Why was Chapter 377 punished?
It must be said that Lu Yuanbin has some smart people around him. These words immediately transformed Lu Youming's desire to seize his brother's full power into a well-thought-out plan.
Upon hearing this, the emperor's cold gaze swept across the official's face.
If it weren't for the fact that these people had once wholeheartedly assisted him, he would have replaced them all one by one.
"Fifth brother, instead of advising your elder brother, you kick him when he's down. Is this the brotherly love and respect I taught you?"
The emperor glanced at Lu Yuanbin with a disappointed look. Lu Yuanbin tried to retort, but the emperor wouldn't give him any chance.
"Issue this order: Fifth Prince Lu Yuanbin is unfilial to his brothers. He is hereby confined to his residence for one month, effective today. He is not to step out of his room without my permission."
The emperor disliked nothing more than seeing his sons vying for fame and fortune. Since Lu Yuanbin had walked right into the line of fire, he could only tell him to obediently go back and stay there.
"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
The ministers who followed were completely dumbfounded. Why was the person who was impeached fine, while the person who impeached him was confined to his quarters?
Isn't their emperor the one who values the royal family's reputation the most? If it weren't for that, they wouldn't have chosen this time to come for an audience.
Little did they know that Lu Youming had entered the palace before the gates were locked yesterday, his purpose being to prevent Lu Yuanbin from receiving any information from them.
To avoid being seen by Lu Yuanbin, Lu Youming even disguised himself and left the mansion through the back door, and even took only an ordinary carriage to the palace.
"Father, I refuse to submit!"
Not only these ministers couldn't understand it, but Lu Yuanbin also couldn't understand it. It was Lu Youming who had done something wrong, so why was he the one who was punished?
The emperor naturally knew what Lu Yuanbin was thinking. Looking at his unwilling expression, he realized that Lu Yuanbin was his beloved son who had been cherished for many years.
"Very well, then I'll tell you, your third brother, whom you keep saying you want to strip of his power, is currently kneeling in the ancestral hall being punished. Are you satisfied now?"
How could that be?
Lu Yuanbin couldn't help but blurt out, "I clearly sent people to guard the Third Prince's residence as soon as I received the news yesterday. How did Lu Youming manage to bypass his people and appear in the palace?"
Seeing Lu Yuanbin's bewildered expression, the emperor didn't want to say another word to him. He raised his hand, and the eunuch immediately understood and stepped forward.
"Fifth Prince, esteemed officials, please return! The Third Prince has been kneeling in the ancestral hall all night. After all, what happened yesterday was not what the Third Prince wanted to see. His Majesty has already punished him, so please don't dwell on this matter."
The eunuch who spoke was the emperor's most trusted person, and his words generally represented the emperor's will.
Upon hearing this, everyone glanced at the silent emperor on his high throne, then nodded respectfully, took their leave, and withdrew.
After everyone had left, the emperor slapped the chopping board.
“This fifth prince is becoming more and more outrageous. He wants to marry the daughter of the Duke of Anguo, and I have already turned a blind eye, but he still doesn’t know how to restrain himself.”
Ever since the emperor learned that the crown prince was still causing trouble even when he was confined to his residence, the emperor's attention to the crown prince had diminished considerably.
Meanwhile, as the emperor's beloved youngest son, he gradually showed more favoritism.
In other words, if the crown prince is deposed, the next heir apparent will be Lu Yuanbin, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
Unfortunately, Lu Yuanbin's behavior today has left the emperor somewhat disappointed. Why can't his sons get along harmoniously, like two brothers in an ordinary family, showing brotherly affection and respect?
Thinking this way, the emperor completely forgot that during the struggle for the throne among his nine sons, he had shown no mercy to his own brothers. If the ninth prince, Lu Hexuan, hadn't been so young back then, he probably wouldn't be the Prince of Duxian now.
The emperor glanced at his personal eunuch and said, "Let the third prince go back! He's been kneeling all night, that's enough. Don't let him hurt himself in this cold weather."
Originally, according to the emperor's own wishes, Lu Youming would not be allowed to get up unless he knelt for a day or two.
But after Lu Yuanbin's outburst, the emperor no longer wanted him to kneel.
The emperor's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea. Apart from his personal attendants, probably no one present knew why the emperor was so capricious.
Inside the royal ancestral hall, Lu Youming knelt upright.
When he woke up yesterday, he found himself lying in the study. Looking at Xu Yunzhi in front of him, Lu Youming was still a little angry and wanted to vent his anger.
But when he heard that rumors were already circulating outside, Lu Youming was completely dejected, because he knew that if the matter reached his father's ears, he would really be finished.
Fortunately, Xu Yunzhi immediately gave him an idea, and he followed Xu Yunzhi's instructions, secretly entered the palace, apologized to the emperor one by one, and then knelt obediently in the ancestral hall for a whole night.
Lu Youming thought he would eventually kneel and faint in the ancestral hall. He was still a little stunned when he was suddenly called up from the ancestral hall.
It wasn't until the visitor told him that Lu Yuanbin had brought a group of ministers to impeach him but had failed that Lu Youming slowly came to his senses.
After arriving at the Hall of Diligent Governance and thanking the Emperor, Lu Youming quickly left the palace and returned to the Third Prince's residence.
Although he looked tired after kneeling all night, Lu Youming's spirits didn't seem as bad as everyone thought.
"Let's prepare a gift and go see Young Master Xu."
As Lu Youming spoke, he immediately ordered his servant to prepare. However, just as the servant stepped out of the study, Xu Yun arrived at the door right behind him.
"Your Highness, you don't need to make this trip!"
Xu Yunzhi said that regardless of whether Lu Youming invited him or not, he went directly into his study.
Upon seeing Xu Yunzhi, Youming acted as if he were seeing his own father, serving him tea and water, and even personally carrying a stool for him.
Xu Yunzhi naturally knew why Lu Youming was doing this. Seeing this, he didn't make excuses and sat down on the stool.
"Brother Xu is indeed meticulous in his calculations. This morning, that fellow Fifth Brother led a group of people to Father Emperor to impeach me. However, because I arrived earlier yesterday, Father Emperor not only did not strip me of my power as he wished, but also released me early."
Lu Youming's face was full of smiles, and he even spoke in a rare, informal tone. If Xu Yunzhi hadn't told him yesterday that she should go to the palace to apologize, the Fifth Prince's outburst today might have really cost him his power in the Ministry of Revenue.
"Is Your Highness so happy? If I told Your Highness that the Fifth Prince has been confined to his quarters by His Majesty, would Your Highness be even happier?"
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