Chapter 144 The Third Prince's Downfall...
Putting aside others, the eldest prince is qualified to attend court and participate in political discussions.
Since his seclusion, the eldest prince has been like a wooden figure in court, never speaking a word, lifeless and sullen. It's a mystery how he can tolerate his younger brother's daily exuberance beside him.
But today, a hint of mockery appeared in his eyes. He raised his eyelids to the side, and his gaze finally changed.
The third prince standing beside him had already turned slightly pale, forcing himself to remain calm, his eyes fixed on the lower part of the throne, as if this matter had nothing to do with him: "..."
Even when Emperor Hongren had just demoted a group of officials who were related to the Third Prince, his reaction was not as deliberate as it is now.
The eldest prince lowered his head again, his face still bearing its usual docile expression, silently sneering to himself:
It seems the third brother is involved in this matter.
I don't know which good younger brother pulled some strings again... getting the third brother down to keep him company, which is quite comforting.
Although he had enjoyed such a carefree moment of emotional reverie, the eldest prince became even more vigilant in his rational mind.
—If he wants to make a comeback in the future, this prince who schemes behind people's backs will be his biggest threat. He needs to observe him carefully.
At first glance, neither the sixth nor the seventh brother seemed like the type to harbor such thoughts. It's unclear who hid it so well. But such a sinister attack from behind only happens once in a lifetime, and luckily it was the third brother… so he'll be on guard in the future.
Thinking about it this way, the eldest prince felt even more pleased.
He remained calm and continued listening.
The eunuch Fu Man, who was in charge of the imperial court, had already shown the officials the urgent memorial that was crucial to their safety, as well as the blood-written petition from the common people to the emperor. The various departments were discussing the matter heatedly.
The Ministry of Justice was eerily silent. The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review gritted his teeth and volunteered to investigate thoroughly. The Ministry of Revenue, frowning and lamenting its depleted treasury and inability to provide disaster relief, suggested that convicting the prefect of Yizhou and confiscating his property—wouldn't that be perfect?
Yu Zong was sweating profusely upon hearing this.
Several officials in the Ministry of Personnel who were in the know felt that the Ministry of Revenue had been driven mad; they were practically risking their lives for money, daring to say such things. They could only anxiously focus on discussing where to find replacements if an official in Ji Province were to be taken over… making the argument seem quite lively.
Several reborn officials scattered across the Six Ministries were setting up a trap, while others, taking advantage of the chaos, joined in the commotion, pretending to be the unsuspecting but loyal ones, their expressions utterly righteous.
Several Grand Secretaries—including Mu Jie, who had already semi-retired but had returned to court today—solemnly submitted a joint report demanding severe punishment.
Regardless of other factors, the importance of food supplies has been self-evident since ancient times.
Now that an entire prefecture's grain has vanished, who wouldn't be terrified? Especially with fierce fighting raging on the border... the situation is even more complex. The Grand Secretaries understood the Emperor's mind well; the people were suffering and needed disaster relief, but such sensitive issues that threatened the very foundation of the empire were what Emperor Hongren could not tolerate.
Whether out of public interest or personal motives, the Grand Secretaries had no reason not to report it this way.
Shen Shuzhi kept his head down, not daring to utter a single word, yet he could still feel... His Majesty's gaze burning like fire down the back of his neck. After a period of agonizing waiting, thankfully His Majesty's gaze finally shifted away.
He sighed heavily in his heart.
No matter how hard he tried to avoid it, he couldn't escape it. He's doing well just to be able to protect himself now.
Dong Hanlin was now standing towards the back, but among the low-ranking officials in the back row who were cowering and dared not utter a sound, he was the one who dared to speak up and demand severe punishment. In doing so, he earned an unexpected glance from His Majesty, whose gaze softened slightly.
Once His Majesty's gaze had left him, Dong Hanlin felt weak all over, drenched in sweat, yet a surge of joy welled up inside him: "..."
It's done!
He was furious that the former governor of Yulin, whom he had sincerely promoted, had put him in such a dangerous situation. To make matters worse, the former governor was so ambitious that he dared to conspire with the prince in secret. He was incredibly audacious!
