The throne of the emperor
Since the meeting in Xuehan Palace that day, Prince Qing Ning Yanhe never returned to his own palace. He stayed in Concubine Yu's palace and occupied a secluded side hall.
Concubine Yu did not say much, but just ordered the palace servants to serve him well. She no longer treated him as a child who needed to avoid political affairs, and she no longer avoided him when reporting to the palace and discussing secrets with several important officials.
Ning Yanhe sat alone all day long, often with a book spread out in front of him, but his eyes were often lost in the void.
He listened to Concubine Yu and Wang Jingzhi discuss how to carefully allocate food and money to the front lines to prevent mutiny, listened to Nong Zishi's indignation at the possibility that someone might want to tarnish his sister's reputation, listened to Shen Qingyan analyze the potential influence of the Jing family in the six ministries and the Military Affairs Office, and listened to Su Qingfan's proposals for several practical strategies to stabilize the rear...
Every word was like a heavy stone pressing on his heart.
He saw how Concubine Yu was trying to hold back her grief, he saw the worries of the old ministers, and he also saw how the surging undercurrent swept everyone when there was a power vacuum.
It turns out that this is the situation my sister faces every day.
What kind of mood did she have as she walked step by step to where she is today?
He was silent, thinking, as if trying to figure out something he hadn't thought about in the past fifteen years, but he couldn't come up with any result.
That night, Concubine Yu had just finished a meeting and was rubbing her brows when a trusted eunuch came crawling in, his voice filled with terror: "Your Highness! This is terrible! His Royal Highness Prince Jing and the former Crown Princess have been vomiting blood and their faces have turned blue. The imperial physician said they've been poisoned. I'm afraid... I'm afraid they're not going to make it!"
The teacup in Concubine Yu's hand fell again, but this time even the sound seemed to be swallowed up by the bad news.
King Jing and his mother were poisoned?
In this deep palace, right under her nose?
She was shocked, angry, and extremely sad. It turned out that this huge palace was no longer a place she could fully control. Who knew how many people had already secretly defected to the Jing family.
But she had no choice; saving people was the most important thing at the moment.
"Prepare your troops! Call all the imperial physicians here! Save him at all costs!" Concubine Yu's voice was hoarse. She stood up suddenly and hurried to the palace where Prince Jing lived. She didn't even have time to take a second look at Prince Qing who was silent in the palace.
In the side hall, Ning Yanhe was still sitting under the lamp, with the "Zizhi Tongjian" in front of him open to a certain page, but he didn't read a single word.
He heard the faint sounds of hurried footsteps outside the hall.
King Jing was poisoned? He was dying?
He was not unfamiliar with this foolish nephew, and he vaguely knew that he was his opponent, but he never had any idea that this nephew was foolish after all.
But today, he is going to die.
In just a moment, he understood that the Jing family was paving the way for him again, but this road to success would be paved with other people's lives.
If the Jing family was so ruthless, then how loyal were they to this "future emperor"? He didn't know.
Before he could think about it, the door of the palace was gently pushed open and someone came in.
Ning Yanhe did not exclaim, as if he had already expected it.
The person walked up to him, their figure lengthened by the light, looming over him.
Ning Yanhe slowly raised his head and looked at the elegant old man with a gentle smile before him—Jing Puze. The head of the Jing family, who was supposed to be far away in Jiangnan, had now appeared in this forbidden palace, right before him.
"Mr. Jing is here." Ning Yanhe's voice was surprisingly calm. He stood up and bowed slightly according to etiquette.
Jing Pu Ze also returned the greeting solemnly, his posture impeccable: "Old minister Jing Pu Ze, pays homage to His Highness."
"Mr. Jing is my elder and also my teacher. There's no need to be so polite." Ning Yanhe said softly, pointing to the couch beside him.
"Your Highness is about to rule the world, and etiquette cannot be abandoned."
Jing Puze smiled gently and sat down obediently, his eyes sweeping over the history book spread out on the desk. "Your Highness is still diligently studying, and this old minister is pleased."
Ning Yanhe silently took the tea set and began to boil water and make tea.
His movements were slow, his posture graceful, and his manner meticulous. This art of tea making was personally taught to him by Jing Pu Ze when he was at the Jing family. However, after returning to Beijing, he rarely demonstrated it in public.
