The Return of the King: A Generation of Prodigies

"I am where I am today because of the protection of the Zhenbei Marquis Mansion."

"So I want to hand over all the assets I've built my entire life to you, Queen, after I die. This has fulfilled one of my wishes."

"Moreover, I have considered this matter over and over again, and I have confirmed that Your Majesty is a wise and holy ruler who can fully shoulder the responsibility of Yunli's rise and fall."

"It is better to give all the money I have earned in my life to the Empress to use in restoring Yunli than to let those unfilial descendants squander it."

"My only request is," Li Xian said here and looked at Li Ziyan beside him. His dim eyes were full of reluctance and worry for the child.

"I just want to ask the Queen to take care of my grandson in the future and not let others bully him."

Li Ziyan is a very quiet and innocent child, so it's no wonder that Li Xian is worried about him.

Li Xian was not afraid of anything else, but he was afraid that after his death, no one would be able to protect Li Ziyan, and Li Ziyan would be bullied.

"Grandpa, don't worry. You are so righteous and trust me, Shen Tianjiao, so much. I, Shen Tianjiao, swear in front of you that no matter whether it is me or my son, as long as my descendants continue to exist, not only Li Ziyan, but also his descendants will be protected."

Shen Tianjiao's words completely reassured Li Xian. He was now dying, and nothing could comfort him more than knowing that someone could protect his grandson.

"As for the inheritance you've accumulated, Uncle, I won't take it all. I promise that the money I take will be used to restore Yunli. I will never use it for personal gain or for my children's benefit."

"Also, although your descendants are not very promising, they are still your descendants after all. I will give them some money and send them away."

"But I will not let go of those who followed Li Xuan to harm others and participated in the rebellion."

"As for Ziyun Villa, it's the product of your life's work. I feel unworthy of it. After you're gone, Li Ziyan will become the next owner of Ziyun Villa."

Shen Tianjiao was not a greedy person to begin with, and her principle was always to take what she needed.

The reason why she is raising money everywhere now is just to prepare for the multinational war in the near future.

There is nothing more expensive in this world than fighting a war. The most fundamental reason why she lost the war in her previous life was that she lacked money.

Without money, she would not be able to supply the soldiers with equipment, weapons, warm clothes, and enough food in time.

Having experienced such despair and pain, she would value money more in this life.

But that was only to prepare for the future war, not to satisfy her own personal desires.

She could never take other people's things for no reason, things that they had painstakingly worked hard for their entire lives.

Shen Tianjiao's attitude made Li Xian approve of her even more. The Zhenbei Marquis Mansion was indeed the Zhenbei Marquis Mansion. This clear and bright family tradition had not changed in a hundred years.

"I would like to thank the Empress for her great kindness." Although he was in poor health, Li Xian still bowed to Shen Tianjiao in bed to express his gratitude.

"Zi Yan, go get the things out."

"Yes." Li Ziyan walked to the cabinet beside him, opened the secret compartment, and took out a large box from it.

After taking out the box, Li Ziyan brought it directly to Shen Tianjiao.

"Empress, this box contains all the land deeds, farm deeds, and shop deeds of Ziyun Villa, as well as the expenses of various businesses."

Shen Tianjiao glanced at the box in Li Ziyan's hand, hesitated for a moment, and finally accepted it.

"Empress, I leave Ziyan's care to you."

"You can do whatever you want with my unfilial descendants. This is the retribution they deserve."

If a father and grandfather were not heartbroken, how could he abandon his children and grandchildren?

"Uncle, I understand."

The box in Shen Tianjiao's hand was not heavy in itself, but at this moment it felt like a thousand pounds, and she could hardly lift it.

"Empress, the Marquis is here."

Marquis Zhenbei also received the news from Li Xian yesterday and learned what happened in Ziyun Villa, so he hurried over.

Hearing that her father was coming, Shen Tianjiao handed the box in her hand to Yupo beside her, then stood up and said, "Uncle, my father is here."

