Chapter 250: Evil Thoughts
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The new spring in Shuojing City was a double blessing for the Xiao family, but for some other families, it was like adding insult to injury.
In the Crown Prince’s Mansion, Guangyan sat in the study, his face full of anxiety.
After Xu Jingfu fell, although some of the Xu party joined Chu Zhao, the purge initiated by Emperor Wenxuan was fierce, and it also cost him a considerable number of people. For many years, Guangyan had no significant capabilities himself. He relied on the connections of Empress Zhang’s family and Xu Xiang to temporarily secure his position as the Crown Prince. Although it was his decision to abandon the chariot to keep the commander, after making that decision, Guangyan felt some regret.
Guangyan had been diligent in front of Emperor Wenxuan recently, and he began to involve himself in various affairs of the court. Empress Zhang advised him not to act recklessly at this time, but Guangyan had been close to Xu Jingfu in the past. He was afraid that Emperor Wenxuan harbored resentment toward him. Until the storm subsided, it was better to keep a low profile at home.
Guangyan agreed with her on the surface, but he was even more anxious inside. If Old Four took advantage of his absence to manipulate Emperor Wenxuan with sweet words… who knows what might happen in the future? Now that Xiao Huaijin’s power was growing, how could he fall behind at this time?
While he was thinking, a servant came to report, “Your Highness, there is someone outside seeking an audience.”
Guangyan said, “Let them in.”
The visitor was dressed as a commoner, looking inconspicuous. However, when he raised his head, one could still see some differences in appearance compared to a regular Wei person.
This person was from the Wutuo tribe.
“Your Highness, servant is here on behalf of Lord Maningbu, to deliver a message to Your Highness.”
“Maningbu?” Guangyan squinted his eyes, signaled the others in the hall to leave, and then looked at the person. “Your Lord Messenger is still alive, huh?”
After the incident at Tianxing Terrace, Emperor Wenxuan had all the Wutuo messengers detained. Until now, he hadn’t decided how to deal with them. Guangyan had tried to send a message to Maningbu but failed, as they were being strictly guarded. Unexpectedly, Maningbu’s people had come on their own.
As if afraid that Guangyan wouldn’t believe him, the messenger stepped forward and showed a seal in his sleeve.
“If you want me to save your lord, you can go back.” Guangyan said impatiently, “The emperor is angry, and I don’t want to add fuel to the fire.”
“Your Highness, if you don’t know, during this period, the Fourth Prince has been favored by His Majesty. Many courtiers also support him.”
It’s better left unsaid, but once said, Guangyan’s face turned a bit ugly. He sneered, ‘Does this prince not know?'”
“Consort Lan has been taking care of the Emperor’s health every day,” the messenger said in a low voice, “Lord Maningbu wants me to ask Your Highness, should we just sit and wait for death like this?”
With a loud “pa” sound, the Crown Prince slammed the tea cup in front of him against the wall. “Shut up!”
He was furious. Emperor Wenxuan had favored Consort Lan for a long time. Guangyan was well aware that if he weren’t the eldest legitimate son, if Emperor Wenxuan wasn’t concerned about public opinion, Guangshuo would have been established as the Crown Prince long ago. It was all because Guangshuo was the son of Consort Lan, that despicable woman!
“This procrastination will only lead to more chaos, Your Highness.”
Guangyan looked at the visitor, “What do you mean by that?”
The servant humbly lowered his head. “Lord Maningbu has instructed me to convey a message to Your Highness. The Emperor is elderly now, and with the Fourth Prince making moves, originally, if this matter didn’t occur, the position of the Supreme Heir of Great Wei would already be in Your Highness’s hands. But now, with Minister Xu fallen and Xiao Huaijin gaining more power, if Xiao Huaijin aligns himself with the Fourth Prince…”
Guangyan’s heart skipped a beat; this was exactly what he feared.
In the past, Xiao Zhongwu had disliked him, frequently causing trouble for him. After Xiao Zhongwu’s death, his son came to continue the feud. Now, Xiao Huaijin, even more terrifying than Xiao Zhongwu, had become a threat because Xu Jingfu failed to eliminate him completely.
“Why not… cut through the mess with a quick sword, Your Highness?”
“Outrageous!” Guangyan burst out, feeling both shocked and angry. “How dare you speak such words in front of me!”
