Chapter 1100: A Waste of Time [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
What?
Did the Fifth Prince commit suicide last night?
This news turned the faces of the court officials present who had any vested interests or blood ties with the Fifth Prince deathly pale, their minds reeling. Fortunately, a colleague stepped in to help, otherwise they would have been in serious trouble: "May I ask, what exactly happened last night? The Fifth Prince is acting as regent on the King's orders, is trusted by the King, and is known for his benevolence and virtue. How could he possibly have committed such a heinous crime?"
Even though everyone present knew what was going on, some questions still needed to be asked openly and clearly.
The Fifth Prince's decision to force his way into the palace was likely driven to desperation by the abdication edict, leaving him no choice but to take this gamble last night. The event was so sudden that the Fifth Prince didn't even have time to mobilize his entire force. At least some of his supporters present were unaware of the situation.
The person is already dead; it's too late to say anything now.
They need to find a way to extricate themselves from this situation.
Find out who framed the Fifth Prince.
If the officials observed closely, they would have noticed that the fourth prince looked somewhat haggard, unlike his usual energetic self. He seemed troubled by the question, and after a long pause, he sighed and revealed the truth: "What my fifth brother did was a family disgrace… Last night, he not only led troops to threaten the inner court, but also forced the youngest prince and his mother to their deaths…"
This news is even more explosive!
Some court officials, well-informed, knew that the abdication edict had been written for the youngest son. However, less than a day later, the youngest son was killed by the desperate fifth son. Mentioning this heartbreaking event, the fourth son, a grieving man, wept uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face: "It's all because of my brother, for delaying the time. Otherwise... otherwise I could have saved the youngest son. My fellow officials, I am utterly useless..."
The fourth prince resembled Mi Shi in appearance, not the kind of rugged and bold brute, but he was tall. Even if there was an element of showmanship in him publicly shedding tears of self-reproach, the onlookers couldn't bear to be moved.
The fourth brother cried for a long time with deep emotion. His eyes, filled with bloodshot veins, were even more innocent than a rabbit's. He cried and sobbed as he recounted the general events in fits and starts.
The youngest child's body was found in a well.
When the bodies were pulled from the well, not only was the youngest child in the well, but also the wet nurse who had been caring for him. This loyal and righteous woman, despite being stabbed multiple times in the back, had desperately protected the youngest child, and was ultimately stabbed through the heart. The sword pierced her heart and also the youngest child's neck.
Besides the youngest child, the chaos last night also affected the palaces near the outer court. The collapsed buildings took away hundreds of innocent people, most of whom were servants and palace maids. Two concubines died, and three younger siblings were killed when a beam from a side hall fell on them. The others suffered minor injuries.
As for his status as a concubine, he did not elaborate.
The fourth child cried very sadly.
That night, he lost five of his closest siblings.
No matter how much life Wu Xian could give, he couldn't keep up with the speed of death; that one night he lost one-tenth of his children.
At this point, the actors that Lao Si had arranged started to speak up in support.
The content was nothing more than condemning the Fifth Prince for his utter depravity, cruelty towards his brothers, the death of his stepmother, and his lack of filial piety and brotherly love! That scoundrel deserved to die! If he hadn't died, the king would have ordered his execution anyway!
The ministers were all cunning old foxes; upon hearing this, not one of them uttered a sound!
Well, it's not something they can say.
Disrespectful and unfilial, isn't that the tradition of the Wu family?
Like father, like son. If the fifth son has really done so much, it can only be said that he is following in his father's footsteps and has the same style as his father!
If they insulted Lao Wu, they were indirectly insulting Wu Xian as well.
Furthermore, is the fifth brother really the culprit?
None of them were eyewitnesses; who knows what really happened in the inner palace last night! Did the Fifth Prince do all this alone? Or was someone else responsible, and he was made the scapegoat? There's been no word from within the inner palace! There might be more to the story!
As a seasoned shrew, I can tell something's fishy just by smelling it.
To determine who committed the crime, we shouldn't just look at so-called witnesses and physical evidence, but also examine who the biggest beneficiary is! Clearly, the biggest beneficiaries so far are the fourth prince and Lady Mi! The words of this mother and son are not credible! Therefore, the ministers who have no vested interest in this matter choose to remain silent and quietly observe the development of the situation.
The Fifth Prince's faction clearly did not believe the Fourth Prince's explanation.
The minister said, "I'm afraid someone is framing me!"
As he said this, he looked at the fourth brother with a meaningful gaze.
The fourth brother felt neither guilty nor ashamed; he was simply furious! Furious at being falsely accused: "What do you mean by this?"
The minister said solemnly, "Does the Fourth Prince dare to claim his innocence?"
The fourth brother clenched his fists in anger, struggling to suppress his raging rage: "Do you think sibling affection is so worthless? Would you be so heartless as to poison five younger siblings for the sake of a family business in dire straits? If you say you can, then I'll accept this accusation, so what?"
The official choked and turned pale.
