Chapter 276: Chapter 277 - A Precarious Situation

“Let Prince of Zhao take charge in investigating the murder case in Jianling?” Duke of Ji still looked calm, but his eyes turned cold, and he said decisively, “No way.”

Prince of Zhao sitting at the head of the table asked in confusion, “Uncle, why not? Didn’t you allow me to speak for my brother at the imperial court? Now we can even prove his innocence…”

“Your Highness!” Duke of Ji waved his hand and stopped the others, asking peacefully, “You want to defeat the crown prince openly and decently and make His Majesty choose you as the heir to the throne, right?”

Seeing Prince of Zhao nod, Duke of Ji laughed, but there was no smile in his eyes. “The problem is that it’s peaceful everywhere and politics is fair and clear now. Even if you are confident to do a better job than the crown prince no matter whether you are the heir to the throne or the emperor, there is no turbulence at the imperial court and the commonalty. How can you prove it, Your Highness?”

Prince of Zhao was stunned after hearing that and couldn’t speak a word for a moment. According to what he was educated since childhood, he was the empress’ son and should be decent when he did everything, so even though he knew that he was fighting for the title of heir to the throne against the crown prince, he didn’t hope that his elder brother would be deposed because of being framed and slandered.

However, after Duke of Ji asked such a question, Prince of Zhao didn’t know how to answer it. He was confident to do a better job than the crown prince indeed, but how could he convince the public if there was nothing to show his ability, not to mention making Emperor Xianjia change his mind?

He wouldn’t hope that the country suffered domestic trouble and foreign invasion because of the fight for the title of heir to the throne.

Prince of Zhao was not so frantic.

Moreover, Duke of Ji also mentioned this situation. “What’s more, although His Majesty loves you, till now, he still supports the crown prince. Even if there is something wrong in the country which needs a prince to take charge, can I ask whom would His Majesty send then, the crown prince or you?”

Prince of Zhao stayed silent.

Unless Emperor Xianjia changed his mind and stopped being partial to the crown prince, other princes wouldn’t have a chance to make a show of themselves. However, the plan of Prince of Zhao to fight for the title of heir to the throne was to show his ability and attract Emperor Xianjia’s attention, making him reconsider who would be the heir to the throne. After Duke of Ji analyzed casually, he proved that the wish of Prince of Zhao was contrary to the reality and would never be realized.

Noticing that Prince of Zhao was at a loss, Duke of Ji stopped at a certain point and then comforted him. “Moreover, even we know that this case has nothing to do with the crown prince, and how would His Majesty be unclear about it? He is so wise and brave. He still hasn’t said anything perhaps because he wants to see how the crown prince would handle it.”

Qiu Shuxia next to him echoed, “Duke is right. Your Highness, please think about it. The crown prince was raised by His Majesty since childhood, and His Majesty taught him everything that he knows. In this case, he would certainly test the crown prince. You defended the crown prince at the morning audience today, and we can say that you consider the kinship with your brother. But if you continue to get involved in it, wouldn’t you ruin His Majesty’s plan as going beyond the limit is as bad as falling short?”

Prince of Zhao was quite talented at this age, yet how would he be a match for the two old officials who had served two emperors?

Hearing their clear and logical words, Prince of Zhao murmured involuntarily, “Er…”

“Your Highness, if you cling to your own view, we naturally believe that you are upright and selfless.” Seeing that, Duke of Ji smiled. “I am just afraid that others would measure your corn by their bushel and think that you intentionally snatch the chance to make a show of himself from the crown prince. Then it would be insignificant if the people at the imperial court comment on you, and even His Majesty would misunderstand you. How would you defend yourself then?”

Prince of Zhao was used to being taught to be dignified and self-respect. How could he bear to be charged of snatching? After hearing that, he frowned for a long while and was persuaded at last. “In this case, I really can’t listen to Aunt Daiguo’s suggestion.”

Duke of Ji and the others exchanged glances secretly and then all of them sighed with relief.

Grand Princess Daiguo made this suggestion in order to get back at Prince of Zhao or warn him. How would she be kind to him?

At the morning audience today, Prince of Zhao had clearly expressed his trust and support in the crown prince in the murder case in Jianling.

If Prince of Zhao was in charge of the investigation but the result was a contrast to what he had said, then he would slap his own face and his intention to speak for the crown prince would be suspected.

If the investigation result was the truth and the crown prince was innocent, the action of Prince of Zhao would prove his nobility of character, yet he would offend the Empress Dowager.

After all, the crown prince was in such a dilemma mainly because of the Empress Dowager.

The goal of Prince of Zhao was not to be a good man but to fight for the title of heir to the throne, so his good impression on the Empress Dowager was much more important than his good reputation.

Generally speaking, Prince of Zhao couldn’t take this job.

“Perhaps Grand Princess Daiguo saw through our intention to indulge Prince of Zhao in speaking for the crown prince at the morning audience today, so she specially reminded us.” After persuading Prince of Zhao to give up his naïve plan, Duke of Ji comforted him in a few words and told him to see Su Shaoge, yet he asked Qiu Shuxia and the others to stay and discussed with them. “Fortunately, the grand princess is considerate and just told us in private. She didn’t plan to bring it up at the imperial court openly. However, it’s not the time to offend the followers of Prince of Wei now. Next we won’t plot against them in public at least.”

Qiu Shuxia said after pondering, “I am afraid that even if Grand Princess Daiguo doesn’t bring it up at the imperial court, the crown prince’s followers want to push out Prince of Zhao.”

“Don’t need to worry about this.” Duke of Ji took a sip of tea and then added casually, “Earlier, when the Empress Dowager wanted to send Shaoge as an imperial envoy to seek justice for Bofeng in Qingzhou, didn’t Gu Shao say that the Su Family should avoid arousing suspicion? Prince of Zhao is Bofeng’s uncle and always close to the Su Family. Isn’t he also on the list of people who should avoid arousing suspicion? So how can they let Prince of Zhao investigate the murder case in Jianling?”

Qiu Shuxia heaved a sigh of relief after hearing that and stroked his beard. “Now we just need to see Grand Princess Daiguo’s method.”

“There are some people who haven’t expressed their opinions,” Duke of Ji reminded. “After all, it’s not the time to lower our guards. But it happens that we can help Grand Princess Daiguo to make her less angry.”

Before the morning audience next day, Duke of Ji cheated Prince of Zhao with the excuse that he felt sad as Su Bofeng would reach the imperial capital soon and asked the prince to comfort him in the duke’s mansion. At the morning audience, without the troublemaker, Prince of Zhao, the followers of Prince of Wei and Prince of Zhao made the chief of the supreme court Huang Jingting take the job to investigate the murder case in Jianling. Huang Jingting was an old subordinate of the old Marquis Fuyang and kept a good relationship with Grand Princess Daiguo and her husband.

Once he handled the murder case in Jianling, of course, there would be solid evidence to show that it was done by the crown prince.

This thing was significant. At the banquet on Mid-Autumn Festival, all people at the imperial court could see that Emperor Xianjia was in poor health indeed, so after the conclusion was made, nobody dared to tell the emperor.

Especially the Empress Dowager said while wiping her tears after getting the news, “The crown prince was brought up by the emperor, and in the past, I could see that he was always sensible, but he made such a mistake after the emperor rested quietly to recuperate for only half a year. What would the emperor do if he knows it?”

So who dared to report to Emperor Xianjia? If there was something wrong with the emperor, wouldn’t he be charged of killing the emperor?

After the Empress Dowager’s words were known to the public, all people at the imperial court and the commonalty discussed it animatedly. “His Majesty has just been laid up for half a year. Although he is negligent in supervising the crown prince, he is still the emperor, but His Highness is so lawless. Would he be a wise emperor?”

“The crown prince harmed the empress’ grandnephew even before he takes the throne. That is the only grandson of the Su Family. If he really takes the throne, perhaps even the empress can hardly escape by luck. It is fine if such a person wouldn’t be a fatuous or tyrannical ruler. How would he be a wise emperor?”

“Even the crown prince’s grandmother the Empress Dowager is disappointed at him. It can be seen that he is cruel innately and doesn’t respect the elders. Otherwise, how would the Empress Dowager not protect her grandson?”

In the Eastern Palace

The crown princess looked gloomy and lifted the wide sleeves, walking past a winding corridor in a hurry.

“Mother, what brought you here?” After entering the drawing room, she saw Madam Tian who held a teacup with both hands restlessly not far away. Then she instantly restrained her gloom and looked as if nothing had happened. She bowed and asked gently, “Did you find a good husband for Yinlian?”

When Madam Tian came to see her first daughter last time, she had mentioned her younger daughter’s marriage, so the crown princess asked this question. But after hearing that, Madam Tian sighed. “Who is in the mood to care about such a trifle now? She is only sixteen years old anyway. The girl from the Pei Family is already eighteen years old, yet she still doesn’t consider her marriage, right? Just forget it.”

While speaking, she glanced at the people behind the crown princess. Seeing that her daughter understood her and told all the servants to go out, she continued to ask, “Did you go to the front hall just now? What did you do?”

“I punished two servants who are ungrateful and gossiping.” The crown princess paused for a moment after hearing that and then added, “It’s nothing important. Just tell me why you came here today, Mother.”

However, Madam Tian didn’t plan to change the subject but questioned with a frown, “If the servants made a mistake at ordinary times, how would you need to come in person? You are the crown princess. The rumors spread everywhere outside. Are the people in the Eastern Palace in panic, too?”

“Mother, what are you talking about? There are so many people and some of them would act on hearsay.” The crown princess was calm. “Moreover, I didn’t go to the front specially to punish the servants. I mainly went to see the crown prince on the way.”

She added, “I have heard what happened at the imperial court, but no matter how many rumors spread, they are just rumors. When Shentu was in power that year, even all people at the imperial court thought that the Empress Dowager and His Majesty wouldn’t have a chance of survival, not to mention the rumors on the street. However, what happened as a result? All people have seen that today.”

Hearing that, Madam Tian couldn’t say anything to frustrate her daughter. She talked about domestic trivialities and then said goodbye.

As soon as Madam Tian left, the crown princess looked pale. The trusted maid who came to serve her was surprised to see that. “Your Highness?”

“Nothing.” The crown princess waved her hand wearily. “I am tired…Help me go in and have a rest.”

When she laid on the couch and looked at the curtain with golden hibiscus petals being put down, there were tears in her eyes. “Even the Wei Family, my parents’ family doesn’t think that the crown prince can win, either?”

She could certainly see the purpose of Madam Tian’s visit.

Madam Tian seemed to be worried about her daughter and son-in-law’s unfavorable situation, but in fact, she just came to sound out and check if the Eastern Palace could turn the tables.

If they could, it was certainly the best, and the Wei Family would surely help them without taking extra trouble.

If they couldn’t…

The Wei Family might not be willing to offer fuel in snowy weather.

The crown princess knew that her parents’ family did so just for the whole family.

After all, as the descendants of the Ruiyu Hall, the Wei Family could maintain their current situation when four of the Six Warlords were declining and even forgotten by most people. Of course, they didn’t just depend on their nobility of character. Perhaps they frequently used the methods such as sacrifice, compromise…and even betrayal.

However, when something like this happened to herself, even though she was clear that it was pointless to drag down her parents’ family, who could face it calmly?