Chapter 41: Chaos reigns throughout the land, and this is where it begins.
Fifth Prince: "?"
He was stunned.
What is this? Who hired these assassins? Do you guys have any professional ethics?
He also wanted to ask why Tianmu's methods of humiliating him were always endless.
So one day, taking advantage of King Jungjong's inspection tour, the two quickly stopped the carriage, knelt down on the ground, and surrendered on the spot.
Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.
Emperor Hong'an's hands began to tremble uncontrollably. His fifth son was truly wicked in every way imaginable; to call him ruthless and cruel wouldn't even begin to describe him. Sending assassins—didn't he choose someone more reliable?
It's better to be weak than to do something stupid on a whim!
Zhou She: We usually don't call this betrayal, we call it choosing a master to serve.
They're happier here. Don't they understand the value of top-notch benefits, transparent performance evaluations, a harmonious office atmosphere, and strong career advancement opportunities?!
What's wrong with changing jobs? Everyone changes jobs sometimes.
They wept and announced their identities, then rattled off the Crown Prince's plans. It was all the same old stuff, so we'll skip that.
Finally, they also revealed the situation in the capital to King Jungjong, further confirming that what Huai Leju had said was true. In particular, they mentioned that the old emperor was indeed seriously ill, but not just seriously ill; he was actually on his deathbed.
Zhou She felt a chill run down his spine. If the emperor were to die, the world would likely descend into chaos immediately, and a time of strife and turmoil was already upon them!
No wonder the Fifth Prince was so anxious. He probably thought about it day and night, fearing that someone would lead a large army into the capital and drag him off the throne he so desperately wanted.
Unfortunately, he miscalculated.
Talented people can only be used by heroes. Although he is not mature enough now, he can still shamelessly say that the talents of the world in the future should be his Zhou She.
Even if it wasn't his, it definitely wasn't the Fifth Prince's.
Moreover... how did palace secrets reach the ears of assassins? The Fifth Prince is truly astonishingly useless.
Upon hearing this news, King Jungjong greatly praised them. But what should be done with the two assassins?
Opinions were divided. Some said that if someone can betray you once, they can betray you again. Others said that those who surrendered did so because our leader was good to them; if you kill those who surrender, no one will dare to surrender again!
After a moment of contemplation, King Jungjong finally declared: "Since you have voluntarily surrendered, I will promote you and forgive your past transgressions. Now... you are my personal guards!"
"Wow, that's pretty bold!"
If you keep it close by, and it turns out the person is just faking it, you'll be in big trouble!
After all, similar things have happened before.
“Actually… it’s not impossible…” someone thought and thought and barely managed to sort out their thoughts. “If it’s really a feigned surrender, the person is nearby, so it can be dealt with quickly. Just be careful and never let your guard down.”
That makes a lot of sense, but why do they seem to be gradually leaning towards King Jungjong's position?
The Fifth Prince is actually a very funny person. Why do I say that? Let me tell you a joke.
Historical records state that he was unlearned and incompetent, completely ignorant of political affairs. Whenever the court officials held discussions, a group of people would chatter on for an hour, while the Fifth Prince would sit in the head seat, listening and nodding, displaying his full emotional appeal.
But in reality, he didn't understand a single word. When the minister asked, "Please give your instructions, Your Highness," he pretended to ponder and said to the minister, "This matter requires further consideration."
When the event ended, he went back and said to a few close advisors, "Please take good care of me." Then he lay down with a clear conscience.
This forced everyone to the point that even Ren Heng, who was least skilled at managing government affairs, almost became a jack-of-all-trades.
Ren Heng: "Don't mention it! Don't mention it!"
Can't we just pretend he's deaf and blind? Didn't he still think it was His Majesty's child? Oh well!
Upon hearing this, Emperor Hong'an's vision went black for the first time, then brightened again.
The fact that someone as rough and unrefined as Ren Heng could learn about government affairs shows that human potential is indeed limitless.
