Chapter 86 Breaking a Promise
The case of the Crown Prince's assassination was quickly resolved.
The assassin was sent by Prince Gong and had been planning for a long time to take the Crown Prince's life. However, Huan'er happened to be there and protected the Crown Prince with his own body, resulting in him being seriously injured.
Faced with irrefutable evidence, Prince Gong could no longer deny it. He knelt on the ground, his expression gradually becoming frantic.
"Father! It was I who did it, but did I do anything wrong? The Crown Prince is mediocre, so mediocre! You've assigned so many capable officials to the Eastern Palace to elevate him, yet he can't even recognize and appoint the right people. He needs your guidance at all times. Father, can't you see that?!"
The Crown Prince was indeed mediocre, a fact Qin Lie had long recognized, which was why he repeatedly punished those ministers. It was because, although the Crown Prince was mediocre and easily swayed, he was also timid yet upright. As long as he could leave behind a group of capable ministers, a politically transparent court, and a balanced and sound system, even a mediocre emperor could maintain the stability and prosperity of the vast empire for at least twenty years.
After that, it would be up to fate, and it was beyond his control.
He sneered and retorted, "The Crown Prince is mediocre. Are you some kind of brilliant ruler? You're only a year younger than the Crown Prince. What achievements have you made?"
Prince Gong said aggrievedly, "Your subject truly has no merit, but that's because Your Majesty has been suppressing me. You don't want a repeat of the Shenwu Gate incident, so the Crown Prince holds absolute power in the court, leaving me with no opportunity to use my abilities, no matter how great they may be. But look at me, how did I manage to get to this point? If it weren't for Prince Rui's presence, the Crown Prince might already be a ghost in the underworld! Without anyone's help, how could I have achieved this? It's because the Crown Prince is mediocre and unpopular that so many people have turned to me! If I were utterly useless, how could I have become the support of so many people?!"
Upon hearing the name Shenwumen, Qin Lie's forehead veins throbbed.
He seized the throne by killing his own brother, fearing that future generations would follow suit. Therefore, he deliberately suppressed Prince Gong and Prince Rui, giving them no hope whatsoever. However, no matter how much he weighed the options, there were still people whose greed was insatiable, who wanted to benefit from Prince Gong's success and bet on him, pushing him step by step to where he is today.
His heart grew colder, and his expression grew more indifferent. "Since you've mentioned the Divine Martial Gate, what? You killed the Crown Prince, are you planning to force me to abdicate next?"
Prince Gong hurriedly kowtowed: "Your subject dares not! Your Majesty is wise and mighty, Your subject would never dare to think such a thing. Your subject only feels that Your Majesty has only the three of us under your care. Prince Rui has the bloodline of the previous dynasty and can never succeed to the throne. Once the Crown Prince is gone, only your subject remains! Your Majesty, it was because of the Shenwu Gate Incident that we have the prosperous world we enjoy today. If the Crown Prince is exceptionally talented, your subject dares not think of it or compete for it. But although your subject is not as good as Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is worlds apart from your former imperial uncle. Just because he is the bloodline of the late Empress, does that mean the throne should be handed over to him?! Your subject and he are both of Your Majesty's bloodlines, the only difference being a favored mother. Even if he is not the Empress, if your mother is favored, how is your subject inferior to him? Your subject is not convinced! Your subject is not convinced!"
A cold smile crept across Qin Lie's lips. "He is a descendant of the late Empress, and what is your mother anyway?"
He slowly walked up to Prince Gong and said, “You haven’t received any letters from Jizhou in the past few years. Have you never had any suspicions? Do you know that your mother stayed in Jizhou and after a few years, she began to flirt with a groom in the manor. After the affair was exposed, in order not to implicate you, she committed suicide and is now just a pile of bones in the suburbs. For the sake of your reputation, I kept this a secret, but I never expected that it would embolden you to such a wolfish ambition.”
Upon hearing this, Prince Gong's face paled, but he quickly recovered, saying, "So what?! What does her situation have to do with me? I am still of the Emperor's blood, and besides, the Imperial Noble Consort also remarried, yet Father was still the same..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was kicked in the chest by Qin Lie, and he groaned as he fell to the ground.
Seeing Qin Lie's ashen face, she knew she had offended him, so she struggled to get up and kneel down, daring not to say another word.
Qin Lie paused for a moment before saying, "Although your crimes are heinous, I will not kill you. I will strip you of your princely status, erect a monument for your mother in that desolate graveyard, and from now on you will be confined there to guard your mother's tomb!"
Upon hearing this, Prince Gong's expression immediately changed drastically.
He had anticipated this before he arrived, that he would be imprisoned if things were exposed, and he was not particularly afraid of the outcome.
Qin Lie has only three princes. Prince Rui is of the previous dynasty's bloodline and is now disabled, so he is destined to have no chance of the throne.
The Crown Prince is so mediocre; even if I am imprisoned, I may still have the strength to fight him in the future.
But he didn't expect Qin Lie to be so resolute.
Once his mother is honored with a monument, who would want to follow him with such a mother? Even his royal bloodline would be questioned. But once Qin Lie makes a decision, it's impossible to change it, and no amount of pleading or crying will change anything.
