Third Prince, you’re missing the point, aren’t you?
The Crown Prince quickly noticed something hard inside the Third Prince’s sleeve.
Not long, and slightly curved, it pressed closely against the inside of the elbow.
Could that be—a dagger?
The Crown Prince’s expression shifted subtly. The Third Prince lurking near the sleeping chambers was not surprising, and carrying a dagger for self-defense seemed reasonable. However, the Third Prince’s instinctive action of holding his arm tightly was unnatural.
Such defensive weapons are usually sewn into a small pocket on the inner clothing, tied securely so that they would not fall out like how the Third Prince was preventing the dagger from slipping.
Had the strap broken?
Or had the dagger not been fully inserted into the hidden pouch?
The Crown Prince looked at his brother, silent.
The Third Prince was initially puzzled, but slowly realized what was happening. His face turned beet red, and with a trembling hand, he inserted his left hand into his right sleeve, grabbing the dagger and said in a shaky voice, “It’s not what you think, eldest brother!”
Bearing a weapon and then lunging to hug the Crown Prince’s legs, could it be interpreted as harboring malicious intent to assassinate?
“Really, in fact, I am—”
“Plotting regicide?”
The Crown Prince’s voice was low, audible only to the Third Prince. The latter’s face turned from red to pale. He attempted to argue but struggled to articulate a complete sentence due to his clumsiness.
“Foolish.” The Crown Prince said, looking down.
The Third Prince’s body stiffened slightly.
“Lu Xi! You wish to kill our father, bearing the name of a regicide on my behalf?”
The Third Prince struggled to say, “No, I… only intended to kill someone.”
“And after the deed? I storm the palace, only to find our father assassinated by you, how would that look?” The Crown Prince sighed, massaging his temple, and said to his brother, “Think this through in your head, then tell me.”
With the Emperor gravely ill, the ministers tried to support the Third Prince’s ascension. Suddenly, the Crown Prince launched an attack on the Forbidden Palace, stormed into the Wanhe Hall, and abducted the high ministers from the Wenyuan Pavilion. Following that, the Third Prince attempted to assassinate the Emperor, leading to his demise. The Crown Prince, having ascended the throne with a kind heart, forgave his brother for his grave crimes and took extra care of him while under house arrest.
This was a perfect example of a coup d’état narrative, clearly fabricated to any outsider.
The Emperor was undoubtedly killed by the Crown Prince, leaving the unlucky Third Prince to bear the name of a regicide, forever severing his ties to the throne. Even whether the detained criminal, Lu Xi, was indeed the Third Prince is debatable; it’s possible that the Third Prince died that very night of the coup. The Crown Prince truly was ruthless, a patricide and fratricide!
The more the Third Prince thought about it, the more frightened he became, his body shaking uncontrollably.
“I was wrong, I dare not anymore,” the Third Prince finally understood. If he were to kill Lu Zhang, it would be as if he was casting irremovable stains on his eldest brother’s reputation, akin to a crime that couldn’t be washed away even if one jumped into the Yellow River!
He hurriedly concealed the dagger.
“I will leave now!”
The Third Prince quickly got up from the ground, wishing to leave the sleeping chambers immediately, returning his brother’s innocence.
“Stay right where you are.” The Crown Prince immediately intervened.
The imperial guards had not been completely subdued yet, and the ministers were also harboring their own schemes.
Among his brothers, the Third Prince was the one that caused the Crown Prince the most headaches; although the second brother was prone to causing trouble, he was willing to take responsibility, and the sixth had a peculiar temper but was clever.
The Third Prince, Lu Xi, was the kind that lacked in all areas, full of weaknesses.
Lu Xi’s only advantage was his appearance of weak incompetence, highly deceptive.
However, during a palace coup, the unlucky ones might be killed in confusion. Although the Crown Prince felt he had full control, he still didn’t want to expose the Third Prince to this risk.
“Where are you going?”
“I… I saw Master Meng earlier, and you, my eldest brother, have always spoken highly of him. He has also been to the palace before, accompanying second brother.” Lu Xi’s gaze flickered, wearing a look of seeking approval.
The Crown Prince slightly furrowed his brows, correcting him, “He’s your second brother.”
“Yes, yes, my second brother seemed very familiar with them.”
“Them?” The Crown Prince thought of the physician.
“Yes, and another who is said to be a friend of Meng Qi.” The Third Prince hesitated, then whispered, “I find their relationship quite unusual. If you, my eldest brother, wish to have Meng Qi, the virtuous minister, you might start with his friend.”
