Chapter 66: The Kind Mother and the Strict Father

  A brand new chapter begins, please give me your full support: )

  Well, let's learn from Fat Boss's tone: believe me, it will be great!

  -----------------Occasionally seeking clicks and red ticket drops-----------------

  What is the feeling of going home?

  Happy, joyful, pleasant, relaxed, comfortable... If you use these words to describe it, there shouldn't be any major mistakes. However... Now it seems like something has gone wrong somewhere. In short, Yang Zhao is not happy at all now, on the contrary, he only feels depressed and oppressed.

  After showing his identity at the city gate, the subsequent suspicious, identification, and authentication procedures are not necessary to mention. In this era, there was no camera, no television station, and no internet. Although he claimed to be a genuine prince, it was impossible for any ordinary soldier to recognize him. So when faced with initial doubts, the young prince didn't bother to argue with them and just followed along. After a lot of fuss, someone with a relatively high status finally arrived, who turned out to be Mi Gonggong, an inner servant from the Daxing Imperial Palace.

  This eunuch, Mi Gonggong, was a trusted confidant of Yang Guang's and had always been loyal to him. Although he was a eunuch, he didn't have the typical effeminate mannerisms of one. He was astute and capable in his work, so even the Crown Princess Xiao treated him with a measure of respect when speaking to him. It had been over two months since Yang Zhao had been kidnapped and gone missing (it was now early summer in April, more than sixty days had passed since that night Ning Daoqi and Fan Qinghui snuck into the Temple of Supreme Bliss), and his fate was unknown. Not only were Yang Guang and Xiao worried and heartbroken, but even Mi Gonggong was extremely anxious. So when he suddenly saw Yang Zhao, his eyes, which normally narrowed to slits, widened to their fullest extent. He rushed over and grasped the young master's hands tightly, shaking with excitement for half a day before being able to utter a single coherent sentence.

  But then things became strange. Yang Zhao had only spoken a few words to him when Mi Gonggong suddenly looked worried and unhappy, his face scrunched up in concern. The young prince naturally found this strange and asked what was wrong. But Mi Gonggong just sighed and refused to say any more. He called for the sedan chair and took Yang Zhao back to a side hall in the Daxing Imperial Palace, where he ordered the servants to prepare a bath and change of clothes for the young prince, but then he himself ran off somewhere.

  At first, Yang Zhao didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. But after washing up and changing his clothes, just as he was about to go to the East Palace to visit his mother, the problem arose. The imperial guard standing at the gate of the palace actually stood in front of the door with his hand on the hilt of his sword. Although he didn't say anything, his attitude that the young prince was not allowed to enter or leave at will was as clear as a louse on a monk's head.

  Seeing the guards like this, even a fool would know that there must be something fishy going on. But where exactly is the problem, Young Master Wang has just come out of the wilderness and is still in the dark. If he insists on going out to investigate, it's not a big deal to settle with these few palace guards, but after all, this is his own home, making a big fuss doesn't make sense either. So, Young Master Wang can only stare blankly by himself.

  From morning till noon, and from noon till sunset, the side hall remained quiet and deserted, without even a ghostly shadow. Yang Zhao, however, gradually changed from his initial gloominess and oppression, becoming increasingly calm and patient. After experiencing so many things during these days out, he not only upgraded his martial arts skills but also made great progress in his mental state. Seeing that no one came to bother him, he neither got angry nor impatient, simply sitting upright with his back straight.

  At this moment, the eyes were fixed on the nose, and the nose was fixed on the heart, as if an old monk had entered a state of meditation. Suddenly, from the corridor outside the hall came the sound of rapid and light footsteps. Immediately afterwards, there was the sound of a long spear being planted firmly on the ground. A low voice respectfully said: "Your humble servant has seen Your Ladyship."

  "Are you... the captain of the Imperial Guard, surnamed Wang?" The voice was gentle and virtuous, making one feel a sense of fondness upon hearing it. It was none other than Crown Princess Xiao. She paused for a moment, slightly waving her hand as she said, "Zhao'er has returned, and this mother needs to go see him before I can put my mind at ease. Captain Wang, please step aside."

  The eunuch named Wang, as soon as he heard this, was in a difficult position and said: "Your Majesty, the Emperor has ordered..." As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized it wasn't suitable and immediately changed his tone to say: "If Your Majesty wants to see Prince Wang, that's perfectly natural. Although the Emperor previously ordered that Prince Wang is not allowed to go out for the time being, he didn't say anything about others visiting Prince Wang." He then stepped aside to clear the way. Xiaoshi smiled and nodded her head, turned around and instructed the palace maids who were following behind her: "You all stay here, don't enter the temple without my orders." After giving the instructions, she immediately entered the temple. The thick and heavy gate behind her closed with a loud "boom", shutting tightly.

  Yang Zhao's internal energy was already quite profound, and even if he didn't deliberately focus his breath, all the movements within a hundred feet, from falling flowers to flying insects, couldn't escape his notice. The conversation between Xiao Shi and the captain of the guard outside the palace had reached his ears long ago. As soon as the door shook open, Little Wang Ye stood up and walked forward to greet her, calling out "Mother... mom." His voice was steady at first, but by the time he got to the second word, it began to tremble slightly. Xiao Shi looked up and saw her son like this, and her eyes immediately turned red. She took a few steps forward, opened her arms, and hugged her son tightly into her embrace, refusing to let go. A faint sobbing sound entered his ears, and in an instant, Yang Zhao felt a large patch of wetness on his shoulder. Little Wang Ye's nose turned sour, and he also wrapped his arms tightly around Xiao Shi, saying "Mom..." in a low voice, as tears blurred his eyes.

