LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 22 - The Deposed Crown Prince (5)
While the old Emperor was plotting, He Dongchen remained holed up in his own mansion, flipping through medical books and reading travel accounts. Another leisurely day passed.
Meanwhile, Tian Weirong and Prince Huainan were planning their next move. “Wei Rong, did you really dream about it?”
“Of course,” Tian Weirong replied impatiently, pouting. “Does Your Highness doubt me?”
“How could I?” Prince Huainan pulled her into his arms and rubbed her affectionately.
Earlier, Tian Weirong claimed to have dreamt about the abbot of Tianyin Temple passing away, and sure enough, the abbot died within days. Not only that, but Tian Weirong also dreamt about the missing daughter of the Princess Chang returning, and the young son of the Duke of Weiguo breaking his leg from a startled horse. Three times she dreamt correctly!
So, Prince Huainan had a kind of inexplicable confidence in Tian Weirong. Despite her being a seemingly delicate woman, she exuded confidence and composure, which starkly contrasted with her outward appearance and deeply attracted Prince Huainan.
“The Commander of the Imperial Guards is secretly raising a concubine, and she has borne him his only son. If Your Highness holds that child in your hands, the Commander of the Imperial Guards will be at your beck and call, won’t he?”
The Commander of the Imperial Guards’ family background was humble, and he had risen to prominence only with the support of Princess Chang. Now nearing forty with no son, he dared only to secretly keep a concubine. Once that concubine and child were discovered, the Commander of the Imperial Guards would likely face the wrath of the fierce Princess Chang. This incident had caused quite a stir in the previous life, just half a month later.
Prince Huainan pondered for a moment and began arranging things in secret.
These actions immediately caught the attention of the old Emperor, who had been watching him closely!
***
Apart from threatening the Commander of the Imperial Guards, the old Emperor also discovered Prince Huainan’s other minor actions; planting spies in the palace, winning over court ministers, one after another. The old Emperor’s anger surged, wishing he could chop down this unfilial son, Prince Huainan, on the spot!
Originally, he had planned to deal with Marquis Wu’an and then place Prince Huainan under house arrest.
But now…
Ha! The old Emperor felt the need to teach this ignorant and insolent son a lesson!
“Bring Prince Huainan to the palace!”
“Yes.”
An hour later, Prince Huainan, full of doubts, entered the palace. He followed closely behind a eunuch, passing through several palace gates before finally stopping outside a pavilion.
The old Emperor sat alone in the pavilion, with no attendants around. He coughed occasionally, appearing frail and feeble, resembling a lonely old man.
Prince Huainan’s heart skipped a beat as he stepped into the pavilion. “Greetings, Your Majesty.”
“Xiao Qi has arrived,” the old Emperor said, coughing twice. The handkerchief covering his mouth fell to the ground, revealing a shocking smear of blood in the midst of its bright yellow fabric.
“Your Majesty! What’s wrong with you?” Prince Huainan exclaimed, half-crouching to support the old Emperor, his face filled with concern, with a flicker of relief flashing in his eyes.
The old Emperor noticed this scene and coldly snorted inwardly. He feigned weakness on his face, reaching out a trembling hand and firmly gripping Prince Huainan’s shoulder. His forehead tensed, veins bulging, as he spoke slowly and deliberately, “My time is short. It’s time to tell you the truth!”
“Your Majesty, please say,” Prince Huainan said, puzzled. His mind raced, trying to understand what could cause his father, who had always ignored him, to show such emotions.
As he pondered, he heard the old Emperor urgently continue, “Back then, I had a deep affection for your mother. The Empress, jealous of our love, ordered the death of your mother. These years, pressured by Marquis Wu’an’s power, I had to ignore you and pretend to favor the Crown Prince. I intended to eliminate them and clear obstacles for you, but that old fox, Marquis Wu’an! Somehow he saw through my plans, and his daughter managed to seduce you first, even at the cost of abandoning the Crown Prince! Xiao Qi, both you and I have been deceived by them!”
“Impossible!” Prince Huainan exclaimed in disbelief, feeling as if the sky were falling apart. How could this be true? Wei Rong had always admired me since childhood, merely maintaining a distance due to our respective status.
“Humph! Why is it impossible? Think carefully. Over these years, has Marquis Wu’an’s daughter ever been close to you? Did she only recently approach you?” The old Emperor spun his web of deceit, watching his son’s anguished expression with satisfaction.
