Chapter 94
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In the military tent, civil officials and military commanders stood dumbfounded. The brush in the hands of the Minister of War paused in midair, leaving the space after the word “designate” still empty.
The tradition for designating an heir had always been based on seniority and legitimacy. Any departure from this customary practice by an emperor typically unleashed upheaval in the court and impassioned protests from the civil officials.
Apart from the surface reasons such as the officials emphasizing ritual and propriety, there were also underlying reasons related to various factions.
Once this tradition was violated, for instance, if “based on seniority” was changed to “based on merit,” a universally accepted benchmark for evaluating leadership would crumble. The concept of merit could be molded to suit the whims of the Emperor.
Such a deviation wouldn’t just sow discord among imperial princes but would also incite factional strife and the eradication of dissenting voices within the civil officials, shaking the foundation of the nation.
However, the current situation was quite unique. All the civil officials brought in by the Emperor belong to the Crown Prince’s faction. This was to counterbalance the influence of the Third Prince’s uncle.
The Minister of War, upon learning about the Emperor’s condition, was already contemplating the significant matter of choosing the heir.
If the Second Prince was appointed as the heir, given the Second Prince’s character, there was almost no doubt that he would become a puppet of Consort Tong’s faction. It was even possible that he would completely disregard court affairs, allowing the Crown Prince’s faction to prevail unchecked.
Hence, the civil officials present wouldn’t advocate for the Emperor to appoint the Second Prince. Instead, they hope the Emperor skipped both the Second and Third Princes, selecting a new heir from among the younger princes close to the Crown Prince.
To counter the influence of the Tong family, the new heir must be steadfast. The Fifth Prince was the best candidate. The immediate priority was to swiftly negotiate the return of hostages with the Khitans.
In the eyes of the ministers, the Sixth Prince was too soft-hearted, avoiding offense with anyone. They feared he wouldn’t be able to stand firm.
However, never in their wildest dreams did they expect that the heir chosen by the Emperor wasn’t the Second Prince or the Fifth Prince, but rather the Seventh Prince.
For the minister, this choice was like offering the hungry Emperor a choice between fish and beef, only for the Emperor to decide to go outside and gnaw on tree bark.
The reputation of the Seventh Prince as a child prodigy had been well-known throughout the court and common people from a young age. While the common people held some reverential fantasies about this prince, the more informed court officials had no illusions.
The thoughts and actions of this young prince always surpassed everyone’s expectations. He was simply eccentric and unconventional.
Setting aside the question of whether this youngster could collaborate with the Crown Prince’s faction to fend off the Third Prince’s party, even if successful, the ministers remained skeptical that such an out-of-the-ordinary child could shoulder the responsibilities of state affairs.
At this moment, it wasn’t just the Third Prince and Tong Ningzhao opposing the new heir’s choice. In fact, the other ministers from the Crown Prince’s faction couldn’t accept this new heir either.
The people in the entire military tent were in a tense standoff.
However, no one dared to voice objections.
The Emperor held his temper. If anyone argued even a bit, there was a risk of infuriating the Emperor. The world could collapse in the blink of an eye. Committing such a grave crime would mean implicating nine generations. They might just become sacrifices for the new heir’s assertion of authority.
The minister waited.
Waiting for the Emperor to regain some clarity of mind. Perhaps he would stop gnawing on tree bark and come back to choose the fish.
However, before everyone could witness a change of heart in the Emperor, they were dismissed.
The Emperor only allowed the Seventh Prince to stay behind, entrusting him with some matters.
As everyone bowed and exited, the Seventh Prince remained kneeling with furrowed brows, solemnly staring at the carpet as if contemplating matters of national importance.
The Emperor raised his hand, patting the edge of the bed, and with effort said, “Lu Qian, come here.”
The Seventh Prince raised his head, stood up, and walked over to Father Emperor with a few heavy breaths. He sat down, glanced at the Emperor’s lifeless face, quickly lowered his gaze in anger, as if refusing to acknowledge Father Emperor’s frailty would prevent all dreadful things from happening.
