Chapter 213 E Min's Quick Idea

As the first rays of sunlight shone into the Forbidden City in the early morning, what was expected to be the arrival of hope was instead met with panicked and helpless cries.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty...Ugh!"

She rushed out in a panic, but before she could utter the words "deceased," Jinxi, who had been waiting nearby, firmly covered her mouth and swiftly flipped her back into the palace.

Although the shout was not fully uttered, it was no different from a thunderclap from a calm sky. Hongzhao had already arranged for Su Peisheng to ask all irrelevant people to leave and not to approach, but now there was still someone outside.

On the contrary, there were quite a few uninvited "distinguished guests".

Guarjia Emin stood at the front, facing the Hall of Mental Cultivation with his hands behind his back, confronting Su Peisheng, who was standing right in front of him. Behind him were several officials, all exchanging glances with solemn expressions and hidden unease.

Su Peisheng remained humble, his face beaming with a smile but his gaze serious, his attitude extremely low – “Lord Emin, why make things difficult for this servant? His Majesty is currently unwell and cannot see strangers. Even if you wait any longer, it will be impossible for you to enter.”

As soon as the palace gates opened in the morning, Emin led his entourage into the palace. Even though Hongzhao had said yesterday that the small court session would be postponed, he still stood proudly at the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation today.

Since returning home yesterday, his mind has been filled with various historical figures, from Li Shimin and Li Chengqian in the distant past to the late emperor and the deposed crown prince in the recent past. Connecting these events, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration and slapped his forehead.

Everything makes sense now!

It's the Crown Prince! This is all a scheme orchestrated by the Crown Prince! Just like the deposed Crown Prince of the late Emperor, the Crown Prince is unwilling to remain merely the Crown Prince. Seeing his father growing old day by day while he himself grows stronger, he develops a desire to usurp the throne!

It makes no sense that these officials cannot go in to pay their respects, and that even the noble ladies and concubines in the palace cannot see the emperor or send out any news.

What does this mean? It means that the Crown Prince's claim that the Emperor is too ill to see anyone is just a pretext. In reality, the Crown Prince has long controlled the Emperor and has a firm grip on the entire Yangxin Hall. Once everyone believes him, whether he commits regicide or patricide, or keeps the Emperor "seriously ill," he can legitimately maintain control of the court.

He is indeed the crown prince, but a crown prince can be deposed after all. The emperor also has other sons. Look at the deposed crown prince of the previous dynasty, isn't that the case?

With a living example right before his eyes, Guwalgiya Emin's breathing became heavier and heavier, and excitement gradually appeared on his face. It was as if the answers to the imperial examination had been placed in front of him in advance! Even a centipede with a hundred legs does not die easily. The emperor has been on the throne for more than ten years. It is impossible that he has not left any way out or means.

The choice between choosing an emperor who has temporarily retreated during a time of crisis and a crown prince who has so little spirit in his rebellion is practically an open-book exam!

With his merit in supporting the emperor, he, as the emperor's father-in-law, will likely become second only to the emperor in status, and even the emperor himself will have to treat him as an honored guest!

His imagination had made him blush with delight. Now, standing in front of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, although he was quite certain in his heart, he still hesitated to speak, his words carrying a hint of probing.

But these tentative attempts vanished without a trace when they saw Meng Jingxian's words being swallowed back before they could even be uttered.

He pointed sharply at the gate and shouted sternly at Su Peisheng, "You say the Emperor is unwell, but what is this! You've already dragged people in without any regard for the entrance to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, what else do you have to worry about!"

Su Peisheng naturally heard the noise, but he didn't even move his head, and his expression didn't change at all. "There are rules in the palace. This noble lady has just entered the palace. How can she make a loud noise in front of the Hall of Mental Cultivation? If she breaks the rules, the matrons will naturally discipline her. Your Excellency doesn't need to worry."

As fate would have it, among the group of people who came with Emin, there happened to be one person—Meng Jingxian's father, the Duke of Pei.

He has always doted on this only daughter, to the point of spoiling her beyond measure. Today, he was persuaded by Emin to come to the palace with him for his daughter's sake. He was extremely afraid that she would be wronged in the palace. Even if others couldn't recognize her voice, her father would definitely recognize her.

His aged body sprang forward as if wound up, his voice trembling yet booming, “Why do you obstruct us old ministers from paying our respects to the Emperor! The Empress clearly had something to say when she came out, so why was she pulled back? How can the Empress’s noble body be allowed to be pulled and tugged by servants? I think you are all guilty!”

With these two taking the lead, those who followed them mustered their courage and joined in.

"That's right!"

"We've come to see the Emperor, what right do you have to stop us!"

Guarjia Emin took another step closer, his face righteous but his resentment barely concealed – “You’re supposed to be the Emperor’s Grand Eunuch, yet you’ve conspired with others to commit such a treasonous act! The Emperor hasn’t shown his face for two whole days, saying he’s seriously ill, but only the Crown Prince has been guarding him in the palace, and no one is allowed to visit him.”

Clearly, his information was still stuck yesterday afternoon. Because Hongzhao had strengthened his guard, the palace had been almost completely cut off from the outside world since yesterday. Naturally, Consort Qi's letter could not be delivered. At this time, Emin still thought that her daughter had not even come into the Hall of Mental Cultivation to take a look.

He snorted heavily, flicked his sleeves, and put his hands back behind his back—"Since you don't dare let us in for a peek, what are you afraid of? Or rather... what is the Crown Prince afraid of?"

Upon hearing him mention the Crown Prince so disrespectfully, Su Peisheng's expression hardened, and he completely withdrew the last trace of emotion from his face. Before he could even utter the words "Your Excellency, please be careful with your words," he heard an even more indignant voice from the side.

"Nonsense! This is the Hall of Mental Cultivation! It is the Emperor's bedroom. Even I cannot enter without a summons, let alone just look at it as you please!"

Everyone turned around abruptly upon hearing the sound, and Emin's outstretched foot also stopped abruptly. They saw Prince Yi walking quickly forward from behind. He, who was usually reluctant to make things difficult for others, had an unusually gloomy and angry expression.

The person hadn't arrived yet, but their voice had already reached them.