Chapter 274 - 'Hexiao, You Are the Heir to the Throne.”

A fifth-rank official was not a big deal at the imperial court, but he was an official in the imperial capital after all, and he was a director with real power in charge of something in the Ministry of Punishments, of the same level as Jian Xubai before he was transferred to the Council of Censorate. Moreover, as soon as Su Bofeng’s case was exposed, it would be brought to trial at the imperial court. How would the Ministry of Punishments dare to delay it?

Therefore, they would never send an old or weak man to finish this job. After all, Qingzhou was far away from the imperial capital. If an old director or somebody in poor health took this business trip, as he wouldn’t have a break on the way to go and return, perhaps before the prisoners arrived, he might have fallen sick because of the fatigue on the long journey.

So it could be conjectured that this director from the Ministry of Punishments who had just died at his post must be in the prime of his life.

He was at this age, and it meant that he had parents and children to take care of and must be the pillar of his family. Even if the person behind the scenes did something to make him willing to die, his family might be unable to accept it, and at least, not every member of his family could accept it.

It didn’t matter if his family didn’t know it. People were not born to know everything. As long as somebody in that family couldn’t bear to see him die, the crown prince’s followers could “remind” them.

Jian Xubai started, and then He Wenqiong stated, “When there were rumors about the Eastern Palace, Zhao Wu and the others were murdered, and the suspects hid in His Highness’ manor, which is to frame obviously. Moreover, if His Highness incited Zhao Wu and his son to harm Su Bofeng, why would he spare Su Bofeng alone this time? Anyway, all people in the team were killed, and even if a great master protected Su Bofeng, why wouldn’t they send more people to wipe out everybody? In this case, it should be the Su Family in Qingzhou who are really suspicious.”

“As for the people in the hands of the Ministry of Punishments, it’s no big deal.” Yuan Xuepei cut in peacefully. “Not to mention that they didn’t say anything till now, since ancient times, there are many unjust cases after the prisoners are flogged. We can make a fuss about the marks on their bodies after they were tortured and impeach the Ministry of Punishments as they beat some people in order to extort a confession.”

For a moment, all people made suggestions one after another and it seemed that the upcoming disturbance was insignificant and could be handled easily.

However, after the discussion was over in the evening, the crown prince saw all people off and stayed in the study alone, pondering for a long time. At last, he ignored the fact that the gates of the imperial palace would be locked soon and rushed to see Consort Cui in the Xifu Palace.

Since Consort Cui saw his son last time, she was worried all the time.

Hearing that the crown prince came again, she knew that he must have something important only judging from the time. So before he entered the hall, she told the servants to go away in advance. As soon as he came in, she raised her hand and gestured for him to stop before he bowed. Then she asked anxiously, “Hexiao, is there something wrong?”

“Mother, I will be attacked on the morning audience at the imperial court tomorrow.” The crown prince was clear that time was limited. Although he was Consort Cui’s biological son, he should go out of the imperial palace before the gates were locked. After he sat down, he didn’t say anything useless but just simply told her about his predicament. In the end, he stated seriously, “I won’t await my doom, yet I don’t dare to hide it from you, Mother. I don’t have confidence to win this battle, so I came to tell you in advance. Please don’t panic if you hear some news then.”

It was urgent, and he was targeted. Logically, he was not free, and he shouldn’t have come here.

However, Consort Cui kept him worrying about her. She had arranged some people to serve Grand Princess Daiguo, and she hid it from the crown prince. Otherwise, he would surely stop her. Consort Cui did that just to find the evidence against Grand Princess Daiguo, but the problem was that everybody at the imperial court and the commonalty knew that the grand princess was domineering.

The Empress Dowager and Emperor Xianjia were not deaf or blind, and both of them had watched Grand Princess Daiguo grow up. They were clearer about her natural character and exact details than anybody else.

In the final analysis, Grand Princess Daiguo was always overbearing till now because the two spoilt her.

So Consort Cui arranged two spies, which was an unnecessary move except for entrapping herself and the crown prince at the crucial moment. How much confidential information could the maids get after inquiring even if Grand Princess Daiguo didn’t know their background, not to mention that she had found it long ago.

Moreover, could Grand Princess Daiguo be defeated only with the so-called solid evidence?

As long as the Emperor Dowager was alive and Emperor Xianjia considered his kinship with his sister, she might have a chance of survival even if she openly defied the emperor and started a rebellion.

After all, she was Emperor Xianjia’s only younger sister. When Noble Consort Shentu and Madame Zhenyuan dominated the imperial harem system those years, if she hadn’t won over Marquis Fuyang to support him, Emperor Xianjia would have died of a disease in the imperial palace on that rainy day in early winter.

How could he easily forget such a kinship of supporting each other?

After that event was exposed, Consort Cui intended to kill Princess Consort of Liang and ask Nie Wuying to marry Prince of Liang in order to win Grand Princess Jinguo’s support and counteract the Empress Dowager’s love for Grand Princess Daiguo. There was no problem with her plan, yet she took actions too slowly.

Only two or three days after Grand Princess Daiguo’s birthday, Consort Cui had figured out a countermeasure, but in order not to give occasion for talk, she delayed it and hadn’t fully carried it out when the Empress Dowager changed her mind. And Princess Consort of Liang was still safe and sound and even made peace with the Sikong Family.

When Princess Consort of Liang gained the support of her parents’ family, as her mother-in-law, how would Consort Cui take actions against her easily in the future even if she didn’t arouse suspicion?

Moreover, they had no time to win over Grand Princess Jinguo.

The crown prince didn’t blame his mother for failing to kill his brother’s wife. After all, when Consort Cui made this suggestion, he hesitated and couldn’t make up his mind.

