Chapter 76: The Fourth Prince, Prince Fu, is appointed Crown Prince.
The days grew shorter and shorter; once the hour of You (5-7 PM) had passed, the sun disappeared completely on the horizon, and twilight surged up in layers like a tide.
Luo Fu leaned against the glass window in the east side room, holding a book in her hands. Every now and then, she would look up at the window.
In the past, Xiao Yu would sometimes come home late, and Luo Fu wouldn't have worried. But her father-in-law and two brothers had run into Prince Qi for three nights in a row. The whole family was convinced that Prince Qi was there to ambush Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu refused to bring Qingchuan and other guards with him in case he ran into them and was beaten to death by Prince Qi. Luo Fu was very afraid that Xiao Yu would be beaten up alone.
"Your mother will probably worry about your father for the rest of her life. When you grow up, you must not be like your father and cause your mother headaches all the time."
Touching her belly, Luo Fu whispered to the baby inside.
Remembering how her sister often teased her about the child being brought by the Black Goat, Luo Fu laughed again, happily telling the child about Xiao Yu's experiences in Loujiang. As she was telling the story, she suddenly heard a light tap on the glass window. Luo Fu looked up in surprise, and through the translucent but not entirely transparent glass, she met Xiao Yu's smiling, hazy, handsome face.
Xiao Yu could clearly see the lady's eyes brightening with surprise.
The two looked at each other and laughed for a while before Luo Fu reacted first, glaring at him: "Idiot, why aren't you coming in?"
Xiao Yu then pointed to the light scarlet official robe he was wearing: "I'll go change into my everyday clothes."
Knowing that his wife was waiting for him, Xiao Yu came to the central courtyard first so that his wife could see that he was safe and sound.
Not long after, Xiao Yu returned and sat down next to his wife on the couch. He recounted the complaint he had filed against Prince Qi at the morning court: "The Emperor has issued an edict forbidding Prince Qi from continuing to guard me. I suppose Prince Qi will not dare to violate this rule again."
Luo Fu couldn't help but laugh more as she listened: "Why are you fighting like a child? You can't beat Prince Qi, so you go to Prince Qi's father to complain?"
Xiao Yu: "King Qi treats the law as a joke, so I can only repay him in kind."
Luo Fu leaned against his chest, pondered for a moment, and suddenly realized, "That's why an imperial censor should have your temperament. Once you suspect that a powerful official who has been impeached is going to retaliate against you, you can't wait until you get retaliated before you file a complaint. Instead, you should file a complaint as soon as you find any signs, regardless of whether there is any evidence or not. The bigger the matter becomes, the more people will know about it, and the more the other party will be wary of it. You'll also avoid getting beaten up for nothing."
Xiao Yu smiled and hugged his wife: "That's right. If an imperial censor uses words as a weapon to offend powerful people, then he should also use words as a weapon to protect himself and his family."
Xiao Yu himself was not afraid to confront the Prince of Qi and then impeach him, but he also had a pregnant wife and aging parents, so he had to make more plans for his family.
Luo Fu held his hand and sighed softly, "I hope the person who bribed the Song family to report Prince Qi will remember your contribution and not let you be used as a tool for someone else for nothing."
The censors are in charge of impeaching and correcting illegal activities, but when they impeach officials, the officials are usually punished according to the law. Impeaching imperial relatives is often a thankless task. For example, when Xiao Yu first impeached the crown prince for corruption, the crown prince was only confined to his residence for a year. This time, when he impeached the Prince of Qi and his wife, the emperor's punishment for his son and daughter-in-law was not severe. Instead, it made Xiao Yu a thorn in the side of the Prince of Qi and his wife.
Who is it?
It should be Prince Fu. The Emperor only has three princes left, so Prince Shun is out of the question. Only Prince Fu would have a motive to plot against Prince Qi.
That's good. Prince Fu got his wish. The princess is happy. Xiao Yu has done the work of supporting the emperor twice, even though it wasn't Xiao Yu's original intention.
.
