activa-t Chapter 163 Countermeasures
Chapter 163 Countermeasures
In the private room upstairs at Jinyu Mantang.
They had just received news that the Third Prince was suppressing their people.
The Ninth Prince gritted his teeth and said, "This Third Prince is quite quick."
Xia Li frowned and said, "The Third Prince has only just been made Crown Prince, yet he's already in a hurry to win over his own forces and suppress the opposing forces. His intentions are as clear as day."
That's incredibly stupid!
The Ninth Prince said, "It seems we must act quickly. Otherwise, as his power continues to grow, we will have even less of a chance."
He stood up and paced back and forth in the study.
Suddenly, he stopped, a resolute glint in his eyes: "I have a plan, though it's risky, it might work."
The Xia sisters looked at him.
The Ninth Prince slowly said, "We can use this court assembly to subtly advise the Emperor to reconsider the choice of Crown Prince, using the achievements and talents of our eldest brother as a starting point in front of all the court officials. At the same time, we should unite with those loyal court officials to echo his sentiments and create a favorable public opinion environment."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Jihua frowned slightly: "Wouldn't doing this be too direct? What if it angers the emperor..."
"We can't just stand by and watch the Third Prince ascend to that position."
Zhao Jihua smiled slightly: "Therefore, we must be careful to strike the right balance. We need to express our views without making the emperor feel that we are challenging his authority. Moreover, we have a trump card."
"What trump card?" Xia Li and the Ninth Prince asked at the same time.
Zhao Jihua smiled mysteriously: "You'll find out when the time comes."
Xia Li: If my sister and brother-in-law want to take the plunge, let them go for it.
Although she knew the emperor's purpose because of her past life experience, she believed that her sister and brother-in-law should also think independently, as she couldn't always stay by their side to help them.
……
Soon, the day of the court assembly arrived.
The atmosphere in the imperial court was tense and oppressive.
The court officials, each with their own thoughts, frequently glanced at the emperor on the dragon throne.
Zhao Jihua stepped forward first, respectfully bowed to the emperor, and then said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
The emperor nodded slightly: "Speak."
Zhao Jihua cleared his throat and said, “Your Majesty, the Third Prince was recently appointed Crown Prince, which is a matter of great importance to the nation. However, I believe that the selection of a Crown Prince is a matter of great importance concerning the safety and stability of the country and the nation, and should be carefully considered. The First Prince has been exceptionally intelligent and diligent since childhood, and has made many contributions to the court over the years. In terms of merit and ability, the First Prince is no less than the Third Prince. I implore Your Majesty to reconsider the selection of a Crown Prince to ensure the long-term stability and prosperity of our dynasty.”
These words immediately caused an uproar in the imperial court.
Some courtiers who supported the eldest prince stepped forward to echo his sentiments.
Those who supported the Third Prince looked displeased and began to refute him.
The emperor's face gradually darkened, and he looked coldly at Zhao Jihua: "Minister Zhao, what do you mean by this? Are you questioning my decision?"
Zhao Jihua immediately knelt down: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I had no such intention. I only thought of the country and its people and hoped that Your Majesty could make the wisest choice."
Just then, the Ninth Prince, who had been silent all along, suddenly stepped forward: "Father, I also think that Minister Zhao is right. I have always seen my eldest brother's talent and character. I beg you, Father, to give my eldest brother another chance."
The emperor turned his gaze to the ninth prince, a complex look flashing in his eyes: "Ninth Prince, do you think so too?"
The Ninth Prince nodded firmly: "Yes, Father."
The emperor's gaze swept across the assembled officials: "What do you, my esteemed ministers, think?"
All the ministers started arguing amongst themselves, with the two factions of courtiers supporting the eldest prince and the third prince refusing to give in to each other.
Just as the situation reached a stalemate, Zhao Jihua gave Old Sun a wink.
Sun Lao understood immediately. He stepped out of the ranks and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I have another matter to report. Recently, I have heard some rumors circulating among the people about the Third Prince. The rumors say that the Third Prince is forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices in private, intending to seek personal gain. Although these rumors may not be true, I believe that we must be cautious in such an important matter as the selection of the Crown Prince, and we must not allow anyone with suspicion to ascend to the position of Crown Prince."
These words immediately caused an uproar in the imperial court.
The courtiers who supported the Third Prince accused Xia Li of spreading rumors and slander, while those who supported the First Prince took the opportunity to fan the flames.
The emperor's face turned extremely ugly, and he roared, "Shut up! All of you, shut your mouths!"
The court fell silent instantly, everyone holding their breath, awaiting the emperor's verdict.
The Emperor's attitude was firm: "The Third Prince is the legitimate son, virtuous and talented, and the only choice for Crown Prince. This matter is not to be mentioned again. Court adjourned!"
After saying this, the emperor turned and left.
The court officials looked at each other in bewilderment and then left the court.
Zhao Jihua and the Ninth Prince exchanged a glance, both understanding that the court assembly had not achieved the results they had expected.
Furthermore, they openly sided with the First Prince, opposing the Third Prince's faction.
Zhao Jihua was invited to the Imperial Study.
"Greetings, Your Majesty." Zhao Jihua bowed.
