Chapter 250: Malicious Intent
This new spring in Shuojing City brought double blessings to the Xiao family, yet for some households, it felt like adding frost to snow.
In the Crown Prince's residence, Guang Yan sat in his study, his face etched with anxiety.
After Xu Jingfu's downfall, although a portion of Xu's faction had defected to Chu Zhao, Emperor Wenxuan's sweeping purge had also cost Guang Yan many of his own men. Over the years, lacking any real ability himself, he had relied entirely on Empress Zhang's maternal family and Xu Xiang's connections to barely maintain his position as Crown Prince. Reaching the point of sacrificing pawns to save the king, though it was his own decision, left Guang Yan with a sense of regret once it was done.
During this period, Guang Shuo had been appearing frequently before Emperor Wenxuan and had begun meddling in both major and minor court affairs. Empress Zhang had cautioned him that the more critical the situation, the more he must avoid rash actions. Given his past closeness to Xu Jingfu, she feared Emperor Wenxuan might already harbor displeasure toward him. Before the storm subsided, it was best for him to remain quietly in his residence, keeping a low profile.
Guang Yan agreed verbally, but inwardly, his anxiety grew. If the Fourth Prince seized the opportunity of his absence to sweet-talk Emperor Wenxuan... who knew what the future might hold? With Xiao Huaijin's influence visibly expanding, how could he afford to fall behind at such a time?
As he pondered, a servant reported from outside: "Your Highness, someone seeks an audience."
Guang Yan said, "Let them in."
The visitor wore servant's attire and appeared unremarkable, but upon raising his head, one could still discern a slight difference in appearance from the Wei people.
This was a Wutuo person.
"Your Highness, this humble servant has come on orders from Lord Maningbu to deliver a message."
"Maningbu?" Guang Yan narrowed his eyes, motioning for the others in the hall to withdraw before turning to the man. "Your envoy is still alive?"
After the Celestial Altar incident, Emperor Wenxuan had placed all envoys from Wutuo under house arrest, with no word yet on how they would be dealt with. Guang Yan had attempted to send a message to Maningbu, but the guards were too strict, and he had never found an opportunity. Unexpectedly, Maningbu's man had now come to him.
As if fearing Guang Yan would not believe him, the servant stepped forward and showed Guang Yan the seal hidden in his sleeve.
"If you want me to rescue your lord, you may leave," Guang Yan said impatiently. "My father is in a rage, and I have no wish to add fuel to the fire."
"Your Highness has not attended court these days, so you may not know that the Fourth Prince has recently gained great favor with His Majesty. Court officials also show signs of supporting him."
These words only darkened Guang Yan's expression further. He sneered, "Do you think I am unaware?"
"Consort Lan attends to His Majesty's health daily," the servant whispered. "Lord Maningbu asks Your Highness, must you simply sit and wait for death?"
With a sharp crack, the Crown Prince slammed the teacup before him against the wall. "Silence!"
Rage surged within him. Emperor Wenxuan's favoritism toward Consort Lan was no recent development. Guang Yan knew well that if he were not the eldest legitimate son, and if Emperor Wenxuan did not have to consider public opinion, Guang Shuo would likely have been named Crown Prince long ago—all because Guang Shuo was the son of Consort Lan, that vile woman!
"Indecision invites disaster, Your Highness."
Guang Yan looked at the visitor. "What do you mean by that?"The servant bowed his head humbly. "Lord Maningbu instructed this humble servant to convey to Your Highness that the Emperor is advanced in years, and now the Fourth Prince is stirring restlessly. Had this incident not occurred, the position of the supreme ruler of Great Wei would surely have been within Your Highness's grasp. But now, with Prime Minister Xu fallen and Xiao Huaijin having grown his wings, if Xiao Huaijin were to align himself with the Fourth Prince..."
Guang Yan's heart gave a violent jolt—this was precisely what he feared most.
In the past, Xiao Zhongwu had always disliked him, frequently causing him trouble. Just when Xiao Zhongwu had finally died, along came his son! Yet the current Xiao Huaijin was even more formidable than Xiao Zhongwu had been back then. Xu Jingfu had failed to eradicate Xiao Huaijin root and stem back then, and now they had nurtured such a calamity!
"Why doesn't Your Highness... cut the Gordian knot swiftly?"
"Impudence!" Guang Yan blurted out, both shocked and furious. "How dare you speak such nonsense before this palace!"
