The following days were gray. The Crown Prince had passed away, and the entire country was in mourning. They wore plain clothes and stopped the ritual and music. I was immersed in my sorrow. I didn't eat or drink for the past few days. Later on, my body was so weak that I couldn't resist the ring. Some sweet and bitter soup maintained my life. I was muddle-headed and sometimes slept.
When I woke up, I repeatedly recalled Wen Chuan's last appearance, numbing myself from the pain over and over again. Perhaps only this kind of numbness can let me live on.
Father, mother, and several brothers came to see me and comforted me, but I just kept silent. Father and mother could not do anything, they only told Huan Pei to take good care of me.
Wen Lang was busy as the temporary deacon and had no time to come over for a few days. He only sent people around him to send letters, so Ring Bell would bring me different news almost every day.
The emperor wanted to abdicate but suddenly lost the prince. He was very sad and seriously ill. He did not go to court early since the third day of the third day.
On the night of the fourth day, the Crown Prince's concubine, Zhao Ximo, gave birth prematurely due to excessive grief. She gave birth to a posthumous prince for the former Crown Prince and named him Zhifan according to the former Crown Prince's last wishes.
On the ninth day, the emperor returned to court and discussed with the ministers about the establishment of another crown prince, but there was no result.
On the 11th, General Chen and other generals proposed to appoint the fourth prince Wenhui as the crown prince according to the order of succession.
On the 12th, a group of civil officials led by Prime Minister Ni was willing to follow the ancestral system and appoint Zhifan, the son of the former Crown Prince, as the Crown Prince. Before the Crown Prince took over the government, several auxiliary ministers and princes would act as regents.
In the following days, there were endless debates. Every day, they would hear news of certain officials joining a certain camp, and there were also many cases of defection.
On the 18th, the emperor fainted in the court and was in chaos.
On the 19th, news came that the emperor was in critical condition.
Other than when I found out that Zhao Ximo had given birth to a son for Brother Chuan, my heart wavered and I cried out loud. I didn't care about anything else. It was the same in every dynasty. The battle for the throne was bloody.
Wen Chuan had just left and had yet to fall asleep, but no one remembered him. This was the sorrow of being born in the royal family. Every time I thought of this, I wished I could go with him. On the night of May 20th, Rui Rong and Huan Ling were trying to get me to open my mouth. Huan Pei rushed in and said to me, Miss, His Highness is here and there's an old friend."
I heard him and saw Wen Lang in his green and white clothes enter the room, but I didn't react. I still stared blankly at the incense burner on the table. So what if I'm an old friend? What kind of old friend can compare to that person?
Until I heard a familiar voice: "Sister Yu 'er."
This voice tugged at my heartstrings. My entire body trembled. I turned my head and saw Zhao Ximo in plain clothes behind Wen Lang.
When I saw Zhao Ximo, I was very excited. However, I hadn't spoken for many days. I didn't know what to say when I opened my mouth. I just looked straight at her and tears flowed like a fountain. Zhao Ximo also had tears in her eyes. Rui Rong was confused. Wen Lang introduced,""This is Second Brother's concubine, Princess Wei Ning.”
Rui Rong bowed,"Greetings, Princess Consort."
Zhao Ximo sobbed,"There's no need to be so polite. I've seen Guard Shi in the residence."
I looked at her obviously thin and haggard face and blurted out,"How is the little prince?"
She slowly smiled and said,"It's alright. Nanny is taking care of it."”
Huan Pei also suddenly came to a realization and quickly helped her sit down."Wangfei just gave birth not long ago and is not out yet. How can you walk around casually?”
"My health is no longer important," Zhao Ximo said sadly.”
She looked at me and Wen Lang,"Sister Yu 'er, Your Highness, please stop your sadness for now. Ximo has something important to say to you."”
Wen Lang and I looked at each other. Wen Lang instructed,"Ring the bell and guard the door. Don't let anyone approach.”
Then, he said to Zhao Ximo,"Ruirong and I are like Second Brother and Yu 'er."”
Zhao Ximo nodded and looked at Rui Rong with envy in her eyes. I wiped my tears and waited for her to speak.
" After His Highness passed away, Ximo went into labor immediately. Then, her body was weak and she spent a few days in a daze. It was only recently that she felt better and realized that she couldn't delay any longer." Zhao Ximo paused for a moment and said something shocking." Before His Highness left, he left behind a posthumous edict.”
Wenlang and I were both surprised, sad and happy, and looked at each other.
" His Highness was unconscious for two days, and his condition worsened. The imperial physicians didn't even give him any prescriptions. Ximo couldn't help much, so she could only stay by his side. Around the third day of the third lunar month, His Highness woke up," Zhao Ximo said calmly, as if she was telling a story." I was surprised and wanted to call the imperial physician, but His Highness stopped me. His Highness said that he was not well, and he asked Ximo not to cry. He also asked Ximo to prepare the imperial edict and seal for him, and to remember what he said.”
As she spoke, she took out an imperial edict and unfolded it. Although the handwriting was weak and even a little sloppy, I could still recognize that it was written by Wen Chuan at a glance. The content of the imperial edict was even more shocking. Under the red crown prince imprint, there were only six words in ink: I hope to make my fifth brother the crown prince.
According to the rules of our dynasty, once the crown prince is established, he cannot be deposed without major mistakes. If the crown prince dies, his son will be established. If the crown prince dies early and has no son, he will be changed according to the crown prince's will or the emperor's will. Now that the Emperor was seriously ill, Wen Chuan's posthumous edict had appeared at this time and involved Wen Lang in the fight for the throne. It could be said to be another sharp sword that would definitely turn the court upside down.
