Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 1167 - 165: The Death of Noble Princess Consort Rong (Part 3)

Zhao Yao chose not to hear that, so he didn’t respond.

"Why doesn’t the brat speak?"

Zhao Yao replied, "I didn’t hear anything, say what."

The Emperor laughed in anger at Zhao Yao’s words and kicked Zhao Yao’s leg.

"Brat, do you already know about my plan with Fang Fang?"

Drinking wine, Zhao Yao was startled by the words "Fang Fang" and choked, "Cough, cough, cough, I’m not stupid, how could I not know."

"When did you start knowing?"

Zhao Yao didn’t hide it either: "I knew before going to Lingnan."

Earlier than the emperor expected, "You’re really sneaky."

Zhao Yao looked directly at the Emperor, honest for the first time: "I don’t like being an emperor, and I’m not willing to be an emperor. I won’t become an emperor like you want."

The Emperor laughed angrily, "You think I like being an emperor, wanted to be this damn emperor."

Zhao Yao sarcastically jabbed at the emperor, "You were your royal grandfather’s only son, you had no choice. Whether you wanted to or not, you had to be emperor. But I’m different from you. I have older brothers; they’re all more suited to being emperor than me."

"Do you think the fourth or eighth brother is suitable to be emperor?"

"They’re both suitable, anyway, I’m not."

"Neither of them is more suitable than you. The Great Zhou and its people can only be entrusted to you without error."

Zhao Yao resolutely refused, "I don’t want it."

The Emperor chuckled, "You’re definitely my blood, just like me back in the day."

"Keep reminiscing about your past." Zhao Yao didn’t want to discuss with the emperor about him becoming emperor in the future, so he diverted the topic back.

The emperor knew that talking to Zhao Yao now wouldn’t help; when the time comes, like back in the day, he won’t want to but will have to.

After drinking a few more jars of wine, the Emperor was dead drunk, but Zhao Yao was very clear-headed. Before drinking, he took hangover pills, so no matter how much he drank, he wouldn’t get drunk. He didn’t want to get drunk; it could easily mess things up.

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

After attending to the emperor, the palace had locked down, so Zhao Yao had to stay inside. He didn’t rush to sleep but sat on the stone steps at the entrance of the emperor’s sleeping quarters, with Sun Kui sitting alongside him.

"Your Highness, if you hadn’t invited the Emperor to drink, the Emperor might never have vented his sorrow."

"Mother asked me to do it. She said Father was very upset." Zhao Yao hadn’t noticed, after all, every time the emperor went to court, his face was calm, as if nothing ever happened.

"Noble Princess Consort Rong grew up with the Emperor, impossible for the Emperor to have no feelings for her. Moreover, the Emperor is a person of deep affection and righteousness."

Zhao Yao looked at Sun Kui in surprise, "You’re the second person to say Father is deeply affectionate and righteous."

"The first was Lady Liang, right?"

"Yes, Mother said Father is more deeply affectionate and righteous than anyone. Just his identity as Emperor forces him not to show it, makes him unable to be deeply affectionate and righteous anymore." Zhao Yao laughed, "If you tell others Father is deeply affectionate and righteous, not many will believe."

"The Emperor also has it hard." Sun Kui noticed the emperor’s struggles.

Zhao Yao, supporting himself with both hands behind him, looked up at the bright moon in the night sky, sighed, "So what’s so good about being emperor, can’t even be yourself."

"Your Highness, among all the princes, you’re the most like the Emperor, and the Emperor says you’re just like him when he was young."

Zhao Yao proudly said, "Who cares about being just the same as him when he was young."

"Your Highness, you don’t know how much the Emperor likes you..." Sun Kui shared many stories about how the Emperor liked him.

After hearing, Zhao Yao was shocked, speechless. He really hadn’t realized his old man liked him so much in private.

"Your Highness, only you can make the Emperor drink, only in front of you will the Emperor speak his mind." Sun Kui said, "The Emperor said if he could, he would let you live the life you want, live freely, but before being your father, he is also the Emperor."

"Mr. Sun, are you trying to persuade me for Father?"

Sun Kui smiled, "No, I’m just conveying some of the Emperor’s thoughts to you."

Zhao Yao glanced at Sun Kui, then turned away, "With fourth and eighth brothers around, there’s no need for me."

Sun Kui hearing this, sighed gently in his heart, then didn’t bring up the matter again and chatted with Zhao Yao about other things.

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

Zhao Yao told Sun Kui to rest first, he wasn’t sleepy yet. After drinking so much, his brain was excited, and he wouldn’t fall asleep for a while.

He then flew up to the top of Zichen Hall, sitting atop the roof of the most powerful place in the capital, blowing cool wind, and admired the serene city below.

At the time of the ox hour, Zhao Yao then went to rest.

Early the next morning, the Emperor woke with a terrible headache, luckily Zhao Yao had prepared hangover pills for him. One pill and the headache eased a lot.

Zhao Yao took advantage of the sky being still dark, and as the palace gates opened, secretly sneaked back to Prince Han Mansion. Before leaving, he asked Sun Doudou to request leave for him, he wouldn’t attend morning court today.

As he woke from a nap, it was already noon.

Upon waking, Tong Xi informed him that people from the Ministry of Industry came in the morning, saying they wanted to refurbish Prince Han Mansion.

"My Prince Han Mansion was just completed not long ago, everything is still new, why refurbish again, no need to spend money."

"Your Highness, you’re soon to be married, shouldn’t the Prince Mansion be decorated more festively."

"Hanging some red silk should suffice."

"It can’t be that simple, they’re coming to decorate in the afternoon."

"Alright, then I’ll stay at fourth or eighth brother’s mansion for a few days." After lunch, Zhao Yao noticed everyone in the mansion smiling widely, as if they found money, and he couldn’t help but wonder, "What good thing happened for everyone to smile like a blossoming flower?"

"Your Highness, isn’t it your upcoming marriage that has everyone excited." Tong Xi suddenly remembered something and slapped his forehead, "Your Highness, I almost forgot, many shopkeepers and owners in the capital heard about your imminent marriage and want to send gifts. I told them the mansion will be decorated these days, so no gifts for now, they’ll send later."

"What do I need their gifts for."

"They said your marriage is a big event, a joyful occasion, they have to send gifts, you can’t reject."

"If they really send them, receive them first." Over the years, these shopkeepers and owners had made quite a bit through him. Accepting their gifts, he felt justified.

"Your Highness, you don’t know people are discussing your marriage now."

"Haven’t they discussed, mocked already, why again?" Thick-skinned, Zhao Yao didn’t mind being mocked again, but his future Princess and her family might be unable to endure.

"This time no mocking, everyone’s saying too many things have happened recently, none good, your marriage is a big happy event, should be celebrated to dispel the bad luck."