#45 - We are not human beings.

Inside a courtyard of the Sifang Inn in Wudu.

Zhu Cici sat on a chair, her small body upright, her fair hands holding a writing brush, meticulously writing one delicate character after another on the white paper.

The little girl was only nine years old, but her calligraphy already possessed the air of a master.

After finishing this poem, Zhu Cici held the rice paper with both hands, raised it up, and looked at the poem she had silently copied through the warm sunlight, the very same verses that young brother Xu Ming had written for her back then.

Despite hearing these past few days that this poem by Xu Ming was not entirely for her, because he had a childhood sweetheart in the Tianxuan Sect.

But Zhu Cici didn't care.

She didn't care whether her name was in this poem.

She didn't care whether this poem was given to that girl from the Tianxuan Sect.

Zhu Cici just really liked this poem.

That was all.

"You've written this poem dozens of times in the past two days. Do you like it that much?"

Just as Zhu Cici was looking at the words on the white paper against the sunlight, a voice came from outside the door.

"Mother."

Zhu Cici put down the paper, jumped off the chair, walked to her mother's side, folded her hands in front of her, and gave a slight bow.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you so infatuated with a poem," Madam Zhu gently stroked her daughter's head.

"Because it's well-written!" Zhu Cici smiled gently, "This poem is so beautiful."

"The most elusive thing in this world is youth; rosy cheeks fade in the mirror, flowers wither on the trees," Madam Zhu recited the last line, nodding, "Indeed, very beautiful."

"I didn't expect that in Wu, there could be such poetic talent," Madam Zhu sighed, "It's a pity he's a son of a concubine."

"Mother, what's wrong with being a son of a concubine?" Zhu Cici asked doubtfully, "These days, I've heard many people lament that Xu Ming is a son of a concubine. Isn't the difference between a son of a concubine and a son of the legal wife not that great?"

"Silly girl," Madam Zhu sat on the chair and pulled her daughter onto her lap, "In our Qi, the difference between a son of a concubine and a son of the legal wife is indeed not that great, but this is Wu."

"Why is Wu different?" Zhu Cici pressed.

"This still needs to be said about Wu's history one hundred and fifty years ago."

Madam Zhu patiently explained.

"One hundred and fifty years ago, there wasn't much difference between the eldest son of the legal wife and the sons of the concubines in Wu, but a major event occurred in Wu.

At the time, the Divine Martial Emperor had five sons, one born of the legal wife, and the other four born of imperial concubines.

The Divine Martial Emperor's five children were all very intelligent, capable in the court and able to defend the borders.

For ordinary families, having such five children would be a blessing from heaven.

But for the royal family, having five such capable children could be a misfortune.

The Divine Martial Emperor's five children fought openly and secretly, and the court was divided into five factions. The ministers at the time were not focused on the world but on choosing sides.

At the time, the Divine Martial Emperor was also very conflicted, not knowing who to choose as the crown prince.

If it were just 'five sons vying for the throne,' it would have been fine.

However, before the Divine Martial Emperor passed away, he chose the fifth prince, born of a concubine, as his successor.

The specific details of what happened afterward are unknown, but the eldest prince tricked his four brothers into the palace and killed them all before the edict was issued.

In order to prevent future troubles, the eldest prince purged the residences of his four brothers.

But it is said that an old servant from the fifth prince's residence escaped with the youngest imperial grandson.

After that, as soon as Emperor Mingwu ascended the throne, he issued decrees, not only restricting the disciples of the Three Teachings and Nine Streams, but also making the status of the sons of concubines in each family only slightly higher than that of servants.

Emperor Mingwu forbade his descendants from changing this.

Perhaps Emperor Mingwu was also worried that the descendants of that imperial grandson would make a comeback, so he wanted to completely suppress them from a legal standpoint.

Now, one hundred and fifty years have passed, and the laws established by Emperor Mingwu at that time have become iron rules.

Especially Emperor Mingwu's act of fratricide was truly disgraceful. If anyone dared to change this law, it would be like bringing up the events of that year.

Not to mention that if the laws were amended and the status of sons of concubines was not much different from that of sons of the legal wife, what if the descendants of that imperial grandson suddenly emerged? What would happen then?"

Zhu Cici thought for a moment, then raised her head and looked at her mother somewhat unhappily: "But Mother, it's been one hundred and fifty years! Father said that in the court, it's more about relationships and power.

Even if that imperial grandson emerged, so what? Who would take it seriously? He doesn't have any power, and no one would believe that he is a descendant of the imperial grandson."

"Silly child."

Madam Zhu flicked her daughter's fair forehead.

"In the imperial capital, there is a Divine Dragon Token that can only be activated by the imperial bloodline, which is enough to verify the bloodline.

Besides, even if it's fake, so what? Why does anyone need to believe it?

Even if it's fake, with a little manipulation by the forces behind it, the fake will become real.

After all, things like the Divine Dragon Token cannot be brought out at any time to verify bloodlines."

"Daughter doesn't understand," Zhu Cici shook her head.

Madam Zhu smiled and shook her head: "You don't need to understand. The court is all filth."

"Then, Mother, can I go find Xu Ming to play with?" Zhu Cici looked at her mother expectantly.

"This... should be possible."

Madam Zhu thought for a moment.

"However, it's not good for Mother to have contact with him, otherwise, in the eyes of others, it would seem that my Qi wants to poach people away.

But Cici, you can go find him to play with yourself.

You are still young, and no one will say anything. On the contrary, it might even become a beautiful tale."

"A beautiful tale?" Zhu Cici tilted her head.

Madam Zhu scratched her daughter's nose: "It's nothing, Mother is talking nonsense. Go, go, let Little Ye follow you to protect you. Just go directly to the Xu residence."

"But Mother, as a girl, going to play with a boy, wouldn't that be unreserved?" Zhu Cici asked.

"Do you like him?" Madam Zhu said with a smile.

"I like him," Zhu Cici nodded.

Madam Zhu: "Mother is talking about the kind of liking where you want to marry him, like wanting to spend your whole life with him."

Zhu Cici thought carefully for a moment: "Probably not yet."

"Then that's it. Cici is still young and doesn't need to worry about being unreserved."

"Then, Mother, Cici is going to play!"

After receiving her mother's permission, Zhu Cici happily jumped off her mother's lap and ran out happily.

"Sister Little Ye, we're going out!" The girl's voice echoed softly in the courtyard.

Before long, the little girl in a Ru skirt happily stepped over the threshold and followed Sister Little Ye towards the Xu residence.

At the same time, at a small tea stall outside the Sifang Inn, a middle-aged man leading three dogs sighed:

"They don't even spare such a young child. The Prime Minister is truly inhuman...

Wait...

We weren't human to begin with."