Prince Huainan’s face turned ashen, looking extremely grim. In the past, Tian Weirong barely had to avoid him, always trailing after him, calling him ‘Brother Prince’ day in and day out. But then, just a few months ago…
He closed his eyes, telling himself not to doubt Wei Rong. She was the girl he had admired since childhood. But the seeds of doubt had already been planted, quickly taking root and sprouting.
The old Emperor observed his reaction keenly, raising an eyebrow slightly and patting his shoulder with a meaningful tone, “Marquis Wu’an wields great power and must be dealt with. If you like that woman, keep her in the backyard; she’s just a woman. Xiao Qi, the world will be yours in the future, but don’t raise a tiger to invite calamity.”
“Father…” Prince Huainan’s expression became conflicted, struggling inwardly.
“Go now, while I still have some time, and eliminate future troubles for you,” the old Emperor tempted, as if the throne were within reach, waiting for Prince Huainan to reach out and take it.
With a heavy heart, Prince Huainan left the palace, his mind burdened with thoughts. He rode his horse towards the outskirts, leaving behind a cloud of dust.
***
Tian Weirong spotted Prince Huainan’s sudden appearance, her face lighting up with joy as she hurried over, instinctively hanging onto him. Coquettishly, she asked, “Why the sudden visit? Did you succeed?”
Seeing Tian Weirong’s proactive approach, Prince Huainan’s heart sank slightly. In the past, he would have been pleased by her affection, but now, his mind was filled with the old Emperor’s words. Marquis Wu’an’s ambitious plans, Tian Weirong’s feigned affections, they all seemed purposeful in his eyes.
That’s it! Did Tian Weirong dream of the future because she saw me ascending to the throne? Was that why she hurried to distance herself from the Crown Prince and change course?
With that thought, Prince Huainan’s previous doubts about the old Emperor’s words vanished completely!
The throne! Prince Huainan’s heart burned with fervor, his breath becoming heavy. The throne, which might require careful planning and even risking his life, now seemed within reach! It was like a ripe fruit, ready for the taking!
“Your Highness?” Seeing Prince Huainan’s silence and his lack of affectionate gestures as before, Tian Weirong raised her head in confusion and reached out to touch his short beard, frowning slightly. “What are you thinking, Your Highness?”
Prince Huainan snapped back to reality, suddenly grasping her wandering hand. As he felt her soft, fair fingers, he said with an ambiguous tone, “Wei Rong, you once said you would do anything to be with me, didn’t you?”
“Of course,” Tian Weirong nodded without hesitation, gazing affectionately at Prince Huainan. This man dared to compete for her hand in marriage in her previous life; he must have loved her deeply. Unlike the Crown Prince, who always prioritized the greater good.
“That… then please help me bring down Marquis Wu’an, Wei Rong.”
The smile on Tian Weirong’s face froze instantly, the disbelief evident. “Your Highness, are you joking?”
“I’m not joking. Emperor Father said that as long as I remove Marquis Wu’an, he’ll appoint me as the Crown Prince! Emperor Father’s health is failing! I saw him coughing up blood with my own eyes! I promise you, I’ll spare Marquis Wu’an’s life. After I ascend the throne, everything will be under my control!” Prince Huainan spoke in one breath, then gazed steadily at the woman in his arms.
“No, no,” Tian Weirong shook her head repeatedly, breaking free from Prince Huainan’s embrace and stepping aside. Her heart was in turmoil. Marquis Wu’an was her father, her support. How could I bring him down? No, I can’t.
“Wei Rong! Didn’t you say you were pleased with me? Willing to do anything for me?” Prince Huainan grabbed Tian Weirong’s shoulder, pressing closer. “What’s this? Are you lying to me?”
“How could I?” Tian Weirong panicking.
If she didn’t help, Prince Huainan would surely feel estranged from her, jeopardizing her position as the future Empress. Perhaps helping a little would suffice?
After all, as Prince Huainan said, once he ascended the throne, he would have the final say.
Tian Weirong was pushed to the edge with no way out. She could only follow Prince Huainan’s instructions and sneak into the Marquis’s residence to steal the registry. Marquis Wu’an’s lineage was extensive, with generations of connections. Only the Marquis’s hands held the most complete list of personnel, including military personnel, palace spies, officials, and even inconspicuous street vendors, all meticulously recorded.
