next Emperor Ning."

"However, we must also understand what the situation was like in the first year of Ninghe. His Majesty had just ascended the throne, and the Yang family was at the height of their power, controlling the court. Even the Fang family and Bailu Academy could only live in a corner."

"In the inner palace, there was also a woman surnamed Yang who became a Noble Consort."

"Countless palace maids and eunuchs are spies planted by the Yang family."

"For a prince like this to grow up in the palace is practically impossible."

"Therefore, His Majesty discussed with his mother the possibility of exchanging offspring, with the eldest prince being raised by his mother, thus greatly increasing his chances of survival."

Luo Tianxuan trembled slightly, her face turning pale.

Emperor Ninghe remained silent, clearly acknowledging Song Yan's words.

"I don't know whether it was one or two that were exchanged back then."

Letting out a breath, Emperor Ninghe slowly said, "Two."

"At that time, the Empress gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. Originally, the plan was only to exchange Tian Shu and keep Tian Xuan. After all, the princess was not a big threat. Even if Yang Miaoyun was ruthless, she would not do anything to a princess. However, later, we were worried that since Tian Shu and Tian Xuan were twins, if they looked too similar, it might arouse suspicion. So we sent them all to Yu Heng."

Luo Tianxuan's expression gradually returned to calm; she had probably come to believe this explanation.

It wasn't that Emperor Ninghe's words were credible; it was simply that she trusted her husband.

However, she still didn't quite understand: "Why did you have to kill the prince consort in the first place?"

"Originally, only Yuheng, the Empress, and I knew about this. Apart from us, there were only two nannies who had taken care of us since we were young. However, the Prince Consort accidentally stumbled upon the exchange."

As Emperor Ninghe spoke, a hint of pain appeared on his face.

“The relationship between the prince consort and me is not simply that of brother-in-law and sister-in-law.” Emperor Ninghe gave a bitter smile. “We grew up together. He is the son of a duke. Although there are no outstanding people in the clan to support him and the family is gradually declining, the status of the duke’s heir is still considered noble.”

“He was sent to the palace at a young age to be the prince’s study companion. He was the kind of honest and quiet person who rarely spoke.”

"My relationship with Yuheng and I is excellent."

“At that time, I also felt that it was reassuring to hand Yuheng over to him. Although he could not be all-powerful and influential, he was at least good to Yuheng.” Emperor Ninghe’s expression became even more bitter: “However, I never expected that he would betray me and Yuheng. He knew that if what Yuheng and I did reached the ears of the Yang family, our lives would be in danger, and the Yang family would never allow such an uncontrollable emperor to ascend the throne.”

"Perhaps, we will all suddenly die for some inexplicable reason, just like Emperor Longtai and Emperor Yuanjing."

"Then, support the newborn child to ascend the throne."

“I promised that I would do everything in my power to protect Yuheng’s daughter and not let her get hurt. It is very difficult to protect a prince, but a princess is not a problem. In front of me and Yuheng, he promised that he would never tell anyone about this.”

"After leaving the palace, he went straight to the Yang family..." "Perhaps he felt that such a secret could bring him great benefits from the Yang family. It was possible for him to enter the court as a minister, or even the prime minister of three provinces, and to rule the court. The defeated government might also have a chance to rise again."

"However, he didn't know that while he was making his promises to us, his shifty eyes had already betrayed him."

"When he chose to go down the Yang family's path, the rest was already predetermined."

These things were unknown not only to Luo Tianxuan and Luo Tianyi, but also to Song Yan.

At one point, Song Yan even naively thought that the prince consort might have deliberately sought death in order to create an irreconcilable conflict between Emperor Ninghe and Luo Tianxuan, making it easier for Luo Tianxuan to adopt princes and princesses.

Who would have thought that the real reason was the evil in human nature?

Perhaps in the mind of that prince consort, no matter how much Emperor Ninghe and Luo Yuheng struggled, it was all in vain; they had no chance of turning the tables on the Yang family. Rather than dying alongside the emperor and the princess during the Yang family's purge, it was better to offer a pledge of loyalty beforehand.

"That's how it happened after that."

“Yuheng used this incident to make an enemy of me.”

"The internal discord within the royal family has led to Yang Jiale's success."

"Although the prince consort's relatives made a fuss for a while, the Yang family managed to suppress it."

"After all, in the eyes of the Yang family, an emperor like me who can't control his emotions is probably easier to manage."

Emperor Ninghe smiled bitterly. This one incident alone would likely ensure that he would never shake off the reputation of being a tyrant.

“I know there are many struggles in the harem, but I still underestimated the viciousness of those people. Even with the Empress protecting her, Yuheng’s daughter still encountered danger several times. When Tianyi was born, a midwife tampered with the baby, and she almost died along with her unborn child. Just a few months after her birth, a palace maid tried to kill her. I took advantage of that opportunity to send Tianyi out of the palace.”

"Tianquan and Tianyang are the same."

"It wasn't until Yang Guifei's son was born and grew up a few years later, and I also managed to gain some power over the past few years, that the Fang family was completely on my side, and I also supported Bailu Academy. I was able to put up a fight with the Yang family, and the number of cases of murdering princes, princesses, and even pregnant concubines in the palace gradually decreased."

"Even so, Qingyi and Caiyi were almost murdered. Perhaps some people thought that the twin princesses were more favored by me, the emperor."

Emperor Ninghe's eyes revealed a hint of exhaustion and weakness.

These things may seem like a simple matter, but only those who have experienced them firsthand can truly understand how dangerous and sordid they are.