"I think you have a lot to talk about, so I'll be leaving first."

"Yeah." Li Xian nodded, his face turned a little red when he heard that the Marquis of Zhenbei was coming.

When Shen Tianjiao went out, she met Zhenbei Hou at the door.

"Dad." When Shen Tianjiao saw her father, her nose suddenly felt sore for some reason and she felt like crying.

"Well, Jiao'er, go wait outside first, Daddy will be back soon."

Marquis Zhenbei reached out and touched Shen Tianjiao's head, smiled at her, and went in.

"Empress, please follow me and rest in the place I've arranged for you."

Li Ziyan also came out with Shen Tianjiao. Although he was very worried about his grandfather, he knew that his grandfather probably had a lot to say to the Marquis of Zhenbei at this moment, and he would disturb them if he stayed.

"Let's go." Shen Tianjiao nodded. She really needed a quiet place to calm herself down.

The Marquis of Zhenbei went straight to Li Xian's bed. Li Xian smiled and said, "You finally made it. I thought I would never see you again before I closed my eyes and was buried."

The relationship between Li Xian and Zhenbei Hou is actually very complicated. They are both teacher and friend, and also father and son.

"What are you talking about?" The Marquis of Zhenbei couldn't help but tear up when he saw the now weak Li Xian.

Ever since his father died on the battlefield, Li Xian has been silently supporting him, helping him stabilize the morale of the army and gain a firm foothold in the court.

In the heart of Zhenbei Hou, he always regarded Li Xian as his own father.

Now seeing Li Xian like this, how could the Marquis of Zhenbei not feel uncomfortable?

"Such a big thing happened at home, why didn't you send someone to tell me earlier?"

The Marquis of Zhenbei was also feeling very guilty at this moment. He should have come to visit when he returned from Northern Frontier. If he had come at that time, perhaps none of this would have happened.

Li Xian smiled and stretched out his hand. Seeing this, the Marquis of Zhenbei quickly handed his hand over.

Li Xian held the hand of the Marquis of Zhenbei and said, "Everyone has his or her own tribulation to go through. It won't disappear just because someone else helps you."

"My status is special, and I have always been a thorn in their side. Now you are the Grand Marshal of the Yunli Army, holding the power of the army. If others find out that we are in close contact, you will be in big trouble."

"Actually, this is a good thing. If it weren't for Li Xuan causing this, how would I have truly seen through the true colors of those unfilial descendants?"

"I was too indulgent towards them before, but now it's time for them to pay the price for their actions."

Li Xian looked up at the Marquis of Zhenbei. He was filled with emotion at this moment. They had not seen each other for many years, but who would have thought that this last meeting would be before he died.

"Ah Lin, you've brought up Jiaojiao very well. She's well-educated and well-mannered, and she's also capable of standing on her own."

"I have just handed over to her all the land deeds, farm deeds, house deeds and shops of Ziyun Villa. This can be regarded as a meeting gift from me, as a grandfather, to my granddaughter."

"Time flies! When Jiaojiao was just born, it seemed like just yesterday when I went to see her. Yet, in the blink of an eye, she has grown into a queen capable of overseeing the country and managing state affairs."

"And I am about to pass away and go to another world to reunite with my mother and your father."

The Marquis of Zhenbei knew that life and death were inevitable outcomes for everyone in this world, but the last thing he wanted to do at this moment was discuss this sad topic.

He has been losing things all his life: his parents, his wife, his friends, and now he is about to lose another father in his life.

How could he not be sad with such an ending?

"Alin, don't be so weak. Especially at this time, you must be a strong man."

"After I'm gone, these children will all rely on you. You have to be their strong and reliable support."

Li Xian has lived for more than a hundred years, and he has long since become indifferent to many things.

"I'm just going there now to wait for you with your parents and wife. We will meet again one day."

"Okay, don't be sad anymore. My time is running out. Let's get back to business."

