Chapter 248 King Wu is wronged, King Ying returns

Prince Wu first tried to persuade Xiao Yuancheng with other arguments: "Father! Although my great-aunt is extremely capable, she has been away from the capital for many years and may be unfamiliar with the current situation in the court and the factions among officials. Moreover, she is old and her energy may be limited. If she makes any mistakes, wouldn't it cause trouble for the country?"

He secretly raised his eyes to glance at Xiao Yuancheng's face. Seeing that he was listening with his eyes closed and did not react much, he could not help but speak more anxiously and simply said what he was speculating in his heart: "Father, my great-aunt has a close relationship with the Yang family. You are not unaware of the past events. Now that power has fallen into my great-aunt's hands, it is inevitable that people will feel suspicious."

He tried to persuade the emperor to revoke his order, or at least impose restrictions on Xiao Yuluan, but he was too late.

Xiao Yuancheng had just been comforted by Xiao Yuluan's performance of being "weak", "respectful" and "asking for instructions on everything". He had already preconceived that his aunt was only accepting the order in a time of crisis and trying her best to hold on, and that she had taken the initiative to set up her office in the palace, which clearly showed that she had no selfish motives.

Hearing King Wu's urgent words, directed at Xiao Yuluan, Xiao Yuancheng found them extremely irritating. He suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes filled with exhaustion yet aroused anger:

"How dare you!" Xiao Yuancheng's voice was hoarse from weakness, yet it carried the majesty of an emperor. "Your great-aunt was just here, worried about state affairs, and looked exhausted! She volunteered to live in Minghua Palace so that I could visit her at any time and put me first in everything! If she had any selfish motives, why would she do this?!"

He became more and more angry as he spoke, and began to cough violently, frightening Bai De'an who was standing beside him and hurried forward to help him catch his breath. After recovering, Xiao Yuancheng pointed at King Wu and scolded him bitterly:

"I see you're not worried about state affairs, but about your own wishes being dashed! Aren't you just worried that the princess will favor the Sixth Prince, so you come here to spread rumors and slander the elders! Do you really think I don't know what you're thinking?"

Xiao Yuancheng, who had just been assassinated by his sons, no longer trusted his sons, so after hearing what King Wu said, he subconsciously stood on Xiao Yuluan's side. Even though he actually had such concerns in his heart, he now felt that his sons were younger and stronger than their aunt, so he should naturally be more on guard against them than her.

"Your Majesty! That's not what I meant! I'm just worried about the Xiao family's kingdom..." King Wu didn't expect his father to react so violently and completely side with his great-aunt. He immediately tried to defend himself.

"Enough!" Xiao Yuancheng refused to listen to his explanation. He simply felt that his son was impatient and foolish, and might even harbor evil intentions. "Your surname is Xiao, but it's not your turn to manage the Xiao family's kingdom! I think you're restless! Get out!"

This barrage of angry rebukes was like a drenching cascade of cold water, extinguishing all the worries and anxieties in King Wu's heart. His face turned grim, feeling that his kindness had been taken for granted.

The huge grievance made him rebellious. Since the emperor didn't believe it, he would not say anything.

"Your son obeys your order." King Wu gritted his teeth and said this, then turned and left. His obviously angry attitude made Xiao Yuancheng's chest heave violently, and he coughed violently again.

These sons...really, were they really born just to piss him off?

Prince Wu returned to the palace with a sullen face, his frustration and anger nearly boiling over. The emperor's rebuke, distrust, and apparent favoritism towards his great-aunt chilled his heart and solidified his resolve.

Since his father would rather trust an aunt who had been away from Beijing for many years than trust him, his own son, he could only think about himself and make preparations.

"Pass the order!" King Wu shouted to his trusted aides and generals, his eyes gleaming with a desperate rage. "Tell 'those' outside the city to hide where they are and recuperate. No one is allowed to act rashly without my order! But be vigilant these days; we may have to rush to the capital. Also, keep a close eye on the Princess's Mansion, Prince Zhao's Mansion, and all the gates of the Imperial Palace. Report any unusual activity immediately!"

He had a feeling that the final competition was approaching.

Just as King Wu was secretly stepping up his arrangements and the capital city maintained an eerie calm under the supervision of Xiao Yuluan, the King of Ying, who had been guarding the border on his behalf a few months ago, finally returned triumphantly.

When several princes saw him being welcomed by the people, their expressions changed slightly.

However, the one with the biggest change in expression was King Ying. On his way to the palace to report, he learned of the shocking changes that had taken place one after another: Prince An was imprisoned for coveting the throne, and Prince Ning was so audacious as to murder the king and commit treason, and had been killed by his father himself. And now, the one who was governing the country was actually his great-aunt, the Grand Princess Xiao Yuluan, who had not returned to the court for many years!

This string of news hit the King of England like a hammer. He had been away from the capital for only a few months, and yet the court had been turned upside down to this extent!

He first entered the palace to meet the emperor as required. Seeing the haggard emperor lying on the dragon couch, even though he lacked medical expertise, his first thought was that the emperor might not have much time left. Furthermore, the two tall guards who stood by him at all times clearly showed his fear.

When Xiao Yuancheng saw him, he just said a few polite words like "I'm glad you're back" and "Life is hard on the frontier", and then tiredly let him leave. It was obvious that he was no longer able to pay too much attention to his son who had returned from a long journey.

