The emperor's illness is a big deal, especially for the rich and idle people who claim to live at the feet of the emperor. How can they say, "I don't know" when asked by outsiders?
So, at dawn the next day, everyone from officials and nobles to ordinary people were worried that the emperor had caught a cold.
Someone lamented, "This winter is so cold that even the emperor got sick from the cold."
Someone else echoed, "Yes, yes, I was thinking of taking my family to a hot spring resort. It's such a pleasant experience to soak in hot springs and drink some wine at this time of year."
Many people were worried. "The Emperor is already quite old. This kind of torture is not good for his health. I don't know how capable the imperial physician is. When will the Emperor get better? The New Year is less than two months away!"
Unlike the common people who were just there for fun, the important officials who entered the palace last night had already obtained the information they wanted to know.
Although the process was a little too smooth and aroused suspicion, the shocking extent of the result left no time for anyone to think about it.
Some old ministers who were loyal to the country and devoted to the Great Wei had already covered their faces and burst into tears.
With a monarch like this, how could the Wei Dynasty achieve prosperity and strength, or a prosperous and stable era? The entire country is like a carriage, and the monarch is the horse pulling it. If it only cares about grazing on the weeds and flowers by the roadside, how can we expect it to carry the load and move forward towards a bright future?
"Is the Great Wei Dynasty doomed?" The old minister wept bitterly, almost fainting. Thinking of the three princes who had the greatest chance of succeeding the throne, the situation became even more dire.
Of course, there are also those who are trying their best to preserve the family's wealth and glory. Their first thought is not to worry about the country, but to think that although the emperor has escaped death this time, he may not live long. So which prince should they cling to?
There is no impenetrable wall in the world. Secrets are like cockroaches in the kitchen. You think you are the only one who discovers them, but in fact, others have already killed a hundred of them before.
Before it got dark, several important officials of the same clan, or relatives and friends knew the true story of the emperor's illness.
Anger, shame, worry, secret calculations, all kinds of emotions and actions slowly filled the entire Kyoto.
But everyone's standard action was to keep their mouths shut and not ask how the emperor caught the "cold".
After all, this is tantamount to exposing the emperor's scars, or slapping the emperor directly in the face!
In the spirit of preserving their own lives, everyone remained silent, the entire court hushed. But the fact that no one inquired, no one cared, about the emperor's illness was so bizarre it couldn't be hidden.
So, after serving his father for a day and a night, the third prince returned to his mansion and laughed triumphantly.
He had no idea that he had fallen into the trap of his elder and second brothers, and thought that he had hidden perfectly behind his father, taking advantage of the power of his father, and successfully escaped a disaster!
Zhao Jincheng's uncle, Zhao Chengping, finally had his suspicions confirmed. The unfortunate son was truly courting death, and quite successfully so!
He spent the entire afternoon almost stepping a hole in the floor of his house.
You may not want to save your son. He is the only child in the family. Your little grandson is only eight years old. He takes more medicine than food and looks sickly. No one can guarantee whether he can grow up. Maybe you have to rely on your son to "sow more seeds"!
Moreover, the Third Prince, to silence them, would surely not spare their family, even if it meant killing his unfortunate son. Although their family also bore the surname Zhao, they often used the border troops as armor to flaunt their power. However, those in the know understood that they had no influence over the border troops at all. Even the current general, his nephew, showed little respect for his uncle and wished to sever all ties.
But if he wanted to save himself and rescue his son, he would never be able to impress the Third Prince unless he offered huge benefits and spent a huge amount of money.
He really couldn't bear to give up this benefit and this huge investment...
Finally, at dusk, his wife, worried about their son's absence for two days, came to his study, and he finally made up his mind...
In the Third Prince's residence, the kitchen prepared a few dishes that the master liked and heated up some good wine. The Third Prince had just sat down to have a peaceful meal to calm his nerves when Mr. Liu came over.
The Third Prince trusted Mr. Liu very much, and remembering that they had shared hardships together the day before, he invited him to eat and drink with him.
Mr. Liu looked embarrassed, but he still mustered up the courage to speak, "Your Highness, almost everyone in the court now knows the truth behind the Emperor's cold. I'm afraid the First and Second Princes were involved..."
The Third Prince replied nonchalantly, "I already know. Even if they spread the news, what good will it do? Who would dare to expose it? We'll all just pretend we don't know!"
Mr. Liu was choked up, and he suppressed his anxiety and replied, "Your Highness, they dare not expose it, dare not embarrass the emperor! But they dare to exclude you from the throne! They dare to support the eldest and second princes!"
The Third Prince was stunned for a moment, and finally felt anxious. "Why are these people so unreasonable? I also accompanied my father to the brothel. My father fell in love with the courtesan, how could I stop him?"
"Your Highness, reputation is completely unreasonable. The court officials dare not blame the emperor, so of course they will blame you!" Mr. Liu took the opportunity to suggest, "You must act with caution in the coming days. If the cold weather is severe before the New Year, I will lead people to set up soup kitchens and give away cotton-padded clothes and quilts to the poor. Then you can go out and woo the people!"
The Third Prince was somewhat reluctant to part with the silver, and reluctantly replied, "We'll talk about it later. Sir, you know I'm not well off. Besides, what's the point of winning over the poor? It's better to win over the officials at court."
Mr. Liu was speechless. He was racking his brains to think of how to persuade him again when a guard suddenly reported, "Your Highness, Zhao Jincheng's father, Zhao Chengping, the Cheng Enbo, requests an audience!"
Zhao Jincheng?
The Third Prince didn't react for a moment, but Mr. Liu's eyes lit up and he smiled, "A pillow for when you're sleepy! Your Highness said you were short of money, and here comes the money!"
The Third Prince finally remembered and asked Mr. Liu, pinching his chin. "Although this Cheng Enbo is a coward, he is still a member of the Zhao family. I wonder if he can help me get the border defense troops. If the border defense troops are loyal to me, then the throne will definitely be mine!"
Mr. Liu does not have such extravagant hopes. It is not so easy to win over the border troops. Otherwise, why would the emperor be angry now and allow the six ministries to make things difficult for the border troops?
Soon, Zhao Chengan followed the guards and walked in with his head lowered. Almost as soon as he stepped through the threshold, he knelt down and loudly apologized.
"Your Highness, my rebellious son has committed a serious crime. I beg Your Highness to forgive him!"
The Third Prince snorted coldly, curling his lips sarcastically, "Oh, Lord Cheng'en is well-informed! Do you know what that idiot of yours has done?"
"I dare not, I dare not!" Zhao Chengping kept kowtowing, saying, "Your Highness, please spare my life. My rebellious son's sins are truly unforgivable even if he dies. But this is my only son. I beg Your Highness to show mercy and let him live!"
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