Chapter 198 (Chapter 198) - Cousin Inherits the Title and Causes Harm
After pondering for a long time, Xiao Chengzi finally came up with an answer. He forced a smile and said, "Your Highness, this is just something I came up with casually. Even if His Majesty intends to release the Third Prince in the future, whether you like him or not, it's hard to change such a thing, isn't it?"
Qi Chengming seemed to be deep in thought, and then put himself in others' shoes: "—For example, me."
Rumors were circulating that Emperor Hongren seemed to truly love the Second Prince, but Qi Chengming knew how much the original owner of this body was disliked by the emperor. If he hadn't transmigrated with a cheat system, how could the Second Prince have survived in Liuzhou, where he was exiled, struggling to find food, drink, and medicine, with no subordinates, facing difficulties from the outside world, and surrounded by natural and man-made disasters?
Qi Chengming admired his vigorous vitality, which allowed him to survive the torment and death of the original male protagonist just like in the original novel!
So it seems... Emperor Hongren's dislike for him is irreversible. The only reason Emperor Hongren has taken him seriously lately is because he displayed his abilities and skill.
Qi Chengming mentally reviewed the items in the system store, pausing particularly on the heavy metal antidote. He then thought of the radar and cameras in his residence that were constantly monitoring the palace, and a plan formed in his mind.
If all else fails, he doesn't need filial piety or parental love. Regardless of Emperor Hongren's true intentions, he is determined to sit on the throne.
...
The princes and their brothers were all locked in several private rooms on the same floor. In such a short distance, no one could keep a secret from anyone making a slight movement; everyone would know.
Lying listlessly in bed, Qi Chengming pondered his dark thoughts when he heard a violent vomiting sound coming from afar. Immediately following was the familiar voice of a young eunuch pleading with someone to eat, his voice becoming increasingly agitated: "Your Highness... please have some more! Just one more bite! You absolutely cannot not eat!"
"How is His Highness?" The eunuch who had been waiting anxiously outside the window suddenly raised his voice and asked in a loud voice.
Qi Chengming gave a look, and Xiao Chengzi understood and went over to take a look. He lowered his voice and said, "...It's someone from Consort Shu's palace. People from several other palaces are also waiting, but I can't remember their names."
He added, "This servant vaguely saw the servant boy that Consort Xue's cousin usually employs."
If Xiao Chengzi hadn't been taken to the cement factory twice before, he wouldn't have recognized this servant.
Qi Chengming felt a warmth in his heart.
It was one thing for his maternal grandfather's carriages to be waiting outside all the time, but the fact that the Xue family cared about him so much showed they had some thought to it.
The eldest prince sounds increasingly unwell; he can't even eat, how can he recover?
Qi Chengming was quite unsure of what to do.
He had a bold and malicious worry... that this plot, which wasn't in the original book, might take away one of the princes.
...
While Qi Chengming was speculating, others who were worried about him were also out there worrying.
During the ten-plus months that the princes stayed at Chun Ya Pavilion to recuperate, the Mu family received a ton of invitations. Unfortunately, it wasn't a good time to cause a stir and risk being discovered, so the Minister of Justice had to secretly contact the reborn officials. At least five or six of the most important officials in the court managed to meet and have a tense exchange.
"I am in charge of the library, and I have been sending people day and night to find a solution..."
"What exactly happened? The original one—it's not here!"
"Silence!"
"Is someone trying to murder me..." The official from the Imperial Observatory narrowed his eyes meaningfully; those in his position were most perceptive in this regard.
"I have no choice but to seek medical help everywhere. Fortunately, they are all doing the same thing in a panic, so we can blend in and remain inconspicuous." Another official with a long beard forced a bitter smile.
In the previous life, the new emperor didn't return to the capital at all! Where would he have had the chance to contract something as deadly as smallpox?
The Seventh Prince himself quietly contracted and recovered from a certain illness one year, and was moved from the palace to outside the palace and back again. Such a trivial matter was known only to a few tutors in the Imperial Study, and other reborn people had not even paid attention to it.
After the incident, they spent a long time anxiously and angrily reviewing the accounts before realizing where the crucial mistake had occurred:
In this life, thanks to their rebirth and assistance to the new emperor, most of the harsh treatment and hardships of the previous life have been resolved. The new emperor's reputation in the south is higher than ever before, so much so that it caused changes in the political situation of the country early on. He was exposed and recalled to the capital, where he stands out from the crowd.
According to the original schedule, the new emperor would have to struggle in Liuzhou for several more years before being summoned back to the capital for showing his talent, thus getting caught up in this great storm!
“Those princes have never experienced anything like this either.” Some people began to abandon all decorum and pray to the gods, hoping in their hearts that the new emperor would not cause any trouble.
As for the other princes, whether they were good or bad was actually not taken seriously by these reborn ministers. In the previous life, even with the new emperor facing such difficulties before ascending the throne, he was still able to keep the other princes in check. In this life, with their assistance, the new emperor is even more powerful.
What they fear is that the changes are so drastic... the road ahead is becoming increasingly unknown, and they don't know what they will encounter in the future.
These reborn ministers also experienced the benefits of making choices based on knowing the plot, which is why they are so anxious about gains and losses.
But no matter what, those outside can only wait anxiously.
Wang Shuo was even more upset.
His succession date was set for the seventeenth of this month, an auspicious day chosen by the Imperial Clan Court and approved by the Emperor. Wang Shuo had been eagerly anticipating his cousin's attendance; his grandparents were looking forward to it day and night, and it wouldn't be appropriate to meet him during that crucial period without a proper reason.
result……
A bolt from the blue struck: my cousin got smallpox!
