The ministers begged me to ascend the throne

Chapter 558: Concubine Rong passes away

The deaths of King Dai and King Yue were too great a blow to Concubine Rong. When she learned that the emperor had never loved her, she lost her last desire to live.

Her condition, which had been improving, suddenly deteriorated. In just a few days, she turned from a graceful peony into a withered grass.

A person has lost the desire to live, and no matter how good the medicine is, it can't save her life. Now, she only has one breath left.

Jin Mei knelt beside the bed, crying very sadly, shouting "My Queen, please don't leave me."

Concubine Rong on the bed was already unconscious, and she kept shouting the names of King Dai and King Yue, her father, mother, and brother.

Outside the bedroom, eunuchs and palace maids were kneeling, they were all crying. Some were crying for Concubine Rong's impending death, and some were crying for his unknown future.

The chief eunuch of Yongxin Palace went to the gate of Zichen Hall, found Sun Doudou, and told him the news that Concubine Rong was about to die.

After hearing this, Sun Doudou's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately said with a bitter look on his face, "The emperor hasn't left the court yet, so I don't dare to go in and report."

"Eunuch Sun, please tell the emperor immediately after he leaves the court."

"How long can the Imperial Concubine hold on?" Sun Doudou asked, "Go back and ask the Imperial Concubine to hold on a little longer. The Emperor will leave the court soon."

"I'll be back soon. Thank you for your help, Eunuch Sun."

"You're welcome."

Watching the back of the eunuch of Yongxin Palace running away in a hurry, Sun Doudou let out a long sigh: Alas, the noble concubine Rong who was favored by all the six palaces turned out to be... what a trick of fate.

When the chief eunuch of Yongxin Palace rushed back, Concubine Rong had actually gotten up. Her expression and complexion had returned to normal, and there was no sign of her previous dying appearance.

With red eyes and tears in her eyes, Jin Mei dressed up Concubine Rong.

When the chief eunuch saw this, he understood that Concubine Rong was experiencing a return of glory.

As soon as Concubine Rong was dressed up, the emperor hurried over.

Obviously, Concubine Rong is no longer young, but she looks as if she was just conferred the title of Concubine back then, bright, gorgeous, and charming.

In the entire harem, Concubine Rong had the best appearance, no one could match her.

Concubine Rong, wearing the court dress of a concubine, slowly saluted the emperor.

The emperor stepped forward and held out his hand to help her up.

Concubine Rong held the emperor's hand, looked at him lovingly, and said in a gentle but guilty tone: "Cousin, I promised you that I would grow old with you. Now I am going to break my promise. Please don't blame me."

The emperor held Rong Guifei's hand tightly, his eyes slightly reddened as he said, "I am sorry for you."

Concubine Rong raised her hand and gently stroked the emperor's handsome face. "Cousin, my greatest wish in this life is to become your wife. Unfortunately, I have never been able to do so. So you have to marry me in the next life. You owe me this. You can't refuse."

The emperor felt as if a huge stone was blocking his chest. He looked at Concubine Rong's expectant eyes, but couldn't say the words of refusal. He nodded slightly and said in a hoarse voice, "Okay."

Concubine Rong smiled, and in an instant, the peonies seemed to be in full bloom, and the sky and the earth lost their color.

"Cousin, I'll wait for you then."

The emperor's eyes were sore and his voice was choked: "Okay."

Rong Guifei leaned in the emperor's arms, her face suddenly turned pale, and her tone became weak: "Cousin, although you have never loved me in this life, I am still happy. I don't regret marrying you. You must love me twice as much in the next life."

The emperor agreed: "Okay."

"Cousin, I'm leaving. You have to be good..." Concubine Rong's words became more and more difficult, "I..."

Before she finished her last sentence, Concubine Rong's hand, which was grabbing the emperor's clothes on his chest, suddenly dropped down.

A moment later, the death knell rang throughout the capital.

In the Prince of Han's mansion, Zhao Yao was sitting by the pond fishing when he suddenly heard the sound of a funeral bell. He immediately stood up and listened for a while. There were four bells.

Concubine Rong passed away.

Tongxi hurried over and said, "Your Highness, did you hear the death knell?"

