The Fourth Prince went alone to the very front of the main hall, gazing up at the plaque inscribed with "Upright and Honorable" for a long time before finally coming to his senses. He then said to Hongli, "Throughout history, the struggle for the succession has always been fierce and bloody... I am no exception..."
Hongli was slightly startled. The Fourth Prince had never mentioned anything about his time before ascending the throne. Hongli followed behind the Fourth Prince, unsure of what to say. Fortunately, the Fourth Prince was merely recounting his story and did not allow Hongli to speak.
"I was able to ascend the throne smoothly because I seized it from the struggles of more than a dozen brothers..." As he spoke, the Fourth Prince's face suddenly darkened, and he sighed, "People say that I murdered my own brothers and was ruthless, but they don't know how I got here..."
Hongli comforted him with heartache, saying, "Father..." but he couldn't say anything else, because he knew that the grievances and suffering that the Fourth Prince had endured could not be comforted in just a few words.
The Fourth Prince smiled wryly, "The late Emperor was a great emperor throughout the ages. I made this vow when I was very young: I must make the late Emperor look at me with new eyes..."
Hongli pursed his lips, listening intently. The Fourth Prince walked to his desk, picked up a book he often read, and recalled, "But I wasn't the late Emperor's eldest son, nor was I the eldest son, so I didn't attract much attention. Besides, I had many brothers, each skilled in both literature and martial arts. Back then, I was always thinking about how to stand out among my many brothers..."
Hongli became curious and walked over to the Fourth Prince, looking at him cautiously as he asked, "Father, how did you get the Emperor's attention?"
The Fourth Prince handed the book to Hongli, who accepted it with both hands. The Fourth Prince continued, "Back then, I discovered that the late Emperor disliked people forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices, so I never had much contact with any ministers..."
Hongli nodded blankly. The Fourth Prince continued, "Later, I learned that the late Emperor disliked people who were too ostentatious, so I always kept a low profile, did things quietly, and didn't argue with others..." He chuckled to himself, saying, "The late Emperor liked people who were efficient and decisive, so I did things conscientiously and never dragged my feet. Later, everyone said I was heartless and had no human touch... But they didn't know that I had endured humiliation and hardship for so many years just to win the late Emperor's attention..."
Hongli was somewhat moved. Hearing these words, he suddenly felt that the image of the Fourth Prince was more vivid and concrete, just like an ordinary father telling his son about the past. He felt warm inside, but also a little sad.
"Father, all the grievances you suffered have finally been rewarded. Grandfather, you were not disappointed in Father..." Hongli comforted him. "Indeed, I finally won the late Emperor's favor..." the Fourth Prince said with satisfaction.
The Fourth Prince looked at Hongli with doting eyes and said earnestly, "But you are different. I have placed high hopes on you from the very beginning. Although you, like me, are not the legitimate son, nor the eldest son, I don't care about those things." The Fourth Prince paused and said, "What I value more is your heart and your ability..."
Hearing these words, Hongli was deeply inspired and felt a sense of clarity, knowing which path to take in the future. He nodded solemnly to the Fourth Prince and said, "Your son will not let Father Emperor down..."
The Fourth Prince turned to the plaque inscribed with "Upright and Honorable" and made a firm decision: "Today I will publicly announce that you are to be the Crown Prince... I have also divided the edict into two copies. One edict is hidden behind the plaque in 'Upright and Honorable,' and the other is in my hands... When I pass away, if anyone raises any questions, they can simply compare these two edicts to determine the authenticity..."
Hongli knelt on the ground excitedly, kowtowed three times, and cried out, "No... Father Emperor will not live to be a hundred years old, he will live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years..."
The Fourth Prince turned to look at Hongli, reached out and patted Hongli's head, and smiled, "Everyone has to die eventually..."
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