It’s New Year’s Eve again.
There was no sound in the deserted little courtyard.
With the dim light of the lights under the corridor, you have to look hard to see the light-colored robes in the corner of the courtyard.
Zhao Taozhuang, who was wearing a colorful hairpin dress, just came in from the outside and saw such a lonely scene from the beginning.
She felt sad and hurried over: "Cousin? Why are you standing alone in the wind? Don't get cold!"
As he spoke, he looked up and saw the wine cup in Rong Qingzui's hand. He frowned and snatched it away with his hands, saying angrily, "It's such a cold day... the wine has gone cold. Don't drink it!"
"You came back so early?" Rong Qingzui smiled indulgently, let her take away the wine cup, raised his hand to brush her hair, and said softly, "Are you running away from the banquet? I'm alone in the house. I've long been used to it, why do you always come back early like this? If grandma finds out, she will definitely make you angry!"
"There is nothing interesting in the palace." Zhao Taozhuang noticed that his fingertips were as cold as ice when they touched her, and she felt sad secretly. She stepped forward and grabbed his sleeves and walked into the house, saying as she walked, "It's better to come back early. ...Grandma has her own things to do, she has no time to worry about me!"
While she was talking, her cousins had already entered the door. She hesitated for a moment, and finally took out a small package from her arms. It looked like it was wrapped in an embroidered handkerchief. She handed it to Rong Qingzui and said a little unnaturally, "Today I didn't like the pastries on the table, but I thought my cousin seemed to like them, so I brought some back."
"..." Rong Qingzui was startled for a moment, then reached out to take it, but just when his hand touched the pastry, he woke up.
Looking at the empty bedroom, he was in a daze for a moment. Finally, he took a long breath and smiled to himself, "Why did you dream of her again?"
From the moment he knew Zhao Taozhuang was pregnant and abandoned her until now, he has often dreamed of his cousin these days.
It's not a nightmare, it's all the time the two of them spent together.
Due to Mrs. Qin's deliberate connivance, the two cousins of the Zhao family have often interacted with him since they were young.
But as time went by, the cousins gradually grew up, and their ideas also changed.
Especially after knowing the reason why he could not return to the Gaomi Palace, his third cousin Zhao Taomei's attitude towards him quickly became cold, and she was ridiculed by everyone in front of him and behind him.
On the other hand, his second cousin Zhao Taozhuang was similar to his compatriot sister Princess Qingfang. After knowing the truth, she pityed him even more.
Rong Qingzui didn't find it strange at all. After all, he was only ten years old when he made the big mistake.
Moreover, neither Princess Qingfang nor Zhao Taozhuang had ever met Rong Suihe... before this brother reappeared, he should be called Rong Qinghou.
On the contrary, he was Rong Qingzui, who was always in front of these two. His recklessness, his impulsiveness, his loneliness, his trembling appearance... were all seen by these two sisters, and it hurt their hearts.
If he is a person who is willing to take responsibility, he should take Zhao Taozhuang back to the Zhao Mansion now and ask for marriage so that their children can have a pure life experience
Unfortunately, if Rong Suihe had not come back, he might have done this.
Even though he had previously learned from Zhao Taozhuang the whole story of the tragedy in the palace... he hated everyone in the Zhao family deeply.
After years of repression, this hatred cannot outweigh the pursuit of a future.
People always live in the present.
only…
Not only is Rong Suihe back, but he is coming with great force.
Even the eldest son Rong Qingzui, whom the King of Gaomi tried his best to deflect, was far from a match, let alone him who was despised? !
Rong Suihe would not let him go, so the Zhao family would rather let Zhao Taozhuang die than betroth this girl to him... Rong Qingzui smiled mockingly, so he had only one way to go to the end, What else can be done
When he was at his most miserable and depressed, having a cousin with a good family background and beautiful appearance was devotedly in love with him, for ordinary people, it was extremely flattering.
But for Rong Qingzui, it was more about guarding and suspicion.
Poor Miss Zhao Er probably never thought about how kind she had been to Rong Qingzui over the years, and how malicious this cousin was to her.
Like Zhao Taomei who was indifferent and bored towards Rong Qingzui, Rong Qingzui actually trusted her more.
The reason is that the problem still lies with Concubine Mo and Concubine Mo.
Gaomi Princess Zhao Ziye and Gaomi King Rong Jing had five children, three boys, two girls, and Rong Qingzui was the second among the legitimate children. This should be the worst arrangement under normal circumstances.
The eldest brother Rong Qingzuo occupies the identity of the crown prince, and the younger brother Rong Suihe, who is young and has an embarrassing birthday, affects the princess's heart.
There are two sisters who are once again separated from their parents' favor.
Oh, Concubine Mo and all the concubines were there at that time. The children of concubines were also the biological flesh and blood of King Gaomi, so they would receive some care and love.
Rong Qingzui is the easiest to forget... This was before enlightenment.
After his enlightenment, Princess Gaomi was the most strict in supervising his homework.
This was the reason for the rift between mother and son, and it was also an opportunity for Concubine Mo and Concubine Mo to sow discord.
The princess's scolding still rings in her ears when she thinks of it: "Your eldest brother is the heir apparent, and you have your father to supervise you! Qinghui is still young and has not yet entered school! Otherwise, I may not have the time to keep an eye on you... You think I am happy?" Do I check your homework all day long? But think about it for yourself, you are not the heir, and you have no way to inherit the title. Even if you can be conferred as a county king in the future, if you don't go to school and don't know anything, how are you going to run a government?!"
Rong Qingzui, who was young and tired of learning, pouted with reluctance on his face: "Then it's enough for the child to learn a little bit... As long as he can take care of the future mansion!"
