Chapter 212: Chi Hongyuan is appointed as the Crown Prince
Not long after, a graceful figure came from the direction of the palace entrance. Concubine Rong was wearing a light green dress with green gauze flowers in her hair. She looked elegant and extraordinary, which formed a sharp contrast with her bright facial features, making her even more stunning.
"I learned that Your Majesty had not eaten all day, and the food sent from the kitchen was returned. I made a bowl of porridge and these snacks in the small kitchen. If Your Majesty likes it, it will be an honor for me to taste it."
Concubine Rong walked to the table with lowered brows, opened the food box, and took out the simple but appetizing side dishes and porridge one by one. She placed the meal in front of the emperor without even looking at the glittering golden seal of the crown prince.
After the eunuch checked the food, the emperor picked up the bowl of porridge and chewed it slowly. After all, he was an emperor, and his every move while eating was calm, which was quite pleasing to the eye.
The bowl of porridge was soon finished. Concubine Rong took the bowl and placed a plate of snacks in front of the emperor. The emperor did not refuse and picked up a piece of snack and ate it. This porridge and snack, which was not a formal meal, took the emperor a stick of incense to finish.
The emperor put down his chopsticks only after he was about 70% full. He said in a troubled tone, "I am worried about the issue of appointing a crown prince. I wonder if Yu'er has any suitable candidates in mind? Many court officials recommend the second and fourth princes. Who do you think is capable of the important task?"
The emperor held up the crown prince's golden seal in front of him and examined it, but Concubine Rong behaved very well from beginning to end and never raised her eyes.
However, when the emperor asked her about the right candidate for the crown prince, Rong Fei frowned and said, "Your Majesty, why don't you put the issue of appointing a crown prince aside for now? Your Majesty is in his prime, and leaving the crown prince position vacant for the time being will not shake the foundation of the country."
She spoke in a gentle manner, just like her face, neither hurried nor slow, making people feel like they were bathed in spring breeze. After the palace servants had cleared the dishes on the table, Concubine Rong continued to speak.
"The eldest prince has only been injured for a few days, and it is natural for him to lose his position as the deposed crown prince. Your Majesty should postpone the issue of appointing a crown prince for half a month. During this time, you can ask someone to help the eldest prince find a doctor to treat his leg injury. The miracle doctor may be able to cure the eldest prince's leg, and Your Highness will not feel too bad."
Concubine Rong did not casually comment on which of the recommended princes was suitable to be the crown prince, but instead considered the eldest prince who had just been deposed.
After hearing what she said, the emperor's doubts and impatience gradually disappeared, and he realized that he was too hasty in choosing a crown prince. The previous crown prince was mediocre, so he naturally hoped to choose a more outstanding prince as the crown prince. In addition, the ministers urged him, and he became anxious.
In fact, it would be better to put the issue of appointing a crown prince on hold for half a month, and first order someone to treat the eldest prince's legs. This can also prevent the child from feeling resentful towards him in the future and becoming hostile to the new crown prince, which would cause endless troubles.
"Thanks to Yu'er's reminder, what's wrong with me? I'm getting anxious too." The emperor smiled and shook his head. He looked at Rong Fei and wanted to say something, but when the words came to his lips, he only said, "You are too considerate."
Rong Fei, who was kneeling on the other side of the table, smiled at him and said, "What do you mean by being considerate? I just don't want Your Majesty to be distressed."
After these words were spoken, the emperor felt as if his heart was tugged at, and he felt both guilty and distressed for Concubine Rong.
"I still have a lot of memorials to read. You go back to the bedroom first. I will stay at your place tonight." The emperor took Rong Fei's hand and held it tightly, with indescribable tenderness in his eyes.
Concubine Rong blushed when he looked at her and lowered her head shyly. The emperor liked her little girl's attitude very much and his eyes sparkled.
Although the emperor did not say anything to Concubine Rong about the issue of appointing a crown prince, his choice of candidate in his mind was already towards Chi Hongyuan.
On the surface, when the court officials urged the emperor to appoint a crown prince the next day, he brought up Rong Fei's previous statement that he was the crown prince of a country, but he was also a father. The eldest prince's leg disease had not yet healed, and being too anxious to appoint a crown prince would easily damage the harmony between father and son.
After the emperor said this, even if the ministers were anxious, they would not urge him any further, otherwise it would be unfair to the emperor. After suppressing the momentum of establishing a crown prince, the emperor ordered the Imperial Hospital to continue to do its best to treat the eldest prince and at the same time look for the whereabouts of the miracle doctor.
Chi Hongyuan volunteered to find the whereabouts of the miracle doctor for the eldest prince, but after a month, he still couldn't find any trace of the miracle doctor. The famous miracle doctor seemed to have evaporated from the face of the earth and his whereabouts were unknown.
"The eldest prince's leg injury requires the help of Divine Doctor Bai. Perhaps, only Divine Doctor Bai can cure it. If Miss Gu knows where the Divine Doctor is, please let me know. I will reward you handsomely." After searching in vain, Chi Hongyuan sent out a signal flare to call Gu Siqing to come.
Gu Siqing knew that Chi Hongyuan was looking for Bai Ziyu for the eldest prince. She thought he was just pretending and didn't expect that he was sincere.
She was ashamed of her narrow-minded speculation, but she had no information about Bai Ziyu's whereabouts.
"More than a month ago, Ziyu came to say goodbye to me. He only said that he was leaving the capital. I don't know anything else."
Bai Ziyu left so suddenly that not only those people who were looking for him, but even Gu Siqing was a little stunned.
According to what he said before leaving, he most likely went to Qi State, but Gu Siqing naturally could not tell Chi Hongyuan about this.
No matter in front of anyone, she could not expose the possibility of her acquaintance with the people of Qi, even if it was unintentional involvement.
Gu Siqing thought Chi Hongyuan would say something else, but he just looked at her deeply and said, "Excuse me."
Looking at the man's back as he left, Gu Siqing scratched his head in confusion. He seemed to have changed a lot.
A month later, the eldest prince's leg injury had been treated for a period of time, and he had moved out of the East Palace and moved to a residence outside the palace.
The position of crown prince had been vacant for too long, and people were indeed uneasy. Half a month ago, civil and military officials had been urging the emperor to appoint a new crown prince as soon as possible.
"I understand your considerations and deliberations, and I have considered them carefully. I have decided to appoint Chi Hongyuan as the crown prince."
At the morning court that day, after the ministers reported on important matters, the emperor brought up the matter of appointing a crown prince without waiting for the court officials to urge him.
Before the civil and military officials could react, the emperor had already read out Chi Hongyuan's name.
The courtiers who had been listening to the emperor with their heads bowed raised their heads in astonishment, unable to believe what they heard. Before the emperor took the initiative to talk about the crown prince, the people in the camps of the second and fourth princes had been building momentum for a month.
If it was a rival family that was enthroned, they would at most be unwilling, but why should the benefit fall on Chi Hongyuan, who had no support?
"Your Majesty, please reconsider!" Many ministers in the hall immediately knelt down and shouted in unison, begging the emperor to reconsider.
"Are my dear ministers dissatisfied with my decision?" The emperor glanced at the kneeling ministers expressionlessly. The imperial majesty should not be violated. The emperor's eyes were sharp and cold, and it was like being stabbed by ice when they fell on people. It could not be ignored.
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