Read Novel Full Chapter 796 - 389: Better Safe Than Sorry
Chapter 796: Chapter 389: Better Safe Than Sorry
In Xingde Palace, Zhao Yao sat in the courtyard, propping his face with his hand, staring blankly at the moon in the night sky, occasionally letting out a sigh.
"Sigh..."
Tong Xi saw Zhao Yao looking troubled and asked with concern, "Your Highness, what’s the matter with you? You keep sighing. Did something happen?"
"I just feel that Second Uncle’s words..." Zhao Yao smiled bitterly, "I want to refute Second Uncle’s words, but I can’t refute them."
Tong Xi asked curiously, "What did General He say to you that troubles you so? Your Highness, you’re usually carefree, hardly bothered by anything for long."
"Tong Xi, do you think the Imperial Family really lacks fatherly and brotherly affection?"
"Huh?" Tong Xi was taken aback by Zhao Yao’s question, "Your Highness, of course there is. Isn’t there fatherly affection between you and His Majesty? And brotherly affection with Prince Chu and Prince Wei?"
"Second Uncle says that I can have fatherly and brotherly affection now because I pose no threat to Father Emperor, Fourth Brother, and Eighth Brother. Once they feel threatened, they won’t tolerate me." Before He Lianfang said this to him, Zhao Yao had never given much thought to these aspects.
"General He is not wrong." Tong Xi didn’t understand why Zhao Yao was troubled by this, "Your Highness, haven’t you always feigned ignorance in front of Lord Chu and Lord Wei, to prevent them from knowing your true strength? Haven’t you always been wary of them?"
Tong Xi’s words struck Zhao Yao’s heart like a hammer. He stared blankly at Tong Xi.
"Your Highness, why are you looking at me like this?" Tong Xi asked timidly, feeling a chill run down his spine from Zhao Yao’s gaze, "Did I say something wrong?"
Zhao Yao snapped out of it, raised the corners of his mouth in a self-mocking smile, "You didn’t say anything wrong. You’re right. I’ve always been wary of Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother."
Tong Xi didn’t understand why Zhao Yao was ridiculing himself. He looked puzzled, "Your Highness, you previously said it was for self-preservation that you did so many things."
"Yes, for self-preservation." Zhao Yao stood up and said, "For self-preservation, I can’t let Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother know my cards. Why do you think I need to protect myself?"
Tong Xi was once again stumped by Zhao Yao. He looked at Zhao Yao with a strange expression, "Your Highness, as you said, you don’t want to get caught up in the dangerous succession battles, so you have to protect yourself."
"That’s one of the reasons, but not the main reason."
"Oh, then what is the main reason?" Tong Xi found today’s Zhao Yao somewhat odd.
With a face full of irony, Zhao Yao said, "The main reason is that I don’t believe there is brotherly affection in the Imperial Family, and I don’t trust Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother. Actually, I don’t even trust Father Emperor." Though he knew Father Emperor loved him, he still harbored caution, which is why he was hesitant to open up to Father and dared not discuss court affairs with him.
"Your Highness, don’t you always trust Prince Chu and Prince Wei?"
"If I truly trusted Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother, I wouldn’t hide so many things from them, nor would I always pretend to be clueless in front of them." Zhao Yao rubbed his forehead, mocking himself, "And here I was insisting to Second Uncle that I had fatherly and brotherly affection with Father and Fourth Brother, I’m really quite hypocritical."
"Your Highness, why are you speaking ill of yourself?" Tong Xi muttered inwardly, thinking today’s Zhao Yao extremely peculiar, wondering if he had taken the wrong medicine.
"Second Uncle was right, one’s life must be in one’s own hands and not controlled by others." Zhao Yao swept away the confusion of the past few days, "Fourth Brother might not suspect me when he ascends the throne, but when Fourth Brother’s son ascends, will he trust me like Fourth Brother did? Definitely not. Therefore, I must have my own private army, one that the court doesn’t notice yet can stand against it."
"Your Highness, haven’t you already had Second Master take in some orphans and train them into competent soldiers?" Tong Xi didn’t understand why Zhao Yao was saying this now.
"Yes, I have done so long ago."
"Your Highness, did you forget what you’ve been doing all these years?"
"No, it’s just that I hadn’t thought things through clearly. I understand now." After speaking, Zhao Yao raised his hands and stretched, "Second Uncle was right to prepare in advance." A private army of ten thousand or so, it’s not like he couldn’t afford it. "It’s late, I should go rest now."
"Your Highness, let me assist you with your attire." Although unaware of exactly what had happened to His Highness, it was good that he realized it. If he still seemed troubled, Lady Liang would definitely press him for answers.