"How can such a simple thing be possible?" The princess sneered and pointed in the direction of the palace, "Your father and your royal grandmother's family have been at odds for a long time. Once our family loses power, do you think the Meng family will let you go?! You The Imperial Grandfather doesn’t have many children, and your father doesn’t have much help now. He just hopes that you sons will grow up quickly so that you can help him! If you don’t study hard now, how will you assist your father in the future?!”
However, due to the pressure from his mother, Rong Qingzui could only study hard, but in his heart he was reluctant and full of disgust.
At this time, Concubine Mo and Concubine Mo were talking leisurely: "Don't you like studying when you are drunk? Just deal with it! After all, they are the children of the royal family. As long as the Rong family is here, who can lose his share of wealth? The palace There is already a heir apparent who has succeeded him, and it’s not like he doesn’t stand up to the family! The princess is really old-fashioned and hard to change. She thinks that the emperor’s nephew is a descendant of her natal Zhao family, and she has to get a degree or something to have a future? "
To Rong Qingzui, who didn't want to study, these words really spoke to his heart.
He couldn't wait to learn from Princess Gaomi, but the princess was furious. She took the cane herself, pressed him down under the corridor, and beat him severely. While beating him, he cried: "Listen to those two people." ?! Don’t you think about it, even though Mrs. Mo is just a concubine, she is very ambitious because of the support of your grandmother. Do you think I don’t know about it!? She has a son of her own, so of course she hopes that you, the legitimate sons, will not Which one is better, so that she can teach her own son to stand out!"
"Your grandmother helps her nieces and nephews with everything. If my mother-in-law hadn't been pointed out to your father by the late emperor, the power of my natal family would not be comparable to that of the Mo family... God knows how many tricks their aunts and nephews have! If you don't like studying, why don't you like studying? That's all, you actually took what those two people said to heart! You...are you trying to make me angry to death?!"
After beating her son, the princess turned to look for Concubine Mo and told the mother-in-law rudely: "So it turns out that the concubine thinks that, except for the prince, the prince's heirs can just cope with their studies? In this case, where can I go back to the mother-in-law? Let’s get rid of all the prince’s husbands! After all, Qingzui is one of the prince’s legitimate sons, and his family is still a scholarly family, so he doesn’t need to study very seriously, let alone the other children, right?”
Concubine Mo was very embarrassed after being beaten, and she was a little angry, and said: "That's because Qingzui doesn't like to study! Speaking of which, I want to ask you how you raised your son? How come the concubine's children are all different? Diligent and studious? You are the daughter of a scholarly family, but your son is so lazy? "
Then he said, "I pity my grandson, and after a few words of coaxing, you actually want to threaten me with the future of the children in Hefu. Is this how the Zhao family teaches their daughters?"
Princess Gaomi was actually very filial to her mother-in-law when she first came here. Although Princess Mo was not very kind to her, the princess felt that her mother-in-law was once the late emperor's favorite concubine, and she was a bit squeamish and willful. She married a daughter-in-law at an old age. It's hard to change and it's inevitable, so I never care about it.
The deterioration of the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law began when Concubine Mo arranged for Princess Gaomi to sleep with her cousin Mo, when Princess Gaomi was just pregnant with Rong Qingzui, and then forced Princess Gaomi to bring Mo into the palace and register her as a concubine.
You must know that when the late emperor selected Zhao's daughter as his concubine for King Gaomi, he had only one breath left.
With repeated urging, the Ministry of Etiquette hurriedly completed the wedding for them.
A few days after the princess arrived, the late emperor could no longer bear it and left.
From then on, the newlyweds began to live in separate rooms and observe filial piety. After three years of filial piety, Princess Gaomi finally became pregnant with her first child. Who knew that the joy of becoming a mother had not yet dissipated, and her mother-in-law couldn't wait to plot against her... If it weren't for the fact that King Gaomi had built up a good relationship with his concubine during the three years of getting along day and night, he would have always stood by the princess on this matter and firmly opposed Mo's entry into the palace, and even opposed the appointment of Mo as a side concubine. , Princess Gaomi is afraid that she will even hate her husband.
"... It's a pity that my father didn't be filial to the concubine back then?" Now, many years later, Rong Qingzui recalled the past. Thinking of this past event, the sarcasm on his face deepened: If King Gaomi had let him do it at that time, Princess Gaomi was disappointed. With her temper, she would definitely rely on her family's power to fight against Concubine Mo to the end.
As far as King Gaomi wanted the Zhao family at that time, Concubine Mo couldn't resist her daughter-in-law.
The princess is just a soft-spoken princess who is fashionable and young. Seeing that her husband is determined to defend her, she softens her heart and actually gives in and agrees to the dowager's request to avoid the mother-son relationship between her mother-in-law and her husband. Cracks appear.
Rong Qingzui didn't know if the Zhao family, mainly his grandmother Mrs. Qin, knew about this matter at that time. He probably didn't know.
Otherwise, Mrs. Qin would definitely advise her daughter to refuse.
It is a pity that when she was young, the princess was just like her younger daughter-in-law Sheng Weiqiao, whom she later disliked. She was naive, kind and tolerant in line with her age.
She told everything that Mrs. Qin should not know; she kept everything secret about things that Mrs. Qin should know.
So it was inevitable that it would lead to such a tragedy later on. Everything was destined in the character.
... The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, who already had a rift, had a fierce conflict over Rong Qingzui's schooling.
King Gaomi, who hurried into the palace after receiving the news, stood on the side of the princess as usual.
Rong Qingzui thought sarcastically: How happy was the princess at that time to see her husband's attitude? How painful was it when she was immersed in guilt and regret later