Chapter 232: Crown Prince
Lu Yanshi found Chi Jihua, the current chief academician of the Imperial College, and asked about Lu Heng's academic situation.
Previously, Lu Heng was taught by the Taifu alone, but when the Taifu later went out to sea, he sent Lu Heng to attend classes at the Imperial College.
"What does Chi Aiqing think of Heng'er's studies?"
Chi Jihua didn't understand why the emperor suddenly asked this, but he still answered after careful consideration.
"The third prince studies very hard."
Lu Yanshi:?
How come you just stopped talking?
He had to continue asking: "Besides being hardworking, does he have any other strengths in studying?"
Chi Jihua said tactfully: "The Third Prince is very studious. If he doesn't understand something, he will come to me to ask for answers. Sometimes I will explain it several times and he will understand it."
Lu Yanshi: ...
Got it.
I just don't have enough talent, so I make up for it with hard work.
"Okay, stop beating around the bush and just tell me whether Heng'er is a good student or not." Lu Yanshi gave up struggling and asked directly.
"Compared with the eldest prince, it may not be so easy for the third prince to achieve success in studying. But he is diligent enough and will catch up with the eldest prince sooner or later." Chi Jihua revealed the true situation.
The third prince was indeed the dumbest student he had ever taught.
But fortunately, the third prince has a positive attitude and is diligent enough.
He believes that diligence can make up for lack of talent.
"I understand." Lu Yanshi waved his hand, signaling him to leave.
"Don't tell Heng'er what I talked to you about today."
"I obey your command." Chi Jihua nodded and left Yu's study.
Lu Yanshi then found Doctor Li and asked him about Lu Heng's talent in studying medicine.
After hesitating for a moment, Imperial Physician Li told the truth about what Lu Heng had experienced in the Imperial Medical Bureau.
Lu Heng would have to recite a book written by a sage eight or ten times before he could understand it. But he could remember a prescription or the efficacy of a herb after the imperial physician only told him once, and he could also draw inferences from it and apply it to other situations.
Lu Yanshi had an idea in his mind.
Although this child is not good at studying, he has a talent for studying medicine.
"Okay, leave now." Lu Yanshi said nothing and asked someone to send Doctor Li away.
Doctor Li was very nervous along the way. He thought the emperor would not hate him for abducting the third prince to study medicine.
After all, the emperor has only two sons. One has gone to sea, which is very dangerous and may not come back at any time. The other has gone to study medicine. So who will inherit the throne in the future?
…
After seeing the two off, Lu Yanshi fell into deep thought.
Should we let Lu Heng study medicine?
Qu Fufeng once said that every profession has its own specialties.
He agreed with this very much.
As a top leader, he must know how to use people and place them in the areas where they are best at.
Lu Heng is not good at studying, so there is no need to force him. It would be nice if the royal family has a miracle doctor in the future.
Lu Yanshi made his decision and waited for Lu Heng to come to him to talk about studying medicine.
But he didn't expect that Lu Heng was so timid that he didn't dare to come to him to talk about this for several days.
Before he could talk to Lu Heng in person, the court officials exploded first.
On the first day of court after the New Year, the ministers began to urge Lu Yanshi to appoint a crown prince.
Lu Yanshi glanced at them calmly and said, "Who do you think is more suitable to be the master of the East Palace?"
"Of course it's the eldest prince." The prime minister took the lead and stood up.
Lu Jing, who was standing in front, was shocked.
He doesn't want to be the crown prince.
Father, you don't think that what the Prime Minister said in the memorial today was instigated by him, right?
Lu Jing was so nervous that he clenched his hands into fists.
He wanted to object, but the Prime Minister kept talking about his achievements during this period and there was no way to interrupt him.
"In summary, the position of crown prince must belong to the eldest prince." The prime minister finally ended his passionate speech.
The eldest prince was the legitimate son of the late emperor, and he also joined the navy. He persuaded so many ethnic groups and tribes to submit to Daxia. It was popular for him to be the crown prince.
But some people are more optimistic about Lu Heng.
After all, Lu Heng's younger sister was very favored, his mother was the current empress, and his grandfather's family helped the emperor with a lot of political affairs, so it was reasonable for him to be the crown prince.
So some people stood up to oppose it.
"I think it would be better to make the third prince the crown prince. The third prince is young, and he will follow the emperor and be taught by you. He will surely become an excellent emperor like you in the future. The eldest prince persuaded those people to surrender, which shows that he is more suitable to work in the Honglu Temple."
"The Third Prince and the youngest son of Prince Liang had a huge fight at a palace banquet on New Year's Eve. With his personality, he is not fit to be the Crown Prince." The official standing on the side of the eldest prince stood up to object.
The two sides exchanged verbal attacks, but neither could convince the other.
"That's enough." Lu Yanshi frowned as he listened to them arguing.
Hearing his dissatisfied voice, the court officials immediately quieted down.
"Call the third prince." Lu Yanshi's words left the ministers confused.
Does the Emperor want to enthrone the third prince as the crown prince?
But Lu Yanshi had a blank expression on his face and they couldn't guess anything.
Lu Heng was brought to the main hall. Seeing so many ministers, he couldn't help feeling a little nervous.
Has he not been in any trouble recently?
Why did the emperor call him in front of so many ministers?
Although he was nervous inside, Lu Heng behaved very properly.
"Your son pays homage to His Majesty the Father."
"Get up." Lu Yanshi motioned for him to stand up and directly threw a question that almost made him lose his balance.
"Are you willing to be the prince?"
The officials standing on Lu Heng's side were immediately delighted. The emperor's question meant that he liked the third prince more!
Lu Heng looked embarrassed.
After becoming the crown prince, you can no longer leave the palace at will.
He also wanted to go to the Valley of Divine Doctors to study medicine and then come back to treat the fifth sister.
Seeing that he didn't say anything, the ministers felt disappointed. Some of them were impatient and wanted to rush over to ask him to agree quickly.
"I only give you one chance, tell the truth." Lu Yanshi sighed in his heart.
With Heng'er's personality, he is really not suitable to inherit his throne.
When Lu Heng heard his father asking again, he gritted his teeth and decided to speak his true thoughts.
"Father, I don't want to be the crown prince. I want to go to the Divine Doctor Valley to study medicine. I hope your majesty will grant my wish."
This answer was beyond the ministers' expectations.
Is the third prince crazy? He actually wants to leave the palace to study medicine.
Lu Yanshi already knew what he was thinking, so he didn't show any surprise at all.
He looked at Lu Jing again.
"Jing'er, are you willing to be the crown prince?"
Lu Jing's reaction was much faster than Lu Heng's.
As soon as Lu Yanshi finished asking, he answered: "Your Majesty, I have no interest in the position of Crown Prince. I want to go out to sea, find foreigners, and take back the territory of Daxia for you."
This answer confused the ministers standing on the eldest prince's side.
Why doesn’t their prince want to be the crown prince?
The ministers who originally stood on the side of the Third Prince were still feeling a little uncomfortable, but now they all smiled.
Okay, okay, the eldest prince will not be the crown prince either. Everyone has bet on the wrong horse, and neither prince will be offended.
But new problems arise.
The eldest prince and the third prince did not want to be the crown prince. Who else could the emperor appoint as the crown prince? It couldn't be the second prince who was lying in the palace like a living dead.
Everyone turned their eyes to Lu Yanshi.