Back at her residence, Lady Wanyan was very dissatisfied with the Fourteenth Prince's attitude. Knowing that her words would not have much effect on him, she thought it over and over and then ordered her maid to fetch all of the Fourteenth Prince's capable subordinates.
Sure enough, before long, all of his subordinates gathered at Fourteen's tent and earnestly tried to persuade him.
"Your Highness, we know what's going on in the palace. What are your plans?" Ma'ertai asked, unsure of the Fourteenth Prince's thoughts.
The Fourteenth Prince took a deep breath, took out the letter from Consort De and threw it on the table, then turned away irritably with his hands behind his back, remaining silent.
Several people quickly crowded around to see what the letter contained. After a moment of silence, someone couldn't help but speak up first: "General, please accept our condolences. We know how you feel right now, but things have come to this, and we still need to think things through calmly..."
Fourteenth Prince roared angrily, "What am I supposed to think about? Father Emperor has been dead for days, and I've been near the capital but haven't been able to see him. He's about to be buried, and this unfilial son is still hesitating. Now even Mother Empress is trying to persuade me..."
As he spoke, Fourteen's eyes were red, and his words revealed remorse.
The subordinates could only look at each other, unsure of what to say!
Liu Qianhu stepped forward and said, "General, even if you are going to offer condolences, I do not approve of you going alone! It is far too dangerous. Prince Yong may have set some kind of trap for you in the capital. If you go, you might not be rewarded with official titles and honors, but rather imprisonment..."
After hearing this, everyone agreed that it made sense and stepped forward to persuade him earnestly.
The Fourteenth Prince glanced at the crowd with a troubled expression. He knew in his heart that everyone hoped he would take a gamble this time, and they all wanted to push him onto the throne. The Fourteenth Prince himself also yearned for the throne and the power to rule the world. However, the current situation was far from optimistic. The Fourth Prince's ascension to the throne was inevitable, and he had the support of the court officials. The Fourteenth Prince's resources were far too limited to compete with the Fourth Prince.
The pleading and yearning eyes of the fourteenth prince put him in a dilemma. These were his loyal brothers who had risked their lives for him, men who had almost given their lives to help him achieve his goals. The fourteenth prince couldn't bear to disappoint them. But he also couldn't be disloyal or unfilial. He understood his mother's good intentions perfectly; a mother's heart is connected to her son's, and how could he bear to let her live in fear?
"Let me think about it some more..." The Fourteenth Prince wearily withdrew from the group, leaving alone in the tent to make his final mental struggle.
On the other side, when the Fourth Prince learned that Consort De had sent two letters but had not received a reply from the Fourteenth Prince, and had not made any move to retreat, he summoned the Thirteenth Prince and Li Wei to the palace.
The Thirteenth Prince had never approved of the Fourth Prince's consistently yielding attitude. When he learned that even the Fourth Prince's request for Consort De to intervene had been ineffective, he was furious: "Brother, look! You've kept giving him chances, tolerating him and giving in to him. And now? He's determined to rebel. I think we really can't delay any longer this time..."
Li Wei nodded in agreement, clasped his hands in a fist and said, “Your Majesty, what the Thirteenth Prince said makes sense. Now that the late Emperor’s funeral is over, Your Majesty’s enthronement ceremony will be held. We must not allow the Fourteenth Prince to cause trouble at that time. Your Majesty should make a decision as soon as possible!”
The Fourth Prince sighed, staring at the imperial seal beside him, and said in a low voice, "I initially wanted to spare his life because he was the late emperor's son, but now it seems I was being presumptuous. He is single-mindedly plotting rebellion, coveting imperial power, and ungrateful. It seems I am powerless to help him..."
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