Chapter 100: I can't lead them, I can't lead them...
Looking at Yin Mingyun, who was already in tears, Emperor Xuanpei, who was usually indifferent and somewhat cold, suddenly felt a pang of sadness.
From the moment he was made crown prince, Yin Mingyun rarely disappointed.
Such a kind and benevolent nature as that of the Crown Prince is truly rare.
Therefore, even though Emperor Xuanpei was furious about the various actions of Empress Wang and Prince Rui, Yin Mingzhen, he never had the idea of deposing the crown prince.
Even when it came to the Ninth Prince, Yin Mingchen, Emperor Xuanpei consistently told him to give him a chance.
Emperor Xuanpei himself had been a prince.
He knew all too well that the princes' thirst for the throne was almost ingrained in their very bones, something they were born with.
Suppression cannot suppress it; in fact, the more it is suppressed, the more frantically it yearns in silence.
Emperor Xuanpei thought to himself that while he was still alive and could still stabilize the situation, he should let Yin Mingchen give it a try. If it failed, he could give up and live a peaceful life with his mother and sister.
But Yin Mingyun withdrew first.
His retreat prevented the emperor and the crown prince from reaching the point of fighting each other and father and son killing each other.
“Mingyun,” Emperor Xuanpei said slowly.
"For many years, the Empress has been relentlessly harming concubines and killing imperial heirs. She has repeatedly committed atrocities without showing any remorse. In the end, she even set fire to the palace... Mingzhen suffers from a serious illness, is biased, and acts ruthlessly."
"I have given them many opportunities."
"But human nature is always insatiable, always wanting more after getting what it wants."
“Mingyun, if you were to ascend the throne, you would be a compassionate and benevolent emperor, but you would inevitably be influenced by Empress Wang and Prince Rui.”
"Therefore, I have long ago made up my mind not to keep them around to cause trouble and influence the court. When I pass away, I will take the Empress and Mingzhen with me..."
"Father!"
Emperor Xuanpei's almost explicit instruction was clearly understood by Yin Mingyun.
It was only when he understood that Emperor Xuanpei's ruthlessness made Yin Mingyun even more terrified.
Emperor Xuanpei would not joke about such a thing; in fact, once the emperor speaks, even if it is false, it becomes true.
Yin Mingyun had no doubt that his father would order the deaths of Empress Wang and Yin Mingzhen before he passed away.
What kind of position is it if one can only ascend to it after the deaths of one's mother and younger brother?
Yin Mingyun doesn't know how to sit.
"Your son is incompetent and cannot put Mother's mind at ease, which led her to make a mistake in her anxiety and commit a grave error. I also failed to restrain my younger brother, allowing him to develop such a greedy and ruthless nature... But in the end, she is my mother and my own brother, born of the same mother."
Yin Mingyun placed the golden seal on the ground in front of him and bowed his head in kowtow once more.
"Your son... wishes that Your Majesty would strip me of my position as Crown Prince and allow me to properly care for my mother and restrain Mingzhen in the future."
Emperor Xuanpei looked at Yin Mingyun, who was kneeling before him and pleading for the second time to be deposed as crown prince, and remained silent for a long time.
If Yin Mingzhen's serious illness cannot be cured, his stubborn nature will be impossible to overcome. Unfortunately, it is a disease he has had since birth, and coupled with his reluctance to seek medical treatment, it has been delayed for so many years, and it seems there is no hope left.
Empress Wang was even worse. Even though she was a vegetarian every day, constantly chanted Amitabha Buddha, and even swore to heaven and earth that she had already reformed, Emperor Xuanpei would not believe a single word of her.
It's not the thief you should fear, but the one who has his eye on you.
If Empress Wang were to become Empress Dowager, would she just stand by and watch Ah Zhu live a peaceful life?
Won't.
“Mingyun, if the news of the repealed edict is spread throughout the land, there will be absolutely no room for maneuver in this matter.”
Yin Mingyun kowtowed on the ground, the cool air from the floor tiles seeping into his brain, making him shiver slightly, but at this moment he was also perfectly clear-headed.
Taking a deep breath, Yin Mingyun closed his eyes and kowtowed heavily once more.
"Your son thanks Your Majesty for granting your wish."
*
The temporary palace, Chengji Hall.
These days, due to the floods, the Ninth Prince and the Seventh Princess have gone missing. The Emperor has left the palace to personally go to the two rivers for disaster relief... The palace servants serving in Chengji Palace have become increasingly silent and cautious, and the entire palace is eerily quiet.
Early in the morning, the palace was shrouded in a gray and silent atmosphere. However, the Third Eunuch, who had become more composed and experienced over the years, rarely showed any joy. He hurried into the palace, calling out repeatedly as he went.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"
As A-Zhu listened to the commotion inside the hall, his heart pounded with panic.
Regarding news from Liangjiang, Azhu is now both hoping and terrified.
Hearing San Cai's urgent voice, she swayed and her breathing became labored, unable to respond immediately.
Recalling the urgent report from the palace servants of Liangjiang, and having already confirmed it repeatedly, Eunuch Sancai's eyes welled with tears. Overjoyed, his face flushed, he exclaimed loudly, "Your Majesty, great news! Great news! The Ninth Prince and the Seventh Princess have been found!!!"
——!
A-Zhu stared blankly, then rushed to San-Cai's side in a few steps.
"Find it...find it?"
Ah Zhu trembled, her voice shaking, and she stammered, "Where, where did we find them? Were they injured? They, they..."