  The two of them just passed by like that for a long time, and finally, Xiaoshi let out a long sigh, wiped away her tears, and put both hands on her son's shoulders to carefully examine him. After going through so much hardship for more than two months, Zhaoer's face didn't seem to have added any signs of weariness, but rather seemed to have grown up a bit. Originally, this was a good thing, but... but... alas!

  Yang Zhao wasn't a fool either, seeing Xiao Shi's expression, he also knew that there must be some problem. If it were someone else, they might have kept it in their heart for the time being and then waited for an opportunity to probe indirectly. But this person was his own birth mother! If he couldn't speak freely with his own mom, what was the point of living? He couldn't help but ask: "Mom, what's going on? I feel like...the atmosphere is so strange? Where's Father? And my master?"

  Xiao sighed again and said, "Come sit down and talk." He pulled his son to the seat in the hall, and they knelt facing each other. Then he took his son's hand and held it up, saying, "Zhao'er, where did you go this time? Did you...go to Chengdu?"

  Yang Zhaohua's heart skipped a beat as he saw his mother mention the word "Chengdu" with a mixture of emotions on her face, and he roughly guessed what was going on. He scratched his head, looking troubled, saying: "This... it's a long story to tell... Mom, listen to me from the beginning, okay?"

  "Mother knows you've been through a lot this time, and suffered a great deal. But... "Xiao shook her head, tightly grasping her son's hand, saying: "Mother doesn't want to know anything else, just whether or not you actually went to Chengdu. And... "She hesitated for a few seconds before continuing: "Fourth Uncle... no, I mean the Shu King's concubine Tang Zhongqing, have you met her and Zhao'er?"

  It's really come to this. Yang Zhao's face suddenly felt a wave of heat. How could he say it? Should he tell his mother that her son had gone to Chengdu and solved the problem on his uncle's wife, finally becoming a man from a boy? This topic couldn't be discussed with anyone, let alone his own mother - unless it was his father, who might have a chance of understanding. For now, he stammered: "This... I did go to Chengdu. But... but... mom, this thing... isn't the most important. I have other things too. In short, it's better to talk about this with Father."

  Although he didn't directly admit it, the implication was clear: who couldn't understand what he meant? The color of Xiao's face changed immediately, and she said with a sigh, "So...it's true... Ah, Zhao'er, Mother knows you're already 16 this year. If you were from another family, you'd at least have some close attendants, and who knows, maybe even be married already. But we're the imperial family, our rules are different from others. Your grandmother, the Empress Dowager, has always disliked men who can't control themselves when it comes to women, so Mother has been keeping a closer eye on you. I didn't expect...I didn't expect...how can I say this to you?"

  Something's not right. After talking for so long, Yang Zhao also came back to his senses. The matter between him and Tang Zhongyan was originally known by very few people. Even if he counted carefully, it wouldn't take five fingers to count them. So how did his mother ask about this as soon as he got home? Young Master Wang raised an eyebrow and asked: "Mom, what exactly happened? How do you know Tang Zhongyan? From the imperial court..."

  “Bang!” The heavy temple door was suddenly and violently kicked open from the outside. A fierce gust of wind swept in, cutting like a knife! Xiao Shi and Yang Zhao were both startled and stood up at the same time, looking sideways to see that the person who had arrived was none other than Yang Guang, the current Crown Prince of the Sui Dynasty! He was surrounded by an aura of murder, his face iron-blue as he strode in with large steps, cursing: “If you want others not to know, then don't do it yourself. You little beast, kneel down for me!”

  Yang Zhao's thoughts turned rapidly, and instead of kneeling down, he took a step back, furrowed his brow and asked: "Your Majesty, is it true that... the King of Shu has already risen in revolt?"

  Yang Guang's face was filled with rage, and he took step after step closer. In a stern voice, he shouted: "How dare you ask? You're rebellious, lustful, and your actions are absurd and contradictory. Your heart is devoid of familial love. To obtain the treasure, you even colluded with outsiders to harm your uncle and forced the imperial relatives to rebel! I, Yang Guang... how could I have given birth to such a beastly son like you?"

  Yang Zhao was shocked again and said, "Your Majesty, why do you say that? The son indeed has a relationship with Tang Zhong... but the King of Shu's rebellion is a well-planned and premeditated act that has been secretly plotted for a long time. It has nothing to do with the son..."

  "You dare to quibble, you little beast?" Yang Guang was both anxious and ashamed, and furious. His emotions were already a tangled mess, and Yang Zhao's attempt to explain himself was like adding fuel to the fire! In an instant, the old wound from the fight for the tiger's spirit flared up again, and the last shred of rationality that had been holding back his anger collapsed. The Crown Prince of Sui slammed his fist on the table, his eyes flashing with a fierce glow, radiating an intense killing intent that sent chills down people's spines. Xiaoshi, who had been married to him for many years, knew that her husband had once been possessed by evil spirits and often acted in ways that couldn't be measured by ordinary standards. She cried out in alarm: "Ah Guang, calm down..."

  The sound had barely faded when Yang Zhao suddenly felt his skin tearing apart, as if the air around him was solidifying and locking him in place. In a flash of lightning, Yang Guang burst out, roaring: "I'll kill you, you little beast! I'd rather not have had a son like you!" As he bellowed, he struck left and right, shaking heaven and earth. His palms shot out simultaneously, slapping the top of his son's head and chest with deadly precision, showing no mercy whatsoever. Before the force even landed, the powerful gusts of wind from his palms made the young prince's bones creak with an unbearable "cracking" sound. Yang Zhao was shocked to realize that his life was being counted down by his father's deadly blows, entering its final... countdown!