Chapter 536 He Can't Afford to Gamble
In the Taiji Hall, only Emperor Jing'an and Eunuch Cao were left.
When Eunuch Cao heard Emperor Jing'an questioning Prince Yu, he was a little surprised.
After all, Emperor Jing'an brought the Third Prince up by his side and personally raised him, clearly cultivating him as his heir. Now that he's questioning Prince Yu, could it be that he's considering appointing Prince Yu as Crown Prince?
Emperor Jing'an saw Eunuch Cao's doubts and didn't hide them. "Prince Yu is the most resourceful and courageous of my sons. If he truly changes his disposition and harbors compassion, it would be most fitting to hand the Great Zhou over to him. Perhaps, under his leadership, the Great Zhou could rise to even greater heights."
"It's a pity that Prince Yu lacks kindness and tolerance, has no sense of good and evil, and is extremely ambitious."
"Being an ambitious emperor is not a bad thing. When the country is strong, it will surely expand its territory and establish a prosperous dynasty. All nations will come to congratulate us, and no one will dare to offend our Great Zhou."
"But when national strength is insufficient to support an emperor's ambitions, and this emperor lacks benevolence, he may resort to tyranny and abuse of power to achieve his ambitions. The people will not only be exploited by the emperor, but also suffer the pain of war."
"Given the current situation of the Great Zhou, maintaining the stability of the country is paramount, and a benevolent monarch is needed. If the Great Zhou is in turmoil, Prince Yu is the most suitable candidate."
At this point, Emperor Jing'an said helplessly: "I do not ask for the prosperity of the Great Zhou, but only for the stability of the country and the people to have enough food and clothing and live and work in peace and contentment."
"Your Majesty, you harbor a prejudice against Prince Yu. Even his most impartial answers are subject to your criticism." Eunuch Cao expressed his opinion on Emperor Jing'an's questioning of Prince Yu regarding hunting. "Prince Yu is a thoughtful man. How could he not have known your purpose in testing him? He is open-minded and fully capable of giving you a satisfactory answer."
"But he didn't do that. Instead, he gave an impeccable and fair answer. Perhaps he felt wronged during the hunting incident that year."
"After all, every year during the hunt, the one who kills the most prey gets the reward. Suddenly, someone acts differently, breaks this rule, and takes first place. The winner is bound to feel a little uncomfortable."
"If you bring up the past again, Prince Yu might be using it to tell you about your injustice."
Emperor Jing'an fell into deep thought. Was it really his prejudice against Prince Yu that was at work?
When Prince Yu was first tested on his way of governing the country, he cleverly responded with his own strategy for governing the country.
When he asked again, Prince Yu immediately understood his thoughts and knew that what he really wanted to hear was Prince Yu's own views on governing the country.
With Prince Yu's scheming and cunning, he could naturally give him an answer that would satisfy him.
But Prince Yu did not do so. Could it be that, as Eunuch Cao said, Prince Yu was taking the opportunity to tell him about his grievances?
Eunuch Cao stood beside Emperor Jing'an and poured him a cup of tea. "Those who respect the rules will be checked and balanced by them. This is not a bad thing."
"If a person without benevolence and cruel by nature is allowed to make the rules, the world will be in chaos." Emperor Jing'an was a conservative emperor. Therefore, he did not ask his descendants to achieve great achievements. He only hoped to protect the ancestral foundation and not lead the Great Zhou to destruction: "I cannot gamble."
Emperor Jing'an placed his hands on the dragon throne, his fingers rubbing the intricate patterns carved into the armrests inch by inch. He recalled Yizhen's words to him: "Royal brother, the Great Zhou was protected by our mother and grandfather. You must safeguard the Great Zhou's century-old foundation."
He did not disappoint Yizhen's expectations and defended the Zhou Dynasty.
Instead of entrusting the country to an uncertain factor, why not choose a benevolent and upright successor from the beginning?
The Northern Qi Dynasty was about to fall into Zhao Yi's hands.
There will be no war between the two countries in the next twenty years.
The third brother is more suitable than Prince Yu.
With his current physical condition, he can still reign for another ten years.
These ten years were enough for him to pave the way for the third brother.
"Your Majesty is wise, I am just worrying too much."
Eunuch Cao didn't interfere with Emperor Jing'an's decision to appoint a crown prince; he simply expressed his understanding. Even if Emperor Jing'an still appointed the Third Prince as crown prince, his words today would likely prompt him to consider Prince Yu's future situation.
Perhaps, Prince Yu understood Emperor Jing'an's sincerity and would not raise an army to cause chaos.
Emperor Jing'an waved his hand and said, "You leave. I'll be alone for a while."
"Yes." Eunuch Cao left the Taiji Hall.
Emperor Jing'an picked up a letter written by Zhao Yi, and suddenly remembered something. He called out the secret guards: "Keep an eye on Yanxiang Palace."
"Yes." The secret guard left.
-
Prince Yu came out of Taiji Hall and was about to leave the palace, but was invited to Yanxiang Palace by the palace maid sent by Concubine Ling.
When he arrived at Yanxiang Palace, he saw Concubine Ling waiting for him at the palace gate.
Prince Yu bowed to Concubine Ling and said, "Long live the Queen Mother."
"My son, there's no need to be so polite." Concubine Ling recalled Prince Yu's dangerous journey, feeling both distressed and apprehensive, fearing something might happen to him. She grasped Prince Yu's arm, carefully examining him. Only after confirming he was alright did she finally reassure herself: "I haven't seen you in months, and you've lost a lot of weight. I had the maid make you a bowl of soup to nourish you."
Prince Yu frowned slightly and calmly avoided Concubine Ling's hand, "There's no need to mobilize troops, mother."
"It's just a bowl of soup, how can it be called 'a big deal'?" Concubine Ling's hand fell empty. She naturally took out a handkerchief, dismissed the attendants, and lowered her voice: "Jing'er, you just went to see your father. What did he say?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
