noveltune Chapter 5526 Imprisoning the Crown Prince
Chapter 5526 Imprisoning the Crown Prince
Chapter 5526 Imprisoning the Crown Prince
Nothing in this world is absolute; there is no absolute right or wrong.
Things are always evolving, and even the smallest change can lead to a different final outcome, because human nature is the greatest variable. No one can truly plan without flaws, which is why there is the saying, "Man proposes, God disposes."
Back then, almost all the powerful families and clans in the country had gathered their support for Prince Jin, and most of the country supported him. However, when His Majesty first ascended the throne, even the majority of the imperial clan opposed him. Who could have imagined that Fang Jun alone would be able to turn the tide and stabilize the situation?
The current situation is similar.
While Your Majesty may have the moral high ground, Fang Jun, who is in charge of the Left and Right Imperial Guards, openly supports the Crown Prince. If a direct conflict were to occur, who would win and who would lose? Who could predict the outcome?
Choosing one is incredibly difficult.
Choosing the right side brings merit, wealth, and honor; choosing the wrong side brings utter destruction and irreversible ruin.
Of course, being forced to take sides is extremely dangerous, but not everyone is qualified to take sides...
Zheng Rentai analyzed the current situation with his son and then instructed him: "Go to the army camp for the night early tomorrow morning. The Left Jinwu Guard is Fang Jun's direct subordinate and the Crown Prince's staff. If there is any disturbance, send someone back to inform us immediately."
Although he couldn't remain neutral, he still hoped to choose sides later.
I don't seek great merit; I just hope to buy as much time as possible until the situation becomes clearer, less dangerous, and less costly...
*****
When Princess Gaoyang returned from visiting His Majesty in the palace, she saw that the mansion was patrolled by squads of soldiers in full armor, some on horseback, some carrying spears, and some carrying firearms. They were orderly and menacing, and anyone who wanted to approach the Liang State Duke's mansion was stopped and ordered to be questioned.
Recalling the heavy security she had seen when she entered the palace, she felt a surge of tension.
Upon returning home, a maid told him that Fang Jun was in his study, so he quickly washed up and hurried over...
Upon entering the study, one would see Fang Jun drinking tea and instructing Wei Ying on matters.
“Select a loyal and reliable person to set off for Huating Town immediately, and ensure Wu Niangzi’s safety at all costs.”
"Here!"
"In addition, I will use my token to inform Su Dingfang that he should dispatch warships and assemble troops to travel north along the Grand Canal to Banzhu and be stationed there, ready to be ordered to break into Guanzhong at any time."
"Here!"
Fang Jun thought for a moment, and feeling that nothing had been overlooked, he nodded and said, "Go and do it."
Wei Ying accepted the order, turned around and saw Princess Gaoyang. He bowed respectfully and then strode away.
"Erlang, what has happened? Is Meiniang in danger?"
Princess Gaoyang felt uneasy. She stepped forward and stood in front of Fang Jun, refilling his cup with water from the teapot, and asked quietly.
Fang Jun smiled and said, "It's just a precaution. Don't worry, everything is under control."
Although Princess Gaoyang was neither good at nor interested in getting involved in power struggles, she was, after all, born into the royal family and had been exposed to them firsthand, making her particularly sensitive to these matters.
She furrowed her brows and asked softly, "Does His Majesty intend to harm the Crown Prince?"
Fang Jun pondered for a moment. Although he didn't want his wife and family to worry too much, he didn't hide anything and nodded, saying, "Perhaps there is a slight possibility. I hope I'm just worrying unnecessarily."
Princess Gaoyang, knowing only the cruelty of the struggle for imperial power, gently shook her head: "It's better to believe in such things than not to believe in them. Even if it's futile, we should be prepared in advance... But now that the Crown Prince and the Empress are both in the palace, isn't it as precarious as a pile of eggs?"
Fang Jun was not worried: "His Majesty is kind and benevolent, how could he do anything violent and ruthless? Even if he changes the heir, it will be legitimate and a natural process, and he would never do anything that would destroy his own foundation."
This is the function of "persona".
Since ascending the throne, he knew he could not surpass Emperor Taizong in terms of talent, strategy, and so on, so he took a different approach to cultivate a persona of "benevolence and compassion." Throughout history, countless monarchs and emperors have existed, some as wise and powerful as Yongming, some as revitalizing their ancestral legacy, and some as tyrannical and depraved, but how many can truly be described as "benevolent"?
As long as one carries out "benevolence" to the end, whether it is genuine or feigned, it can be said that no one has ever done it before and no one will ever do it again.
However, this persona is both a powerful tool for His Majesty to achieve lasting fame and a constraint on his conduct.
For example, in the matter of easy storage, we can only follow the procedures step by step, without omitting any steps, so as not to give others a reason to criticize us.
If the heir apparent is forcibly replaced and the eldest son is deposed, the "benevolent" persona that has been painstakingly built will collapse.
If a ruler can't even be called "benevolent" to his own son, who can expect him to be "benevolent" to his officials and subjects?
Princess Gaoyang reminded him, "His Majesty may not act violently, but there are more than just His Majesty in the palace."
Humans are born to pursue profit, and sometimes they are willing to take great risks and disregard the consequences in order to seize huge profits.
Do you really think His Majesty can completely control Taiji Palace?
If the benefits are sufficient, there will certainly be people willing to betray His Majesty.
Fang Jun smiled and reassured him, "Your Highness need not worry, I was prepared."
How could he possibly place everything above His Majesty's "benevolence"?
*****
Wude Hall.
