Chapter 278 - The Mother and Son Talked Secretly Once More

“Even my wife’s parents don’t think that I can win, either?” The purpose of Madam Tian’s visit couldn’t be hidden from the crown prince. Even the crown princess considered it, and he could surely guess right.

The crown prince looked at the flowers and trees with few leaves out of the window. There were still green leaves everywhere in the imperial capital at the end of the eighth lunar month, but it was mid-autumn after all. Among the flowers and leaves, cool wind blew from the west.

It was like what he was feeling.

The crown prince always knew that his father Emperor Xianjia was of great talent and bold vision and no ordinary person could surpass him, while till now, he realized that he was much inferior to his father. Emperor Xianjia had been slandered by Noble Consort Shentu that year and knelt for a long time in the continuous rain in late autumn, asking for a chance to defend himself, yet he failed. In contrast, the crown prince just asked several times to see the Empress Dowager but was refused because his crime of causing the murder case in Jianling was confirmed, and he was forbidden by the Empress Dowager to see Emperor Xianjia. Although he was in a difficult position, he was still the heir to the throne at least who could order the servants and was elegantly dressed and feasting on delicacies.

However, Emperor Xianjia could turn the tables in such a predicament that year, while the crown prince was desperate.

Maybe he didn’t qualify to be the heir to the throne?

Otherwise, how would he collapse at the first blow after being instructed by the emperor for so many years?

“Your Highness!” A trusted eunuch called him in a low voice, which awakened the crown prince who was absorbed in complicated thoughts. “Consort Cui is ill and wants you to go to see her.”

“Mother?” Hearing that, the crown prince pinched his brows and answered after a long while, “I see.”

He didn’t say that he would go. Since Huang Jingting confirmed his crime in front of all civil and military officials at the imperial court the other day, he was asked to rest from power and return to the Eastern Palace to avoid arousing suspicion, waiting for the courtiers to discuss how to punish him.

In fact, he was grounded.

However, it was said that the law was nothing but human nature. He hadn’t been deposed, and his biological mother was ill, so if he wanted to see her, nobody dared to stop him.

After all, even the Empress Dowager just told him not to disturb Emperor Xianjia or her.

Nevertheless, the crown prince wanted to ignore his biological mother who said that she was ill. Consort Cui had suggested killing the emperor. Although she was stopped by him in the end, she probably wanted to mention this matter again, so she said that she was ill.

The crown prince felt that he had only a slim chance of survival currently, but he didn’t want to do something rebellious, so he just answered indifferently yet didn’t plan to go.

Unexpectedly, after a long time, Prince of Liang came to ask him in person. His eyes were red, and it was obvious that he had cried. After seeing the crown prince, he bowed and didn’t say more. He just stated, “Mother is sick all of a sudden and wants to see you now.”

His brother came to see him because of their mother’s illness, so the crown prince couldn’t refuse again. He had to enter the inner room and get changed. Then they went into the imperial palace together.

As soon as they entered the Xifu Palace, the crown prince sensed the strong smell of medicine. It turned out that Consort Cui was really ill.

“Hehao, go to have a seat outside first. I have something to talk with your brother alone.” Under the bead curtain which was rolled up to the middle, Consort Cui looked pale, with a towel on her forehead. She coughed from time to time. Although she was weak, her tone was decisive after she saw her two sons come in. However, the crown prince instantly cut in with a frown, “Mother, my brother is not an outsider. If you have something to say, it’s fine to say it in front of him.”

He said that as he hoped that Consort Cui wouldn’t persuade him to kill the emperor because Prince of Liang was present.

Unexpectedly, Consort Cui didn’t refuse. She just dismissed the others and then coughed for a while. Afterward, she covered her mouth with the handkerchief and wiped it before saying, “I have heard about the current situation in the palace. I just ask you, Hexiao. Can Gu Shao save the critical situation?”

“These days, Prime Minister Gu argued fiercely with the followers of Prince of Wei and Prince of Zhao at the imperial court repeatedly because of my brother.” Seeing that the crown prince stayed silent, Prince of Liang hurriedly answered for him for fear that it would be embarrassing. “And he exposed many officials who support the two princes. Now it is like a storm at the imperial court…”

“All those are not important,” Consort Cui interrupted impassively. “The key point is that the chief criminal who committed the murder case in Jianling is not Hexiao, but even Gu Shao can’t clarify it for Hexiao, right?”

Hearing that, Prince of Liang looked at the crown prince, to see that he stared at the bricks not far away and still didn’t plan to answer. He hesitated for a moment and then replied, “Mother, this happened all of a sudden, and Prince of Wei and Prince of Zhao are well prepared, while my brother was caught off guard, so…”

“I see!” Consort Cui interrupted him again and raised her hand to touch her forehead. After a long while, she was dispirited and suggested, “So, next, you just support Prince of Zhao.”

Before she finished her words, both the crown prince and Prince of Liang were stunned.

“The enmity between me and Daiguo can’t be defused. Otherwise, Hexiao may not be in such a difficult situation now.” Consort Cui withdrew her hand. Because she enjoyed wealth and honor for many years, she was still beautiful although she was a grandmother. At the moment, her bright eyes were resolute and her pursed lips looked cold. “In the final analysis, I harmed Hexiao. However, even though I am willing to be smashed to pieces and exchange it for Hexiao’s future, the Empress Dowager and your father may not give me this chance.”

