Chapter 171
Translator: NovelMultiverse | Editor: NovelMultiverse
In the study of the Prince’s Mansion, the Prince was frowning tightly while holding the note sent secretly by the empress’s order . Obviously, it was difficult to make a decision .
And beside him, a group of counselors were arguing .
“Your Royal Highness, the person who summoned you to enter the palace has been waiting for a long time . You have to say something!”
“Your Royal Highness, you’d better enter the palace . The emperor is just angry, as long as you bow your head and admit your mistake, you will be fine if you pass this level first!”
“Your Royal Highness, this matter has nothing to do with you . As long as you tell the emperor it is all Princess Pingyang’s fault, your charge can be washed away!”
“Your Royal Highness, if you resist the decree now, the emperor will be even angrier, you still—”
No matter how anxious they were, the prince squeezed the note in his hand and said nothing .
He had been worried about things for many years, and finally, it happened...
It was impossible for mother to lie to him, that was to say, that father was really angry and wanted to depose him .
He thought it was a shame to carry the title of a deposed prince for the rest of his life .
The goal of his life was the lofty throne . Every book he read, every word he said, and every mentor and friend he made was to enable him to be perfect when he sat in that seat .
But this light and fluttering note in his hand told him that all his efforts were in vain . From now on, he was just a useless person .
Even though he had been worried for so many years before, when he really heard the news at the moment, he still felt like he had been hit by a bolt from the sky, which shocked him beyond belief .
He had been a prince for so many years, but one day his father and the emperor would personally abolish him .
He was his biological son . Why should he be so cruel to him!?
Besides the shame, he couldn’t even imagine how he would live his life in the future .
No matter which younger brother became the emperor, he was bound to be regarded as a thorn in his eyes . By then, would he still have the possibility of living?
He couldn’t see his own way out, and he couldn’t see his future . The piece of paper in his hand seemed to block his way out .
Even though he had been raised in the palace for many years, he thought that these counselors who were loyal to him were all persuading him to enter the palace quickly . He looked at the familiar faces around him, but he felt that they were so strange . It turned out that they were not loyal to him, but the position he was sitting in .
Then one day, when he was no longer the prince, the real faces of the people around him would be exposed to him disgustingly .
The world he had always thought was unbreakable just cracked so easily .
No one persuaded him to fight for himself . These people only wanted to be prosperous and wealthy, but they did not dare let him come forward for fear that the prince’s fall would drag them into the abyss of destruction together .
He really wanted to look up to the sky and laugh . The irony, it was so ironic!
These selfish idiots, those greedy for life and afraid of death!
At this moment, the door of the study room was suddenly opened .
The counselors who were making a lot of noise didn’t seem to notice the strangeness outside the door until a clear voice called out: “Your Highness!”
Hearing this calm voice, the prince who had been sluggish for a long time moved and looked up .
Seeing that person, the prince couldn’t help standing up and said: “Daoist Master, you are here . ”
The Daoist Jingming was dressed in a cyan robe with a serious face, and he walked in with big strides, his sleeves swinging .
Shocked by the momentum of his body, everyone in the study stepped back subconsciously, giving him a spacious passage .
Everyone knew that although the Daoist Jingming had not been in the Prince’s Mansion for a long time, he had won the prince’s trust . He was good at observing the sky, was straightforward, predicted everything, and was extremely good at plotting the will of the people . During this period of time, thanks to the advice of the Daoist Jingming, the prince was able to restore the court public opinion lost when proposing the reform, and at the same time attracted more officials for his own use .
Therefore, the prince was almost convinced of the Daoist Jingming, and he was obedient to his words .
Without even looking at the suspicious counselors around him, Daoist Jingming said in a loud voice: “His Royal Highness, I watched the sky last night and saw that the purple star has changed . It is in response to today’s disaster . If Your Royal Highness cannot turn things around, then you cannot do it . In three days, you will be in a catastrophe, and I am afraid that your life will be hard to protect!”
This was just what the prince was thinking about . The prince was always calm, and he couldn’t help but sway, and he was a little unsteady on his feet .
He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, “Daoist Master, what is your opinion?”
He glanced majestically at the circle of fearful counselors . Daoist Jingming sternly said: “The emperor is deceived by an adulterer, and he is suspicious of the prince . For today’s plan, the prince must use all of your power—”
After a pause, he said word by word: “Get rid of those around the leader!”
If he didn’t follow the emperor’s summons, he would have to use his strength to clear those close to the emperor .
A voice of surprise immediately sounded from the crowd of counselors . Wasn’t this just treason?
