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Golden Age of Peace
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Li Consort very quickly got supported down by the servants before the emperor. The empress also got up to console, “Good younger sister, don’t be like this. This is just our fate. Really, and don’t trouble his Majesty, how could his Majesty have other intentions? Ultimately all his Majesty’s own son, the father and son connected by the heart. It’s not his Majesty not letting our……..not letting our son live!”
The pause in the middle truly was choking with too much emotions. When she finished, her tears also once again slid down.
Xuan Emperor’s brows tightly locked, his complexion further ashen and unsightly, fixedly staring at the crown prince, “Does the crown prince still have anything to say?”
The crown prince knelt perfectly upright, “What this subject can report back have already been reported to your Majesty. The empress and Li Consort’s every word stabs the heart. Although the apprehensions of a caring mother makes one feel sad, but to imply that this subject had attempted to harm the two younger brothers, this subject doesn’t dare to acknowledge. This subject can only ask your Majesty to strictly investigate the truth and make a wise decision as an enlightened sage.”
“Truth? Enlightened sage?” Xuan Emperor suddenly coldly laughed. He originally wasn’t the gloomy and sinister type, but the unforeseen changes recently truly were too many and too serious. And suffering from a stroke has made his facial features more or less all carry a bit of stiffness. This cold laugh actually appeared quite terrifying, “Exactly what is the truth? It’s not after becoming the emperor, everything can just be investigated clearly. Everything else aside, your third younger brother has already died. Exactly what other secrets and ulterior motives he still had back then during the mid-autumn, even if an emperor that’s ten times wiser, still unable to find out!”
Once these words dropped, the crown prince’s expression finally had an extremely minute ripple. Just, when he lifted his eyes to gaze towards Xuan Emperor, what he revealed wasn’t fear or shock, but rather a trace of bitterness mixed in firm determination. Shortly after, he lowered his head, “If the ruler wants this subject to die, then this subject has no choice but to die. If the father wants the son to perish, then the son has no choice but to perish. If your Majesty has a decree, this subject naturally will obey.”
Any excess words, he actually didn’t say a single one of.
And this father and son exchange between Xuan Emperor and the crown prince for the most part also just stopped here.
After a long long silence, when practically only Xuan Emperor’s heavy breathing could be heard inside Ganxi Hall, as well as the empress and Li Consort’s increasingly low weeping sound, Xuan Emperor finally supported himself up and waved his hand, “Why don’t you withdraw.”
Without saying any other words, the crown prince who has already knelt to the point where his knees were like getting stabbed by needles could only clench his teeth and get up, deferentially complying and retreating out.
And on the way back to Chonghua Hall, the young crown prince clearly sensed the slight pricking feeling on his back.
After all, it’s not like he really won’t feel nervous. Xuan Emperor’s suspicions, he could sense very clearly. And exactly what this meant, he also very much understood.
Even if not understanding at this time, in the court session three days later, Xuan Emperor will further let the crown prince understand.
That can be considered, in the Tianxu period, among all the words personally stated by Xuan Emperor, the most like a statement from a ruler.
The contents were very simple. The military reports from the northwest were endless, the situation unstable, should the crown prince personally head to the northwest to follow-up on Xun Nanheng’s inspection?
Once these words came out, never mind how the crown prince reacted, the court officials all instantly fell silent to the extreme. Every single person were all like as if immediately sensing bone-penetrating chills and fear.
Whether or not the northwest’s situation needed a prince, especially the crown prince, to personally go oversee, this in itself was just a very big question. But, what was more important about this matter was exactly why did Xuan Emperor mention it at this time?
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
If the crown prince were to flatly agree, it actually was very unreasonable. Xuan Emperor indeed had recovered from the stroke, but he didn’t recover to the degree of being just as heathy as before the stroke. It was possible for his body to have problems at any time. Wu Wang still has yet to head for the fief, and Wei Wang’s case still doesn’t have an answer. The state of the capital was this rocky. If the crown prince were to leave the capital, being unable to assist Xuan Emperor was one thing. On the other hand, it was actually more like, at the same time going to the northwest to sort out the affairs, tightly grasp the northwest’s massive military force.
But, if the crown prince were to flatly refuse Xuan Emperor, it’s not like there won’t be problems. Firstly, there was just the suspicion of defying the decree, and secondly, it was just the very delicate state of affairs in the capital. Just like on the matter of Wei Wang’s death, on the surface, there naturally weren’t any evidence that can directly connect to the crown prince. And Wu Wang’s encounter with assassins and Zhao Wang’s poisoning also both didn’t have evidence. But, the benefiter of everything all pointed towards the crown prince. If according to this train of thought, then to insist on staying in the capital even if it means to defy the decree, afraid it will also have the suspicions of wanting to continue stirring up the clouds.
That’s why, this question of Xuan Emperor’s, the crown prince simply had no way of giving a good answer. Even if going to justify or protest, or perhaps discuss with the cabinet ministers, it actually all didn’t have too big of a significance. For the most part, from the moment Xuan Emperor raised this question, he has already produced suspicions towards the crown prince, even having other ideas.