“Your Highness, forgive me,” the servant bowed, “but those who achieve great things do not get bogged down in trivial matters. Showing kindness to others is being cruel to oneself. Otherwise, with Your Highness’s kindness, you might be taken advantage of by the Fourth Prince. However, now, if His Majesty were to pass away peacefully, you would be the rightful ruler!”
The rightful ruler!
“Shut up!” Guangyan shouted.
As if opening a Pandora’s box of bewitching thoughts, ideas that had never crossed his mind were now uncontrollably surfacing.
He understood what Maningbu meant, but even though he had secretly allied with the Wutuo people for these past few years, he never considered the idea of patricide. Though Emperor Wenxuan favored Guangshuo, he treated Guangyan decently. Despite the conflicts between fathers and sons, brothers in the palace throughout history, Guangyan believed that he didn’t need to take such extreme measures.
Emperor Wenxuan didn’t have many heirs. Great Wei has always been strict with rules. As long as the time comes, Emperor Wenxuan will naturally pass the throne to himself. Empress Zhang and Guangyan both thought so. However, year after year, day after day, this waiting seemed endless. It seemed like Emperor Wenxuan was deliberately avoiding something. Instead of receiving the imperial decree, they witnessed the gradual rise of Guangshuo.
In recent years, he secretly allied with the Wutuo people. Wasn’t it because he was increasingly unsure? If Emperor Wenxuan had just followed the rules honestly, would he be in this situation? Until now, he has been restrained in many ways, to the point where in this war for the throne, he unknowingly found himself in a disadvantaged position against the eventual victor.
If it continued like this with Guangshuo…
Evil thoughts stirred in his mind, and he thought he might as well take a decisive step…
The kneeling servant observed the changes in the Crown Prince’s expression, trying to advise, “Your Highness, the Lord’s words… I’ve delivered them all. Please consider carefully. Once you sit on that throne, everything you’ve done so far will be worth it. Throughout history, those who achieved great things, which one of them didn’t shed blood on their way?”
“Your Highness, please think twice!”
Guangyan, agitated by his provocations, scolded, “Enough, I understand! Get out!”
The servant left silently, just as he did when he came. Guangyan stared at the broken pieces of the tea cup scattered on the floor, a hint of gloom gradually creeping into his eyes.
After a moment, as if awakened, he hurriedly left the hall.
Once Guangyan left, the maids from the Crown Prince’s mansion came in to clean up the debris. A beautiful maid came out from behind the hall, smiling softly. “Just me handling it is fine.”
“Miss Ying Xiang,” the maids did not dare to vie with her. It was well-known that this maid named Ying Xiang was the most favored in the Crown Prince’s mansion. The Crown Prince had even quarreled with the Crown Princess for her. Nevertheless, Ying Xiang was gentle, never showing displeasure to other servants, and she got along well with everyone.
Ying Xiang half knelt down, gently picking up the broken pieces from the ground. Her expression remained as gentle as ever, and the long lashes that hung down veiled the unusual emotions in her eyes.
Maningbu’s people were actually encouraging the Crown Prince to commit regicide?
This situation… was far from favorable.
…
At night, the Chu residence was overly quiet.
Since Xu Jingfu’s downfall, the three legitimate sons of the Chu family, who used to fear Chu Zhao, had gradually become arrogant. With Xu Jingfu no longer supporting him from behind, even though Chu Zhao still held an official position, who knew how long that would last? Emperor Wenxuan might one day blame Chu Zhao for Xu Jingfu’s grievances. No one could be certain.
Madam Chu occasionally taunted Chu Zhao when she saw him, and as for Chu Linfeng, he rarely met with Chu Zhao now. The warmth he showed Chu Zhao before the incident was now nowhere to be seen.
Chu Zhao was not affected by these matters himself and continued with his daily routines. His chest wound had not fully healed, and he stayed at home to recover, avoiding the turbulent situation outside.
A trusted aide came in and handed over a letter from Ying Xiang. “Fourth Young Master, Miss Ying Xiang has brought news again.”
Chu Zhao took the letter, opened it, and everything seemed fine until the end, where his expression subtly changed.
After a moment, he tossed the letter into the burning fireplace and pressed his forehead with his fingers, as if experiencing a severe headache.
