The Beauties of the Song Dynasty - Chapter 119
"Wanlan—"
She raised her hand to cover his mouth and smiled, "Leave this to me. Don't worry, I'll save him."
He quickly moved her hand away, "No, you will—"
"No." She smiled confidently. "When Master Ding came a few days ago, I asked him about this matter. Master Ding said that I was originally an outsider to this world, but since I was destined to come here, it was for you to overcome your tribulations."
Zhao Defang asked incredulously, "Really?"
"Perhaps I owed you a debt in my past life!" She smiled playfully, snuggling back into his arms, her eyes fixed on the ground, saying things that even she herself didn't understand. "On the night of the palace coup, you and your uncle were killing each other, and I happened to stop it, didn't I? Although your father still... that was his destined time to die. As for your elder brother's calamity this time, I have my own way to help him resolve it."
Hearing her speak with such certainty, Zhao Defang began to have doubts, but she hadn't forgotten the close call she'd made that time. "Last time you almost lost your life trying to stop Father and Uncle! So this time—if it's still dangerous, I won't allow you to get involved!"
"No, no!" She swallowed a sigh and gently reassured him, "The atmosphere was a bit too tense last time, but your brother's situation is different. He attempted suicide, and I'll always find a way to stop him. Don't worry!"
Sigh, I really should have brought these things up with Zehua.
But he also worried that his words might come true, and that if Zehua were to save him in time, he would surely regret it for the rest of his life.
What a contradiction...
Is she really going to save Zhao Dezhao?
Chapter 105, The Curtain Falls Over the Vast Chu Sky (1)
On the 25th day of the fourth month of the third year of the Taiping Xingguo era, Chen Hongjin, the military governor of Pinghai, adopted the strategy of his advisor Liu Changyan from Nan'an and submitted a memorial to surrender the two prefectures of Zhangzhou and Quanzhou under his jurisdiction.
On the first day of the fifth month, Emperor Taizong of Song ascended the Qianyuan Hall to receive the imperial court. He issued an edict granting amnesty to criminals within the jurisdiction of Zhangzhou and Quanzhou, exempting them from corvée labor and taxes for one year.
When King Qian Chu of Wuyue came to the capital to pay homage, he loaded all the valuables of his household onto carts and set off, the value of which was incalculable. Qian Chu, hoping to return to the capital, increased the tribute to please the court.
Unexpectedly, Chen Hongjin offered land, and Qian Chu, fearing for his life, registered and presented the army of Wuyue. He also submitted a memorial, begging to have the Wuyue Kingdom revoked and to be relieved of his post as Grand Marshal of the Army, to abolish the rule that recruitment letters should not address him by his name, and to return to his original place. Emperor Taizong of Song did not grant his request.
At this time, Cui Renji, a scholar from the Wuyue Kingdom, accompanied Qian Chu to the capital. Upon seeing this situation, he hurriedly advised, "The court's intentions are self-evident. If Your Majesty does not quickly surrender your territory and become a vassal, disaster will befall you."
Qian Chu's aides argued against it, but Cui Renji said sternly, "We are now under their control, thousands of miles away from the capital. Only by growing wings can we fly away!"
Qian Chu made a decisive decision and submitted a memorial to offer up the thirteen prefectures and one army under his jurisdiction.
Emperor Taizong of Song ascended the Qianyuan Hall to receive court congratulations, as in the winter and the formal ceremony.
Inside the Chongde Hall, Zhao Jiong quietly looked at the woman sitting in front of him drinking tea, and said loudly, "You knew that Qian Chu would exchange the land for the stripping of his title and post, which is why I refused without hesitation."
Not entirely.
Wanlan looked up at him and smiled faintly, "Your Majesty should not be willing to let him occupy the Jiangcheng of my Great Song and become a king, right? Even if he is just a small local king."
"Aren't you worried that he might put up a fierce resistance? If we push him too far, it seems possible that he might risk everything to bring chaos to our Great Song Dynasty."
"But the man next to him, Choi In-gi, is a man who is quite good at assessing situations."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Jiong smiled faintly.
"Deqing, did you come to the palace to see me today specifically for this matter?"
"Of course not."
Wanlan put down her teacup, stood up, took a few steps closer to Zhao Jiong, and asked directly, "Wanlan has always had a question that I don't understand. Could you help me solve it, Imperial Uncle?"
"What's the problem?"
Wan Lanyang laughed, placing her hands on the desk in front of Zhao Jiong to look him in the eye, "Why did you let Zhao Dezhao go?"
Zhao Jiong's gaze darkened, and Liang Rucai chuckled softly, "Deqing, in this world, only you dare to question me like this!"
“I used to be afraid of you.” Wanlan smiled and casually raised her eyebrows. “Because I felt guilty towards Zehua, as if I was always dragging him down. So when I faced someone who cared about him so much, I panicked. But it’s different now.”
She shrugged and said, "Why did you let Zhao Dezhao go? He knows your secrets and used to be your rival. Now that he's lost, why don't you press your advantage?"
Zhao Jiong slowly stood up, hands behind his back, and said in a low voice, "So you and Defang also know my secret, and were once my rivals. Why do you think I would sideline you?"
Wanlan scoffed, "Ha! How could you let us go? If you really wanted to let me and Zehua go, why did you keep Zehua detained in the capital? Zhao Dezhao could stay at his post without coming back."
Zhao Jiong replied calmly, "He'll be back soon, and you'll soon be speechless."
"Did the Imperial Uncle summon him back to punish him?" Wanlan asked curiously. "I told you you wouldn't let him off so easily, right? Zhao Dezhao is a very strong-willed man who will do anything for his goals. If his interests clash with the Emperor's orders one day, it's hard to guarantee he won't rebel. At that time, the Imperial Uncle's secret... will probably no longer be a secret."
"I will not allow such a thing to happen!" Zhao Jiong glared at her fiercely and said angrily.
Wanlan chuckled lightly, ignoring his attitude. "So, Imperial Uncle is finally planning to deal with him?"
Zhao Jiong sneered, "I will never deal with him. I have absolute confidence that I can keep the secret!"
"So, Uncle doesn't intend to kill him?"
"What would I do with his life!"
"Alright!" Wanlan clapped her hands and looked at Zhao Jiong, who was staring at her in astonishment, with a smile. She said lightly, "A king's word is law. His Majesty personally told Wanlan that he didn't want Zhao Dezhao's life. You can't go back on your word!"
"Deqing, you—" Zhao Jiong was speechless for a moment, then finally seemed to realize something, "This is your purpose today, isn't it? To ask for a pardon for Zhao Dezhao? Why didn't you think of asking for one for yourself and Defang?"
Wanlan shook her head with a smile, "Zehua and I don't need that, right? Uncle?"
Zhao Jiong snorted twice, quite dissatisfied with the person in front of him who had set him up, "That's not necessarily true!"
Wanlan smiled, not minding at all. "Uncle, you are preoccupied with state affairs, so Wanlan will take her leave now."
After bowing, she left Chongde Hall and headed towards the inner palace with a cheerful smile. Just as she stepped out of Xuanyou Gate, she saw Zehua coming towards her in a panic.