However, from the two events, he found that Consort Cui was capable of fighting in the imperial harem system. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have figured out the plan to give up Princess Consort of Liang or quickly made the empress feel worse when Beautiful Lady Nuan was promoted.

However, besides that, Consort Cui could do nothing but a disservice. She failed in plotting against Grand Princess Daiguo, while instead, she harmed herself and her son, which revealed Consort Cui’s short sight and naivety while fighting at the imperial court. She decided to give up Princess Consort of Liang without hesitation yet tried to make her daughter-in-law die without leaving any evidence, which showed that she focused on the details and was indecisive.

In a word, the crown prince was in the predicament, which was not all his biological mother’s fault, but it had something to do with her.

Therefore, he didn’t want to be entrapped by his mother again. Even though time was limited, he came in person to tell Consort Cui. He said that he hoped “she wouldn’t panic then”, while in fact, he implied that she “couldn’t do something that she shouldn’t do these days”.

Consort Cui understood the hidden meaning in her son’s words, and she didn’t promise what she would do next but said in disbelief, “Since you didn’t do that, and you are still the heir to the throne now, would His Majesty allow those people to frame you?”

“I have grown up.” The crown prince sighed and then explained, “Zhongling has received education. How can I rely on Father to do everything? Moreover, he is in poor health recently, and I shouldn’t disturb him.”

“If you can’t say that, I will tell him.” Consort Cui took a deep breath and said decisively, “Are you joking? Their purpose is not to frame you but to select another prince to be the heir to the throne. How can we not let His Majesty know their evil intention?”

The crown prince heard that and sighed helplessly. “Mother, do you think that Father really knows nothing about that?”

Seeing that Consort Cui was stunned, the crown prince shook his head. “As soon as Su Bofeng was in trouble, Father summoned Prime Minister Gu and told him what to do. Even a fifth-rank official sent by the imperial court was killed in the murder case in Jianling. How would Father not know it?”

His eyes were deep. “Father didn’t say anything till now, and I am afraid that he wants me to have a try and handle it.”

Consort Cui was relieved at once and asked with expectancy, “So His Majesty would keep an eye on you and won’t let you suffer from injustice?”

“Unnecessarily!” The crown prince noticed the restlessness in his mother’s tone and hesitated for a moment. Then he still added frankly, “Father has been partial to me several times these years. If I still can’t suppress my brothers and the officials…I don’t know if he would change his mind.”

“How can he do that?” Consort Cui turned pale after hearing that and shouted in a low voice, “You are his eldest son, the only prince that he has brought up in person.”

The crown prince smiled bitterly. “Mother, because of this, if I still let Father down, how would I have the face to inherit Great Rui with such a large territory?”

He had been the crown prince smoothly for twenty years, yet he had to face the threat of being deposed now. It was impossible for the crown prince not to panic and feel sad. However, he was disappointed and grieved because the Empress Dowager changed her attitude, while he didn’t feel resentful as Emperor Xianjia might give him up but was only guilty.

After all, first, his kinship with his father was much stronger than the other princes after they stayed together from morning to night for twenty years; second, the crown prince was clear that these years, Emperor Xianjia was ill but struggled to personally teach him how to be an emperor while supervising and subduing the officials, and he had to govern the country, which was quite difficult for him.

His father had tried his best to give him what he could, and he even personally forced Gu Shao, a famous official to help the Eastern Palace. The crown prince thought that if he was defeated by his younger brothers under this situation, it meant that he was incapable.

At the moment, the crown prince suspected his ability. Why couldn’t he defeat two younger brothers while Emperor Xianjia had ascended the throne at his age and was powerful at the imperial court, disciplining the famous prime minister and old officials so well that all of them were convinced?

He knew that compared with Emperor Xianjia, he lacked experience in toughing himself. However, he had what Emperor Xianjia didn’t have, his father’s selfless instructions by precept and example and his obvious favor and support.

“I am afraid that I am much inferior to Father in qualification.” At this thought, the crown prince felt bitter surging in his heart. He restrained it and prepared to remind Consort Cui more and then leave, but she suddenly waved her hand after a moment of silence. “Hexiao, come over.”

The crown prince didn’t know what she would do but walked to her obediently, while he was pulled to sit on the couch with her. Consort Cui’s face changed for a while and then it showed that she made a decision. She motioned for her son to lower his head and whispered in his ear, “Hexiao, you are the heir to the throne.”

“Mother?” The crown prince waited for her next words quietly, but after a long while, Consort Cui didn’t say anything. Finding that she was looking at him with a complicated expression and expectancy in her eyes, he had a lot of thoughts and suddenly a horrible conjecture came into his mind. Then he turned pale involuntarily and roared in a low voice, “Mother!”

“Since His Majesty took the throne, he prepared to entrust you to somebody else.” Seeing that he guessed what she meant, Consort Cui was ready to risk everything. She raised her hand and grasped the crown prince’s shoulder, forcing him to intently listen to her whisper. She said in a deep voice, “Although His Majesty was always sick in the past, he could deal with the state affairs from time to time. Since this year, he told you to act as regent. It can be seen that his health…”

The crown prince interrupted her coldly, “Father just worked too hard. The imperial doctors said that as long as he rests quietly to recuperate this year, he can recover soon…”

“If that’s true, why did he tell Gu Shao to return to work?” Consort Cui sneered and retorted, “Although I am a woman and don’t understand the political affairs at the imperial court, I know that Gu Shao left office that year because His Majesty planned to entrust you to him. If His Majesty can live longer, how would Gu Shao have the chance to reassume office?”

She softly and anxiously whispered in her son’s ear, “His Majesty can’t sustain himself for long. The country should be left to you. Why would you pester Prince of Wei and Prince of Zhao?

“As long as…

“As long as His Majesty passes away, as the crown prince, you are supposed to take the throne.”