Chapter 24 Demoted to Commoner
As soon as the words of deposing the crown prince came out, the court was in an uproar. Even those neutral ministers could not help but advise the emperor to think twice. This kind of public outrage made Emperor Xiao Yuancheng even more fearful and angry.
Looking at the ministers below, the emperor's increasingly withered hands gripping the dragon throne could not help but tremble. Was he the emperor, or was the crown prince the emperor?
The more fiercely the ministers opposed him, the stronger Xiao Yuancheng's determination to depose the crown prince became. When he saw a row of grown-up princes kneeling down and asking him to reconsider, he sneered and felt it was hypocritical.
Who among them doesn't want the chair under his butt?
Do they think that if he deposed the crown prince, they would have a chance?
dream!
The emperor's old eyelids drooped, the beard on his lips trembled, and he slowly stood up. He said nothing and left with a flick of his sleeves.
Seeing this, Bai De'an immediately and swiftly announced: "Dismiss the court!"
The emperor adjourned the court session midway, which showed that he was determined to depose the crown prince.
As soon as he left, the officials in the court became divided. The officials from the prince's party all looked unhappy, while the officials from the kings' party could not help but gloat over his misfortune.
"Who told the Crown Prince to be so audacious as to protect Yao Chongchun and even dare to rob prisoners and disobey His Majesty?"
The princeling's official's eyes immediately shot up. "How dare you slander the prince? This was definitely not the prince's doing!"
"What a joke! Everyone knows that the Crown Prince knelt in front of His Majesty's bedroom to save Yao Chongchun. Who else would go to such lengths to rescue a prisoner? This is simply Sima Zhao's intention!"
However, they were wrong about this matter. Yao Chongchun's kidnapping was indeed not done by Xiao Ji, but Xiao Ji also had this intention. He originally planned to secretly escort his teacher for a hundred miles and then kidnap the prisoner, but he did not expect that someone had taken the lead.
He didn't know who this person was. He only handed him a letter from his teacher. Xiao Ji confirmed the handwriting and found it was indeed the teacher's handwriting. The letter said that he was fine, so Xiao Ji felt relieved.
As long as the teacher is fine, what does it matter if he bears the stigma?
As for the matter of the crown prince being abolished... Xiao Ji lowered his eyes and sneered, with a hint of grief in his eyes.
Ever since his mother passed away, he had anticipated that this day might come.
During the time when her mother was ill, she was very worried. She was not worried about her own illness, but about her son.
Xiao Ji lay beside her like he did when he was a child. His mother stroked his head again and again, her eyes full of love and reluctance.
The Queen Mother said, "Xue Nu, do you know..."
Xue Nu is his nickname because he was born at dawn after a heavy snowfall in winter.
She hesitated to speak, but finally couldn't help but said, "Xue Nu, you must remember that when your mother passes away, you will no longer have a father."
And then, when she was dying, her last words to him were: "Xue Nu, you must be careful of the emperor."
At that time, he only had a vague feeling and nodded with tears in his eyes. He could not deeply understand the words his mother said, but now he understands the deep meaning.
Even if he had been the crown prince for over a decade, so what? Even if he was the empress's legitimate son, so what? It couldn't compare to the momentary whims of the man on the throne.
He was still in a daze, his expression not changing much, causing the eunuch who was delivering the message to mistakenly believe that the prince had not heard it. But how could he say such a thing a second time?
Just when he was in a dilemma, Xiao Ji suddenly raised his head and said, "Send me to see... His Majesty."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Tong couldn't help but feel a little expectant, and immediately went to arrange a wheelchair, thinking that his master was going to submit to His Majesty.
Xiao Ji saw that Zhao Tong had misunderstood, but he did not explain. This trip was just to see some things clearly.
As soon as he was pushed out of the bedroom, a pretty figure rushed over. Xiao Ji glanced sideways and saw that it was the concubine.
Xi Qingtong no longer had the demeanor of a noble lady. She practically threw herself on the armrest of Xiao Ji's wheelchair, begging, "Your Highness, please just give in to His Majesty and admit your mistakes. His Majesty will surely forgive you! How can a father and son hold a grudge overnight?"
Xi Qingtong thought she had plenty of opportunities. She just needed to snatch His Highness's favor before the Crown Prince's wife entered the Eastern Palace. The Crown Prince's wife would not enter the Eastern Palace until next year, so there was still a lot of time. Her eyes were limited to the palace fighting, but she didn't expect that as long as the Crown Prince lost his position as the heir to the throne, all her calculations would become fantasies.
