Chapter 0002: The Books Hidden Within the Abdomen

Dong said excitedly that she had only intended to give it a try, but unexpectedly, the fish's belly truly contained a heavenly book, and my son is indeed destined for greatness! With her eyes reddened, Dong leaned down and said very seriously: "This concerns the lives of both mother and son; the matter of the big fish must not be disclosed, is that understood?" This was the first time Mother had asked for his opinion, and the little chubby boy's face turned red with excitement. He nodded heavily and said: "Mother, I swear I will not disclose it!"

I shall strictly adhere to the orders of the mistress and would never dare to speak carelessly

The little chubby boy shivered, his face even paler than that of the young man, and he trembled as he approached Dong Shi, revealing a smile that was more unsightly than crying. He said, "Mother, please do not be angry, I caught a golden fish, it was for you, Mother will surely like it..." A hint of tenderness flashed in Dong Shi's eyes, yet her face remained stern. She said, "What did I tell you before you left? Do not go near the big river, do not go near the big river! I have said it twice! Why can't you remember?!"

The little chubby boy did not understand why his mother was acting this way; he simply sat bored in front of the stage, resting his hands on his chubby face, watching his mother. Suddenly, Dong turned around, glanced at the little chubby boy, and hurriedly walked out. There were maids outside the door who, upon seeing Dong's uncharacteristic behavior, were about to ask, but were pushed aside by Dong. They had no choice but to stay behind. Dong entered her deceased husband's study, took the treasured sword from the desk, and knelt down to pay her respects to the surroundings before making her way into the main hall.

The Dong family is indeed quite ruthless, though their political tactics leave something to be desired. After Liu Hong ascended to the throne, both the Dong family and its relatives hindered him significantly. Of course, as a mother, Dong is very fond of Lingdi. As for how she knew there were books hidden in the fish's belly, the idea of concealing books in a fish's belly is not unique to Lao Lang; it was a well-worn trope in ancient times. Furthermore, this woman is quite ambitious. After Lingdi's ascension, her various actions reveal much about her character, and you will gradually see this unfold. Lao Lang hopes to portray an authentic representation of that time. Some have asked me why Lingdi is depicted as a plump person. The reason is... well, perhaps a plump figure appears more endearing. Lao Lang has no evidence to suggest that Lingdi was chubby as a child... However, it is generally true that such absurd and lazy individuals tend to become plump, right?

You all, come in!

The household servants who accompanied Liu Hong entered with trepidation. Dong looked at them coldly, remaining silent, yet her mind was occupied with thoughts of whether to eliminate these individuals. They were aware of the goldfish, and the loquacious servant had been blabbering outside, causing the villagers to know that auspicious signs had appeared at the marquis's residence. It would not be difficult to kill them, but if she were to do so, it would have to be all of them. However, eliminating so many people at once, even if no one pursued the matter, would still raise suspicions of a cover-up. Moreover, the loquacious servant had been blabbering outside, leading the villagers to know that auspicious signs had appeared at the marquis's residence. It would not be difficult to kill them, but if she were to do so, it would have to be all of them. However, eliminating so many people at once, even if no one pursued the matter, would still raise suspicions of a cover-up.

The more she thought, the more excited Dong felt inside. Was this not the case? Otherwise, why would the heavens bestow a golden fish upon my son? Furthermore, considering the current emperor, whose health is poor and has no sons, and his two younger brothers—one despised by the emperor due to his excessive drinking, and the other executed for rebellion—could it not be that this decree is indeed applicable? If so, these household servants cannot be retained, and this auspicious sign cannot be reported to the imperial family! Dong was engulfed in a frenzy of thoughts; in her eyes, her child was so exceptional that even the esteemed position of the emperor could be occupied by him!

This fish is to be used to help Da Lang restore his health. You must take that 'fake auspicious sign' and explain it thoroughly to the villagers and the local officials, to prevent any further disturbances. Immediately, several kitchen maids took the goldfish away, and the household servants seemed to understand something, each feeling a bit uneasy and fearful. Dong narrowed her eyes and said: 'Although my husband passed away early, my son is still the Marquis of Jiedu Pavilion, a nephew of the current emperor. I also have a brother and two nephews to help manage things. If anyone outside spreads rumors, even if it costs this marquis title, I will ensure their clan is exterminated!'}

"Good child~" Dong tightly embraced the little chubby boy again, holding the celestial book, looking around, and found a wooden box in the room to place the celestial book carefully. After a moment, he returned to his usual demeanor and calmly walked out, calling out: "Zhang, bring Da Lang back into the room and let him rest!" Immediately, a woman entered. The little chubby boy bowed to his mother and then bounced out after the woman. Normally, if he acted this way, Dong would certainly blame him, but at this moment, he could not care less.

