Chapter 4 The Death of the Third Prince
Zhou She sat in the corner of the carriage, his gaze fixed on the military officer opposite him.
This man looked frail, but he was indeed a military officer and was deeply trusted by the emperor.
Zhou She had dealt with him before, though it was mainly because he was the one who was beaten...
"Hey." He hesitated for a moment, then finally called out, "Waileju."
Huai Leju raised his eyelids, glanced over indifferently, and said calmly, "What's wrong?"
Judging from his expression, it seemed that if Zhou She said he had something to do, he would be beaten again.
"How is Uncle's health?" Zhou She stammered for a long time before finally uttering this question.
Huai Leju did not speak.
Zhou She, having been rebuffed, turned his gaze to the side and shrank into a corner to continue playing dead.
The last conflict was truly innocent and a misunderstanding—Huai Leju's biological father suffered a stroke at a brothel, and he was just there to join in the fun; it's only human nature!
Who knew that Huai Leju would come to handle the matter in person? He couldn't avoid it in time and ended up hanging at the door watching the show, where he was caught red-handed.
Huai Leju may look frail, but his fists are surprisingly strong. Fortunately, he fought back in time, turning the one-sided beating into a mutual fight.
As their thoughts wandered, the carriage finally came to a stop, and the four of them stepped off. Huai Leju led them inside, where they saw several familiar figures in the distance.
The heir of the Marquis of Zhen'an cautiously approached Zhou She, whispering among themselves, "Is that Xiao Jianhe over there?"
Zhou She had excellent eyesight and recognized them at a glance: "It's them."
Xiao Jianhe was the prime minister's eldest grandson, praised as a steed of a thousand miles, and was known as one of the two outstanding talents in both literature and military affairs, along with Huai Leju.
As the group walked along the palace path, they fell silent for a moment, when the voice of the heavens sounded again.
[Let's get back to the Third Prince. He's quite famous, known for his extensive reading and numerous scholars, making him a strong contender for the throne.]
The emperor was still torn between his second and third sons, so he simply sent them to the Marquis of Zhen'an, Zhuang Ziqian, for a makeover. But no one expected that the Northern Di, who had been well-behaved for decades, would suddenly rise from the ashes at this moment.
From the twenty-third year of the Hong'an reign, Emperor Hong'an had been in poor health. It is said that the enemy knows you best, and the Northern Di took advantage of this weakness, launching a fierce attack on Mingyuan Pass, which was guarded by the Zhuang family during the spring planting season.
Actually, for the father and son of the landlord, they were old friends, and it wasn't something they couldn't fight fiercely with. However, the problem was that their most formidable enemy was their incompetent teammates, a point perfectly illustrated by the two princes.
The second and third princes exchanged a glance after being called "pig teammates."
They had realized that Tianmu was not only disrespectful to the emperor, but also looked down on their abilities.
Second Prince: I am highly skilled in martial arts! I have generals following me!
Third Prince: I am well-versed in literature! I have many outstanding talents under my command!
I'm so angry, but I can't speak; I have to stay silent.
Everything was prepared perfectly, but no one expected that there would be a variable named "Third Prince".
In short, he was "disregarding military orders" and "eager for credit and reckless." Even when the enemy was at their doorstep, our popular Third Prince was still busy vying for credit. As a result, he not only failed to gain any merit, but also managed to lose his own life.
Encouraged by those around him, he gleefully went out to his death. Naturally, he underestimated his enemy and was killed, his head hanging at the city gate as a decoration.
Tsk tsk.
Not content with what Tianmu had said, he added two disdainful interjections, making the Third Prince's face turn pale.
Of course, some people might say, "So what? Wasn't Emperor Zhongzong the same kind of person?" Up, don't be so hypocritical!
Yes, Emperor Jungjong was that kind of person too, which is why he received the eight-character compliment of being stubborn, self-willed, and ambitious, and received very few kind words from the civil officials. But most importantly, at least they won the war; you, the third son, were simply handing over the spoils of war, weren't you?
"Hmph." The fourth prince let out a cold laugh through his nose. "Stubborn and self-willed, and fond of grand achievements."
The fourth prince, confident in his relatively minor offense, was bolder than his brothers, whose crimes were far more serious.
The way he uttered those eight words at that moment was purely sarcastic and unsettling.
The emperor, feeling utterly exhausted, said, "Shut up."
How can I deny that I've actually considered having a third child?
The Ning Dynasty has been established for a hundred years. Emperor Gaozu was full of martial virtue, and Emperor Taizu also had the style of his father. The dynasty has been passed to Emperor Hong'an. We absolutely cannot let it be lost in the slightest under his rule!
The Third Prince seems completely unreliable... no matter how you look at it.
After careful consideration, Emperor Hong'an realized that the only remaining threat was the Northern Di; the other tribes were nothing more than that.
Why don't we send troops to take down the Northern Di tribes first?
Emperor Hong'an fell into deep thought.
