AWB Chapter 217 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (117)
Chapter 217 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (117)
He spoke each word clearly and forcefully, with a sharp edge tinged with sorrow: "Empress Rong is still on her sickbed, yet Father Emperor, you have ordered people to continue drawing blood from Seventh Brother! How utterly absurd!"
"If in the future Father Emperor desires the blood of men, women, and children, will you then have to capture commoners from outside the palace? If this continues, how will you be any different from the likes of Jie and Zhou!"
The second prince, as if going all out, spoke with increasingly vehement denunciations, as if he had placed all his hopes on this moment, leaving no room for regret or retreat...
The people who came in with him had different expressions, but they all couldn't hide their surprise. Clearly, they didn't know about this before they came.
The Emperor has not attended court for quite some time, and the court officials are extremely anxious, but they have no way to see him. Fortunately, nothing major has happened recently, and the senior officials are still able to manage.
No one knew anything about the Emperor's health. The Empress controlled the harem with remarkable skill, making it as impenetrable as an iron barrel. No one could get any information from the daughters who served the Emperor in the palace.
Upon hearing that the Emperor was to summon his ministers to the palace, they all changed into their court robes and hurried over. Although they were puzzled as to why it was at this strange time, as it was already getting dark, the ministers finally boarded their carriages.
However, the emperor's temperament had been changing inexplicably for more than a year, and he had done many inexplicable things. When he arrived at the palace gate, he saw that it was not just him, but also his colleagues who had gathered there waiting for news.
Following the crowd, no one asked any questions, and they simply waited for someone from the palace to come and bring them before the emperor.
When the appointed time arrived, the small door opened, and the silent palace attendants humbly invited the ministers inside.
As they walked, some realized that this was not the way to the Emperor's study where he handled state affairs, but rather that they were going deeper and deeper, passing through the garden corridor gate, and were actually heading towards... the inner palace!
No one dared to lift their heads, afraid of seeing something they shouldn't. They could only exchange glances in secret, and no one knew how to speak.
Just then, His Highness the Second Prince walked towards them!
Upon seeing the Second Prince, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They walked to a palace that looked like it had been abandoned for a long time, only to find that the First Prince was already waiting there.
Just halfway there, at the end of the leaden gray sky that seemed to fall on people's heads, thunder roared, and in the blink of an eye, large raindrops pelted down, making people dizzy.
Palace servants brought umbrellas and hurried over. Some of the older servants were out of breath. They all bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
"Does Your Highness the Crown Prince know why the Emperor summoned us here?"
someone asked.
The eldest prince frowned, stood up straight with his hands behind his back, and shook his head: "I don't know why Father summoned people here. Does Second Brother know?"
The second prince's expression froze for a moment, then he slowly shook his head, his tone dry: "I don't know either, let's go in and take a look..."
So everyone walked into the courtyard and arrived at the entrance of the hall. The hall must have been neglected for many years, as it was not closed properly. There was a gap of about two fingers between the two doors, through which light could be faintly seen coming from inside.
The light was strangely eerie, a bluish-purple color that resembled... flickering will-o'-the-wisps.
This strange phenomenon left everyone speechless, exchanging bewildered glances, unsure of what was happening, and no palace servants went in to report it.
After they entered the courtyard, all the palace servants who accompanied them had quietly left without a trace.
The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and standing outside was not a solution, so everyone looked at the two princes and followed them forward.
Just as a thunderclap made everyone's ears ring, the candlelight through the crack in the door suddenly changed color, casting a hideous shadow...
Immediately afterwards, everyone heard the sounds coming from inside the hall, as well as the entire conversation and argument between the Emperor and the Third Prince!
The sound of the wheelchair crashing to the ground struck everyone's hearts. The Emperor's voice was like a demon crawling out of hell, sending chills down the spines of anyone who heard it...
The contents of the passage sent chills down everyone's spines and left them speechless with fear!
Some people mustered up their courage to look at the eldest prince's expression. They saw that the eldest prince had never looked so gloomy. In this state, he even resembled the third prince more, and it was obvious at a glance that they were brothers.
The person behind him made a slight noise, and the First Prince's gaze swept over him like a knife, making the person's legs tremble.
Now that they have stumbled upon such a secret matter, and the Emperor has committed such an unprovoked act of violence, will they still be able to leave the palace in peace?
