Chapter 153: The emperor can only reveal his thoughts to the person he trusts the most...

Xiu Yu knew Xuanye too well. She gently held Xuanye's hand and was silent for a long while before she said, "Your Majesty, is it difficult to tell me what's on your mind?"

Xuanye lowered his eyelids slightly and sighed softly, "You won't like to hear this. The fifth, ninth, and tenth children, our three children..." He paused mid-sentence, then nudged Xiu Yu's cheek before continuing, "Actually, even emperors have their own selfish motives. It's hard to treat everyone equally, and the same is true for the emperor. In fact, compared to these three boys..."

"Why are you comparing yourself to the other three?" Xiu Yu interrupted Xuanye. "Fifth son is just a scholar. Ninth son is a good money-maker. As for Tenth son..." She thought of her youngest, unruly son, and her lips curled slightly as she said, "He's probably just good enough to be a lazy prince."

Xuanye sighed, "Old Nine is smart and has good vision. He's a good material, but you always pull him around and tug at him. I don't know why a mother like you can't bear to see your own child excel."

Xiu Yu smiled. "You're wrong about me. How could I not want to see Lao Jiu doing well? He's doing very well in what he loves. Why don't you go and ask him in person if he's happy?"

Xuanye smiled bitterly: "You are happy, our children are happy, but I am suffering. In the future, I will eventually die, and then this throne..."

Xiu Yu frowned slightly when she heard Xuanye say this: "You shouldn't have told me this."

"Who should I tell then? Keep it all in? Aren't you afraid I'll get sick?" Xuanye snorted. "Yu'er, you're good in every way, but you don't have to be so strict about the rules when it comes to the affairs of the former dynasty. I know exactly what kind of person you are, and I won't let him think that. What I tell you is from my heart, and I won't hide anything."

Xiu Yu held Xuan Ye's hand and said softly, "Yu'er knows everything. Yu'er is just...that's all. Whatever you want to say, just say it. Yu'er will also tell you what she thinks in her heart. In the future, when things happen in the future, we will talk about it later."

Xuanye actually just wanted to hear Xiu Yu say this. He was silent for a while before he said, "Yu'er, Yinreng gave up the world for a woman, but he created a huge hole. Even if the fifth, ninth, and tenth brothers are not interested in the position of crown prince, there are more than one or two people who are interested. It's difficult to decide who to let take the throne."

Xiu Yu said, "What you're talking about is the biggest thing in the world. Logically, Yu'er shouldn't say anything. Hmm... maybe just like Lao Jiu likes making money, people who like being an emperor are probably really good emperors. It's actually a good thing if someone likes to do it."

"You don't know the seriousness of this matter." Xuanye's eyes gradually became profound. "The struggle for the throne will be bloody. This has always been the case in every dynasty. I don't believe I can get away with it this time."

There will be blood, and it will be very bloody... Xiu Yu couldn't help but sigh in her heart, but she couldn't say anything after all. It was already very difficult for her to protect her own child. She didn't even know whether Lao Jiu and the others could escape unscathed from the battle that would begin soon. How could she have the energy to think about other things?

Xuanye sighed deeply and said, "I'm hungry, Yu'er. I'll follow you to the small kitchen. You can make some soup for me."