HLnovel Chapter 262 The Eldest Princess's Side Story: Bright Moon Branch
Chapter 262 The Eldest Princess's Side Story: Bright Moon Branch
I am the eldest princess of the Great Zhao Dynasty, with the title Zhaoyang.
Very few people know my original name anymore.
Bright moon on the branch.
I am the only eldest princess of the Great Zhao Dynasty, but I am not of royal blood.
My father was a close friend and sworn brother of the late emperor, who fought alongside him to establish the dynasty. When the late emperor ascended the throne, he bestowed upon him the title of the only non-royal prince in the history of the Great Zhao Dynasty, Prince Mingjing, also known as Mingyueqi.
My father's family is said to be from a different ethnic group in the southwest, and their surname is Mingyue.
After becoming a general, his father disliked that the name was not imposing enough and lacked deterrent power in the army, so he told others that his surname was Ming and his given name was Qi.
He and the late emperor shared a deep mutual respect and were so close that they almost slept side by side.
However, only two short years after the late emperor ascended the throne, my father died on the battlefield, and the once glorious Mingjing Prince's Mansion collapsed overnight. Because my father had no relatives and was all alone, my mother was an orphan girl he brought back from abroad when he was fighting, and she had no relatives living.
With his father's death, the Mingjing Prince's Mansion also ceased to exist.
The late emperor was heartbroken and worried that my father's former enemies would interfere. So he secretly sent someone to bring my mother to the palace for resettlement. A few months later, my mother died in childbirth. I was then placed under the care of Consort Hui and became a princess of the Great Zhao.
The late emperor bestowed upon me the title Zhaoyang, which included the name of the Great Zhao dynasty, clearly demonstrating his utmost favor towards me, surpassing even that shown to the late emperor's own daughters. He did not seem to deliberately conceal my background; even if someone knew, they would only admire the deep brotherly bond between the late emperor and my father.
Therefore, I grew up with Crown Prince Zong Huai and the current emperor, who was then the Second Prince Zong Lin. Compared to Zong Lin, who was nominally my "brother from the same mother," I preferred my elder brother, Crown Prince Zong Huai. He was gentle and kind, and the best person I had ever met.
Later, I met Zong Huai's fiancée, Yan Chengyue, the eldest daughter of the Yan family. Sister Yue was a very witty woman; she was gentle, generous, and very talented, with a lively personality. I enjoyed playing with her. However, her relationship with Zong Huai didn't seem like that of an engaged couple; it was more like that of good friends.
Until we met Sister Jing, Wenren Jing. She was so special. She came from a humble background but was extremely good at business. She knew all sorts of strange and unusual things, and had ideas I had never imagined. She encouraged women to study and funded the establishment of a private academy specifically for women to study. She said that one day, when women were able to leave their homes, the world would be different.
I admire and envy Sister A-Jing. I envy that she, as a woman, can be so free and unrestrained. Sister A-Yue and she hit it off immediately. They cherished each other and founded an academy and a charity together. They took in homeless women, children and the elderly, and held free medical clinics. The whole capital seemed to become more vibrant because of Sister A-Jing's arrival.
Brother Zonghuai and Sister Ajing got along very well. They seemed to have endless topics to talk about, dreaming of a beautiful future that I dared not even imagine. The people were also very grateful for what Sister Ajing had done, calling her Guanyin Bodhisattva sent by heaven to save them from suffering. To commend her, the late emperor originally wanted to bestow a good marriage upon her, but Sister Ajing refused, saying that she wanted to marry freely and only marry one person of her own heart. Therefore, the late emperor made an exception and conferred upon her the title of Lady of Huaguo, allowing her to choose her husband freely.
They all had their own things to do, and I, in the prime of my life, met the person I fell in love with at first sight—Bo Zi'an, the third-ranked scholar in the imperial examinations. Just like in the plays, my marriage to Bo Zi'an went unexpectedly smoothly, and we were very loving after marriage. I was happy and content every day. I think although I didn't have a strong bond with my parents, I was still lucky to have grown up carefree, met the person I loved, and smoothly started a family. We will soon have a lovely child.
