Rare

Amid the axe blows and candle shadows, the Great Zhou emperor passes away.

With the Empress Dowager's support, the Prince of Chu inherits the throne as Imperial Younger Brother. The late emperor's children inevitably find themselves in an awkward position.

Four-year-old Ji Jing is the youngest among the imperial clan by age, and so he escapes the purge.

The deep palace is a hopeless prison. He cannot escape that square patch of sky.

Fortunately, he meets someone who stays by his side day and night, never abandoning him from beginning to end.

In the eighth year of Zhaode, Emperor Taizong dies, and his cousin ascends the throne.

Twelve-year-old Ji Jing is invested as Prince of Yan and ordered to move to Hejian.

Even though he knows he is only being sent somewhere else to remain a prisoner, he can't contain his excitement. He takes her hand and swings it back and forth. “Le Niang, I'm going home with you.”

In a corner where no one pays attention, a young man's love has already taken root.

Who could have known how unpredictable the world would be?

In the sixth year of Shaozhi, the emperor dies.

With all his elder brothers dead, he had taken his place as Crown Prince. He had no siblings and few children.

The Grand Empress Dowager and the ministers discuss the matter. Citing “a young ruler and an uncertain state,” they issue an edict summoning Ji Jing, Prince of Yan and the fifth son of Taizu, to succeed to the throne.

He does not wish to rule the world, but Ji Jing does not refuse.

He will use the privilege of being emperor to make the world remember that his devotion to her never changed.

The History of Zhou, in the “Shizong” chapter, records his marriage: “The emperor was brave and resourceful, personally led campaigns against border raiders, and recovered the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun. His achievements rival those of Taizu. He also kept the Six Palaces empty for the empress, remaining faithful for twenty years. His devotion shone as brightly as the sun and moon, and even Shun could not surpass him.”

Theme: We all have a bright future