Chapter 152 Never Return to the Capital
Li Yuanyou's heart skipped a beat when he saw Li Yuanzhao's ambiguous smile.
He suddenly realized that his elder sister was truly determined to kill him.
But what lies before him now is a life-or-death question that could lead to his demise if he chooses the wrong option.
After Li Yuanzhao got up and left, Li Yuanyou remained standing there, stunned.
He had a domineering mother, a domineering younger sister, and an even more domineering older sister.
Therefore, having grown up among a group of strong women since childhood, he had already developed a keen ability to assess situations and read between the lines.
He knew better than anyone who could be provoked, who should not be offended, and who he had to rely on.
He understood that no matter what he did, his mother would always side with him.
Sister, don't worry, he poses no threat to you.
Only the Empress is so powerful that no one can match her, and her ambition is also obvious.
He both admired and envied this power, but also worried that it would backfire on him.
Therefore, over the years, he has been meticulous in everything he does and in every way he tries to please her. Perhaps subconsciously he already knew that only in this way could he win her favor and protect himself.
Now, far away in Weizhou, he is isolated and helpless, with no one to protect him.
With just a word from his elder sister, he could die here silently.
He knew that what his elder sister wanted was not his "I won't fight," but a "pledge of allegiance" that would put her completely at ease.
This is proof that he has cut off all his chances of seizing the throne and that the world can see his "indifference to contention".
On the day the gates of Weizhou were opened wide, the people, soldiers, officials, and wealthy families inside and outside the city all witnessed a grand scene that shook the court and the public.
The Second Prince Li Yuanyou, who was crying and looking disheveled in front of the Eldest Princess in the morning, changed into a plain white monk's robe in the afternoon, shaved his head, and knelt in the center of the city gate, bowing and begging for forgiveness to the dense crowd of disaster victims.
His voice was hoarse, yet every word was clearly uttered throughout the city gates.
"I was ordered to provide disaster relief, but I was weak and incompetent, allowing wealthy families to hoard grain and officials to be corrupt, which made the disaster in Weizhou even more severe, and countless people starved to death. My sins are heinous, and I deserve to die a hundred times! Today, I voluntarily shave my head and become a monk, and go to Kaiyuan Temple in Weizhou to practice and chant sutras to help the unjustly killed disaster victims. I hereby swear that I will never return to the capital in this life, and I apologize to the people of Weizhou for this!"
After he finished speaking, he kowtowed three times to the disaster victims.
The onlookers fell silent for a moment.
After a moment, people began to whisper among themselves.
No one expected that this high-ranking prince would cut off his own hair and kneel down in public to confess his sins.
As the disaster victims watched this scene unfold, the hatred that had been building up for days gradually dissipated. Many of them had tears in their eyes, but no one shouted "Kill the Second Prince" anymore.
But those who were paying attention heard a deeper meaning.
The four words "Never return to the capital" were tantamount to declaring that the Second Prince had completely withdrawn from the struggle for the throne.
If he dares to set foot in the capital again and tries to seize the throne, he will lose the trust of the people. He will not only lose their support but also be condemned as a faithless person for all time.
From this point on, the second prince will likely have no chance of ever ascending to the throne again.
In the distance, Li Yuanzhao stood atop the city wall, looking at the figure in white beneath the city gate, his eyes devoid of any emotion.
This younger brother, as he appears, is indeed better at going with the flow than he pretends.
The news quickly reached the capital.
Upon hearing this, the emperor coughed up a mouthful of blood and fainted.
Back then, when the Emperor heard that the Second Prince was besieged in Weizhou and his fate was unknown, he was not so furious. But now that the Second Prince is safe and sound and has become a monk, the Emperor is so angry that he is so upset that he vomits blood and cannot get out of bed.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
Eunuch Xu was so frightened that he rushed forward to support the emperor's limp body.
His voice trembled as he turned and roared towards the outside of the hall, "Quick! Go and summon Imperial Physician Lin!"
The palace was instantly thrown into chaos. The eunuchs hurriedly brought over soft pillows, and someone went to summon the imperial physician.
Footsteps were chaotic, and people were filled with unease.
Prime Minister Zheng had come to plead with the Emperor on behalf of the Second Prince and the Cui family, but he happened to witness this scene.
He stood there, his brows furrowed, his eyes filled with seriousness.
He had long heard of this Imperial Physician Lin; he was a "renowned doctor" sought out by the Princess, who was said to be skilled in treating headaches and had gained the Emperor's deep trust after entering the palace.
For the past six months, His Majesty's daily medicine has been almost entirely managed by Imperial Physician Lin, with even the Imperial Hospital staff unable to get involved.
However, during this period, although His Majesty's headaches did not recur, his health became increasingly weak.
On occasional days, he may appear radiant and have unusually bright eyes, which is like the folk saying "a final burst of energy before death," always exuding an indescribable eeriness.
Now, he couldn't bear the news and fainted, clearly because his inner self was already empty.
"Eunuch Xu, please wait a moment." Prime Minister Zheng stepped forward quickly. "Although Physician Lin is highly skilled, His Majesty's condition is critical this time. It may not be appropriate to invite only one physician. In my opinion, it would be better to also summon the head of the Imperial Medical Academy so that two physicians can treat His Majesty together, thus ensuring His Majesty's safety."
Having served the Emperor for many years, Eunuch Xu was extremely astute and immediately understood the deeper meaning behind Prime Minister Zheng's words.
He nodded immediately and added loudly, "It is said that the Chief Physician of the Imperial Medical Academy is also coming!"
Inside Princess Yaoyang's residence, Li Yuanshu was so shocked by the news that she stood up abruptly, her exquisite makeup concealing an incredulous rage.
"What? Has he gone mad?!"
Her tone was full of exasperation.
"I sent someone to tell him that I only asked him to kneel down and confess his sins in front of the disaster victims to appease the people. I never asked him to shave his head and become a monk, or to swear never to return to the capital."
"Does he even realize what this means?"
She grew angrier as she spoke, and with a sudden flick of her sleeve, she swept the teacup off the table.
“We schemed and made arrangements for him everywhere in the capital. I even put aside my status as a princess and begged people everywhere, but because of him, all our plans were ruined!”
She gripped the edge of the table, her chest heaving violently, her eyes filled with resentment and bitterness.
"Now look what's happened! Li Yuanzhao has become famous in Weizhou and has won the hearts of the people, while we have completely lost hope because of this idiot!"
Cao Dongyang quickly stepped forward and carefully advised, "Your Highness, please calm down. There may still be changes in this matter. After all, the Second Prince is His Majesty's only prince. His Majesty will certainly not easily accept his decision to shave his head and become a monk and never return to the capital. He may even send someone to bring him back to the capital immediately. The imperial decree is hard to disobey, and even a prince has no choice but to comply."
"Yes! Father only has this one son, and he will never let him become a monk!"
Li Yuanshu seemed to have grasped at the last straw, and her eyes suddenly lit up. "I want to enter the palace immediately!"
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