Chapter 70: Emperor Yongcheng feeds the Crown Prince noodles.
After the Crown Prince, in a panic, ran to Empress Gao to inquire about the situation, in June, Emperor Yongcheng did something that caused a great deal of discussion among the officials in the capital: he replaced all the military officers and guards of the Imperial Guards guarding the capital who had been recommended, promoted, or received favors from the Crown Prince, totaling more than 300 people, either directly dismissing them or transferring them to local areas.
The Crown Prince had served as regent during Emperor Yongcheng's two northern expeditions. This regentship gave him the opportunity to cultivate his own faction, something Emperor Yongcheng was not unaware of. However, Emperor Yongcheng had always placed high hopes on the seemingly capable and meritorious Crown Prince, and didn't mind his petty actions, since the throne would eventually be passed to him anyway. The more Emperor Yongcheng tacitly approved, the bolder the Crown Prince became. Even when he wasn't regent, the Crown Prince would occasionally recommend a few of his own people, mostly civil officials. As for military officials, because Emperor Yongcheng was preoccupied with the northern expeditions, the Crown Prince couldn't and dared not interfere with high-ranking generals, so he only promoted a group of Imperial Guards.
In the case of corruption in the four prefectures, Emperor Yongcheng did not severely punish the crown prince at the time, but in the following two years, Emperor Yongcheng used the Censorate to punish a group of civil officials who were loyal to the crown prince. The crown prince knew about this, but he had a guilty conscience and guessed that his father probably did not believe his explanation. He was not so angry as to want to depose him, but he wanted to teach him a lesson in this way.
As long as it appeases his father's anger and doesn't directly punish him, the Crown Prince isn't afraid of such a lesson. After all, once he ascends the throne, it's up to him to decide which minister to appoint.
This year's situation is quite different. Because both Prince Qi and Prince Fu have taken concubines from wealthy families, the Crown Prince has realized that his position is unstable. At this time, his father suddenly eliminated his influence in the Imperial Guard, which is practically telling everyone in broad daylight that he really wants to depose the Crown Prince!
The crown prince began to have sleepless nights, and his understanding of the chess game his father had been playing for two and a half years became clearer and clearer.
His influence among civil officials was widespread throughout the capital and the provinces, like a thick tail, so the emperor spent two whole years cleaning him up, while simultaneously using kind words to lull him into complacency.
His wife's family, the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, was like his strong left arm. His father feared that if he revealed his intention to depose the crown prince, the Duke of Dingguo's mansion would persuade him to help him seize power. Therefore, by giving a daughter of the Li family to his fourth brother as a concubine, the emperor told the Duke of Dingguo's mansion that even if they lost one crown prince's son-in-law, they would still have the opportunity to have another crown prince's son-in-law. This completely separated the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, which was already loyal to his father and would not easily rebel, from him, which was equivalent to cutting off his left arm.
The three hundred Imperial Guardsmen who might have supported his rebellion were his right arm, and they too were chopped into pieces by his father.
Now that he has lost his tail and his arms, he is powerless to rebel even if he wants to. The next thing the emperor should do is to depose him, right?
There needs to be a reason to depose the crown prince. It just so happens that Xiao Yu has returned to the capital. If the emperor could just give him a hint to impeach him again, wouldn't the emperor be able to order the three judicial departments to re-examine the disaster relief case in the four prefectures and definitively convict him of being cruel and inhumane?
Don't say there's no evidence. If you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext. Not to mention that back then, the Emperor might have hidden irrefutable evidence that he was the mastermind behind the corruption in the disaster relief efforts in the four prefectures!
Sweating profusely, the prince sat up, clutching his chest, and gasped for breath in the darkness.
He's forty-five, and has been the crown prince for thirty-five years. His father is sixty-nine, and his grand coronation is just around the corner. But now his father wants to depose him, and he's unwilling to accept it!
The prince clutched his inner robe tightly to his chest, his eyes, which gleamed with a resentful light even in the darkness, fixed intently on the outside of the tent.
If you don't want to sit and wait for your death, then you have no choice but to take a risk!
If the Emperor were to suddenly fall ill and die before instructing Xiao Yu to impeach him again, and the late Emperor were to pass away, it would be only right and proper for him, as the Crown Prince, to ascend the throne!