Wen Lang was so shocked that he frowned. His expression was quite complicated. Rui Rong lowered her head. I could understand Rui Rong's state of mind, but I couldn't say anything. I just grabbed her hand tightly.
Zhao Ximo looked at Wen Lang." His Highness even left a message for His Highness.'Fifth Brother, I've entrusted Jiangshan and Yu' er to you. You have to help me take good care of them.'”
Wen Lang's face was filled with sadness when he heard that. I had already filled my eyes with tears, but I was trying my best to restrain myself.
Zhao Ximo then looked at me sadly. I realized that Wen Chuan had also left a message for me. I was so anxious that my heart was about to jump out.
"What His Highness left for sister Yu 'er was,' Yu 'er, without me, you must take good care of yourself and find the person who harmed me.'”
She lowered her eyes, took a deep breath, and looked up again."There was also another sentence,'Yu' er, I've let you down in the end.'”
Yu 'er, my Yu' er, I will never let you down.
This was the last thing he said to me before he went north. However, before he left this world, the last words he left for me were, Yu 'er, I've let you down in the end.
The person who would never let me down finally let me down. I could no longer suppress it and tears fell like rain.
I didn't know when Zhao Ximo left. When I regained consciousness, Wen Lang and Rui Rong had also left. Huan Pei looked at me with a worried face."Huanpei, I can't be immersed in sadness anymore. I have to be strong. Brother Chuan said that he wants me to avenge him.”
On the twenty-first day, the old prince, who had not been in charge of government affairs for many years, was invited to preside over the court meeting with the Imperial Consort. When everyone was debating as usual, the fourth prince sent a handwritten letter stating that he was weak and did not want to participate in the battle for the throne. He asked the generals to appoint someone else. Thus, the civil officials immediately gained the upper hand and made the little prince Zhi Fan the heir apparent.
On the 22nd, the Emperor's condition was getting worse. All the ministers advocated the establishment of the Crown Prince and future regent princes and assistant ministers as soon as possible. At this moment, the former Crown Prince's concubine, Princess Weining, Zhao Ximo, suddenly appeared and presented the former Crown Prince's posthumous edict. After the various departments checked it, it was indeed authentic. For a time, the entire court was shocked and there were many opinions.
The generals, led by the Great General, all agreed to support the Fifth Prince, but Prime Minister Ni and several other important officials insisted on their own opinions on the grounds that the former Crown Prince had an heir. Although the number of supporters had decreased, they could not be ignored easily.
On one side was her grandson, and on the other side was her son. The imperial noble consort was at a loss for a moment, and the old prince was even more surprised. He could only order that they discuss it another day.
This night, when I heard Wen Lang describe what happened, my heart was also complicated.
If the Emperor were to make Zhifan, who was still in his swaddling clothes, the Crown Prince, if anything were to happen to the Emperor, the power of the court would definitely fall into the hands of the Prime Minister within ten years. Even if the Great Generals fought, the internal strife of the country would not be beneficial to the country. Even if he could return to power many years later, the regent would have a strong foundation and would inevitably continue to influence the government.
Privately, Wen Lang had always upheld freedom for many years and was indifferent to wealth and power. He had never thought of cultivating his own power and courtiers. If he wanted to take over the throne, he could be said to be completely alone. Chaos in the court or becoming a puppet emperor was a possible situation in the future. Moreover, he was afraid that he would not be able to stay with Rui Rong. With Rui Rong's status, even if she could enter the palace, she would have to start from a low position. As pure as she was, how could she adapt to that terrifying palace? I've lost Wen Chuan, how I wish that Wen Lang could abandon everything and grow old with Ruirong.
To me, he is Wen Chuan's flesh and blood. As the heir, he has inherited Wen Chuan's mantle. I should be gratified. However, he was so young, how could he help Wen Chuan find the person who harmed him? Once Zhifan succeeds the throne, the high-ranking officials will definitely exclude Wenlang from power. At that time, how can a weak woman like me complete the task entrusted to me by Wenchuan? Her heart ached when she thought about how she would be promised to a stranger for the rest of her life.
When the sadness was pushed away by the things in front of me, the calculation in my heart gradually became clearer. At this moment, I could think clearly, but I couldn't say anything.
I looked at Wen Lang and Rui Rong sitting opposite each other speechlessly and decided to break the silence."Brother Lang, look at the situation now. What will the outcome be?”
Rui Rong was also concerned when she heard this. However, Wen Lang, whose eyes were bloodshot, was about to speak, but he frowned and sighed. In the end, he did not say anything.
Rui Rong was very anxious and looked at me again. I knew that I had to keep my spirits up for the two of them and for Wen Chuan's last wish. However, I also knew that Wen Lang's heart was in a mess. I couldn't bear to rush him, so I only opened my mouth to analyze.
" Now, on the Emperor's side, I'm afraid…" Naturally, I couldn't say anything disrespectful, so I stopped." Currently, there are only a few officials who are dedicated to the country. They all want to take advantage of the chaos to gain power. The Fourth Prince had always been in poor health, and the little prince was still in swaddling clothes. No matter who was the heir, they would not be able to manage the government. No one had expected that the Fourth Prince would withdraw from the whirlpool. He and Consort Shu had never had any ideas. This time, they must have received some guidance from someone. Now, everything depends on you. As long as you express your stance, everything will be resolved.”
Seeing the two of them looking at me, I paused. Just as I was about to speak, Chang Yuan, the internal supervisor beside Brother Lang, suddenly ran in in a panic."Wangye, there's an urgent message from the palace, asking wangye to quickly enter the palace.”# Daguan Review Passed: Daguan Time:111420183: 47PM #Cancel Review All: wdd201302 Time:111420185: 56PM #
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