Chapter 442: Unable to Take the Charge
"Don't worry, Min'er. I will definitely find out who is behind this and avenge you. This person is so cruel, I will cut him into pieces to vent my anger."
A fierce look flashed in the prince's eyes. How could he accept that his most beloved child, the one with the most imperial talent, had been cruelly harmed like this?
Unexpectedly, Murong Min reached out and pressed the back of his hand. Even covered with such a thick quilt, his hand was still cold.
"Your Majesty, there is no need to dwell on the dark past. I have come this far and do not wish to cause any more trouble after my death. I do not wish to witness bloodshed. I only wish to come alone and die with a clean conscience. After my death, Your Majesty, please do not investigate this matter. I ask for few things. I only hope that after my death, the concubines of the Eastern Palace can be exempted from the system of being buried alive with their loved ones. They can all be moved to Wanfu Temple to practice for three years on my behalf to pray for my soul. After that, they will be set free. Several of them are in their prime, and I do not want such vibrant lives to be destroyed in my hands. I hope Your Majesty will agree."
Until his death, Murong Min still maintained a kind heart and sought a way out for those around him.
"But they are already royal wives. Even if they survive, they can't remarry. What will happen if they don't stay with you?"
The emperor's thinking is still old-fashioned and traditional. If he dies in the future, many concubines who have no children will inevitably be buried with him.
"Your Majesty, I don't have many wishes, and this is one of them. Please agree to it!" Murong Min insisted.
The emperor had no choice but to nod in agreement.
According to the ancestral system, when the crown prince died, all the concubines who had no children, except the crown princess, had to be buried with him.
This time, maybe it will be the last conversation between father and son. The prince is in a state of last breath, so he can still say a few words to him.
The emperor knew that he could not delay any longer, so he asked him about the issue of appointing a crown prince, wanting to hear his opinion on which of his six younger brothers was capable of becoming the crown prince.
The prince used his last moments of clarity to express his inner thoughts.
"My second brother is kind and honest, but he is timid and cowardly. Although my third brother and I share the same mother, the country is not to be trifled with. He has always had a bad temper and is spoiled and willful. He is not capable of great responsibilities. His best outcome is to become a leisurely prince in the future.
The fourth prince has never been concerned with state affairs. He only has eyes for romance and relies on his status to suppress the people. His character is obvious to all the ministers, and there is no point in saying anything more.
Although the fifth prince pursued a life of leisure and freedom in the early days and kept a low profile, I have discovered that he has been secretly in close contact with many ministers in the past two years, and the ambition in his eyes is obvious. Having ambition is certainly a good thing, but if a person like him sits in a high position, there will be no place for the other brothers in the future.
The Sixth Prince's mother's family is not prominent, his talent is mediocre, and he has neither merits nor faults. However, if he is appointed as the crown prince, I am afraid the ministers will find it difficult to accept. "
Murong Min talked all the way and rejected almost everyone, and now only the seventh prince Murong Huai was left.
The emperor naturally understood what he meant:
"Min'er intends to nominate the Seventh Prince as the crown prince?"
Murong Min nodded in agreement. He was going to die anyway, so he could just say whatever he wanted to say.
"Why does Min'er like Old Seven? Is there a reason?"
In fact, the emperor had already made up his mind, but he still wanted to hear the prince's opinion.
The prince started coughing and his face turned red. The emperor immediately asked someone to bring him some hot tea to help him calm down.
"Min'er, don't be impatient, go slowly."
How could Murong Min not be anxious? He was eager to tell his father what he had seen and known, and wanted to share his father's final worries before he died.
"Father, I have been secretly observing my Seventh Brother for quite some time. Recently, when I was feeling better, I met with him more than once and discussed matters of the heart with him. I discovered that my Seventh Brother has a broad vision and a heart that cares for the world. Although he acted absurdly in his early years, his military talent is evident to all. He never kills innocent people, nor does he use his status to oppress the military and civilians. On the contrary, he integrates them well with the military and civilians.
In the corruption case, he and the fifth brother were equally guilty, but the fifth brother's style of action was harsh and rough, often resolving cases with force and using his status to suppress others, while he won the hearts of the people with his real talent and hard work, always producing solid evidence. What our Jin country needs is an emperor who is wholeheartedly dedicated to the people, not an emperor who will do anything to achieve his goals. Although the fifth brother has certain talents, he is too violent..."
Murong Min was right. If Murong Sheng came to power, he would inevitably force the rest of his brothers into a dead end in order to eliminate dissidents and avoid future troubles.
When the emperor was a prince, he had more than a dozen brothers around him who fought endlessly for the throne. Gradually, his brothers died from various accidents and provocations, and he also emerged from the dire straits.
Isn't it a form of protection for yourself to pretend to be a foolish and wicked person at the beginning?
He chose to jump out and make a splash at the right time, which is why he has reached his current position.
He didn't want to see his closest relatives killing each other, but since ancient times, the road to succession has been a life-and-death struggle.
Now, out of his seven sons, only six are left. Naturally, they only hope that more of his lineage can survive, rather than having to fight for life or death for power.
Having Murong Huai as the crown prince is indeed the best arrangement. He is kind-hearted and gets things done. He will not push his brothers into desperate situations. I believe he is capable of taking on the heavy responsibility.
The rise and fall of a dynasty may sometimes be destroyed by a flawed emperor. He does not want the country's eternal prosperity and the people to prosper in his generation but fail in the next generation.
"I will carefully consider what Min'er said..."
His Majesty has already crossed out the second prince, the third prince, the fourth prince, and the sixth prince from competing for the throne.
Little did they know that in the dark, the man in the brown brocade robe had listened to the entire story, his fingernails clenched so tightly that they almost dug into his flesh.
Why? Why? Because they are both legitimate children. The emperor father has never even glanced at him. Even the queen mother has never given him a second glance. Even though they are both born to her, she always values and cherishes her brother more.
There is also his royal brother, who is usually very tolerant and disciplines him in every way, but he personally told his father that he rejected him and asked his father not to make him the crown prince, but to recommend a younger brother who was born out of wedlock as the crown prince.
He knew very well that his mother and the Imperial Noble Consort had been fighting for their entire lives, but now he was giving up the position of crown prince. If the Imperial Noble Consort became the Empress Dowager in the future, would there be any place for him and his mother?
Why can't he be the crown prince? Why can't he be the emperor?
We are all sons of the emperor. Who says that becoming an emperor must depend on one’s temperament?
It's all fake, all fake! They are just pretending.
Murong Rui was so angry that his eyes were about to burst, but he could not make a sound. If his father knew that he was eavesdropping, he would be finished, but he was really unwilling to give in.
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