"My Lord is a Stone"《我家君王是石头》Chapter 49

Just as the emperor was bursting with joy Zhao Jin Yu again made a certain turn saying, “But that’s impossible, how can you be the emperor? That is the most incredulous thing in the world, if you are the emperor…” Zhao Jin Yu couldn’t help choke on her saliva, saying, “I threw you into a pile of snow, and starved you, and hid you in a dried up well…, this is disrespecting the monarch, I would have died many times without knowledge.”

The emperor haughtily snorted, thinking to himself, of course…, if it was someone else they would have died hundreds of times, but of all people it was this girl, when she was foolish she was stupid, when she was stubborn she was even more resolute and daring, such a person unexpectedly slowly, unconsciously permeated into his heart.

The emperor still remember when he first saw Zhao Jin Yu after that evil thief broke him, that kind of emotion, because meeting again made him happy, and felt hate, hating Zhao Jin Yu for indifferently and mercilessly throwing him away, thinking about those contradicting feelings now it still made his liver hurt.

“That’s why you need to treat us well, we might reduce your punishment.”

Zhao Jin Yu rolled her eyes, she couldn’t help giggle, saying, “Speak of the truth, don’t say such useless things, naturally you are not the emperor, as for me entering the palace…, I really don’t know, let’s sleep.”

When the emperor heard Zhao Jin Yu hesitate, he worried, jumping over, he rubbed against her cheek, even though he felt this childish conduct was completely below him, but Zhao Jin Yu liked it, 囧, he felt he was sacrificing his life, with an extremely delicate and cute voice he said, “Hey, why won’t you enter the palace? The emperor really is a very rare handsome man…”

The night gradually darkened, while Zhao Jin Yu and the stone were bickering, something else was happening which could change Zhao Jin Yu’s situation.

As soon as Zhao Xing Kun had left Zhao Rui Zhi found an excuse to leave, she quickly found where Zhao Xing Kun was heading and followed after, finally in the small garden she saw Zhao Xing Kun’s shadow, her face showed some nervousness, finally she gritted her teeth, shaking off her cloak she walked over, right now she did not have her former delicacy or grace instead she had a cold charm, she walked to the front of Zhao Xing Kun dropping to her knees, yelling, “Grandfather.”

“Rui Zhi? What are you doing?” Zhao Xing Kun reached out to help her up but was avoided by Zhao Rui Zhi, Zhao Xing Kun was stunned, some discontent rushed into his head, he strictly said, “Quickly get up, it’s bitterly cold, don’t kneel and get sick.”

Zhao Rui Zhi stubbornly pursed her lips, saying, “Grandfather, if you don’t agree to my request, I will kneel to my death here.”

“What is it?” Zhao Xing Kun’s voice was both quick and sharp, seeming extremely impatient, it wasn’t that Zhao Xing Kun wasn’t good to Zhao Rui Zhi, it was mainly because his mind and body was haggard today, he always knew when the situation arose…, his wife would not forgive him, but there was always some hope in his heart, thinking that the two of them had been through wind and rain together for these tens of years, they were not the same, he thought maybe his wife’s temper had softened somewhat, she would turn a blind eye, who knew she was still as when she was young unable to tolerate any irritations to her eyes.

“Grandfather, according to principle, I as a granddaughter should not get involved in grandparents’ matters, but I simply cannot stand seeing grandfather and grandmother fall out, and grandmother’s words today…, wanting to separate, grandfather, grandmother is almost sixty years old, where would she go after you separate? The more I think about it the more I worry, the more I cannot sit and wait for fate.”

Zhao Rui Zhi’s words simply spoke to the bottom of Zhao Xing Kun’s heart, his expression relaxed.

Seeing this Zhao Rui Zhi’s heart greatly boosted, continuing to say, “Even though I stay at home all the time I’ve heard of rumours outside, the second and fifth branch has joined together to send our older sister away…, don’t they just want us to hand the position as main branch over, ridding our lineage.” Zhao Rui Zhi crooned, saying, “In fact letting older sister enter the palace is fake, because they certainly know grandfather wouldn’t agree, their true purpose I fear is to make grandfather hand over the position as head of the family?”