Qingliu quickly went over to support the overly excited Azhu. Her eyes were red and brimming with tears, but her face was also filled with barely suppressed relief and a smile: "Your Majesty, finding the Ninth Prince and the Seventh Princess is a good thing. Please calm down, please calm down..."
The Third Eunuch also said repeatedly, "Your Majesty, the Ninth Prince and the Seventh Princess are very fortunate. They were at the Mi Mountain Academy halfway up the mountain before the flood."
When people are overly emotional, tears will involuntarily fall.
Seeing A-Zhu burst into tears in an instant, Qing Liu quickly helped A-Zhu to sit down, but A-Zhu stood still.
The anxiety and longing I've felt these past few days are now overwhelming, and I can't stop thinking about it now.
"I want to see them, I want to go see them properly right now..."
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you must not act rashly!"
Startled, San Cai and Qing Liu quickly stopped A Zhu.
Qingliu looked somewhat anxious.
"The disasters outside have not yet been completely quelled, and the journey to the Liangjiang region will be extremely difficult. If there are still refugees who have not been properly settled... Your Highness, the Ninth Prince and the Seventh Princess are about to return to reunite with you. You must not act rashly."
"Yes, Your Majesty." San Cai nodded repeatedly from the side, then hurriedly added, "Your Majesty, His Majesty sent a palace servant on horseback to deliver the good news. The person is still waiting outside. Should this servant bring the person in now?"
"Quickly, let him in!"
The palace servants who came in not only delivered the message, but also brought a personal letter from Emperor Xuanpei.
Having regained most of her composure, A-Zhu no longer insisted on leaving the palace. She took the letter and began to read it carefully.
The news from Liangjiang naturally couldn't be kept from others. Compared to the joyous atmosphere at Chengji Palace, the atmosphere at Yanqing Garden suddenly became tense.
"Mingzhen".
The King's expression was complex, but in the end, he breathed a sigh of relief: "Now that Mingchen and Jiahe have been found safe and sound, it seems that this is the will of Heaven. Perhaps we should proceed as planned..."
"What utter nonsense about destiny!" Prince Rui said resolutely, his eyes dark and brooding. "It's precisely because my brother is so indecisive that he gave those scoundrels an opportunity to take advantage of him!"
The two rivers were suddenly hit by floods, and Emperor Xuanpei even personally oversaw the disaster area... so a thorough investigation is bound to be carried out.
The truth will out.
Knowing perfectly well what he had done, Prince Rui, like a wolf preparing to hunt, had eyes full of desperate madness and ruthlessness.
"There are so many refugees leaving their homes these days, who knows if some of them might go crazy from hunger and do something insane."
Upon hearing Prince Rui's words, the King of England, feeling a chill run down his spine, jumped up from his chair.
"Yin Mingzhen!"
"What kind of outrageous and utter nonsense are you spouting?! What are you trying to do?! Are you insane?!?"
Prince Rui looked at Prince Ying, whose face had turned pale with fright, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly: "I'm not crazy, it's just that I've had enough of living like this, having to be subservient to others and always having to watch their faces!"
Seeing the King of England's astonished words, his face turning from blue to red like a spilled painting, the Prince of Rui found it quite amusing and laughed.
“Your Highness, you and I wrote a letter together to inform the Crown Prince about this matter. Now the matter is irreversible and we have no choice but to proceed.”
A letter?
Yes, it was that letter bearing his personal seal...
Realizing he had been tricked by Prince Rui, Prince Ying was thunderstruck and furious. He took a few deep breaths and couldn't help but punch Prince Rui in the face.
"You wicked bastard!"
Prince Rui, who was always physically weak, was naturally no match for Prince Ying.
The King of England, who had long harbored resentment towards Prince Rui, not only beat him but also hurled insults at him.
"Do you really think you're the only smart person in the world, and everyone else is a heartless idiot?!"
"You are treacherous and unethical. You think yourself incredibly clever, but you only care about the immediate consequences. Tell me, from childhood to adulthood, how many times has the Crown Prince cleaned up your messes?!"
"You still have the nerve to stand here and spout such arrogant nonsense!"
The King of England, who was cursing and physically assaulting Prince Rui, didn't give Prince Rui a chance to speak at all.
"Yin Mingzhen, do you even have a brain?!"
Why didn't you discuss things with us properly before you did them?
"You'll get us all killed sooner or later!"
In a panic, the attendant rushed into the palace to report the news, only to find the two princes fighting... no, it was the Prince of Ying beating up the Prince of Rui in a ridiculous scene.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, the attendant stood frozen for a few breaths before hurriedly saying, "Your Highness, Your Highness, a group of armored guards with halberds have surrounded Yanqing Garden!"
The King of England abruptly stopped raising his fist.
The Prince Rui, who had been pinned down and beaten until he was dizzy, suddenly regained his senses.
"Your people?!"
The two asked each other in unison, and then their expressions changed drastically.
Prince Rui pushed Prince Ying away.
The King of England staggered back a few steps, then turned and strode toward the palace gate. The Prince of Rui wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and followed him.
Waiting outside the hall was Deputy Commander Nie.
Seeing the Prince of Ying and the Prince of Rui emerge one after the other, he bowed slightly and said, "By order of His Majesty, I am leading troops to guard the left and right sides of Yanqing Garden to ensure the safety of the two princes."
"We request that the two princes reside in Yanqing Garden for the time being. During the period of guard duty, no one else is allowed to enter or leave Yanqing Garden." At this point, Deputy Commander Nie paused: "Anyone who disobeys this order will be executed."
......
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