The sound of boiling water was particularly clear in the silent hall, and the white mist blurred each other's expressions.
Jing Pu Ze looked at the quiet young man in front of him without any contempt in his heart.
Other people in the Jing family might think that this boy is young and can be bullied, suppressed and controlled, but he knows very well that his mental comprehension is in no way inferior to that of his sister Ning Lingyi. It's just that he was trapped in shallow waters in the past and his potential has not been revealed.
This is exactly why he had to go to the palace in person.
"Ever since we parted in Suzhou, I have been looking forward to seeing Your Highness again every day. Today my wish has come true. Seeing that Your Highness is even more graceful than before, I am very comforted." Jing Pu Ze spoke slowly, breaking the silence.
Ning Yanhe brought a cup of tea to Jing Pu Ze. The green tea soup was crystal clear and had a faint aroma.
He raised his eyes, looking at the man who had taught him and pushed him into this vortex. After a moment of silence, he finally asked, "Mr. Jing has taught me a lot. Today, I still have a question. I hope Mr. Jing can answer it."
"Your Highness, please speak."
"What is an emperor?"
Jing Puze did not answer directly, but asked: "Your Highness has studied history for many years and has read countless books. Is there an answer in the history books?"
Ning Yanhe shook his head. "Historical books are vast, filled with accounts of emperors, generals, their schemes and conquests, the rise and fall of dynasties. Yet, even after reading through them, I still can't find a definitive answer. Some are brilliant and ambitious, some are foolish and misguided, some are benevolent and gentle, some are violent and cruel... What constitutes an emperor? It seems there's no definitive answer."
"Your Highness, do you understand why there's no definitive answer?" Jing Pu Ze took a sip of tea and smiled. "Because the only way to be an emperor is to truly ascend the throne and experience the world. Even for a genius like Princess Mingzhu, did she already know how to be an emperor when she first assumed power? Not at all. She forged her own path through trial and error, through choices, success and failure."
Ning Yanhe said, "Sister is not the emperor."
Jing Puze nodded: "However, his authority, achievements, and responsibilities are no different from those of an emperor. In fact, the difficulties he faces are even greater than those of an ordinary emperor."
Ning Yanhe was silent for a long time, then whispered, "Mr. Jing seems to admire you very much."
"Of course," Jing Puze answered without hesitation, his expression calm. "Princess Mingzhu Ning Lingyi's achievements in civil and military affairs, her determination and courage, and her immortal achievements are so rare that even if you look through the annals of history, there are only a few who can rival her. Moreover, as a woman, she bravely stepped forward in times of collapse and turned the tide. The hardships she endured and the burdens she bore are beyond the imagination of ordinary people."
This evaluation, coming from Mr. Jing, surprised him a little.
Ning Yanhe felt a tightness in his chest, and his sister's figure became taller and more distant in his mind.
He lowered his eyes and spoke in a lower voice, "If my sister is really gone, how should I go on from now on?"
Jing Puze put down his teacup and looked at him with deep eyes. "This old minister cannot give you the answer, nor can Wang Jingzhi, nor can Concubine Yu. The entire court, both civil and military, and all living beings in the world, are waiting for your answer, Your Highness."
Ning Yanhe was shocked and looked up suddenly.
Jing Pu Ze continued, "Everything your Highness feels right now is what your sister endured every moment of her life. A single word could decide the fate of millions, a single thought could determine the rise and fall of a nation. This burden has always been like this."
It turns out...my sister has been carrying this kind of weight all along.
Ning Yanhe's heart was filled with a mixture of bitterness and enlightenment. His understanding of his sister had never been so deep. He was silent for a long time, and only the slight crackling of the candlelight could be heard in the hall.
He suddenly asked, "Mr. Jing doesn't seem to be worried about what I will do."
Upon hearing this, Jing Pu Ze suddenly chuckled, his laughter carrying a hint of indifference from someone who had seen through the world: "The heart of an emperor is as deep as the sea, and is extremely unpredictable."
"The Jade Concubine, the Prime Minister, and the others are loyal and devoted. Could it be that my Jing family is the treacherous and evil-minded people?"
