Chapter 138: There Is Still an Imperial Heir in the Capital! The Emperor’s Days Are Numbered
Chapter 138: Chapter 138: There Is Still an Imperial Heir in the Capital! The Emperor’s Days Are Numbered
"To think my father-in-law would rather believe I’m the one pulling the strings than accept that his own son was either hiding his abilities or has finally turned over a new leaf."
Xie Qingwu sighed. It just went to show what a useless, hopeless case her husband was perceived to be. ’Thank goodness I was abducted,’ she thought. ’Otherwise, the real misery was yet to come.’
Although, this current Pei Shaoqing was also always eyeing her rear, eager to test her... ’back-door’ hospitality.
"Today’s commotion has achieved our goal of creating distance from the Marquis Wei Yuan’s Mansion without severing ties completely." Pei Shaoqing took off his outer coat, sat down beside her, and said with a grave expression, "But now there’s something more important."
"What is it?" Xie Qingwu asked, puzzled.
Pei Shaoqing laid bare his entire grudge with the King of Qi.
Xie Qingwu’s face turned pale as she listened. She gripped Pei Shaoqing’s hand tightly, grinding her teeth as she cursed, "That goddamn bastard! How dare he!"
"What’s done is done. There’s no use talking about it now. The urgent task is to figure out an escape route." Pei Shaoqing pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her back to soothe her. His tone was somber as he continued, "His Majesty is old. The fight for the throne will be over in a few years at most. In such a short time, I can’t possibly climb to a position where I can ignore Imperial Authority."
"So if we don’t plan an exit beforehand, retaliation will surely follow once the King of Qi or the Ninth Prince ascends the throne. As they gradually take control of the court, the protection of the Marquis Wei Yuan’s Mansion—that ’tiger’s skin’—won’t shield me for long. After all, he would never raise an army and rebel for my sake."
If it were Pei Shaotang, the legitimate eldest son whom Pei Shiqing had personally groomed and held high hopes for, he would definitely rebel without hesitation. But for Pei Shaoqing? Pei Shiqing might even sacrifice him for the good of the family.
"It’s a true dilemma. Getting close to your father-in-law risks exposing your identity, but distancing yourself means you can’t get his full protection." Xie Qingwu sighed, lovingly stroking Pei Shaoqing’s cheek.
’He really has it rough.’
Pei Shaoqing exhaled, his gaze deep as he looked ahead and murmured, "If only there were a third option besides the King of Qi and the Ninth Prince."
But that was simply impossible.
Theoretically, Emperor Jingtai’s other sons who had been granted fiefs also had a right to the throne, but they had no foundation in the court. What could they possibly use to compete with the King of Qi and the Ninth Prince?
The Emperor decided who became Crown Prince, but who became Emperor wasn’t necessarily up to the Emperor.
"There is one." A flash of inspiration hit Xie Qingwu, and she sat up from Pei Shaoqing’s embrace.
"Who?" Pei Shaoqing immediately pressed.
"The deposed Crown Prince," Xie Qingwu said, each word deliberate.
Pei Shaoqing froze on the spot.
Xie Qingwu, however, grew excited, her face flushed as she chattered on, "The deposed Crown Prince has had a large following since childhood. Even though many were demoted or executed after his rebellion, there is still a group in the court loyal to him, the Old Faction of the Crown Prince. He has supporters in the army as well."
"Only he has the right and the power to compete with the King of Qi and the Ninth Prince. And because he failed in his rebellion and was placed under house arrest, both the King of Qi and the Ninth Prince have overlooked him. The various ministers in the court also keep their distance. This is the perfect opportunity for us to provide aid in his time of need and bet on a dark horse."
A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. The deposed Crown Prince’s old faction is a considerable force in itself; it’s just that without a figure to rally behind, they are like scattered sand.
Once the deposed Crown Prince takes the throne, he can quickly gain control of the court. And as someone who helped him ascend, Pei Shaoqing wouldn’t just be safe from retaliation by the King of Qi and the Jiang Family, he would soar to the heavens.
Of course, there were certainly risks. If something like this failed, it would be an absolute dead end.
But you have to take the gamble; a bicycle might just become a motorcycle!