"Of course, if a royal heir dies in the palace and Yuheng adopts another, it will naturally arouse suspicion."

"Fortunately, Yuheng was prepared in advance, having prepared other infants and held a grand banquet. They even sent invitations to the palace, making the matter bigger and bigger. They welcomed anyone who wanted to see the babies, which finally dispelled the Yang family's suspicions. I also took this opportunity to gradually reduce Yuheng's title and drive him out of Dongling, further and further away from the capital. Only in this way could you have a chance to survive."

"However, even if the Yang family dispels most of their doubts, they will still take action if there is even the slightest suspicion."

“One of Yuheng’s maids was bribed to deliberately bring clothes worn by a tuberculosis patient to Tianxuan’s side. They probably wanted to use tuberculosis to kill Yuheng and all his children. Fortunately, Daoist Yushuang went down the mountain to gain experience and was well-versed in traditional Chinese medicine. She also found Doctor Sun, and finally managed to stabilize your condition.”

"However, tuberculosis is an incurable disease."

"You will be living alone in the backyard, completely isolated from others. On the day of your wedding, I went to Ningping, but I could only watch from afar."

Luo Tianxuan's expression shifted slightly; she was unaware that her tuberculosis had this underlying cause.

In an instant, thinking about how she had been walking on the edge of life and death for so many years, the torment of tuberculosis, the pain of coughing up blood from her throat, and the despair of not being able to sleep every day, Luo Tianxuan's face turned gloomy and her eyes revealed murderous intent.

Even their slender fingers unconsciously clenched tightly.

At this moment, Luo Tianxuan felt an urge to rush to the Yang family and smash and clean up all the damned things.

“I know what you’re thinking, but… don’t be impulsive.” Emperor Ninghe shook his head and said, “The Yang family is not so easy to deal with. If a martial arts master could wipe out the Yang family, they wouldn’t have existed for so long. The Yang family’s foundation is much deeper than you imagine.”

"At the moment of birth, all the children of the Yang family have their bones examined by their ancestors. Those who are suited for cultivation will be carefully nurtured, while those who are not will follow the path of scholars. Those who are talented in medicine will be trained to become pharmacists and research various poisons, while those who are gifted in the study of things will be trained to become craftsmen. It is said that the Yang family has developed a giant crossbow that requires several experts to draw. Its power is so great that it can pierce through city gates, and even a ninth-rank martial artist would find it difficult to withstand its attack."

"Over the years, based on my investigation alone, the Yang family has had three ninth-rank martial artists."

"I don't really know exactly how many there are."

"I have also heard that there is a martial artist in the Yang family clan. According to seniority, he should be Yang Hetong's uncle, but he is younger than Yang Hetong. He is a martial arts genius that Ningguo has not seen in a hundred years. He has been in seclusion for many years and may have already become a grandmaster."

Luo Tianxuan frowned slightly.

There are differences even between grandmasters.

She knew that if the opponent was truly a reclusive grandmaster who had been in seclusion for many years, she, having just entered the grandmaster realm, would likely be no match for him. If he were to be accompanied by a large number of ninth-rank martial artists, along with poison and giant crossbows, even she and Hua Lian Yue would face considerable trouble.

It seems we still need to find out more about the Yang family.

"You don't need to worry about the Yang family's affairs for now. We old folks can hold the fort for a few more years." With his lips moving, Emperor Ninghe spoke again: "Seeing you all, I know that Yuheng has taken good care of you all these years. I'm telling you this not to defend myself, but simply to let you know that I didn't intentionally abandon you."

Everything was done in order to find that glimmer of hope.

In those years, let alone Emperor Ninghe, even Luo Yuheng probably couldn't get a good night's sleep, living in constant fear. He seemed to perceive everyone he met as having ill intentions, as if they were spies sent by the Yang family.

Everything has been said.

There was a brief silence at the scene.

Emperor Ninghe pursed his lips: "I've been away for too long, it's time to go back."

"It's still a bit chilly outside, you should head back early too."

Being able to see his two daughters one more time, to see with his own eyes that they are both doing well now, and to explain the past to them, Emperor Ninghe was completely satisfied.

With a forced smile, Emperor Ninghe ultimately couldn't say anything more. He let out a breath and turned to leave.

However, that figure looked somewhat lonely.

He must have felt a little regretful that he couldn't hear his daughter call him "Father" or "Dad" in person.

At this moment, the two sisters, Luo Tianxuan and Luo Tianyi, silently watched Ninghe Emperor's back, their neat, white teeth gently biting their lower lips, without uttering a word.

Just as Emperor Ninghe had taken a few steps, Luo Tianxuan suddenly parted her cherry lips:
"father!"

At that moment, Emperor Ninghe's body suddenly trembled.

No one could see that Emperor Ninghe, with his back turned, had tears streaming down his face, his eyes like a breached dam.

Luo Tianyi glanced at her eldest sister beside her, then at Song Yan. After a brief hesitation, she muttered softly, "Father!"

It was visible to the naked eye that Emperor Ninghe's shoulders were trembling slightly.

enough.

That's enough.

At this moment, Emperor Ninghe felt a surge of heroic spirit in his chest.

Yang family.

just wait.

Even if it costs him his life, he would pave the way for his daughter and son-in-law and straighten out the thorns on the branches.

Taking a deep breath, Ning Hedi suppressed the urge to turn around and hug his daughter, and simply waved his hand nonchalantly: "Alright, go back now."

"You brat, remember this!"

"If I ever find out that you have bullied my daughter, I will haunt you even in death."

"Ha ha ha ha……"

With a hearty laugh, Emperor Ninghe strode away.

(End of this chapter)