Song Xiu

Chapter 22 The Empress's Wrath

It gets dark quickly, and it gets light quickly too.

As soon as a glimmer of light appeared on the horizon, Zhao Dexiu, with a calm expression, came to Wei Renpu's room to greet him.

Zhao Dexiu's expression remained unchanged, giving Wei Renpu a strange feeling: Could it be that the young man who showed his talent last night was not the Crown Prince in front of him?

After spending these past few days together, Wei Renpu increasingly felt that Zhao Dexiu was hiding something in his heart, something that prevented him from getting close to him.

But if Zhao Dexiu never opens up to him, then their long-awaited apprenticeship ceremony will remain forever out of reach.

"It's cold today. When you go to pay your respects to the Second Palace, remember to bring a fur coat to keep warm."

Wei Renpu, who had already completely accepted Zhao Dexiu in his heart, couldn't help but ask with concern.

The two palaces mentioned by Wei Renpu refer to the Yanshou Palace and Yanqing Palace, where Empress Dowager Du and Empress Wang resided respectively.

After Zhao Kuangyin became emperor, Zhao Dexiu would go to the Second Palace every morning to pay his respects, regardless of the weather.

Moreover, Zhao Dexiu never rode in a sedan chair; he always walked.

This demonstrates Zhao Dexiu's inherent kindness and filial piety.

Wei Renpu's words of advice warmed Zhao Dexiu's heart.

After sincerely bowing to Wei Renpu, Zhao Dexiu grabbed Zhao Dezhao, who was trying to slack off, and left Yandegong Palace.

Yande Palace is some distance from Yanqing Palace, and Zhao Dezhao's face clearly showed dissatisfaction as they walked.

Seeing that no one was around, Zhao Dezhao muttered, "Brother, you know perfectly well that the Empress Dowager doesn't like us."

Once, when we went to pay our respects, Uncle Guangyi happened to be there too, and the Empress Dowager barely even glanced at us.

Although Zhao Dezhao was young, he was not ignorant of everything.

In Zhao Dezhao's memory, his grandmother, apart from occasionally smiling at Zhao Dexiu, basically always had a cold face towards him and the newborn Zhao Defang.

In the past, Zhao Dezhao thought that Empress Dowager Du was a person who strictly adhered to etiquette and cared a lot about her appearance.

It wasn't until he saw the wide smile on Du Taihou's face when she faced Zhao Guangyi that Zhao Dezhao understood everything.

This favoritism is too obvious!
After complaining about Empress Dowager Du, Zhao Dezhao then praised Empress Wang: "Your mother is different."

Even though our mother was sometimes bedridden, she would always give us pastries with a smile whenever we visited.

I am more than willing to brave the cold wind to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager.

After making this comparison, Zhao Dezhao's expression became even more resentful.

Compared to Empress Wang, wasn't Empress Dowager Du more closely related to them by blood?

Zhao Dezhao thought his complaints would resonate with Zhao Dexiu, but to his surprise, he received a flick on the head as soon as he finished speaking.

How the Empress Dowager treats us is her business.

As the younger generation, we must fulfill our filial duties.

Besides, I've told you many times that there are many people and many eyes in the palace, so you can't say anything that is not good for yourself.

"We are princes, and countless eyes are secretly watching our every word and action."

The pain in his head made Zhao Dezhao instinctively reach out and cover his forehead.

"I understand, elder brother. I won't say these things in front of others."

But you are not just anyone to me.

Zhao Dezhao's words revealed a strong sense of trust in Zhao Dexiu.

Since birth, Zhao Dezhao, as the second son of the legitimate wife, has not received much attention. In his early years, he was taken care of by Madam He.

After their birth mother, Madam He, passed away, Zhao Dexiu took the initiative to take care of him when he was feeling lost and confused.

Originally, Yande Palace was prepared by Zhao Kuangyin for Zhao Dexiu alone, to show the unique status of Zhao Dexiu as the eldest son of the legitimate wife.

Zhao Dezhao, who was unloved by his father and mother, should have lived with his stepmother, Empress Wang. It was Zhao Dexiu who worried that Zhao Dezhao would be unprotected if he lived in Yanqing Palace, so he asked Zhao Kuangyin to allow Zhao Dezhao to stay with him.