Besides, not taking the risk was tantamount to a slow suicide.
Moreover, he had the Mao Camp. He could contact the deposed Crown Prince, imprisoned deep within the Imperial Palace, without anyone knowing.
"My dear, are you willing to take this gamble with me?" Pei Shaoqing asked, his gaze fervent as he held Xie Qingwu’s delicate hand.
Xie Qingwu smiled faintly and whispered, "This was my suggestion to begin with. If we succeed, we’ll soar to new heights. If we fail, it’s merely death. To live and die with a man as dashing as you, my husband—what is there to fear?"
As her words fell, she looked down and stroked her still-flat belly. "As for our child, even if my father-in-law and my own father can’t protect us, they will surely protect him."
Just as she had said when she and Pei Shaoqing first met, she wasn’t afraid of death. She was just unwilling to be buried alongside a useless man like her original fiancé, which was why she would rather give herself to a mountain bandit.
"My wife." Pei Shaoqing was deeply moved, his eyes burning as he stared at Xie Qingwu, the blood rushing to his head.
Xie Qingwu, her smile radiant, raised a slender finger to his lips and shook her head. "What are you thinking, my husband? No, you can’t. I’m pregnant, you know."
The arousal that had just surged through Pei Shaoqing quickly subsided.
"Then, my wife, do you know what kind of person the deposed Crown Prince is?" He pushed aside his distracting thoughts and got back to business.
Xie Qingwu said thoughtfully, "I’ve only seen him at a few palace banquets. We’ve never interacted privately, so I don’t know his character. But it’s widely rumored among the people in the capital that he is kindhearted and doesn’t put on royal airs. The court officials all believed he would one day be a great Ming Monarch."
"Then why would he rebel?" Pei Shaoqing frowned in confusion. A Crown Prince who satisfied the Emperor, the people, and the officials only needed to wait his turn to inherit the throne. Why would he suddenly launch a palace coup?
Xie Qingwu pursed her lips and shook her head. "The reason for the Crown Prince’s rebellion remains a mystery to the outside world. He was only thirty at the time, and His Majesty’s health has always been poor. It’s unlikely he was just being impatient."
Five years ago, the Crown Prince suddenly launched a coup, catching everyone off guard. But what was even more surprising was that the coup was suppressed in just four hours.
"Five years of confinement... I wonder if the Crown Prince still has any ambition left. I’m afraid this might just be wishful thinking on our part," Pei Shaoqing slowly exhaled.
’I hope the Crown Prince still has some ambition.’
’That he can still pull himself together.’
Not wanting to be discouraging, Xie Qingwu said with a bright smile, "Have General Li send a cat to pass a message to Sanhua. Order her to observe the Crown Prince’s condition, and then we can consider whether to make further contact and reveal our intentions."
"Mm." Pei Shaoqing nodded. He never dithered. Once he thought of something, he acted. "General Li!" he called out.
"Your subject is here!" With a CLANG, General Li came rushing in and knelt on one knee before Pei Shaoqing.
Pei Shaoqing commanded, "Order your spies in the capital to relay a message to Sanhua. Have her observe the deposed Crown Prince’s condition in detail for a while, and then send word back."
"General Li, you must remember not to enter the Imperial Palace yourself," Xie Qingwu added with a serious tone. "You are a demon and have a demonic aura. There are experts or related treasures in the palace that could detect your presence."
The Mao Camp’s greatest advantage lay in General Li’s few "beloved consorts." They possessed human-like intelligence but had not yet become full demons. Without a condensed Inner Core, they had no demonic aura.
General Li looked up, his small face solemn, his whiskers twitching. "This subject will certainly bear it in mind."
Then he turned and scurried away in a flash.
"Oh, right. After you left, the Jiang Family sent an invitation. They’re inviting us to a banquet at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion tomorrow night to formally thank you for saving Jiang Yuechan’s life," Xie Qingwu suddenly recalled after they finished their serious discussion.
Pei Shaoqing said, "Then we’ll go. It would be rude not to. For now, we need to ease the conflict with the Jiang Family."
He also had to enter the palace tomorrow morning to have an audience with the Emperor.
After all, the Emperor had shown him great favor.