The Emperor handed the military command token, just recovered from the Third Prince, to the Seventh Prince. “Keep it safe.”
The Seventh Prince didn’t move.
The Emperor, helpless, set aside the military command token, giving his youngest son some time to process everything that had happened.
In the moments when life was about to flicker out, the Emperor’s past concerns suddenly loomed large.
At this critical moment, he firmly believed in the blessing practitioner’s prophecy — not only due to a belief in destiny but also because, in this dire situation, the blessing practitioner’s advice provided him with groundbreaking new considerations for the selection of the heir to the throne.
In reality, the Emperor had long harbored concerns that the Crown Prince’s temperament was more aligned with that of a principled literati gentleman than a sovereign.
The Crown Prince possessed virtue, filial piety, and a sense of righteousness, yet lacked some of the cold ruthlessness and political acumen needed for overall strategic considerations.
Such a person was more suited to serve loyally in an administrative role rather than ascending to the position of ruler.
In the Emperor’s view, among his sons, the fourth-born had just the right mix of shrewdness and a comprehensive view of the bigger picture. Unfortunately, he lacked the regal air and assertiveness.
The third-born had a limited mindset and was incompetent.
The fifth-born, yet to be tested, lacked the political acumen to navigate dealings with the civil officials.
As for the seventh-born, he had never considered him seriously. The little fellow had always been his source of joy, and no one would naturally associate the Seventh Prince with the position of heir.
The blessing practitioner’s prophecy shattered the Emperor’s mental constraints. He suddenly felt that the Seventh Prince’s temperament was almost inherently regal.
This child’s way of thinking was extremely unique. Without earnestly delving into the arts of rulership, he could confound the court officials, making them unable to fathom his thoughts. Yet, consistently, he could make the most advantageous choices in crucial matters.
No one knew what he was thinking. He appeared simple-minded, yet seemed to comprehend everything.
The highest governing principle revered by Emperors throughout the ages — utilize Confucianism externally, embrace Daoism internally.
This realm of wisdom seemed naturally inherent in his chubby son.
At the core of Daoism lay the concept of “Way,” embodying the ultimate realm of governing effortlessly — devoid of good and evil, all-encompassing, and in harmony with nature.
The Way of Heaven demanded that the Emperor stood in a selfless state, unbiased toward all things. Officials in service and people from all walks of life — farmers, merchants, and warriors — should exercise subjective initiative. No deliberate guidance or restriction should be imposed. Everyone should strive for their own interests, not be manipulated like puppets, and the nation would naturally thrive.
However, in practical implementation, humans were not plants. Who could completely adopt a selfless perspective toward all living beings? Who could consistently make decisions for maximized benefits from a holistic standpoint?
In one fleeting moment, the blessing practitioner’s prophecy suddenly made it clear to him.
His youngest son, effortlessly or perhaps naturally, had already reached this realm.
The Emperor had spent his entire life striving for the ultimate Way. Yet, at this moment, he realized that his youngest son seemed to have stood at the pinnacle of the destination he had been trying to reach since birth.
Contemplating these thoughts, his youngest son’s peculiar temperament since childhood brought him a sense of enlightenment. Heaven had unexpectedly bestowed upon him a natural heir to the throne.
Hence, he made such a decisive decision.
Unfortunately, he understood too late. Everything happened so abruptly. How could his youngest son, sheltered from setbacks since childhood and unaccustomed to worldly strife, suddenly harbor ambitions and desires for control?
The Emperor’s consciousness, held together by sheer willpower, gradually dissipated. Fatigue caused his head to tilt to the side.
The Seventh Prince, who was currently lowering his head, swiftly reached out to steady the Emperor’s shoulder. With one hand gripping Father Emperor’s arm hanging over his neck, and the other hand supporting his waist, as if trying to gently guide the Emperor to lie down and rest for a while.
Concerned about disturbing Father Emperor’s wounds, he dared not use too much force and could only push little by little.
The Emperor turned his head to look at his son’s youthful face, lacking the sharpness of a grown man. “What are you afraid of? Be sharp. If even I can’t handle it, how can I bear the responsibility of our ancestors’ legacy in the future?”