Dong Hanlin can only blame himself for becoming greedy for money after his sudden rise to power, losing his caution and sense of duty, which led to his current predicament.
He was neither a man of the Third Prince nor the Seventh Prince, nor had he made connections like the former governor of Yulin. But now, the Third Prince's man had offered him a way out, both to help him and to save himself. He could only feel sorry for the Seventh Prince, whom he didn't even know.
"..." Emperor Hongren sat above and surveyed the crowd, seeing through everyone's expressions without any attempt to conceal them.
He looked at the indignant Dong Hanlin with surprise, and after several moments of contemplation, his eyes turned gloomy.
Wow... I never expected this...
He actually misjudged it!
Could it be that the matter concerning the Second Prince was actually done by the usually well-behaved and naive Seventh Prince?
After several unpredictable and fluctuating events, Emperor Hongren would not rush to a final conclusion, but he now viewed the Seventh Prince with a colder scrutiny.
This incident further worsened Emperor Hongren's mood, his chest churning with suppressed imperial rage. He stared intently at the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, his gaze cold and piercing. After a few moments of pressure, he finally granted the minister's request: "The matter of Jizhou is to be investigated by the Court of Judicial Review. You must get a result for me!"
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review prostrated himself on the ground, almost weeping with joy: "Your subject obeys the decree!"
The blood-written petition to the emperor clearly stated that the Third Prince's attendants and companions had close ties with several officials in Jizhou and had committed numerous misdeeds together. Each and every case had a victim crying out for justice. Furthermore, the grain official guarding the granary had also been bribed to transport away large quantities of grain, and no one in Jizhou dared to utter a sound...
If it weren't for this incident that stirred up public resentment and someone daring to file a complaint, I really don't know how long the matter in Jizhou would have been kept under wraps until it was exposed... Perhaps another natural disaster would have occurred?
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was from Hedong. He was most afraid that His Majesty would associate them with the Third Prince. He was usually very cautious and would try to keep his distance from the Third Prince. He wished he could hang a plaque on himself that said: "I am not a member of the Third Prince's faction."
His Majesty has suspected them for quite some time now.
Although Shen Shuzhi had long ago expressed his ambitions and had returned from leaving the capital to avoid suspicion, entrusted with an important task, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review still felt uneasy. Now, His Majesty was willing to let him investigate the scandalous affairs related to the Third Prince…
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, on the contrary, became increasingly resentful.
They were never on the same side to begin with, and he, a loyal subject of the emperor, isn't afraid of offending the Third Prince! This must be thoroughly investigated! Investigate carefully!
Didn't you see that, apart from the officials in charge, the Grand Secretaries, and some hot-headed minor officials, the loudest voices in the hall came from the people of Hedong? They usually don't have the chance, but for their own future, they now have to give the Third Prince a good kick!
There are some concerns about the future, but only a fool would give up present wealth, high position, and blessings for future generations when the future is uncertain and uncertain!
Emperor Hongren watched as the Six Ministries began discussing how to provide disaster relief to Ji Province.
They're so stingy with money for the front lines, they can't afford a single penny. All the states have already increased taxes and military pay this year, how can they possibly squeeze out relief grain? The discussions will probably drag on for another three to five days; they're really thinking about getting back the missing grain.
Emperor Hongren remained expressionless, his gaze finally shifting to the third prince, who was cowering like a quail at the lower end of the table:
"...Do you have anything to say?"
Judging from his appearance, if Emperor Hongren really doesn't call him, he's probably planning to remain silent and pretend he doesn't exist the whole time.
The third prince knelt on the ground with a thud, tears streaming down his face, and begged for forgiveness: "Your subject knows that he has failed to properly control those around him, and he will accept whatever punishment His Majesty may give them! For the sake of the suffering people, and to atone for their sins, your subject and mother are willing to sell our property and offer silver and grain, and we will go back to make preparations..."
Emperor Hongren remained silent for a long time.
He could now clearly distinguish which of the things Consort Rong had instructed the Third Prince to say, and which were the Third Prince's own heartfelt actions.
The third prince knelt on the ground, his heart pounding with fear, but the tears streaming down his face were genuine and heartfelt.
He recalled the panic he felt two days ago when the incident occurred, and his anxious discussion with his mother.