"Your Highness is a wise man. In the future, you will understand how valuable a party loyal to you is, and how threatening a party loyal only to others is. My Jing family is willing to be the sharpest and most obedient knife in your Highness's hand."
These words were blunt and direct, even with a hint of arrogance, but they dispelled the last bit of hesitation in Ning Yanhe's heart.
He fell silent again, his eyes lowered, looking at his blurry reflection in the cup.
After a long while, he slowly stood up and bowed solemnly to Jing Puze: "I wish to follow Mr. Jing and continue to learn the way of being a king."
Jing Puze smiled knowingly, stood up, and gently held Ning Yanhe's arm, preventing him from bowing completely. "Your Highness, I am sorry to trouble you. I am willing to lead the way for you, clearing away any obstacles, so that we can move forward together."
After saying that, he actually took Ning Yanhe's hand and led him out of the side hall, out of Xuehan Palace, and towards the outside of the palace.
Ning Yanhe did not resist. He followed silently, his eyes sweeping over the familiar palace walls and palaces along the way. Everything in the night seemed to be covered with a layer of unfamiliar color.
The fog in his heart gradually dissipated, and a clear but difficult road stretched out under his feet.
He thought he already knew what he should do.
*
On the other side, inside King Jing’s palace, there was a gloomy atmosphere.
The imperial physicians knelt on the ground, their faces pale ashes, and kowtowed to apologize, saying that the poison was strange and violent, and had already invaded the heart meridians, and there was no way to save her. The former Crown Princess was already on her last legs, and Prince Jing Ning Chengji was even more black and blue in the face, unconscious, and his life was like a candle in the wind.
Concubine Yu looked at this scene with a broken heart. Anger and powerlessness intertwined, almost swallowing her up.
The Jing family, how dare you do this!
At this moment, a eunuch crawled in and reported in a trembling voice: "Your Highness the Concubine Dowager! Master Jing Pu Zejing... He has left the palace with His Royal Highness Prince Qing!"
What?
Concubine Yu’s eyes went dark and she almost fainted.
Not only did Jing Puze openly enter the palace, but he also took Prince Qing away at this very moment? Was he trying to take away her last bit of hope?
At this moment, one of the imperial physicians who had been kneeling on the ground suddenly raised his head and spoke timidly, "Your Majesty, I suddenly remembered an ancient medical case that mentioned the encounter of two dragons and the resulting blood syndrome of Xuanhuang. Or perhaps it's said that the celestial energies clash, and when two stars shine, one is bound to be injured. Perhaps if His Royal Highness Prince Jing and His Royal Highness Prince Qing could temporarily separate and not meet, it might alleviate the conflict and leave a glimmer of hope..."
The imperial physician's words were incoherent and absurd, and his voice became lower and lower.
Concubine Yu looked at the imperial physician. The candlelight was dim and the physician's face was blurry. She could only see that his whole body and eyes were covered with the word "well" written all over.
Concubine Yu understood everything.
He used the lives of Prince Jing and his mother to force her to let go of Prince Qing and acknowledge the Jing family's right to educate Prince Qing.
If she did not agree, Prince Jing and his mother would immediately die of poisoning, and she would completely lose Prince Qing. She would also be branded with the infamy of forcing the death of the former crown prince's widow and her foolish nephew.
She lost, completely.
This palace and this government had long become playthings in the hands of the Jing family without her knowing.
Yier fought tirelessly on the battlefield, but in the end she couldn't come back, and instead became the wedding dress of such a person.
She closed her eyes and two lines of tears silently rolled down her cheeks.
However, in order to save the poor lives of King Jing and his mother, she had no choice.
Finally, he said helplessly, "Pass on my imperial decree. Prince Qing Ning Yanhe is young and needs to study hard. From today on, he will move out of the imperial palace and be taught carefully by Lord Jing Pu Ze in the mansion. He does not need to enter the palace without the imperial decree."
The decree was heard like a helpless sigh, dissipating into the night.
The next day, miraculously, the poison to Prince Jing and the former Crown Princess actually gradually subsided. Although they were still weak, they managed to save their lives.
However, Prince Qing Ning Yanhe could no longer be found in the palace.
He was firmly protected by Jing Pu Ze in the Jing family mansion, and from then on, he was truly in the storm.
There was no support behind him anymore, only him, just like Ning Lingyi back then.
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