The King of Qi was also wondering who the person behind the scenes was, but no matter who it was, the most important thing at the moment was to win back the Emperor's favor and not let his father really despise him!
After much deliberation, the Prince of Qi went to the Imperial Study to request an audience with his father, the Emperor.
Emperor Yongcheng made Prince Qi stand outside for a long time until he finished reviewing all the important memorials for the day. Only then did Emperor Yongcheng send Eunuch Ma to bring Prince Qi in.
"Father, I have something I'd like to say to you privately," Prince Qi said bluntly, glancing at Eunuch Ma.
The nine sons of the dragon are all different. The former crown prince, Prince Shun, and Prince Fu all respected and feared their father, the emperor. Only Prince Qi was brave and fearless from childhood. He treated his father more like a father and always spoke his mind. When Emperor Yongcheng praised him, Prince Qi was never humble. When Emperor Yongcheng scolded him, Prince Qi would be depressed for a while, but he would soon take it less seriously.
The Prince of Qi was impolite, and the Emperor Yongcheng was even more so, saying to the new memorial he was reading, "Speak if you have something to say, or leave if you don't."
What a joke! He just had an eldest son who wanted to poison him, and now the new crown prince is still undecided. His second son is also a reckless person. Reckless people do reckless things. What if the brave second son catches him when no one is around, threatens him with his life to make him write the decree to establish the crown prince, and then ruthlessly ends his life after he finishes writing it? What can Emperor Yongcheng do?
He's sixty-nine years old, and he can't beat his forty-year-old second son, who's in his prime.
Prince Qi choked, then glanced at the obstructive Eunuch Ma standing there. He walked around the imperial desk, knelt on one knee beside his father, and looked up at him with a wronged expression, muttering softly, "Father, I was wrong. I shouldn't have slept with that maid and then watched the Princess beat her to death. But it's been years. She was just a maid. Hasn't Father thought about who insisted on exposing my shame? I think the person who framed me behind the scenes is even more ruthless. He not only made me lose face but also damaged Father's reputation, making it seem like Father is bad at raising princes. A perfectly good prince has been impeached by the censors one after another."
Emperor Yongcheng slowly put down his pen, looked down at Prince Qi's tiger-like eyes—which were both honest and aggrieved, yet also possessed a fierce quality—and asked in a low voice, "Have you already chosen someone to suspect?"
A flash of malice appeared in the Prince of Qi's eyes, and he spoke in a tone completely like he was complaining to his own father: "It's either my third or fourth brother. They want to fight for the position of crown prince, and they think I, their second brother, am in their way, so they plan to push me out first. Father, I'm not afraid of them competing with me, but I'm angry that they use such despicable means. Is it honorable for brothers to kill each other?"
Emperor Yongcheng nodded, patted his second son's head, and said, "Speak your mind directly, don't beat around the bush, and don't try to outsmart your father. That's what your father likes most about you."
King Qi's eyes lit up, and he quickly flattered, "My father and mother gave birth to me and raised me. I would never scheme against you two."
Emperor Yongcheng turned around completely and looked at his second son, saying, "You have treated me with sincerity, so let me tell you the truth. It was not your third brother or your fourth brother who exposed your shame, but me."
King Qi: "..."
Overwhelmed with shock, Prince Qi lost his footing and collapsed to the ground: "No, it can't be, Father! Father lied to me, didn't he? You were afraid I would retaliate against my third and fourth brothers, so you deliberately took the blame upon yourself..."
Emperor Yongcheng laughed and said, "I am not that biased towards them. I exposed your shame because I know you also want to be the crown prince, but you are not good enough to be the crown prince. You can't see it yourself, so I have to bring up your old records to help you see it clearly."
The King of Qi glared at him, and said defiantly, "How can I not be a good crown prince?"
Emperor Yongcheng leaned back in his chair, casually picked up a pair of walnuts from the imperial desk, and twirled them in his palm as he said, “Cultivate oneself, regulate one’s family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world. Let’s start with self-cultivation. You’ve never liked reading since you were a child. Without reading history, you can’t learn from it. Without reading the works of various schools of thought, you won’t understand the way to govern a country. It’s one thing if you don’t like reading, but you’re also competitive, stubborn, easily angered, and greedy for wine and women. Which of these traits is that of a wise ruler?”