“You are considerate.” Zhao Xing Kun was startled by Zhao Rui Zhi’s attentiveness, even more startled that she had gotten such accurate information, but thinking over it he again understood, right now the Zhao family was a complete mess, it long ago no longer had the same famous reputation as before, what more there wasn’t enough control over the servants, it was possible for a lot of people to chat about domestic trivia releasing information out, the more he thought about it the more he was bitterly disappointed, could it be that the Zhao family will end in his hands?

“Grandfather is finding it difficult from both sides, it really is complicated, I would bear the difficulty for grandfather, but today grandmother didn’t even listen before she firmly believed grandfather had already agreed for older sister to enter the palace…, actually Rui Zhi also understands grandmother’s feelings, grandmother treats older sister as her favourite, believing in rumours, again how could she listen to other things?” Zhao Rui Zhi spoke to here before the rim of her eyes reddened, lovingly pitifully she said, “I’m actually nevertheless a little jealous, with older sister’s arrival, grandmother stopped liking me?”

Only then did Zhao Xing Kun think that ever since Zhao Jin Yu arrived they had truly looked over Zhao Rui Zhi…, quite guilty, he said, “You are all granddaughters, only your older sister has been lost outside for a long time, your grandmother just care about her more for the moment, you also don’t need to take it seriously.”

Zhao Rui Zhi however tearfully said, “Grandfather, I understand, older sister is the true eldest young lady of the Zhao family, I’m only an orphan adopted by the Zhao family…, I am already very content being able to live the way I am now.” Having spoken she actually faced Zhao Xing Kun with an extremely encouraging smile, this smile was even more unsightly than her crying, making people feel sorry.

“Rui Zhi…”

“Grandfather, I came here not for favour, and not to complain about grandmother’s excessive love for older sister, I only came here to say…, if someone has to enter the palace, I’m willing to go in older sister’s place.” Zhao Rui Zhi said showing a dignified expression, “I will never repay the kindness the Zhao family has shown me even if I work extremely hard in my next life, I brazenly ask grandfather, let me enter the palace, this way I can repay the Zhao family’s kindness, and can stop the second and fifth branch’s mouth, older cousin Zhen Shan would keep the family property, grandparents will also not fight about this matter, all the problems will easily be solved.”

Zhao Xing Kun was actually very moved, he was simply nervous over these few days, he couldn’t allow his grandfather to enter the palace…, but did he really have to give up the position as main branch of the family? Hand over his position as head of the family? Even if Xiao Zhen Shan that reckless boy was extremely disappointing, incomparable to even a fingernail of his deceased eldest son, but he was after all still his son, he had to carry on his bloodline, besides over these tens of years he had never carried out his fatherly duties, thinking about it he was also ashamed of himself.

Could he just give away what ought to belong to Xiao Zhen Shan?

Zhao Xing Kun muttered to himself for a while as before, before saying, “But you were not born in the year of the rabbit.” Zhao Xing Kun actually had a plan, if he switched in Zhao Rui Zhi what could he use to convince other people, however he still probed a little, because he wanted to test Zhao Rui Zhi’s determination, whether even if her words were beautiful, if she had thought it out in her heart.

Zhao Rui Zhi said, “Grandfather, you can say that when you adopted me you filled in the wrong year.”

Zhao Xing Kun was greatly moved and thankful, personally helping Zhao Rui Zhi up, this time Zhao 

Rui Zhi could see Zhao Xing Kun’s calm expression, seizing the opportunity she stood up, Zhao Xing Kun said, “Good child, it’s really tough on you.”

“Grandfather are you agreeing to this?” Zhao Rui Zhi was actually very nervous, despite speaking so eloquently, her heart however had risen to her throat, dense beads of sweat secreted from her palms, soaking the handkerchief in her hands, which ever way this plan turns out it would make her take a different path in life…, since she had already offended grandmother, and grandfather did not care for her.

