The four words "The Crown Prince has no heir" were like a bolt from the blue, hitting Yinji's head hard.
He froze in an instant, feeling an inexplicable chill rushing from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. His limbs and bones were frozen, and even his breathing stopped for a moment.
Yinji's voice was as dry as sandpaper, trembling with disbelief: "Father, you...you mean..."
"That's right! Your uncle, Yin Zhao, was made Crown Prince when he was only ten years old. But after he came of age and married the Crown Princess, he had several daughters but no sons."
"With the support of his mother, he took in more than ten concubines, but unfortunately, he just couldn't have a son."
"And your uncle is also very cautious. He has been the crown prince for thirty years without making any mistakes."
"My father is deeply worried about this, but he can do nothing."
"Now that he's older, he's probably worried that after your uncle ascends the throne, Dayin will have no one to succeed him. Father once wanted to adopt you as your uncle's son, but he refused."
"Now, the emperor has sent you to serve in Zhao Muyun's army, tacitly allowed us to cooperate with Zhao Muyun in smuggling salt, and then wanted to marry your sister to Zhao Muyun. The purpose of all this is self-evident."
"As for whether he truly intends to take your uncle's position as Crown Prince, that's unknown. Your grandfather ascended the throne at the age of fourteen and has been emperor for over fifty years. None of us can possibly guess what he's thinking."
Yinqi's earnest words made Yinji feel very confused.
The Emperor's "grindstone" plan, the Crown Prince's inability to produce an heir, his sister Yin Yao's arranged marriage, the mystery and power of his master Zhao Muyun... these fragments were spinning wildly in his mind.
No wonder his father called him back so anxiously, that was because the Prince Jin's Mansion had reached the most critical moment, and any subsequent decision could determine the future fate of the Prince Jin's Mansion.
The air in the study became extremely oppressive.
"But...but what does this have to do with me...with us?" Yinji swallowed and asked with difficulty.
He vaguely guessed his father's intention, but instinctively felt fear and rejection.
Brothers are fighting against each other, and blood relatives are killing each other. Is it really necessary to take this step?
"What does it have to do with us?"
Yin Qi slammed his desk so hard that the ink in the inkstone splashed out. "What does it mean that the Crown Prince has no heir? It means that once he ascends the throne, there will be no one to succeed him! It means that the battle for the succession will inevitably stir up waves again a hundred years after he ascends the throne! It means... our Yin family's blood also flows with the blood of Emperor Taizu, and we are equally qualified!"
Yinqi's eyes were as sharp as knives, fixed on Yinji's face. "You are my eldest son! The Crown Prince of Jin! Your royal grandfather's legitimate grandson! The Crown Prince has no heir. Legally speaking, you are one of the bloodlines closest to the throne! Your Majesty is using us as a whetstone to sharpen the Crown Prince? Fine! Then we will show him that this 'grindstone' can also become an 'axe'!"
Yinji only felt his mouth dry and his heart pounding, almost bursting through his chest.
The throne? That unreachable position that symbolizes supreme power and also represents endless bloodshed?
He had never thought about it! He just wanted to follow his master Zhao Muyun to build a career, protect the peace of the area, or be a free and easy prince...
"Father, are we really going to do this?"
Yin Ji's voice trembled. "The Crown Prince has a strong foundation. Most of the court members are his people. What can we use to fight him? Just relying on the saying 'the Crown Prince has no heir'? This will only lead to our demise faster!"
"That alone is certainly not enough!"
Yin Qi's eyes grew dark, gleaming with shrewd calculations. "But this is our biggest bargaining chip, the fulcrum that will move everything! And the most powerful lever to pry this fulcrum is your master—Zhao Muyun!"
Yinji's heart sank suddenly: "Master? You want to use me?"
"It's not exploitation, it's cooperation! It's a life-and-death struggle!"
Yin Qi was unequivocal, "Your Majesty's marriage between Yin Yao and Zhao Muyun is ostensibly intended to tie our Jin Palace and the border army commanders together and create enemies for the Crown Prince. But isn't this also a godsend opportunity for us? We can completely tie Zhao Muyun to our chariot!"
Yinqi stood up and paced behind the desk, every step he took tiring Yinji's tense nerves.
"Zhao Muyun, as you said, is unfathomable, a man of both civil and military talents. He controls vast profits from smuggled salt and manages military affairs in Yinzhou, having risen to prominence in a short period of time. What does he lack? A position of authority! He lacks a platform worthy of his ambitions! Your Majesty has made him a lieutenant and allowed him to marry a princess. While seemingly a favor, it's actually a restriction, making him a pawn in the imperial power game!"
He stopped, his eyes fixed on Yinji. "What if we could give him even more? What if we could promise him that, upon success, he'd be crowned king? He'd even become the highest official in the government? He'd even... share the throne of the Great Yin Empire? With his intelligence, couldn't he foresee what his fate would be when the crown prince ascended the throne? Only by following us could he truly realize his ambitions and achieve the highest position in the government!"
Yinji was speechless at the grand and dangerous blueprint his father described.
Divide the land and become king? Share the throne? This is simply... usurpation! A heinous crime!
But the burning fire in his father's eyes made him understand that the Prince of Jin's Mansion had been pushed to the edge of the cliff and there was no way to retreat.
"So...what about my sister?"
Yin Ji spoke with difficulty, Yin Yao's innocent face appeared before his eyes, "She... is she really willing to be a bargaining chip in this game? Master... will he accept such a deal? This... this is simply treating his sister as..."
"Yin Yao's marriage is a done deal! Whether she likes it or not, she must marry Zhao Muyun with the imperial decree! The only difference is whether this marriage will be a death warrant for our Jin Wang Mansion, or a chance for a comeback!"
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