After Prince Gong was subdued by the guards, Qin Lie sat alone for a long time before slowly walking back to Chonghua Palace.
Upon arriving at Chonghua Palace, he suddenly remembered that the princess had been taking care of Huan'er at Prince Rui's residence for the past few days.
He wanted to go to Prince Rui's residence, but he was afraid she would ask how he would deal with the murderer. After hesitating for a while, he had no choice but to give up.
As expected, Lingyi returned to the palace after learning the news and questioned him why he did not make Prince Gong pay with his life.
Qin Lie sighed, "Princess, he is, after all, my child."
Lingyi retorted, "Isn't Huan'er your child? Just because he survived, does that mean you can let bygones be bygones?"
Qin Lie said, "How can we let bygones be bygones? He committed such a serious crime, and I have already punished him severely."
Lingyi coldly replied, "How can this be considered a severe punishment? It's nothing more than confinement. He'll still live a life of luxury and wealth, so what's the difference between him and me now? How about this, I'll go and kill him right now, and then the Emperor can punish me severely, okay?"
Hearing her say this, Qin Lie's expression changed, but he still patiently said, "I know you're saddened by Huan'er's serious injury, but why talk about yourself like this, completely erasing the bond between us?!"
Lingyi sneered: "What affection have you ever had for me? If there were even a shred of affection, why would you be so cruel to Huan'er? You took him away from me when he was little, yet you refused to treat him well. You place high hopes on the Crown Prince and exhaust yourself for Prince Gong, but what about Huan'er? Just because he is my flesh and blood, you want to ruin him. I only ask you, if today you are seriously injured and on the verge of death, and it is the Crown Prince who will be unable to walk properly in the future, Cheng Hui's flesh and blood, would you still treat him the same way?"
Qin Lie remained silent for a long while before saying, "Can'er has neither a favored mother nor a maternal family to rely on, yet he has been instigated to this point by others. Huan'er's mother is you, and you are the only one in my harem. If I show him even the slightest favor, countless people will rush to fawn over him. Moreover, after several purges in the court, there are still many aristocratic families from the previous dynasty. Their relationship with your Liu family is deeply intertwined, and tracing back, most of them are even related by marriage. Once an opportunity arises, they will surely use it to their advantage. Before, I thought I hated you and didn't want to see him, but after finding you, I did it deliberately. Although the Crown Prince is kind by nature, only brothers who do not pose a threat to the new emperor will be able to survive in the future. The colder I am to him, the safer he will be. Parents who love their children plan far ahead for them. Does the princess really not understand?"
"I don't understand!" Lingyi said bitterly, "What could a woman from the deep palace like me understand?! I only know that debts must be repaid and murderers must pay with their lives! I only know that you always have so many excuses, and every time it's my child who suffers! I only know that between Prince Gong and me, only one of us can live. You choose!"
He grasped her hand, pleading dejectedly, "They killed each other, and my heart is breaking. The princess's words are like knives and arrows, as if she wants to stab my heart with holes. Does the princess really have the heart to do this, without feeling any pity for me at all?"
He reached out to touch her, but she stubbornly turned her face away. In the end, she didn't say anything more, just bit her lip and let her tears fall silently.
She still cared about him after all. Qin Lie's heart melted instantly when he thought about it. He felt even more guilty towards her and gently pulled her into his arms. "I will never betray the princess's heart! I swear here that I will make it up to Huan'er and make you and your son happy."
As Prince Gong was demoted to a commoner, hundreds of people were questioned and executed in the autumn. The executioners' blades were dulled by the time they were executed.
Prince Gong suffered a crushing defeat, and the Crown Prince was also severely reprimanded by the Emperor for having his subordinates in the Eastern Palace disrespect him. He was then confined to the Eastern Palace to reflect on his actions.
Everyone was filled with trepidation, thinking that this turmoil in the Forbidden City had finally come to an end.
It wasn't until two months later, when the Emperor arranged a marriage between Prince Rui and Grand Secretary Chen's granddaughter, and the Crown Prince was frequently seen with Prince Rui, that everyone realized that only one person had truly benefited from this affair.
However, seeing Prince Rui walking with a limp, many people felt it was not worth it.
He was born a prince, destined to enjoy endless riches and honors. Now that he's a cripple, even if the emperor feels guilty and the crown prince is close to him, he's still just a prince. How could he possibly become emperor because of this?
.
In the spring of the twelfth year of Tiansheng, after a brief period of recuperation, Qin Lie once again assembled a large army, this time to wage war against the only remaining former general of the dynasty in Yunzhou.
Yunzhou is hot and humid, and infested with pests and miasma. Qin Lie sent troops there several times, but all of them returned empty-handed.
In the autumn of the thirteenth year of the Tiansheng era, Qin Lie personally led an expedition for the first time after ascending the throne.
Before he left, Lingyi carefully packed his luggage.
In reality, these things were prepared by the palace servants, but Qin Lie enjoyed the care she received as an ordinary wife. After she had prepared all the items, he spoke up: "Marching into battle is not like sightseeing. Why do you need so many things? When I first entered the army camp, I only carried a bag with some clothes and dry food. Most of the things in these boxes of yours are not needed."
