Chapter 328: The Duke's Mansion is no longer suitable for taking sides

Song Junyan only took a cup of tea to sit back next to Lu Xinran.

The food sent by the kitchen has been laid out, but he has no mood to enjoy it at the moment.

Everything that happened today happened too suddenly, leaving them unprepared.

On his way back home, he kept reflecting on why he had become so passive today.

They were too optimistic about the situation and ignored the fact that the other side had been planning for so many years and was eager to do so.

Lu Xinran told him everything that happened in Ruyi Tower today in detail, "Do you think Yunsong is too anxious?"

He had been hiding for so many years, and he also used the identity of the Yun family's manager, so his plan went exceptionally smoothly.

Normally, if one plan fails, he would have other plans. Why would he be so anxious to expose himself?

Song Junyan also felt that what happened today happened too suddenly, "Have you read all of his life?"

"not yet."

This man's mind was as full of tricks as a sieve. She was dazzled by what she read. She had to guess his purpose after just turning a few pages. It was really hard for her to read as she was not good at calculating.

Some of Yunsong's arrangements seemed fantastic, and she needed time to analyze and compare them slowly.

"Well," Song Junyan nodded calmly, "Then let's take a look at his physical condition first."

He was in such a hurry, perhaps because his body couldn't hold on for much longer and he needed to get things done quickly to pave the way for his offspring.

Lu Xinran understood what he meant and immediately flipped through the booklet, but the booklet did not provide much description of his physical condition.

He still had his pulse checked by a doctor every five days, and the soups and medicines he took were mainly nourishing.

After listening to her description of Yunsong's physical condition, Song Junyan hesitated for a moment before saying uncertainly, "Look at it from another angle. He already needs a pulse check every five days, and he can't stop taking nourishing medicine. His body may have been so broken that he can barely hold on."

He had to keep planning, which was a huge burden on his body.

Lu Xinran pursed her lips and felt that what he said made some sense.

"I know who the doctor who treated him is and where he lives. Have someone kidnap him and bring him back to the palace so we can confirm it."

If Yunsong really doesn't have many days left to live, he will probably become even crazier.

After all, a dying person has no scruples and is more willing to take risks.

Song Junyan nodded, asked for the name, identity and address, and then went out to make arrangements.

Lu Xinran was not idle either. He went into the study, asked someone to prepare paper and pen, and then opened Yunsong's booklet again.

In the Duke's Mansion, the old lady's room.

The queen calmly revealed the emperor's true identity.

He also told them the identity of Yunsong, who had surrounded Lu Xinran and her sister in Ruyi Tower today.

The old lady's face turned pale and she was speechless for a long time.

Her Bingxia, the daughter she raised with great care, was forcibly married into the palace and ended up with such a fate.

That would be fine, but...how could the late emperor be so cruel and vicious to let her child torture the Zhang family like this!

Her breathing was a little difficult and her vision went dark.

The queen had been watching her expression since she finished speaking. Seeing that something was wrong with her, she hurried forward and supported her so that she could lean on her.

"Grandma, I am telling you this because I feel that the truth cannot be hidden from you.

"But the emperor...he never acknowledged my aunt as his mother, nor did he acknowledge the Zhang family as his maternal family.

"He just wants to be like his father and completely eliminate the threat of the Zhang family. He has never recognized us in his heart.

"So I don't want you to soften your heart because of this relationship. To us, he is just an emperor with a heart full of jealousy and suspicion."

The old lady closed her eyes and hesitated for a long time before slowly sitting up.

She raised her dry palm and gently placed it on the back of the Queen's hand: "Don't worry, I understand, I know what you mean, and I won't be so old and foolish as to force myself to do something for someone who has already passed away."

Her daughter was long gone, and the children she left behind never acknowledged her for who she was.

So, if that’s the case, there’s no need to be too demanding.

Zhang Yongping kept frowning as he thought about the developments in the court and the emperor's various actions in recent times, and he sighed in his heart.

"Your Majesty, have you been focusing on your health and the harem these days?"

Their emperor had always been somewhat greedy for women, but in recent years he stopped visiting his concubines every day due to poor health.

Before, he just had the will but not the strength to do so, but he was not so weak that he could no longer have sex with his concubines. However, the tiger and wolf medicine completely deprived him of this ability. The ministers in the court could all feel his irritability during this period.

In recent days, many people have been caught by the emperor making mistakes during the morning court session and have been reprimanded or demoted.

Now everyone in the court is in danger. No one dares to report matters at the morning court session. Even the memorials have been piling up in the inner cabinet for some time.

The Queen sneered, and when she thought about the Emperor constantly sending imperial physicians away these days, her eyes were filled with schadenfreude.

"If he keeps quiet and abstains from sex for three to five years, maybe his body will recover a little, but he..."

How can a person who is used to eating fishy food resist stealing a bite?

Let alone three to five years, even three to five months would be difficult for the emperor to control.

"Father, the emperor's health is probably weaker than it appears. If he is plotted against by Yunsong's people again, perhaps..."

He could die suddenly at any time.

The Queen's words were half spoken and half revealed, but how could Zhang Yongping not understand?

His face was extremely solemn. He stared at the queen for a long time and finally asked, "So what are your plans?"

"My daughter wants to help the King of Wei ascend to the throne. She was raised by my daughter, and her character and personality have stood the test. She is also the one who has the least hostility towards the Duke's Mansion among the many princes."

"But the Duke's Mansion is no longer suitable for taking sides."

"This is a different time. Father, if Yunsong gets what he wants, or someone else gets the throne by chance, what will be waiting for the Duke's Mansion at that time?"

The emperor is no longer in his prime as everyone thinks, and he still has at least 20 to 30 years to live.

He is courting death like this, who knows when he will suddenly die? !

Zhang Yongping clenched his hands tightly behind his back. Even when the Duke's Mansion was in the most difficult times, he and his father had never thought of betraying them.

Now... openly supporting the prince, does this really not count as going against ancestral teachings?

"Father," the queen saw his eyes tremble, and knew that he was struggling with his conscience. "The Prince of Wei is the son of the emperor, and is also my aunt's blood descendant. He is a legitimate prince. If he can ascend the throne, he will be an emperor that no one can find fault with. How can we be considered to be violating our ancestral teachings by not supporting a person of a different surname to ascend the throne?"

Zu Xun only said that they should not be allowed to participate in the struggle for imperial power. But... hasn't the struggle started yet?

The old lady sighed and made the decision while Zhang Yongping was still hesitating.

"Let's do as you say. Our Duke's Mansion has long been unable to remain immune to the situation, and there is no need to stick to those corrupt rules."

If we continue to defend it, I'm afraid the entire Duke's Mansion will be destroyed.