The entire Marquis’s residence was set up to favor Tian Weirong. Stealing the registry was a breeze for her. In less than 2 days, she handed it over to Prince Huainan, emphasizing repeatedly, “You must protect my father and brother’s lives!”
“I will, I promise.” Prince Huainan embraced both the person and the registry, gazing into the distance toward the palace, his ambition surging, blood boiling. In the future, that would be his territory.
***
In less than 3 days, the old Emperor saw the extensive network cultivated by the Marquis’s residence over generations. Even he was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter, clapping his hands. “Marquis Wu’an really has raised a good daughter.”
Who could have imagined that the illustrious Marquis’s residence, accumulated over five generations with talents aplenty, would be destroyed by a 16-year-old girl?
After laughing, the old Emperor wiped the corners of his eyes, thinking to himself that the education of future royal descendants must be improved to prevent raising a bunch of foolish descendants.
Waiting for the opportunity to claim credit, Prince Huainan looked at the old Emperor’s expression and had a bad premonition, unusually strong. Unable to hold back, he spoke up, “Emperor Father?”
The old Emperor snapped out of his thoughts, giving him a meaningful look before speaking slowly, “In light of your recent accomplishments, go back and reflect on yourself. I won’t hold the past against you.”
This son didn’t seem too bright. He actually believed my endless lies. The nonsense about being forced to pretend to value the Crown Prince due to Marquis Wu’an’s influence, acting for over a decade! What a joke. If I’m that spineless, what kind of Emperor could I be? I might as well wash my hands and become Marquis Wu’an’s shoe polisher.
“Emperor Father… Father!” Prince Huainan was shocked and incredulous, stepping back a few paces, then suddenly realizing, his eyes reddening with rage, angrily pointing at the old Emperor. “You lied to me! You deceived me!!!”
“Humph, you dare to threaten the Commander of my Imperial Guards, and I can’t deceive you with a few words?” The old Emperor smirked slyly.
He was still the boss! This was what true cunningness meant!
A mixture of fear, anger, unease, grievance, and despair swirled inside Prince Huainan. He clutched his chest, spitting out a mouthful of blood, then collapsed to the ground with a thud, the sound echoing in the grand hall.
The old Emperor’s expression remained unchanged. He ordered, “Someone, take the commoner He Jingwen back to his residence. Without my orders, he’s not to leave the premises.”
Adding as an afterthought, “Don’t alarm anyone.” Better not to alert Marquis Wu’an.
“Yes!” Two guards entered the hall, briskly lifting the unconscious He Jingwen, one on each side. They quickly disappeared from the hall. At the same time, several eunuchs swiftly cleaned the bloodstains from the floor, opened the windows for ventilation, and lit a faint incense to ensure no trace of blood remained.
With the registry in hand and having taken the longevity pill, the old Emperor’s health improved drastically. He was in high spirits that evening as he discreetly left the palace to share the joy with his son.
***
Heard about Prince Huainan being played by the old Emperor, now spitting blood and imprisoned in his residence, He Dongchen couldn’t help but fall silent. Watching the somewhat smug old Emperor, he thought, “Your father is still your father.”
The system hopped onto the old Emperor’s head and bounced twice, remarking, [This old rascal is quite wicked.]
“Tomorrow, I’ll decree the capture of the entire Marquis of Wu’an’s household!”
Suddenly, He Dongchen spoke up, “I wonder, Emperor Father, how do you plan to deal with Tian Weirong?”
The old Emperor paused, his gaze sharp as he looked at his son, solemnly stating, “Prince Jing, are you still concerned about that woman?”
That woman was nothing but trouble, causing harm to the entire family for her selfish desires. She was foolish and toxic, and the old Emperor didn’t want to see the Prince lingering over such a woman.
“How could I?” He Dongchen chuckled, sensing the old Emperor’s vigilance. He spoke frankly, “I was thinking, since my seventh brother and Tian Weirong are in love, why not let them be together?”
Upon hearing that, the old Emperor burst into laughter, patting his son’s shoulder with satisfaction. “You finally know how to hold a grudge. I’ll grant your wish. Let them torment each other!”
Now that He Jingwen had become a commoner and Marquis Wu’an’s household had fallen, would Tian Weirong still be fond of him? It’s likely she’d even hate him.