Chapter 167 Competing with the People for Profits
"Oh no, Your Majesty, His Royal Highness Prince Lin has fainted."
Eunuch Feng's anxious voice rang out. The Emperor clutched his Buddhist beads, a flash of worry in his eyes. He said, "Call the imperial physician."
The emperor sat on the dragon throne. He glanced sideways at the carved screen beside him. It was embroidered by the late queen, a painting of a thousand miles of rivers and mountains!
He always wanted to be a wise ruler. After the death of the late queen, he placed all his hopes on the crown prince.
Now it seems that the prince is unable to handle the heavy responsibility.
"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness Prince Lin has been ill from overwork and kneeling for... a long time, which is why he is exhausted and has fainted."
Eunuch Feng paused after finishing his words, then added, "I heard that His Royal Highness Prince Lin works very hard on the fields at the Imperial Farm."
After Eunuch Feng finished speaking, he stepped aside. He could take this opportunity to say a few good words for Prince Lin, which could be regarded as repaying Prince Lin's kindness.
"I'll go take a look."
The emperor stood up and just walked out of the imperial study. He looked at the crowd kneeling on the side without looking away. He was amazed at how the prince could be so bold as to ignore everyone, including his father.
"Father, I want to sue my elder brother!"
When Prince Heng saw the emperor coming out, he immediately rushed over, crying out with snot and tears, "Your son just received news that it was your elder brother who embezzled the 100,000 taels of silver in Nancheng and forced the son of Prefect Xu to death!"
"Brother, this is really too much."
Prince Heng complained with tears and snot, "They forced the girl into marriage and even forced her son to death. The Xu family is truly pathetic!"
Prince Heng listened to the words of his grandfather, the Prime Minister. As long as he could put the blame on the prince and pull him down, wouldn't he be able to become the prince?
By then, wouldn't it be easier for him, as the prince, to earn money?
"Get lost."
The emperor just learned from the prince that he would not tolerate his brothers. Now that Prince Heng has made such a complaint, could he tolerate his brothers again?
"Father..."
Emperor Hengwang fell to the ground with fright, trembling as he watched his father's departing back. His face was wrinkled like a bitter melon. Why did his mother insist on making him the crown prince?
Even if he wasn't the crown prince, he could still make money everywhere.
On the way to the side hall, the emperor asked, "Did the second son really go to the fields to farm?"
"right."
Eunuch Feng said affirmatively, "I heard from the people at the imperial farm that His Highness goes to the fields every day to personally take care of the grain."
"Um."
The emperor's eyes flickered slightly. For more than a month, Prince Lin, who was guilty, did not think about how to exonerate himself, but was worried about whether the crops could be grown.
Entering the side hall, the unconscious Prince Lin drank some water. Seeing the emperor, Prince Lin struggled to stand up and saluted, saying, "Your son pays homage to the emperor."
"No need to be polite."
The emperor asked the imperial physician about Prince Lin's health and was relieved to know that he was just tired.
"Father, Big Brother..."
As Prince Lin began to speak, the Emperor looked at him and asked, "Chu Cong, do you know what the Crown Prince has done wrong?"
“…”
Prince Lin was silent. When he learned that his elder brother had been deposed, he immediately rushed to the palace to plead for his elder brother. Unfortunately, not only did he not see his elder brother, he didn't even get to see his father.
I knelt outside for a whole day and night, but didn't see the emperor.
"He made the dragon robe privately and even wanted to pin the crime of embezzling money on you." The emperor's light words made Chu Cong silent.
The news that the Crown Prince has an affair with Long Yang must never be spread out, otherwise, the royal family of Mu Ning Kingdom will lose face.
Chu Cong looked up in shock, looking at the emperor as if he couldn't believe it. His dark eyes were filled with disbelief: "Father, I am his biological brother!"
"I'm your younger brother, born of the same mother. I've already made it clear to you, big brother, that I have no desire to compete for the throne."
"Why would Big Brother..."
Chu Cong's face was full of disbelief, as if he didn't understand why the prince would harm him.
The emperor looked at his shocked expression, raised his eyebrows, and said, "Second brother, you don't have the intention to fight for the throne?"
"My eldest brother is the crown prince. He is the heir chosen by our father. I just want to assist you well." Chu Cong answered without thinking.
"Promising."
The emperor stared at him intently, seeing his sincere eyes, and asked, "Then how do you want to assist me?"
"If this grain drive is successful, the people of Mu Ning Kingdom may never have to go hungry again."
Chu Cong mentioned the grain and said, "The early rice in Nancheng is about to be harvested, and the rice in the imperial farm has also been planted and is growing strong. I believe that the people may no longer have to go hungry."
"It is enough for the people to live and work in peace and contentment, to have enough food and clothing."
Chu Cong only has the people in his heart. When he mentioned food, his eyes lit up. Compared with the prince who only knew how to take credit, he was simply the best candidate for the prince.
The emperor sighed: What a pity, there is not a single son in the backyard.
"Now, your eldest brother, how do you think we should deal with this?"
The emperor spoke up and said, "Just now, the third son complained that the crown prince had killed Magistrate Xu's son."
Chu Cong looked terrified. He cupped his hands and said, "Father, I am your biological brother. I am not in a position to speak."
"As for my third brother, he believes everything he hears. I'm afraid he was instigated by someone."
After Chu Cong finished speaking, the room fell silent. After a long while, the Emperor finally spoke: "Since that's the case, you can investigate the Crown Prince's affairs as you did before without hesitation!"
"yes."
Chu Cong responded, but as soon as he moved, he felt dizzy again.
"Imperial Physician, when did the second son's health become so poor?" The emperor frowned as he watched this scene and asked, "I heard that only Concubine Shen is waiting on you at the imperial manor?"
"Your Majesty, Shen is pregnant, and she's pregnant with twins." As soon as Chu Cong mentioned Shen Lingshu, he thought of the twins. The emperor knew that Shen Lingshu was pregnant, but he really didn't know that she was pregnant with twins!
"Twins again?"
The emperor looked at him with a blazing gaze, and when he looked at Chu Cong again, the look in his eyes seemed even more different!
The last time the crown prince was deposed, he, who had been childless, now had a child.
Now, the crown prince has been deposed for the second time, and his concubine in the backyard is pregnant with twins again.
If they are twins, a boy and a girl, wouldn’t that be a great blessing?
The emperor kept staring at Chu Cong, thinking: Could it be that God thinks that Chu Cong is the only choice for the crown prince?
Back in the imperial study, the emperor remained silent. "Prince, you will be confined to the clan house from now on, so don't even think about getting out."
The only candidates for the crown prince were the adult Chu Cong and Chu Lian.
The second son, the legitimate son of the Empress, is calm and steady in nature. He is not greedy for fame, nor does he bully others by relying on his power. He cares about the people. The only shortcoming is that his offspring are a little weak.
But Concubine Shen gave birth to twins for two consecutive times, and the second child was still young, so she would not be short of children in the future.
As for the third brother...
The emperor didn't consider at all that the third prince's shrewd calculations were only for making money. Let him be the crown prince? I'm afraid he only wants to use the position of crown prince to compete with the people for profit, how could he think about working for the benefit of the people?
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