met free Chapter 225 Bribing and Colluding with the Enemy
Chapter 225 Bribing and Colluding with the Enemy
"A reason?" the Fourth Madam asked, puzzled. "Do we need a reason to have a child?"
If she were to reveal her reasons, it would be as if she had a death wish.
"Don't you want a child?" The Fourth Madam put the soup bowl on the cabinet beside her, climbed up to Zhao Qiyuan, and rested her chin on his broad shoulder. "Zhao Jue is almost pregnant. Don't you want to be a father?"
Zhao Qiyuan raised his hand to wipe the soup from the corner of her mouth: "Aren't you afraid of the pain anymore?"
“Now that I’m an elder, how can I be afraid of pain?” The fourth wife’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the man with a smile: “Even if I’m afraid of pain, I still want to have a child for you.”
The next moment, she was tackled onto the bed by the man, and was somewhat dazed by the fall.
"Say it again." Zhao Qiyuan's dark eyes were fixed on her: "What do you want to do?"
The fourth wife looked at him with fierce eyes, as if she would devour him alive if he said it again.
She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, he kissed her deeply and fiercely.
The fourth wife instinctively struggled, but he grabbed her hands and pinned them to her ears.
"Give birth now."
"..."
-
The next morning, Zhao Qiyuan paid his respects to the Duke and the old lady at the funeral hall.
The Duke and his wife are having breakfast.
"Fourth son, have you eaten?" The old lady instructed the maid to add another set of chopsticks and a bowl: "Have a little with us, the two elders."
Zhao Qiyuan was a casual person, so he didn't refuse and sat down without hesitation.
"Father, you asked me to come to your study last night. What did you want to tell me?"
When Zhao Qiyuan returned to the manor from the northern border, he did not see the Fourth Madam in her room, so he knew that she had gone back to her parents' home.
After finishing his business, he wrote a letter and sent it to her at the Ministry of Personnel's residence. He then went to the Ministry of Personnel's residence to pick her up, and just as he reached the side gate, he bumped into her rushing back.
Last night, he planned to wait until she finished dinner before going to the study to find the Duke, but she ended up losing control after saying something to him.
"It's not a big deal." The Duke put down his chopsticks, rinsed his mouth with tea, and said without beating around the bush, "You'll be thirty next year, you should consider having a child."
Zhao Qiyuan corrected him, "Twenty-nine."
"Twenty-nine and thirty are only one year apart, and they'll be here in the blink of an eye." The Duke said earnestly, "If you don't think about yourself, you should at least think about your wife. You're away from home for long periods of time, and she'll inevitably feel lonely without any children by her side."
Zhao Qiyuan remained silent.
The Duke's face darkened: "Tell me your thoughts."
“It’s possible to have a child.” Zhao Qiyuan finished a bowl of porridge, put down the bowl, and looked up at the Duke: “I have a condition.”
When the Duke heard him agree, his expression softened somewhat: "Go on."
Zhao Qiyuan said, "Our children will not be fostered under anyone's name."
The Duke fell silent, not giving Zhao Qiyuan a reply for the time being.
From the moment he urged Zhao Qiyuan to have a child, he already had a plan.
If Zhao Qiyuan had a son, he would be fostered under the eldest son's name and raised as a direct descendant.
“I know what you’re thinking. As long as Zhao Yi is alive, you will be his grandson.” Zhao Qiyuan took a sip of tea and glanced at the Duke: “If you agree to this condition, I will add a junior to your family next year.”
Zhao Qiyuan knew perfectly well that his father didn't lack sons and grandsons, but he lacked legitimate sons and grandsons. His father wasn't urging the eldest and second wives to have children, but instead set his sights on him, a son born out of wedlock. He didn't need to think to know what his father was planning.
Zhao Yi is seriously ill. If his illness cannot be cured, there will be no descendant in the eldest branch of the family to inherit the title.
The second wives are all wicked and their father will not entrust the title to them.
After much deliberation, the Duke nodded, agreeing to Zhao Qiyuan's conditions.
"When I was transporting supplies to the northern border, I received a letter from the Northern Qi, who wanted to bribe me to cooperate with the enemy and delay the delivery of the supplies to the northern border. They even planned my escape route."
Zhao Qiyuan took the letter out of his sleeve and placed it in front of the Duke: "When the envoys from Northern Qi come to the capital this time, you should be more careful to guard against them."
“Our Duke’s Mansion has been loyal and virtuous for generations, and has never produced a traitor. Given our current status, why would the people of Northern Qi risk bribing you to collude with the enemy?”
As they spoke, the Duke seemed to be thinking of something, his expression became very solemn. He immediately opened the letter, quickly read its contents, and his cloudy eyes dimmed.
Sure enough, they had something to do with Emperor Jing'an and Princess Yizhen during the Northern Qi period.
The Northern Qi's visit this time is clearly ill-intentioned.
The Duke put the letter in an envelope, went to the inner room to change into casual clothes, and then rode in a carriage to the palace.
Inside the Imperial Study, the Duke presented this letter to Emperor Jing'an.
Emperor Jing'an read the contents of the letter over and over again, his expression somber. He said, "Although it is said that envoys should not be killed when two countries are at war, what harm is there in killing them if the Northern Qi harbors ill intentions?"
In the letter from the Northern Qi dynasty that Zhao Qiyuan was trying to bribe him, Princess Yizhen was mentioned repeatedly, which touched a nerve with Emperor Jing'an.
He said with rage, "Northern Qi should not try to threaten me. If they think they can use Yi Zhen to control me, they have made a mistake. My iron cavalry will surely crush Northern Qi."
"Your Majesty, please calm down." The Duke knew very well Princess Yizhen's place in Emperor Jing'an's heart, and said worriedly, "Yi'er, he..."
“Yi’er is the eldest grandson of the Duke’s family.” Emperor Jing’an emphasized this point. When he mentioned Zhao Yi, his expression softened slightly: “They found Zhong Yuan. He went to Baohua County for treatment and hopes to return. His illness has been cured.”
The Duke of Zhenguo had very mixed feelings: "Your Majesty, Yi'er is a lucky person and will surely be safe and sound."
Emperor Jing'an spared no effort to save Zhao Yi's life.
He received news from the assassins today, confirming that Zhao Yi's illness can be cured.
A long-held wish is finally about to be fulfilled.
-
Shen Qingtan and Zhao Yi stayed in Baohua County for a few days. After Gu Changsheng's treatment, Zhao Yi's health improved a lot, so they immediately set off back to the capital.
This time, it only took three days to get back to Beijing and reach the outskirts of the city.
Suddenly, the carriage stopped.
The coachman outside said, "Second Master, Second Madam, there are soldiers blocking the road ahead. They seem to be the entourage of envoys from Northern Qi."
Shen Qingtan lifted the curtain of the carriage and saw a long queue in front of her.
She frowned, about to instruct Jiang Mu to find out what was going on, when Jiang Chao strode over: "Second Master, Second Madam, the envoys from Northern Qi are waiting at the city gate for officials to receive them. If we want to go to the capital, we'll probably have to wait another hour or two."