"Just now, when I observed Jiaojiao's face, I found that there was a faint sign of an emperor with purple energy rising from her forehead."

Li Xian's words woke the Marquis of Zhenbei from his sorrow. He calmed himself down and said, "You must have seen it wrong. Jiao'er, she, how could she..."

The Marquis of Zhenbei was frightened for a moment and began to speak incoherently, not knowing what to say.

"Okay, I've told you so many times to stay calm and not panic, but you never remember."

Li Xian glanced at the now unpromising Marquis of Zhenbei and said, "I have seen countless people in my life and am proficient in the art of physiognomy. What I just saw is definitely correct."

"You should still remember the prophecy that swept the entire Yunli."

"The prophecy of the Phoenix dancing in the sky and the birth of the empress who will replace the previous one in the Yunli prosperity is probably referring to our Jiao'er."

The Marquis of Zhenbei trembled, and couldn't help but recall the scene when Shen Tianjiao was born.

When the wife of the Marquis of Zhenbei gave birth to their daughter, she was not in Shangjing, but in the hot spring villa where the Marquis of Zhenbei was recuperating.

Because at that time, the people in Beijing were in chaos because of the prophecy, and everyone was in danger.

At that time, the Marquis of Zhenbei was worried that his wife would give birth to a daughter, and he was afraid that his daughter would be affected by the incident as soon as she was born.

So he sent his wife to the hot spring villa early to prepare for the birth of her child.

It is far away from Shangjing. Even if the wife of Marquis Zhenbei gave birth to a daughter, he could immediately find a way to protect his daughter.

Later, the wife of the Marquis of Zhenbei really gave birth to a daughter, so the Marquis of Zhenbei concealed the birth of his daughter, including the news that the wife of the Marquis of Zhenbei died because of her difficulty.

It was not until nearly a year later that the prophecy was settled and the Marquis of Zhenbei announced the death of his wife and the birth of his daughter.

In order to conceal his tracks, the Marquis of Zhenbei brought back a newborn baby from outside and raised it at home for a while before replacing the baby with his real daughter.

So Shen Tianjiao’s real age is actually one year older than her current age.

This matter was done in secret. Apart from the Marquis of Zhenbei, only Li Xian knew about it. No one else, including the three brothers of the Shen family, knew about it.

When Shen Tianjiao was born, the three brothers of the Shen family were sent out to study and practice martial arts, so they didn't know about this matter.

Besides, at that time, the three brothers were still young and easy to fool, and coupled with the grief of losing their mother, the matter was left unresolved.

"When Jiaojiao was born, you were there, and you also read her face and read her fortune. But you only said that this child would have a life of wealth and honor, and you didn't say she was born with the appearance of an emperor, right?"

"How come it changed in the blink of an eye?"

Shen Tianjiao's current situation is already very good for Zhenbei Hou. She can protect herself and has children to rely on. Living a peaceful life is Zhenbei Hou's greatest hope for her.

But at this moment, Li Xian suddenly said such words to him. This was not a momentary change, but something that the Marquis of Zhenbei could not accept at all.

His daughter wants to be the emperor. How could this happen?

The Zhenbei Marquis Mansion is a century-old family with military honors. They have always been loyal rulers who support the imperial power and guard the peace of the country.

If his daughter became the emperor, wouldn't the Zhenbei Marquisate have to abandon the faith they had upheld for a hundred years and become rebellious?

Moreover, Yunli already has a crown prince now. Li Rui is dead, but as long as the crown prince is there, he will eventually ascend the throne and become emperor, and continue to be the ruler of Yunli.

Why did he insist on having his daughter Shen Tianjiao become the emperor at this time?

Could it be that his grandson Li Muyang would not be able to grow up safely and would die in an accident at a young age?

Thinking of this, Zhenbei Hou couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. If that was the case, it would be even more impossible for him to accept it.

Although Li Muyang is not Shen Tianjiao's biological son, he has been raised by his side for so long that he has already treated him as his own son and regarded him as his own grandson.