Prince Ning felt a pang of unease looking at Prince Yun, whose face was pale and who looked disheveled.
"Second brother, let someone change your clothes."
The Prince of Yun was still wearing the same clothes he had worn during the day, stained with blood, and his hair was disheveled from the struggle in the palace.
The servants wanted to wash and change his clothes, but when Prince Yun woke up, he couldn't accept his current state and kicked the servants out.
"I don't want them to laugh at me, Brother Ning, can you help me?"
Despite his anger, Prince Ning nodded, still bound by their childhood bond, and ordered hot water to be brought to wipe Prince Yun's face.
But he had never done any servant's work before, so he was inevitably rough with his hands. When the wet cloth was wiped near the wound, the Prince of Yun cried out in pain.
“Brother Ning, am I ridiculous? All I want is for my parents to see me more and love me more.”
The two brothers were only two years apart. In Prince Ning's memory, his second brother had always been respectable since childhood, and he seemed to have never seen him cry like this before.
The anger in her heart dissipated considerably. "Second brother, why? Father and Mother have been good enough to us. Why did you still do those things?"
If he hadn't committed those crimes, his second brother would still be a gentle and refined gentleman.
"Everything in this world comes at a price. You only see the prince's glory, but have you ever seen him play as freely as we do?"
Have you ever seen him enjoying the company of his parents? When he was a child, he only kept a fox as a pet, and officials accused him of wasting his time on trivial pursuits.
Even when getting close to his mother, he had to be constantly careful not to be criticized. What was so good about being the crown prince?
Prince Ning tried to persuade Prince Yun so that he might realize his mistake and perhaps be forgiven for the rest of his life.
“Look at Father, as a monarch, his word seems absolute, but where is he not subject to restrictions? Even if he wants to do something, he still has to have his ministers carry it out.”
Even if you don't like someone, you can't just deal with them arbitrarily; you still have to consider the complex web of connections behind those officials.
He was constantly busy with official duties, scheming against his ministers, and dealing with all sorts of unexpected situations.
Either a war breaks out here, requiring funds to fight, or there's a drought or flood somewhere, and the taxes that were finally collected haven't even warmed the national treasury yet, and now there's a need to build a reservoir here or provide disaster relief there.
And I also have to deal with ministers who are willing to die for their principles at the slightest disagreement. I barely get a good night's sleep. Second brother, is this the life you wanted?
The Prince of Yun cried to soften the Prince of Ning's heart, not to lecture him. "The Crown Prince behaves that way because everyone thinks he is the late emperor's posthumous son and wants to bring him down. That's why he is so harsh and strict. It's also because he can't show the dignity of the Crown Prince."
He is the emperor's own son. If he becomes the crown prince, who would dare to treat him like this? They would all rush to curry favor with him.
"Father has worked hard, but he is too kind."
How can a monarch not have an iron fist? Kill a few disobedient ministers as a deterrent, and who would dare to cause trouble?
Prince Ning understood the meaning behind his words and paused for a moment.
Hearing something from someone else's ears brings a completely different kind of shock than hearing it with your own eyes.
He could hardly believe that his second brother would deny the Crown Prince and their father. Even though he hadn't been close to the Crown Prince before, he had to admit that the Crown Prince was an outstanding one.
"Second brother, there is such a thing as outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant in this world. Things are not as simple as you say."
There is a difference between doing things and doing them well. If one resorts to violence and suppression, all officials will choose the former. No one will truly share the burden of the monarch or seek happiness for the people. Such a regime will not last long.
"It's not that Father doesn't understand what you're saying; he simply puts the people of the realm first. Because those who can truly ensure his policies benefiting the people are implemented are the officials, high and low, throughout the court."
He wouldn't allow the Prince of Yun to look down on his father, the Emperor.
Perhaps his father was not as virtuous as emperors of previous dynasties, but he did his best to be a good monarch and a good father within his capabilities.
King Yun was also somewhat surprised.
Surprisingly, his good-for-nothing younger brother could actually say such things. He originally said those things to try to get Prince Ning to agree with him and stand on his side to help him.
After all, no matter what he said before, his good-for-nothing brother believed him.
This time, however, he failed, and King Yun had to try a different approach. “Brother Ning is right, I was wrong.”
Having fallen to this state, I have no face to live on. Brother Ning, could you please plead for me and ask Father to exile me to a fiefdom?
My legs are crippled, and I can only be a useless person for the rest of my life. But you know how much I yearn for freedom. Being imprisoned in this mansion would make my life worse than death.
"Brother Ning, we grew up together. I beg you, please help me this time. I will spend the rest of my life repenting in my fiefdom and praying for your well-being. Is that alright?"
After a few moments of silence, Prince Ning suddenly asked, "Second Brother, do you think I'm stupid? You've never looked up to me?"
So much so that they can't even act sincerely, assuming he'll listen to their arrangements and be manipulated by them.
Prince Yun did indeed think so, and since he was really tired and didn't want to listen to Prince Ning's rambling, he went straight to the point.
But to my surprise, I failed again.
Prince Ning said, "This is the decision of Father and Mother, and I will not interfere. Moreover, I also think that Second Brother should indeed reflect on his actions."
It turns out that all the good things they did before were just a facade, and Prince Ning was heartbroken.
“Brother Ning, how could I think you’re foolish? Our brotherhood has lasted for years and has never been fake. How could you think of me like that?”
The Cloud King retorted, "In this world, you are the only one who is completely devoted to me, so I can only beg you, you don't want to see me waste the rest of my life, do you...?"
"Second brother, if Ye Wantang's true colors hadn't been exposed, would you have stopped me from marrying her?"
Prince Ning interrupted him, asking about what was on his mind, and he stared intently at Prince Yun.
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