The teacup shattered on the ground, shards flying everywhere. Empress Su stood to the side, clutching a handkerchief, her pretty face frosty, her eyes reddening, her lips tightly pursed.
Crown Prince Li Xiang knelt on the ground, his small body trembling, and there were faint sobs.
The maids knelt on the ground by the door, each one trembling with fear and trepidation.
Li Chengqian lay half-reclined on the bed, pointing at Empress Su with anger on his face, and rebuked her: "Empress, you have been staying in the Eastern Palace for a long time, but why can't you supervise the Crown Prince's studies? The education of the Crown Prince is different from that of others. He must have reverence for the Way of Heaven. How can you spout such arrogant words as 'Man can conquer nature'? I am deeply disappointed!"
Li Xiang was already afraid of his father, and seeing his father's fury, the doctor was so frightened that he dared not utter a sound.
Empress Su's pretty face turned pale, and she remained silent.
It's not that she doesn't want to explain, but rather that there's no need to.
Today, who doesn't know that the so-called "Way of Heaven" is nothing but an illusion?
His Majesty's use of this as an excuse to reprimand the Crown Prince is nothing more than a trumped-up charge.
Li Chengqian caught his breath, his anger still simmering but unable to continue. He simply waved his hand and shouted angrily, "Guards, escort the Crown Prince to Wanchun Palace to study, with the Empress accompanying and supervising!"
"Here!"
Wang De entered from outside the door, bowing slightly. He answered the call first, then came up behind the Crown Prince and said softly, "Your Highness, please."
Li Xiang knelt on the ground, his voice trembling: "Your subject... Your subject is incompetent, I beg Your Majesty to calm your anger and take care of your health... Your subject..."
Empress Su walked over and helped Li Xiang up, then gave a slight curtsy to Li Chengqian on the bed: "Your Majesty, I take my leave."
She took Li Xiang's hand and walked out of the bedroom.
The snow has stopped, but the air is still crisp and cold, and your breath freezes into frost.
Empress Su led Li Xiang out of the bedchamber and walked along the corridor toward Wanchun Palace, which was not far away. Her dignified face was as cold and calm as snow.
It's just confinement, what's there to be afraid of?
From the moment she returned to Taiji Palace, she knew this was inevitable and unavoidable.
After all, His Majesty held the moral high ground, and neither she nor the Crown Prince could avoid entering the palace to attend to the ailing emperor...
Although Li Xiang's fear lessened somewhat after leaving the bedchamber, he was still dejected.
He kept in mind the teachings of his mother and the Grand Commandant and did his best to serve his father, but he still could not win his father's favor.
So where exactly did we go wrong?
Wanchun Hall is not far from Wude Hall; it can be reached in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Seeing the guards standing or walking outside the hall, surrounding the entire palace in layers, Empress Su's pretty face turned frosty, and she stopped in her tracks.
She looked at Wang De, her tone cool and detached: "What is the meaning of this? Do you intend to imprison my son and me?"
Wang De bowed and said, "Your Majesty has misunderstood. It is because Li Chongzhen, the captain of the 'Hundred Cavalry Division,' was assassinated and the murderer has not yet been brought to justice. The 'Hundred Cavalry Division' is currently collecting clues and investigating the case within the palace and the imperial city. In order to ensure the safety of Your Highness and Your Majesty, the defenses are being tightened."
Empress Su remained noncommittal, her gaze intense: "After the Crown Prince enters the palace, may he go outside?"
Wang Degong said respectfully, "Of course, but the palace has been in chaos lately. To prevent Your Highness from being offended, you still need someone to protect you."
Empress Su sneered, "Is the vast Taiji Palace so inhospitable that it cannot accommodate my son and me?"
Wang De was startled and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please be careful what you say..."
The nearby maids and guards were also startled, looking in horror at the empress who was leading the crown prince into the palace.
These are words of resentment!
This statement alone provides grounds for deposing the empress...
Wang De understood that Empress Su's seemingly rash and impolite words actually laid all the contradictions out in the open. If someone really wanted to harm them and their son, these words would be the evidence for the supporters of the Eastern Palace to retaliate.
Following the Empress and the Crown Prince into the palace, Wang De addressed the maids and guards on his left and right: "His Majesty has delivered an imperial edict. You shall all withdraw outside the palace and not eavesdrop."
"Here."
The maids and guards, trembling with fear, quickly withdrew.
Even the most foolish person could feel the oppressive atmosphere within the Taiji Palace, like dark clouds looming over the city, threatening to crush it. The massive vortex could swallow them up at any moment...
Only Empress Su and Li Xiang remained in the hall. Only then did Wang De take two steps forward and approach the mother and son.
He lowered his voice and said, "The Grand Commandant said that Your Highness and the Empress need not worry, everything is under control."
Then, leading the astonished mother and son, they arrived at a bedroom in the back. After feeling around on the wall, they found a mechanism, gently opened it, and revealed a spacious hidden compartment inside.
"If anything goes wrong, the Empress can lead His Highness to take refuge here temporarily, and someone will come to rescue him."
Empress Su glanced at the hidden compartment, then stared intently at Wang De.
Although I knew Fang Jun must have spies in the palace, I never imagined it would be Wang De!
This old eunuch, left behind by Emperor Taizong, had served two generations of emperors and was always loyal to the royal family. Moreover, eunuchs had no offspring, so fame, fortune, official positions and titles were of no use to them. How exactly did Fang Jun manage to win him over?
Seemingly understanding the surprise and doubt in Empress Su's eyes, Wang De knelt on the ground and respectfully said.
"This old servant is deeply grateful for the Emperor's favor, therefore I am loyal to the country and the empire, and the interests of the empire are above all else."