Chapter 7 — Tong Chieu's Unfairness

After the low tide, they didn't say a word to each other, like strangers. After all, Ly Trinh's blood also flows from the North Di people. He once told me that after the world was at peace and the whole country was peaceful, he only wanted to be a free and leisurely king. Perhaps the Queen Mother knows that Ly Trinh is not a heartless or sinister person. Perhaps for this biological child, she still has a little love left in the end. In short, in choosing the Crown Princess, the Queen Mother decided to let go. In March of the following year, Ly Trinh and I got married. It was an extremely bustling and prosperous spring in the capital. No matter how the country changes in the future, the weather changes. I will still hold your hand and be with you. Side story Ta Han Thanh's perspective Ta Han Thanh remembers when Tong Chieu was thirteen years old, she once gave him a forehead belt. The silk surface is light purple, with a small cinnamon flower branch embroidered in the corner. The needle and thread are thick and lifelike. She handed it over, smiling generously and dignifiedly: "Happy birthday Mr. Ta, I hope every year is as good as this year." He took it, casually stuffed it into his sleeve, indifferently commented: "Okay." Then turned and left. After two steps, he turned to look at her. She still stood in place, shyly twisting the towel in her hand, her lips pursed tightly. It turns out that a rigid, rule-abiding person like her also has the shy appearance of a little girl. Ta Han Thanh added another sentence: "Thank you very much." At that moment, Tong Chieu curled his eyes and smiled. That forehead belt was later lost. When changing clothes, it was put in storage by the servants, and from then on it could not be taken out again. Ta Han Thanh has never searched. In the winter of his fourteenth year, he fell off a horse and injured his wrist. Every day, Tong Chieu went to Ta palace to deliver a box of food, inside was bone soup stewed until soft. The first day he drank it, he frowned and said it was too light. The second day, a pinch of salt was added to the soup. He drank for half a month. Then his mother told him that during that half month, Tong Chieu woke up every day at the hour of the Cat to light his own fire, and when he burned his hand, he didn't make a sound. He asked a question: "Is your hand injured?" She shook her head and said it was okay. He said "yes" and didn't ask any more questions. In the spring of her fifteenth year, she won first prize in the banquet competition and received a precious Tu Hop inkstone. She held the inkstone in front of him and smiled gently: "Brother Han Thanh, I'll give it to you to practice writing." He took a look: "There are a lot of this quality in my house, I don't use it. You can keep it." Her hand stiffened in midair for a moment, then slowly retracted it. Later, that inkstone was demanded by Tong Doanh. He heard but did not speak. She once embroidered a total of three belts for him. Patterns of bamboo leaves, auspicious clouds and lotus vines. The last one he wore outside was complimented by others. When telling her, he just said casually: "Next time embroider in a little lighter color. Dark colors look old." She bowed her head and replied, her voice very soft. In that always thoughtful and dignified expression, a bit of fatigue appeared. After that, he no longer received any embroidery from her. In the Nguyen Tieu lantern festival, she stood on the Vermillion Bridge and waited for him for half an hour. When he arrived, he held a glass lamp in his hand and gave it to her: "There was a delay on the way." She took it and reluctantly said it was okay. But Tong Doanh broke that lamp, the fragments scattered all over the ground. Tong Doanh tilted his head and stood there. He smiled and spoke up to conciliate: "Younger sister Doanh Nhi is only fifteen years old, naive and clumsy." Tong Chieu squatted down, picked up each broken piece and put it in a handkerchief. Her hands trembled very violently. He saw it and wanted to pay attention. But at the banquet, one cup of wine after another

Another drink was drunk, but he forgot again. At this year's spring party, she was the Crown Princess. The Ta family is still a family for hundreds of years. But Ta Han Thanh is no longer the most prominent young man of the past. Everyone knows that he once abandoned his engagement with the Crown Princess. Even the Ta Thi clan couldn't raise their heads in the capital because of that. Ta Han Thanh did not continue to participate in the examination, but chose to join the army and go to Bac Cuong. He suffered enough because of the wind and sand, three years later he returned to the capital. Tong Chieu was sitting on a bright high platform, next to him was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince with a noble demeanor. Truly a match made in heaven. It is said that the old Emperor is very sick and does not have long to live. After the Crown Prince ascends the throne, she will become the Queen. That woman will have a very good, very bright life. And he could only regretfully stand in the dark corner, forever looking at her back. At that time I just thought it was normal. It's too late.— Full text —