Meng Ruliu had never been on a rooftop before, and she walked with trepidation. Su Wan showed her how to walk on the roof, and the two walked for a full half hour before finally arriving at the gate of the Second Prince's Ping'an Mansion.

Several rows of officials knelt below, with the prime minister kneeling at the very front. The old man was quite old, and his body was swaying.

Su Wan looked towards Ping An Mansion and saw a man being helped by two servants as he walked over, coughing incessantly.

Meng Ruliu touched her arm and whispered in her ear, "Second Prince Wei Wuji."

The gate below opened, and the Second Prince and others seemed to be standing under the eaves, out of Su Wan's sight.

The officials exclaimed in unison, "Second Prince, you have finally come out to see us!"

The Prime Minister said, "Second Prince, this old minister has a report. The country cannot be without a ruler for even a day, and His Majesty has been gone for so long..."

The second prince said weakly, "Prime Minister, please stop forcing me. You know I've been sick since birth. Go find my elder brother."

“This old minister has already searched. The eldest prince…” At this point, the prime minister wiped away tears with his sleeve and continued, “The second prince, now only you are suitable.”

Meng Ruliu said to Su Wan, "The eldest prince can't even count from one to nine properly, how can he be emperor? The prime minister intends to let the second prince ascend the throne."

Su Wan thought to herself, "This second prince looks like he's been sickly for a long time. He walks as weakly as a cotton ball. It's a miracle he's even alive."

As she pondered, the officials below panicked and cried out, "Second Prince, you mustn't!"

The Prime Minister exclaimed in surprise, "Second Prince, please don't kneel before us, your subjects. How can we possibly accept this?"

The second prince, his voice trembling with tears, pleaded, "Prime Minister, please spare me. To tell you the truth... I really don't want to be emperor. That Chu Yi has defeated my third and fifth brothers. They are both geniuses, yet they were both defeated by Chu Yi. If you put a good-for-nothing like me in power, I'll be doomed if Chu Yi attacks."

Su Wan thought to herself, "So they're afraid Brother Chu will attack. It's quite funny, really. Everyone wants the throne, but now it's become a hot potato. Everyone's avoiding it like the plague."

The second prince cried, "The doctor said I have at most three more years to live. Prime Minister, please have mercy and let me live out these three years. Go find my elder brother; at least he is healthy."

The Prime Minister seemed to have no other choice, kowtowing and saying, "Second Prince, please forgive this old minister for speaking so bluntly, but the First Prince doesn't even know a few characters..."

"Doesn't he have a son?"

"His son has only just learned to walk..."

"Then I can ascend the throne! Prime Minister, please spare me, waaaaah..."

The two sides argued incessantly, the second prince coughed violently and cried bitterly. A group of ministers also joined in the weeping, making it resemble a funeral procession. Su Wan and her companion were both dumbfounded.

Just then, another group of people came running over in a hurry, carrying a sedan chair.

Meng Ruliu noticed the one at the front and said to Su Wan, "This is the eldest prince's mother. She was originally a palace maid."

The woman got out of the sedan chair and immediately knelt down in front of the Second Prince, wailing loudly.

"Wu Ji, please let your elder brother go. He still can't call me 'Mother'. He spends all his time playing in the mud in the mansion... As his mother, all I want is for him to live peacefully. Please don't refuse."

A woman from Ping'an Prefecture also led a group of people out; she was the mother of the Second Prince.

"You come here to stir up trouble, and my son is already so sick. You still want to put him on the throne and make him shield you from Chu Yi. Your son is so healthy..."

"What's wrong with his health? He can't even read all the characters, how can he read memorials? I think you want to put us on the stove to roast."

"He has a son, but I don't have a grandson yet."

"Ah, you even want to harm my grandson? I'll fight you to the death!"

"Your Majesties, please calm your anger and heed this old minister's words..."

"Prime Minister, get out of the way! This vile woman is trying to harm my son! Her son is perfectly healthy, so why isn't he on the throne!"

Su Wan was dazzled by what she saw. Below, there was crying and arguing, and two women even started cursing at each other.

She couldn't stand it any longer and said to Meng Ruliu, "Sister, let's go to the Duke's mansion. It's a complete mess here."