"I heard four beeps. It must be Concubine Rong who passed away." Zhao Yao told Tongxi, "Change my clothes and go to the palace immediately."

"Yes, Your Highness."

When Zhao Yao and King Wei arrived at the palace, it had already turned white.

The Emperor issued an edict that Concubine Rong be buried according to the Empress' regulations, which made Empress Xie very dissatisfied. She even had a big tantrum in Zhaoyang Palace because of this.

The funeral of Concubine Rong was organized by the King of Chu and the Ministry of Rites, and it was held with great ceremony.

When Empress Xie saw that Concubine Rong was still honored even after her death, she was filled with jealousy.

Fortunately, the emperor did not stop court after the death of Concubine Rong. If the emperor stopped court for Concubine Rong, I am afraid that Empress Xie would be even more jealous.

At this time in Kunde Hall, Liangpin was discussing marriage with Zhao Yao. Rong Guifei was not the queen mother, and she passed away, so the princes and the people did not need to mourn for her, so Zhao Yao's marriage would go on as usual.

After Zhao Yao heard Concubine Liang talk about the marriage, he saw that she looked worried and asked with concern, "Mother, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?"

Liangpin came back to her senses and smiled at Zhao Yao: "I'm fine, I'm just worried about your father."

"Are you worried that your father will be sad?" Rong Guifei's funeral had been over for several days, and both the court and the harem had returned to normal. Before, the people were still discussing Rong Guifei's death, but now they have forgotten about her. "I think my father is doing well."

"Your father keeps everything to himself and never reveals it." Liangpin is the person who knows the emperor best in the world. "Rong Guifei is his cousin. He grew up with her and they have been friends for decades... Rong Guifei's death was a big blow to him. It is not convenient for me to go to him. You can go to him later and have a drink with him, talk with him, and let him vent his sadness."

"Okay, I'll go find Father later."

The mother and son chatted about some other things.

At night, Zhao Yao appeared in the imperial study and took the emperor to have dinner.

The emperor had no appetite and did not want to eat, but his youngest son forcibly dragged him to the dining hall to eat.

Zhao Yao took out a few jars of wine and introduced them to the emperor, saying that this was the strongest wine he brewed and that it would make him drunk.

The emperor laughed and scolded him for secretly hiding the strong liquor, then he raised the wine bowl and drank it in big gulps.

After drinking a few bowls, the emperor felt a little drunk, so he stood up and walked out of the dining room.

The father and son came out of the dining room and sat on the stone steps at the door.

Zhao Yao said nothing and quietly drank with the emperor.

The emperor drank several bowls of wine in silence before he spoke: "I am sorry for her."

Zhao Yao knew who the "she" the emperor was talking about, Concubine Rong.

"She lost her parents when she was young, and was taken in by my mother to be raised. At that time, she followed me every day, like a little tail of mine." The emperor's face was red from drinking, but he spoke clearly, "She has been shouting that she wants to marry me when she grows up, but in my eyes she is just a sister. I don't want to marry her, but my mother said that if I don't marry her, she will marry someone else and she may not survive in the future." At that time, the country was in chaos and the people lived a precarious life. If Concubine Rong married someone else, she might not survive.

"You should have listened to your grandmother and married her."

"Well, your grandmother said that it doesn't matter if I don't love her, as long as I can give her a stable life and let her live well." The emperor finished speaking, tilting his head back and pouring wine into his mouth. "She is the only girl in the family, and she is spoiled like a treasure by your grandmother and her family, so she has a bit of a willful temper, but she is not a bad person by nature."

Zhao Yao continued to listen quietly without interrupting the emperor.

As the emperor drank, he talked about the things between him and Concubine Rong, and also about some things between him and Marquis Xuanping. As he talked, he also talked about the things about Prince Yiyong. He talked about many things that happened in the past.

Although it was difficult and dangerous back then, we were all together at that time, fighting hard to survive, and we had no time or mind to think about other things.

Zhao Yao listened silently.

The emperor held the jar of wine, got a little drunk, and began to complain.