.
It's no wonder that the Crown Prince, despite being confined for a year, never worried that his father would depose him. For more than a year after his release, before bestowing marriages upon the Prince of Qi and the Prince of Fu, Emperor Yongcheng treated the Crown Prince exactly the same as before the disaster in the four prefectures. For example, he often summoned the Crown Prince to the Imperial Study to discuss state affairs, and in his spare time, he would invite the Crown Prince's great-grandchildren to his side to play with him. Even during the Crown Prince's confinement, Empress Gao often had the Crown Princess accompany him.
The Crown Prince's grandson, Haoge'er, is four years old this year. These past two years have been a lively and adorable time for him, and he is very much favored by Emperor Yongcheng. Emperor Yongcheng has never been so patient in coaxing or holding his four own sons.
Hao Ge'er's birthday is on the 19th of July, and the Eastern Palace will definitely be lively. The Crown Prince asked the Crown Princess to inquire with the Empress Dowager in advance whether the Emperor and the Empress Dowager would like to come to the Eastern Palace to celebrate their great-grandson's birthday.
Empress Gao: "I will definitely go, but it depends on whether your father is available."
A day later, Empress Gao sent someone to the Eastern Palace to confirm that she was the only one who would go there to celebrate her great-grandson's birthday.
The crown prince was not disappointed.
In the capital, people have a custom of eating longevity noodles to celebrate their birthdays. This was also the case in the hometown of Emperor Yongcheng and his wife. So, when the five siblings of the Crown Prince were young, no matter whose birthday it was, Empress Gao would have the kitchen prepare a pot of longevity noodles, and the whole family would eat together.
On the 19th of July, the kitchen of the Eastern Palace also prepared a pot of longevity noodles.
Empress Gao knew that her husband, the Emperor, intended to depose the heir apparent, and she supported him. However, when she actually came to the Eastern Palace and saw her grandchildren and even great-grandchildren whom she had watched grow up, Empress Gao still felt heartbroken and sad for them. But she did not show it. With a loving smile, she accompanied the family to eat the longevity noodles prepared by her great-grandson, Hao Ge'er.
As the banquet ended and Empress Gao was about to leave, the Crown Prince said with a smile, "Mother, please wait a moment. Hao-ge'er has learned a new skill this year and wants to show it off to his father. Please help Hao-ge'er take a look."
Four-year-old Hao stepped forward eagerly.
Empress Gao thought this was the Crown Prince's way of currying favor with the Emperor, and asked with great interest, "Hao-ge'er, tell your great-grandmother, what special skill have you learned?"
Hao-ge'er said in a clear voice, "I can make noodles now. I want to make a bowl of longevity noodles for my great-grandfather."
Empress Gao's heart skipped a beat. With so many things happening recently, especially something as important as food, it was hard for her not to overthink things.
The Crown Prince interpreted his mother's hesitation as surprise or fear of trouble, and pleaded on behalf of Hao Ge'er, saying, "Mother, Hao Ge'er heard that Father Emperor was too busy to come, so he thought of making longevity noodles to show his filial piety. Please grant his wish."
The grandfather and grandson looked at her expectantly, and Empress Gao had no reason to refuse.
The kitchen delivered a cutting board, kneaded dough, a charcoal brazier, a pot, and condiments such as oil, salt, vegetables, meat, and eggs for cooking the noodles.
After washing his hands, Hao-ge'er had his sleeves rolled up with the help of his wet nurse. The four-year-old boy walked to the board and, with great seriousness, pinched off a small dough ball from the large dough ball. Then, with his chubby little hands, he carefully rolled the small dough ball into a long noodle, though not very uniform in thickness. He rolled nine noodles in a row.
"Great-grandmother, I can also cook noodles, watch me."
Hao-ge'er had indeed practiced, and he proudly cooked a bowl of longevity noodles.
The Crown Princess helped scoop the noodles into a bowl and put them into a food box.
After washing his hands again, Hao Ge'er wanted to personally deliver the noodles to the Qian Yuan Hall.
Empress Gao smiled and said, "Alright, your great-grandmother will accompany you." Then, on the grounds that she was afraid too many people would cause trouble for the Emperor, she asked the Crown Prince, the Crown Princess, and others to stay behind.
