And those ministers who had already chosen sides were not actually asleep. When the guards came to their door, they were already dressed and rushed to the palace as quickly as possible.
The emperor did not sleep tonight.
After settling the two young princes in, he rested for a short while before getting up to visit the Tenth Prince at Consort Rou's palace.
Consort Rou was a concubine he had brought into the harem three years ago. She was the birth mother of the tenth prince. She was beautiful, virtuous, gentle and considerate. She was the emperor's most favored concubine in the past three years.
However, tonight, the Emperor came to Consort Rou's palace mainly to visit the Tenth Prince, not Consort Rou herself. However, the Tenth Prince had already gone to sleep.
The child, not yet three years old, was chubby and fair-skinned, lying in his own little bed, sleeping soundly. He was adorable in every way.
The emperor looked at the child with gentle eyes, while Consort Rou stood by serving him. After a quarter of an hour, the emperor got up, took Consort Rou's hand, and sat down by the couch.
"Is Your Majesty having trouble sleeping? Let me massage your shoulders," Consort Rou said softly.
The emperor grasped her hand, indicating that she didn't need to rush: "My previous sons were all useless. Whenever I think of this, my heart aches, and I can't eat or sleep. But fortunately, we still have the tenth prince! We still have the tenth prince!"
"Once the court is stable in a few days, I will find a tutor for the Tenth Prince. He will surely be even more intelligent than the Second Prince of Xuan's mansion! My beloved consort, you must teach him well. I have high hopes for him!"
The Longevity Pill must continue to be refined, as the pursuit of longevity and even immortality is certainly a must. However, having no offspring is also unacceptable, as it would be criticized by the world and seen as a sign of the country's impending doom.
Consort Rou was not pleasantly surprised after hearing his words. Instead, she was filled with fear and trepidation. There was a Crown Prince under the Emperor, and Prince Xuan above the Tenth Prince. How could her son be expected to be given such high hopes?
But she still said, "Your Majesty's words have been remembered. I will definitely teach my son well so that he will grow up to be a strong and upright man and live up to Your Majesty's high expectations!"
The emperor patted the back of her hand, glanced at the sleeping tenth prince, and got up and left.
“Your Majesty, Prime Minister Zhang has arrived. Shall we summon him for an audience?” Huaifu bowed and stepped forward to ask.
The prime minister was promoted from the former Minister of Personnel. His name was Zhang Xubai. He had been an official in the court since the emperor ascended the throne. After Ning Hongxi's death, Zhang Xubai became the emperor's most trusted person, without exception.
Given the momentous occasion tonight, the Emperor felt that, no matter what, Prime Minister Zhang Xubai must be by his side to witness everything.
"Summon him in," the emperor said, walking toward his bedchamber. Soon, Zhang Xubai was brought before him.
The night was long, and the emperor had no intention of sleeping. He took Zhang Xubai for a walk in the palace and told him about how Yun Zhuo had refused to investigate the case of the missing grain that night.
At the same time, he didn't forget to check the situation around to make sure his people were nearby, and then informed Zhang Xubai:
"I am very worried that the Crown Prince harbors ulterior motives! He has always believed that I was responsible for the evil deeds committed by Ning Hongxi and Liu Qinghe three years ago. He even blamed me for the Crown Princess's premature birth and near death outside. He has always wanted revenge! Prime Minister, I am so worried that I can't sleep!"
Zhang Xubai said, "His Majesty is the Son of Heaven, and if the Crown Prince harbors such disloyal intentions, he would be guilty of unforgivable crimes and be condemned by Heaven and Earth!"
"That's what I think too. I hope he won't disappoint me and will find out the truth about the missing grain as soon as possible! Even if the eldest grandson is mentally challenged, I will still protect his position as crown prince!"
Zhang Xubai said, "His Majesty is kind and benevolent, which is a blessing to the Great Zhou!"
The wind was still blowing, and the branches swayed violently, making creaking sounds. Zhang Xubai said, "Your Majesty, I drank too much tea tonight. May I take my leave?"
Seeing his anxious expression, the emperor waved his hand and told him to go to the toilet.
At that moment, the secret guard he had sent out rushed in: "Your Majesty, not long after the Crown Prince left the city, he led his men to attack the capital from two routes. Prince Xuan and Lord Cui each guarded one route, surrounding and intercepting the Crown Prince's men. Now, Prince Xuan is carrying the Crown Prince's head to the palace and will arrive in as little as a quarter of an hour!"
The deed was finally done; after so long of trying to kill the crown prince, it had finally succeeded. A strong wind blew across the emperor's face, giving him a powerful sense of excitement.
His eyes suddenly darkened: "Tell the deputy commander to prepare defenses around the Zichen Palace in advance! Bring the two young princes to the side hall! I will wait for Prince Xuan to bring in the crown prince's head!"
A quarter of an hour later, Yun Xun, carrying the Crown Prince's head, led his men into the Zichen Palace.
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