Cai Yuanmao, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, carefully took the brocade box from Yan Song's hand, chin slightly, and then opened the brocade box hidden behind the upright and bright plaque with an uneasy mood under the gaze of all the ministers.
At this moment, a discordant voice sounded.
"Cai Shangshu, please wait~"
Everyone followed the sound and found that the person who interrupted Cai Yuanmao's opening of the box was none other than the second prince Li Xian.
Yan Song bowed slightly and asked the second prince, "I wonder if the second prince has any advice?"
The second prince walked up to Cai Yuanmao and said: "Since this brocade box was left by my father, it should naturally be opened by someone from my royal family. What if there is something embarrassing about my father in it, and it is seen by you ministers? Wouldn’t it be wise to hurt him!”
"Brother, what you said is wrong. Didn't the Prime Minister just arrange for Cai Shangshu to see the contents of this brocade box first? If the contents inside really hurt my father's wisdom, Cai Shangshu would not publicize it!" The fourth emperor Li Pi opposed the second prince in public.
The second prince Li Xian directly gave his fourth brother a moral kidnapping, saying: "Fourth brother, my father's body is still cold, and you contradict your brother like this. You know that my father values filial piety the most. Your behavior will make us brothers Isn't it because you want your father to die in peace?"
The fourth prince, Li Pi, did not accept this trick and said with a sneer: "This matter concerns our country, the country. My second brother randomly tore off the tiger skin of filial piety as a banner. Could it be that he wanted to cover up something?"
The second prince was a little angry at what his fourth brother said. What could he do to hide it? He just wanted to see what was in the blind box as soon as possible!
"You...you...you still think that I am your second brother!"
"You also said that you are the second brother, but not the eldest brother. You are neither the direct descendant nor the eldest brother!"
The second prince was a clumsy person and not good at arguing, so his face turned red when his fourth brother said this.
But at this time, someone finally noticed that the eldest prince was not at the scene.
"Where has the eldest prince gone?" These princes and ministers kept looking around.
At this time, Wei Zhongxian hurriedly stepped forward to shirk the blame and said: "Everyone, because His Majesty was scared to death by the Queen, so in order to avoid anyone suspecting that the eldest prince was responsible, Prime Minister Yan asked our family to trap the eldest prince first. "
Yan Song rolled his eyes at Wei Zhongxian, and then had to stand up and Chen Qing said: "Yes, it is indeed me who asked Eunuch Wei to take the eldest prince to a secret place first."
"After all, the eldest prince is not only the legitimate son of the emperor and the empress, but also the eldest son in my royal family. I am doing this to protect the eldest prince."
The reasons Yan Song made up really convinced the ministers and princes.
Now the main hall is divided into three groups. One group demands that the eldest prince be released and work together to uncover the secrets in the brocade box. The other group does not want to amplify the prince. The cause of the emperor's death is inextricably linked to the eldest prince. Even if it is to be released, it must wait until the contents of the brocade box are revealed.
As for the third part, the third prince Li Rui huddled in the corner and watched the show.
Li Rui knew that because of his background, he would never be able to take the throne. It would be fine for him to be a idle prince who ate, drank, whored and gambled.
Now that my father is dead, the only regret is whether his beautiful concubine Li Wanji will be dragged to be buried with the late emperor. It would be a pity if that were the case.
Yan Song thought for a while and decided to let Wei Zhongxian release the eldest prince.
After the eldest prince came out of trouble, he came to the court, led by several swollen-faced little eunuchs.
On the way, the eldest prince already knew from the little eunuch that he was trapped because 'Yan Song' had instructed Wei Zhongxian to do this.
So as soon as he came to the court, the eldest prince slapped Wei Zhongxian twice.
"Damn eunuch, you dare to do this to this prince, you are really tired of living, aren't you?"
The eldest prince actually said this to Yan Song, but after all, Yan Song was extremely powerful. Even if he ascended the throne now, he would have to rely on him for a long time, so this slap could only hit Wei Zhongxian's face.
Wei Zhongxian accepted these two slaps with a smile, and then slapped himself a few more times to apologize, but Wei Zhongxian was thinking sinisterly in his heart: "Li Yong, Li Yong, you wait for our family, today these two I will slap you in the future to make you look good!"
Yan Song naturally knew that the eldest prince was speaking to him, but he was also happy to see Wei Zhongxian, who had just dumped the blame on him, be punished, so he did not say anything more, but continued to speak to Cai Yuanmao, who was holding the brocade box. : "Since the eldest prince has arrived, then Cai Shangshu, please continue!"
This time, no one opposed Yan Song's order.
The brocade box was opened, and a bright yellow silk cloth lay quietly inside. This kind of cloth could only be used by the royal family.
Cai Yuanmao, the Minister of Household Affairs, took out the cloth and found that it was indeed written by His Majesty himself as Wei Zhongxian said.
Yan Kuan, the son of Yan Song, asked impatiently: "Shang Shu Cai, please take a look at this cloth to see if it is the imperial edict of the late emperor's succession!"
Cai Yuanmao spread out the cloth, looked at it carefully, and then said excitedly: "Yes, yes! This is His Majesty's edict of succession!"
"What did His Majesty say in his edict?" All the princes and ministers urged.
Cai Yuanmao thought leisurely: "I have heard that there is no death for the birth of all things in the world; the dead are the principles of heaven and earth, and the nature of all things. I was frightened by nightmares tonight, and I couldn't sleep after being silent for a long time. I suddenly felt like a dream. , my life is short, if something unexpected happens, and the edict is not clear, I am afraid that the Chen Sheji will be in chaos. I have three sons, Li Rui, who are smart and talented, benevolent and filial. ribbon!"
After hearing what Cai Yuanmao read, all the ministers and officials exclaimed in surprise.
"What? Your Majesty passes the throne to the third prince?"
"It's actually the third prince who will inherit the throne?"
...
No one present thought that this dissolute third prince with no background support would actually inherit the throne.
And the third prince Li Rui, who found a pillar to lean on and sleep lazily, heard a thunderbolt explode in his mind when he heard Cai Yuanmao read out the edict, dispelling his original sleepiness without a trace.
"I'm not dreaming, am I? Father will pass the throne to me?"
"If that's the case, wouldn't those beautiful legs...hehehe..."
The third prince went from bored to shocked, and from shocked to overjoyed.
Wei Zhongxian, who had been slapped several times by the eldest prince, took advantage of the astonishment of the ministers and officials. He was the first to quickly walk to the third prince Li Rui and kneel down. He shouted loudly: "I am here to see your majesty, long live my emperor." Long live."
