If this matter is not handled properly, it could even tarnish the emperor’s reputation!
In the balance between protecting his image and abandoning the third prince, the emperor unhesitatingly chose the former. He called the third prince before him and coldly said, “Third, from today onwards, you will go to Blue Mountain Temple to pray for the nation.”
The third prince suddenly raised his head, eyes wide with anger, and exclaimed, “Father, what crime have I committed?”
Who knows why the heavens struck at his doorstep! The third prince did not consider this a punishment from heaven but merely an accident! It was just that the timing of this accident was too unfortunate, adding insult to injury!
The emperor maintained a stern expression and told the third prince, “You will go willingly; at least you can save some face.”
The Crown Prince’s faction would surely seize this opportunity to attack the third prince. By voluntarily going to the temple to pray for the nation, the third prince was finding a way to back down, which was better than being pushed down from a height by this group of people, leaving him humiliated.
Overwhelmed with anger, the third prince could not conceal his fury and shouted, “Father, if I go, won’t the Crown Prince become the only one in power in the court?”
“Be quiet!” the emperor scolded the third prince sharply. The struggle for power was known to all, but it could not be stated so openly.
The third prince clenched his fists, his arms tense, and gritted his teeth as he asked the emperor, “When will you allow me to return, Father?”
The emperor’s tone softened as he reassured the third prince, “You can return when I host my birthday banquet.”
As long as the emperor did not treat him as a discarded pawn, the third prince could still rise again and continue to fight against the Crown Prince in the court!
Regaining his composure, the third prince respectfully responded to the emperor, “I understand. Please grant me permission to go to Blue Mountain Temple to pray for the nation!”
Seeing the third prince obediently accept this arrangement, the emperor randomly bestowed some items upon him, urging him to depart quickly to the temple.
After the third prince left, the emperor furrowed his brows, feeling very agitated.
The Crown Prince had truly become more arrogant! If he was not taught a lesson, he would really think the court was about to change hands!
Upon receiving petitions discussing how the third prince was punished by heaven, the emperor, with a dark expression, summoned the Crown Prince to reprimand him fiercely regarding the matter of the Crown Prince’s favored concubine selling positions and titles. He then punished the Crown Prince to secluded confinement for a month, forbidding him from stepping out of the Eastern Palace, and revoked the Crown Prince’s authority to review official documents.
Leaving the Imperial Study, the Crown Prince scoffed, his eyes filled with indifference.
Even though he was confined in the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince was still able to influence court affairs, intervening in political matters at every opportunity.
The emperor loathed that the other sons were too young; after the third prince was expelled from the court, only the second prince could be of use. Even if the second prince had no ambition to contend for the throne, the emperor still had to force him to gradually grasp power, temporarily using him as a shield against the Crown Prince’s onslaught.
While the second prince held authority over the Ministry of War, the emperor also entrusted him with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Personnel. The more the second prince resisted, the more the emperor pressed him with authority.
The second prince’s current lack of ambition was tolerated, but human hearts are fickle; the Crown Prince sat on a precarious throne. To solidify his position, he could only turn against the second prince. The Crown Prince’s faction began to target the second prince in court.
Whenever the second prince encountered trouble, he shrank back, wishing the Crown Prince would relieve him of his burdens, which infuriated the emperor who smashed several teacups behind the second prince’s back.
After spending a month at the Imperial Academy, Zhang Fang produced the contents for the new volume.
In this new volume, the plot twist involving the Wang family had not yet concluded.
The third young master of the Wang family, unable to compete with the eldest young master, ran away from home to avoid the spotlight. The eldest young master grew increasingly powerful, interfering more in the family’s affairs, which often provoked the old master Wang. As the old master’s birthday approached, the eldest young master learned that the third young master planned to return home. To prevent further disputes over inheritance, the eldest young master hired a group of bandits and killed him on the way home. The old master, in mourning for his lost son, fell seriously ill. Seizing this opportunity, the eldest young master took over the family’s business, leaving the old master to enjoy his old age in peace.
This fresh plot immediately resonated with the ongoing royal struggle!
“Zhang Fang is truly bold!”
“Could Zhang Fang get into trouble for writing this?”
“Weren’t we just hearing that Zhang Fang had a good relationship with the Eastern Palace? Why is he writing such content?”
Many people were anxious about Zhang Fang’s new book.
The Crown Prince, upon seeing the content of the new volume, angrily threw the book away.
Initially, he thought Zhang Fang had been warned by the emperor and was avoiding the Eastern Palace out of fear. But now it seemed that Zhang Fang had turned against the Eastern Palace long ago!
The Crown Prince couldn’t understand why, having treated Zhang Fang sincerely, he would betray him!
Now that the third prince had been expelled from court, the Crown Prince was the only one in power. It was one thing for Zhang Fang to distance himself from him, but to write such content deliberately targeting him—what on earth was he trying to achieve?
In the current court, only the emperor wanted to suppress the Crown Prince. Could it be that Zhang Fang had already pledged loyalty to the emperor? Even if that were the case, the emperor wouldn’t allow Zhang Fang to write this content for all to see! Wasn’t this a baseless story?
The Crown Prince racked his brains but couldn’t discern Zhang Fang’s true intentions. He decided to send someone to the Imperial Academy to inquire about Zhang Fang’s purpose and make some threats to show Zhang Fang the situation.
However, when the Crown Prince’s people arrived at the Imperial Academy, they were informed that Zhang Fang had already been summoned into the palace.
The emperor had not read Zhang Fang’s book but was closely monitoring the voices outside. Upon learning about the content Zhang Fang penned, the emperor opened the book for the first time, focusing on the story of the Wang family’s twists.
The more calmly he read, the more furious he became. Identifying with the story of the Wang family pushed the emperor’s disdain for the Crown Prince to its peak. He wished he could immediately cut the Crown Prince’s wings!
Although Zhang Fang repeatedly refused to enter the court, his writing of this story indicated he was paying attention to state affairs. This time, regardless of whether Zhang Fang would still refuse, the emperor decided to award him a position and keep him by his side.
With most of the court supporting the Crown Prince, the emperor felt deeply wary. He must keep intelligent people like Zhang Fang close to deal with the Crown Prince!
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