This was the only thought in everyone's mind at that moment, besides shock!
Looking around, he saw so many people besides himself, including several senior officials from the court. He felt a little relieved. He couldn't possibly kill everyone to silence them, or there would be no one left in the court...
Ji Shuqin clenched his fists tightly inside his sleeves, his nails digging into the flesh of his palms until they bled, but he didn't feel the pain. He forced himself to stand still, as if his heart was being slowly tortured, listening to the sounds coming from within.
As the wheelchair tipped over, Ji Shuqin closed his eyes, hiding the tears welling up in them. He had to hold back; he couldn't rush in now…
We must keep things going! Until Father... tells us everything himself! We can't let it all fall apart now, we can't!
Finally, silence fell inside. The thunder that had been far away was now close at hand, and the flashes of light made the ground almost appear as white as snow, or like the cold glint of a dagger...
All the emotions that Ji Shuqin had been holding back erupted the moment he kicked open the palace door!
His Highness the Crown Prince had never been so angry, nor so violent and out of control, but now, he cared about nothing; pain and raging fury threatened to overwhelm him…
His younger brother lay on the ground, gasping for breath, his chest heaving unnaturally, his face as white as paper, but when he looked at him, his gaze was incredibly calm and serene.
He lay there in a disheveled state, with bloodstains on his light-colored clothes, his exposed neck, and his hands, whether from the talisman material or his own blood, it was hard to tell.
A candlestick had fallen over nearby, and the fire was burning the talisman paper, making him look extremely pale, but the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned. The scene was shocking.
Ji Shuqin rushed over and lifted his body from the cold ground; it was incredibly light.
“Min’er…” He didn’t even dare to use much force, for fear of crushing him.
"Brother, I won the bet." Ji Shumin's voice was weak, but his tone was calm and composed, as if the physical pain did not affect him in the slightest.
The last time Ji Shumin saw him, Ji Shumin said to him, "This palace seems to be strictly governed and most respectful of etiquette, but I only want to tear it all apart, burn it all to ashes, and let everyone see how charred and ugly it is."
Ji Shuqin was already used to his occasional crazy talk, and just continued to place his pieces, sighing softly. His gaze towards Ji Shumin was peaceful yet helpless.
“I made a bet with my brother, and sooner or later you will understand what I mean,” Ji Shumin said softly, without getting angry.
He really won the gamble!
Ji Shuqin fully understood what he had said that day. It wasn't madness at all; it was just a feeling that arose spontaneously when he was pushed to the limit.
My younger brother experienced this many years before I did...
"Yes, you won." Ji Shuqin took a deep breath, not wanting Ji Shumin to see his weakness, but his hands holding Ji Shumin were trembling.
The relationship between ruler and subject, father and son, is one of guiding principles. But if the ruler is unrighteous and defies the natural order, with fathers and sons killing each other and brothers fighting amongst themselves, how can one act in accordance with these principles?
This was the first time in all his years that Ji Shuqin had considered such a treasonous question.
The Second Prince continued his tearful tale, while someone had already brought the Seventh Prince from the palace.
They said they invited him, but it was practically like they carried the seventh prince from their own palace.
Both had broken legs, but Ji Shumin could move around in a wheelchair, while the Seventh Prince, whether due to genuine illness preventing him from getting up or a loss of spirit, seemed paralyzed...
After lying in bed for several months, even with the palace servants taking good care of her, she still developed sores on her back.
Consort Rong could not visit often, and once she saw him, she fainted from shock!
The seventh prince, who was carried over, looked listless and dazed. He was in such a terrible state that he showed no trace of his former arrogance and haughtiness...
He was like a clay puppet, completely at the mercy of others. He didn't react when someone took off his outer garment, and he ignored what others were saying.
But when his inner garment was unfastened, everyone gasped. On the Seventh Prince's chest were several neat scars, one of which had not even healed, making it look extremely terrifying!
This is... the spot where you take blood from the heart!
The crowd could hardly believe their eyes. No matter how much they dared to speculate, they would never have imagined that this was actually ordered by the Emperor!
Even tigers don't eat their cubs...
The scene was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. No one dared to speak, except for the Second Prince's repeated questioning: "Father, why did you do this!"
"I want to live... The immortals said I can live forever! I want to be the emperor forever... I am the ruler of this world!" The emperor was incoherent, whether from a sudden provocation or something else, and simply ignored the second prince's probing questions.