There was a glimmer of hope on the prince’s face as if seeing the dawn . He couldn’t help asking: “The Daoist’s words are reasonable, and father must have been deceived by a treacherous man, otherwise he wouldn’t believe me—”
As soon as the prince said these words, a counselor suddenly shouted: “Your Royal Highness, you can’t listen to this demon way! You have been suffering for so many years, and you must not rebel! You should go into the palace and meet the emperor—”
Daoist Jingming shouted coldly: “You’re confused! The emperor does not trust His Highness at this moment . If he enters the palace now, the consequences will be disastrous!”
After speaking, he turned to look at the prince and said in a deep voice: “Your Royal Highness, don’t you know, the emperor has already summoned his servants into the palace . At this moment, I’m afraid that all the edicts to depose the prince have been drawn up!”
The prince sat back heavily on the chair . Panic and helplessness appeared on his calm face for the first time .
If the note from the empress just now gave him a hint of illusion, then the words of Daoist Jingming now were tantamount to extinguishing his last hope .
He also immediately understood the meaning of Daoist Jingming’s words . If he entered the palace now, the emperor would immediately declare his edict and depose him . By then, it would really be too late!
Seeing his desperate expression, Daoist Jingming said loudly: “Your Majesty, you can’t just sit here and wait for the emperor to depose you! As long as you get rid of the villain next to the emperor, the emperor will understand that you have the true heart of the world, you are the true loyal prince, and you deserve to be the heir!”
His words were like sparks in a prairie fire, igniting the hope in the Prince’s heart .
Yes, he had been a prince for so many years, and his father had always placed great hopes on him, but since Lord Xu came back, everything had changed...
It was him . He must have been slandering his father, he must be slandering himself in front of the emperor, and he must be using his influence in Mongolia to seek his position as crown prince!
As long as Lord Xu was removed, he would still be the prince who responded en masse at first, and he would still be the noble prince who would inherit the land in the future!
Seeing the confident face of Daoist Jingming, the prince slowly stood up .
It seemed that he couldn’t see the timid eyes of the surrounding counselors, nor could he hear their humble and weak pleas . The prince drew out the soldier talisman from his sleeve and said in a deep voice: “The matter is urgent . Send the order immediately . Summon my personal troops, and assemble at Chaoyangmen!”
...
It was a sunny March day, and the garden of the Xu Palace was full of spring . Yu Linglong stood under the window, looking at the branches and leaves blooming with new buds, silently thinking about something .
Xuan Cao walked in from outside, handed over a small scroll, and said: “Dear princess, this is the news that the prince has just sent . ”
Yu Linglong took the note and unfolded it, glanced at the message on it, and squeezed the note in her palm .
“The prince has already occupied Chaoyangmen . ”
Yu Linglong looked towards Chaoyangmen calmly .
Xuan Cao, who was already nervous when he heard the news, couldn’t help but say: “Princess, I just heard the cook mention that someone outside said... that the emperor was deceived by the prince . Now the prince deployed an army to remove those close to the emperor, to attack the prince...”
Yu Linglong still looked at the spring day outside the window, thinking about something .
The prince’s action was really fast enough . Although she knew that Lord Xu was ready, and expected that day would come sooner or later, when the prince really mobilized troops to Chaoyangmen, she still had a faint worry in her heart .
When things have progressed to this point, everyone was already involuntarily involved, and there was no retreat anymore . They could only move forward .
Xuan Cao stepped forward and said anxiously: “Princess, do we want to lie low?”
If the crown prince said he would come to the Xu Palace . Maybe there would be mobs attacking the Xu Palace . Lord Xu was mobilizing the forces of nine battalions and twelve guards outside to prepare for a showdown with the prince . Yu Linglong was the only one in the palace, and Xuan Cao was naturally worried about her safety .
Yu Linglong said lightly: “Where are we going to hide?”
Xuan Cao twisted her fingers nervously, and said, “If the princess doesn’t dislike it, we could go to my house to hide temporarily—”
Yu Linglong said without looking back, “I’m not going anywhere . ”
After a pause, she continued: “Summon Blue and White Tiger to the mansion immediately . I have something to tell him . ”
It was the prince’s actions that reminded her that in this power struggle, people’s hearts were an extremely important part . If the prince could spread rumors among the people and win support for him, then she could do the same . She believed that her channels would be faster and more extensive than the crown prince’s .
Knowing Yu Linglong’s uncompromising temperament, Xuan Cao had to agree and withdraw .
Before he left the house, she was almost hit by Hong Xing rushing in . Hong Xing could not apologize to the Xuan Cao, and hurriedly said: “Princess, the empress is ordering you to enter the palace immediately!"