Zhao Ting took a deep breath and organized his thoughts, "What to do depends on you."
"Yes, depends on you," Zhao Ting emphasized, "No matter what, since I am using his body, I should be responsible for his family. Before, I couldn’t remember. Now that I do, I can’t just pretend nothing happened, right? The old lady hopes I will marry and have children, to continue the Zhao Family lineage."
Silence from Meng Yao, the shock was substantial, she needed some time to digest it.
After a moment, Meng Yao asked Zhao Ting, "Before this, did you, I mean you, not Zhao Ting, have any women you liked?"
"No," Zhao Ting answered neatly.
He never had someone he liked, never entertained the thought of marriage.
He knew, although he was a Prince, it was just a facade. Therefore, he always restrained his own feelings very well. From the results, it was good. At least, he didn’t marry, so no woman or her family got implicated.
"How old were you when you died?" Meng Yao asked again.
"Thirty-six," Zhao Ting replied.
"Did you have any hidden illnesses?" Meng Yao instinctively thought so.
In ancient times, a man not marrying by twenty-six would be criticized, much less thirty-six?
"No!" Zhao Ting gritted his teeth, "I was very healthy, at least healthier than Zhao Ting’s body. Privately, I was very diligent, practiced martial arts from a young age, never missed a day. My medical skills are mediocre, although doctors cannot treat themselves, at least I was fully aware of my own circumstances."
"So you just don’t like women? If that’s the case, our reunion is indeed the best option. You don’t need to worry about continuing the Zhao Family line, and with me as a shield, no one will bother you with such matters again," Meng Yao said calmly, "What a pity, I’m a normal woman. So, I can’t cooperate with you."
Didn’t date in the past life, got to make it up in this one, right?
Can’t possibly be single in both lives, right!
"I am a normal man too! I like women! Not men! Don’t look at me like that!" Zhao Ting’s tone was heavy.
Meng Yao nodded repeatedly, emphasizing intentionally, which showed her disbelief.
"I’m not guilty, I’m stating facts! Stop your wild thoughts!" Zhao Ting growled.
"I don’t want to think," Meng Yao echoed.
Zhao Ting felt irritated to the core, this woman, couldn’t tell she was so contradictory in words!
He dared to bet, she surely thought of more in her mind.
"I have no one I like, because of my identity. Since I have confessed to you, I won’t hide my past identity from you. Before I died, I was the younger brother of the current Emperor, a true brother with the same father but different mother," Zhao Ting mocked himself, "A carefree prince with an honorable status."
Just with this title of prince, without much storytelling from Zhao Ting, Meng Yao imagined a great drama of love and hatred.
An emperor suspecting his brothers covet his throne, so plotting all means to pin crimes on them, then swiftly eliminating them to solidify his reign.
Killing is one thing, but after killing, still portraying how kind he was to the brother, suggesting the brother was ungrateful and deserved this end.
In short, he killed the person, but didn’t want the infamy; he aimed for a noble reputation. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ novel[f]ire.net
Zhao Ting suffered, more so than Zhao Ting.
Sure enough, Zhao Ting’s account matched Meng Yao’s exact thoughts; Meng Yao felt if she had the chance to return, she didn’t have to be a doctor anymore, she could completely be a screenwriter specializing in palace dramas.
"So, are you planning on revenge in the future?" Meng Yao asked.
"Revenge? Revenge for what?" Zhao Ting asked.
"Your emperor brother killed you, and that’s just it?" Meng Yao countered.
Zhao Ting gave a bitter smile, "At the time of death, I really hated him. But during my last breath, he came to see me and said a lot. I seemed to understand him a bit! Sitting on that throne, he had no choice. I wondered, if it were me sitting there, perhaps, I would do the same."
So, this is an ample forgiveness of the Emperor?
Before dying, isn’t it common to vow revenge if there’s another chance?
Zhao Ting continued, "Also, he is a good emperor, hardworking for the betterment of Zhou Country. This is Zhou Country’s fortune, the luck of Zhou Country’s people. When I was his brother, I wanted to assist him; he thought I had ulterior motives. Now Heaven took pity on me, gave me another identity, so I should assist him well with this new identity. After all, this is Zhou Family’s kingdom."
So, how should she evaluate the unlucky prince’s character?
"Besides, he is the emperor, do you think revenge is a simple matter? A slight misstep would implicate the Zhao Family," Zhao Ting said seriously, "I can’t be selfish regarding Zhao Family’s wellbeing."
Indeed, throughout dynasties, those attempting rebellion endured years of laying low, accumulating their strength.
And even then, accumulating a certain strength doesn’t guarantee a successful rebellion.
As long as the emperor isn’t foolish to the point of inciting wrath, there will always be a batch of loyal followers!
"It’s good you can let go," Meng Yao patted the newly met Zhao Ting, a fellow sufferer, "By the way, you still haven’t told me, what’s Zhao Ting’s identity?"
"Oh, right, you didn’t know, huh! Before marrying you, Zhao Ting was already a fourth-rank Xuanwei General."
Fourth-rank, General.
Ren Zhong was a seventh-rank County Magistrate.
So, a fourth-rank official isn’t low-ranking.
"After returning to the capital, he was promoted to a third-rank Deputy General Dingyuan. After I took over, I was promoted to a third-rank Regular General Zhaoyi," Zhao Ting said with some pride, "I’m not inferior to Zhao Ting."
Third-rank, roughly equivalent to the mayor of city S, perhaps?
"What do you do on usual days?" Meng Yao casually asked.
"Not much really, just stay in the residence. If His Majesty has something, he will send someone to inform me," Zhao Ting said.
Is it really that leisurely and carefree?
"I am a military general, during wartime, I must take court dispatches first. In peacetime, it’s relatively relaxed," Zhao Ting explained.
Can be understood as retiree.
But would return at the nation’s call.
"Anything else you want to ask?" Zhao Ting asked.
"Who all are in the Zhao Family?" Meng Yao asked.
Zhao Ting briefly introduced the Zhao Family’s family situation.
It was a big family, with quite a number of people.
Aside from the distant relatives, Zhao Ting’s father’s branch, the legitimate line, Zhao Ting had two true brothers, two half-brothers, and two half-sisters.
Except for one half-brother and one half-sister who hadn’t married yet, the other siblings were all married, it was a thriving family population.
"Do they all live together?" Meng Yao asked again.
Zhao Ting nodded, "Live in one residence, each with their own courtyard. Currently, the old lady is managing the household with the wives of the second and third brothers."