After Tang Ning and Tang Yaoyao returned from Xiao Mansion, Tang Yaoyao was called away by Rich Man Tang. Tang Ning sat alone in the courtyard for a while, then stood up and walked towards the most secluded courtyard of the Tang family.
Tang Yu was sitting in the courtyard, holding needle and thread in her hand, and was doing needlework, but it was not embroidery. A small dress with flowers embroidered on the sleeves and neckline was already in prototype.
After sitting for a long time, her shoulder was a little sore, so she stretched out a hand to give it a beating. Just as she was about to continue, an extra hand appeared on her shoulder and gently helped her hold it.
She looked back and said with a smile: "Man'er came to see you just now. She just left not long ago. You should go find her quickly."
Tangning shook her head and said, "There's no rush."
Tang Yu picked up the needle and thread again and said, "While the girl hasn't forgotten about the girl, I want to make some small clothes for the children to wear in the future."
Tangning rubbed her shoulders and asked, "How about I ask Xiu'er to help you? She is very clever and can do this very quickly."
"No need." Tang Yu smiled and said, "I have nothing to do anyway, so I might as well find something to do to pass the time."
Tangning no longer forced herself, paused, and asked, "Mom, twenty years ago, you and your father had traveled so far to Lingzhou. How were you found in the end?"
Lingzhou already belongs to the north of Chen State. It is very convenient whether they are fleeing to the Western Regions or Chu State. Since the two of them can run from the capital to Lingzhou and live in peace along the way, there is no reason to be found in such a place.
Tang Yu stopped moving her hands, shook her head and said, "Why do you ask this?"
Tang Ning asked: "In addition to the Tang family, the people searching for you back then were also the imperial court, right?"
Tang Yu was silent for a moment, then nodded and said: "At that time, the Tang family was in great power, and all the state capitals were covered with our portraits. A lot of things happened during this period. We are very lucky to be able to escape to Lingzhou."
After hearing this, Tangning no longer needed to continue asking.
The laws of the State of Chen are relatively strict. It is impossible for the local government to implement such a national wanted order without the nod of Emperor Chen.
If you think about it carefully, this is normal. The Tang family was so powerful back then. It was impossible for Emperor Chen to go against the Tang family's wishes just for the sake of a young lady from the Tang family and a Jiangnan scholar.
Tang Yu looked at him and said: "Promise me, you won't resent His Majesty for this matter, and you will never do anything irrational..."
Tang Ning knew that she was worried about what she would do impulsively, so he smiled and said, "Don't worry, the Tang family has received the punishment they deserve. This matter ends here, and I won't do anything more."
"It's best if you think so." Tang Yu looked at him and said: "You don't understand His Majesty. He has restrained himself a lot in these years, sitting in that supreme position without enemies... He
It’s actually far scarier than you think.”
Tang Ning heard similar comments about Chen Huang twice today. They had all experienced that era and must know many things that Tang Ning did not know.
Tang Ning was suddenly full of curiosity about the previous era of the Chen Kingdom. Emperor Chen's status was equal to that of Prince Run, but his background was far less powerful than Prince Run's. From the few words of Mr. Xiao, Tang Ning guessed who Chen Huang's
Brother Huang is not as useless as Prince Duan and Prince Kang.
Under such circumstances, Chen Huang's ability to buck the trend and ascend to the throne was definitely not as simple as Tang Ning had read from the history books.
The history books that Tang Ning could find gave a very simple description of Emperor Chen before he ascended the throne.
In the autumn of the 16th year of Emperor Xuan's reign, Prince Rui fell into the water and drowned. King Su Qi was seriously ill, and the emperor died. It was passed down that he was in charge of the Qin Dynasty.
Emperor Chen's name was Zhao Zheng, and King Qin was his title before he ascended the throne. At that time, he ranked fourth in the royal family, with the prince and two royal brothers above him.
