Chapter 464 Abdication
"What? You, you, you..." Scholar Zhang was so angry at Wen Kehao's words that his hands trembled. However, he was somewhat afraid of the aura emanating from Wen Kehao. He took a step back and looked at Wen Zhiming for help.
"Your Majesty, look at this, listen to this... what does Prince Zhong mean by this?"
Wearing the dragon robe and arrogantly saying that no one can take it away, isn't this blatant rebellion?
But the Emperor had just refuted Prince Zhong as the least likely person to rebel, so he didn't dare say that again. He just put on a pained and distressed expression, hoping that the Emperor would punish Prince Zhong for his overstepping of his bounds.
However, Wen Zhiming gave Wen Kehao a satisfied look, and then looked at the dumbfounded officials and said.
“The Prince of Zhong’s will is my will. The Prince of Zhong truly has no intention of rebelling, but I voluntarily abdicate in his favor.”
"To avoid the situation you described, where the ruler is not a ruler and the subject is not a subject, and for the smooth progress of the peace talks between the two countries and the success of the Northern Frontier trade, I am willing to exchange positions with Prince Zhong and volunteer to be stationed in the Northern Frontier. After today, Prince Zhong will be the Emperor of the Golden Moon Kingdom, and as for me, I am willing to return to being the King of the Northern Frontier, so that the people on the border can live and work in peace and contentment."
"What……"
If the officials were initially shocked, they were now filled with terror.
Today, Prince Zhong has pulled this stunt. The Emperor should have let it go because of past friendships. How did it come to the point that the Emperor actually wants to abdicate in his favor?
The emperor is in his prime, free from illness and disease, and is a rare and wise ruler.
Aside from the fact that he currently has no heir and does not have a harem, he is practically without flaws. How could such a benevolent ruler easily abdicate?
The officials, who were still kneeling, excitedly rushed to speak upon hearing this.
"Your Majesty! Absolutely not! You are in the prime of your life, in excellent health. How could you utter such words that would shake the very foundations of the nation? We are filled with trepidation and beg Your Majesty to consider the well-being of the people of the Golden Moon Kingdom and reconsider your actions!"
"The Kingdom of Jinyue is growing rapidly under the Emperor's leadership. If the Emperor continues to govern diligently and strives for a better future, a prosperous era is just around the corner. Abdicating at this time is like removing the main beam from a building that is about to be completed. All previous efforts will be wasted, and the country will be in danger! Although Prince Zhong is virtuous, he is ultimately inexperienced and I am afraid he is not up to the task."
"Throughout history, the abdication of the throne was either due to the monarch's old age and frailty, rendering him unable to govern, or because the country was facing a great calamity and abdication was necessary to comply with the will of Heaven. However, the current emperor is in his prime, and the country is in great shape. A hasty abdication would not only be against the rules but also violate ancestral traditions, which would be detrimental to the country and its people."
"As a prince, Prince Zhong should assist the Emperor in achieving great things. To protect him, the Emperor abdicated and went to the northern frontier in his place. Although the Emperor's actions were intended to protect his younger brother, they actually put Prince Zhong in a precarious position. If this matter becomes public, what will others think? The Emperor abdicated, but the outside world will likely speculate that Prince Zhong is plotting to seize power!"
Meng Xingyuan, who had remained silent until now, couldn't help but speak up: "Your Majesty is perhaps too busy with state affairs and troubled by the issues of the harem and the imperial heir. We, your subjects, are willing to work together with Your Majesty to share your burdens and may temporarily refrain from pressing matters concerning the harem. We implore Your Majesty to reconsider your decision!"
He thought Wen Zhiming wanted to use the abdication as an excuse to stop the officials from urging him to take a concubine and have an heir.
Fearing that Wen Zhiming might overdo it and cause a misunderstanding, Meng Xingyuan promptly offered Wen Zhiming a way out.
In Meng Xingyuan's view, now is the most appropriate time to back down. The officials are all quite frightened, and they will be able to keep order for at least another three to five years, no longer daring to interfere in the affairs of the emperor's harem.
After saying that, he looked at the other officials beside him and urged them to quickly express their opinions as well.
Although the other officials were unwilling, they were even more afraid that Wen Zhiming would really abdicate, so they all kowtowed.
“Prime Minister Meng is absolutely right. We are willing to work together with Your Majesty to share your burdens. As for the matters concerning the harem and the imperial heir, we can discuss them in two years, no, three or four years.”
To Meng Xingyuan's surprise, Wen Zhiming did not stop while he was ahead, but instead chuckled softly.
"Why wait another three or four years? Prince Zhong is my own brother. I currently have no heir, so abdicating to him is perfectly justified. He has a son, and Princess Zhong is pregnant. After my abdication, the issue of heirs will be resolved. Prince Zhong is poisoned and needs many women to serve him. Once he ascends the throne, you can immediately arrange for the selection of concubines. You have advised me for many years to rebuild the harem and have more children. Now that both of these important matters have been accomplished as you wished, why do you disagree?"
“You say that I am in my prime and should continue to rule, but I was about the same age as Prince Zhong when I ascended the throne. In the past two years, I have occasionally consulted with Prince Zhong on state affairs. He is not inexperienced. With the support of loyal ministers like you, I believe that Prince Zhong is fully capable of governing the current Golden Moon Kingdom.”
"On the contrary, the trade market in the northern frontier is a barren and impoverished place. At first, we had to deal with the local corrupt officials and bandits and conduct on-site market research, which took a lot of effort. Prince Zhong was poisoned by a Gu, so it was inconvenient for him to bring so many women to this place. Otherwise, everyone would just think that he came to indulge in pleasure. Who would take Prince Zhong seriously? Before the local poverty problem is solved, it is also impossible to meet the expenses of so many women."
"As for the speculations of others, are you ministers just figureheads? I personally abdicated the throne in front of you. How could there be any semblance of usurpation? If you can't even quell these rumors, you're letting down the years of my cultivation."
"Only by switching identities with Prince Zhong can we simultaneously resolve the border crisis and the worry about the imperial heir. If my beloved ministers can devise another way to address both of these important matters at the same time, I will consider it further. If not, then it shall be as I have decided!"
In just a few words, he answered all the questions raised by the officials, and by presenting an impossible task, he left them with no grounds for objection.
The ministers scratched their heads in frustration. These two major issues were the two biggest problems facing the Golden Moon Kingdom. They couldn't solve either of them, so where could they find a way to solve both problems at the same time?
Although they had no choice, they were still extremely unwilling to accept Wen Zhiming's abdication.
Having spent several years together, the emperor and his ministers had come to understand Wen Zhiming quite well, knowing that he wouldn't easily change his mind once he made a decision.
Fortunately, Wen Zhiming wasn't ruthless enough. As long as they didn't make any major mistakes in principle, he would never take someone's life for offering advice or speaking frankly.
So the officials exchanged glances and decided to unite and work together to persuade Wen Zhiming to change his mind.
"Your Majesty, weep blood and plead with you, prostrating yourselves on the ground until Your Majesty changes your mind."
As one official prostrated himself and shouted, the remaining officials followed suit.
"Your Majesty, weep blood and plead with you, prostrating yourselves on the ground until Your Majesty changes your mind."
Meng Xingyuan joined the officials in offering their advice, and at this moment he realized that Wen Zhiming was not just bluffing, but was serious.
Based on his understanding of Wen Zhiming, he had long known that this son-in-law was not a tiger that roamed the mountains, but a dragon that lurked in the deep sea.
He just didn't expect this day to come so soon.
It is unclear whether he did this for Meng Lingge, Wen Kehao, or, as he himself said, to relieve the border crisis and alleviate the worries of the imperial heir.
However, Wen Zhiming and Meng Lingge did not inform him before taking action, clearly because they did not want him to stop them and simply did their thing, preventing him from intervening in time.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