By the time they found out, it was too late; the accusers and reports of the disaster were already heading to the capital.
During this time, there were always people spying outside the palace gates, or rather, the Emperor was openly watching what he was planning. This made the Third Prince afraid to contact So-ge and send someone to cover up the truth and assassinate him.
In contrast, the Third Prince paid no heed to the rumors and gossip that were meant to humiliate the Second Prince.
It was Mother Consort who remained calm. After learning when he had colluded with foreign officials to embezzle grain and secretly expand his power, she calmly announced with a pale face: "Sacrifice You and the others, and I only ask that His Majesty not pursue your crimes too much this time... If he doesn't demote you to a commoner, that would be the best ending for us, mother and son."
You-ge is the leader among the few remaining companions of the Third Prince.
His power was gradually reduced to almost nothing before and after the last time the eldest prince committed a crime. After losing the support of the Hedong faction and his maternal grandfather, who was an official, he was in a much worse state.
His mother felt reassured and encouraged him to participate in politics and demonstrate his abilities.
Having tasted the sweetness of success, the third prince could no longer suppress his ambition and resentment, and continued to be a prince without any power, just like his younger brothers.
Doesn't he know his own limitations? His father also knows he's exceptionally capable. Besides, those officials who secretly contacted him, those willing to pledge their loyalty… did he do it willingly? Was it because he didn't want to refuse them?
All these factors combined meant that even though the Third Prince knew his eldest son had offended his father and become what he was, he couldn't resist the temptation and secretly colluded with Ji Province.
This is what he deserves.
The sixth brother is the Empress's legitimate son, and being by the Empress Dowager's side, he enjoys even more favor, possessing numerous advantages, and as he grows older, how could the third prince not feel anxious?
He has nothing now and must secretly develop his own business.
...
After this incident, the Third Prince could only obediently follow his mother's orders, no matter how reluctant he was. When discussing with his mother the First Prince's disregard for his subordinates, his mother had commented, "The First Prince has made a wrong move this time, and he's going to lose everything."
His mother remained calm and composed, without showing any anger, and replied, "The two of you are at different levels of importance. If you want to protect yourself, you must sacrifice them. Don't plead for them. Just say that..."
She taught the third prince a passage so that he could recite it when questioned by his father.
The Third Prince spent several days feeling like he was being boiled in oil. He was unwilling to accept it, but he also realized that, like the First Prince before him, he had completely lost the means to struggle and could only wait for the day when he would be held accountable.
However, my mother is still able to do some things while she's in the palace...
For example, they secretly contacted Dong Hanlin, who had lost the emperor's favor.
The third prince was puzzled: "Why are you looking for him?"
Since this person is being used as an accomplice in the "bullying of the second prince" incident to attack the third prince, and it seems they are about to launch an attack together on the day of the grand court assembly—but the person who sent the governor of Yulin to bully his brother was not the third prince!
He was now unjustly accused and harbored some hostility towards Dong Hanlin.
"He's not one of ours. Apart from the Sixth Prince who's not here, the only other option is to win him over and focus our efforts on the Seventh Prince," Consort Rong said. She wouldn't underestimate any of the princes, although she didn't know who was framing her behind the scenes.
However, since his own son was about to fall this time, he decided to dig a pit for the seventh prince in the capital as well.
"Will he still help us?" the Third Prince questioned.
"If he wants to climb the ladder, he will," Consort Rong said gently, serving tea and seeing the guest off. She didn't want to say another word and sent away the son who had once made her proud since childhood.
The slender figure remained seated, motionless.
The Third Prince could only retreat in frustration and return to his quarters.
"..." He was tormented by a bitter feeling, realizing that he had made a wrong move and had now seriously implicated his mother.
What should we do next?
The third prince, kneeling in the grand court, wept, his pride shattered and replaced by panic and confusion.
He excelled at everything from a young age, was his father's pride, and a role model for his brothers. Why then did he fail to perform well in court?
The third prince suddenly realized:
His downfall was all because of the very people who initially prevented him from growing stronger and repeatedly reduced his manpower...
In reality, it was his father, the emperor.
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Author's Note: Emperor Hongren: Bah! You exploit the people and embezzle grain, and you still have the nerve to blame me?!
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