Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved

Chapter 75: Chapter 75 The Emperor Prepares to Establish the Crown Prince
 

Noble Lady Hui breathed her last.

She did not betray the mastermind behind the scenes, and in the end, she even stopped implicating Noble Consort Qi, allowing herself to be beaten to death by the guards under the furious Emperor’s orders.

No sooner had Noble Lady Hui ceased breathing than her body began emitting a thick, foul stench.

This was a side effect of the Western Regions Enchanted Incense. Although it produced a fragrant aroma while the person was alive, after death, the incense caused the body to rapidly decompose, emitting a foul odor from the internal organs that would continue even after the body turned into a white skeleton.

This was what was meant by “an eternal stench.”

But as they say, “Death is like a snuffed-out lamp.” Perhaps, in a sense, death was a release for Noble Lady Hui.

Yet, the Emperor felt no relief from her death. Not only had he lost his last offspring, but his body had also suffered greatly.

The Imperial Physicians from the Imperial Medical Office had all been summoned and reached the conclusion that the wine, lust, and enchanted fragrance had drained the Emperor’s vitality, and it was unlikely he would be able to impregnate anyone in the future.

Ever since that bout of vomiting, the Emperor had distinctly felt that his vigor was nothing like before; he even felt as if he had aged more than five years.

This was the main reason for his raging order to beat Noble Lady Hui to death.

He was extremely wary of his own mortality, having survived several assassination attempts in his earlier years. One time, he nearly had his throat slashed if it weren’t for Noble Consort Qi reaching out to shield him, leaving her with a deep and long scar that remained on her hand to this day.

Day had broken, yet the Emperor felt no trace of sleepiness, sitting quietly in the Imperial Study Room.

Since no orders were given, everyone stood outside, afraid to leave.

In addition to Noble Lady Hui, the Emperor also had numerous servants from the households of both Noble Lady Hui and Consort Yun executed, leaving everyone trembling with fear.

“His Highness Prince Ling, Second Prince, His Majesty commands the two of you to enter,”

Eunuch Wang came out to relay the message.

The Second Prince felt his heart skip with anxiety.

This chaotic night must have greatly annoyed the Emperor. Suddenly summoning him and Jun Yuyan, he feared the Emperor might suspect them.

“Your Majesty,”

Jun Yuyan was neither arrogant nor flustered, confidently composed and courteous.

The Second Prince also had a calm demeanor.

The Emperor sat atop the dragon throne, the doors firmly shut, and with the dawn’s light still dim, it was hard to discern the Emperor’s expression.

“I ascended the throne at eighteen, and it has been a full thirty years to this day. These past few years have seen peaceful and tranquil times, and I began to let my guard down, to enjoy the pleasures of life. Little did I expect that in just a few years, my body would fail. Now, someone desires my life and even wants me to die disgracefully and pathetically in the company of women. Eldest, second, who do you think is behind Noble Lady Hui, hating me so much?”

The Emperor’s voice sounded very calm; no one knew what he was actually thinking.

He was the sovereign, and had been for thirty years. When he wished to hide his thoughts, no one could fathom his intentions.

The Second Prince’s heart tightened further. He was unclear whether his mother had left behind any evidence that the Emperor had discovered.

“Your Majesty, without evidence, your son does not wish to speculate with malice. I wonder if someone from the vassal states of the Western Regions might wish harm upon you?”

The Emperor’s gaze fell upon his face.

The Second Prince’s heartbeat thundered.

“Eldest, do you also believe that those reckless vassal states could be out to take my life?”

Jun Yuyan said, “This prince believes they wouldn’t dare.”

“Oh? Why wouldn’t they dare?”

Jun Yuyan replied, “The Princess of the Western Regions, who was sent for the marriage alliance, is already on her way here. I’ve heard that this princess is extremely favored, of stunning beauty. The King of the Western Regions, in order to please you, Your Majesty, has resolved to part with his beloved daughter. How could he then collude with the concubines of the harem to harm you? Wouldn’t that also harm the princess?”

The Emperor nodded, “Then who do you think is trying to harm me?”

