Chapter 68: Quarrel in the Imperial Study

"Guarding the border is to protect the people and soldiers of our border towns. The small countries in the Western Regions and the surrounding vassal states have finally stopped. If General Qi returns to the court with evil intentions and suddenly attacks our border, then there will be no generals to guard it. Wouldn't the border be at the mercy of others?"

"Nonsense." Someone else stood up and said, "The two countries have signed a truce and a letter of credence. It's not just talk. Sir Chen, don't think everyone is as dirty as you are!"

"I second the motion."

Three more officials stood up and said, "Your Majesty, General Qi has been away from the capital for several years to quell the war. It is time to recall him."

Lord Chen's beard was shaking with anger after being scolded. "I think you have other intentions. The emperor is in good health, but you insist on sending a general with military power to the capital. What are you thinking?"

"Your Majesty, as long as the court is stable, the general will not come to the capital. This is an unwritten rule. You must not agree to it."

"Since Lord Chen has said it is unwritten, why are there so many arguments? General Qi has been away for several years, and there are hundreds of tablets in the general's ancestral hall. Shouldn't he come back to burn incense for his ancestors and visit the old house?"

"Absurd!" Lord Chen sneered and wanted to say something, but was stopped by the emperor on the throne.

"That's enough. Every time I bring this up, you keep arguing. Since we can't reach an agreement, let's talk about it later."

"Your Majesty." Someone was unwilling to accept this, and the emperor's face darkened, "I said, this matter can be discussed later!"

The return of the general stationed on the frontier to the capital could only mean changes in the court, or that the struggle for the throne had begun.

The emperor cast a hidden look at Xiao Yuan who was standing quietly below him, and his hand gripping the dragon throne tightened slightly.

His two sons were really great. Before he died, they were arguing endlessly in the court and fighting to the death.

He sneered and left the Fengtian Hall with a wave of his sleeves.

Ling Chenyi walked up to Xiao Yuan and left the palace together, then whispered, "It seems that the emperor still has the same attitude. If you want him to come back, you can only..."

"Fourth brother." A gloomy voice suddenly sounded behind him.

Xiao Yuan and Ling Chenyi both stopped and turned around, only to see Xiao Ze walking towards them with a gloomy face.

He sneered, "Fourth brother, don't waste your time. Father will not let that person come back. It would be bad if you are too eager and reveal your ambitions."

Outsiders all said that the emperor loved the fourth prince Xiao Yuan the most, but in his eyes, that was all. If he really loved him, he should have called that man back to help him become the crown prince. How could he refute him in front of the court officials again and again?

Xiao Yuan twitched his lips slightly, "I thought that Second Brother would not attend the morning court today. Looking at your appearance, did you not sleep well last night?"

Xiao Ze was startled, and his eyes suddenly turned cold as he looked at Xiao Yuan, "Is it you?"

Xiao Yuan sneered, "Fourth brother doesn't understand what second brother is talking about. It's getting late. Goodbye."

Xiao Yuan walked down the stairs a few steps, and the eunuch in charge hurried over and said, "Fourth Prince, the Emperor wants you to go to the Imperial Study."

Xiao Yuan frowned and nodded lightly.

Ling Chenyi was a little worried, "Be careful."

"Don't worry." Xiao Yuan turned and walked towards the imperial study.

Every time the father and son met alone, the room would be filled with smoke. How could Ling Chenyi not be worried? He stood guard at the palace gate and never left.

Xiao Ze sneered a few times. At today's court meeting, those officials were obviously instructed by Xiao Yuan. Qi Jinping was the person that his father feared the most. How could his father not be furious?

He twitched the corners of his lips and quickly walked down the imperial steps.

There is still no news about his concubine, so he has to go to the Dali Temple and the government office to find out.

When the people outside the imperial study saw Xiao Yuan coming, they immediately retreated far away.

"Fourth Prince, the Emperor is waiting for you inside."

"Yeah." Xiao Yuan responded calmly and walked in.

The palace maids and eunuchs were far away and did not know what the father and son said, but a quarter of an hour later, they all heard the sound of the emperor smashing porcelain in anger.

This is an inevitable situation every time the Fourth Prince comes, and they are no longer surprised.

"Rebellious son, I am not dead yet. You are deliberately trying to get him back. Are you trying to usurp the throne?"

These words were extremely serious, but Xiao Yuan remained calm, "Father, you should know that this is not what I want."

"Hmph." The emperor sneered and sat back on the dragon throne with a gloomy and ugly expression.

"Father." Xiao Yuan had no intention of retreating. Instead, he took a step forward and asked, "If you are not guilty, let my uncle come back. I promise that I will never covet your kingdom. I just want a result."

"Your mother is gone, what else do you want?" The emperor was so angry that he was shaking all over. "You must stir up chaos in the court and make life uneasy before you stop, right?"

"I want to know the real cause of my mother's death. What does it have to do with the previous dynasty?" Xiao Yuan's brows were cold. "Or did my father not let him come back? Is he deliberately hiding something? Did my mother die of illness?"

He looked straight at the emperor, with a look of forcing him.

The emperor's hands on the edge of the table tightened slightly, and his expression was tense.

"The imperial physician has already concluded the death of your mother. It is you who is suspicious and insists on making a fuss. Your uncle's return to the capital is related to the foundation of the country. You can't do whatever you want just because you say you don't want the country. I won't bother with you about what happened today, but if there is a next time, you will get out of here and never come back!"

"Heh." Xiao Yuan lowered his eyes and sneered, "Since you have nothing to regret, why should you be afraid of making it known to the world? If your father refuses to tell you, then I will dig out the truth myself. You just wait."

Neither my mother nor the Qi family can die in vain.

"Evil son." The emperor was furious, but Xiao Yuan had already turned around and left the imperial study.

They have been arguing about this matter for years without any result, so why should he waste more time arguing about it?

"The Fourth Prince." When the chief eunuch saw him coming out, he bowed hurriedly and went into the imperial study to calm the emperor down.

"He is going to rebel!"

The emperor was so angry that his chest was gasping for breath, and the eunuch pursed his lips and dared not say a word.

He has followed the emperor for several years and is considered the person who knows the emperor best in the harem, but he still cannot figure out the emperor's feelings towards the fourth prince.

Shufei was once the emperor's most favored concubine, and the Fourth Prince was also a son of his mother. But everything changed after Shufei's death.

If it is said that the Emperor dislikes the Fourth Prince, looking around Daliang, he is the only one who can quarrel with the Emperor and leave the palace safely. But if it is said that he likes him very much, he has been suppressing the Fourth Prince's power in a subtle way.

"The Concubine Shu is the Fourth Prince's thorn in his side. Your Majesty, please don't bother with the Fourth Prince."

"Haha." A hint of sarcasm appeared on the emperor's face, and he said in a very low voice, "His mother is his concern, and so is mine."

As soon as he finished speaking, he started coughing violently, his face turned red and he was gasping for breath.

The chief eunuch was in a panic and immediately summoned the imperial physician.

On that day, the emperor had a big quarrel with the fourth prince in the imperial study, and the news that he fell ill due to anger spread throughout the court and the harem.

This was not the first time something like this had happened, and all the civil and military officials were used to it. However, as for the Emperor's attitude towards General Qi's return to the capital, everyone had their own considerations.