Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 1166 - 165: The Death of Noble Princess Consort Rong (Part 2)

At this moment in Kunde Hall, Lady Liang was discussing marriage matters with Zhao Yao. Noble Princess Consort Rong was not the empress, and upon her death, neither the princes nor the common people were required to mourn, so Zhao Yao’s wedding would proceed as planned.

After Lady Liang finished explaining the wedding matters, Zhao Yao noticed the worry on her face and asked concernly, "Mother, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Lady Liang snapped out of her thoughts and smiled slightly at Zhao Yao. "I’m fine, I’m just worried about your father."

"Worried that father is sad?" The funeral for Noble Princess Consort Rong had ended several days ago, and both the court and the harem had returned to normal. Previously, the commoners were still discussing her death, but now they had already put her out of their minds. "I think father is doing well."

"Your father keeps everything buried in his heart and doesn’t show it." Lady Liang, the person who knew the emperor best in this world, said, "Noble Princess Consort Rong was his cousin; they grew up together, sharing decades of affection... Her death also struck him hard. I can’t conveniently go to him, but you should go and see him later, accompany him for a drink, have a talk, and let him vent his sadness."

"Okay, I’ll go see father later."

The mother and son talked about some other things.

By evening, Zhao Yao appeared in the Imperial Study and dragged the emperor to have dinner.

The emperor had no appetite and initially didn’t want to eat, but his youngest son forcibly brought him to the dining hall.

Zhao Yao brought out a few casks of wine and introduced them to the emperor as the strongest he brewed, which could get him thoroughly drunk.

The emperor jokingly scolded him for secretly hiding strong wine and then raised his bowl, drinking heartily.

After drinking a few bowls, the emperor felt somewhat tipsy and stood up to leave the dining hall.

Father and son came out of the dining hall and sat on the stone steps at the entrance.

Zhao Yao remained silent, quietly accompanying the emperor in drinking.

After downing several bowls, the emperor finally spoke: "I owe her."

Zhao Yao knew whom the emperor meant by "her," Noble Princess Consort Rong.

"She lost her parents at a young age and was taken in by my mother to be raised. Back then, she followed me everywhere, like a little tail." The emperor’s face was flushed red from drinking, but his speech was still relatively clear. "She always said she wanted to marry me when she grew up, but in my eyes, she was just a sister. I didn’t want to marry her, but my mother said if I didn’t marry her and she wed someone else, she might not survive." At that time, chaos plagued the land, and people lived in constant fear. If Noble Princess Consort Rong married someone else, survival would indeed be uncertain.

"You listened to grandma and married her."

"Yes, your grandma said it didn’t matter that I didn’t love her, as long as I could provide her with a stable life and let her live well." After speaking, the emperor raised the wine to his lips. "She was the family’s only girl, spoiled like a treasure by your grandma and everyone else, so she was a bit willful, but not inherently bad."

Zhao Yao continued to listen quietly without interrupting the emperor.

The emperor drank while talking about his relationship with Noble Princess Consort Rong and also mentioned some matters with Marquis Xuanping. Gradually, he began talking about Prince Yi Yong, recounting many things from back then.

Though the times were difficult and dangerous, back then, everyone stuck together, desperately fighting to survive, neither having time nor the heart to think of anything else.

Zhao Yao kept silently listening.

Clutching the wine jar, the emperor became somewhat drunk and began lamenting.

Zhao Yao had earlier asked Sun Kui to send the guards away, so tonight, only Zhao Yao heard the emperor’s words, and no one else would.

"I was not a good husband, nor a good father, I failed them..." The emperor burped and continued, "I can only be a good emperor; I must live up to the legacy left by the old man and my brother in establishing the Great Zhou, to live up to the common people, so I can only fail them..."

Hearing this, Zhao Yao interjected, "You’ve been a great emperor." Being an emperor, dealing with unending affairs, forced to live as a solitary figure, and often misunderstood as cold and unfeeling—what’s the point of such a life?

"You brat, do you truly think I’ve been a good emperor?"

Zhao Yao nodded and said, "Yes, very good. Now, Great Zhou is peaceful and stable, and the people’s lives are improving day by day, their smiles growing more frequent, all thanks to you."

Pleased by his youngest son’s compliment, the emperor felt happy, even somewhat proud.

"I haven’t done enough, not nearly enough, so it’s up to you to continue, to bring about a peaceful and prosperous era for Great Zhou."