All Under Heaven

However many days you've been gone is however many I’ve written.

When Zhao Su was sitting in the main hall of Zhao Xiyi’s home and he heard the news, his face did not conceal his surprise.

What he was surprised about was that originally he was planning on finding a way to make Lady Wu elevate his mother’s status to an official concubine. This way, Lady Chen would have an official status, although she would still be a concubine, it was enough to be bestowed the title of Gao Ming1, and she wouldn’t be looked down upon by others.

If the clansmen were willing to help then naturally that would be even better. Now, the only issue was that Lady Chen would definitely not “remarry” even if she was just marrying a memorial tablet. For ancient people, chastity is more important than their lives. Although, in modern times, remarrying was not that rare, it was still not something to be spoken widely about.

Zhao Xiyi saw Zhao Su’s reaction and just thought that he was pleasantly surprised and hadn’t come back to his senses yet, he smiled and said: “Shaoyong, what are your thoughts?”

For Zhao Xiyi and the other people in the clan, this was a great honour for Lady Chen. If she didn’t have an outstanding son, then she would have spent her life quietly as a maidservant. Now she unexpectedly could become an official concubine and might even be bestowed the title of Gao Ming, this was a blessing of a lifetime.

Zhao Su came back to his senses and said slowly: “Thank you bo-fu and everyone in the clan for their kindness. However, regarding this, I still need to go home and consult my mother.”

Zhao Xiyi did not accept this: “Regarding this matter, just let the clan handle it, otherwise, if people find out about your mother’s status, it may interfere with your official career.

Zhao Su smiled and didn’t reply.

Even though Lady Chen was from a lowly background, that was his mother and nothing could change that. Plus, in terms of status, Shen Shixing’s background was even worse than his, but the former would still have a meteoric rise in the future, so this kind of thing still hinged on his own efforts. So Zhao Su was not particularly bothered about his status, he just didn’t want anyone to look down on Lady Chen.

Zhao Xiyi thought that Zhao Su was just afraid that his stepmother would make trouble and said: “You don’t need to worry about your stepmother, as long as the clan is behind you, it doesn’t matter if they are against it. And if you were adopted by Zhao Liangyi’s line, you would be the first relative of the Clan Leader. It’s such a shame that he passed due to illness and did not leave an heir. After you’re adopted, you’ll be his heir, you only need to offer some incense and well-wishes during the Lunar New Year and other festivities, it will not do you any harm.”

Zhao Su still did not accept: “Thank you bo-fu for your kindness. I shouldn’t really refuse, however, we were kicked out of the family a long time ago, my mother suffered bitterly to raise me. The favour of giving birth and raising me is deeper than the ocean. I hope that bo-fu will look kindly upon my filial heart and wait for me to discuss with my mother before making any decisions.”

The discussion had already got to this stage and Zhao Xiyi did not want to force him any harder and could only let him leave. But he couldn’t help thinking that Zhao Su was bold, to have such a great opportunity in front of him and not grab it by the horns and agree immediately. If Lady Chen did not agree because she was afraid of harming her reputation then there’d probably be more issues arising.

But Zhao Xiyi was overthinking things, in fact, when Lady Chen heard this, she first thought about it for a while and then quickly agreed.

This time, it was Zhao Su who was surprised.

Lady Chen saw his reaction and pulled him over to sit down. She sighed: “As long as you are safe in the outside world, who cares about mother’s reputation, plus, when I was with your father, I never had a status, I can’t be counted as his wife.”

“Mother, you mustn’t force yourself, I need to work for my own future. If you are unwilling, I will reject bo-fu’s offer.”

Lady Chen smiled and said: “I know that you are filial, but your bo-fu is right. If you have an official status, many things will be a lot easier and go a lot smoother. We need to propose a marriage to the Chen family. Your mother is a maidservant with no official status, in the end, this doesn’t sound right. Perhaps, the Chen family will not allow it, all in all, this is a good thing for us both, there is no reason to reject this. Mother has let go of all those things, as long as you are healthy and well, get married and have children, I will be happy.”

“Mother, don’t worry. The bitter days have passed, there are only good things to come.” Zhao Su said whilst holding her hand.

With Lady Chen’s approval, everything else would be much easier now.