The emperor slammed his fist on the chair: "Minister Zhao, I hope you understand that the reason I made an exception and allowed you to participate in politics is because of the achievements you have made these days, and also because you are the future princess consort. You are here to be the eldest prince's ears, not to oppose my decision!"
"Your Majesty, I have no intention of becoming the Crown Prince's consort..."
"There's no room for discussion on this! I thought you were well-mannered and knew your place, but it seems you need to work on it. Starting tomorrow, you will study etiquette and manners in the palace, and you will be married after the Crown Prince graduates from the Holy Jade Academy!"
After saying that, he left Zhao Jihua.
Zhao Jihua was stubborn and unwilling, but in the end she got up and followed the palace servants.
Now is not the time to rebel.
As the emperor watched Zhao Jihua's retreating figure, he silently groaned. He thought to himself, "Not to mention Zhao Jihua, the eldest prince will probably cause trouble when he returns."
But Zhao Jihua was the most talented and ambitious person he had ever met. With her by his side, the Crown Prince's path would be smoother and longer.
Meanwhile, Zhao Jihua was led to a secluded spot by the palace servants. Only when no one was around did he reveal his true colors.
"High Priest! High Priest!"
Zhao Jihua turned around and saw that it was Su Tiyu. Her eyes widened in shock: "What happened?"
"The Third Prince discovered that I was suppressing the Gu worms for His Majesty and had me beaten to death. He broke ties with the Emperor and threatened him with death to make him the Crown Prince, or else he would kill his father and usurp the throne. The Emperor had no choice but to agree."
"Then what are you doing here?"
"The emperor has replaced me. And even without the emperor, I will be fine."
"It's good that you're alright. How is the Emperor now?"
"As before, there is no cure for the Gu poison, and now that I am gone, he has nothing left to suppress the Gu poison."
"Do you have a way to keep him hanging on? He can't afford to get into trouble now!"
"It's alright, he won't die. He'll hold on until he's supposed to die."
Zhao Jihua: ...
She pondered, "Logically, the emperor should have a backup plan..."
Suddenly, Zhao Jihua's eyes widened: the emperor probably wanted to purge the court! At the same time, he wanted to appease the empress's faction and deliver a fatal blow to them in secret.
The emperor acted so quickly; it seems his body really can't hold on much longer.
Originally, she intended to feign support for the First Prince so she could secretly work with the Ninth Prince, but now...
In just a few breaths, Zhao Jihua had already figured out the cause and effect.
However, she is currently trapped in the palace and unable to send messages to the Ninth Prince.
No, we have to find a way to cancel this marriage.
……
The Ninth Prince also learned that Zhao Jihua was trapped in the palace.
He paced anxiously, "They say we're going to learn etiquette, but isn't it all in the inner palace? The inner palace is the Empress's domain. We just offended the Third Prince, the Empress will definitely make things difficult for her. No, I have to go and beg Father Emperor to take her away!"
Xia Li, speechless, punched the other person in the face: "Can you please stop hovering around in front of me? I'm getting dizzy just looking at you!"
"Aren't you worried about your sister being trapped in the harem?"
"I'm in a hurry,"
"Worried? You seem quite calm and collected!" the Ninth Prince retorted angrily.
"Alright, don't worry. My sister is very capable, and she also has the emperor's protection. There's no way something could happen to her."
"Even if the Empress doesn't dare to lay a hand on her openly, she can still make her suffer some injustice in secret!" The Ninth Prince was still worried.
Xia Li: "..."
Which eye of yours saw that my sister was being bullied?
"Just wait and see. If the Empress really clashes with my sister, it's not certain who will suffer the injustice!"
"..."
Xia Li then asked, "What do you think of the Emperor's attitude today?"
“Although Father has never shown favoritism to anyone in the past, it is common knowledge that he and Mother are at odds. Moreover, Father wants to suppress the Empress's faction, so how could he possibly appoint a Crown Prince? Unless…”
Xia Li continued, "Unless he's been threatened!"
"This... Gu poison!" Realizing this, the Ninth Prince said anxiously, "Quickly, let's go to the palace and save Father!"
"Your filial piety is evident, but don't rush things."
"That's my father! How could I not be worried?"
"I think you're just too concerned to think straight."
Ninth Prince: ? ? ?
He forced himself to calm down and analyzed the situation with Xia Li.
Xia Li said, “It’s one thing if others don’t know the inside story, but you do. The Third Prince used poison to kill your father, and yet your father actually made him the Crown Prince? Is that possible? If your father is a hypocrite, he would never tolerate someone who dared to harm his own son; if your father is a wise ruler, he would never be a coward who clings to life! He would never entrust the country to such a person.”
The Ninth Prince suddenly realized: "So Father was just pretending to be afraid and going along with their wishes, but in reality..."
Xia Li affirmed, "Let them lower their guard, then deliver a fatal blow!"
"Is Father going to deal with the Empress's faction?"
"Yes, and more. This way, he can take this opportunity to see the situation in the court clearly, clean up the court, and allow the crown prince to have a clear and just court. After that, he can just focus on dealing with external threats."
"Father really is..." the Ninth Prince said with a self-deprecating laugh, "He values my elder brother so much..." He even wants to give my beloved to my eldest brother.
Xia Li denied it, saying, "No, the First Prince's decisive methods mean your father doesn't need to do anything. Why is he in such a hurry..."