Chapter 215 The Road to the Future The Road to the Future
The room suddenly became quiet, so quiet that you could hear your heartbeat.
When Su Fengzhang finished speaking, Prince Cheng's heart began to beat uncontrollably, as if it was about to break free from its owner's control and jump out of his body from his chest.
There was even a moment when Prince Cheng's mind was in a mess. He didn't know what he was doing or what he was going to do. The only thing in his mind was Su Fengzhang's extremely seductive voice.
But soon, this prince, who had experienced many ups and downs, came to his senses. She smiled and said, "Master Su, I am naturally unwilling to accept this."
Su Fengzhang also laughed and asked, "Since you're unwilling to give up, why don't you give it a try?"
Prince Cheng suddenly grabbed his hand, his eyes piercing: "Master Su, are these words truly from your heart?"
Su Fengzhang's fingers trembled slightly. Prince Cheng's hands were unusually cold. The coldness penetrated through his skin, making him feel a little strange in his heart.
Su Fengzhang said, "Compared to the Ninth Prince, who is still a child and who, even if he succeeds in ascending the throne, will still have two Empress Dowagers standing behind him, I naturally favor His Majesty."
"Even if I am a woman, it won't matter?" Prince Cheng asked again.
Su Fengzhang smiled and said, "I just said it, whether it's a man or a woman, it doesn't matter. As long as the prince's ambition remains unchanged, she is the best candidate. If you have decided on this path, there are ways to do it."
Prince Cheng fell silent. After an unknown amount of time, she slowly removed her hand, took a sip of tea, and then said, "Lord Su, you know what? Your words have shaken my already stagnant heart."
Su Fengzhang said, "For Your Majesty, this is the best choice, isn't it?"
Prince Cheng suddenly sighed and laughed at himself, "To be honest, if I could have an heir, I would definitely not choose such a time-consuming and laborious method that might not even be successful in the future."
Su Fengzhang raised his eyebrows slightly, and heard Prince Cheng continue, "If this prince wants to fight, of course that's fine. Let's not talk about the bloody storms before taking the throne, but what about after taking the throne?"
"I have no son, so the future successor is a problem. Whether I choose from the Grandmasters or use other methods, it will be a fierce battle, and the only ones who will suffer are the people below."
"Lord Su, you also said that what we want is a peaceful and prosperous Great Zhou, not a Zhou that is torn apart by selfishness."
Su Fengzhang's expression changed slightly, and he heard Prince Cheng continue, "Why do you think His Majesty trusts me so much? It's not just because I'm a woman, but also because I'm destined not to have children in this life."
"Back then..." Even Prince Cheng still found it difficult to bring up the matter after so many years. "It's not easy to impersonate a prince in the palace. Even with His Majesty's help in covering it up, we can't reveal too many flaws."
"Over the years, I have used many secret medicines, many of which are harmful to my body."
After finally spilling the beans about his biggest secret, Prince Cheng actually relaxed a bit. He shook his head and smiled, "Sir Su, now you understand why His Majesty trusts me so much."
"I'm afraid in his heart, I am no different from the eunuchs in the palace. All the favors are tied to him, and he can take them away with just a word. Naturally, it takes less worry and effort than the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince."
Even Su Fengzhang took some time to fully understand these words. After understanding, the first thing that boiled in his heart was heartache.
He couldn't imagine how much suffering the Fifth Prince had endured in the treacherous deep palace to reach this point today. Su Fengzhang still remembered that when he first met him in Qingzhou, he felt that the Fifth Prince was moody and not a good person to deal with.
It was not until he came to the capital and traveled to Yunzhou with the fifth prince that this impression gradually changed.
Everything he did was just to survive.
Su Fengzhang couldn't help but reach out and hold Prince Cheng's hand. When their eyes met, Su Fengzhang realized that his action was a little inappropriate.
He subconsciously tried to pull his hand back, but Prince Cheng grabbed it instead and said with a smile, "Sir Su, I have never told anyone about this matter. Now that I have told you about it today, I don't feel any more about it."
How could he not feel something? Putting himself in her shoes, Su Fengzhang could understand the excruciating pain. He smiled and said, "Thank you for your trust, Your Highness."
This time is different from what happened on Yunshan Mountain in Yunzhou. At that time, they might not be able to escape. They might freeze to death on the mountain the next moment. It is normal to have something to say before they die.
But now that Prince Cheng is willing to tell him all this, it really shows his extraordinary trust in him.
After a pause, Su Fengzhang said, "If Your Majesty is willing, there may be other ways."
Prince Cheng shook his head and said, "Why bother? As you said, as long as I hold power, no matter who sits in that position, they must obey me. With the Queen around, I'm sure the Ninth Prince won't develop a temper like his father."
"There is another one..." Prince Cheng continued, "Now this third path is the most hassle-free and energy-saving. I cannot harm those around me because of my own selfishness."
Su Fengzhang's heart moved, and he heard Prince Cheng laugh and say, "I like what Lord Su said just now, but Lord Su also has parents and relatives, so I'm sure he won't want to take risks."
After hearing this, Su Fengzhang suddenly stood up and bowed, "Thank you, Your Highness."
Prince Cheng laughed heartily and asked, "What are you thanking me for?"