In the last year of the late emperor's death, the prince accidentally fell into the water and died. The second prince, King Su, was seriously ill and died. As for the third prince, as early as a year ago, he was demoted to a commoner due to political problems and was exiled without a trace.
Naturally, it fell on Chen Huang.
The words in history books have no warmth, and without personal experience, you don’t know the weight of every word or sentence in them.
Tang Ning looked at Tang Yu and asked, "Mom, how did your Majesty become the emperor?"
Tang Yu was born in the Tang family. Before she eloped, Emperor Chen had already ascended the throne. During that time, the Tang family was always at the center of the whirlpool in the capital. Naturally, she knew much more than others.
She put down the needle and thread in her hand, recalled for a moment, and then slowly said: "In the beginning, among the princes of the late emperor, Your Majesty was just a very ordinary one, and the Queen Mother was not one of the late emperor's favorite concubines.
Although the late emperor had established a prince in his early years, the second prince and the third prince did not give up. The three of them almost divided the court. They fought bloody battles for the throne, and the court was full of chaos until later..."
Tang Ning asked: "Until the Tang family intervened and stood on His Majesty's side?"
Tang Yu looked at him, nodded, and said: "The Tang family has helped His Majesty a lot. Without the Tang family, there would be no His Majesty today."
A hint of doubt appeared on Tang Ning's face, and she asked, "Since the three princes were so powerful at that time, why did the Tang family choose to help the powerless His Majesty?"
"It is precisely because His Majesty has no power and no one around him that he can be used, so the Tang family chose him." Tang Yu shook her head and said, "Only in this way, after Your Majesty ascends the throne, no one will compete with them for the huge benefits."
Tang Ning said: "At that time, they didn't understand His Majesty. They didn't know that after he ascended the throne, they would suppress the Tang family, right?"
"You are still young, and you still don't understand some things." Tang Yu looked at him, shook her head again, and said, "Many things are not black and white. After His Majesty ascended the throne, he did continue to suppress the Tang family, but the fourth sister was in the palace.
He received so much favor from me that he soon gave birth to Prince Duan. Over the years, His Majesty’s favorite prince has been Prince Duan. Who can say that the Tang family lost the bet?”
Tang Ning thought for a moment and then asked, "When the prince drowned, Prince Su fell ill, and the third prince was exiled, was it the Tang family and His Majesty's fault?"
"I don't know about this." Tang Yu sighed softly and said, "But His Majesty was the weakest back then. Even if the Tang family was included, he couldn't compete with any of the other three princes. In the end, he was able to sit on the throne.
When you ascend the throne, there must be some things that no one can know..."
Tang Yu looked up at him and said: "These things have long passed. Over the years, no one who wants to bring up the old things has a good ending. You must not take risks..."
Tangning nodded and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I know what's appropriate."
When Tang Ning walked out of the courtyard, there were still some thoughts lingering in her mind.
During the years of the Tang family and Emperor Chen, there were several unsolved cases in the royal family. The various information revealed in these matters makes people think and feel anxious.
However, Tang Ning was not very interested in Chen Huang's dark history, but her impression of him had deepened again.
He stepped out of the courtyard and saw Zhao Man standing outside the courtyard, looking at him with tearful eyes.
Tangning was shocked, walked to her side, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Zhao Man wiped her eyes, looked up at him, and sobbed: "I'm sorry..."
Tangning was stunned for a moment, and then she realized that she must have heard the conversation in the yard just now.
He smiled, held her in his arms, stroked her hair, and said, "This is none of your business."
Zhao Man looked up at Tang Ning and asked, "Is my father really that scary?"
Tang Ning didn't know exactly how terrifying Chen Huang was, but there was no doubt that he was much scarier than all of them imagined.
A marginalized prince could defeat all his powerful enemies and ascend to the throne. If he were as simple as Zhao Yuan, he would have been swallowed up long ago and not even the scum would be left.
Zhao Man sniffed and asked: "If, if my father had someone break up my parents, would you still like me?"
"Of course." Tangning put her hands around her waist and smiled, "You will always be my princess."
