The emperor suffered a stroke on the thirteenth day.
The queen said the emperor’s illness needed rest quietly to recuperate, cannot be visited and no one can enter or leave Zichen Palace except the queen and the imperial doctor.
Although news came every day, the emperor was gradually recovering, but more and more people doubted the truth of the news.
Everyone had not seen the emperor for so long, so it was reasonable to guess many things.
The real reason for everyone’s unease was that King Yu’s cold face which was like a thousand-year-old iceberg. It showed that the situation was not good and the emperor was in danger. It was said that King Yu and the forth prince and the sixth prince kneeled down in front of Zichen Palace every day, only wanted to go in and look at the emperor, but the queen didn’t allow it.
In contrast, the Master Crown Prince, of course, also went to Zichen Palace to kneel and pay respect every day, but his expression was not as heavy as King Yu, and the prince gradually began to take charge of the government affairs. Of course, this was a request made repeatedly by the ministers, most of which were from the Master Crown Prince’s party.
What did this mean?
It was hard for people not to think much about it!
Just as the situation was in a stalemate and doubts were gathering, a fire broke out in the Jing guo duke house, which flared up that night, burned almost half of the Jing guo duke house.
The five cities’ guard and defense department, Beijing yamen(government office in feudal China) and fire department were all deployed. After a half-night of busy work, they managed to contain the fire. As a result, the fire was caused by an explosion of the alchemist furnace in Jing guo duke house. What’s more, the guard and defense department found a box of pills during the rescue of property. According to verification, it was the pills that have the effect of refreshing and strengthening energy.
Rumors immediately spread like the wind. At this time, King Anle, also known as the fifth imperial uncle, who was in Luzhou, happened to return to Jin Lin. After hearing the news, he took a group of people into the palace to ask the queen for an explanation.
In the previous time, the queen suspected that someone had given the emperor some medicine. Otherwise, could the emperor have been so powerful in that period? Queen used many power only to find no evidence in the harem. As a result, they found such pills in Jing guo duke house.
What was Jing guo duke house? It was the queen’s maiden family which made people doubt it.
At that time, all the targets were directed at the queen, who was hard to tell.
The fifth imperial uncle was very excited and threatened that if the queen did not give an explanation, he would not hesitate to send troops to the king.
He had spoken out such serious words which clearly accused the queen and the Master Crown Prince of being suspected of rebellion. In fact, the suspicion was not enough. In the eyes of some people, it was clear that the evidence was conclusive.
The heavy rain was coming, a storm was imminent.
When this happened, Xia Chunyu, the first-class bodyguard and deputy leader of the guard, was busy. He didn’t care about his home at all, and guarded in the palace day and night. The Master Crown Prince’s East Palace was even busier, the meetings went on one after another.
” Luzhou reported that the military forces of the fifth imperial uncle were gathering.”
” Xuzhou reported that Xuzhou’s military forces have marched to Jin Lin.”
” Military forces from Fujian and Zhejiang marched toward Jin Lin.”
” The military forces of Shuzhou marched toward Jin Lin.”
” There is no movement in the northwest camp.”
” Recently, many strange faces have come to Jin Lin…”
” The team that went to meet King HeLian has joined King HeLian and is rapidly approaching Jin Lin.”
“…”
Almost all of them were bad news, only the last one let everyone secretly breathe a sigh of relief, but the nerves were tenser.
At present, the power in Jin Lin was only the guards military and the northwest camp stationed near Jin Lin.
There were only 3,000 guards and only 20,000 guards in the five cities guard and defense department, and the hearts of the people were mixed. Although the northwest camp was a subordinate of He Lianxuan, He Lianxuan left for more than a year and the camp was helplessly placed in many people. It was hard to say that this was still monolithic if the troops were divided into several groups.
Several teams under the banner of King Qin had already taken the first step, and the Master Crown Prince had no right to mobilize military forces, unless he was given an imperial edict to supervise the country. To do this was not difficult for the Master Crown Prince, because the decree was now in the hands of the queen. But once the decree is signed, it was really a false decree. If the emperor woke up…
Everyone spoke vehemently.
” The Master Crown Prince, the situation is imminent. If reinforcements are not moved, Jin Lin will be in danger.”
” The Master Crown Prince, the fifth imperial uncle and King Yu have obvious ambitions. If we don’t start first, and let the rebels break Jin Lin, it will be in a reversal condition and the consequences will be unimaginable …”
” The Master Crown Prince, please decide as soon as possible …”
The prince’s eyebrows were always frowning. He thought for a long time and looked at Xia Chunyu.
” Chunyu, what do you think?”
At that time, all eyes fell on Xia Chunyu’s face.
Xia Chunyu knew what the prince was thinking, he was a legitimate heir to the throne. As long as he hid his capacities and waited patiently to prevent the emperor from catching his wrong, the throne must be his. However, the development of the situation forced the prince into a dilemma.
