bullyxtreme Chapter 210 8 Princes
Chapter 210 8 Princes
The old emperor felt much better after taking the heart-protecting pill.
But everyone knows that this is just an enhanced version of a final burst of energy before death.
Jin Zekang put on a good act; his sorrowful expression made it seem like he cared a lot about his father.
The old emperor knew he had underestimated his son, and normally he would have suppressed him to show off his power.
When his son was young, he liked that his son was intelligent, but as he grew older and his son grew up, his attitude changed.
He gets angry when his son is stupid, but if his son shows intelligence, he feels like he's facing a formidable enemy and wishes he could scold his son to death.
However, in these turbulent times, he now hopes to have a smart son.
After all, if the Jin dynasty were to fall into the hands of an idiot, he wouldn't be able to face his ancestors.
However, they were still wary of Jin Zekang.
Although he held his hand and looked like a loving father, saying he would hand over the throne to him.
However, the task of searching the inner palace and summoning ministers was still left to the Eastern Depot.
He didn't believe that Consort Xian's people could kill all his sons; it would be a good thing if two of his youngest sons survived.
Although under the current circumstances, he cannot possibly bypass the fourth brother and establish a baby.
But they are still my own children, and it's always good to have more bloodlines around.
As for the fourth son, the one who endured until now and became the final winner was more cunning than he had imagined.
He was afraid that Jin Zekang would decide to eliminate all the princes to prevent future troubles.
So what if victory is assured?
So what if it's a done deal?
Those who ultimately emerge victorious are rarely kind; who knows if they might be looking for a foolproof solution?
Jin Zekang could easily see through his father's little scheme, and since he had no intention of ascending the throne, he naturally wouldn't stop him.
He'll do good deeds to the end, and as regent, he'll be remembered for all time, respected by everyone, and his position will be rightfully his.
Xiao Yuan had already secretly distributed his trusted eunuchs throughout the palace through Xiao Ling.
When Consort Xian led her men to ambush the concubines and princes in the harem, they were blocked by the Imperial Guards. Later, the Left Prime Minister's men also appeared, resulting in a three-way battle.
Xiao Yuan's men took advantage of the chaos and hid several young princes and princesses.
When the old emperor saw the row of little radishes being carried up, he thought they were all corpses, and his qi and blood, which had been boosted by the Heart-Protecting Pill, almost collapsed.
Xiao Yuan quickly pinched the bottom of a chubby little boy, and the boy's loud cry immediately delighted the old emperor.
"Your Majesty, please rest assured, the princes and princesses are just asleep."
Unfortunately, His Highness the Crown Prince and the eldest grandson of the Emperor were the first to suffer the Second Prince's revenge, and we were unable to save them.
Then there's the Fifth Prince outside the palace…
The joy on the old emperor's face faded.
"Forget it, that wretched child is just wasting the imperial salary by living."
Fourth Prince, look back and see if the Crown Prince has any surviving offspring.
"If we don't adopt the twelfth child, we might as well not let your eldest brother's family line end."
The twelfth prince, who was still crying loudly after Xiao Yuan pinched his butt, suffered an undeserved disaster without understanding anything.
First, he was almost replaced by the Left Prime Minister's men, then he was pinched on the butt, and now he's about to be adopted by his own father to be his brother's son.
The little guy was silly and sniffled as Xiao Yuan stuffed him back into his wet nurse's arms, biting his fingers and looking completely foolish.
Jiang Xinyu, dressed as a little eunuch and hiding in the corner, looked around curiously, only to find herself staring at the unlucky little fellow.
The little thing actually laughed, revealing two tiny, rice-grain-sized teeth that looked quite adorable.
Jiang Xinyu was also amused, thinking that she could take the little dumpling home to play with for a couple of days when she had time.
Natural childbirth is never as easy or quick as a natural birth!
She's the kind of lazy bum who's not suited to raising kids; she's better suited to occasionally playing around with other people's kids.
Many ministers in the court knew that today would not be peaceful, and they were especially on edge when they saw the bloodstains at the palace gate.
The old emperor, supported by Xiao Yuan and Jin Zekang, sat on the dragon throne, watching the ministers below angrily denounce the second and third princes and the left prime minister for their treasonous acts.
