Chapter 1232 Feng Chen, Go to Luoyang
Although he was delighted, Yuwen Ye remained calm and composed, saying indifferently, "Father, Tao Shilang's illness was not caused by me. Shen Wuzheng's visit to him was merely out of friendship as fellow officials."
Yuwen Yuan frowned, about to say something, when suddenly a sharp pain struck him.
"Hmm—"
He let out a low, unbearable groan, as if struck by an invisible, heavy punch. He collapsed onto the table, his temples throbbing even though he had his forehead band tied up. The intense headache made it hard for him to breathe, and his face was frighteningly pale.
Upon seeing him like this, Yuwen Ye immediately stood up and went to his side: "Father! Summon the imperial physician!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Yuwen Yuan grabbed his wrist. Eunuch Yu hurriedly stepped forward, only to hear Yuwen Yuan say in a deep voice, "No need."
"Father..."
"No need!"
The increasingly harsh tone silenced Yuwen Ye. After recovering from the intense pain, Yuwen Yuan waved to Eunuch Yu, "You can leave too."
Eunuch Yu bowed and silently withdrew.
At this moment, Yuwen Ye's expression became even more solemn. He bent down and knelt beside his father. Since returning from the battlefield of Luoyang—or rather, since Yuwen Yuan ascended the throne—he had not seen his father at such close range. Upon seeing him, he suddenly realized that he had aged a lot. The white hair at his temples could no longer be concealed, and the hand supporting his arm was covered in cold sweat and trembling uncontrollably.
A soft spot, which made even Yuwen Ye feel a little suffocated, arose in his hardened heart.
He whispered, "Father..."
After a series of heavy breaths, Yuwen Yuan finally calmed down. Covered in sweat, he looked up at his son. The tone and pressure he had just used to punish him vanished in an instant, replaced by an indescribable weakness and helplessness. He slowly reached out to Yuwen Ye's hand, and Yuwen Ye understood and quickly grasped his sweaty palm.
The father and son, unusually, looked at each other.
This seemed to be the first time Yuwen Yuan had seen his son, so dashing and invincible like a drawn sword, so close since his ascension to the throne. His already tall frame had become even more robust and powerful after the trials of war. Even kneeling before him, he resembled a powerful beast, ready to fight and slaughter at any moment. In fact, at this moment when their eyes met, his gaze actually faltered under Yuwen Ye's intense gaze.
"Oh……"
Yuwen Yuan let out a soft chuckle.
The soft chuckle and his helpless expression reminded Yuwen Ye, who immediately lowered his head and looked away. Only then did Yuwen Yuan look up at him again.
The father and son faced each other in silence.
After a long while, Yuwen Yuan suddenly said, "Feng Chen, go to Luoyang."
"...!"
Yuwen Yuan felt a powerful force clamping down on his finger bones, almost crushing his hands. He instinctively frowned, but the force immediately withdrew.
Yuwen Ye asked, "Father, do you want me to go to Luoyang?"
Yuwen Yuan replied, "Yes."
"Why?"
"Luoyang, a prosperous and bustling place, go there and be a good Grand Chancellor of Shaanxi East Circuit. I entrust Luoyang, and everything there, to you."
"..."
"Your Qin Prince's Mansion and all its people will go with you. You may also take any other officials you wish to bring with you. You may issue imperial edicts, and the appointment and dismissal of officials will no longer require the approval of the court here. I will no longer concern myself with any affairs over there."
"..."
"Okay?"
Yuwen Ye didn't speak; he was so quiet that he even stopped breathing, but his body trembled slightly.
Because his heart was pounding wildly.
Yuwen Yuan's words had no other meaning than to promise him that Luoyang and everything there, which was the heart of the Central Plains, would be handed over to him. In other words, he could act as an emperor. Apart from not having the title of emperor, he was effectively the emperor of Luoyang!
Yuwen Ye's cold and deep eyes turned pitch black at that moment.
He looked at Yuwen Yuan and said, "Father's meaning is—"
Yuwen Yuan said with a wry smile, "Stop arguing with your elder brother."
"..."
"I understand that half... most of this world was conquered by you. Even if there are wars in the future, you are the only one I can entrust with my life. I have already given you all I can ask for."
"..."
“However, I cannot give you the position of Crown Prince.”
"..."
"He is, after all,—"
Yuwen Ye frowned slightly, and loosened his grip on Yuwen Yuan's hand a little more.
Although the five furnaces were still burning brightly, especially the one next to Yuwen Yuan, which was radiating waves of heat, the sweat on his body suddenly turned icy cold. His beating heart was also instantly encased in ice, so cold that it seemed as if his heartbeat had stopped.
He said, "Is your son inferior to my elder brother?"
Yuwen Yuan felt another headache coming on, but this time, he didn't even bother to catch his breath or cry out in pain. Instead, he shook his head and said with a wry smile, "If you really are not as good as me, then I wouldn't have to be in such a predicament."
"..."
"It is because of you that I have taken this helpless step."
"..."
"The position of Crown Prince has been decided, and the foundation of the state cannot be shaken."
"..."
"Feng Chen, go to Luoyang."
"..."
"I will entrust everything there to you. I will also tell the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi to prevent them from interfering in the affairs of the Central Plains. Everything there belongs to you, okay?"
"..."
Yuwen Ye did not respond to this, but slowly released Yuwen Yuan's hand. Both of their palms were covered in cold sweat. The moment they were released, they both felt a chill pierce their hearts from their palms. Yuwen Yuan even shivered.
Yuwen Ye stood up and walked back to where he had just knelt. He bent down and picked up the document. What was written on it didn't matter anymore. He closed the book, walked back to Yuwen Yuan, and placed the document in front of him.
Then he said, “So, Father, whether it was when you enfeoffed me as the King of Qin and my elder brother as the King of Han when you ascended the throne, or before the Battle of Taiyuan you promised that whoever captured Taiyuan would be the Crown Prince, or later when you bestowed a name upon Yuan Gan… from beginning to end, you never actually thought of making me the Crown Prince to inherit your great cause, did you?”
"..."
Yuwen Yuan opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
His flickering gaze made everything he couldn't say clear.
Yuwen Ye took a deep breath, slowly straightened up, and looked down at Yuwen Yuan, who was leaning against the table as if he was about to collapse at any moment.
He said, "Your subject... can consider it."
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