Chapter 276: Shocked, Imperial Family’s Secret
The expression on Fifth Prince at that moment couldn’t be described as mere shock any longer, it’s like a bomb had been thrown inside his mind and everything was blown with a bang, he was incapable to think, completely incapable to think at all.
Nan Xun, who was equally stunned, still did not forget to continue pouring tea for Gong Moran.
The Old Monarch’s three princes died three times in a row, was it really just because his ancestor did evil deed too much?
Nan Xun couldn’t help looking at Gong Moran.
She didn’t believe there’s such a coincidence in this world, she’s sure that his own hands were behind this whole matter.
Gong Moran didn’t seem to notice the unusual look on the two people as he just leisurely continued, “Concubine Zhao, who gave birth to First Prince and Noble Concubine Xue who gave birth to Third Prince, both died from difficult birth, doesn’t Fifth Prince think it strange?”
He took a sip of tea lightly, his attitude was so relaxed it was as if he wasn’t talking about the secrets of royal family, “…Just because they saw the dead babies they gave birth to, they were killed cruelly by the Emperor. The Queen was lucky as she fainted after giving birth and didn’t discover about this matter, thus escaping from a big calamity.
Fifth Prince’s hands that were put on the table curled up slightly, clenched into fists without him knowing.
He knew that his father wasn’t a soft-hearted person, but he didn’t know that his heart was so hard up until this point. In order to consolidate his throne, he didn’t bat an eye to kill these women who had spent so many years with him, and even go as far as to exchanged his own dead babies, such a preposterous thing!
After Gong Moran revealed these shocking secrets, his expression remained as indifferent as before. After a moment of silence, he exonerated the Old Monarch, “Fifth Prince, your father did this for the whole Nanyun Kingdom too. If the people knew about the successive deaths of the Emperor’s sons, it can easily cause the nation unrest.”
The Fifth Prince sank into a great confusion.
Was it really like this? Can father’s faults really be covered with such a reason? Doesn’t the throne underneath him feel uncomfortable at all? How can he feel at ease and justified for all these years?
“Does the Fifth Prince know how Nanyun Kingdom obtained its territory?” Gong Moran suddenly asked.
The Fifth Prince was taken aback with this question, he replied, “Naturally it’s a kingdom that the founding emperor of Nanyun Kingdom has worked so hard to laid everything down.”
Gong Moran looked at him, his thin lips became more and more rosy because of the moist tea. His lips gently curved, there seemed to be a trace of mockery in his eyes, “Fifth Prince, the land under your feet was once the territory of Great Zhou Kingdom 300 years ago, and Nanyun Kingdom’s founding Emperor was the trusted subordinate of the last Emperor of Great Zhou Kingdom. He turned his back on his master and became a king on his own, although there was no lack of supporters, but his title was illegitimately conferred after all, and because of this, there came three other forces of power that declared themselves as kings too, eventually giving rise to the four kingdoms that are mutually holding back each other right now.”
When Fifth Prince heard State Teacher saying this, he felt that his tone was somewhat strange, but he couldn’t point out what’s strange and what’s not.
“Everyone said that he was a hero that appeared in troubled times, but unfortunately the founding Emperor had a lot of blood on his hands while also lacking the spirit and decisiveness, thus he couldn’t subdue the other three kingdoms.”
Fifth Prince twisted his eyebrows slightly, “This Prince naturally knows about these things, but this Prince doesn’t understand why State Teacher would talk about this?”
Gong Moran looked at him and said lightly, “This Lord is just telling the Fifth Prince that everything has a cause and effect. Your ancestors didn’t have the ability to dominate the world, but they committed more slaughter than ruling*, and thus retribution will come knocking at the door. Your father has three thousand beauties in the back palace, but in the end, he only succeeded in having Fourth Prince and you as his own biological sons, furthermore, you both have mothers from a humble background.” [T/N: *I’m not quite sure with this sentence] ( PR/N: this could mean that they only busied themselves with their greed to the throne and power by slaughtering people than actually govern the Kingdom to prosperity as they should have as an Emperor.)
When the Fifth Prince heard this, his expression abruptly changed.
He hated the mention of his biological mother since he was a child, because his birth mother’s background was really humble. She was a rough-working maid who crawled onto the Emperor’s bed, while Fourth Prince birth mother wasn’t much better as she was only a singer. [T/N: rough-working maid refers to a really low-ranked maid who works in the laundry department, or even worse, handling waste.]
But now, he felt very ridiculed. Although he and the fourth prince were both born from mothers who came with humble background, why would their father acts so cold to them both? It was obvious that they were their father’s true biological sons.
In the eyes of an Emperor, is a biological son couldn’t compare to the one who came from side families? Even though their birth mothers were humble, but in any case, they were still his own sons!
Gong Moran had said almost everything he wanted to say, so he only left a sentence, “That’s why, Fifth Prince can relax, although your father emperor doesn’t love you, but the ones who can inherit the throne will only be you and the fourth prince. The Fourth Prince is mediocre and incompetent, naturally he can’t be compared with you, thus the throne will be yours in the end.”
Fifth Prince bowed deeply to him, “Many thanks to State Teacher for telling this Prince about all this matter. If one day this Prince ascends the throne, this Prince will surely repay State Teacher’s great kindness and grace.”
Gong Moran glanced at him, “Fifth Prince is polite, this Lord is only telling the truth. It’s better for this matter to be known only for Fifth Prince, you must not tell a second person.”
Fifth Prince repeatedly complied.
Nan Xun followed Gong Moran back to the palace without saying anything along the way.
She didn’t dare open her mouth until she entered their small nest, “My Lord, I’m a little puzzled by what you did today. Are you trying to provoke the relationship between Fifth Prince and the Emperor?”
Gong Moran knocked her head lightly, “What this Lord said is true, so how can you talk about this Lord instigating discord?”
“My Lord, if what you said is true, aren’t there only two true heirs of Nanyun Kingdom? The Fourth Prince is so mediocre that you can just ignore him, now there’s only Fifth Prince left, if he met with an accident, then wouldn’t Nanyun Kingdom… be over ah?” Nan Xun became all the more astonished the more she spoke.
Gong Moran hummed, “According to the Emperor’s temperament, he won’t pass the throne to anyone other than his own descendants even if he’s not happy with the Fifth Prince.”
Nan Xun vaguely guessed big boss’ intention and couldn’t help but secretly called him ‘cunning fox’ in her heart.
Although he made an oath of blood that he wouldn’t covet Nanyun Kingdom, but he never said that he wouldn’t destroy it either ah.
Big boss’ current method was to destroy the kingdom piece by piece while also leaving no trace of his own involvement. At the present, direct descendants of the royal family of Nanyun Kingdom has become less and less.
Gong Moran reclined on the long bench and suddenly hooked his finger towards Nan Xun, “Come, Duoduo, come to this Lord.”
Nan Xun walked over, squatted down and leaned against his body.
Gong Moran stroke her beautiful hair, the expression on his face was a little indolent, “Duoduo, do you know how many years can the Nanyun Kingdom’s fate govern this dynasty?”
Nan Xun only gazed on him silently.
She knew that all he needed right now was a silent listener.
Gong Moran indeed didn’t need her answer, he continued talking to himself, “Seven hundred years. Nanyun Kingdom’s reign can be maintained for 700 years without declining, but now, it will soon be destroyed, maybe in ten years or in twenty years, or maybe… in just two to three years.”
Nan Xun’s heart trembled, so f*cking fast!
PR: Aa88