The King of England was not taken seriously because of his mother's humble status, but now he has made some achievements, and the emperor still treats him like this. It turns out that if he doesn't like someone, he just doesn't like them.

With dissatisfaction and self-mockery, the King of England went to Minghua Palace to pay a visit to his great-aunt, the Princess Regent, according to etiquette. He was really curious about this great-aunt whom he had never met before.

As soon as he entered Minghua Hall, he felt an atmosphere of order and clarity. Officials came and went frequently, but everything was orderly. The place was filled with vigor and energy, a stark contrast to the heavy, decadent atmosphere of Zichen Palace.

The old woman sitting behind the desk was dressed in simple and elegant clothes. Time had taken away her youthfulness, but she was still as graceful and elegant as ever. Her eyes were deep and sharp when she looked at him, as if she could see through everything. She exuded the calmness and majesty that only those who had been in a superior position for a long time could have.

"My nephew Xiao Jingchen is here to pay his respects to my great aunt. May my great aunt live a thousand years." The King of England bowed according to etiquette, his attitude respectful but neither humble nor arrogant.

Xiao Yuluan put down the red brush in her hand and looked at him gently: "Your Majesty has worked hard on the journey. You should rest for two days before coming back." Her words were full of sincere concern, which made King Ying feel warm and suddenly more courageous.

"It's my responsibility, and I dare not delay." The King of England said in a deep voice. He raised his head and looked at Xiao Yuluan frankly. "Grandaunt, my nephew has just returned to the capital. I heard about the recent dramatic changes in the court and was shocked and uneasy. I wonder...how is my father's health now?"

His direct question was a test of both his vigilance and his own assessment of the current situation. He hadn't expected that in just a few months, the situation in North Korea and China had rapidly advanced by several years.

Xiao Yuluan understood. So much had changed in the past few months that she didn't believe the King of England hadn't previously intended to seize the throne. It was just that his being sent away for so long had indeed cost him the opportunity.

His military merits alone couldn't give him a significant advantage. Instead, his absence from the capital had caused him to lose even more. Without a distinguished family background, the support of nobles, or the emperor's love and respect, the King of England had fallen far behind the other princes. This feeling of powerlessness...

Xiao Yuluan lowered her eyes to hide the pity in them, but when she raised them again, they became sharp. She didn't beat around the bush and said bluntly, "Your father is in poor health, but you can't accomplish anything on your own. I'm afraid you won't be able to achieve what you wish for."

This nephew probably doesn't have a chance, but it would still be helpful to get his help.

When King Xiao Jingchen of England heard Xiao Yuluan's blunt and almost cruel words, he felt as if he was hit hard in the chest by an invisible hammer.

He suddenly raised his head, his pupils shrank suddenly, and on his face, which had been hardened by the wind and sand at the border, there appeared an unconcealable shock and pain.

He understood.

It turned out to be the Princess Zhenguo. With just one sentence, she shattered the secret wish in his heart.

Indeed, he had anticipated this day would come. In the months since he left the capital, the political landscape had been completely overturned and reorganized. With Prince An's downfall and Prince Ning's execution, his perceived opponents had suddenly been halved.

But he didn't have the upper hand.

His military achievements were insignificant in front of his great-aunt, his mother's family was of no help, and his father, the emperor, had never truly valued him.

The saying "a single tree cannot make a forest" was cold and true. All his efforts and struggles over the years seemed so pale and powerless in the face of external forces. Even his qualification to compete was almost completely stripped away without his knowledge.

A huge sense of loss and unwillingness surged into his heart like a tide. The King of England clenched his teeth, his jawline tense, and his hands hanging at his sides unconsciously clenched into fists. His knuckles turned white due to the force and trembled slightly.

He seemed to hear the heavy and unwilling beating of his own heart.

The hall was silent for a moment, with only his heavy breathing faintly audible.

Xiao Yuluan looked at him quietly, neither offering words of comfort nor urging him on. She knew full well that this kind of disillusionment and pain would take time to digest, just like the pain she had felt after making that choice. No one could comfort her.

After a long time, the King of England slowly loosened his clenched fists. He took a deep breath, and when he raised his head again, the unwillingness in his eyes had been suppressed with great effort, replaced by a kind of resigned fatigue and sober bitterness.

His voice was hoarse and tinged with self-mockery: "Princess, you hit the nail on the head. It's my nephew... who was delusional."

The King of England paused, his gaze refocused on Xiao Yuluan. His tone no longer contained the initial tentativeness and vigilance, but instead revealed an almost frank helplessness: "I wonder what suggestions my great-aunt has?"

He naturally remembered that Xiao Yuluan had also fallen into such a situation. Her choice was... to give up?

But at that time, her mother was still alive, and the people he was competing with were also her brothers. Those he faced were not easy to deal with, and he had no father to protect him.

The corners of Xiao Yuluan's lips curled up slightly, almost imperceptibly. Talking to smart people saves effort.

"Since a single tree cannot make a forest, choose a tall tree and join a new forest."

The King of England couldn't help but clench his fists again, and at this time he couldn't help but ask: "Which new forest did the princess join?" He wanted to know who had won the favor of this legendary princess and where he lost.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuluan looked at him calmly, but did not answer directly. "My choice is of great importance, how can I make it lightly? You might as well think about it first and see who is the big tree that you can stand shoulder to shoulder with and shelter from the wind and rain."

She didn't tell the King of England because she wanted to see what the brothers thought of Xiao Ji. As for whether the King of England had chosen the wrong person?

Then just dig it out again.