The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!

Chapter 554: This Matter Cannot Be Let Go

The Emperor frowned, "You don’t want to?"

Prince Cheng said, "Father, I know you mean well, but I truly do not want it! If Jingchen were already killed in the assassination, making him a Commandery Prince would be meaningless! And if Jingchen is still alive, it would be absolutely inadvisable to grant the title!"

"Why?"

The Emperor frowned again. His sons, Prince Liang, Prince Zhuang, Prince Xin, Prince Lu, and even Prince Li, would surely be delighted and immediately express their gratitude upon hearing this news, but this Old Fifth means not to grant a title to Huangfu Jingchen regardless of whether he’s alive or dead?

Prince Cheng said, "If Jingchen is still alive, granting him the title of Commandery Prince would put the cousins of the Imperial Grandson generation in an awkward position. Father, you stripped Third Brother of the Crown Prince title, yet you want to make my son a Commandery Prince. Wouldn’t this cause the courtiers to harbor other thoughts? By then, it could disrupt the stability of the court!"

The Emperor’s eyes deepened. Indeed, this was his intention, but not because he feared affecting the court’s stability, but for the sake of maintaining it.

For now, a new Crown Prince cannot be established.

Moreover, setting up a Crown Prince and deposing one has already happened consecutively with two. A newly established Crown Prince would face enormous pressure, and the son he most favored might not be able to withstand it.

Making Huangfu Jingchen a Commandery Prince, whether he is dead or miraculously survived, would place Prince Cheng, as Huangfu Jingchen’s father, in the forefront of everyone’s attention.

With this son attracting the limelight on the surface, his most favored one could quietly develop power in the background!

But Prince Cheng outright refused.

His plan fell through.

He felt a rebellious anger in his heart.

Yet, he couldn’t vent this frustration.

He recalled over twenty years ago, this son, who excelled in both literature and martial arts, unmatched in wit and strategy, was truly a man capable of securing peace in the world through both pen and sword, bringing stability and conquering the realm. Back then, he was also in a dilemma.

The Crown Prince was mediocre, yet suddenly such a powerful son emerged.

His political discourse amazed the courtiers, and the national policies he proposed, once implemented, were all beneficial strategies; his military prowess was admired by the generals at court. After staying in the Capital Guard Camp for just four months, people only recognized him, not the Capital Guard Commander.

Especially, he possessed the ability to achieve victory with fewer forces, leading only five thousand elite soldiers, he exterminated the Dragon Nest Tribe that frequently invaded and troubled Nanxia within over a year, thereby establishing a reputation that the Crown Prince could not even come close to.

Wouldn’t this lead to instability in Nanxia?

He even considered whether to depose the Crown Prince and make this son the Crown Prince instead.

But then, considering the Crown Prince had no major faults, although mediocre, with guidance and education, he could be a capable ruler. So, should he eliminate this threat to the Crown Prince’s position?

He was a father, but also the Emperor of Nanxia. He hoped for the Nanxia Dynasty to last for thousands of years, not to be ruined in his hands. Any destabilizing factors should naturally be eliminated!

But just as he was about to make a decision, Old Fifth fell in love with a woman from Jianghu.

For this Jianghu woman, Old Fifth seemed to transform entirely, losing his previous steadiness, weight, maturity, and caution... and became a hothead who would overturn the world for a beauty.

Causing trouble all over the Capital City, acting recklessly and without concern.

It was absolutely disgraceful to make such a fuss over a woman.

At that time, he wasn’t granted a princely title yet because the Emperor was deliberating whether to eliminate or keep him.

As a result, he acted excessively, not only requesting the Emperor to bestow marriage upon him but also boasting to have a hundred-mile bridal procession, a wedding laid out in splendor, for that Jianghu woman, the grandest wedding the world had ever seen.

The grandest in the world, surpassing when the Emperor married the Empress, how utterly presumptuous?

Presumed to be a promising talent, turned out to be a fool blinded by beauty.

This fool dared to defy him at court, speaking against and offending imperial authority, back then, he wanted to have him executed at the Meridian Gate, but at that time, he was carrying the great merit of exterminating the Dragon Nest Tribe, and half of the court ministers pleaded on his behalf.

Reluctant to dishearten the courtiers, he was made Prince Cheng and granted the most barren and troubled land of Yunzhou as his fief, thus sending him away.

He went to Yunzhou for twenty years and indeed married that Jianghu woman. It is said that when he married that woman, he laid out his entire fief in splendor, a vast display, a sky painted red, far more than a hundred-mile bridal procession?

Moreover, after going to Yunzhou, he only returned to the capital three times.

And that barren, borderland area actually became a prosperous place, and several small countries that were about to stir were deterred by his presence, not invading for years.

At least, that former worry was gone.

However, the feeling of being defied still lingered in his heart.

Ultimately, he didn’t look at him as favorably as his other sons.

Using him to attract others’ attention was indeed good, but this son, excelling in both civil and military realms, with a rebellious temperament, was hard to control. If forced, the end result might be a complete loss of control.

Besides, he just lost a son, if he was unwilling, so be it.

The Emperor said to Prince Cheng, "Since you are unwilling, let it go. I am the Emperor, treating all equally, Old Third has already been punished, let’s just let this matter go!"

Prince Cheng said indifferently, "Father, if I find Jingchen, and this matter is let go, I have no objections. If something happens to Jingchen, this matter will not be overlooked!"

"What else do you want?" The Emperor was so enraged he felt a rush of old blood in his heart, nearly about to burst out.

Looking at the Emperor’s displeased face, Prince Cheng did not show fear nor back down, saying calmly, "A life should be repaid with a life!"

"How dare you!"

"Faced with the vengeance of a son’s murder, there is nothing I don’t dare!" Prince Cheng’s tone shifted, "However, I believe Jingchen is fine, so most likely this matter can be as Father wishes! Any more teachings from Father? If not, I will take my leave!"

"You..." The Emperor was so angry he almost choked back, finally just glared and waved his hand, "Leave, leave!"

Prince Cheng made a bow and calmly took his leave.

The Emperor was so angered every organ in his body ached, and then he heard a slight noise from not far behind a pillar. He asked in a deep voice, "What’s the matter?"

A black-clad figure emerged from behind the pillar, like appearing suddenly, leaving no trace before.

Kneeling on one knee, he reported, "Your Majesty, the Concubine Cheng is causing a scene at Prince Zhuang Mansion!"

The Emperor’s face twitched before he said, "Why?"

The man said, "After returning to the Capital City, Concubine Cheng first went to the Capital Governor, then to the Ministry of Justice, and then to the Capital Guard. After that, she charged straight into Prince Zhuang Mansion, smashed the main gate, and even threatened that if Cheng’s Heir Huangfu Jingchen is indeed dead, she would tear down Prince Zhuang Mansion!"

The Emperor: "..."

This couple, indeed in sync, neither believes their son is already dead.

However, they both celebrate in havoc, one in the palace dared to beat his elder brother, right in front of him, his father, even saying such things like ’a life for a life,’ simply infuriating him to the extreme!