Two major incident happened during the Chinese New Year of Dayu Dynasty this year.
The first incident was that the battle at the Northern Border Pa.s.s, which has been carrying on the fight while beating a retreat for three whole years against Beihu, finally ushered a report of victory. Dayu achieved a phased victory and successfully drove Beihu out of the Jingzhou border, which would be able to at least maintain the stability of the border for five years. The second incident was the current Emperor’s adoption of a prince from his younger brother Qi w.a.n.g.
Although all of them were concubine-born, but an Emperor’s concubine-born child was very different from that of a w.a.n.gye. –No one had ever thought that the constantly slighted and bullied concubine-born son in Qi w.a.n.g’s mansion, Yuwen Yin, would actually change in a single shake, becoming a respectable prince in the palace. The most important part was that the Emperor still had no heirs. So if Yuwen Yin has genuine talents and avoids from going down the wrong track, then being an heir apparent to the throne would be extremely possible for him.
As soon as this news was made public, a few families immediately rejoiced, while a few became worried. The worried party was naturally Qi w.a.n.g’s mansion. The moment Qi w.a.n.g heard of this matter in the morning court, he had gritted his teeth so much that the taut corner of his mouth stretched down his chin. The wing of the nose widely undulated because of his mood, as an unidentified strong rage mixed with a few traces of indescribable fear filled his heart. But he still pretended nonchalance and faced the ministers with a smile. He even received congratulations from an official who often went to the red-light district in private with him.
This matter could indeed be considered as an honor, –If Yuwen Yin becomes an Emperor sometime in the future, then he will become the Emperor’s biological father. But when Qi w.a.n.g thought of this possibility, he couldn’t help but feel a tightness in his chest, as if an ice-cold serpent was slithering up his back. Qi w.a.n.gfei and Yuwen Zhengyang also crushed their teeth* because of this matter, in addition to feeling shock, as well as a wild and violent flames of fierce jealousy.
*idiom for extreme anger
They had also never fathomed that the Emperor would actually adopt Yuwen Yin and make him a prince.
The two princes that Emperor Qing once had both died prematurely one after the other. As he gradually grew older through the pa.s.sing years, the matter of adopting for succession became imperative. Emperor Qing had indeed always had plans to choose someone from the imperial clan to adopt, but still hadn’t decided because of his high standards. Yet, how did the utterly lacking and mere concubine-born son like Yuwen Yin, who doesn’t even like his father, surpa.s.s the first wife’s son and obtain the favor of the Emperor?
Little did they know that Yuwen Yin’s lack of anything was what Emperor Qing liked.
Emperor Qing’s indefinite delay was not because he had high standard at all. But was rather due to the unwillingness of a monarch to hand over their authority to someone else, let alone to his own biological younger brother. Take Yuwen Zhengyang as an example. He has Qi w.a.n.g and Qi w.a.n.gfei at his back. If he were to be made as a prince through adoption, then in the eyes of Emperor Qing, this whole world would be equivalent to falling into the hands of others in vain. Maybe once Yuwen Zhengyang ascends as the Emperor, he would spend a lot of time for his biological father and mother, and even confer Qi w.a.n.g with the t.i.tle of the Emperor’s father. –There was no way Emperor Qing would be able to endure this.
No one would be willing to let go after having a taste of wielding power. Emperor Qing didn’t need to adopt an heir from such a high background, but only needed one that could be completely controlled by him, and even someone who doesn’t recognize his family. If it wasn’t for the fear of mixing the Yuwen’s bloodline, he would had even wanted to directly find an orphan.
But it just so happens, that Yuwen Yin met all of his requirements. Yuwen Yin’s biological mother had already pa.s.sed away, and there wasn’t anyone left from his mother’s natal family as well. He even doesn’t have any other emotional sentiments towards his biological father, Qi w.a.n.g, other than the feeling of hatred. Not a single person in the entire Qi w.a.n.g mansion ever gave Yuwen Yin even a tinge of warmth, only countless coldness and harshness. No secrets can be kept forever in this world, so the words Qi w.a.n.g declared on that day, about Qi w.a.n.g’s mansion breaking all ties with Yuwen Yin from that day onwards, had also spread to more and more people.
Emperor Qing had also determined Yuwen Yin’s character through his speech and behaviour. He had a calm and cold-hearted nature. He would never be softhearted during the times when he needs to be ruthless, and is a lone wolf worthy to be raised and train.
–Only by being ruthless can one become the monarch of this world.
Therefore, when the Empress Dowager had this intention, Emperor Qing responded positively without much consideration. This matter not only pleased the elderly Empress Dowager, but also made Consort Jin happy, in addition to blocking the Imperial Censor from admonishing him into taking in an heir as soon as possible. This could be said to killing three birds with one stone.
On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Emperor Qing officially announced the matter of adopting Yuwen Yin as a prince to the whole world. There were only a few objections among the officials, as the others were even glad to see this happen. The Dayu dynasty wasn’t stable at all. The other countries from the northwest and southeast were all lying in wait, as a country cannot lack a ruler for even a day, so the succession of the imperial lineage was a major issue. The longtime vacant position of the heir, had really made them anxious. If something happened to Emperor Qing, then there would definitely be a chaotic upsurge.
Qi w.a.n.g’s mansion, on one side, were in a fl.u.s.ter, while Consort Jin’s side was delighted. Consort Jin came from a family with military background. Her father and the elder brother had all died on the battlefield, so there was no one left in the family but her. She didn’t know how to fight for favor after entering the palace, and had yet to even have one let alone two offspring. She originally thought that she would live like this for her entire life, but didn’t expect to encounter this unexpected fortune.
The Empress Dowager also chose Consort Jin after thinking from all angles. The status of an Empress was too high, while an Imperial concubine was too low, so she could only choose from a few Imperial consorts. Consort Shu has been in poor health since the loss of her son, and may be less capable than desired; Consort De has a very powerful natal family, and was difficult to control; only Consort Jin has a weak ident.i.ty as well as an educated and well-balanced behaviour, but would also never be able to make any kind of waves no matter what.
Maybe because of the influence that fellow sufferers could empathize with each other, Consort Jin and Yuwen Yin had a good impression on one another on their first meeting. Although the feelings between people cannot be built in a short period of time, but since Consort Jin was willing to treat the other with sincerity, then Yuwen Yin too, would treat the other with courtesy and filial piety.