"Your father hasn't even done anything yet, and you're already trying to force the emperor to abdicate?" Consort De said angrily. "It's utterly foolish! Do you think that all the military achievements you've made over the years are enough for your father to make you the crown prince?"
The fourteenth prince shouted, "If Father Emperor doesn't make me emperor, then I'll carve out my own territory and see who gets to sit on that throne!"
Consort De stared in disbelief, almost unable to believe her eyes and ears. Where had the kind and innocent Fourteenth Prince gone, the one who had once worried her so much? And now, the man standing before her was using her military power to utter such reckless and treasonous words for his own selfish desires.
"Your imperial father trusted you so much, entrusting you with military power in the Northwest, and this is how you treat your imperial father?" Consort De said.
“I would never do such a thing until the very end. But if my fourth brother inherits that position, I’m afraid I won’t even have a place to stand. How can I not fight for my own survival?” said the Fourteenth.
"Nonsense! When has your fourth brother ever been unforgiving of you? He's never been like you!" Consort De felt as if her heart was being torn apart. She had thought that the fourth prince would be the first to say such things, but she never expected it to be her youngest son.
"Mother is already thinking of speaking up for Fourth Brother. Could it be that Father has already decided to make him the heir to the throne?" Fourteenth Prince looked at Consort De's expression and felt that her words seemed to be telling him the truth: Father had already decided to make Fourth Prince the heir to the throne.
"Your imperial father has never revealed any of this to me. Yinzhen, if you still care that I am your mother and that your imperial father has always trusted and valued you, you should go back immediately. Otherwise, if someone sees this, your imperial father will have no choice but to punish you," said Consort De.
Fourteen looked at Consort De, then suddenly knelt down with a thud, saying, "Mother, I was just bewitched and said those treasonous words. Please forget them all and pretend you didn't hear them. I'll go back now."
Seeing that the Fourteenth Prince had finally come to his senses, Consort De softened her expression and said, "It's good that you know you're wrong. Your mother will never tell anyone, but you must never say such things again."
Fourteenth Prince repeatedly assured Consort De that he was just a child at heart and had been bewitched for a moment, which was why he said those words. He also promised to return to the Northwest Army Camp immediately.
It wasn't until the Fourteenth Prince left that Consort De realized she was completely weak and collapsed to the ground.
"Your Majesty!" De Rong hurriedly went to help Consort De. Although she hadn't heard the conversation between Fourteenth Prince and Consort De inside, she knew that Consort De was definitely not well at the moment.
"De Rong, what should we do? Yin Zhen has completely changed. I almost don't recognize him anymore." Consort De said tremblingly. She had only been holding on by her last breath. Now that he was gone, she relaxed and realized that she had actually been so frightened that she almost collapsed.
“Your Highness, you must keep this matter a secret from the outside world. If the Fourteenth Prince leaves today, it won’t go against the Emperor’s wishes,” said Granny De.
"What a tragedy! It seems that the fourteenth and fourth brothers are destined to fight each other to the death." Consort De said, tears streaming down her face.
"No, this old servant thinks Prince Yong is a steady and reliable person. He would never be so cruel as to do anything to the Fourteenth Prince. As long as you are here, he will not do such a thing," Granny De advised.
“But what if it was Fourteenth Prince who made the move? The way he acted just now, I almost didn’t recognize him,” Consort De said.
“Your Majesty, you can’t possibly decide the royal family’s mind. Whoever they choose, that’s who they are. It’s really wrong of the Fourteenth Prince to come and pressure you,” said Granny De.
"Since the Fourteenth Prince went to the Northwest these past few years, I don't know why, he has changed a lot. I never thought he would still have such thoughts in his heart. Alas!" Consort De gradually wiped away her tears and said.
Meanwhile, the Fourteenth Prince left the palace via the same route. He rode his steed alone through the outer city, his heart burning with pain because of Consort De's words. He realized that if he wanted to get what he wanted, he had to work hard for it himself.
That very night, the Fourteenth Prince left the capital and headed northwest. No one knew he was returning this time, except for Consort De of the Kangxi Emperor and a few people around him.
The struggle for the throne between the Fourth Prince and the Fourteenth Prince gradually became public. The Fourth Prince, with his 200,000-strong army, also became a major bargaining chip in his bid for succession. Later historians wondered, if Emperor Kangxi had truly intended for the Fourth Prince from the beginning, why would he create such a formidable rival for him? Did Kangxi really think the Fourteenth Prince would never compete with his elder brother?
Lanqin had also been thinking about this issue. She believed that the emperor's chosen successor was the fourth prince, but in order not to create too many enemies for the fourth prince, she promoted the fourteenth prince and made him her sparring partner, while suppressing others until they had no chance to compete anymore.
As the battle for the throne between the Fourteenth Prince and the Fourth Prince intensifies, the Eighth Prince's faction begins to align themselves with the Fourteenth Prince. Naturally, they hope the Fourteenth Prince will win; if it is the Fourth Prince, they will be restless and unable to eat or sleep.
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