The clansmen picked an auspicious day, and put everything in order and officially moved Zhao Su and his mother into Zhao Liangyi’s family line. From then on, they were no longer connected to Zhao Jin and that family and the two had gone from half-brothers to cousins.

When Zhao Liangyi was alive, he was not particularly noble and was attracting trouble left and right. He spent most of his days in the gambling houses or brothels. He was young but had already destroyed his own health and had no heir, nor a wife, brothers or sisters. Originally, his family line had been completely cut off, but suddenly, out of thin air, he’d gained a son like Zhao Su, it was a great honour for him.

Lady Wu didn’t really care, she refused Zhao Xiyi’s idea, not working to elevate Lady Chen to a concubine, so when she heard Zhao Su and his mother joining another succession line she did not react much. —— In her eyes, Lady Chen had a lowly status, even if she “re-married”, it’d be nothing more than becoming an official concubine, the latter would never be on the same level as her.

Zhao Jin however was not as calm as his mother. He watched as the other clansmen went over to personally congratulate Zhao Su, he was seriously vexed but couldn’t do anything aside from secretly sneering: “So-called relatives, they’re all just a band of vile characters who follow where the wind blows. When bo-fu, Zhao Xiyi was still an official, they all treated him with respect, but now even bo-fu is going to congratulate Zhao Su. Wait and see the day when I get my scholarly honour, I won’t even bother to put on a good face for you lot! Zhao Su, ah, Zhao Su, even if you became someone else’s heir, you are still a concubine-born son, this is your fate!”

As the days went on, Zhao Su’s marriage was quickly arranged before he had to return to the Capital.

Although the Chen family were also a large clan, they saw less importance between a legitimate-born and concubine-born son, unlike Lady Wu. Plus Zhao Su had already become an heir, and his future prospects were promising, so they were very happy to agree to the marriage.

Lady Chen used a matchmaker to express their proposal and once the Chen family accepted, she used the matchmaker to send out an official proposal letter, the other replied that the marriage had been officially agreed. However, due to Chen xiaojie’s poor health, her father and mother wanted her to stay a little longer before leaving and wished to push the wedding date back by a year. Lady Chen was initially a little worried but Zhao Su didn’t mind, so they decided on an auspicious date in a year’s time for the wedding and Zhao Su headed off to the Capital. He had finally seen for himself the archaic system of getting married at this time, because during the entire process, he had not even met Chen xiaojie, but a major milestone in his life had been decided just like that.

When he arrived back in the Capital, it was already the third month of the lunar year and the execution of Yan Shifan happened to be at this time

Zhao Su wasn’t interested in partaking in this, and left Zhao Ji to pull He Zizhong to go and join the crowds, whilst Zhao Su went back to Hanlin Academy, and then headed to the Prince of Yu Manor.

The Prince of Yu was not home,

In the courtyard, Zhu Yijun had his back to Zhao Su and was currently leaning against the stone table whilst writing something.

As Zhao Su had taken a vacation to return home, the princely heir’s education had been left to Zhang Juzheng to temporarily take over. Zhang Juzheng’s method of teaching was strict to produce a worthy student, which was the opposite of Zhao Su’s teaching methods. The pitiful little Zhu Yijun had to get up earlier than the morning rooster and slept later than a dog. He practised his calligraphy, memorised texts, replied to answers and had never ending homework. Zhang Juzheng felt that the education of the Prince of Yu and the Prince of Jing had failed, so he was even more severe with Zhu Yijun. The latter knew that there was no use in complaining to his parents, they’d definitely side with Zhang Juzheng, so he could only grit his teeth and bear it, whilst looking forward to the day that Zhao Su returned.

Zhao Su stood behind him with a big smile on his face as he watched him practise his calligraphy: “Your calligraphy has improved, it looked like the princely heir has been working hard whilst I was away……”

His words dropped off because the little kid suddenly turned around and gave him a deathly stare which made Zhao Su jump.

“How come……”

He hadn’t finished when the child had already jumped on top of him, making Zhao Su fall back two steps.

“You don’t want me anymore!” Zhu Yijun said in an accusatory tone, but perhaps he thought that these words were not something that a dignified princely heir should say and changed his way of speaking: “If you came back any later, I wouldn’t want you anymore!”

