novelhk Chapter 400 The Prince's Mystery: The Cannon Fodder Bride Forced into a Substitute Marquis'
Chapter 400 The Prince's Mystery: The Cannon Fodder Bride Forced into a Substitute Marquis'
Tang Ruijing remained calm, clearly unsurprised by the scene.
Tang Ruijing politely bowed to Song Zhihua and said, "Ruijing greets Consort Hua."
Song Zhihua seemed somewhat displeased with Tang Ruijing's attitude, but considering what she was about to do, she had no choice but to endure it. She waved her hand, dismissing the servants.
Afterwards, Song Zhihua said to Tang Ruijing, "I have something I want to talk to you about alone. Please have the unimportant people leave first."
Song Zhihua emphasized the word "alone," and when he said "insignificant person," he glanced at Su Jinyue.
Su Jinyue rolled her eyes inwardly, not at all intimidated by Song Zhihua's imperious manner, and stood there calmly.
Tang Ruijing didn't intend to let Su Jinyue leave. He stood up, looked directly at Song Zhihua, and said, "Jinyue is my wife, not an insignificant person. Consort Hua, you can speak directly if you have anything to say. I have nothing to hide."
Song Zhihua frowned as he looked at Tang Ruijing, but after a long standoff, Tang Ruijing showed no sign of backing down, and Song Zhihua was discouraged.
She sighed, feigning helplessness, and asked, "Ruijing, now that you've regained your status as a prince, aren't you curious about where your biological mother is?"
Tang Ruijing said expressionlessly, "Didn't she die in the fire in the palace eighteen years ago?"
Song Zhihua was speechless. It took her a while to regain her composure before she said, "Silly child, didn't you already receive the letter?"
Your biological mother is not dead; she has always been thinking of you!
Tang Ruijing was getting annoyed. He didn't want to see Song Zhihua putting on a show of motherly affection, so he simply asked directly.
"Since you know so much about this, does that mean you are my biological mother?"
If you were my mother, there's a question I've always wanted to ask you.
Since you took me out of the palace back then, why did you leave me at the Xuanping Marquis's residence and ignore me for so many years?
Now, why are you showing up again?
Moreover, she appeared in the capital as a concubine of Prince Jing?
After hearing Tang Ruijing's question, Song Zhihua remained silent for a long time before answering helplessly, "Ruijing, I have my reasons."
Back then, your maternal family was killed on Tang Jinxuan's orders. If I hadn't found a way to escape from the palace, Tang Jinxuan would have killed me too.
You are still so young, without your mother's protection, and despised by your father. How can you survive in the harem where there is no human touch?
I had no choice but to escape the palace with you, but I couldn't bear to let you live a life of wandering with me, so I handed you over to Shen Mingze of the Xuanping Marquis's mansion.
Shen Mingze is my mother's closest friend, and I believed he could take good care of you. Now it seems he's doing a great job, and as your mother, I'm very gratified.
Tang Ruijing felt very uncomfortable facing Song Zhihua's loving gaze.
"Since you've already escaped the capital, why are you coming back now?"
Song Zhihua's eyes turned resentful: "Child, the Song family played a significant role in Tang Jinxuan's ascension to the throne."
The Song family had been kind to Tang Ruijing, but after Tang Jinxuan ascended the throne, he turned on them and tried to wipe them out!
Tang Jinxuan killed every single member of the Song family, both direct and collateral!
The Song family had rendered meritorious service in supporting the emperor, yet they suffered such a fate. How could I, as a member of the Song family, not hate them?
Now that I've returned, it's naturally to avenge the Song family!
Tang Ruijing said quietly, "However, the crime that Father Emperor convicted the Song family of eighteen years ago was treason."
I've reviewed the Song family's files. The Song family is suspected of treason and collusion with the enemy at the border; the evidence is conclusive. The Song family's deaths were not unjust.
"Nonsense!" Song Zhihua exclaimed excitedly. "The Song family is utterly loyal to Tang Jinxuan and to the Great Xia Dynasty!"
It was Tang Jinxuan who, fearing the power of the Song family and their growing influence, devised this treacherous scheme to imprison the entire Song family!
It's all Tang Jinxuan's fault!
It was me who loved the wrong person. I shouldn't have entered Tang Jinxuan's harem because I admired him.
It was all because of me that my father had to relinquish his military power and become a puppet of others.
It's all my fault!
No, it's not my fault, it's Tang Jinxuan's fault!
I must kill Tang Jinxuan!
The more Song Zhihua thought about it, the more agitated he became, and the deeper his hatred for Emperor Xinghe grew.
Tang Ruijing looked at Song Zhihua, who was becoming increasingly agitated, with a somewhat strange expression.
Judging from Song Zhihua's expression, she seemed to genuinely believe that Emperor Xinghe had unjustly killed the entire Song family. However, the Song family's current fate was not entirely innocent.
Could it be that Song Zhihua, as the legitimate daughter of the Song family, was unaware of the Song family's true nature?
Tang Ruijing tentatively asked, "The Song family was completely wiped out by Father Emperor at the last birthday banquet. It seems that it won't be easy for you to take revenge on Father Emperor now."
"What do you plan to do now? Use your current status as Prince Jing's concubine to sow discord between Father Emperor and Prince Jing, causing them to kill each other?"
Song Zhihua's emotions had been too intense before. She calmed down for a moment before raising her head and speaking to Tang Ruijing.
“Ruijing, I went into the Jingwang Mansion under an assumed name, and I did have the idea of making the brothers live apart, but I tried for a long time and failed.”
But things are different now. You have regained your status as a prince, and with that status, you are qualified to compete for the throne.
What did Tang Jinxuan care about most? It was the throne of the Great Xia Dynasty!
If you could become the next emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty and bring down Tang Jinxuan, wouldn't that be the greatest punishment for him?
So, Ruijing, I'm here to help you. As long as you can reach that highest position, Tang Jinxuan will be at my mercy.
Hahaha……"
As Song Zhihua spoke, he burst into laughter.
Su Jinyue rolled her eyes as she watched Song Zhihua's behavior change from ferocious to manic.
If she and Tang Ruijing didn't know that Song Zhihua had switched the princes, perhaps they would have truly believed Song Zhihua's heartfelt words.
Song Zhihua must have been studying acting all these years, because she performed so well in front of Tang Ruijing.
Tang Ruijing was not moved by Song Zhihua's performance. He spoke directly, shattering Song Zhihua's illusions.
"I have no chance of becoming the next emperor. My father told me this in private the day he recognized me."
The Song family is a remnant of the previous dynasty's royal family. As your son, Song Zhihua, I am also a descendant of the previous dynasty's royal bloodline.
The Great Xia Dynasty overthrew the previous dynasty, so it was impossible for someone with the bloodline of the previous dynasty to ascend the throne.
Therefore, what you imagine will not become reality.
"Remnants of the former dynasty's royal family?" Song Zhihua was stunned by Tang Ruijing's words. "What do you mean by the Song family having bloodlines from the former dynasty's royal family?"
Song Zhihua muttered to himself for a while before he seemed to realize the meaning behind Tang Ruijing's words.
Song Zhihua stepped forward excitedly: "Are you saying that the Song family is a descendant of the previous dynasty's royal family, so Tang Jinxuan knew about this and that's why he ruthlessly attacked the Song family?"
Tang Ruijing nodded silently.