The queen and prince’s statement of rebellion had gone up in a hubbub, and there was no room for argument. If they announced to control the country and mobilize the army at this time, more and more people would talk about it. Prince was kind and filial and would not tolerate the accusation of killing his father and seizing the throne. Moreover, the emperor was sometimes sober and sometimes confused. Who knew that if the emperor would use this as an excuse to harm the prince after he was fully awake?
But if he didn’t do anything, he would just have to wait and die.
There was only a dead end to forbearance, and there may still be a chance to fight back. History had always been written by the victors, and it had always been like this.
Xia Chunyu’s eyes were still hesitating and gradually became firm.
All the people here could be trusted, but speaking skills were still needed.
He stood up and said,” Prince, what Official Song said is right. How could the fifth imperial uncle have come back to Jin Lin so opportunely? It is clearly premeditated. The fifth imperial uncle had covet the throne before, and Zhao Zhuohui, who led the troops in Xuzhou, Qiu Guangsheng, who led the troops in the southwest, everyone knows who they are obeyed. As for those who recently entered Jin Lin, they were ordinary people. Don’t forget that Jiang Zuomeng and Rong guo duke house are inextricably linked with King Yu. I understand that Prince’s dilemma at this moment is due to the concern for the emperor’s body, fearing that the emperor might hear of the aggravation of the troubles. Queen and prince have tolerated everything for the emperor, but now it is in an emergency. Please let the emperor to command to order the King Qin’s troop, or our country is in a danger. I believe that the emperor don’t want to see the conspiracy of rebel minister come true.”
The true situation of the emperor, among all the people here, only he, Xiao Jing and the prince knew that the emperor was just hanging a sigh of relief, almost a dead person who can’t give any command, so he deliberately said so to make everyone think that the emperor could still make a decision, and the prince hesitated only to worry about the emperor’s repeated illness.
Xiao Jing also stood up and said, ” The prince has a clear conscience in filial piety, but he can’t watch disorderly officials and villains succeed. Please give priority to state affairs and the overall situation.”
All the ministers advised one after another to ask the Master Crown Prince to give priority to the overall situation.
The prince was silent for a long time, with a complicated look, and half-heartedly sighed with emotion: ” When I was a child, my fifth imperial uncle was the most kind people to me, and I was occasionally criticized by my father and he would say something good for me, but now I don’t expect to fight each other. King Yu … my third brother who always followed behind me when I was a child. Call me brother prince and brother prince, but now he is blinded by greed. Ah … I really don’t want to see this situation today.”
Everyone was worried and grumbling. Prince was kind and filial, but it was over filial. When the time came, it was not only Prince who would die. All of them would suffer.
Only Xia Chunyu was calm, and the prince recalled the past indicated that he was determined.
As expected, the prince’s eyes were suddenly cold, revealed a rare cold.
” What everyone said is right, and I can’t ignore the overall situation for my own sake, let alone let the disorderly officials and villains succeed in their plot. I’ll go and ask for an order.”
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and the stone fell to the ground in their heart.
” At this time of chaos, please do your duty and don’t mess up your position first,” the prince said.
Everyone said yes.
” Chunyu, He Lianjing, you stay, and the rest of you can leave.”
Xia Chunyu and He Lianjing stayed.
When they all left, the prince looked awe-inspiring and said, ” Chun Yu, Xiao Jing, we have no way out.”
This meant that once the will was invited, everything would become a foregone conclusion. The emperor, whether he could get well or not, would no longer be able to sit on the dragon chair. Otherwise, the emperor would surely fear the prince’s ability which burst out this time.
Xia Chunyu and Xiao Jing also looked serious, and no one wanted to make such a choice. However, the situation forced them to do so, and the prince said this just wanted them to show their attitude and be prepared for it.
” Master Crown Prince, we will pledged our loyalty to you till the death.” Both of them said in unison.
The prince nodded his head in a determined manner: ” King Yu think that he can overthrow the situation with fifth imperial uncle, hum, but he don’t know that this step is to attract a tiger to drive a wolf, I am filial but not stupid, Chunyu and Xiaojing, act according to the plan.”
” Yes,” the two of them answered.
The plan had already been drawn up, just waited for the prince to make this determination. Now, let’s have a good fight.
On that day, there were several vicious robberies and smashing incidents in Jin Lin. Officers and soldiers dispatched and the city was heavily guarded, strangers were all arrested. This was an action against the unknown people who mixed into Jin Lin.
The next day, 36 steeds galloped out of the city, headed for the southeast and northwest respectively.
In the palace, a beauty who had been sent into the cold palace reported concubine Shu, said the medicine was offered by her which was colorless and tasteless and mixed with wine to be drunk by the emperor. The medicine not only had the effect of refreshing oneself and strengthening energy, but also can damage people’s organs insides.
The next day, the fifth imperial uncle who returned to Luzhou encountered interception in the middle of the road. Both sides suffered heavy casualties and the fifth imperial uncle disappeared.