The Third Prince is dead, and it is impossible to know whether Emperor Hong'an ever favored him. Some people in later generations believe that if he hadn't died, the Third Prince might have been a capable minister.
However, I want to say that being smart does not mean being capable. The old Ning Shu repeatedly covered up for the Third Prince, saying that he was brave and fierce in fighting the enemy to protect the country's gate, and finally died from exhaustion. He was actually both intelligent and brave, but just unlucky.
However, the historical records couldn't outsmart our discerning eyes; the Third Prince wasn't as formidable as portrayed in the official history books. Note that he went to Mingyuan Pass, where the border general stationed at the time was none other than Marquis Zhuang Ziqian of Zhen'an.
Everyone knows this guy. The Hong'an Dynasty doesn't value military force, so he's a rare and fierce general. He's a veteran of countless battles; why would you, a prince with no military strategy knowledge, try to reap the rewards? Shameless! — Oh, wrong, it wasn't the third prince who reap the rewards, it was the second prince. He happily took first place, but he didn't actually do any real merit; just surviving and returning home makes him Hong'an's best baby!
Third Prince: ? ? ?
The third prince's upturned lips fell back down.
Can we please stop talking about those kinds of embarrassing topics since I'm a dead person?
The second prince was also unhappy: What do you mean, "As long as I'm alive, that's enough?! What is it about me that you don't like?!"
Emperor Hong'an, not caring about his two sons' mental health, sighed and said, "Mu Zhi is indeed my fierce general."
Mu Zhi was Zhuang Ziqian's courtesy name, and he always addressed him affectionately to show his favor.
Of course, the Second Prince and the Third Prince are indeed brothers, both being martial arts types who believe "so what? We're going to fight head-on."
Upon receiving news of his younger brother's tragic death, the second prince, in front of a group of officials, mocked his third brother, saying he deserved it, before rushing out of the city to fight the Northern Di in a battle to "steal the head."
However, in terms of fighting... no, in terms of luck, he was a bit better off than his good brother; he did manage to come back alive, and incidentally, he even brought back his good brother's head.
The second prince's eyes lit up.
He glanced cautiously at his father, the emperor, and saw that the emperor was looking at him too. His heart pounded, filled with anticipation and fear.
With the prophecy of the Heavenly Curtain's rebellion and coup, his crime was the most serious. From the moment he arrived until now, he had been trembling with fear, terrified that his father, the Emperor, might displease him and have him dragged away and executed on the spot.
Fortunately, Emperor Hong'an only looked at him but said nothing. Perhaps he himself hadn't decided how to deal with his "treasonous" second son.
Among them, one person played a crucial role. The Second Prince was not a military genius; his survival was entirely due to this person's desperate efforts. In a life-or-death situation, the Second Prince was stabbed in the back, and this seventeen-year-old boy led his troops in a charge, pulling the Second Prince out.
Having finally returned to the front lines, the second son thought he was going to die, so he told his ministers, "If I really die, take my body and abandon the city to avoid my father's punishment."
I don't know if this part has been embellished, but in some ways, although the second child was a bit slow-witted, he was still a good person.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Hong'an exclaimed in admiration, "A seventeen-year-old boy with such courage! Truly, heroes emerge from among the young!"
The second prince lowered his head deeply, and as he heard his father's cheerful voice, he tasted a lingering bitterness.
He was clearly a fierce and daring general.
After hearing this, Emperor Hong'an fell silent again, a deathly silence descending. The Second Prince could almost hear his own heart pounding like a drum, so heavy and so intense.
"Look up." It was Emperor Hong'an's voice.
The second prince slightly raised his face, his gaze still fixed on the floral tiles beneath his knees, not daring to move, his face still deathly pale.
"What kind of skill is it to only show off your reckless courage?" Emperor Hong'an's tone was calm, as if the anger from moments before had never appeared. "I have taught you several times to be kind and respectful to your brothers, but you have forgotten it all?"
The second prince was a bit slow-witted, but he wasn't oblivious to the emperor's implied meaning.
He was both surprised and delighted, and immediately prostrated himself on the ground, trembling as he said, "Your subject is guilty!"
Emperor Hong'an's gaze lingered on him for a long time. After a while, he turned his head and said to Zhao Wen, "Go and invite the Prime Minister to the palace."
Third Prince: "?"
So, does that mean he mocked me as if nothing happened?
With the Third Prince dead, the position of Crown Prince was no longer in doubt. Because the Second Prince had rendered meritorious service in defending the city, rumors circulated in the capital that he resembled his ancestor. Emperor Hong'an cooperated, and in the same year, he appointed the Second Prince as Crown Prince.
This time, it was the second prince's turn to be happy.
The brothers looked at each other with pity, and at the same time, they remembered their second brother's heroic deeds of forcing the emperor to abdicate. They thought to themselves: It wouldn't hurt to make you happy for two minutes.
