allonlinenovel Chapter 295 Favoring one and favoring another
Chapter 295 Favoring one and favoring another
Emperor Jing'an heard that on the Mid-Autumn Festival, Yi Zhen was thrown into the arena and locked in an iron cage with wild beasts that had been starving for several days. She was torn apart and bitten to death by the wild beasts, and not even a complete skeleton could be pieced together.
During this festive season of family reunion, Yizhen probably longs for him to come and take her back to China for a family reunion.
She died tragically on that day.
He couldn't imagine how desperate she must have felt.
Emperor Jing'an regretted leaving so hastily, without considering what would happen to Yizhen after he was gone.
If he had been more thoughtful, Yizhen wouldn't have ended up like this.
For many years, he has lived with guilt.
When the eldest princess realized that Emperor Jing'an had returned, she turned around and saw him staring blankly at the portrait, his eyes red and filled with grief.
"Your Majesty, I have heard about what has happened these past few days." The eldest princess rolled up the portrait, gently placed it on the small table, and sighed, "Yizhen has had a profound influence on you. The more you try to suppress everything about her, the less you can hide it."
The eldest princess knew very well that Yizhen's sacrifices for Emperor Jing'an were like a brand, deeply engraved in Emperor Jing'an's heart.
Yizhen's death was too tragic.
Emperor Jing'an felt guilty towards her, and he would probably never be able to get over it for the rest of his life.
Emperor Jing'an understood the meaning behind the princess's words and let things develop naturally.
Yizhen was supposed to be a princess of noble birth, a woman of exceptional status, who could have married a handsome young man and lived a happy and fulfilling life.
Even after her passing, a temple will be built for her, a testament to her unparalleled honor.
But she was enslaved and forced into slavery in the Northern Qi Dynasty. Her pride was broken, her dignity was crushed, and she died a tragic death, leaving only a cenotaph.
How could he allow people to criticize her?
Emperor Jing'an closed his eyes, suppressing the surging emotions within him: "Royal sister, I can't do it."
“You are the emperor, and emperors have weaknesses, which can be fatal.” A trace of sadness appeared in the princess’s eyes: “When Yizhen was alive, she sacrificed her dignity and even her life to ensure your safe return to the country. Would she care about being criticized in the afterlife?”
Emperor Jing'an looked pained. It was precisely because Yizhen had sacrificed so much that he couldn't bear to let her suffer any more grievances.
“If the people from Northern Qi hadn’t come to Great Zhou, I wouldn’t have advised you,” the princess said earnestly. “Now that Northern Qi has come to Great Zhou, they are emboldened and are simply looking to exploit your weaknesses.”
"I think the Northern Qi were hoping to marry Princess Guangning to the heir of the Prince of Zhenbei in order to sow discord between you and your subjects. Now that their wish has been dashed, they will probably take action."
The eldest princess concluded by saying, "You are no longer the prince held hostage in Northern Qi. Now you are the emperor of Great Zhou, capable of protecting those you wish to protect. You need not fear anyone anymore."
Emperor Jing'an fell into a long silence, unable to make a decision.
Once the past is fully exposed, the current peace will be shattered, and it will cause suffering for several people.
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The Duke's Mansion.
The First Madam woke up early in the morning feeling uneasy and inexplicably anxious. After hearing about what happened at the hunting grounds, she suddenly had the urge to cook.
She called Guan's mother to the kitchen and personally cooked several ordinary home-style dishes.
Eight-treasure meatballs, Longjing shrimp, drunken mushrooms, and braised water chestnuts.
The dishes were quite presentable, and the First Madam breathed a sigh of relief. She then instructed Guan Mama to go to Lanxue Garden and invite Zhao Yi and Shen Qingtan to dine at Jingde Hall.
When Shen Qingtan and Zhao Yi arrived at the side hall of Jingde Hall, they smelled the aroma of food and immediately saw four home-style dishes on the table.
"It smells so good!" Shen Qingtan exclaimed in surprise. "Mother, did you cook this yourself?"
The First Madam said, "I had nothing to do, so I just made a few dishes."
Zhao Yi smiled and said in a supportive tone, "My mother rarely cooks. She only cooks a bowl of longevity noodles or a few home-style dishes on my and my father's birthdays each year."
Looking at the delicious-looking dishes, Shen Qingtan said with a smile, "Then I'm in for a treat today."
Zhao Yi's eyes softened: "Your mother's cooking is excellent, so eat more later."
The eldest madam felt very pleased with what she said to the younger generation.
Her anxious heart found peace at that moment.
The First Madam smiled and warmly took Shen Qingtan's hand, inviting her to sit beside her.
"Come, come, you love shrimp, so I specially added some tender tea leaves. Try it and see how it tastes." The First Madam personally placed a shrimp in Shen Qingtan's bowl: "If you like it, Mother will make it for you another day."
Shen Qingtan looked at the shrimp in front of her, which were as tender as white jade, and the tea leaves were green and fragrant. She took a bite and found them delicate and smooth, with a lingering fragrance in her mouth.
She turned her head to look at the First Madam's eager gaze and said softly, "It's delicious."
The First Madam was overjoyed to receive the praise, and she placed a shrimp on Shen Qingtan's plate, and then placed one on Zhao Yi's plate as well.
Just as she was about to put down her chopsticks, she saw the master holding a bowl and handing it to her.
Facing the gaze of his wife, the master cleared his throat and said, "One should treat everyone equally and not show favoritism."
The first wife glared at him, but then picked up a shrimp and placed it in the master's bowl.
The old man chuckled and said, "Teaching by example, teaching by example."
"Even eating won't shut you up." The First Madam said with disdain, but she still put a piece of mushroom, which was the Master's favorite, on her chopsticks.
Upon seeing this, Shen Qingtan smiled, her eyes darting around as she noticed Zhao Yi gazing at her tenderly.
When she looked over, he shifted his gaze to the First Madam and the Master, the meaning of which was self-evident.
Shen Qingtan pretended not to understand and asked him with her eyes what was wrong.
Zhao Yi smiled helplessly and did not respond to her challenge.
He picked up his bowl and chopsticks, ready to eat.
Suddenly, a pair of chopsticks reached out from the side and placed a water chestnut in his bowl.
He turned his head and met her cunning and lively eyes.
Zhao Yi felt a gentle bump on his chest. While watching her, he ate a water chestnut, which was sweeter than he had imagined.
The First Madam watched the young couple's interaction from the side, and her eyes softened.
Now that Zhao Yi's illness is cured, there is hope for a better life.
She will have the opportunity to become a grandmother in the future.
Just as the First Madam was about to serve the chicken soup that the maid had brought to the young couple, Guan Mama rushed in, glanced at Zhao Yi and Shen Qingtan, and whispered something in the First Madam's ear.
With a "clatter," the chopsticks in the First Madam's hand fell onto the table.