Over the past four years, the situation in the capital city has been changing, and the struggle for the heir has begun to take shape. As the governor of the East Factory, Cao Aman holds a high position, and is the second most powerful figure in the inner court after Ning Yuan, the emperor's personal eunuch. Some powerful princes have already At first, there were vague hints to him.
Of course, Cao Ah Man was not sensitive to these solicitations. At his position, no matter which prince ascended the throne, it would not have much influence on him. He could sit firmly on the Diaoyutai. However, he had recently heard that someone was secretly approaching his adopted son, so Cao Zhengchun might have implicated him too deeply. I felt the need to strike one or two, so I deliberately asked at the end.
"Zhengchun, which prince do you think can stand out?"
When Cao Zhengchun heard this, he suddenly broke into a cold sweat. Could it be that his adoptive father knew that he had been secretly in contact with the eldest prince recently? In fact, Cao Zhengchun knew in his heart that he should not intervene in the fight for the heir, but the reward offered by the eldest prince was too much for him to refuse. The eldest prince promised to give him two heavenly fragrant cardamoms when the matter was accomplished.
Tianxiang cardamom is a holy product brought as tribute from the Western Regions. According to legend, no matter how injured you are, as long as you eat one, you can save your life, but you will fall into a deep sleep. Two can wake you up, and eating the third can even rejuvenate you. , is the supreme miracle medicine.
It was not that Cao Zhengchun had not considered that the eldest prince was deceiving him. At this time, he was still hesitating in his heart. There was no substantial contact between the two parties yet. Logically speaking, it should not be leaked. His adoptive father would never mention seizing the legitimate son for no reason. Could it be that the matter was leaked from the eldest prince?
Thinking of this, Cao Zhengchun couldn't help but feel annoyed. If he participated in the seizure of the heir, he would die without a burial place. Of course, he did not dare to let others know about such a thing. He was the only one who knew it from beginning to end. It seemed that the eldest prince He is not a good collaborator either. He is surrounded by a sieve, so that top-secret information can be known to the outside world.
At this time, Cao Zhengchun had made up his mind not to have any interaction with the eldest prince. He knew very well in his heart that he was completely unqualified to be attracted by the eldest prince. If it weren't for his foster father's relationship, why would the eldest prince show favor to him for no reason? , it is better for the county magistrate to take charge now. If there is a rift between him and his adoptive father, it will be like picking up sesame seeds and losing the watermelon. It is completely more loss than gain.
"The position of the emperor is related to the fate of the country. My son does not dare to criticize himself. Forgive me for forgetting your righteous father!"
Cao A smiled secretly. What Cao Zhengchun said meant that he would not participate in the matter of seizing the direct descendants in the future. He only knew that the eldest prince intended to win over Cao Zhengchun. He did not know what specific agreement was reached between the two. The goal had been achieved. Cao Ah Man didn't mind giving Cao Zhengchun a test. He was hanging around in the palace. How could he do it if he didn't have any eyesight?
"Today's matter is just a chat between our father and son. Please tell us which princes are most likely to inherit the throne."
Cao Zhengchun felt relieved when he heard this. He had passed this test. Since his adoptive father said this, he would not hold on to the things ahead. He breathed a sigh of relief and said after thinking for a moment.
"Forgive me for being presumptuous. Judging from the current situation, the eldest prince, the third prince, the sixth prince, and the ninth prince are most likely to be crowned the great treasure."
Cao Aman raised his eyebrows and asked with interest: "Oh? What's the reason?"
Since Cao Zhengchun was determined to pursue power, he naturally made great efforts to understand everything in Beijing.
"The eldest prince is the oldest, a poet and a calligrapher, and both civil and military. Although his biological mother has passed away and he has lost support in the harem, his years of management can completely close this gap. Moreover, the eldest prince has a good reputation among the scholars, but only"
"Just what? What do you look like hesitating? Tell me, I don't blame you."
Cao Zhengchun gritted his teeth. Although he no longer wanted to investigate the meaning of his adoptive father's words before, he might have mistaken his meaning. He decided to tell the truth frankly. He still had an idea of who he relied on to get to where he is today. .
"Father, the eldest prince has had contact with the child before, but the child has already figured it out. The battle for the inheritance is extremely fierce. Since ancient times, few people involved in it have been able to escape unscathed. The child was confused for a while. I hope my adoptive father will forgive me. crime!"
Cao Ah'an shook his head first, and then nodded. Cao Zhengchun took a sneak peek, and felt anxious again when he saw this. He didn't know what his foster father meant by nodding and shaking his head.
After a long while, Cao A'ao said in a deep voice: "It's good if you can find your way back. You, you, let your adoptive father tell you what is good for you. That's all. You can continue talking."
Cao Ah'an shook his head earlier to mean that Cao Zhengchun should not bring up this matter. He nodded because he was very satisfied with Cao Zhengchun's attitude towards him. It's good to understand some things in your heart. There is no need to say it out. His adopted son is still too young. , but on the other hand, it shows that Cao Zhengchun is still leaning towards him in his heart, which makes him feel very relieved.
Cao Zhengchun didn't understand what his adoptive father meant, but he continued to talk about what he just said.
"The third prince is brave enough to defeat the entire army, he is martial and flamboyant, but he is also thoughtful and strategizing. He is well versed in the art of war. He knows how to advance and retreat, and knows gains and losses. Even in the Ming Dynasty where fierce generals are like clouds and advisers are like rain, he is a first-class figure. .
The Sixth Prince was a man of extraordinary talent, as gentle as jade, smart but not obvious, tolerant and restrained, careful at every step, with ravines in his chest and mountains in his eyes. Although he was young, his city was not inferior to that of a veteran official who had been ups and downs for decades.
The Ninth Prince is elegant and unrestrained, refined from the secular world, but he is also exquisite and kind to others. Among all the princes, he is the only one who looks most like the Holy Emperor when he was young. Moreover, his mother is as gorgeous as a noble concubine, dominating the harem. "
Cao A'han smiled and nodded. Cao Zhengchun's analysis can be said to be as accurate as a whip. Although it missed the mark, it was not far off. However, it was because his status was too low and the information he came across was not comprehensive enough. A prince was missing from it. To be honest, he knew about that incident at the beginning. At that time, Cao Ah Ma himself couldn't believe it. Afterwards, he verified it through his own channels before he was finally convinced.
"That's a good answer. I'm making progress, but you missed one person."
Cao Zhengchun was shocked when he heard this. He had been ambitious since he was a child, so he paid special attention to these things. Could it be that a new prince appeared while he was out of the capital? It shouldn't be. I have only been out of the capital for more than a month. What can I do in such a short period of time? If this is the case, it must be an earth-shattering event. I should have heard about it even when I am away from home.
"Huh? I hope my adoptive father can help clarify the child's doubts."
Cao Aman smiled slightly and said word by word: "Eighth Prince."
The eighth prince is also Li Jie. Since Li Jie went out to travel around the world early and has not come back yet, Cao Zhengchun didn't know much about Li Jie. It was really strange when he decided on this name, but he knew that his adoptive father would never make a mistake. , since the adoptive father said it, there must be something that he doesn't know about.
Therefore, Cao Zhengchun made an expression of listening carefully.