The entire Imperial Garden was silent. The brothers craned their necks, trying hard to hear some dirt on their second brother.
As everyone knows, the Second Prince is a brute who only gains muscle and not brains. However, Emperor Hong'an's sons are actually quite peculiar; it seems that each of them inherited a part of their ancestors' traits.
The second prince might be a result of atavism, possessing many traits of his ancestor, but unfortunately only martial prowess and lacking intelligence.
The second prince was ridiculed and his face turned pale and red. He wanted to say something, but due to his awkward situation, he swallowed his words.
Emperor Hong'an's mood was only slightly better than before. He still disliked him, and seeing him hesitate to speak, he immediately sneered: "You think you're so smart?"
He truly felt the same way; Tianmu's assessment of his son was absolutely right.
This son only grows muscles, not brains!
As for the second son's face... he was even told by Tianmu that his son would commit treason, so his face was completely lost.
Second Prince: "..." I didn't say anything, did I?
Admittedly, no matter how foolish the Second Prince may be, he is still the Emperor's son. How dare you commoners interfere? Emperor Hong'an, whose temple name was Renzong, was always kind and generous and open to advice, but he would never back down on matters concerning his son.
Chancellor Xiao Yichun submitted several memorials arguing that the Second Prince was unfit for the position and that it would be best to replace him. However, the Emperor replied, "You speak well, but I will not listen. Should I appoint my nephew instead of my own son?"
By the way, don't ask why Emperor Hong'an didn't choose the fourth or fifth prince. It's because since ancient times, the eldest son of the legitimate wife has been chosen. The second prince is still alive; if he were to choose someone else, those two useless fools would turn the capital upside down.
Upon suddenly hearing his temple name, Emperor Hong'an breathed a sigh of relief.
He was worried that this mess would affect his reputation after his death, but it seems that it's not a big problem.
Emperor Renzong... was still considered quite good.
Emperor Hong'an's trusted ministers shared this sentiment, exclaiming, "His Majesty is indeed magnanimous, never punishing anyone without cause. He is truly a wise ruler rarely seen in history!"
“Absolutely, absolutely. This temple name is excellent. It is our honor to be able to work in harmony with His Majesty and bring about this prosperous era.”
Fortunately, they did not serve as officials during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong. Although they did not know the cause and effect, they were all afraid that they would not live more than two years under a tyrant.
As for the fourth and fifth brothers, who were deemed useless by Tianmu: "..."
hehe.
They were like prisoners awaiting judgment, unable to figure out what wrong they had done.
There are actually some stories about the succession struggle during the Hong'an reign. For example, it was mentioned before that the second prince committed suicide out of fear of punishment. Why do we say suicide? Because Emperor Hong'an, worthy of the name of Emperor Renzong, was merciful to his rebellious son and did not intend to behead him.
Then there's Emperor Hong'an. Emperor Hong'an came from a poor background; his birth mother was a palace maid, and after giving birth to him, she was divorced and the child was kept.
Originally, after his birth mother's death, he should have been raised by a concubine, but unfortunately, he was unlucky. Emperor Ning Taizong was quite like his ancestor, spending his entire life fighting against foreign enemies; he was either at war or on his way to war. His harem was empty, with only three high-ranking concubines—and, even more unfortunately, all three already had children of their own.
As the sky lifted me up, memories from many years ago flooded my mind again.
Emperor Hong'an's grip on the armrest tightened slightly before loosening its hold after a long while.
Since I was already mentally prepared and knew that Tianmu would speak without restraint, hearing about my past from other people's mouths was quite interesting.
Zhou She, halfway there: "..." Sister, is this something we can listen to?!
If he were still outside the palace, he would certainly be happy to watch the show, but the problem is that he is about to see the emperor!
Don't make him angry.
So Hong'an became a hot potato. In the end, the Imperial Concubine said, "What else can we do? Forget it, let's raise him."
However, the crown princes of the Ning Dynasty were all quite dramatic, just as no one could have predicted that Hong'an would actually ascend the throne. For a long time, he was very unremarkable, and even his empress was not chosen according to the standards for a crown princess.
Empress Xiaozhen'an's father was only a fifth-rank official. Here's a comparison with the consorts of his younger brothers: the Princess Consort of Prince Huai came from a marquis's family, and the Princess Consort of Prince Su was the eldest daughter of a duke's family—the difference in their backgrounds is quite obvious.
Emperor Hong'an was somewhat displeased upon hearing this.
What's wrong with the Empress? The Empress is perfectly fine.
What difference? The difference is that none of those people can compare to his empress!
Zhao Wen, observing the emperor's slightly lowered eyelids, immediately understood and gently handed him a cup of hot tea.
Emperor Hong'an took the tea, sipped it, and casually glanced at his sons in front of him.
It's unbelievable that my mother didn't react at all when Tianmu talked such nonsense. I've raised her for nothing.
"snort!"
The third brother, who was still listening intently, asked, "What's wrong now?!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