Before this, I had never imagined what a collapse would be like.
It all happened in an instant.
Before I could even figure out what had happened, Da Zhao was suddenly in crisis. After several heated debates in the court, Brother Zong Huai volunteered to go north as a hostage. The night before he left, Bo Zi'an held me and cried, saying "I'm sorry" repeatedly, and then told me to wait for him, that he would be back soon.
That's what I think too. I think he'll be back soon, maybe even in time for the baby's birth. Even if he's not, it's okay, he can come back a little later.
I tell myself this every day because I know that Brother Zonghuai is following Crown Prince Chongwen for the greater good of the world and for the people of Dazhao. It is also Bo Zi'an's ideal. I should understand him and everyone else.
But I never imagined that soon, the late emperor would pass away, Zong Lin would ascend the throne, and the entire capital would change overnight. What I didn't expect was that Sister Yue would marry Zong Lin, and Sister Jing would suddenly disappear from the capital without leaving a single word.
They were so important to me, and in my eyes, they were so amazing and omnipotent. But suddenly, everything changed.
After I struggled to give birth to my child, who was only a month old, the baby was taken away.
It's Zong Lin.
I went crazy and confronted him, but he forcibly humiliated me.
It was at that moment that I realized he hated us. He hated that we were all surrounding Brother Zonghuai, that none of us could see him. He hated us to the core.
My child is missing. I've thought about dying, about asking Sister Yue for help, but I know it's no use. I can't die, I can't plead for mercy. There's nothing I can do. If I do, my child will die even faster, and I won't be able to wait for Bo Zi'an anymore.
I could only endure it, year after year. I pretended to be absurd, and rumors spread that one male concubine after another was sent to the Princess's mansion. But how ridiculous! The only person who had been forcing me all along was my nominal brother.
I really want to tell the whole world, look, what a hypocritical, jealous, and wicked person the wise and decisive emperor in your hearts is in reality.
My life was completely shattered until I unexpectedly became pregnant with Xiaoli. Since becoming Zong Lin's plaything, in order to eliminate any future troubles, I took a drug that would prevent me from having children. But I never expected that an accident would still happen one day. In fact, when I found out I was pregnant, she had already been safely in my womb for more than five months.
She seemed so determined to live, as if she knew naturally that I didn't want her, so she secretly hid herself away, not showing any signs of pregnancy, so much so that I didn't notice for a long time until one day I suddenly had a fever and had to call the imperial physician to check my pulse, which revealed the secret.
My first thought was that I didn't want her, I couldn't have her. She was just an illegitimate child, Zong Lin's illegitimate child.
I was utterly devastated. I couldn't go on anymore. I begged the imperial physician to abort the child, but at that very moment, Zong Lin, for some reason, took pity on me and let me see my son, Changyi. He had grown a lot, was a little thin, and looked somewhat timid. He called me "Mother."
I so wanted to keep him here, but after only a brief meeting, he was taken away again. I could only continue to live a life of barely surviving, just like the child in my womb. We are both struggling with fate. I can't see tomorrow's sun, and she probably can't either.
So I made a decision: I kept the child.
She probably finally felt safe, and suddenly became lively, baring her teeth and brandishing her claws to show me her tenacious vitality. In just a few days, she grew a lot, and anyone could tell that I was pregnant.
Rumors about me being pregnant with a male concubine's child spread like wildfire in the capital. Zong Lin was furious with me and wanted me to abort the child, but I laughed. See? He was scared too. He was scared that someone would find out about his shameful deeds, scared that there would be someone in this world who would constantly remind him of his depravity.
At that moment, I suddenly felt relieved. I suddenly understood the meaning of living. In this world, who isn't struggling? Why should I lose hope for life for someone like that? He's not worth it.