Zhao Yao had asked Sun Kui to send all the guards away long ago, so he was the only one who heard what the emperor said tonight, and no one else would hear it. "I am not a good husband, nor a good father, I feel sorry for them..." The emperor burped and continued, "I can only be a good emperor, I have to live up to the great Zhou Dynasty that my old man and my elder brother have conquered, and I have to live up to the people of the world, so I can only feel sorry for them..."

When Zhao Yao heard this, he interrupted and said, "You are a good emperor." Being an emperor is not only busy with all kinds of affairs, but he is also forced to be alone and be misunderstood as cold-blooded and heartless. What's the point of such a life?

"You little brat, do you really think I'm a good emperor?"

Zhao Yao nodded and said, "Well, you have done a good job. Now the Great Zhou is stable, the lives of the people are getting better day by day, and the smiles on their faces are getting more and more. This is all thanks to you."

The emperor was happy and even a little proud when he was praised by his youngest son.

"What I have done is not enough, far from enough, so you have to continue to do it and bring peace and prosperity to the Great Zhou."

Zhao Yao chose not to hear this sentence, so he did not respond.

"Why aren't you talking, little brat?"

Zhao Yao said: "I didn't hear anything, what are you talking about."

The emperor was so angry at Zhao Yao's words that he laughed and kicked Zhao Yao's leg.

"You little brat, did you already know what Fangfang and I were planning?"

Zhao Yao, who was drinking, was frightened by the word "Fangfang" and choked, "Cough cough cough cough, I'm not a fool, how could I not know."

"When did you start to know?"

Zhao Yao did not hide it: "I knew it before I went to Lingnan."

Earlier than the emperor expected, "You are really a shrewd person."

Zhao Yao looked the emperor straight in the eye and spoke candidly to him for the first time: "I don't like being an emperor, nor do I want to be one. I will not be the emperor as you wish."

The emperor laughed angrily and said, "You think I like being an emperor? I want to be this lousy emperor."

Zhao Yao mocked the emperor unceremoniously, "Grandpa Emperor only has you as his son. You have no choice. You have to be the emperor even if you don't want to. But I am different from you. I have brothers who are more suitable to be the emperor than me."

"Do you think the fourth son is more suitable to be the emperor, or do you think the eighth son is more suitable?"

"They are all suitable, but I am not suitable."

"None of them are as suitable as you. Only if the Great Zhou Dynasty and its people are handed over to you can there be no mistakes."

Zhao Yao refused without hesitation: "I don't want it."

The emperor said with a smile: "You are indeed my offspring, you are exactly like me back then."

"Continue to recall your past." Zhao Yao didn't want to discuss with the emperor about his future as emperor, so he changed the subject.

The emperor also knew that no matter how much he said to Zhao Yao now, it would be useless. When the time came, he would have to do it even if he didn't want to, just like he did back then.

After drinking a few more jars of wine, the emperor was already drunk and unconscious, but Zhao Yao was very sober. He took a hangover pill before drinking, so he would not get drunk no matter how much he drank. He did not want to get drunk, as being drunk could easily cause trouble.

Zhao Yao called Sun Kui over, and the two of them helped the emperor to rest.

After serving the emperor, the palace had been locked, so Zhao Yao had no choice but to stay in. He did not rush to sleep, but sat on the stone steps at the door of the emperor's bedroom, and Sun Kui sat side by side with him.

"Your Highness, if it weren't for you asking the Emperor to drink, I'm afraid the Emperor would never vent his sadness."

"My mother asked me to do it. She said my father was very sad." Zhao Yao didn't notice it. After all, the emperor always had a calm face every time he went to court, as if nothing had happened.

"Noble Concubine Rong grew up with the Emperor. It is impossible that the Emperor has no feelings for her. Besides, the Emperor is a man who values ​​friendship and loyalty."

Zhao Yao looked at Sun Kui in surprise: "You are the second person who said that father is loyal and righteous."

"The first one is Concubine Liang, right?"

"Well, mother said that father is more loyal than anyone else, but his status as emperor prevents him from acting on his emotions, which forces him to no longer be loyal." Zhao Yao smiled and said, "If you tell others that father is loyal, I'm afraid few people will believe it."

"The emperor has a difficult time, too." Sun Kui saw the emperor's difficulties.

