Su Peisheng applied some menthol oil to the pads of his two middle fingers and massaged Da Pangju's head.
Big Fat Orange sat back on the kang (a heated brick bed), closed his eyes, and felt the coolness of the menthol oil, which finally made him feel a little better.
His feelings towards the fourteenth prince were very complicated. In fact, they were brothers born of the same mother.
If it were only because of the Empress Dowager's favoritism, he might not have imprisoned the fourteenth prince in the imperial mausoleum.
Even if the fourteenth prince wanted to seize the throne, as the victor, a defeated rooster, what could he not forgive?
What he deeply resented was his younger brother, the fourteenth prince. Not only did the prince not help him, but he also regarded his own brother as a mortal enemy.
Helping their arch-enemy, the Eighth Prince, to compete with him for the throne is utterly despicable!
But now, he finally understands. The fourteenth prince isn't as devoted to the eighth prince as he seems.
Perhaps it started with youthful impetuosity and genuine kindness, but the late emperor lived too long...
When the Eighth Prince was rebuked for being born to a lowly woman from the Imperial Household Department and therefore unfit to inherit the throne, the Fourteenth Prince had already come of age.
This effectively consolidated most of the power that Lao Ba had built up over the years. Now, he has the strength to stand up and challenge his own brother.
The fourteenth son wanted to be the fisherman who profited from the fight between the crane and the clam. But he was not the white crane who couldn't see the bigger picture.
The eighth, ninth, and fourteenth princes are no longer a threat. Only the eleventh prince remains, and he has always been resentful of his position as emperor...
Suddenly, the chubby orange cat said, "Su Peisheng, do you think Prince Dun might still be thinking about rescuing the Eighth and Ninth Princes?"
"They even spread rumors outside, slandering me for not obtaining the throne properly, and claiming that I stole it from the fourteenth prince by altering the imperial edict."
"Even some of my princes weren't my biological sons; I found them..."
That was too vulgar for Big Fat Orange to say.
Su Peisheng had seen many grand occasions; he even stood by the emperor's side when the emperor ascended the throne.
He watched as the ministers, governors, and imperial relatives below bowed to the large, fat orange.
He could handle even such a big situation. Just now at Chuxiu Palace, when Big Fatty Orange fainted, he remained calm and composed.
Upon hearing what the chubby orange had just said, Su Peisheng panicked and even forgot how to kneel.
He simply spread his hands, stammering, "Your Majesty, where...where did you hear such nonsense!"
"The late emperor... The late emperor's will clearly states that you are of noble character, closely resemble the late emperor, and are the rightful successor!"
"Furthermore, when the late emperor was seriously ill, he entrusted you with the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, while the Tenth Prince was still away fighting. If the late emperor had any intention of punishing his subjects, would he have made such an arrangement!"
Su Peisheng wanted to address the Fourteenth Prince, but remembering the taboo surrounding the fat orange, he swallowed the words back and addressed him only as a "criminal subject."
Fortunately, the chubby orange cat wasn't in the mood to argue with him. Su Peisheng calmed down and continued,
"As for the claim that the prince is not the emperor's biological son, that's utter nonsense. Anyone who utters such words should be torn apart by five horses and executed by slow slicing!"
Big Fat Orange snorted coldly and said angrily, "What you said is all true, but most people just parrot what others say. Many people treat these rumors as palace secrets and use them as topics of conversation after meals."
"They seized on this point. Since they couldn't win against me in court, they spared no effort to smear my reputation."
"Not only do you want me to be a laughingstock while I'm alive, but you also don't want me to rest in peace after I die!"
The Buddhist prayer beads in the big orange's hand flew past Su Peisheng's ear with a gust of wind.
When it fell to the ground, several beads of the prayer beads cracked. One or two even shattered into several pieces.
Su Peisheng's knees buckled, and as he knelt down, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
The Emperor's exercise these past few days has really paid off; otherwise, how could he have such great strength?
Even beads made of agarwood can be broken!
"Your Majesty, please calm down. The imperial physician said that you need to rest well and must not get angry again!"
Big Orange took a few heavy breaths; chanting Buddhist prayers really did calm the mind. After throwing the prayer beads away, he suddenly felt much better!
"It's alright."
"I know my own body best."
"Summon Xia Yi in; I have something for him to do."
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