Su Fengzhang said: "If the prince gives in a little, he can save countless lives."
Prince Cheng's expression was unpredictable. He stared at Su Fengzhang and said, "Master Su, were those words just now meant to test me?"
Su Fengzhang said, "It's not a test. It's my sincere wish. But Your Highness is so noble and upright, and so talented, that I feel ashamed of myself."
"What I have thought about is just based on my own perspective. I think that is the best way to maximize my benefits. But Your Highness has a broader vision. I am short-sighted."
Prince Cheng laughed at his exaggeration and said, "Alright, Lord Su, please don't try this in front of me."
He held his chin and looked at Su Fengzhang, and suddenly said: "You, hang out with Yun Qian more often, maybe you two can become good friends, after all, you both have a very smart mind."
Su Fengzhang smiled and said, "In this world, we are all mortals. No one can be free from selfishness. In the palace, there are the Empress and the Jade Consort. Outside the palace, there are the Yun family, the He family, and Prince Rong's mansion."
"The good thing about your prince's plan is that it can get all these people on the same boat." Su Fengzhang sighed and said, "Your Highness may seem powerful now, but in reality, it's all empty talk. The deposed crown prince has been running things for years and has many followers, and Your Majesty hasn't cleaned them out yet."
"Not to mention the Fourth Prince, the number of scholars in the Xu family alone is incalculable. There are countless officials in the court who have close ties with the Xu family, and they are just lying dormant for now."
Prince Cheng also sighed and said, "That's exactly why we need cooperation."
If everything goes well, even if the emperor can live a few more years, the ninth prince is not too old, and by then Prince Cheng will be able to control the government. By then, even if the queen wants to interfere in politics, it will be difficult for her to fight against him.
More importantly, the Yun family is not of the same mind. Although Yun Qian feels sorry for his sister, he has bigger ideals in his heart. Or, it can be said that Yun Qian and Prince Rong's ambitions have never changed, they are just waiting for the opportunity.
"Lord Su, would you like another cup of tea?" Prince Cheng said with a smile, "I don't know what you like to eat, so I asked someone to prepare some for you. If you don't like it, please tell me."
Su Fengzhang did not bring up the heavy topic just now, and instead said: "The tea and snacks here are all delicious."
Prince Cheng smiled and said, "It seems to me that you don't like sweet food, nor do you like strong flavors."
Su Fengzhang's taste is indeed very light. Firstly, he is originally from the south. Secondly, under the continuous effect of the spiritual spring, his five senses have been enhanced, and his sensitivity to taste has also increased. He is not very adaptable to strong tastes.
"That's true. When I was at home, my mother also said that my taste was too light and she wished she could eat it raw." Su Fengzhang explained with a smile.
Thinking of the Lingquan, he had used it on Prince Cheng quite a bit over and over, but the effect of this thing would not be seen in the short term. Prince Cheng was not his wife, so it was impossible for him to use it day and night.
Prince Cheng didn't know what he was thinking and smiled as he said, "Then when there are good fruits in the future, I'll send someone to deliver them directly to you for you to try. Or, maybe next summer, Lord Su can accompany me to the farm in the suburbs. Freshly picked fruits are the best."
Su Fengzhang naturally agreed.
Prince Cheng, however, looked at him and said, "Lord Su, do you have any ideas about your marriage?"
Su Fengzhang didn't even blink, and asked, "Your Majesty, don't you know what His Majesty is thinking?"
Prince Cheng smiled and said, "Your Majesty, your father is holding off on granting you a marriage, thinking he is compensating me. But you and I both know this is fake. Since it's fake, I won't stop you."
Su Fengzhang suddenly sighed and said sincerely, "I am grateful to Your Majesty for taking such an unnecessary step. By some strange coincidence, I have been spared the trouble of marrying and having children so early."
Prince Cheng asked curiously, "That's strange. What man in the world doesn't want a beautiful wife, concubines, and children?"
Su Fengzhang said with a smile: "Your Highness has already seen one, and now I am the second one."
Prince Cheng thought for a moment and knew he was talking about Prince Rong. It had to be said that this prince was also a peculiar person in the royal family. He shook his head and said, "My uncle has only one daughter, but he has always had many confidantes."
"Lord Su, what kind of woman do you like? Do you want a fairy?" Prince Cheng asked, not knowing what he meant.
Meeting his gaze, Su Fengzhang suddenly didn't want to avoid answering anymore. Instead, he said something sincere and earnestly: "Appearance and age are just a skeleton. I want someone who can understand the meaning behind my words. At a fork in the road, we will choose the same path, and we will choose the same approach to a matter. In short, we are in perfect harmony with each other."
Prince Cheng hadn't expected such an answer. She wanted to laugh at first, but for some reason she felt like crying. Finally, she said with a mixture of laughter and tears, "Sir Su, if you don't change your mind, you'll probably never get married."
Su Fengzhang didn't mind: "If I marry her just to be a decoration, or even get tired of her, then it's better for her to be alone. At least I can have peace and quiet."
Prince Cheng opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say. She didn't quite understand Su Fengzhang's thoughts, but in the end he shook his head and said, "Even if you are willing, Madam Su will not agree."
Su Fengzhang also sighed after hearing this. Indeed, Su Zhaoshi was extremely anxious now.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