Zhao Yao supported his hands behind his back, looked up at the bright moon in the night sky, and sighed: "So what's the point of being an emperor? I can't even be myself."

"Your Highness, you are the most like the Emperor among all the other princes. The Emperor said that you look exactly like him when he was young."

Zhao Yao said proudly, "Who wants to look exactly like him when he was young?"

“Your Highness, you don’t know how much the emperor likes you…” Sun Kui told Zhao Yao a lot of things that the emperor liked about him.

Zhao Yao was stunned after hearing this. He really didn't expect that his father liked him so much in private.

"Your Highness, the emperor will only drink if you ask him to. The emperor will only speak his mind in front of you." Sun Kui said, "The emperor said that if possible, he will let you live the life you want and live freely, but before he is your father, he is still the emperor."

"Eunuch Sun, are you helping my father lobby me?"

Sun Kui smiled and said, "No, I am just telling you some of the emperor's ideas."

Zhao Yao looked at Sun Kui, then turned his head away and said, "With Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother here, there's no need for me."

When Sun Kui heard this, he sighed softly in his heart. Then he didn't say anything more about it and started talking about other things with Zhao Yao.

After chatting for a while, seeing that it was almost midnight, Sun Kui quickly persuaded Zhao Yao to go to rest.

Zhao Yao asked Sun Kui to go back and rest first. He was not sleepy for the time being. He drank too much and his brain was excited, so he couldn't fall asleep for a while.

He then flew to the top of the Purple Palace and sat on the roof of the most powerful place in the capital, enjoying the cool breeze and admiring the quiet capital.

It was Chou time when Zhao Yao went to rest.

The next morning, the emperor woke up with a severe headache. Fortunately, Zhao Yao prepared a hangover remedy for him. After drinking a dose of the medicine, the headache was immediately relieved.

Zhao Yao sneaked back to the Han Palace before dawn when the palace gates opened. Before leaving, he asked Sun Doudou to ask for leave for him, so that he would not attend the morning court today.

When he woke up, it was already noon.

As soon as he woke up, Tongxi told him that people from the Ministry of Works had come in the morning and said they wanted to renovate the Prince of Han's Palace.

"My Han Palace was just built not long ago, isn't it still new? Why do I need to renovate it? There is no need to spend more money."

"Your Highness, you are getting married soon, so this palace must be decorated festively."

"Just hang some red silk."

"How can it be that simple? They will be here to decorate in the afternoon."

"Okay, then I'll stay at Fourth Brother or Eighth Brother's house for the next few days." After lunch, Zhao Yao saw that everyone in the house was full of joy, as if they had found money. He couldn't help but wonder, "What good thing happened? Why are they all smiling like flowers?"

"Your Highness, you are about to get married, and everyone is happy." Tongxi suddenly remembered something and raised her hand to pat her forehead. "Your Highness, I almost forgot that many shop owners and shopkeepers in the capital wanted to send you gifts after learning that you are about to get married. I said that the palace will be decorated in the next few days and will not accept gifts for the time being. They said they will send it in a few days."

"What do I need their gifts for?"

"They said your marriage is a big event, a happy event, and they have to give you gifts, and you can't refuse."

"If they really send it to me, just accept it first." Over the years, these shopkeepers and bosses have made a lot of money through him. He feels at ease accepting their gifts.

"Your Highness, you don't know that everyone is talking about your marriage now."

"Haven't we been talked about and laughed at before? Why do we have to do it again?" He was thick-skinned and didn't mind being laughed at again, but his future princess and her family might not be able to bear it.

"I didn't make fun of you this time. Everyone said that too many things have happened recently, and none of them are good things. Your wedding is a big happy event, and you should celebrate it in a big way to get rid of bad luck."

In my original setting, Concubine Rong had a very miserable end. Her two sons died, and she learned that the emperor's favorite person was Concubine Liang. She also knew that the emperor had been using her as a pawn and a shield.

I thought about it later and decided to change it to give her a decent ending. If I followed my original setting, she would be too miserable and the emperor would be too cruel. Even if the emperor didn't love her, she was still his cousin and they had been married for decades. There was no need to be so cruel.