Countless names flashed through his mind in an instant, all of whom seemed to be sent to remote, impoverished areas for training.
As for Lao Wu's silly jokes, he can automatically filter them out.
Just being alive is enough; as for how to live... don't ask.
Just like Lao Wu's management, you just need to manage, how you manage is not important.
Zhou She was utterly speechless.
He thinks he could do it even if he didn't think about his future self.
In fact, the Ning Dynasty has only been established for a hundred years and is full of talented people. As long as the rulers do not act recklessly, even if they just bury their heads in the sand, there will be no major problems.
However, the Fifth Prince was not an honest person. As Tianmu said earlier, what he feared most was forcing himself on someone who was not capable. This statement is indeed true.
Clearly, the Fifth Prince is the best among them.
[Jungjong accepted the two assassins and then said: Hey, although you didn't do anything, it's only polite to return the favor—let's be cultured for once and write a letter to His Highness the Crown Prince.]
So he picked up his brush and wrote a rather casual reply, which read something like this: I have received Your Highness's gift. Now I would like to ask you, what should I do with these two friends?
I know this is Your Highness's kind intention, and I dare not take it lightly. I will always keep it in my heart.
Although he appeared honest, he was actually full of threats. The Crown Prince was terrified after reading it, and he and Zhou Lao Er trembled as they pondered: We're doomed. If his good nephew finds out what he's done, won't he rebel immediately?
The two discussed it until midnight. Perhaps due to lack of sleep and unclear minds, the Fifth Prince suddenly had a flash of inspiration and came up with a plan: Since we can't kill him, why don't we try a different approach and persuade him to surrender?
Upon hearing this idea, Zhou Lao Er immediately applauded: "Your Highness is truly brilliant! I think it's a good idea!"
Zhou She really wanted to ask the Fifth Prince, "Is there really nothing wrong with your thought process?"
His thoughts jumped around too much, and he couldn't keep up.
For example, why would you think that someone who comes to assassinate you one minute and then suddenly makes a 360-degree turn to persuade you to surrender the next, would actually agree to that?
Who isn't afraid that a trap is about to be set in the future?
Besides... hasn't he rebelled yet?
Zhong Zhun was almost driven to the brink of fainting by his second son.
In terms of having an eccentric son, she and the emperor were most similar in their situation; they truly were father and daughter.
Looking again at his second son, who was trembling like a quail, he was just like the description in the sky!
"If you hate your older brother that much, you'd better kill him this time!" Zhong Zhun roared, grabbing him with a slap. "If you're going to do something, go all the way! If you don't have the guts, don't mess around! Do you understand?!"
Zhou Ze dared not resist and turned his pleading gaze to his elderly father.
Zhou Xuyan: "..." He was barely able to protect himself, and Tianmu was punishing him for multiple crimes with a single sentence. Meanwhile, His Highness the Princess was busy interrogating him about what he had done.
The two hit it off again. The Crown Prince, after a moment's thought with his not-so-developed brain, chose a messenger, Ren Duan, also known as Ren Shouzheng.
Upon hearing this news, Ren Heng nearly vomited blood and immediately ran to ask the Crown Prince, "Why did you want to assassinate Zhou She?"
The crown prince, of course, couldn't give a reason. Ren Heng felt a heart attack on the spot. Turning back to look at his son, he almost cried: Persuading someone to surrender—if the other side really intends to kill you, it's easy to lose your head!
Ren Heng's mind went blank. He turned and hugged his son, bursting into tears: "My poor child—"
Ren Duan let his father cry, but in his heart he thought: The problem is that they seem to have been in cahoots for a long time...
And the way Dad was crying made it seem like he was already dead.
However, his father seems to have forgotten about it.
Upon hearing this news, Ren Duan, as the son of the leader of the Crown Prince's faction and a close advisor to the Crown Prince (who had already defected), had no choice but to pack his bags and head to the northern frontier, carrying with him the newly issued letter from the Crown Prince urging him to surrender.