“Fourth Young Master?” the aide asked cautiously.
Chu Zhao waved his hand without saying a word.
He hadn’t expected Guangyan to be so anxious, nor had he anticipated that Maningbu would still try to sow discord at this critical juncture. If Guangyan had a bit of intelligence, he wouldn’t let the Wutuo people lead him around. Unfortunately, over the years, just like how Emperor Wenxuan relied on Xu Jingfu, Guangyan had become accustomed to delegating everything to Xu Jingfu. Now that Xu Jingfu was gone, he lost his direction.
“Fourth Young Master,” the aide, observing his expression, thought for a long time before finally speaking cautiously, “Fourth Young Master, you have great talent. With Minister Xu no longer here, the Crown Prince acts impulsively, while the Fourth Prince understands the importance of biding his time. The current situation in the court is different from the past. Considering the circumstances, if the Crown Prince is incapable, why not follow the Fourth Prince…”
These words were rebellious, but Chu Zhao had always treated his subordinates well. Therefore, his subordinates were always a bit bolder than others.
Chu Zhao, hearing this, loosened his hand, looking at the oil lamp on the table.
The flame in the oil lamp swayed slightly from the cold wind seeping through the window. He said, “If it weren’t for Xiao Huaijin, it could be considered. But now, even if it’s for Xiao Huaijin’s sake, the Fourth Prince won’t use me.”
An ally left behind by Xu Jingfu, even if they were to rely on someone, they seemed to be less valuable than Xiao Huaijin. At this juncture, Guangshuo needed Xiao Huaijin’s strength, and considering Xiao Zhongwu’s past enmity with Xu Jingfu, Guangshuo would not abandon Xiao Huaijin for Chu Zhao.
“But if we follow this path to the end…”
“It’s not that I want to go down this path,” Chu Zhao interrupted him. “It’s that I never had another path to take.”
Perhaps this had been destined many years ago when he first met Xu Jingfu, kneeling before Xu Jingfu, and bowing down to him. He looked towards the burning fireplace.
“Fourth Young Master, what should we do now?”
“I need to go to the Crown Prince’s residence,” he said, a tinge of melancholy in his eyes.
Although it seemed that Maningbu’s words might have made the Crown Prince think differently, Chu Zhao’s words might not be useful. However, since they were on the same boat, if something happened to the Crown Prince, he wouldn’t be able to stay well either.
He could only do his best.
…
In Kunning Palace, Empress Zhang quietly sat on a soft cushion, listening to the musician play the qin.
The qin’s melody was serene, soothing the restlessness in people’s hearts. Since Xu Jingfu’s incident, she often lost sleep at night, with very little time to sleep each day. Once she closed her eyes, her eyelids would often twitch, as if foretelling something.
Emperor Wenxuan’s health was deteriorating, and he frequently skipped court sessions. Lin Qingtan had examined him several times, reassuring that proper rest would suffice. However, Empress Zhang couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was amiss. She felt a growing sense of urgency.
Xu Jingfu’s downfall took everyone by surprise. While it was anticipated that a conflict between Xu Jingfu and Xiao Jue would eventually erupt, no one expected Xiao Jue to employ both military and political strategies, presenting evidence one after another, cornering his opponent effectively.
The fate of Guangyan in light of Xu Jingfu’s downfall was uncertain, and Empress Zhang was uneasy about it.
Empress Zhang sometimes felt she understood her husband thoroughly, while at other times, it seemed as if she never knew him at all.
When Emperor Wenxuan was the Crown Prince, he secured his position solely because he was the legitimate son who emerged from the late empress’s womb. Empress Zhang, the daughter of a prime minister, had numerous fantasies about her future husband before their marriage.
However, upon becoming the Crown Princess, she discovered that her husband was just an ordinary man immersed in poetry, songs, and pleasures. He lacked ambition, political talent, and the inherent majesty befitting someone of royal blood. Stripped of his title, he was no different from any common man on the street.
Empress Zhang, an ambitious woman, had her ambitions fulfilled too easily. Due to her husband’s mediocrity, she lost interest even in the petty jealousies within the palace.
Emperor Wenxuan’s tranquil life seemed mundane, and as long as her son Guangyan ascended to the throne, she would become the Empress Dowager, transitioning from one supreme position to another.
