Inside the Forbidden City, Wei Qinglou dismounted and followed the eunuch to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, but instead of the Emperor, he first met His Highness the Crown Prince, who was dressed in a bright yellow robe.
The imperial edict that Wei Qinglou received was also bestowed by the Crown Prince. The edict stated that the Emperor was seriously ill and summoned him to the palace.
He stepped forward, bowed to the Crown Prince standing on the jade steps, and said, "Your humble servant greets Your Highness, may Your Highness live a thousand years and be well."
Gu Chonghua nodded slightly: "Do you know what else I have to do with summoning you to the palace for an audience, besides having you pay your respects to the Emperor?"
Wei Qinglou lowered his head: "Please forgive my ignorance, Your Majesty, I do not know."
Gu Chonghua's expression suddenly changed, turning icy cold. He raised his hand high and slammed the news report in his hand down in front of Wei Qinglou below the steps: "Then take a good look!"
Wei Qinglou picked up the bulletin with the military seal and read it almost at a glance: "...On December 20th, the valiant General Wei Qingwu led three thousand iron cavalry to fight against the Great Qi, but was defeated and no one survived. Wei Qingwu's whereabouts are unknown."
The words written in black and white on white paper are shocking.
Wei Qinglou raised his head with difficulty, looking at Gu Chonghua in disbelief: "Your Highness, what...does this mean?"
Gu Chonghua sneered, "I'd also like to ask you, what does your brother mean? Three thousand iron cavalry, not a single one survived. Only he himself is missing. This is truly..." He sighed slowly, his voice heavy with worry, "It's really hard not to think things through..."
"In order to give an explanation to the heroic souls of these three thousand soldiers, and also to the soldiers of Daye, it seems that Lord Wei will have to stay in this palace for a while from today onwards."
"Don't worry, the Duke of Zhenguo has made great contributions, and you, Lord Wei, have also achieved something. Before the truth comes out, I will not imprison you. This will save face for you and the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. Don't... refuse a toast only to suffer the consequences."
Upon hearing his words, Wei Qinglou raised his eyes in a deep voice: "Does Your Highness mean to place me under house arrest?"
Gu Chonghua had tricked him into the palace, knowing he couldn't turn things around, so he didn't bother with the pretense and simply nodded and smiled, "Even if I want to imprison you, what can you do about it?"
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the lights were dim. Outside the hall stood the young master of the most noble family in the capital, along with several confidants. Further out, there were rows of officers and guards standing ready.
Gu Chonghua was cautious after all. Even though he knew that dealing with Wei Qinglou today would be an easy task, he did not let his guard down and still summoned more than a hundred soldiers from the Azure Dragon and White Tiger Guards to come and support him.
"And then? Shouldn't Your Highness announce the Emperor's passing and your succession to the throne?"
Wei Qinglou then asked with a sigh.
Apart from Wei Qinglou, everyone else present today was a confidant of Gu Chonghua, so he did not conceal his thoughts and plans, and said in a clear voice: "My father has been seriously ill for many days. As his son, I am naturally saddened. However, even the divine tortoise has a long lifespan, let alone a human being. After my father's passing, the only thing I can do is to take on this heavy responsibility and continue the glory of Daye for another hundred years to comfort the spirit of the heavens."
Wei Qinglou nodded, then suddenly raised his sleeves and said loudly, "Prince Cheng, Prince Ke, did you both hear that? The Crown Prince harbors rebellious intentions. If you do not take action now, I fear I will lose my life here today!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Prince Cheng and Prince Ke, who were outside the palace walls, exchanged a glance, sighed, and raised their hands.
In the next instant, countless soldiers lying in ambush on the glazed tiles sprang into action, aiming their arrows at the crowd outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Prince Cheng and Prince Ke emerged from the alleyway, standing with their hands behind their backs beneath the palace wall. Through the swirling arrows and the shimmering moonlight, they gazed at their younger brother standing in the wind under the eaves.
Emperor Wen and his two sons were deeply in love. After their deaths, in order to commemorate his deceased loved ones, Emperor Wen designated his youngest son as his heir, and granted all his other sons princely titles, fiefdoms, and royal residences.
From the moment he was born, the Crown Prince was the Crown Prince. The path he walked was the most enviable and smooth road to heaven in the world, a privilege that no one else had.
He couldn't even have his brothers who shared the same father.
But today, this once smooth and easy road has become a dead end.
Prince Ke glanced at him, then reluctantly looked away; Prince Cheng, however, was very interested in it and stared intently.
"How could you..."
Gu Chonghua spoke in horror, his mind blank, unable to grasp the key point no matter what, "I'm not...one of you..."
He lost his composure and calmness, his voice trembled uncontrollably, his lips quivered, and his gaze became unfocused. All the sharp edge he had shown when exchanging words with Wei Qinglou was gone, replaced by fear and confusion.
Wei Qinglou spoke with pity: "Are you trying to say that you already ordered all the princes to return to their fiefdoms? Why are they here?"
Gu Chonghua turned his head and stared straight at him.
Wei Qinglou slowly said, "Naturally, it's because I sensed something amiss in the palace and sent someone to gather information, which allowed me to be the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."
His Majesty has always been in good health and robust, so how could he suddenly fall ill and have been sick for more than a month?
Furthermore, it is an indispensable ritual for the princes to come to the capital every year. Why is it that at the end of this year, the emperor first delayed their arrival and then sent them back to their fiefdoms?
This was riddled with errors and flaws, and ultimately, it was because Gu Chonghua was too impatient.
"I underestimated you, but man's efforts are futile, and fate is uncertain—" He drew the sword from the guard beside him, surveyed the crowd, and laughed loudly, "Today my fate has run its course, but I, the dignified Crown Prince of Daye, cannot learn the ways of cowardly survival. As for you—"
He raised his head and said, "Your swords are not worthy of being stained with my blood!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the long knife pierced his neck.
This young crown prince, who was only one step away from the throne, ultimately sacrificed his lifelong ideals and ambitions with his blood.
With the crown prince dead, the court was leaderless.
His advisors and the soldiers surrounding the palace walls, seeing that the situation was hopeless and knowing they could not turn the tide, could only kneel down and cry out for mercy.
Wei Qinglou walked up to the group of strategists and asked in a gentle voice, "Where is He Shuangqian?"
The gray-robed man with a goatee rose from among the advisors, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Your Excellency, I am He Shuangqian."
Wei Qinglou scrutinized him for a long time before saying, "Before the Crown Prince planned to attack the Ning family, you wrote a letter to Miss Zhu. I will spare your life today. Would you be willing to become my disciple?"
He Shuangqian bowed again: "I am grateful for Lord Wei's appreciation. However, a loyal minister does not serve two masters. Please forgive my rudeness."
He pulled a short dagger from his pocket, pressed it against his chest, and said with a stern smile, "I know my sins are unforgivable. I only hope that you will consider my service in delivering the message today and treat my mother, wife, and daughters well. If you do so, I will be eternally grateful."
He knelt down in front of Wei Qinglou, kowtowed to the ground, and then exerted force with his hands, instantly collapsing into a pool of blood.
He had long been prepared to die.
If the crown prince wins, he will be guilty of betraying the country and the emperor, and should be sentenced to death; if the crown prince loses, as the emperor's advisor, he should also die in order to repay the crown prince's kindness.
Wei Qinglou lowered his eyes slightly, summoned the guards beside Prince Ke, and said, "Take him away and give him a proper burial."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com