King Qi: "...Your subject is only a prince now, and a prince doesn't need to know so much. But if Your Majesty makes me the crown prince, your subject promises to learn everything from Your Majesty and become a wise ruler!"
Emperor Yongcheng: "Of course you say that while I'm alive. But after I pass away, no one will be able to control you. You'll either spend your days indulging in the harem, or you'll frequently beat and scold the ministers who advise you, or you'll recklessly launch an attack on Yin. Stop with the empty talk. As for managing your family, if you want to be lustful, then find a way to make your queen obedient to you. If you can't make your queen obedient, then don't go around touching other women. But what have you done? You can't even manage a small family, so how can you govern the world?"
Prince Qi tried to argue, but Emperor Yongcheng suddenly leaned down and patted Prince Qi's shoulder with his right hand, which was not used for playing with walnuts. He whispered, "My mind is made up. Just be a prince and be content. If you truly have the heart to serve the country, you will have the opportunity to make a name for yourself when the new emperor attacks Yin. Otherwise, it will be useless for you to fight. You will only dislike the new crown prince. Even brothers should keep clear accounts. I don't need to teach you this, do I?"
King Qi: "..."
He fell into silence and struggle. Emperor Yongcheng ignored him and sat up straight to continue reviewing memorials.
King Qi sat on the ground for a long time, until he resigned himself to the fact that he could not change his father's mind. Only then did he ask in despair, "Then who does Father favor? Tell me, so that I can give up completely."
Emperor Yongcheng: "You'll find out at the court assembly tomorrow morning. Go back now."
King Qi stood up with slumped shoulders. He had entered the imperial study like an eagle about to take flight, but now he was completely soaked. He walked a few steps out listlessly, then turned back, pleading with a bitter face, "Father, I will correct all the faults you mentioned. Can you please reconsider me? Besides, Father will surely live to be a hundred. Please observe us for a few more years. No matter how little I have studied, when it comes to the chances of leading troops to conquer Yin, I am definitely better than my third and fourth brothers."
Emperor Yongcheng didn't even raise his head: "I won't live to be a hundred, and you're still a dog that can't change its nature. Get out of here."
King Qi: "..."
Reluctant to leave, he went to the Empress Dowager's palace to complain about his grievances after leaving the Imperial Study, and also wanted to try and get some information from her.
Empress Gao: "Since your father said it wasn't you, then don't worry about who it was. Go back and have a good talk with your wife. Tell her not to use the whip again. Good and evil are rewarded accordingly. Don't let the murderous intent ruin your and your wife's good fortune for the rest of your lives, or even harm your descendants. Your elder brother is a cautionary tale."
When the deposed crown prince was mentioned, two tears slid down Empress Gao's closed eyes.
The Queen Mother was crying, so even the impetuous King Qi could not continue to pester her and had no choice but to take his leave.
At dawn the next day, the Prince of Qi gritted his teeth and said to his two younger brothers beside him, "Yesterday, Father Emperor told me that he will be appointing a new crown prince later."
Prince Shun exclaimed "Ah!" while Prince Fu kept his eyes down, seemingly lost in thought.
King Qi's gaze swept over the faces of his fat, big-eared third brother and his handsome fourth brother, and he suddenly realized his father's choice—the fourth brother was the best choice, as he would be even more unwilling to lose to the third brother!
King Qi was late to the game. Back when the former crown prince was deposed, the civil and military officials were already 70-80% certain about who the new crown prince would be. After King Qi was impeached, that certainty immediately became 100%.
As expected, the first state matter that Emperor Yongcheng dealt with at the morning court session was to have Eunuch Ma read out the imperial edict, appointing his fourth son, Prince Fu, as the crown prince.
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Author's Note: Here it is! 100 little red envelopes, see you tomorrow~
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