After the eldest prince Li Yong entered the palace, he was taken to a side hall by several young eunuchs arranged by Wei Zhongxian and locked up under supervision.
The other ministers in the court who were qualified to enter the palace to meet the Holy Spirit were brought by Wei Zhongxian to the side hall where the Queen was tied up.
As a result, everyone subconsciously believed that Emperor Li Xuanji was scared to death by the Empress.
The second prince also began to add insult to injury, saying that the eldest prince was probably behind his father's death, and that he wanted to ascend the throne in one fell swoop after his crazy mother scared his father to death.
It was then that the ministers and officials realized that the eldest prince had not shown up, and many people felt that the second prince's speculation was very reasonable.
Wei Zhongxian pretended to be a good person and said: "The second prince, don't say that, the eldest prince might be delayed by something!"
"Moreover, the eldest prince is both the direct descendant of the queen and the eldest son. Your Majesty, the throne will definitely belong to the eldest prince a hundred years from now. How could he destroy the Great Wall and try to murder your majesty!"
The second prince, Li Xian, snorted coldly and said, "Father, he did not appoint my eldest brother as the prince, so why are we talking about who the throne will be passed to?"
"You think so, third brother?"
The third prince Li Rui's attention was completely attracted by the beautiful legs in silk stockings of the imperial concubine. He could not hear clearly what his second brother just said.
"Ah? Second brother, what did you just say? My father passed away suddenly. I am really in a daze and can't adapt!"
The second prince Li Xian smiled jokingly. He had not noticed that his third brother's eyes had clearly been fixed on the demon concubine Li Wanji just now.
However, the second prince Li Xian did not point out this point. Instead, he patted the third prince on the shoulder and said: "Third brother, don't be too sad. Both life and death are destined!"
The third prince Li Rui still didn't pay too much attention to his second brother's words. Although his eyes were no longer staring at Li Wanji this time, he was staring at his father's body again.
Looking at some of Li Xuanji's towering parts, Li Rui guessed that his father must have taken some aphrodisiac and was so excited that he was frightened to death by the sudden arrival of the queen.
“I don’t know what kind of medicine my father took that actually made him become stronger after death!”
In the side hall, all the ministers didn't know what to do at this moment.
Some people still believe that according to the ancestral system, the eldest prince who is the legitimate eldest son should succeed to the throne and ascend the throne to mourn the late emperor.
Some ministers still objected, thinking that there was something fishy about this matter and that it was most likely the eldest prince's doing. If he rashly made the eldest prince the emperor, if it was later found out that it was the eldest prince who killed the emperor, it would be a disaster for thousands of years.
At this time, the ministers were divided into two factions, one supported the eldest prince's succession to the throne, and the other opposed the eldest prince's ascension to the throne. The two factions were quarreling in the side hall.
The treacherous prime minister Yan Song had a headache from the noise of these people and shouted: "Please be quiet. This is the inner courtyard of the palace after all, not a place for discussion and discussion. Let's move to the court hall!"
For a moment, there was silence in the side hall. Under the leadership of Yan Song, all the ministers came to the hall where they went to court.
When they arrived at the court, Yan Song pulled Wei Zhongxian over and asked, "Eunuch Wei, has your Majesty ever mentioned which prince to pass the throne to?"
Wei Zhongxian was a little nervous at first, thinking that old thief Yan Song had discovered some clues about Zhou Yi and his plan.
After hearing Yan Song's question, Wei Zhongxian was secretly happy.
However, Wei Zhongxian still pretended to be sad and beat his thigh and said: "The incident happened suddenly. Your Majesty was suddenly... frightened to death. There was no time to say anything about the succession to the throne!"
"Eunuch Wei, I mean, has His Majesty ever mentioned in private which prince he wants to pass the throne to?"
Wei Zhongxian shook his head desperately, shaking his head like a rattle.
"It's not like you don't know, Prime Minister Yan. His Majesty feels that he is in his prime, and the most annoying thing is for others to ask who will inherit the throne in front of him!"
Yan Song and all the ministers sighed after hearing this. For a time, the palace was filled with sighs of "I can't help it."
Just when everyone was extremely disappointed, Wei Zhongxian pretended to look up into the court hall.
After Wei Zhongxian glanced around the hall, he suddenly looked at the upright and bright plaque in the hall.
Yan Song also noticed Wei Zhongxian's wandering eyes and asked, "Eunuch Wei, did you find anything wrong?"
"Prime Minister Yan, I suddenly remembered something and I don't know if it has anything to do with the succession of the throne."
Now that there was an opportunity, Yan Song curiously asked hurriedly: "Oh? What is it?"
"Your Majesty once woke up from a nightmare and started writing something alone in the imperial study. At that time, he did not let us take care of him."
"After finishing writing, His Majesty put the handwriting into a brocade box. Finally, he asked us to carry a ladder. His Majesty personally hid the brocade box behind the bright plaque in the court hall."
Upon hearing this, all the princes and ministers in the court looked towards the upright and bright plaque without exception.
Countless ministers and servants in the court began to chatter about what Emperor Li Xuan would put behind the bright plaque.
At this time, Yan Song's son Yan Kuan also came to help. He came to his old father's side and asked: "Father, do you think His Majesty will write which prince will inherit his throne?"
One stone stirred up a thousand waves, and Yan Song immediately ordered someone to bring the chair.
Since it was hidden by the emperor himself, Yan Song was the oldest among the ministers, so the glorious mission of climbing up to retrieve the brocade box fell into the hands of the old thief Yan Song.
Although the ladder was supported by more than a dozen of his subordinates, Yan Song still climbed tremblingly.
After finally taking out the brocade box behind the upright and bright plaque, the ministers and princes were all staring at the box, expecting that what was in the box would be Li Xuanji's edict of succession.
The one who cared most about it was Yan Song's son Yan Kuan. He walked up to Yan Song excitedly and said in a urging tone: "Father, please open the brocade box quickly and see what your Majesty has left behind!"
Yan Song glared at his incompetent son, and immediately frightened Yan Kuan and took two steps back.
Yan Song then said to Cai Yuanmao, the Minister of Household Affairs who was second only to him in seniority in the court: "I took down this brocade box. In order to avoid suspicion, I handed it over to Cai Yuanmao to open it. I don't know. Do you think it’s appropriate?”
Cai Yuanmao smiled coquettishly, and followed the officials in praising Yan Song for his thoughtful ideas.
Yan Song then said to the ministers: "The rest of the people should retreat ten steps away from Cai Shangshu!"
"Cai Shangshu, please take a look. If this brocade box is indeed His Majesty's edict of passing on the throne, then please read it to all the ministers and princes. If it is not the edict of passing on the throne, His Majesty must have hidden it here during his lifetime. If you don’t want others to know, just put it back in the box!”