"Spare me, Your Highness," the servant prostrated himself. "Those who achieve great things do not fuss over minor details. To show mercy to others is to be cruel to oneself. Otherwise, with Your Highness's kindness, the Fourth Prince might seize an opportunity. But now," the servant's voice seemed to carry a seductive tone, "if the Emperor's carriage were to rest forever, you would be the rightful and legitimate Son of Heaven!"
The rightful and legitimate Son of Heaven!
Guang Yan: "Silence!"
It was as if a demonic box of bewitchment had been opened. A thought that had never crossed his mind before was now gently provoked, rising uncontrollably to the surface.
He understood what Maningbu meant, but although he had secretly competed with Guang Shuo in the past, he had never entertained the thought of patricide. Although Emperor Wenxuan favored Guang Shuo, he had actually treated Guang Yan fairly well. While throughout previous dynasties, incidents of fathers and sons or brothers killing each other in the imperial palace were not uncommon, Guang Yan believed he did not need to go that far.
Emperor Wenxuan did not have many heirs, and Great Wei had always placed the greatest emphasis on rules. When the time came, Emperor Wenxuan would naturally pass the throne to him. Empress Zhang and Guang Yan both thought this way, but year after year, day after day, this waiting seemed endless. Emperor Wenxuan seemed to be deliberately avoiding something. They waited and waited, not only failing to receive that imperial decree but also witnessing Guang Shuo's gradual rise.
Over these years, hadn't he secretly connected with the Wutuo People precisely because he felt increasingly insecure? If Emperor Wenxuan had simply followed the proper order, why would he have come to this? To the point where now, he found himself constrained in many ways, and in this battle for the throne, he had unwittingly fallen from the position of the likely victor to a disadvantage.
If Guang Shuo were allowed to continue like this...
His heart was violently stirred by wicked thoughts—why not go all the way...
The servant kneeling on the ground took in every change in the Crown Prince's expression and advised kindly, "Your Highness, this humble servant has conveyed all of Lord Maningbu's words. Your Highness might as well consider it carefully. Once you sit upon that position, everything done now will be worth it. Throughout history, which great achiever's path has not been stained with blood?"
"Your Highness, please think thrice!"
Guang Yan, agitated by his words, rebuked, "Enough! This palace understands! Get out!"
The servant retreated as silently as he had come. Guang Yan looked at the shattered teacup fragments scattered on the floor, a shadow gradually creeping into his eyes.
After another moment, as if startled awake, he hurriedly left the hall.After Guang Yan left, a maid from the Crown Prince's residence entered to clean up the mess on the floor. From behind the hall, a beautiful maid emerged and said softly with a smile, "I'll take care of it."
"Miss Ying Xiang," the maid dared not argue with her, as everyone knew that the most favored maid in the Crown Prince's residence now was this one named Ying Xiang. The Crown Prince had even argued with the Crown Princess over her. However, Ying Xiang was gentle and never looked down on the servants, so she got along quite well with the other maids.
Ying Xiang knelt halfway down and gently picked up the fragments on the floor. Her expression remained as gentle as ever, her long lashes lowered, concealing the unusual emotions in her eyes.
The people of Maningbu were actually inciting the Crown Prince to assassinate the Emperor?
At this critical moment... it was not a good time.
...
The Chu residence at night was excessively quiet.
Ever since Xu Xiang fell from power, the three legitimate sons of the Chu family, who had once feared Chu Zhao, gradually became arrogant again. Without Xu Jingfu backing him, even though Chu Zhao still held an official position, who knew how long it would last? It was uncertain when Emperor Wenxuan might vent his resentment toward Xu Jingfu onto Chu Zhao. No one could say for sure.
Madam Chu occasionally sneered and mocked Chu Zhao when she saw him. As for Chu Linfeng, he hardly ever saw Chu Zhao anymore, behaving completely differently from the warmth and concern he had shown before the incident.
Chu Zhao himself was not affected by these matters and continued with his daily routine as usual. The wound on his chest had not fully healed, so he was recuperating at home, rarely meeting with colleagues, skillfully avoiding this critical period.
A trusted subordinate entered, taking a letter from his chest and presenting it. "Fourth Young Master, Miss Ying Xiang has sent another message."
Chu Zhao took the letter and opened it. At first, everything seemed fine, but as he read to the end, his expression changed slightly.
After a moment, he threw the letter into the burning stove, gently pressing his fingers against his forehead as if in great pain.
"Fourth Young Master?" the subordinate asked cautiously.
Chu Zhao waved his hand without speaking.
He truly had not expected Guang Yan to be so impatient, nor had he anticipated that Maningbu would still try to sow discord at such a critical moment. If Guang Yan had even a little sense, he would not have been led by the nose by the Wutuo People. Unfortunately, over the years, just as Emperor Wenxuan had relied on Xu Jingfu, Guang Yan had grown accustomed to leaving everything to Xu Jingfu. With Xu Jingfu gone, he was left without direction.
"Fourth Young Master," the subordinate observed his expression, pondered for a long time, and finally could not help but speak up. "Fourth Young Master, you possess great talent. Now that the Prime Minister is no longer here, the Crown Prince is impulsive and reckless, while the Fourth Prince understands the importance of biding one's time. The political situation in the court is different now. A wise bird chooses its perch. Since the Crown Prince is incompetent, why not follow the Fourth Prince..."
These words were treasonous, but Chu Zhao had always treated his subordinates well, so his followers were often bolder than others.
Hearing this, Chu Zhao released his hand and looked at the oil lamp on the table.
The flame in the oil lamp flickered slightly from the cold wind seeping through the window crack. He said, "If it weren't for Xiao Huaijin, of course it would be possible. But now, even for Xiao Huaijin's sake, the Fourth Prince would not use me."A leftover remnant of Xu Jingfu, even if he were to defect, seemed to carry less weight than Xiao Jue. At this critical moment, Guang Shuo needed Xiao Huaijin's strength, and given the life-and-death enmity between Xiao Zhongwu and Xu Jingfu, Guang Shuo would never abandon Xiao Huaijin in favor of him.
"But to continue down this dark path..."
"It's not that I insist on walking this dark path," Chu Zhao interrupted him. "It's that I never had a second path to take."
Perhaps this had been destined many years ago, when he first met Xu Jingfu and bowed before him, becoming his disciple.
"What should we do now, Fourth Young Master?"
"I need to visit the Crown Prince's residence," he said, a shadow of gloom flickering between his brows.
Although it now seemed that Maningbu's words might have planted other ideas in the Crown Prince's mind, and his own words might not be of much use, they were all in the same boat. If the Crown Prince fell, he would not remain unscathed.
He could only do his best.
...
In the Kunning Palace, Empress Zhang sat quietly on a soft couch, eyes closed as she listened to the qin player's music.
The clear and serene notes of the qin could soothe the restlessness in one's heart. Ever since Xu Jingfu's downfall, she had often suffered from insomnia at night, sleeping very little each day. Whenever she closed her eyes, her eyelids would twitch violently, as if foretelling something about to happen.
Emperor Wenxuan's health was deteriorating. He frequently missed court sessions, and Lin Qingtan had examined him several times, saying only that he needed to recuperate properly. Yet Empress Zhang felt in her heart that it was not so simple. She was growing anxious.
Xu Xiang's fall was something no one had anticipated. Although everyone knew that a confrontation between Xu Jingfu and Xiao Jue was inevitable, no one expected Xiao Jue to employ military tactics on the frontier and political maneuvers in the court, presenting evidence one after another, pinning his opponent down as if on a prisoner's board.
Whether Xu Jingfu's downfall would implicate Guang Yan was something Empress Zhang could not be certain of.
As for Emperor Wenxuan, her husband, Empress Zhang sometimes felt she could see him clearly, and at other times, she felt as though she had never truly known him.
Back when Emperor Wenxuan was still the Crown Prince, he had relied solely on being the legitimate son born to the late empress to secure his position as heir. As the daughter of a prime minister, Empress Zhang had harbored many fantasies about her future husband before marrying him.
But it was only after she became the Crown Princess that she realized her husband was merely an ordinary man, obsessed with poetry and indulgence in pleasures. He lacked ambition, political talent, and the innate authority of royalty. Stripped of his status, he would be no different from the common men on the streets.
Empress Zhang was an ambitious woman, but her ambitions had always been fulfilled too smoothly. Her husband, the emperor, was so mediocre that she eventually lost even the desire to engage in petty jealousies within the harem.
Just as Emperor Wenxuan's life had been uneventful and stable, she believed that once her son Guang Yan ascended the throne, she would become the Empress Dowager, moving from one position of supreme power to another.
This was what Empress Zhang had always believed—until Consort Lan appeared.Emperor Wenxuan doted on Consort Lan to an extreme degree. Originally, the emperor's favor was something Empress Zhang did not take to heart. With countless new beauties entering the palace each year, she saw no need to concern herself with each one individually. However, Emperor Wenxuan's affection for Consort Lan carried a hint of genuine sincerity.
This became particularly grating, especially under the premise that Consort Lan had also given birth to a son.
Over the years, Empress Zhang had not refrained from attempting to eliminate Consort Lan and her son. Yet this seemingly docile and unambitious woman proved exceptionally cunning, managing to evade disaster each time. Guang Shuo had grown to adulthood safely and soundly. If it weren't for Guang Shuo's own discretion in consistently avoiding the Crown Prince's prominence, Empress Zhang would never have let the matter rest.
As long as Guang Yan's position remained unshaken, allowing this mother and son to live a little longer was of no consequence. This was how she reasoned, but this delicate balance was abruptly shattered following Xu Jingfu's death.
Empress Zhang sensed a whiff of danger.
A discordant note abruptly cut through the melody of the zither as a palace maid announced, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has arrived."
Empress Zhang opened her eyes to see Guang Yan entering from outside.
"All of you, leave," she commanded with a wave of her hand. The zither player and the palace maids withdrew together. Empress Zhang watched Guang Yan approach and could not help but chide, "Didn't I tell you not to enter the palace these days to avoid stirring up trouble? And here you are, as if afraid things aren't chaotic enough. What are you doing coming to my quarters?"
"Mother," Guang Yan looked at her with agitation, "If you forbid me from entering the palace, how am I to know that the palace is practically becoming Guang Shuo's domain these days!"
"What nonsense are you spouting? Who told you that?" Empress Zhang straightened slightly, her expression tense.
"Never mind who told me," Guang Yan pressed, "Is Father's health failing? Mother, hasn't Father given you even the slightest hint about the heir? I've heard Guang Shuo goes to Father's bedside to speak with him every day. Who knows what sweet words and flattery he's using!" He added bitterly, "If he manages to bewilder Father, won't all my efforts be in vain!"
"Silence!" Empress Zhang snapped sharply. She glanced around, relieved to see no attendants nearby, then scolded angrily, "You may speak recklessly yourself, but don't you know how many eyes in the palace are watching?"
"Mother," Guang Yan said disappointedly, "I think that vile Consort Lan can't wait to make her move. Why should we still concern ourselves with so much?"
At the mention of Consort Lan, Empress Zhang's expression also darkened. She had always been conceited, considering herself unmatched in the harem. Even though Emperor Wenxuan doted on Consort Lan, over the years Consort Lan still had to behave submissively in her presence. However, recent developments had shattered her previous assumptions. That woman... that woman was not unambitious; her ambitions were immense! All those years of cautious and humble behavior before her had been mere pretense. Once the timing arrived, she revealed her true colors. The ridiculous part was that she herself had been deceived!
Seeing the change in Empress Zhang's expression, Guang Yan anxiously licked his lips and suddenly leaned closer. "Mother, I don't want to wait any longer."
Empress Zhang snapped back to attention and looked at him. "What do you intend to do?"
"Now that Xu Jingfu is dead, Father must surely despise me. Coupled with whatever that vile Consort Lan has been whispering in Father's ear... if things continue like this, Father will certainly change the heir to Guang Shuo... I cannot let that happen!"
"You want to...""If Father Emperor were to pass away now," a flicker of madness flashed in Guang Yan's eyes, "the throne should rightfully be mine!"
Empress Zhang instinctively moved to cover his mouth. "Do you realize what you're saying?"
"Of course I do!" Guang Yan whispered urgently. "Mother, think about it—if Guang Shuo becomes emperor, what will become of me? And what of you? If Father truly cared for me, he would have already named me his successor. Since he shows me no mercy, I cannot be blamed for showing none in return! At worst, when I become emperor, I'll burn a few extra sticks of incense for him each year!"
Empress Zhang was both shocked and furious, but before she could speak, Guang Yan's legs gave way, and he knelt before her, pleading: "Mother, I beg you—save your son and help me achieve this great undertaking!"
Her expression wavered, and for a long moment, she remained silent. Only after a lengthy pause did she sigh and say, "Give me time to think it over."
Yet her gaze clearly signaled she had already yielded.
(End of Chapter)
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