Overcome with emotion, he coughed repeatedly and spat out blood, prompting the authorities to order Zhang Zhongyi to be beaten to death in front of all the ministers.
He also issued an edict to execute the entire household of the Left Prime Minister and demote all the people in the residences of the Second and Third Princes to commoners.
Furthermore, the Second Prince's wife, the daughter of the Left Prime Minister, was given a white silk ribbon.
The entire maternal family of the Third Prince was executed.
The eldest branch of Consort Xian's family was dismissed from their posts and imprisoned.
The old emperor only punished the wife of Consort Xian's brother, not to atone for his mistake in accusing Consort Xian of poisoning the third son.
However, the second and third branches of Consort Xian's family hold significant military power and cannot be easily touched.
After his death, the new emperor ascended the throne at a time when he needed capable people. Rashly punishing too many people might cause turmoil in the court.
As for the third son's mother's family and the Duke of England's mansion, they were just impoverished households, so killing them was acceptable.
Their blood will serve as a deterrent to the court officials, preventing them from underestimating the imperial family.
After giving all his instructions, the old emperor was already out of breath and exhausted. He announced in court that Prince An would inherit the throne.
Jin Zekang immediately knelt down with a thud. "Come on, it's time to show off your acting skills."
The old emperor had assumed that his fourth son was a cunning, treacherous, and ambitious man.
Unexpectedly, he misjudged the situation once again, as Jin Zekang actually said he was willing to assist the new king as a wise ruler.
His bizarre move left all the ministers completely bewildered, wondering what he was up to.
Now, the first, second, third, and fifth princes, who are all adults, have all passed away. The sixth prince, although seventeen or eighteen years old, is a stutterer and has no chance of becoming the emperor.
The remaining princes are too young and the emperor is nearing his end; it's unlikely to be a test. At this point, why would you refuse?
Normally, it would be fine if you pretended to decline and made excuses, but is this the time to be aloof?
Didn't you see that your father on the throne is having trouble breathing?
If you keep being so fake and polite, you might end up with nothing.
Jin Zekang wasn't just being polite; he stated his point of view very seriously.
He had already been granted the title of Prince An, which meant he had withdrawn from the competition for the throne. At this point, it would be against ancestral rules for him to ascend the throne again.
He never coveted the throne; he was only interested in being a good son and a good minister, so he was willing to give up the throne.
Furthermore, he had suffered a serious injury in the past, which made his legs and feet unsteady. Although he has recovered well now, he still has a slight limp.
In the past, he appeared in public in a wheelchair because he did not want to lose face for the royal family; now he is even more determined not to tarnish the throne.
Of course, the most important point is that he is widowed and has no children.
Therefore, it would be best to choose the successor from among his brothers.
To be honest, all his reasons are like bullshit; anyone with a brain wouldn't believe them.
But he was adamant that he only wanted to be a wise king to assist the new emperor, and even swore that he would never ascend the throne in his lifetime.
Of course, the singing, recitation, acting, and martial arts performances were all sincere and heartfelt, full of admiration and respect for the emperor.
The ministers were disgusted by what they heard, but the old emperor was moved to tears. Seeing that he insisted on not accepting the throne, he directly appointed him as regent.
The sixth child is definitely not going to make it, and the seventh through twelfth children are all little kids.
Even the old emperor himself didn't know which one was better or worse.
In other families, at most the father and son don't get along, but in their family... the father and son aren't close.
Since he wouldn't be the one assisting him in the future anyway, the old emperor simply handed over the decision-making power to his son, who was exceptionally filial and righteous.
Jin Zekang did not disappoint him and did not choose those infants in an attempt to control the government for a longer period of time.
Instead, they chose the seventh-year-old eighth prince.
The tutor who was teaching the princes immediately knelt down excitedly to answer everyone's questions.
It is said that the Eighth Prince is intelligent and quick-witted, and his studies are better than those of the previous princes.
The Regent's selection of the Eighth Prince was truly selfless and for the sake of the Great Jin Dynasty.
Now the court officials had a much better impression of Jin Zekang, and the old emperor was so excited that he bestowed upon him a golden whip and an imperial sword.