mtl008 Chapter 324 Brotherly Heart
Chapter 324 Brotherly Heart
As soon as Zhao Hui saw Zhao Sheng, his heart was shocked. A strong sense of familiarity instantly surged into his heart. His first reaction was: the person in front of him was his sixth younger brother.
However, according to rumors, he had passed away many years ago. How could he suddenly appear in the mansion of Princess Dingzhou and become the princess's husband?
Zhao Sheng obviously also keenly caught Zhao Hui's complicated and surprised eyes. Now that he has grown stronger, he doesn't want to hide it anymore!
"Third brother, I guess you remembered me. Yes, you are not mistaken."
Zhao Sheng raised his chin slightly and looked at Zhao Hui with a firm gaze. Although he did not directly reveal his true identity, the meaning of his words was obvious.
"The princess should be clear about your identity."
Zhao Hui's eyes widened as he blurted out, his tone full of surprise and confusion.
"She just had some guesses, or maybe she thought I looked a bit like her. I saved the prince, so this can be considered a way of repaying him."
A hint of gentleness flashed across Zhao Sheng's face. He did not want to put Li Shuya's family in danger and let them bear all the possible responsibilities.
"You, why are you doing this? Since you are still alive, why don't you go find me, your third brother?"
Zhao Hui frowned, his eyes filled with anxiety and blame, and his voice unconsciously rose a few degrees.
"Third brother, I was originally heading for your fiefdom. At that time, I thought about it and realized that among all my brothers, you were the only one I felt could protect me."
Zhao Sheng's eyes were a little vague. In fact, he knew in his heart that he chose to go to the fiefdom of King Yan because he felt that it would not be easy to be discovered there.
Even if he was discovered, given Zhao Hui's personality, he would not kill him, nor would he collude with Zhao Wei.
"so what……"
"Something went wrong along the way, so I settled down here. Later, by chance, I met the princess, and then...that's how it became what it is now!"
Mr. Zhao spoke a little fast, and without waiting for Zhao Hui to ask any further questions, he took the initiative to talk about his experiences over the years.
After listening to Zhao Sheng's narration, Zhao Hui was so angry that his face turned pale and his teeth were chattering:
"This second brother is really going too far. He's fighting against his own family, why is he so anxious to kill each other?"
Several people entered the room and found a place to sit. Zhao Sheng was the first to speak:
"Let's not talk about the past. Based on my observations over the years, my father is determined to vigorously develop Yanzhou. The throne is very likely to fall on you. Second brother, I am optimistic about you."
Zhao Hui never expected that Zhao Sheng would be so bold as to say such outrageous words in front of him and Li Shuya. His face turned pale instantly.
His voice trembled as he spoke, "Sixth brother, please don't ever say such things again."
Seeing Zhao Hui's fearful expression, Zhao Sheng smiled nonchalantly and said:
"You are well aware of the current situation in the Great Zhou. The Emperor's decrees are almost impossible to implement in the various provinces. How could Father not be aware of my eldest brother's situation? It's simply because of the ancestral system."
When saying this, Zhao Sheng actually didn't feel too much burden in his heart, but he suddenly realized that Li Shuya was present and felt that it was somewhat inappropriate.
When he saw Li Shuya stand up, he hurried over and gently supported her.
"King Yan, you two brothers meet each other now. I will take my leave now."
Li Shuya often went in and out of the palace, and treated several princes as brother and sister.
After Zhao Hui and Zhao Sheng watched Li Shuya leave, Zhao Hui's expression relaxed a little and said:
"I've noticed what you said. Father did give me some hints, but I'm worried it was just a test, so..."
"Don't worry. My eldest brother has been deposed, Zhao Wei is imprisoned, and the emperor doesn't think highly of the other brothers. Based on seniority, it's your turn now."
As Zhao Sheng spoke, he filled Zhao Hui's teacup with tea, with a confident smile on his face.
"You possess both military and civil skills. In these turbulent times, the next emperor will surely fail if he doesn't have some military support."
Zhao Hui just stared at his sixth brother quietly, his eyes full of confusion and surprise. In a trance, he felt that the brother who had once been weak and vulnerable seemed to have disappeared without a trace.
"Your younger brother, Zhao Hong, may have been dormant for years without making any major moves, but given the current situation, I believe he's also determined to fight for the supreme position. If you return to the capital this time and don't tell your father the truth, there will definitely be chaos in the future."
Zhao Sheng looked at Zhao Hui, who was a little dazed, and persuaded him earnestly.
"No, it shouldn't be that serious!"
Zhao Hui shook his head and frowned. He knew in his heart that his eldest brother was framed and the culprit was Zhao Wei, but the other princes were not involved, not even the fifth brother who was from the same mother.
"There's definite news that Zhao Hong already has new weapons. You, the King of Yan and the King of Qin, who are in a border town, don't have them. This shows how ambitious he is."
"Doesn't the imperial court already have new weapons?"
"Compared to the Fourth Brother's weapons, the imperial court's weapons are far inferior. Moreover, their Jiangnan region is rich, and the craftsmen's smelting skills are extremely high. I am worried that even more powerful killing weapons will be born soon."
Zhao Sheng's words made Zhao Hui feel dizzy. He had considered the relationship between brothers and the possible struggle for succession in the future, but he really didn't dare to think too much about such a cruel thing as brothers killing each other.
"Last year, the Emperor summoned a few of us back to the capital, but the war here was intense and I couldn't get away. However, the Emperor only met with them and didn't make any clear statement."
"You haven't expressed your opinion, which means that the candidate for the crown prince is not among them. I think they should have known this, but you didn't go back. Your goal is very obvious."
"You mean, I've become their target?"
"At least you're the fourth brother's target. The others probably won't attack you for now, but..."
"But what?" Zhao Hui asked impatiently, his eyes full of anxiety.
"But Lao Wu, you have to be extra careful. The forces behind him are not simple."
Zhao Sheng's expression became serious. Zhao Hui naturally understood what he meant. The Wei family would not miss such a good opportunity.
The current emperor has few children, and Zhao Hengzhen favors the queen alone. After the queen gave birth to Zhao Kang and Zhao Ying, she fell seriously ill and could no longer have children.
The dinner was specially arranged to welcome Zhao Hui.
However, Li Shuya and Zhao Zhen simply ate a few bites and then found an excuse to leave.
"I've brought over a hundred guards with me this time. Do you think I'll be in danger going to the capital?"
At the dinner table, although the alcohol content of the wine was low, drinking too much could still make people feel tipsy. Zhao Hui, under the influence of alcohol, leaned forward and approached Zhao Sheng and asked.
Zhao Sheng knew that Zhao Hui was worried about his safety. He originally thought that there were many guards in the palace and nothing should happen. But when he thought of the unfathomable and defenseless palace, he couldn't help but feel worried.
"I'll give you twenty guns. I don't think anyone in the Imperial City would dare to be so presumptuous."
When Zhao Hui heard Zhao Sheng mention the gun, a look of disapproval appeared on his face.
Zhao Hui's understanding of the concept of guns was still very limited, and he just agreed casually. After all, this was also the good intention of his sixth brother.