After returning to the Capital City, he had to enter the palace to express his gratitude one way or another.
.........
The night was late, and ordinary households had long since extinguished their lamps.
But in the Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study was still brightly lit.
Emperor Jingtai, burdened by old injuries and advancing age, was, as always, staying up late, hunched over his desk dealing with state affairs.
Before he ascended the throne, the Great Zhou had been in turmoil. The Western Wei repeatedly invaded, occupying several border cities. The Northern Barbarians frequently raided the south, plundering and slaughtering the people of Great Zhou. Domestically, rebels of all sizes would pop up at a moment’s notice.
During his reign, he pushed back the Western Wei, struck at the Northern Barbarians, lightened taxes, imposed heavy punishments, and executed corrupt officials. Step by step, he brought peace to the borders and stability within. Now, the tables had turned, and he was even planning to take the offensive and annihilate the Northern Barbarians as a nation and a people.
He was truly a Ming Monarch of his generation, and all of it was built upon decades of tireless work, toiling at his desk day in and day out.
"Your Majesty, it’s late. Why don’t you rest for tonight? Your health is paramount!" Liu Hai advised in a soft voice, bringing a cup of ginseng soup to Emperor Jingtai.
"Enough nonsense. Haven’t I been doing this for decades?" Emperor Jingtai put down his brush and picked up the ginseng soup. Just as he was about to drink, his expression suddenly changed.
"Your Majesty!" Liu Hai cried out in alarm. He rushed forward to support Emperor Jingtai, transferring a stream of Inner Strength into his body.
Emperor Jingtai managed to recover, swallowing the blood he had almost coughed up. "Get the Golden Core," he rasped.
"Go quickly," Liu Hai ordered a young eunuch.
The Golden Core was refined from Spiritual Pill Shavings. It allowed Emperor Jingtai to rapidly absorb its medicinal power to sustain his vitality.
But the Emperor’s old injuries were too severe. Long-term use had led to dependency, and as all medicine is partly poison, a significant amount of pill toxins had accumulated in his body, further damaging his health.
The Golden Core was quickly brought over. After swallowing it, the Emperor’s complexion rapidly became ruddy and lustrous. He slowly exhaled. "Liu Hai, how many years do I have left?"
"If Your Majesty stops handling every matter personally and rests well, you have at least five or six years. Otherwise, three years at most." Liu Hai didn’t need to be evasive with the Emperor and answered directly.
"Three years is enough," the Emperor murmured to himself.
Liu Hai lowered his head slightly. In a flash, he appeared before the eunuch who had just delivered the Golden Core and killed him with a single palm strike.
Two figures dressed in black with their faces covered suddenly appeared in the otherwise empty Imperial Study. Without a word, they dragged the dead eunuch’s body away.
They appeared without a sound.
And left just as silently.
The Emperor said in a low voice, "Liu Hai, this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival banquet must be grander and more magnificent than usual."
Rumors were circulating outside that his health was failing.
That was why he needed to appear at such a grand event, to show everyone that those rumors were baseless. ’They had all better behave themselves for me.’
"Yes, Your Majesty," Liu Hai responded respectfully.
Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the door of the Imperial Study.
Liu Hai turned and went out. A moment later, he returned with a smile, bowing as he approached the Emperor’s side. "Your Majesty, I have some news that will please you. The Hidden Guards report that tonight, Pei Shaoqing and his wife had a conflict with Nalan Yujin..."
"To think young Pei Aiqing would say such a thing. It’s truly rather treasonous." Emperor Jingtai’s words were critical, but the smile on his face was obvious.
The fact that Pei Shaoqing could say such a thing showed just how terrible the father-son relationship was. This was precisely the effect he wanted.
He had to continue promoting Pei Shaoqing.
Give him the confidence to have a complete falling out with Pei Shiqing.
Over the next three years, he would promote Pei Shaoqing to a position high enough to be used as a blade against the Marquis Wei Yuan’s Mansion. Even if he couldn’t use it himself, he could leave it for the new monarch.
"Liu Hai, have someone start looking for a suitable residence in the Capital City to serve as the Pingyang Manor. It must reflect my favor. Don’t be afraid of overstepping the usual standards."
"Yes, Your Majesty. This servant obeys."