Lingyi was furious: "I've been preparing for this for so long, why are you only telling me now?!"
Qin Lie didn't speak, he just smiled.
With their parting imminent, Lingyi didn't hold a grudge against him and handed him a bottle of medicine. "This is based on the prescription left by my fifteenth sister. The prescription she made back then was incomplete. It was only after the Imperial Medical Academy developed it that this bottle was finally made. Don't forget to take one pill every morning and evening after you get there to ward off the miasma."
Qin Lie took the bottle, but didn't look at it at all; his gaze remained fixed on her.
Lingyi felt uncomfortable under his gaze. "What are you looking at?"
Qin Lie said, "I won't be able to see the princess for quite some time, so I naturally want to take a good look at her now."
Even with her natural beauty and excellent maintenance, Lingyi now has some fine lines around her eyes. She said, "It's kind of you to look at me for so long without getting tired of it."
Qin Lie gently kissed her forehead, "I could look at you for a lifetime and never get tired of it."
On the day of his departure, Qin Lie forbade Lingyi to see him off, saying, "Princess, you can wait for me at home. You don't need to see me leave."
The Empress Dowager moved to a temporary palace a few years ago and now lives a more comfortable life there. It's not a cold palace, but their home, where only the two of them live.
Lingyi said, "Keep your voice down. You're a grandfather now. Aren't you afraid people will laugh at you for saying such things?"
Qin Lie was extremely arrogant. "I am the Son of Heaven, the ruler of the world. Apart from the princess, who dares to laugh at me?"
He stared at her, insisting that she make a promise, and Lingyi had no choice but to say, "Okay, okay, I'll wait for you to come back here."
He was still worried and told her, "Be good and obedient. At most, I will return to the capital in a year."
She was indeed very obedient; since he left, she had stayed in the palace and hadn't gone anywhere else.
Unexpectedly, this time he broke his promise.
Ten months later, the news that he had died in Yunzhou arrived.
The battle report stated that the emperor contracted miasma shortly after entering Yunzhou, and was later wounded by an arrow. Although the imperial physicians repeatedly urged him to withdraw from Yunzhou, he thought he could hold on as victory seemed within reach. However, his injuries suddenly worsened at the victory banquet after the army broke through the enemy camp, and he did not even have time to withdraw from Yunzhou.
I didn't see the battle report device; I heard it from Huan'er's oral account.
Such big news was kept from everyone; the only one to receive the news was the Crown Prince.
Even Huan'er only managed to see the battle report by chance in the East Palace before rushing to Chonghua Palace to inform her.
Lingyi nearly fainted, and then cried bitterly.
After she calmed down, Huan'er instructed, "Father's coffin is on its way back to the capital. I think the Crown Prince's intention is to keep the death a secret. Mother, please do not reveal your presence in public."
Lingyi remained silent for a long time before sighing, "That's how it should be, otherwise the court will be in chaos. At this time, the Eastern Palace will be full of troubles and many people. You must not go to the Eastern Palace to cause trouble in the next few days." Then she said sadly, "Your father died suddenly in Yunzhou, leaving you and me alone and helpless. Only the Crown Prince has achieved his wish, and from now on we will have to live at the mercy of others."
Before Qin Lie set off on his campaign, the Crown Prince had messed up several tasks in succession. Even the two generals who suffered defeats in Yunzhou were recommended by the Eastern Palace. There was much discussion in the court. If it weren't for the fact that Prince Gong had become an ordinary person and Prince Rui had a complicated identity and was physically disabled, Qin Lie would have definitely deposed the Crown Prince and chosen a successor if he had other options.
But at Qin Lie's age, if he weren't the only one in the palace, it wouldn't be a problem for him to train a few more princes.
With such rumors spreading so widely, how could the Crown Prince not be worried?
Qin Lie's death not only eliminated a major threat to the court, but also made way for the crown prince.
The Eastern Palace must be making intensive preparations to ensure the Crown Prince's smooth ascension to the throne.
Huan'er said, "Mother, why do you say that? Even if Father Emperor dies peacefully, the Crown Prince will succeed to the throne. Why be in such a hurry? Ever since I saved the Crown Prince, he has been very close to me. I am not worried that he will mistreat us after he ascends the throne. However... after Father Emperor's passing, the Empress Dowager will surely return to the palace. She has never liked Mother. Why don't you go back to Prince Rui's residence to avoid her for a while? After the Crown Prince ascends the throne, I will ask him for a favor so that Mother can stay with me in Prince Rui's residence for a long time. This way, you can not only avoid the Empress Dowager's torment, but also allow me to show more filial piety."
With tears in her eyes, Lingyi said, "Your father's coffin hasn't arrived yet. I promised him that I would wait for him to come back here."
Huan'er clearly didn't have much affection for Qin Lie, and upon hearing this, he hurriedly said, "Mother! While the Empress Dowager hasn't returned yet, I can still beg the Crown Prince to let you leave the palace. Once the Empress Dowager arrives, you won't be able to leave even if you want to!"
Lingyi remained silent for a long time before finally nodding.
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