Upon seeing his mother enter with a sword, the chubby boy was truly frightened to the point of turning pale. Dong did not pay him any mind, first instructing that no one was to enter, locking the door, and then approaching the goldfish. He raised the sword and struck down fiercely at the large fish. The scales of the fish were not as hard as he had imagined; with one blow, the sword sank directly into the body of the goldfish. Dong then withdrew the sword and struck several more times before finally observing the condition inside the fish's belly. To his surprise, the goldfish had no internal organs; there was only a black object inside, and the sword had not sustained any damage when striking it!

The chubby boy nodded thoughtfully. Upon seeing this, Dong's expression softened slightly. She glanced around and quietly asked, "Regarding today's events, speak honestly to your mother; do not deceive me." The chubby boy then nestled in his mother's embrace and recounted the events of the day. Naturally, he omitted minor details such as changing clothes and sitting casually. After speaking for a while, the chubby boy looked up and noticed Dong in a daze, seemingly lost in thought. He waved his chubby hand in front of her, and only then did Dong come back to her senses.

Do not cry, for you are the great-grandson of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty! You are the cousin of the current emperor! How can you fall short of the legacy of your ancestors?

What is heaven trying to signify? Could it be that my son will have great fortune in the future

That is not a human

"Mother... I..." the chubby boy was at a loss for words, his eyes already misty with tears

In such coldness, after a long while, Dong finally eased her expression and said somewhat displeased: "This time, in order to please Da Lang, you have feigned auspicious signs and deceived the villagers. Such behavior, how will outsiders view my family?"

She set down the little chubby one and slowly walked into the hall. The goldfish was placed on the table, its body reflecting a bright light, and its long whiskers were particularly striking. As she bent down to stroke the fish scales, a refreshing fragrance wafted towards her. However, a myriad of thoughts stirred within Dong's heart. She stood up, silent, yet her mind was in turmoil. There were indeed many auspicious signs in the present day, but what were they really? Such nonsensical talk about yellow dragons appearing in someone's well was something Dong had never believed in. Yet, this auspicious sign was right before her eyes, this...

We all submit, thank you for your forgiveness, my lord.

The little chubby boy immediately stopped his whimpering, and dared not cry any longer. Dong shook her head gently, embraced the little chubby boy, waved her hand to the servants, and said: "Kneel outside!" The household servants responded with a yes and went out. Dong held the little chubby boy in her arms and whispered: "Your father left us women and children early on. You must remember, at all times, never forget your identity. You are the emperor's nephew, from the same lineage as the Wang family of Hejian. You must not bring shame to the imperial family, nor to your father! Do you understand?"

The servants were taken aback, glancing at the large fish being dissected, which was shimmering with golden light. A few of them quickly realized the situation and immediately bowed down, saying: "We have committed a grave sin, we should not have sprinkled gold dust on the large fish to please the young lord, pretending it to be an auspicious sign. We acknowledge our guilt!" The others also came to their senses and promptly knelt down to confess their sins. Only then did Dong nod and say: "Considering your past contributions, I will punish you by deducting two months' salary. Do you accept this?"

"Heavenly Book!" Dong exclaimed involuntarily, then immediately covered her mouth. The chubby boy, seeing what Mother had taken out, curiously rushed over. The cover bore several golden characters that danced like dragons and phoenixes. Coming from a humble background, Dong was illiterate and did not understand their meaning. She flipped through the book, looking for a long time, while the chubby boy frowned beside her. Dong pointed at the cover and asked, "What does this say?" The chubby boy glanced at it and proudly replied, "Records of the Three Kingdoms!" He then looked down at a line of small print and added, "It seems to be written by someone named Chen Shou..."

The household servants instantly knelt down in unison, lowering their heads and not daring to make a sound. They were all servants of the marquis's residence, their lives and deaths resting in the hands of their master. The young servant who brought the good news turned pale, trembling all over. The originally cheerful little chubby boy was also taken aback, standing in front of a group of servants, unsure whether to kneel or stand, his hands and feet at a loss. The woman glanced at him, surveying him from head to toe, waved her hand, and said: "Step forward!"

That is the Immortal Sage

The woman knelt on the mat, her gaze exceptionally cold.

... ...

These fools have indeed created a dilemma for themselves

Dong excitedly took out the black object, which turned out to be a thick book. The material of this book was unknown; it was not as coarse as ordinary paper, but rather smooth all over.