“…”
The Crown Prince was both amused and irritated, knowing more than the Third Prince. Yet, seeing the latter eagerly passing on the information, he couldn’t bring himself to say that the physician was more crucial than Meng Qi, as he could save lives.
“I’ve taken note of what you said.” The Crown Prince patted his brother’s shoulder, signaling him to step aside.
Satisfied, the Third Prince no longer minded the disdainful look from Steward Chen.
Steward Chen felt none of the prince’s brothers were of any relief to the Crown Prince, let alone sharing his worries.
The conversation between the Crown Prince and the Third Prince was only audible to Steward Chen, who was closest to them. The other ministers wore expressions of disbelief, almost suspecting the Crown Prince had drugged Lu Xi.
This was a struggle for the throne!
Lu Zhang was barely revived by the imperial physicians, unable to move or control his trembling hands. His eyes were wide, staring intently at the Third Prince.
“Your Majesty, please do not anger further, as it may harm your internal organs, scattering your vital energy…”
The imperial physician reminded him, tremblingly, his words directed at the emperor but his eyes inevitably drifting towards the Crown Prince.
Meng Qi, who had leaped onto a beam amidst the chaos, shook his head upon hearing this. Although Lu Zhang’s vital energy was chaotic, the situation wasn’t dire. If a master of internal energy intervened, even if they couldn’t remove the disruptive qi, they could at least restore Lu Zhang’s mobility.
Death was an exaggeration.
The physician’s words actually offered the Crown Prince a pretext for the emperor’s demise.
—The second prince conspired with rogues to rebel, the emperor fell ill from anger, and with the third prince being incompetent, the capital remained in chaos despite a lockdown. Thus, the Crown Prince entered the palace to purge the rebels, finding the emperor beyond help and was compelled to take over the throne, legitimizing his rule!
“Imperial Physician Li, don’t let your cleverness be your downfall.” Steward Chen narrowed his eyes, ominously threatening.
The head of the Imperial Physician’s Court dared not respond, but a voice among the ministers shouted, “How dare a eunuch be so presumptuous?”
Steward Chen smirked, his smile neither warm nor genuine, “Could it be that Minister Jiang did not catch the implied meaning in Imperial Physician Li’s words?”
This remark caused those who hadn’t realized the implication to suddenly look alarmed.
Lu Zhang wished he could flay the imperial physician alive with his gaze.
Imperial Physician Li turned pale, hurriedly kneeling, “Your Majesty, please discern, I am wronged, truly worried about Your Majesty’s health, this pulse is clearly…”
He stopped speaking, intimidated by Lu Zhang’s glaring eyes.
“Let me see Father Emperor.” The Crown Prince said calmly.
“Your Highness!”
“Eldest brother!”
Many voices simultaneously objected.
Though Lu Zhang was old and bedridden, his presence still commanded respect. The Third Prince, Steward Chen, and the guards were all against the Crown Prince taking such a risk. Who knew if a servant by Lu Zhang’s side might suddenly lash out?
Steward Chen might not care about his own safety, but the others couldn’t say the same.
The Crown Prince remained composed, raising Meng Qi’s regard for him even further.
For not only did the Crown Prince’s gaze calm the agitated Third Prince and others, but even the previously struggling cat lay lazily subdued under the Crown Prince’s command.
Meng Qi was speechless.
This was indeed remarkable!
The Crown Prince slowly stood up, then coughed twice, his face turning pale.
Although he looked somewhat unwell, compared to an emperor who might have suffered a stroke, the Crown Prince’s condition was negligible.
The imperial physicians looked at each other, bewildered. Since medical records were often falsified, not every physician was aware of the Crown Prince’s illness. However, some of them had previously treated the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace. Given his condition at the time, it was surprising he was alive today, let alone standing before them?
Imperial Physician Li’s expression changed multiple times before he seemed to make a decision, suddenly jumping up and loudly declaring, “He is not the Crown Prince! The Crown Prince has been gravely ill, barely able to speak. This person is an impostor!”
The people inside the hall were shocked, just as a flash of lightning streaked outside,
“Boom!”
The thunder made the palace servants tremble with fear, their gazes filled with terror.
The ministers looked at the Crown Prince with confusion.
Steward Chen and the nearby guards were initially startled, then showed angry expressions, but they were not as quick to react.
“Nonsense!”
The Third Prince, enraged, sprang up like a leopard, grabbing Imperial Physician Li by the collar and shaking him fiercely.
“Villain! Spouting nonsense! You switch to slandering when you find you cannot please my eldest brother!”
