Chapter 603: Chapter 15: Empress Dowager, Peace Be Upon You (15)

The movements from the Third Prince’s side, the Emperor naturally knew about them, and he sneered in his heart.

Panicking now? Why didn’t you panic when you were making arrangements back then? When you obtained news about him or the Empress, why didn’t you panic?

If the Empress’s coma incident back then made the Emperor suspicious of the Princess Consort Xian, those suspicions were forcibly suppressed because of the Third Prince. Now those suspicions have resurfaced.

Based solely on the Empress’s incident, the Princess Consort Xian cannot survive.

Just because of a cold, he has become like this, his body declining day by day, and yet he is in his prime.

During this period, did anyone do anything? Who knows?

Thinking of this, the Emperor’s expression turned a bit colder.

However, his recent investigation has revealed that the Empress is truly clean.

Silly Ning, in this Imperial Palace, it devours people without a trace.

Being so clean, how can you survive?

But you are my Empress, I will preserve that last bit of purity for you, and I will protect you.

The Third Prince, after entering the Imperial Palace to pay respects, left the palace alone, leaving the Third Imperial Concubine behind. Thereafter, the Third Prince and Third Imperial Concubine’s days became somewhat unsettled.

Occasionally, they would have arguments.

However, what the Third Prince didn’t know was that his imperfection saved him.

The Second Prince has been a bit restless lately; he discovered that officials close to him have disappeared mysteriously.

Either they’ve retired to their hometowns, or they’ve been transferred elsewhere; what’s going on?

Over the years, he has worked painstakingly to cultivate the reputation of a bookworm, yet had so many officials associate with him and secretly support him. He is not foolish; on the contrary, he is very intelligent.

The Second Prince knew that only the Emperor could achieve this.

The Second Prince pondered and entered the palace.

“Your son pays his respects to Father.”

The Emperor’s countenance has worsened over the past two days.

Looking at the Second Prince, the Emperor said weakly, “Second, is there something you want?”

The Second Prince knelt on the ground, knocking his head, for a long while, then said sincerely, “Father, your son is here to confess his crimes.”

“Oh? How have you sinned?”

“Father, ever since your son became sensible, my mother was no longer there, and I was raised by Princess Consort De. Your son knows to keep a low profile and not draw attention. Father, when your son was young, I envied how flamboyant my elder brother was.”

“Father, your son is also your child and desires that position. Thus, your son drew close connections with many ministers in the court. Father, your son is guilty of a capital offense.”

Looking at his second son, there was a hint of regret in the Emperor’s eyes; so clever, and yet so unfortunate.

“Enough, Second. Do not speak anymore. Go back. Your father will not do anything to you. Just hope that you can stay obediently as the Second Prince.”

However, the Second Prince became anxious, “Father, why can’t your son do it?”

“Father, your son will obey your words and respect the Empress as his own mother. Father, why can’t your son do it?”

The Second Prince, with tears staining his face, was genuinely puzzled. How much effort has he put into striving for that position?

Now, his father’s words seem to have outrightly crushed his aspirations?

The Emperor, feeling weary, leaned back on the dragon throne: “Second, why must Father tear away that last veneer of decency? What good have you done to Princess Consort De? Do you think I don’t know?”

The Second Prince felt as though all his strength had been drained. He was found out? How could he possibly have been found out?

The Emperor, his face slightly flushed, sneered, “Without a mother, I let Princess Consort De raise you. And how did you repay her? For favor, when she was pregnant, you caused the death of her child. Did you think I couldn’t find this out?”

During a major investigation in the entire Imperial Palace, the Emperor inadvertently discovered this piece of old news.

Thinking of that aloof woman, Princess Consort De, who became cold and despondent because of this treacherous son, a subtle pain lingered in the Emperor’s heart.

The Second Prince was so young then and already scheming harm; how could the Emperor rest assured to place the throne under his charge?

And the Eldest Prince, who was once exiled from the Imperial Palace because he was caught red-handed in Consort An’s room.

He brought a green hat to his father.

How could the Emperor be willing to pass the throne to him?

He did not want his harem to be ruined by this beast after he was gone.

Especially the Empress, he would never allow the Eldest Prince to humiliate her.

And as for the military might that the Eldest Prince had consolidated, did he think the Emperor wasn’t aware of his ambitions?

All in all, he just regretted not giving the Empress a child.

The Sixth Prince was too young, and Le Jieyu’s family was too weak.

In contrast, the Empress’s side was a bit too strong.

The Emperor did not want the empire’s stability to be jeopardized due to this. The Empress is good for now, but who knows, without his constraint, might she develop other ideas?

The Emperor’s suspicion and mistrust had seeped deep into his bones.

The Fifth Prince was also out of the question.

After all considerations, the Emperor still felt perhaps the Third Prince might be more suitable.

The Third Prince was capable of arranging spies in the palace, but it was not entirely his fault.

After entering autumn, the Emperor’s health worsened, and he grew increasingly emaciated.

On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Emperor suddenly decreed, conferring the title of Prince Jin on the Eldest Prince, with Beisha Land as his fief, and the title of Prince Yu on the Second Prince, with West Forest as his fiefdom.

Upon hearing the decree, the Eldest Prince was furious and almost cursed out loud.

Was Beisha a place for people to live?

With no rain all year round, and as far as the eye can see, it’s all yellow sand; scorching in summer, freezing in winter. Was this a place for people?

The Second Prince fainted on the spot.

Though his health was without ailments, being a scholar, his constitution was weak. With the miasma of West Forest, not to mention the constant rain and damp environment, it was obviously not a place for a good life.

However, the Third Prince felt a joy in his heart, he wasn’t conferred a prince, which meant he still had a chance?

The Eldest Prince took the order with a sullen face and went to his study.

The Second Prince, waking up later, was full of despair.

He held no power in his hands; the former civil servants had been dealt with by his father; what did he have left to protect himself?

If he disobeyed the decree, the outcome was predictable without even needing to think.

But what could come from all his reluctance?

To blame only his mother’s early demise.

The Second Prince ordered his household to pack and prepare to leave for his fiefdom.

He did not dare resist, nor did he dare refuse or delay.

However, before he left, the Eldest Prince came to him secretly.

“Eldest Brother, what have you come to see me for?”

“Second Brother, are you really content to leave the Imperial City so dejectedly, to leave this prosperous place?”

The Second Prince smiled bitterly, “Eldest Brother, what use is there in not resigning myself? Father’s decisions have been made, and no one can change them.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep