Duke Anguo was no exception. He swept his gaze over the several princes and asked, "I wonder if any of Your Highnesses have suggestions?"
The Fourth Prince, who had always loved to show off, remained silent at this moment. It was no joking matter—how could he possibly take on this role!
The Third Prince was no fool either. This matter had both advantages and disadvantages, but upon careful consideration, the disadvantages clearly outweighed the benefits. If His Majesty were truly in danger, this would indeed be an unparalleled merit for rescuing the emperor. But if His Majesty was merely testing to see who would jump at the opportunity, wouldn’t he be a fool leaping into a trap himself?
It was too risky. He preferred to play it safe.
The Fifth Prince simply lowered his head and wiped his eyes, too grief-stricken to speak.
Little Six kept his gaze downcast, and no one knew what he was thinking. Just as the ministers were growing disappointed, the Fourth Prince spoke up, "Little Six, didn’t you say earlier that you’d be willing to pay any price to enter the palace? It’s not that I’m forcing you, but with Old General Sun as your backing, even if something happens, Father is sure to take that into consideration. To be honest, you are the most suitable candidate."
Such blatant framing in front of all the ministers was utterly brainless. Duke Dingguo was furious and disheartened that the Great Qing had a prince like this. With the crown prince yet to be appointed, this man might very well become the next Emperor. If the future of Great Qing were to fall into his hands, he could not imagine whether the empire forged by their ancestors would still bear the Gu surname.
Just as Duke Dingguo was about to speak, the Sixth Prince’s still-youthful voice rang out, "Little Six is willing."
With a cold glance at his Fourth Brother, Little Six bowed to the ministers and said, "Little Six is willing to step forward. A son’s concern for his father is natural. I believe that even if I were to stand before Father, he would understand my intentions. As long as I can see that Father is safe and sound, I am willing to bear all consequences alone."
The entire hall fell silent. Then, led by Duke Dingguo, all the officials, regardless of their inner thoughts, bowed to him. With such courage and responsibility, what did his youth matter?
Duke Dingguo felt as if he had glimpsed hope for the imperial family. In such a moment, he could not help but smile, "Your Highness need not worry. This official will share the consequences with you."
Duke Anguo stepped forward, "This official pledges the same."
Then came the Six Ministries and the other ministers, "This official is willing to share the responsibility with the Sixth Prince."
Little Six felt a surge of emotion. His master had said that in life, there are things one must do and things one must not. He felt that this was a moment for action. His father had not been seen for ten days. Standing on the side of righteousness, even if he overstepped, it was entirely justifiable. No one could accuse him of attempting a coup. His master had said that Haoyue was suspicious, and once they entered the palace, everything would become clear. He trusted his master’s judgment.
Moreover, he was genuinely worried about his grandmother.
Biting his lip, Little Six turned to Duke Dingguo and humbly asked, "What should I do now?"
"Your Highness, please order General Zhou to lead the central battalion to wait outside the palace gates. Then, lead all officials to kneel outside the main hall. If after one hour His Majesty still does not appear..." Duke Dingguo shook his sleeve, "We will rescue the Emperor!"
Little Six took a deep breath, removed his prince’s token, and handed it to Minister of War Chen Yuanqing, "Order General Liu to wait outside the palace gates. Starting from this moment, if no further news is received within one hour, he is to lead his troops into the palace immediately."
Chen Yuanqing’s outstretched hand trembled slightly. Forcing himself to calm down, he personally went to carry out the order.
Little Six turned to the other princes, "I fear my standing alone may not be enough. I ask my three elder brothers to join me in requesting an audience with Father."The Third Prince and Fifth Prince had no objections. After all, staying behind no longer meant bearing responsibility for them, but the Fourth Prince felt differently.
He needed to leave this place!
Yet after Little Six's statement, there was no way he could depart without raising suspicion.
Duke Dingguo cast an appreciative glance at Little Six. To know how to retaliate after suffering a loss, and to do so without giving others grounds for criticism—this was truly admirable. Today, the Sixth Prince had demonstrated both courage and strategy, earning his newfound respect.
Previously, the Sixth Prince had kept as low a profile in the palace as the Fifth Prince, avoiding mistakes but also failing to stand out. However, after being harmed by the Fourth Prince in collusion with the First Prince, he seemed to have awakened, undergoing a dramatic transformation. He remained low-key, yet now he was noticeably more astute.
Later, when it became known that he had taken up an ordinary life with the Hua family as if it were the most natural thing, many were astounded. Psychologically, this was no small feat—not every prince could set aside their royal status and live as a commoner. That inherent nobility was intertwined with their bloodline, and the thought of abandoning it had never even occurred to them, much like the throne itself, which they had gazed upon and coveted since birth.
Although Hua Zhi's role as a royal tutor was widely known, it had never been formally acknowledged by the imperial family. Yet at this moment, he recognized it, and in time, everyone else would too. Simply for having taught the Sixth Prince to be so responsible and courageous, it deserved recognition.
A true teacher is not merely one who delves into academic studies; first and foremost, they must teach how to be a good person.
In this regard, Hua Zhi had clearly excelled.
Kneeling in the hall, Duke Dingguo mused on these thoughts intermittently. He even suspected that since Hua Zhi's return to the capital, she had been the steadying force behind Little Six's faction. No matter how unfavorable the situation, they had never taken a misstep.
Even Hua Yizheng, that old fox, might not have handled things better in the capital than Hua Zhi had. While not omniscient, she had achieved the pinnacle in maintaining stability. Previously, Duke Dingguo had no particular preference for which prince would become crown prince, as none of them stood out. Now, however, the distinction had become clear—a silver lining in this misfortune.
Time passed moment by moment. The court officials discreetly shifted positions countless times, yet the inner palace remained utterly silent.
At the last possible moment, the door connecting to the inner palace slowly creaked open. Forgetting the prohibition against looking upon the emperor's face, the officials collectively raised their heads, only to see Eunuch Chang once again, with no one else behind him. A wave of disappointment washed over them.
Eunuch Chang seemed aware of his unwelcome presence and stammered, "His Majesty decrees: We are slightly unwell. We request all beloved ministers to return at once."
Duke Dingguo rose to his feet, swaying slightly from having knelt for so long. The Duke of Anguo, a military man by background and a few years younger, though his knees ached as well, endured the pain and immediately stepped forward to support him.
"Your Highness, the door is open."
Little Six clenched his fists inside his sleeves, lifted his head, and commanded, "Seize Eunuch Chang."
Military officers obeyed without hesitation, apprehending Eunuch Chang as he tried to flee back inside. "How dare you! This is an outrage! I am the imperial envoy! Release me at once!" Eunuch Chang shouted.
One of the officers promptly removed Eunuch Chang's own shoe and stuffed it into his mouth, silencing him instantly.
Little Six issued another order: "Wait for General Zhou to arrive with troops to rescue His Majesty."
"Sixth Brother, shouldn't you reconsider? Isn't this tantamount to forcing the palace?"Little Six looked up, a cold smile curling at the corner of his lips. "If Fourth Imperial Brother has an audience with Father Emperor, feel free to submit your report."
The Fourth Prince gave an awkward laugh at the rebuttal. "How could your elder brother report such a matter? You acted with good intentions—I’m only concerned for you."
"Many thanks for Fourth Brother’s concern." Little Six gave a slight cupped-hand salute and turned away. "To avoid accusations of forcing the palace, I won’t wait for General Liu."
Duke Dingguo stepped forward. "This official will accompany the Sixth Highness."
The majority of court officials followed, including those from the Fourth Prince’s faction like Wei Congwen. At this critical juncture, righteousness took precedence.
PS: My mind has gone completely blank—this arc is finally nearing its end.
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