“This official is in the wrong, please could your Highness, princely heir forgive me.” Zhao Su said it with much respect but his face was brimming with smiles.

“Susu, let me tell you, I wrote…..” Zhu Yijun’s words stopped, he was looking behind him, Zhao Su didn’t know what was happening and followed his gaze, and saw that Zhang Juzheng was marching over.

“Zhao da-ren!” Zhao Su bowed.

Zhang Juzheng seemed to be in a good mood: “Shaoyong, you’ve returned, so you can take over teaching the little princely heir once more.”

Zhao Su noticed that as soon as Zhang Juzheng arrived, Zhu Yijun was no longer as carefree as he usually was, he’d tightened his little face, with a very serious look on his face. “Hello Teacher Zhang!”

Zhang Juzheng returned the greeting and then turned to Zhao Su: “His Highness, the princely heir is naturally gifted, with some guidance he is sure to become a great character. However, Shaoyong, your previous way of teaching was perhaps a little too relaxed. As the proverb says, if jade is not carved, it will not be worthy. Even if he is the princely heir, one must treat everyone equally, and not just indulge in capable individuals.”

“Shaoyong understands, thank you Zhang da-ren for your guidance.” Zhao Su cupid his hands together, Zhang Juzheng was his superior, no matter whether he listened or not, he still had to carry out the respectful customs.

In reality, what Zhang Juzheng had just said was partly true. Children are inherently lazy, so they need to be supervised and encouraged. But this only worked for those who had a calm temperament, and these children who were naturally obedient. Those who are like Zhu Yijun, who were naturally vivacious and restless, even if they could be temporarily suppressed, sooner or later, their tempers would still rise at some point. Plus the more they are suppressed, the more likely they will explode in the future. And when he begins to realise the power and authority he holds as the Emperor, this kind of negative reaction can affect the entire nation.

As soon as Zhang Juzheng left, Zhao Su turned around to face Zhu Yijun’s expectant eyes, he smiled and whispered: “Don’t worry, nothing will change.”

Zhu Yijun cheered and then put his arms around Zhao Su’s waist like a spoiled child: “You don’t know how much I’ve suffered lately!”

“Zhang da-ren does not have any bad intentions, it’s just his methods and way of thinking are not the same…..”

“But even if Susu is stricter with me, I won’t complain!” The little brat quickly declared his position, the intelligent little child already knew how to behave differently around different people.

In reality, he couldn’t really be called a little brat, Zhu Yijun was already eight years old, he’d lost a lot of his chubby baby fat but his face was still as fair and adorable as it was before. But just as time passed and things began to change, he could not be as spoiled and wilful as he was before, aside from being able to still show some childishness in front of the Prince of Yu and Zhao Su, in front of others, he always put on a dignified air.

Zhao Su laughed and then bent over and picked him up, the child was very heavy, he was almost unable to pick him up.

He remembered back then when he had first met this lazy little ball, it seemed just like yesterday.

“I won’t be able to pick you up soon.”

“It doesn’t matter, when I grow up, I’ll carry you.” Zhu Yijun’s eyebrows twitched: “Didn’t you bring me a present?”

He was indeed still a child, only thinking of this.

As he said this, Zhao Su was a little embarrassed he had actually forgotten and could only tell a little lie: “Of course I did.”

“What is it?” His two eyes immediately sparkled.

“I forgot it at home, I’ll give it to you another day.”

Zhao Su stroked his head whilst thinking about what he could buy him.

Zhu Yijun was a little disappointed but then suddenly he was happy again: “Let me show you something.”

After he finished speaking he turned and ran into his room, not long after he returned with a big stack of paper.

Zhao Su thought that he must have practised a lot of his calligraphy and wanted to be praised for it but then he watched as Zhu Yijun spread out each one on the stone table.

Zhao Su stared blankly.

Every sheet of paper had the character ‘Su’ written upon.

In the beginning, the handwriting was a little juvenile, by the end, it was becoming straighter and straighter, it was obvious that he had practised a lot, so much that he had become proficient.

There were at least one hundred sheets.

Zhu Yijun, seeing him speechless, said proudly: “I wrote one everyday, however many days you’ve been gone is however many I’ve written!