The Seventh Prince stubbornly refused, “Father Emperor bears it.”
“Father Emperor is very tired.”
“The imperial physician will give you medicine, then Father Emperor will soon recover. Summon Eldest Brother and Fifth Brother back. Take your son back to the palace.”
The Emperor furrowed his brows with concern, gazing heavily at his son, who wasn’t ready to fully embrace adulthood. “The grandson of King Jia once asked: ‘Rather than fawn on the inner chambers, why not fawn on the stove?’ What’s next?'”
The Seventh Prince refused to utter the next line.
The Emperor pressed, “Answer me.”
The Seventh Prince replied in a hushed tone, “Confucius said: ‘It is not so. If you offend the Heaven, there is nowhere to pray.'”
“Correct. This is the foundation of a noble man’s character. Since childhood, you claimed to understand the ways of a noble man. A noble man does not attach themselves and never relies on external support. If the mountain is about to collapse and you cannot stand on your own, you’ll only fall and be shattered along with it. Think about your Mother Consort. She had no choice but to cling to me, this mountain. If you cannot establish yourself, will you watch Mother Consort be shattered along with me?”
The Seventh Prince finally looked at Father Emperor with a hint of distress. “Wait for Eldest Brother and Fifth Brother to come back and support Father Emperor.”
“I have already chosen you.” The Emperor summoned the last of his strength, sternly looking at his son. “Lu Qian, can you bear this responsibility?”
The Seventh Prince avoided eye contact.
“Lu… cough… cough!” In his anxious state, the Emperor erupted into a fit of intense coughing.
The Seventh Prince hastily pulled up a thin blanket to cover Father Emperor, reluctantly complying, “Your son can bear it.”
The Emperor steadied his breath and forcefully asked, “I didn’t hear it clearly.”
The Seventh Prince, mustering his strength, shouted, “Your son can bear it!”
The Emperor finally breathed a sigh of relief. After this breath, his consciousness instantly dissipated. In a confused state, he instructed his son, “The Northwest Governor-General is restrained by Tong Ningzhao. I haven’t… you, for the time being… cannot…”
The Seventh Prince leaned his ear close to Father Emperor’s lips, hoping to catch the Emperor’s instructions clearly.
The Emperor, struggling to gather his scattered thoughts, mumbled in confusion, “You cannot… hastily sever the wings of the Tong family. The cabinet and the six ministries, the nine high officials… don’t rush to replace them, first win them over… win them over…”
The Seventh Prince maintained his bent-over position, ears poised for further instructions from Father Emperor.
“Father Emperor? Father Emperor!” The Seventh Prince turned and shouted, “Physician!”
The imperial physician, who had been waiting outside, immediately entered. After examining the pulse, he informed the young prince that the Emperor’s injuries were not healed and he needed rest.
The Seventh Prince, with reddened eyes, upon hearing that Father Emperor was only resting, regained the demeanor of an heir in front of the physician.
After the physician left, the Seventh Prince carefully lay down beside the Emperor, tucking his chubby face into the crook of Father Emperor’s arm, like a young wolf cub seeking the lingering warmth of its dying mother wolf.
It was the middle of the night, and the chubby cub hadn’t returned yet. Xue Yao sat alone beside the flickering candlelight.
The Sixth Prince had already informed him about the sudden decision to change the heir.
This unexpected turn of events was simply bewildering.
Xue Yao couldn’t comprehend how the Emperor could inexplicably hand over the throne to his husky cub, especially at a time when the Eldest Prince was missing, and the Third Prince was gaining power.
Why pull the chubby cub out as a scapegoat at such a critical moment? What could be the intention?
It would have been better to directly appoint the Third Prince, sparing the chubby cub unnecessary animosity.
Before any foreseeable dreadful events unfolded, Xue Yao was already in a state of chaos.
Why was the chubby cub still in the Emperor’s tent at this moment?
Could he have already left and been captured by Third Prince’s men?
With these thoughts, Xue Yao once again wrapped himself in his cloak and stepped out of the tent, peering into the darkness, waiting as if trying to see through the shadows.
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