That’s why to her she was simply walking on the knife edge, extremely dangerous.

Zhao Xing Kun bluntly said, “Grandfather agrees.”

Zhao Rui Zhi finally released a breath, after relaxing from such intensity it made her exhausted, she almost fell to the floor, and had not fallen because of the maid supporting her from the side, she saw Zhao Xing Kun look at her with some surprise, she shyly smiled, feeling embarrassed she said, 

“Grandfather, I’m actually especially nervous, afraid grandfather thinks I’m making trouble without reason.”

Zhao Xing Kun felt very tender towards her, saying, “Rui Zhi…, entering the palace isn’t a bad thing.” His gaze was gentle, containing a kind of wise and farsighted understanding built up from time, “Other family’s daughters entering the palace are merely short-lived, but our Zhao family is actually not ordinary, just based on the noble family status of divine calligrapher, the emperor will inevitably treat you favourably, also you are both intelligent and beautiful, talented, when the moment comes your future…, will certainly rise like the phoenix, not ordinary.”

Zhao Xing Kun words were appeasing, afraid Zhao Rui Zhi would be scared, after all entering the palace for a girl who has never been far from home was considered extremely far, but he was actually also stating a fact, the Zhao family’s position was very high, the number one influential family in the great Zhou, many in the Qingliu county, nowadays the emperor’s reputation wasn’t very good in Qingliu, if he wanted to improve on that side, he only had to regard the Zhao family candidate with great importance, even conferring her the title as imperial concubine. This was in fact a kind of balancing method.

Zhao Rui Zhi didn’t actually think about this much, she only knew she was not resigned to staying in the Zhao residence, and marry a random person…, entering the palace as a delegate from the Zhao family was an opportunity, but hearing Zhao Xing Kun’s analysis she immediately felt her prospects was very hopeful, so much so that she began to extravagantly wonder if she would become the empress? With such a thought she couldn’t help show an excited expression.

Zhao Rui Zhi was a very calculative person, but she was too immature, sometimes when she was too excited she can’t contain it, with just a glance Zhao Xing Kun saw quite a bit of inappropriateness, in that moment Zhao Xing Kun thought Zhao Rui Zhi was too excited…, his heart dropped…, unconsciously recalling when Zhao Jin Yu had just come to the Zhao residence a month ago, Xiao Zhen Shan furiously came to argue with him, at that time Xiao Zhen Shan had come to stick up for Zhao Rui Zhi, was Zhao Rui Zhi really that innocent? Without the flames being fanned a little…, would Xiao Zhen Shan that rash child be in such a rage?

Zhao Xing Kun’s mind turned a thousand times, his face however did not show a change, he said, “The weather is cold, you ought to go back sooner.”

Zhao Rui Zhi already achieved her wish, naturally she wouldn’t put it off, saying a few idle words she got up and left, waiting until Zhao Rui Zhi left, Zhao Xing Kun stood on the spot for a while, finally he couldn’t stand it he directly headed towards Xiao Zhen Shan’s courtyard.

Xiao Zhen Shan was at that time lying in bed sleeping, suddenly he saw Zhao Xing Kun enter after knocking on the door, and he vigorously threw the door open, producing a huge clanging sound, it was utterly shocking in the middle of the night. He did not have time to throw on clothes, clutching his quilt he stared blankly at Zhao Xing Kun coming in, using his sleepy and hazy voice he said, 

“Grandfather, why are you here?” Xiao Zhen Shan should have already started calling Zhao Xing Kun father

Zhao Xing Kun felt suffocated when he saw Xiao Zhen Shan’s blank expression, if sons indeed are like their mothers, his eldest son was so bright and elegant, as his wife, and this son was like that mother of his who was not suited for his status, his character was also simply the same.

“I have something to ask you!” Zhao Xing Kun decided not to hold back, hurriedly he asked then walked forward, otherwise if he carried on with restraint he was afraid he would end up hitting someone.

“What is it?”

“It concerns Zhao Rui Zhi.” Zhao Kun Xing said then with judging eyes sized up his son’s expression.