The old man and the young man walked slowly, and it only took them the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to get from the East Palace to the Qianyuan Hall. Emperor Yongcheng had lunch alone and was resting in a side hall, lying there without being sleepy.
"Great-grandfather!" Hao Ge'er happily rushed into Emperor Yongcheng's arms.
After watching the great-grandmother and grandson being affectionate for a while, Empress Gao pointed to the food box that had been handed to Eunuch Ma and recounted in detail how Hao-ge'er had made longevity noodles.
Emperor Yongcheng held Hao Ge'er in his arms, listening with a smile, not missing the part his wife said: "The kitchen only kneaded a large dough ball for Hao Ge'er."
"Bring it over here."
"yes."
Eunuch Ma put down the food box, took out the still steaming bowl of noodles, placed it on the low table next to Emperor Yongcheng, and then set out the chopsticks.
Meeting Hao Ge'er's expectant dark eyes, Emperor Yongcheng patted the boy's head and said, "Great-grandfather just ate and isn't hungry at all. How about this, call your grandfather over, and the three of us will each have three noodles. After eating, we'll all live to be a hundred years old, okay?"
Hao-ge shouted, "Good!"
Emperor Yongcheng gave Eunuch Ma a wink, and Eunuch Ma immediately sent a young eunuch to the Eastern Palace to invite the Crown Prince.
Inside the side hall, Empress Gao looked worried and seemed about to say something, but Emperor Yongcheng shook his head at her.
In the Eastern Palace, the eunuch who delivered the message only received the Emperor's decree from Eunuch Ma: "The Emperor has summoned the Crown Prince." So no matter how much the Crown Prince tried to find out more information, the eunuch claimed he knew nothing, truly knew nothing.
The Crown Prince's back began to sweat again, but since his mother had just left, he had no reason to feign illness and not go. Thinking that the amount of arsenic added to the nine noodles wasn't enough to immediately cause his father to show symptoms, the Crown Prince secretly wiped the sweat from his forehead and set off as if nothing was wrong.
The Crown Prince strode forward, and when he stood before the Emperor and Empress, the bowl of noodles on the table was still steaming, though not scalding hot.
Emperor Yongcheng looked at the Crown Prince and smiled as he told him about his plan for the nine noodles.
The Crown Prince's pupils contracted sharply, but in this life-or-death situation, his mind raced! His father was old, and even the arsenic in three noodles could probably make him too ill to govern. He was still young, so he dealt with his father first, then went back to the Eastern Palace and induced vomiting. He figured there wouldn't be any serious problems, and he would find another opportunity to get rid of his father completely later.
"Thank you, Father Emperor, for granting me this honor," the Crown Prince said, his eyes filled with tears. He perfectly conveyed the surprise and emotion of a son who thought he had been neglected by his father but suddenly learned that his father still valued him.
Emperor Yongcheng's expression was quite ordinary; after all, bestowing noodles upon his son was a trivial matter to him.
"You feed our little birthday boy first," Emperor Yongcheng instructed the Crown Prince, having seated Hao Ge'er near the edge of the bed.
The Crown Prince steadily picked up the bowl of noodles, and when he picked up a noodle and handed it to Hao Ge'er, he paused, finally remembering that his grandson would also be poisoned if he ate the noodles.
But the Crown Prince immediately and steadily continued to feed the noodles to Hao Ge'er's mouth. He would also induce vomiting in his grandson when he got back. It would be best if Hao Ge'er was alright, but if something really happened, he wouldn't miss having another grandson.
"Wait." Emperor Yongcheng suddenly pressed down on Hao Ge'er, snatching the chopsticks and bowl of noodles before the Crown Prince could react, and said expressionlessly, "Let me feed you first."
Crown Prince: "..."
Although he vaguely sensed something was wrong, the Crown Prince still respectfully ate the three noodles that his father had personally fed him, given the imperial decree.
But Emperor Yongcheng picked up the fourth one and wanted him to continue eating.
The crown prince's voice began to tremble: "This, Father Emperor didn't say..."
"I've changed my mind. You can eat all nine noodles."
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Author's Note: Filial Piety and Fatherly Love.jpg
100 little red envelopes, see you tomorrow~
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