While speaking, she raised her hand and stopped her two sons from saying something. She sniffled and continued, “But as your biological mother, I am unwilling to resign myself to fate. So I pondered over and over these two days. If Hexiao really can’t keep his position as the heir to the throne, it’s better to give it up to Prince of Zhao. First, although there are small conflicts between me and the empress inevitably after getting along for many years, after all, we don’t have feud of life and death. Second, the empress is from an aristocratic family, and she is much more broad-minded than Daiguo. Even if our lives are in the hands of her and her son someday, it’s better to be at the mercy of Daiguo.”

“Mother!” Prince of Liang looked at her in disbelief and then at the crown prince who was pale and clenched his fists silently. At last, he still couldn’t help but shout in a low voice, “Mother, how can you say something like this? My brother is the heir to the throne since childhood. He was framed this time. Even if Prime Minister Gu is powerless, we have Father…”

“The Empress Dowager said that anybody who dares to affect His Majesty’s health is like to rebel.” Consort Cui sneered and leered at him. “Hehao, don’t be naïve anymore. Don’t you know your father’s methods? The murder case in Jianling is something so significant that all people in the capital city and its environs know it. Wouldn’t your father in the imperial palace know it? But how many days passed since Huang Jingting came back from Jianling?”

She slightly raised her voice. “Three days. Three days passed. Did your father come out and say anything? Or did he summon anybody? Do you want to rely on him till now?”

“Father is in poor health since the beginning of the year, and he rests quietly to recuperate for more than half a year, yet there are several accidents during this period, so he can’t recover.”

Prince of Liang blushed, at a loss after being rebuked, while the crown prince finally spoke. He didn’t look at Consort Cui or his brother but just stared at something not far away calmly. “It is fine if we disturb him because of something else, yet this time…Grandma is right. Who can take the responsibility?”

Consort Cui was clear about his love for Emperor Xianjia, so she just sneered after hearing that. “So if Gu Shao can’t save you, you’d better keep a good relationship with Prince of Zhao earlier. In this case, even if you and I will be out of luck in the future, you can leave a chance of survival to Hehao and Zhongling anyway.”

“Mother!” Prince of Liang called anxiously but didn’t know what to say.

The crown prince glanced at him and silently told him to shut up. Then he turned to Consort Cui. “If Prince of Zhao becomes the heir to the throne, as you said, because the empress and you don’t have big conflicts, and she is not narrow-minded, I think the empress and Prince of Zhao won’t make things difficult for you as long as I give them an answer.”

He said “give them an answer”, and of course he meant that he would die sensibly at the right time.

However, Consort Cui sneered while tears fell from her eyes. “Not to mention that it’s my fault for getting you in such a situation, even if it has nothing to do with me, how would I let you go there alone?”

She stated in a sad voice, “Hehao was raised by me since his childhood, and as his mother, I did everything that I could for him, but Hexiao, you were sent to His Majesty since you were only two or three years old and brought up by him in person. Although I am your biological mother, I enjoy wealth and glory given by you these years, yet what did I do for you? I have thought it over. The only thing I can do for you is probably die with you.”

While speaking, Consort Cui sadly glanced at Prince of Liang who had no idea how to face the scene. “If I and your brother pass away, Zhongling and his mother will depend on your support. If you care about the kinship with your mother and brother, just take Zhongling as your son and don’t let others bully him.”

…After the crown prince bade farewell in panic, Prince of Liang still stayed here for a while and personally served Consort Cui when she took medicine. Then he moved the quilt for her and asked worriedly, “Mother, how can you persuade my brother to support Prince of Zhao? Father hasn’t done anything, and he may not be disappointed at my brother. Anyway, only three days passed. Perhaps it happens that Father doesn’t feel well these three days, and he may take actions tonight or next morning? But if my brother is really dispirited and support Prince of Zhao and Father knows it, he would probably give up on my brother.”

After all, no matter how partial Emperor Xianjia was to the crown prince, he could endure that the heir to the throne he had educated failed and was frustrated as the young man had never experienced hardships, yet how could he allow the crown prince to lose his fighting spirit easily?

No matter how talented a man was, nobody would fear him when he couldn’t stand being defeated.

Because as long as such a man failed once, it was enough to make him get adrift forever and have no chance to turn the tables. However, how could anybody in the world never be defeated?

Didn’t such an acknowledged wise emperor as Emperor Xianjia have his day after struggling hard?

Meanwhile, the crown prince was inferior to Emperor Xianjia in talent obviously. When he didn’t have the courage to admit defeat, if Emperor Xianjia still persistently wanted to leave the Great Rui to him, he would disappoint all people at the imperial court and the common people who thought that he was capable and smart when he ruled the country and disciplined the imperial court although he was not kind-hearted like a ruler should be as he had killed his half-siblings.

It was safe to say that the crown prince was in an unfavorable situation, but he might have a chance of survival.

However, if he resigned himself to destiny and helped Prince of Zhao, he would ruin his own future.

Prince of Liang didn’t understand Consort Cui’s plan.

Nevertheless, Consort Cui didn’t want to explain even though she always doted on him. She just expressed calmly, “I have my reason. Go back now. Sikong is pregnant. If you are affected and influence her after staying here for long, you will harm your first legitimate son.”