"Your Majesty... has gone mad!" Finally, an old minister broke the silence and spoke first.
"Your Majesty, I request that you abdicate!" Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out from the crowd. After a moment of silence, a chorus of voices echoed, "Your Majesty, I request that you abdicate!"
"Your Majesty, I request that you abdicate!"
The shouts grew louder and louder as the officials knelt, their expressions resolute. They would never have dared to do this alone, but being among a crowd, and with the Emperor... indeed committing such a horrific act, gave them even more justification.
But the emperor seemed not to hear him at all, and continued to repeat those few words: "The time has come! The time has come! I want immortality... I want eternal life and happiness!"
The scene inside the hall was incredibly eerie. Everyone could smell a strong, fishy odor, and the ground was covered in dark red. The banners and talismans were being blown around by the swirling wind that swept in from outside the open hall doors, and then soaked and fell to the ground by the rain that was pouring in.
The Emperor's attitude, coupled with what the Third Prince just said—that the Emperor never truly intended to make any prince the Crown Prince, and considering his leg back then…
Although not everything was said, it was enough for people to understand.
What else did the Emperor say?
He treated the eldest prince differently, saying that the eldest prince had the most of his dragon aura... Although it sounded like crazy talk, didn't it prove that the emperor's favorite was His Highness the eldest prince?
Given the Emperor's current state, it's unlikely he'd be able to personally appoint the Crown Prince...
"Your Highness, please assume the regency tomorrow!"
……
This abrupt voice was louder than the thunder outside. Those who appeared here today were all influential figures in the court, and each of them had been immersed in officialdom for many years. Who wouldn't understand these words?
This is clearly a risky move, publicly siding with the Crown Prince and putting the struggle for the throne out in the open!
The situation changes rapidly. One moment people are condemning the emperor's madness for using the blood of several princes as medicine, and the next they are fighting for the position of regent.
The emperor was still acting crazy, but everyone was in high spirits and seemed to care no longer. This was the cruelty of the imperial family and the struggle for power in the court!
"Please, Your Highness, oversee the kingdom!"
"Please, Your Highness..."
The supporters of the Second Prince, standing among them, looked around helplessly, unable to utter a word.
They can't just immediately shout, "Please, Your Highness the Second Prince, oversee the country!"
Whether it's based on the eldest son or the legitimate heir, the second prince is ranked after the eldest prince. If they were to call out, it would be neither reasonable nor logical!
Furthermore, they were completely unprepared beforehand. What they had just witnessed was already overwhelming, and now the situation had shifted so rapidly, leaving them caught off guard. They looked at the Second Prince, who had just been speaking eloquently and passionately.
The Second Prince's face was now ashen, with a hint of suppressed redness, as he stared intently in Ji Shuqin's direction.
However, Ji Shuqin's attention was entirely on Ji Shumin, and he was taken aback when he heard his subject ask him to oversee the country.
Looking around, he saw faces either filled with hope or hiding in anguish, all pressing down on Ji Shuqin's chest, making it hard for him to breathe.
"This matter...can be discussed another day!"
He left a message, then turned and ordered, "Send Father back to his palace to rest... Do not let him leave his palace unless necessary."
"Yes, Your Highness." De Cheng, who had been hidden in the shadows as if he didn't exist, lowered his head and answered Ji Shuqin's order.
As he turned around, Ji Shuqin wondered if he was seeing things, but he sensed a strange smile in the man's expression.
The officials also knew that the secrets of the imperial family should not be viewed too closely, so they all withdrew from the hall, leaving only a few princes inside.
The Seventh Prince hung his head, looking as if he couldn't stand up. The Second Prince ordered his men to carry him back. As he was leaving, he looked at Ji Shuqin with deep resentment: "First Prince, I didn't expect you to play such underhanded tricks on me. You really can't judge a book by its cover. This move of yours is truly a case of 'willing to throw the cub to catch the wolf'..."
He gave a cold laugh and said sinisterly to Ji Shumin, who was leaning against the side, "Third brother has suffered a great deal, working for someone else's benefit. Don't be sold out and still counting the money. Take good care of yourself!"
After sowing discord, he angrily turned and left, leaving only the brothers Ji Shumin and Ji Shuqin staring at each other.