"Fourth Young Master is being unreasonable!"
"Aren't you also just making baseless accusations against someone's innocence?" The fourth brother looked around and, seeing that the expressions of the crowd hadn't improved much, hardened his heart and pointed his sword to the sky. "I know what you're thinking. In the past, I wouldn't have bothered with you, but right now the country is in turmoil and urgently needs the unity of the entire nation! I swear on my cultivation—if I ever kill any of my brothers with my own hands, may heaven and earth punish me!"
The fourth brother deliberately emphasized the pronunciation of the word "personally".
The ministers were astonished.
Outside the hall, everything was a clear, blue expanse.
A gentle breeze caressed my face, and I felt perfectly normal.
The fourth brother's vow did indeed dispel the suspicions of many.
This court assembly was originally intended to confirm the new ruler, but Wu Xian's chosen youngest son was killed by the fifth son, who also came from a distinguished family and held a prominent position. Now, they had to choose a new ruler. A country cannot be without a ruler for a day! They hoped to settle the matter as soon as possible.
It's uncertain now. Once news of the palace coup reaches Shen Tang's ears, who knows if this woman will hold Wu Xian hostage and abdicate in favor of a mere infant heir. There have been two palace coups this year, and Wu Xian has lost seven children in total. He can't afford a third.
Shen Youli just opens her mouth, and Gao Guo is already fighting tooth and nail.
To avoid any unforeseen complications, it's best to make a decision as soon as possible.
The actors planted by the fourth prince were very dedicated, and their suggestions were agreed upon by most of the officials. Ministers with little political affiliation recommended suitable candidates, while the more influential ministers remained silent. The fourth prince also joined in the fun by suggesting someone. All of Wu Xian's adult and near-adult sons were mentioned, until finally a universally acknowledged upright official stepped down, stroking his beard.
He recommended the fourth son.
The fourth brother was stunned: "That's impossible!"
Why not?
He came from humble origins, had no family to rely on, and was young, ambitious, and inexperienced. Choosing him would likely fail to win over the people, let alone help the Gao Kingdom improve. The scholar spoke with great emotion: "Your Highness is too modest. If the Gao Kingdom's destiny were to end, it would be due to the circumstances of the time, not solely your fault. Please do not refuse, Your Highness!"
After Qingliu finished speaking, some people seemed to realize what he meant.
They all echoed and recommended the four young masters.
The ministers whose interests conflicted with those of the fourth prince rolled their eyes inwardly.
However, they couldn't pinpoint the other party's fault.
They even made a clear oath.
With God's blessing, he is indeed innocent.
The fourth brother naturally refused to give in easily and declined repeatedly.
According to the procedure, this matter would be dragged on three times before the fourth brother would reluctantly agree, thus demonstrating that he did not want to take the position, but that they forced it on him, and he had no choice but to agree for Gao Guo's sake.
However, these are special times.
The process can take anywhere from three months to more than half a year.
Where do they find the time to engage in such formalities?
Those who stirred up trouble were all actors recruited by the fourth brother.
When other officials felt the process was too fast and could be compressed to two or three days, they brought up Shen Tang. But even two or three days depended on whether Shen was willing to give it to them! What if she had spies planted in the capital who might interfere later? Who among you has the ability to get her to cooperate?
Who can guarantee that someone surnamed Shen won't cause trouble?
Shen Tang's banner is indeed very useful.
The pressure she exerted made things go smoothly.
Within half an hour, the fourth prince was forced into this situation! Faced with this predicament, he had no choice but to accept it, however unwilling he was. To demonstrate that he was not power-hungry, the fourth prince repeatedly stated in front of everyone that he was only a temporary ruler! If he could bring back his father, or if any of his brothers were more talented than him, he would abdicate immediately without delay!
His righteous words won him a lot of goodwill. Whether he spoke human language or nonsense, it was definitely pleasant to hear!
"Greetings, Lord!"
The unexpected happened at that moment.
"No way—"
Someone rushed in from outside the hall, carrying something.
Palace soldiers blocked the way, but upon seeing what the man was holding aloft, they all lowered their weapons and bowed. The courtiers looked outside and saw the man, panting heavily from his run. The fourth prince recognized him, and the courtiers also recognized him as a member of the royal family.
In terms of seniority, Wu Xian should also give him face and call him uncle.
Some people also noticed what he was holding.
What is this?
The visitor angrily replied, "It is naturally the abdication edict!"
An abdication edict?
Another abdication edict?
The ministers and the fourth prince reacted strongly.
The content, however, was surprisingly consistent—
How many abdication edicts were there exactly?
What terrified the fourth prince even more was that he had seen this edict before; it was clearly the same edict that the master had burned not long ago, the edict that abdicated in favor of the fifth prince! Despite the turmoil in his heart, he showed no sign of it on his face and went forward with others to confirm its authenticity.
The officials had known Wu Xian for so many years, so they naturally recognized his handwriting and aura. This abdication edict was definitely written by Wu Xian himself! According to this relative, if the edict was genuine, the Fifth Prince had no reason to force the emperor to abdicate and harm people!