When she suddenly heard that the prince was going to be deposed, she naturally became anxious, thinking that it was because of the news she accidentally leaked a few days ago that the prince knelt down again and used love to force the emperor, which angered him. She felt extremely regretful and came to persuade Xiao Ji.
She had worked hard for many years to build up a good reputation, and as the daughter of a fourth-rank censor, she was the prince's concubine. She also had her sights set on the position of imperial concubine in the future, or even further. How could she be willing to have all her years of hard work ruined in an instant?
However, Xiao Ji just looked at her quietly for a few breaths. Looking at the messy hair on the concubine's temples, he suddenly thought of Qing Wu in the Yunjutai that day. Even after being attacked by the red lacquer ball and giving herself first aid, she never showed any sign of anxiety or instability.
The two sisters look similar, but have somewhat different personalities.
Xiao Ji felt that he was finding joy in misery, and he actually had the heart to think about this. He shook his head and chuckled, then looked at Xi Qingtong and said calmly, "Don't worry, if you are afraid, go back to the Xi family first."
Thinking of the Xi family, Xiao Ji suddenly understood. The doubts he had that night half a month ago seemed to have an answer now.
His only relative by marriage had been deliberately transferred thousands of miles away. Even if the news came back, it would take half a month. If he couldn't catch up in time, his wings in the court would have been clipped and he would be gone.
But Xi Jianan is your Majesty's man after all, so it should be no problem for him to be a concubine.
After a few moments of thinking, Xiao Ji looked at the beautiful face in front of him and thought of the person who looked exactly like her. He felt a little pity in his heart.
It's such a pity that such a good girl wasted her time with him.
So he ordered Zhao Tong to give her the pass to leave the palace, "Take this and you can leave the palace at any time." If anything happens to him, she can return to the Xi family to save her life.
After saying that, Xiao Ji waved his hand, leaving Xi Qingtong staring blankly at the badge in his hand, clenching it repeatedly.
When she came, she also thought about seeking help from her family, but her father, who held the highest official position in the family, was away in Jingzhou, and the rest of her uncles were of low official rank and were of no help.
Xi Qingtong could only look up and watch the prince leave. Seeing his figure getting smaller and smaller, she suddenly felt a great fear in her heart. She was so confused that she almost wanted to run after him.
She hesitated for a moment, and the group of figures turned around the palace gate and disappeared. Xi Qingtong could only suppress the panic in her heart and return to her bedroom, constantly comforting herself along the way.
Even if the position of crown prince is temporarily abolished, it is not a hopeless situation. The crown prince was deposed and reinstated three times in the previous dynasty. As long as His Highness is still the legitimate son of the queen, there is still a chance.
There must be a chance.
However, Xi Qingtong's fantasy was completely shattered in just one hour. The prince's decadent aura was pushed back. As soon as he entered the East Palace, he locked himself in the bedroom and refused to see anyone.
The eunuch Zhao Tong's eyes were red and swollen, which made Xi Qingtong even more frightened. She asked him about the result in a trembling voice, but Zhao Tong didn't say a word.
She couldn't help but become even more flustered, and hurriedly asked, "Your Highness has angered His Majesty again? His Majesty is determined to depose the Crown Prince? Tell me..."
Realizing that she had lost her composure, Xi Qingtong managed to remain calm and said, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. I'll go home and write a letter to my father. He'll definitely find a way. Even if... even if... I can still make a comeback in the future."
She had already considered the worst-case scenario. Even if she temporarily lost the throne, it would only be temporary, and she could regain it. If she could stay with His Highness at this moment, never leaving him, she would be irreplaceable once he regained his throne...
However, Zhao Tong's words were like a bolt from the blue to her.
"What did you say?"
Xi Qingtong asked in a daze.
"The imperial physician said that your Highness's legs have been weakened by kneeling for the past few days. It's likely that he will have difficulty walking. Even if he can stand and walk, he will be lame."
"And it's not just about abolishing the crown prince position..." Zhao Tong couldn't continue speaking at this point. He choked up and said, "You'll know if you wait a little longer."
Xi Qingtong did not ask any further questions because her mind was already in a mess. Could there be anything more unbearable than Xiao Ji's leg being broken?
Is there any lame emperor in the world?
Could it be that she can only be a prince's concubine in this life?
But the decree that reached the Eastern Palace that night made her collapse directly on the bed. Every single thing was beyond her expectations.
Not only was her husband deposed from the throne, he was also demoted to a commoner and moved to a palace outside the capital!
Xi Qingtong had seen it on the way to Shanglin Garden. The palace had been abandoned for decades and was in a dilapidated state. How could it be habitable?!
After spending the night in a daze, when the palace gate just opened the next day, Xi Qingtong took the token and fled from the East Palace and went straight to the Xi family!
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