It felt like I had been resurrected after I died. When Xiaoli was born and she smiled sweetly at me, I realized that whether I kept her or not was not the most important thing. The most important thing was that even if I was in a cage, I should live for myself.
After that, I did well. When I stopped being immersed in sadness, life became much more interesting. I got along very well with Xiaoli. She was my daughter, but also like a friend. We were very close and talked about everything. I watched her learn to speak, watched her grow up little by little, watched her call me "Mom," and always rushed towards me with the greatest love. The wounds in my heart were gradually filled with warmth.
I hope Xiaoli can live a happy and free life, and be able to pursue the person she likes. It doesn't matter if she fails; effort is the best reward. She can grow up stumbling and falling, but she will definitely be able to face the storms with strength.
When Xiaoli brought Mingruo that day, even though many years had passed and he was still wearing heavy makeup, he was my son. I recognized him at a glance. He had changed a lot since he was a child, yet he hadn't changed at all. Just by looking at his eyes, I knew it was him.
He said his father had returned and he wanted to assassinate the emperor.
Assassinating Zong Lin—what an exciting thing to do! But I know it won't succeed.
Zong Lin will die one day, either from his own suspicion and distrust, or from his own stubbornness and arrogance, but he will not die from an assassination attempt. Bo Zi'an is a scholar, powerless and unable to kill Zong Lin.
I wanted to persuade him, but Mingruo only said one sentence to me, and I understood.
He said that Bo Zi'an was seriously ill and would not live much longer. He had risked his life to fake his death and return to the capital, with only this one wish.
Then I understand. He hates it. He hates that twenty-two years of waiting was just empty words under the emperor's power. He is assassinating, and he is also seeking death.
I couldn't stop it, because I knew how long and torturous a 22-year wait would be.
So I helped him and helped them get into the palace, with only one request: that Mingruo not take action himself.
He's still young. He shouldn't die needlessly in the grudges of the previous generation. He wants revenge, and in the future, he will forge a true sword that can pierce Zong Lin with his own hands. He will choose the future he wants to follow his heart. Not now, not to die in his parents' desperate struggle. That wouldn't be fair to him.
I made him swear that I would only help him if he didn't lay a hand on me. He eventually agreed, and then I arranged for their performance to be included in the Ministry of Rites' program.
I've prepared myself for death. My only worry is for Xiaoli. I know she's a very strong child, and I know the Crown Prince, the young master of the Duke of Sheng's mansion, and Yangyang will all take care of her and help her. But I'm still worried. No one in this world has an obligation to help anyone else forever. Xiaoli has to grow up on her own and live a strong life.
I hope that everything I taught her will help her live well after I'm gone.
But I never expected that Zong Lin, that beast, would want Xiao Li to go for a political marriage. This unexpected move caught me off guard, just like back then, and I was thrown into chaos. But I no longer had the chance to make any more arrangements. From the moment the assassination failed to the moment the long knife pierced Bo Zi'an's body, my feet were already running towards him against my will.
Twenty-two years have passed, and he is no longer the same person he was when we first met.
But my longing for you has never diminished in the slightest.
I can't even remember how much I loved him.
But everything seemed to have returned to that first meeting.
Going back to the day of the wedding, I simply followed my instincts and ran towards him.
We're just right; we can start over.
When Zong Lin's arrow pierced my body, I wasn't surprised at all.
I know he never loved me. What am I to him?
To him, I was nothing but a trophy. He insulted me as if he had won the throne. He trampled me into the mud to make up for the insane jealousy he felt when I called him "Brother Zong Huai."
Another arrow.
My blood felt like it was freezing, and my consciousness was slowly fading.
I'm dying.
What should I do with my little pear?
I'm sorry, Little Pear, let me be your mother's daughter again in the next life.
And Changyi, don't carry any responsibilities. Your parents have already burdened you too much. Please let go and live for yourself.
We can't make up for it in this life. In the next life, we won't come to the royal family. We'll live in seclusion in the mountains, a happy life for our family of four.
and also--
Bo Zi'an, let's meet again in the next life.