The clansman angrily pointed at the fourth son: "Someone is twisting the truth!"
The fourth brother, who was the focus of everyone's attention: "..."
His facial muscles twitched a few times, his smile stiffened, and he asked awkwardly, "Grandpa, what makes you say that?"
"Why are you putting on this act?" The clansman stepped forward and pressed on, shouting angrily, "Do you really think you can fool everyone? Do you really think no one in the world can see through your disguise?"
The gazes of the assembled officials made the fourth prince feel extremely uneasy.
He couldn't understand how the destroyed imperial edict had reappeared! Countless thoughts flashed through his mind. He thought of Mei Meng, but immediately dismissed the idea. Mei Meng couldn't possibly betray him. Everyone's motives stem from self-interest, and betraying him would bring Mei Meng no benefit. Even if Mei Meng truly betrayed him, why would she push him to this point?
The same effort would yield far greater benefits by helping any of the brothers! If it's not Mei Meng, then who is it?
After much thought, I thought of Wu Xian, starting with the fifth brother.
Who stipulated that there could only be one copy of the imperial edict?
Can't there be two copies of the imperial edict for the fifth prince?
That's what you call double protection!
This speculation made the fourth brother feel as disgusted as if he had swallowed a fly.
The fourth brother didn't respond, and the clansman took two more steps closer, leaving only ten steps between them. For anyone else, this distance would make the fourth brother feel insecure, but the clansman was seventy-eight years old, with white hair and beard—an ordinary person! No matter how imposing his aura, he couldn't threaten him!
"If you don't believe me, you can send someone to investigate..."
The tail has been cleaned.
If even the slightest clue is discovered, so be it, we can just break ties. At worst, our reputation will suffer a bit! With Wu Xian's example set by the Wu family, even if I go too far, I'll be forgiven. Even if they prove me guilty, so what? Fifth Brother is already dead!
The fourth brother was fearless and appeared completely open and honest to outsiders.
The clansman waved his hand and said, "No need, there's a witness! This witness will surely expose your true colors, you traitor!"
The witness was not a stranger, but the youngest child's biological mother.
The fourth brother almost jumped up when he saw the other person.
Didn't the youngest child's biological mother hang herself?
Civil and military officials...
The civil and military officials are also completely bewildered.
No one expected that someone who had supposedly hanged themselves would reappear, especially since she was the victim; her words were absolutely credible! The courtiers all looked at the fourth prince, and even the actors he had bribed dared not speak up in the face of public outrage. The fourth prince had just played everyone for a fool!
Among the officials was the uncle of the youngest son's birth mother.
After listening to his tearful account, he immediately flew into a rage.
But someone was faster than him.
"Traitorous wretch, today I will cleanse your family of your father's legacy!"
Seventy-eight of the clan members drew their swords.
Despite his advanced age, the old man reacted incredibly quickly under extreme emotional circumstances, his movements swift and decisive, so fast that even the fourth brother couldn't react in time. Perhaps the sword appeared too suddenly; his feet seemed rooted to the spot, and he watched helplessly as the blade grew larger before his eyes!
bite!
At the critical moment, the fatal sword was deflected.
The fourth brother barely managed to avoid it.
She looked gratefully at the person who had rescued her.
This man had a dignified appearance but lacked presence; he was good-looking, but not exceptionally so. As everyone was marveling at his newfound skill, he pulled a familiar-looking document from his robes and berated his clansman, "Finally caught you, you old thief!"
Civil and military officials: "..."
Their gazes were uncontrollably drawn to the object in his hand.
Doesn't this thing look familiar?
Yes, it does look familiar.
Both the material and the handwriting and seal inside were exactly the same as the one the imperial clansman had produced; the only difference was the name. This latest edict abdicated in favor of the fourth prince! Moreover, the fourth prince knew about it from beginning to end!
If the Fifth Prince had a decree of abdication to clear himself of suspicion of palace coup, wouldn't the Fourth Prince have even less reason to be a traitor?
He had an imperial edict, and his birth mother was still the mistress of the inner court.
Wu Xian's favoritism towards him over the years has been evident to all.
If it really comes down to abdication, who is the most likely candidate?
"I was ordered by the King to set up a trap with the Fourth Prince, just waiting for you, you old thief, to slip up!" The minister stared intently at the imperial relative, while the other civil and military officials looked at the unassuming Fourth Prince.
The fourth brother was still in a daze.
Having found himself in a difficult situation, he had no choice but to agree to the so-called "trap."
He sighed, "Everything is as you all see."
|ω`)
The completion ceremony is like an "exam," and you can begin once you feel you're ready. All necessary procedures must be followed, and the process cannot be interrupted unless you succeed or fail.
Mei Meng wanted to push the fourth brother up, then expose him in public to fulfill the necessary conditions for "stealing the hook and the country," and then personally kill him to correct the situation, thus achieving the perfect scholar's path.
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