"Today, Your Majesty personally implemented the family law in the East Palace. This is because Your Majesty has the intention to depose the prince!" Prince Zhong still spoke openly.
Hearing what he said, the officials were shocked.
Gao Ming coughed repeatedly and did not answer King Zhong's words at all.
Because the matter of abolishing the crown prince should be decided by the emperor Qiangang and was not something that ministers could discuss.
The words of King Zhong are clearly arrogant.
Prince Li Chengji's face was even more ugly.
"Prince Zhong, do you have very good ears and eyes?" Emperor Li Hao said coldly.
He had just used family law to punish the prince, and Prince Zhong immediately received the news. This clearly means that he has spies in the palace.
As an emperor, what he hates most is that his ministers have evil intentions.
Isn't it a bit coveting to have an informant around you? !
"I'm scared." King Zhong realized that he had made a mistake and bowed quickly.
However, Xiang Nan didn't show any fear when he looked at him, and couldn't help but secretly thought that King Zhong looked cunning, but he was actually confused.
Since ancient times, in order to maintain their rule, emperors have set rules requiring the inner court not to associate with foreign ministers. The fear is that internal and external collusion will bring chaos to the court.
However, since ancient times, foreign ministers have inevitably colluded with internal ministers in order to figure out their superiors' intentions and listen to heaven. But this matter is classified as top secret, and even if it is done, it must not be said.
However, Prince Zhong openly declared that he had spies in the palace in front of the emperor, princes and ministers. After being beaten by the emperor, he still treated it so lightly and perfunctorily. It was simply arrogant, arrogant and ignorant of life and death.
It is no wonder that he collapsed quickly and ended up reducing his position to serve the people and never being an official.
…
"Marriage is also a matter of the harem. According to my wife's opinion, the nine princesses of Xizhou must marry the prince of my Toyo Dynasty. No matter who sits on the throne of the prince, the East Palace is there. Why not send envoys first? I went to propose marriage in the name of the East Palace to prevent the current situation from being unstable and causing turmoil." At this time, Queen Zhang Meiniang said.
When Xiang Nan heard this, he sighed inwardly, Zhang Meiniang was not a smart person either.
As a queen, her duty is to take care of the harem, so is she allowed to comment on the matter of deposing and establishing the prince? ! Besides, she herself is an interested party, so she can't say too much at this time to avoid telling the truth.
Sure enough, Li Hao still refused to speak after hearing her words.
"Your Majesty, I think..." Prince Zhong said again at this time.
Xiang Nan was worried about the second prince. With such a pig teammate, no matter how wise, mighty, ferocious and cunning he was, he would still be held back.
Judging from the emperor's beating just now, it is obvious that he is very dissatisfied with King Zhong. If he was smart, he would have shut up at this point. But he still had to say that he was so blind.
"Your Majesty, the veteran also has suggestions..." At this time, Gao Ming suddenly interrupted.
"High Minister, I haven't finished speaking yet." King Zhong saw him stopping himself from speaking and couldn't help but glared at him with dissatisfaction.
Emperor Li Hao ignored him at all, but turned to look at Gao Ming, "Mr. Gao, please speak~"
Prince Zhong immediately made a fuss, making Xiang Nan feel ashamed on his behalf.
"Your Majesty, I propose that the prince lead a delegation to Xizhou to propose marriage.
The prince is young and vigorous. This time he supervised the case of raising a son. He mistakenly believed the slander and misunderstood the minister. Your Majesty believes in me, and I am grateful. As a father, I know the depth of love and the depth of responsibility.
I beg your Majesty to let the prince make amends for his mistakes. If during this trip to the west, the prince can complete the marriage mission and return to the court with meritorious service, it will just stop the civil and military officials in the court from talking. Gao Ming said immediately.
These words were appropriate and beautiful, and they won my heart. Xiang Nan even secretly gave him a thumbs up.
You must know that Li Chengji has been the prince for more than ten years. People can feel affection for a dog after raising it for a few months, let alone a biological son who has been raising it for more than ten years.
No matter how hard-hearted Li Hao is, he still has feelings for Li Chengji.
Just like Li Chengyin said, "You are the one I have envied the most since I was a child, not because you are the prince, but because the way my father looks at you makes you more like a father."
Therefore, he actually did not want to lose the successor he had worked hard to cultivate for more than 20 years because of this case.
Neither King Zhong nor Zhang Meiniang realized this, but Gao Ming was familiar with the emperor's psychology, so he suggested that the prince should be punished and make meritorious service.
Asking to marry the Ninth Princess and stabilizing the Western Territory will naturally be a great contribution to the Toyo Dynasty.
In this way, the emperor was given a step so that he could get off the mountain. Not only can he keep his position as the prince, but he can also save his own face.
After all, the prince had previously called the emperor a coward, cold-blooded, harboring traitors, disregarding national laws, and even wearing filial piety in the palace. It was impossible for the emperor not to be angry, so he had to let his anger out.
Moreover, by speaking kindly to the prince, he was able to eliminate the suspicion that he had bribed the scholars and framed the prince.
It can be said that he kills two birds with one stone, extremely smart.
Sure enough, after listening to Gao Ming's suggestion, Emperor Li Hao finally nodded.
…
Subsequently, the emperor issued a decree demoting Li Chengji from prince to prince. However, it would inevitably cause turmoil in the government and the public, so it was kept secret.
He was ordered to go to the Western Zhou Dynasty to visit Princess Mingyuan, and by the way, he asked the King of Xizhou to marry the Ninth Princess. He went to serve in the Anhu Mansion in the Western Territory. He was not allowed to return to the court without achieving military merit.
Three days later, Xiang Nan went to Chengtianmen to see off Prince Li Chengji.
After arriving there, I saw the Yulin army standing on both sides of the imperial road with bright helmets.
Parked on the royal road was a magnificent car, which was the prince's chariot.
At this time, he was standing there with a solemn face.
"Brother, why are you like this~" Xiang Nan stepped forward and after the ceremony, he sighed.
If the prince does not act stupidly, he will become a great person sooner or later. This emperor's throne has no share of other brothers.
Now he has ended up being crippled, and not long after, he will be assassinated twice in a row. It is really pitiful.
"Fifth brother, before the emperor leaves, I want to tell you something. The thing more difficult than the emperor is the prince, and the thing more dangerous than the palace is the East Palace." Li Chengji told Xiang Nan, "Be careful in everything in the future and take care of yourself."
Xiang Nan nodded, "Thank you, brother. I will keep it in mind."
Since ancient times, there have been no fathers and sons in the royal family, and emperors have always had fewer brothers.
The prince is the only legal heir to the throne. As long as the emperor dies and can successfully ascend the throne, he will naturally become the person the emperor fears the most. After all, no one likes people who are looking forward to his death.
Therefore, princedom in all dynasties has always been a high-risk occupation. You can't perform too well and make the emperor feel wary; you can't perform too mediocre and make the emperor feel disgusted.
The proportion is very difficult to control.
Therefore, since ancient times, it has been difficult to become a prince, and countless people have been deposed and killed.
…
While the two were talking, the second prince Li Chengye, the third prince Li Chengwen, and the fourth prince Li Chengyuan also came respectively to express their farewell feelings to the eldest brother Li Chengji.
Especially the second prince Li Chengye's eyes were red, which made Xiang Nan admire his good acting skills.
You know, in the play it was he who sent an assassin to pretend to be a Danchi man to kill Li Chengji, and thereby became the prince of the East Palace.
Later, Emperor Li Zhen and Queen Zhang Meiniang arrived and jointly sent Prince Li Chengji on his way.
(End of chapter)