Zhao Dezhao could feel Zhao Dexiu's care for him.

Zhao Dezhao's trust brought a smile to Zhao Dexiu's face, and Zhao Dexiu subconsciously clenched the chubby hand in his palm.

Was it this very hand that forced his younger brother, whom he had never protected, to commit suicide?
Thinking of this, Zhao Dexiu lowered her eyes.

If Zhao Dezhao could see it, how could he not know it?

But in order to reverse history, he cannot act impulsively.

An eldest son who is not benevolent and filial cannot possibly gain the support of the court officials.

However, Zhao Dexiu didn't want Zhao Dezhao to feel too suppressed, so she smiled and looked down at him, saying, "From now on, you can only say these things to me."

Zhao Dexiu's original intention was to give Zhao Dezhao a channel to confide in in the future, but unexpectedly, when Zhao Dezhao saw Zhao Dexiu's smile, he immediately took advantage of the situation and looked up to ask:

I will listen to my elder brother.

"May I raid bird nests after I return to the palace?"

When he asked this question, Zhao Dezhao's eyes revealed a clear yet foolish naiveté.

This naivety made Zhao Dexiu unable to resist, and he kicked her directly.

"Screw you."

Not long after, Zhao Dexiu brought Zhao Dezhao to Yanfu Palace.

Empress Wang was overjoyed to learn that Zhao Dexiu had arrived, and immediately ordered her maids to bring out the pastries she had made herself.

At the same time, Empress Wang cast a curious glance at Zhao Dezhao, who was covering his buttocks.

Seeing that Empress Wang intended to ask a question, Zhao Dexiu first intimidated Zhao Dezhao with her eyes, and then quickly answered:
"De Zhao fell from a tree today while trying to steal a bird's nest."

Zhao Dezhao never expected that he, who had been wronged, would suffer an injustice in the end, and he almost covered his face and cried bitterly.

Finally, Zhao Dezhao, swallowing his anger, could only channel his frustration into his appetite, constantly stuffing pastries into his mouth.

After listening to Zhao Dexiu's explanation, Empress Wang stopped focusing on Zhao Dezhao and instead asked about Zhao Dexiu's recent studies.

"Did Lord Wei do his best in teaching you?"
If you feel he is holding back some knowledge, I will speak to His Majesty and have a better lecturer chosen for you.

Seeing Zhao Dexiu teasing and playing with Zhao Defang, Empress Wang was very happy that Zhao Defang had won Zhao Dexiu's favor.

Empress Wang, being a woman, did not quite understand the deeper meaning behind Zhao Kuangyin's arrangement for Wei Renpu to teach Zhao Dexiu. She only cared about whether Wei Renpu had taught Zhao Dexiu well.

Empress Wang's question warmed Zhao Dexiu's heart, and he respectfully replied, "Lord Wei has done his best and never held anything back."

Empress Wang was relieved by Zhao Dexiu's answer. She then asked Zhao Dexiu, "What have you learned from Duke Wei recently? Tell me about it."

This was a perfectly normal question from an elder to a younger person, but it was precisely this question that gave Zhao Dexiu the opportunity.

“My son has recently been studying the history of the Northern Qi Dynasty with Lord Wei.”

"Northern Qi?" Empress Wang, who rarely read history books, was unfamiliar with this dynasty.

Seeing that she had aroused Empress Wang's curiosity, Zhao Dexiu said in a heavy tone:
"The Northern Qi dynasty was an era that produced many beastly rulers."

The founding emperor of the Northern Qi dynasty was Gao Yang.

At first, Empress Wang seemed quite interested in Zhao Dexiu's story, but when she heard that Gao Yang's younger brother, Gao Zhan, had abused and killed his nephew after becoming emperor, her face showed disgust.

When Zhao Dexiu recounted how Gao Zhan forced his sister-in-law Li Zu'e into sexual intercourse, Empress Wang's expression was beyond mere disgust.

Feeling a sense of empathy, a look of disgust and anger appeared on her face.

Before Zhao Dexiu could finish speaking, Empress Wang angrily threw the hand warmer heavily to the ground:

"The debauchery of the Northern Qi Dynasty was all due to the younger brother usurping the throne from the elder brother!"

(End of this chapter)