PFC Chapter 106: Is there another purpose behind the position of Crown Prince?
Chapter 106: Is there another purpose behind the position of Crown Prince?
"What, is the Crown Prince instructing me on how to do things? Hmm?" The Emperor asked with a hint of accusation, and at that moment the Crown Prince sensed that the Emperor was beginning to doubt his motives.
The emperor's majestic face was filled with even more intense anger, as if he wanted to ignite the surrounding air.
He stared intently at the kneeling crown prince, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, and his voice boomed like thunder in the imperial study: "What, Crown Prince, do you really think you're qualified to teach me how to do things?"
After saying that, he suddenly leaned forward, his face almost touching the prince's. His hot breath hit the prince's cheek, making the prince shiver.
The crown prince was so frightened by the emperor's sudden outburst of rage that he trembled all over. His legs felt like lead, and he knelt heavily before the emperor, repeatedly muttering, "Father, please forgive me! Father, please forgive me! Your son knows his sins and will never dare to overstep his bounds again."
Seeing this, the eunuchs nearby all lowered their heads, not daring to make a sound, for fear of angering the emperor.
At this moment, the ministers were also terrified by the emperor's question. They all lowered their heads, wishing they could bury their heads in the ground, and kept shouting "Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor!"
The voice trembled and was weak, as if it might stop at any moment.
The atmosphere in the Imperial Study grew increasingly heavy, so quiet it was suffocating.
The sound of that needle falling to the ground seemed to transform into a sharp blade, piercing straight into everyone's hearts.
The cawing of crows flying by outside added to the eerie atmosphere, sending chills down the spines of everyone present.
Cold sweat poured down everyone's foreheads like a fountain, dripping onto the uniform marble slabs with a crisp sound, as if death were counting down, sending chills down everyone's spines.
Then the emperor burst into hearty laughter: "Look at you all, what audacity! How could I be killing innocent people indiscriminately? The crown prince is right, death may be avoided, but punishment is inevitable. Take him away and give him thirty strokes of the cane!"
The emperor's laughter carried the weight of his decision, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They understood that Yun Ting had escaped a calamity, and so had they.
All the ministers simultaneously shouted in low voices, "Our Emperor is wise!"
The emperor was filled with helplessness and resentment, and a hint of weariness flashed in his deep eyes.
He knew all too well that these pedantic people would only chatter on and on with their clichés and could not understand his vision and decisiveness as the emperor of Tianyuan Kingdom.
So he frowned slightly, waved his hand gently, and signaled everyone to step back, as if he were shooing away a swarm of buzzing flies, wanting only to get rid of their entanglement as soon as possible.
As the emperor of Tianyuan Kingdom, he possessed supreme power and naturally had no need to consult or discuss with these people.
However, the crown prince now seems to want to challenge his authority and try to interfere in his decisions.
Recalling the moment when he bestowed the title of Crown Prince upon him, the Emperor couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself. Had the Crown Prince become so eager to control everything after only a short time?
The Emperor had always placed great hopes on the Imperial Advisor, expecting him to quickly resolve the problem. However, there had been no progress, which made the Emperor somewhat anxious.
He often wondered what the Imperial Advisor was busy with, and why he had spent so much time but still hadn't achieved anything.
If this continues, we may really reach the point where we have no choice but to make a deal with that mysterious thing.
Thinking of this, a struggle and hesitation flashed in the emperor's eyes. He knew that making such a decision would bring him unpredictable consequences.
Now, the emperor sitting on the throne feels like he's sitting on pins and needles, with the regent Murong Qian eyeing him covetously, ready to seize his power at any moment.
She had a good son whom she had carefully raised for many years, but now he seemed to have deviated from her expectations.
This situation, with the emperor caught in the middle, felt incredibly ironic, as if fate was playing a cruel joke on him.
He secretly vowed to find a solution to the problem and regain his absolute dominance.
"Wait, Crown Prince and Prince Rui, stay behind. I have something to say!" Upon hearing this, everyone's inner thoughts began to stir again. These two princes in the harem were the most likely to ascend the throne, and many of them had not yet placed their bets on them.
No one can absolutely guarantee that they will be able to ascend to the supreme throne smoothly. After all, the most crucial point is that it is still unclear which emperor is more favored.
At this moment, the emperor seemed to be holding the bowl of water perfectly still, without any bias or favoritism.
It is precisely because of this situation that His Highness the Crown Prince often has a strong feeling that the position of Crown Prince that he has worked so hard to obtain may ultimately become someone else's wedding dress and be easily taken away by someone else.
It's even possible that His Majesty the Emperor simply used him as a target to deal with Prince Rui, deliberately placing him in the spotlight to attract the attention of others.
Otherwise, why would a prince be allowed to reside in the palace for an extended period of time, even though the princes have already been enfeoffed?
This is something that has never been heard of before and is utterly unbelievable.
It should be understood that, according to common sense, once a prince is granted a title, he should go to his fiefdom and stay away from the intrigues and conflicts of the court. However, the reason why Prince Rui is able to stay in the palace is truly puzzling.
Perhaps, there are many unknown conspiracies and schemes hidden here, and the unease and worry in His Highness's heart at this moment arises from this.
Such an honor is extremely rare, shining with a unique brilliance like a dazzling star, and is something that ordinary people are fortunate enough to receive.
This is why the many ministers in the court were completely baffled, unable to fathom the emperor's true thoughts.
They were well aware of the stakes involved, so they naturally dared not easily choose which side to stand on, for fear of accidentally choosing the wrong side and bringing endless trouble and disaster upon themselves.
The Crown Prince and Prince Rui were like oil and water, and they couldn't stand looking at each other.
The Crown Prince is the son of the late Empress, and the fruit of the Emperor's pure and beautiful childhood romance.
Prince Rui is the son of the emperor's favorite concubine. Since the late empress passed away, the emperor seems to have lost the most important part of his life, and he has fallen into extreme grief and pain, almost to the point of wishing for death.
However, during that most difficult time, the Emperor met his current Consort, who was like a ray of warm sunshine, illuminating his gloomy world. From that moment on, the Emperor left his entire harem empty for her and never chose any other concubines.
In folk tradition, people often compare these two women during their leisure time.
Everyone was speculating whether the Emperor loved the deceased Empress more or was more fond of his current favorite concubine, Consort Xiao.
This question has always been shrouded in mystery, lingering in people's minds, and it is difficult to find a definite answer.
If we were to ask who could know the secrets most clearly, it would undoubtedly be the Emperor himself.
The Emperor's feelings were like a treasure hidden in the deep sea, so profound that others could hardly fathom them, and only he himself could truly understand the joys and sorrows within them.
Of course, the people involved know best.