“This prince does not know, but clearly, the person who made Noble Lady Hui harm you aims to ‘kill two birds with one stone.’ If it hadn’t been discovered by Mother and Ah Jiu, your health would continue to be influenced by Noble Lady Hui, and an accident might eventually occur. And now, knowing of Noble Lady Hui’s treachery, you are bound to feel a preconceived disenchantment with the incoming Princess of the Western Regions. Regardless of whether the other party’s plot succeeds or not, they can remain behind the scenes, reaping the fruits of victory.”

“You are right, this person hides deeply and reaches far. I sent people to guard Consort Yun, yet still, they found a loophole. This is not ‘killing two birds with one stone,’ but ‘three.'”

The Emperor slammed his hand down on the armrest, his voice filled with anger.

His gaze swept over Jun Yuyan and the Second Prince, “I have only four grown sons. Among them, you two are the ones I value most. The Third and Fourth Princes, though they have gone to the military camp for experience, it’s a pity their maternal families are not prominent, and I have never considered them as candidates for the Crown Prince. But today, I have changed my mind.”

The Second Prince’s heart tightened suddenly, his breathing rapid.

Jun Yuyan’s expression remained unchanged, utterly calm.

He listened as the Emperor continued, “My health is failing, and I fear I won’t live many more years. I intend to rigorously test all four of you and decide on the position of the Crown Prince sooner.”

…

On the way back to the palace, Murong Jiu, struggling to stay awake, curiously asked Jun Yuyan, “So, does the Emperor suspect that the Empress is behind all this?”

“Within the Imperial Family, without decisive evidence, no one dares to draw conclusions, and that includes the Emperor. The palace is rife with framing and deception, scheming and trickery, and with the Empress’s complex backing, to touch one is to affect the whole. Even if the Emperor suspects, he will not truly punish the Empress.”

“So, does the Emperor really intend to choose the Crown Prince from among you four Princes? With Prince Ling’s injury, and the Second Prince’s advantages seem quite significant.”

Jun Yuyan shook his head, patiently saying to her, “The Emperor cares only for himself. He is uncertain whether the Empress is behind the schemes, so he has thrown out the Third and Fourth Princes as bait, because he wants to catch the real mastermind, to avoid similar harm in the future.”

Listening to this, Murong Jiu’s heart jolted.

If she had not misunderstood, what Jun Yuyan meant was that the Emperor did not really intend to decide on the Crown Prince.

He gave the Third and Fourth Princes the opportunity to vie for the throne, firstly to shift the target and prevent further assassination attempts on himself, and secondly to reveal the true villain behind the attempts on their lives.

“If the Emperor wanted to appoint the Crown Prince, he would have done so long ago. Throughout history, the sooner a Crown Prince is appointed, the sooner the Emperor meets his demise.”

Such words were enormously disrespectful. Murong Jiu’s eyes widened, and she swiftly covered his mouth, “Prince, be careful, walls have ears!”

She had not realized that Jun Yuyan himself harbored such disrespect for the Emperor.

Jun Yuyan let out a soft chuckle, pleasure apparent in his eyes.

His breath warmed her palm, and it felt as if her heart was tickled. She quickly withdrew her hand, “In my haste just now, I offended you, my Prince.”

“I know Ah Jiu means well for me, but everyone around us is my person, and what we’ve said won’t be overheard by outsiders.”

Murong Jiu’s face burned with embarrassment. She quickly changed the subject, “Didn’t the Emperor once wish to make you the Crown Prince?”

A flicker of mockery flashed in Jun Yuyan’s eyes as he looked at his injured leg and said,

“Ah Jiu, in the Imperial Family, there is no true father-son relationship, only ruler and subject. Back then, when my achievements overshadowed the ruler and my fame spread far and wide, the Emperor was in his prime — how could one mountain accommodate two tigers?”

Murong Jiu was incredulous, not believing that Jun Yuyan’s injury and disfigurement were simply due to the Second Prince alone, but that the Emperor himself had a hand in it!

The father-son relationship within the Imperial Family, could it really be so heartless?