When he arrived in the northern frontier, he found that Emperor Zhongzong was still not at home. So he turned around and headed towards Mingyuan Pass, following Zhongzong's whereabouts. Finally, he found Zhongzong in a corner and discovered that he was... cooking porridge.
The scene was so beautiful that I wasn't lucky enough to visit, but Ren Duan was completely mesmerized.
After Emperor Zhongzong finished cooking, he turned around and saw his two good brothers standing in front of him, dumbfounded. He casually handed them a bowl and said somewhat embarrassedly, "The army is short of money and food, so I could only cook porridge for you. Brothers, please make do with this."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Hong'an sensed something was amiss: "Just now, Tianmu said that the soldiers received excellent treatment in your army. Why are you now feeding them thin porridge?"
You can't deduct money from soldiers, no matter who you are.
Young people, you can't just act recklessly because you're popular, you know that?
Zhou She felt as if he had gained some insight; he truly understood his future self: "Perhaps I am merely..."
Before he could finish speaking, Tianmu clarified for him:
[Don't misunderstand, it's not that we're truly short of money. After all, the Northern Frontier produces grain, and the Zhuo family contributed a considerable amount after their surrender. Emperor Zhongzong knew as soon as Ren Duan appeared in the Northern Frontier; in reality, he was just habitually, naturally... feigning poverty.]
Zhou She: "." He knew it.
Emperor Hong'an: "..." His grandson really loves to act.
They're already very skilled at this kind of thing!
Ren Duan, Fang Jingruo, and Shen Mingzhe: ...?
Who can restore to them the dignified emperor they imagined?
The main reason was that Emperor Zhongzong had previously used this trick to swindle a lot of grain from the court, so it had become a habit. Of course, Ren Duan was somewhat moved, but he had no money either, and with a simple roll of his sleeves, he was penniless.
So he was touched and ate a free meal. Finally, he got down to business and took out a letter, asking when King Jungjong planned to read it.
Emperor Jungjong was busy eating and was too lazy to even reach out to take it, so he simply had Ren Duan read it to him.
Ren Duan didn't hesitate and opened the envelope to start reading. Although His Highness the Crown Prince was terrified by the threatening letter, he still maintained his composure when writing the letter of surrender: "My dear nephew, I hope you won't hold grudges about the past. We're all family, even if our blood is broken, so why should we fight each other?"
I hope you will throw yourself into my arms, help me rebuild my country, and become my tool for labor. In the future, you will have high-ranking positions and generous salaries, and everything else will be yours (pie in the sky).
I bet Ren Duan isn't even finished reading yet, but he's already sweating buckets.
Everyone would want to complain a bit.
The common people felt utterly ashamed, digging at the ground and cursing angrily: "What kind of monster is this? You killed His Majesty and no one cares, but His Majesty hasn't even killed you yet, and you're jumping up and down like this?"
"Shameless!! Absolutely shameless!"
"Do you want to listen to this? Is this even human language?"
Zhou She smirked: "..." They really think they can fool him?
[I bet the comments are full of insults right now, and Emperor Zhongzong's reaction is pretty much the same as everyone else's.]
The sky swayed, and the screen showed a vast expanse of yellow earth.
The land outside Mingyuan Pass is vast and boundless. In a corner of the military camp, three young men sat.
The small print on the canopy identified them.
The person in the very center, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, was Emperor Zhongzong. He sat cross-legged on the ground, listening to this nonsense while eating pickled vegetables and porridge. He put down his bowl, frowned and pondered for a moment, then asked, "Is Your Majesty truly unwell?"
Zhuang Shi sat to one side, his legs bent, gripping the hilt of his sword with his hand behind his back. At a single command, the longsword would be drawn and the man would be slain!
Ren Duan was covered in sweat, whether from the heat or exhaustion, he stood there for a moment before replying, "Your Majesty is in good health and there is nothing seriously wrong..."