Not to mention that the old Weiyong couple were dumbfounded, Wang Shuo was stunned like a clay statue for a long time before he finally came to his senses.
What kind of unprecedented unexpected situation is this?!
My cousin is still suffering in that shabby restaurant, while he's here inheriting the title and enjoying a life of glory.
Wang Shuo knelt in a daze during the ceremony of receiving the imperial edict to inherit the title, showing no sign of joy.
The Wang family, who were to receive the imperial decree together, did not invite any old friends or acquaintances as originally planned. Instead, only the old Weiyong Earl and his wife accompanied Wang Shuo to receive the decree. The entire ceremony was quiet and he seemed distracted, yet he still had to muster his energy to entertain the official in charge of announcing the decree.
To show his respect, the official in charge of ceremonies who came today was the deputy director of the Imperial Clan Court, so Wang Shuo dared not be negligent.
"My lord, please accept the decree." The deputy supervisor read the imperial edict in a respectful tone, closed it, and handed it over. "His Majesty has shown special leniency; few people are fortunate enough to receive the honor of not having their title reduced! Furthermore, this ox-horn bow was used by the late emperor when he was young. Today, it is bestowed upon my young lord, Wang, so that he may live up to His Majesty's expectations!"
He was completely unconcerned about the lack of any liveliness in the mansion; on the contrary, he felt a bit of sympathy for it.
Everyone knows that things have been fraught with danger lately for the princes, and all the powerful and wealthy families in the capital are keeping a low profile, not daring to utter a sound of laughter or song. The Wang family is the maternal relatives of the second prince, and to make matters worse, their succession to the title has come at this crucial time. How could they possibly be laughing?
"Your Majesty, I am grateful and will certainly not fail you."
Wang Shuo obediently kowtowed to receive the imperial decree, climbed up from in front of the incense table, and looked at the ox-horn bow being held by two palace maids, feeling a mix of emotions.
The bow was undoubtedly a fine bow, a rare item unavailable outside the palace, not to mention that it had been used by the late emperor himself.
This great honor wasn't originally intended; it was bestowed upon his cousin by His Majesty as a gesture of appeasement after his cousin contracted smallpox. How could Wang Shuo not be terrified? He was now afraid that his cousin, who had never had smallpox before, might contract it in this life and not survive… Ugh! He couldn't bear to think about it!
Therefore, the more lenient the palace was this time, and the more generous the rewards, the less happy Wang Shuo felt.
...
Wen Zhongnan, who was originally scheduled to be promoted and return to his post after the departure of the envoys, was temporarily forgotten in the capital due to the unexpected accident involving His Majesty's princes.
He didn't take it to heart, or rather, it was better that he'd forgotten about him now. He could stay in the capital day and night, sending people to inquire about the illness, instead of being sent a thousand miles away and still worrying himself sick. That would have been a real tragedy.
He had no other use but to wait outside the restaurant every day—the area was already surrounded, and no one was allowed to disturb the peace except for people from the palace and some special people.
Fortunately, Wen Zhongnan had been a chivalrous man since childhood, and now, having fought in the army, he possessed an exceptionally sharp eye. Each day, he would sit in a restaurant just a street away, observing from afar. After a few days, he had roughly discerned the situation.
The window that calls out down every day belongs to the eldest prince. The one that's quiet and tightly closed belongs to another prince. And the child in the other window who's always sighing and looking sickly—I don't know which young prince it is.
The private room that has its windows opened regularly for ventilation is worry-free.
Wen Zhongnan only needed to see that the little eunuch who followed Wuyou opened the window on time every day, and that nothing seemed to have changed much, to feel at ease. No change was at least not a bad thing, so it was a good thing!
And so another two days passed.
Qi Chengming could barely bear it any longer; the rashes on his body had turned into pustules, each one bright red and shiny, incredibly itchy, and causing pain even in the cracks between his bones. Most importantly, the other princes had contracted the disease around the same time as him, and the sores appeared almost exactly two days apart.
For the past two days, all that could be heard, whether he was awake or asleep, was the involuntary groans and moans that were driving Qi Chengming almost insane.
"This won't do!" Xiao Chengzi was extremely anxious when he saw that His Highness couldn't sleep well and looked much more haggard. He could only stuff a cloth into His Highness's ears to try and block them out.
'I've had enough!'
Qi Chengming inwardly grumbled. He had originally planned to just coast along and perform adequately. But after transmigrating, this was probably the greatest hardship Qi Chengming had ever endured.
He simply took an extra pill every night to speed up his recovery.
But after two days, when Qi Chengming had his wrist examined by the imperial physician, the pulse diagnosis still indicated that his condition was normal. He didn't show it on his face, but he suddenly became alert.
Aside from being busy for the first couple of days, the three imperial physicians had become largely useless, so they were simply on standby. This imperial physician, could it be…?
These are the most vulnerable days for the princes; if any of them harbor ill intentions, it could be fatal.
Qi Chengming had something on his mind, so he pulled Xiao Chengzi aside in the middle of the night and whispered a few words of advice to him.
The next day, Xiao Chengzi lay there groaning, saying he felt dizzy and unwell. Qi Chengming immediately summoned the imperial physician: "Please take a look at this little eunuch. Physician Feng and Physician Xu are both fine. I don't need anyone here."
The two imperial physicians exchanged a glance, and the one surnamed Feng readily agreed, stepping forward to take Qi Chengming's pulse. The other physician had no choice but to step aside and lead Xiao Chengzi outside to take his pulse, avoiding the presence of the prince.
Physician Feng pondered for a long time, his brows slowly furrowing.
"How is it? Is there a problem?" Qi Chengming asked, seeing that he seemed to be thinking about something and hadn't finished for a long time as usual.
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