Just, the crown prince, like the empress, wasn’t a position that can be casually and easily abolished according to the ruler’s momentary state of mind or preference. Regardless of how many theories there were currently that had everything pinned on the crown prince, as long as there wasn’t irrefutable evidence, Xuan Emperor can’t casually take away the heir apparent position either.
Then, under this kind of situation, what path should the court officials, nobles, and imperial clansmen take? And how should the young crown prince respond?
For a time, the inside of the great hall once again fell silent. Everyone was all tremblingly witnessing this storm.
“This subject, accept the decree.” The crown prince unexpectedly didn’t hesitate, going forward a step and deferentially bowing, “But, this subject also have something to state. Previously, your Majesty already have a clear decree, ordering Wu Wang to head to the fief after the new year. This subject request that your Majesty don’t take back the order, still letting Wu Wang head for the Quan province after Shangyuan[1]. This subject will also obey the decree, heading to the northwest to inspect, so as to ease the ruler’s mind, securing the foundation of the country. Last year, when this subject requested a decree to head to the northwest, one already had the resolution to give one’s life on the battlefield to repay the lord father. Now, thanks to the undeserved kindness from the lord father, receiving the crown prince position, this subject although terrified, one nevertheless don’t dare to forget the foundation of preserving the country. Just, the frequent unforeseen changes in the capital, this subject feels that Wu Wang and Changchun Palace all are unable to escape from the responsibility. Zhaoyang Hall also have many inappropriate areas, but the empress is your Majesty’s main wife, and the fourth prince, Zhao Wang, is your Majesty’s di son. If this subject were to die for the country in the northwest, there’s still Zhao Wang assisting your Majesty. This subject will die with no regrets.”
“Granted.” Xuan Emperor’s response also wasn’t slow, clearly having already considered before. And this extremely light word also became the heaviest morning bell and evening drum, heavily smashing upon the officials present, as well as in the ears and on the heart of the people under the heaven, covering the end of the twelfth month of Tianxu year 15 in an enormous shadow of uneasiness.
This wasn’t because of how the crown prince, who actually has just been in the heir apparent position for a few months, has already won over the hearts of the people, but rather, because the attitude that Xuan Emperor displayed was truly frightening. After repeated unforeseen changes, while struggling from the stroke, Xuan Emperor’s enormous change was practically like shedding his mortal flesh and exchanging his bones. Seemingly, overnight, he just tossed aside all the indecisiveness, and at the same time, also severed all his benevolence and gentleness.
The Xuan Emperor at this time was further like a paranoid and brutal ruler. Although for the time being, he still hasn’t issued any beheading decree to pursue the past events, but this nonchalant line about the northwest’s state of affairs was just like wanting to the crown prince to go die for the country, so as to shift the heir apparent position. This kind of change, how could it not make people apprehensive and frightened?
Carrying this kind of fear and trepidation, as well as other uneasy thoughts, the entire end of the year in the capital was all very bleak. In fact, there weren’t even that many households that were decorated with lanterns and banners. All the way until the fifteenth of the twelfth month, Xuan Emperor who heard of this matter directly asked upon the court, why wasn’t the capital festive, the subjects also not celebrating. Could it be that it was feeling that previously, when this emperor suffered a stroke, this emperor will definitely ascend to heaven, so you all already have the intention to mourn in advance?
The absurdity of these words, as well as the severity, made the court officials all immediately kneel onto the ground. In the end, it was still the cabinet ministers that hardened their heads, expressing that your Majesty has over-worried, this year’s winter is cold, the wind heavy, so the people probably just hung the lanterns a bit late. The court officials not daring to be extravagant is also because of knowing that the ruler’s body was unwell, as well as because of the third prince’s recent funeral, the atmosphere thus being heavy for a few days. Presumably, by the new year, it’ll be better.
Fortunately, Xuan Emperor didn’t continue saying anything, but the officials, as well as the merchants and commoners were nevertheless increasingly scared, and at the same time, amidst the panic, swiftly acted. Although there was no merriment in their hearts, also not much smiles on their face, the red festive silks and decorated lanterns still very quickly appeared in the capital, appearing quite like as if they were about to celebrate the new year.
However, in reality, the guards going around searching in the streets at this time, as well as the sounds of the armored soldiers patrolling in the capital, was actually the truest state of the capital currently. Like the arrow on the bow string, everyone in danger, who still has the mood to celebrate and feast?
But, on the twenty-second of the twelfth month, another decree was issued, ordering the court officials and titled madams, according to past years’ usual practice, to come to Yanqing Hall and Shengping Hall for a banquet on the twenty-ninth, the ruler and subjects enjoying together, celebrating the golden age of peace.
The nobles and court officials that received the decree naturally received the decree with a smile on their face, yet on the inside, they could only bitterly smile. This………this really was a golden age of peace?
[1] Shangyuan – Also known as the lantern festival, takes places on the fifteenth of the first lunar month, the first full moon of the new year.
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