Empress Zhang had always thought this way until the arrival of Noble Consort Lan.
Emperor Wenxuan greatly favored Noble Consort Lan. Initially, Empress Zhang paid little attention to the emperor’s favoritism among the concubines, considering the countless beauties entering the palace each year. However, Emperor Wenxuan’s genuine affection for Noble Consort Lan seemed different.
This became troublesome, especially with Noble Consort Lan giving birth to a son.
Over the years, Empress Zhang attempted to eliminate Noble Consort Lan and her son, but the seemingly gentle woman always eluded her schemes. Guangshuo grew up peacefully, and if it weren’t for Guangshuo avoiding conflicts with the Crown Prince, Empress Zhang would not have given up so easily.
As long as Guangyan’s position remained stable, she had no problem letting Noble Consort Lan and her son live a bit longer. That was her thinking until the delicate balance was shattered after Xu Jingfu’s death.
Empress Zhang sensed a hint of danger.
Suddenly, a dissonant note cut through the melody. A palace maid entered to report, “Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has arrived.”
Empress Zhang opened her eyes as Guangyan walked in.
“Everyone, leave,” she waved her hand, dismissing the musician and the palace maid. She looked at Guangyan as he approached, unable to hold back her reproach, “Haven’t I told you not to enter the palace during this period to avoid stirring up trouble? Yet, here you are. Are you afraid that things aren’t chaotic enough, running to me?”
“Royal Mother,” Guangyan said anxiously, looking at her, “You forbade your son from entering the palace, how was he supposed to know? The situation in the palace is almost entirely controlled by Guangshuo now!”
“What nonsense is this? Who told you?” Empress Zhang sat up straight, her expression tense.
“You don’t need to worry about who told me,” Guangyan retorted, “Is Royal Father’s health deteriorating? Royal Mother, has Royal Father not revealed any news about the heir to you? I heard that Guangshuo talks to Royal Father every day by his bedside. Who knows what cunning tactics he uses! If he manages to confuse Royal Father, won’t my efforts be in vain?”
“Shut up!” Empress Zhang sternly ordered, looking around to ensure there were no attendants nearby before slightly easing her tone. Angrily, she continued, “You talk recklessly, not realizing how many eyes are watching in the palace.”
“Royal Mother,” Guangyan sighed disappointedly, “I see that Noble Consort Lan can’t wait to make her move. Why should we care about so many things?”
Mentioning Noble Consort Lan made Empress Zhang’s expression turn even more unpleasant. She was self-confident, considering herself unrivaled in the palace. Even though Emperor Wenxuan favored Noble Consort Lan, she thought Noble Consort Lan had always been careful in her presence. However, recent events shattered her preconceptions. Noble Consort Lan wasn’t just competing; she was aiming for something much bigger. All these years, she had been pretending in front of Empress Zhang, and now, her true nature was revealed. It was laughable that Empress Zhang had been deceived.
Seeing the change in Empress Zhang’s expression, Guangyan, in his impatience, licked his lips and suddenly approached, “Royal Mother, I don’t want to wait any longer.”
Empress Zhang snapped back to attention and looked at him, asking, “What do you want to do?”
“Now that Xu Jingfu is dead, Royal Father must have grown tired of me. Add to that Noble Consort Lan poisoning Royal Father’s mind… If this continues, Royal Father will surely name Guangshuo as the heir. I can’t let this happen!”
“You want…”
“As long as Royal Father is gone now,” Guangyan’s eyes flickered with a hint of madness, “the throne should rightfully be mine!”
Empress Zhang instinctively covered his mouth, “Do you know what you’re saying?”
“Of course, I know!” Guangyan whispered, “Royal Mother, think about it. If Guangshuo becomes the emperor now, what will be my fate? What will be your fate? If Royal Father truly cared for me, he would have passed the throne to me long ago. Since he is heartless, don’t blame me for being unrighteous! I’ll just offer him more incense every year when I become emperor!”
Empress Zhang, shocked and angered, tried to speak, but before she could, Guangyan softened his legs, kneeling in front of her, pleading, “Royal Mother, please save your son, help me achieve greatness!”
She looked uncertain, not speaking for a moment. After a while, she sighed and said, “Let me think about it.”
However, her gaze clearly hinted at a compromise.
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