novelSusiti Chapter 144 Father and Son Have a Heart-to-Heart Talk
Chapter 144 Father and Son Have a Heart-to-Heart Talk
Chapter 144 Father and Son Have a Heart-to-Heart Talk
Zhao Dezhao was shocked and froze on the spot, his eyes filled with disbelief and astonishment.
The dragon throne—that is the symbol of the supreme ruler of the world, the place where one holds the power of life and death and bears the weight of the vast land. Ordinary people would be considered to have overstepped their bounds by even taking half a step closer, let alone sit on this throne.
What is Father Emperor up to?
Was it a test? A test to see if he harbored any rebellious intentions, if he coveted the supreme position? Or did he have other intentions?
Countless thoughts swirled wildly in his mind, causing Zhao Dezhao to subconsciously raise his head and stare blankly at Zhao Kuangyin.
Before he could figure it out, Zhao Kuangyin had already stretched out his large and powerful hand, grabbed him directly, and with a little force, pressed him down onto the supreme dragon throne!
"boom--!"
Zhao Dezhao sat down abruptly, the icy touch instantly spreading throughout his body, causing a thunderous buzzing sound to suddenly ring in his brain.
Boom!Boom!Boom!
All he could hear was the rapid, pounding of his heart, which shook him to his core.
The chair is just an ordinary chair.
But what it symbolizes is the pinnacle that countless heroes and great men have pursued and dreamed of for thousands of years, yet which they could only look up to but never reach.
Only by actually sitting in this chair can one truly feel that unreal dizziness.
This is not a chair, but a power to rule the world!
Zhao Dezhao suddenly came to his senses, his expression changed drastically, and he subconsciously tried to get up, but Zhao Kuangyin pressed down on his shoulder, making him unable to move.
"Zhao'er, sit down."
Zhao Kuangyin leaned down slightly, his gaze gently falling on the man's face. His eyes held no trace of imperial majesty, but rather a tenderness he had never felt before, a warmth so profound it was almost overwhelming.
This feeling left Zhao Dezhao feeling both confused and incredibly at ease.
"You are my son, the son of the emperor, and destined to be the crown prince of my Great Song Dynasty."
Zhao Kuangyin's voice rang out slowly, each word like a heavy hammer blow to Zhao Dezhao's heart: "This Song Dynasty, this vast and beautiful land, will be yours sooner or later. Do you understand?"
Zhao Dezhao suddenly raised his head, his pupils trembling, staring at Zhao Kuangyin's gentle face, speechless for a long time.
On that gentle face, there was not a trace of scrutiny he expected, nor the probing he anticipated, nor any hint of suspicion.
At that moment, his heart skipped a beat.
All the confusion, tension, and worries vanished in that moment.
He suddenly understood why his father had allowed him to ascend the ninety-nine imperial steps, sit on the dragon throne, and say those words.
This was not a test, nor was it any ulterior motive or calculation. Rather, Zhao Kuangyin was telling him something in the most straightforward and unique way!
You, Zhao Dezhao, are my son, Zhao Kuangyin's own son!
I, Zhao Kuangyin, am not only your father, but also your strongest support!
Between you and me, father and son, there is no animosity, no estrangement, no suspicion, no doubt!
Zhao Dezhao nodded vigorously, and suddenly felt a pang of sadness in his nose.
Zhao Kuangyin was not only a great emperor throughout history, but also an emperor who was "most human"!
He was clearly worried that Zhao Guangyi's words would cause him anxiety and unease, so he used this method to calm himself down and reassure himself:
Father and son are just father and son!
This affection transcends power and territory; it is as precious as life and death.
Zhao Kuangyin looked at his son, who was lost in thought for a long time, and couldn't help but smile. He reached out and ruffled his hair, saying, "Actually, no matter who is behind this witchcraft accusation, they have all miscalculated one thing—why would they think that I am the kind of emperor who believes in destiny and ghosts and gods?"
His tone gradually became stern, radiating an aura of domineering power unique to emperors, yet his eyes softened slightly as he looked at Zhao Dezhao: "Zhao'er, do you remember something you once said?"
Zhao Dezhao looked up blankly.
Of all the things he said, which one was Father referring to?
Zhao Kuangyin smiled, straightened up, and looked out of the palace, as if he could see the vast land and rivers, and the countless heroes and great men throughout history!
"I remember you saying something like this—"
Zhao Kuangyin said quietly, "Heroes of the world are as numerous as carp crossing a river, but only a few can emerge from the wind and snow."
"It has never relied on fate, nor on anyone providing a protective umbrella!"
As he spoke, he couldn't help but laugh loudly, his words filled with pride: "I have come from a chaotic world, fought countless battles, and encountered far more powerful enemies than I have in my life. How could I believe in destiny? How could I entrust myself to someone else for protection?!"
"My only faith lies in the dragon-patterned staff in my hand!"
Upon hearing these bold and relaxed words, Zhao Dezhao was visibly shaken, and a complex mix of emotions welled up within him.
He was familiar with this phrase.
Even before the Chenqiao Mutiny, when he was discussing the concept of destiny with Li Chuyun, he unintentionally uttered this sentence.
Apart from Li Chuyun, no one else knew about this matter.
But now, the Emperor has said the same thing, and what that means is far more complex than that.
If such a secret matter couldn't be kept from Zhao Kuangyin, then what about the matter of Han Tong? The matter of Empress Dowager Xiao Fu? And so on and so forth—how much more did Father actually know?
Countless questions flooded his mind again, making him tense all over and even his breathing become rapid.
The world has underestimated Emperor Taizu of Song!
For a moment, Zhao Dezhao felt as if he had no secrets left.
As if seeing through his thoughts, Zhao Kuangyin gently patted his shoulder, his tone softening again, and said reassuringly, "Zhao'er, your father has seen all the changes in you. Admittedly, your father does have some doubts, but your father knows one thing—"
"You are Father's son!"
"Therefore, I am only happy for you because of your insights and abilities. So no matter what happens, you must remember, 'Even if the sky falls, I'll be there for you!'"
After he finished speaking, Zhao Dezhao fell into a long silence.
Among all the emperors throughout history, perhaps only Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhao Kuangyin could say such things!
Zhu Yuanzhang was willing to purge the court to a bloody purge in order to pave a smooth path for his son Zhu Biao and grandson Zhu Yunwen.
Zhao Kuangyin was also one of the emperors who valued family ties the most.
It's a drawback.
That's why he was almost completely unguarded against Zhao Guangyi, and even on his deathbed, he was unwilling to kill him.
But isn't that also an advantage?
That is why Zhao Kuangyin chose to ignore the changes in his son and even felt happy about it.
Zhao Dezhao took a deep breath, suppressing the many thoughts in his mind, then raised his head, looked directly at Zhao Kuangyin, and slowly said, "Father, in that case, how do you intend to deal with Third Uncle?"