Upon hearing this, even the members of the Duke of Wei's faction were shocked. Wasn't this too coincidental? Even if they were to put on an act, they should at least make it believable. Wasn't the eighth prince born to Consort Jin long ago dead? Who would believe that he was living in exile?
Could it be that the Duke of Wei randomly chose a young man in order to seize power?
Some even speculated that it might be the Duke of Wei's own illegitimate son, who had his son impersonate the prince of that year. Now that His Majesty's fate is uncertain, and the Crown Prince is most likely dead in the fire, there is no one left in the royal family. Who can prove whether this eighth prince of the late emperor is the real one? Whether it's true or false, it's all up to him to say whatever he wants.
"The Eighth Prince? How is that possible? The late Emperor's Eighth Prince was declared dead by the Empress Dowager herself. Now the Duke of Wei is saying that the Eighth Prince is still alive. It's simply outrageous! Utterly absurd!"
Wen Rucheng stepped forward and questioned loudly: "Furthermore, how could the Duke of Wei so cleverly dream of the late emperor on the night the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace was burned? The late emperor was a member of the royal family. If he really has a spirit in heaven, why didn't he tell you in a dream to go to the Eastern Palace to save the emperor? Instead, he entrusted you with the matter of the Eighth Prince?"
After finishing his statement, he concluded, "Was this truly a dream from the late emperor, or is it something you, Duke of Wei, are fabricating and making up for your own selfish desires?"
The Earl of Qing'an also seized the opportunity to say, "Indeed, if the Eighth Prince is really still alive, why didn't the Dowager Consort Jin know all these years? Duke of Wei, don't pretend to be a member of the royal family again for your own selfish desires, otherwise your Duke of Wei's mansion will be punished by heaven."
When the Duke of Wei saw that the people from the Wen family were speaking as if they wanted to kill him, he couldn't help but feel annoyed. However, he also knew that all the emperors in history had gone through a brutal struggle to get to the throne. If he wanted to put someone who everyone believed to be dead on the throne, he would inevitably face great resistance.
Even so, seeing these faces that opposed him still made him very irritated. He made up his mind that as soon as the new emperor ascended the throne, he would immediately eliminate these political enemies.
The thought of how these people would weep and wail in the end made him feel better.
A bunch of ants, just wait to beg for mercy at his feet!
"The Earl of Qing'an is a newly promoted nobleman and does not understand the Duke of Wei's good intentions. Now that the royal family is in dire need of support, if the Eighth Prince were still alive, wouldn't that solve the immediate crisis? Moreover, the Duke of Wei also said that this was a dream from the late Emperor and an instruction from the Son of Heaven. What is the Earl of Qing'an worried about?"
Shi Xiuqing adopted the stance of an absolute defender of Yin Enci, and before Yin Enci could speak, she refuted him on his behalf.
As the two sides exchanged words, it gradually escalated into a heated debate between the two factions of the courtiers.
Shen Bochun spoke up at the opportune moment: "Duke of Wei, may I ask you a question? If, as you say, the Eighth Prince is still alive, did the late Emperor ever point you to the Eighth Prince's whereabouts?"
Yin Enci was just worried that no one would ask him this question. When he saw Shen Bochun looking confident and certain that he couldn't answer, he couldn't help but snort and said, "Of course. The late emperor foresaw all of this. Since he appeared to me in a dream, he must have given me some instructions."
"The Eighth Prince is now at my residence. He has been wandering outside for many years, so I have allowed him to rest and recuperate at my residence for the time being. If anyone has any questions about this, I can have someone send the Eighth Prince to the palace immediately."
Shen Bochun chuckled, his eyes filled with disbelief. Yin Enci felt it was about time, so he sent Tan Yonglin to invite the Empress over, and sent someone to the Duke of Wei's residence to bring the Eighth Prince into the palace.
Tan Yonglin quickly returned with news: "Her Majesty the Empress has fainted from crying because of the Crown Prince's matter. The imperial physician is currently taking her pulse in the Jiaofang Palace and cannot come!"
Upon hearing the news, everyone was deeply saddened. The pain of losing a child is indeed one of the greatest sorrows in the world. The Empress was, after all, a frail woman, and it was only natural that she could not bear the double blow.
Upon hearing this, the Duke of Wei did not insist on asking the Empress to intervene. Instead, he asked Tan Yonglin to convey a message to the Empress that if His Majesty could not hold on any longer while the Eighth Prince was alive, she should appoint the Eighth Prince as the Crown Prince.
"Duke of Wei, isn't this a bit too hasty? Her Majesty the Empress has just lost her son, and you're already rushing to establish a new crown prince. Is this something a human being would do?" Wen Rucheng questioned sharply, his voice echoing throughout the hall.
"How is it not something a human being would do? Does it mean that in the face of such a momentous event, one should delay the affairs of the nation and its people for the sake of a woman's feelings? I think Lord Wen should stay at home taking care of his children and enjoying his grandchildren. It would be better for him to come out and cause trouble for the country!"
Yin Enci retorted without hesitation, and his words this time were even sharper than the previous ones combined. Wen Rucheng was so angry that his chest heaved, and he couldn't catch his breath for a long time.
Shen Mingzhuang was still sitting in Jiang Wang's palace, her eyes closed, as quiet as a painting, making one wonder if she was a real person.
Man Huan stood respectfully to the side with her head bowed. The hall was so quiet that there was not a sound. The air seemed to have frozen. Only the wisps of smoke from the three-legged incense burner with its animal head and carved decorations rose up. In the faint fragrance, there were also the sounds of breathing.
The moment Yin Enci's men led the Eighth Prince into the main hall, everyone in the Hall of State Affairs was stunned. Most of them believed the Duke of Wei's words, because anyone who had seen the late emperor could recognize that the Eighth Prince and the late emperor looked almost identical. It would be hard to believe that two people who looked so alike were not father and son.
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