This part wasn't mentioned at all in the letter just now. Ren Duan didn't know why he would ask this question.
Before Ren Duan could finish speaking, Emperor Zhongzong raised his eyes and stared intently at him. Having weathered many storms and wielded immense power, his gaze carried an unspeakable sense of oppression.
Ren Duan immediately stopped talking and waited for a while, until he was sweating profusely. Then he heard Emperor Zhongzong say calmly, "I know even if you don't say it. If His Majesty were in good health, you wouldn't have had to go through this ordeal."
The midday sun shone on Ren Duan, and looking at Zhongzong's calm expression, he felt his own spirits dampened.
But Emperor Zhongzong still seemed full of energy. As he cleared away the bowls, he said to Ren Duan, "Your father is the Crown Prince's man. You have no choice in the matter. I don't blame you."
Ren Duan almost burst into tears.
God knows that he has been forced to follow the Crown Prince and clean up the messes for him all these years, all because of the phrase "I have no choice in the matter"!
Of course, he also hoped to follow a wise ruler to achieve a prosperous era, but... fate did not grant his wish!
King Jungjong said sincerely and gently, "Go back. You have your things to do, and I have mine."
"The Crown Prince's letter..."
"What nonsense are you spouting? I can't understand a single word." Emperor Zhongzong waved his hand and strode away. "Don't you know I'm illiterate? Why are you writing all this fancy stuff? Stop trying to be pedantic with me."
Zhuang Shi then stood up, and Ren Duan chased after him for a while. But when Zhongzong had gone halfway, he suddenly stopped and said expressionlessly, "If Your Highness insists on hearing my words, then I can only say that a true man does not submit to a mere boy!"
Ren Duan returned to the capital in a daze. The Crown Prince eagerly awaited his reply, and then... he fainted from anger.
The terminals were unadorned, and at times he was fearless, bluntly stating, "He looks down on you."
Ren Heng had been on tenterhooks for a long time, but when his son finally came home, he completely gave up his unrealistic fantasies.
First, he was not a capable minister who could save the country; second, the Crown Prince was a complete idiot. If he didn't look at the Crown Prince for even a short while, he would discover countless mind-boggling actions. This man was so extraordinary that he couldn't control him; it was practically an overload on Ren Heng's brain!
He quit!
Ren Heng exclaimed in admiration, "That's more like it!"
Alas, you can't force someone who can't be helped; that's a wise saying.
Shen Mingzhe said quietly, "It is only right that the Sixth Prince ascends the throne..."
Before he could finish speaking, Fang Jingru interrupted, "Lord Shen, please listen to me. Emperor Zhongzong is clearly a man of great talent and wisdom, a rare and exceptional ruler. Why bother seeking something far away when we have it all here?"
Shen Mingzhe choked on his words, then immediately flew into a rage: "Are you out of your mind?! This is the capital city! If you dare say such things, you'll lose your life!"
"..." Fang Jingruo said, "Lord Shen, I remember you told me that His Majesty cherishes talent and is very magnanimous. Now that His Majesty has seen the Heavenly Curtain, is he really not tempted?"
Shen Mingzhe: "..."
Ren Heng chose to let go and go home to contemplate life, no longer caring about the mess in the capital. But he didn't expect that the situation in the capital would change again not long after.
In the early spring of the thirty-sixth year of Hong'an, just a few days after the New Year, Emperor Hong'an finally passed away. His death immediately intensified the power struggle.
The capital was embroiled in a power struggle for the crown prince's position, leaving the court neglected and the enthronement ceremony repeatedly postponed. Amid the chaos, Xiao Yichun stepped in to assume the throne, but even as a traditional Confucian scholar, he could not withstand the Fifth Prince's self-proclaimed legitimacy, leading to numerous policy mistakes.
The sudden increase in living pressure and the unstable days led countless heroes to rise up in rebellion, while some powerful families took advantage of the situation to fish in troubled waters.
Chaos ensued.
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