Imperial Physician Li struggled desperately, their shouting disturbing Ah Hu, the cat, which let out an annoyed cry.
The Crown Prince, weakened, couldn’t hold on, and Ah Hu sprang out.
“Meow!”
The cat scratched at Imperial Physician Li’s clothes, stepping on the Third Prince, who instinctively let go.
Imperial Physician Li scrambled towards the bed, wishing he could seek the senior ministers’ protection. However, the guards had separated these officials, and the physicians were placed on the other side of the sleeping chamber, unable to approach.
“The true Crown Prince couldn’t possibly…”
“Imperial Physician Li, when you visited the Eastern Palace, you didn’t say this,” the Crown Prince caught his breath and said amiably, “You mentioned it was just a minor illness due to the winter chill, that I would recover with care once spring warmed up. The medical records also state this, so how did it suddenly become incurable?”
Imperial Physician Li was at a loss for words and quickly said, “His Majesty ordered us not to disclose the Crown Prince’s condition to avoid worrying him. The medical records do not say this; Zhang, Jiang, everything I have said is true. If you do not believe me, you can verify at the Imperial Medical Bureau.”
Steward Chen also realized what was happening and immediately questioned, “Illnesses have their origins and developments. Since last autumn, Your Highness has been unwell, and the medical records from the Imperial Medical Bureau have always indicated nothing serious. Are you saying those were also falsified on His Majesty’s orders out of concern?”
Imperial Physician Li was speechless.
Since the medical records were all falsified to cover up previous diagnostic errors, discovering the Crown Prince’s critical condition necessitated further embellishments. If investigated closely, one would find that the Crown Prince’s condition had deteriorated suddenly without warning, and the consistency in the medical bureau’s records was vague at best, convincing no one.
“This… unless the Crown Prince allows me to take his pulse… The Crown Prince has been frail for years, and I have been ordered to treat him in the Eastern Palace for many years. The pulse cannot lie.”
The Crown Prince remained silent, just looking at him coldly.
The Third Prince’s hand retracted into his sleeve, his gaze filled with murderous intent toward Imperial Physician Li, but he knew that killing him would only confirm suspicions of silencing a witness.
At that moment, Lu Zhang’s throat emitted a vague sound. He seemed to be mocking his sons for their intricate plans, now thrown into disarray by an imperial physician.
The Crown Prince closed his eyes, and with Steward Chen’s support, approached the Third Prince. He addressed the assembly of ministers, speaking solemnly, “A few days ago, my second brother attempted to assassinate His Majesty, and today I have seized the imperial city. You all must be wondering, why would members of the imperial family come to this.”
Prime Minister Zhang smirked, and some people were skeptical.
For the throne, the imperial family didn’t behave like a family at all!
“After my accession, the historians need not employ the Spring and Autumn Annals style. They may directly record my crime—usurping the throne and patricide!”
The last four words were spoken with utmost coldness, leaving everyone astonished. The Third Prince stepped forward, his expression confused and overwhelmed.
Lu Zhang struggled fiercely but could only make a slight noise with the bed board.
“Patricide and regicide are grave crimes, unpardonable,” the Crown Prince continued calmly, “Prime Minister Jiang, if a man kills his own son, causing his wedded wife to die of grief, how should a son act in response?”
Prime Minister Jiang was shocked, as were the other ministers, showing puzzled expressions.
The early demise of Empress Ning was known to all.
The premature deaths of the fourth and fifth princes, along with the two princesses, seemed to occur after Empress Ning’s death. The Crown Prince’s words seemed out of place, completely off the mark.
“Eldest brother…” Lu Xi called out in urgency.
In those times, it was common for children to die young, and the records of the Imperial Medical Bureau were unreliable. The Crown Prince’s words, lacking evidence, might instead be twisted by Imperial Physician Li to his advantage. How could the Third Prince not be anxious?
Only Lu Zhang’s expression changed drastically.
“About twenty or so years ago, my mother… no, at that time she was merely Madame Lu, the favored wife of a great general trusted by Chu Emperor Ling. She already had an eldest son, and that autumn, she was preparing to give birth to her second child. I was waiting in the Jade Gauze Cabinet behind the main hall, and I fell asleep waiting. In the middle of the night, chaos erupted outside, and as I rushed into the chamber where my mother was in labor, I saw someone violently throw a swaddled baby to the ground.”
Silence fell over the sleeping chamber.
The Crown Prince looked at Lu Zhang, whose gaze was filled with shock and anger, and slowly said, “Your Majesty probably doesn’t remember, after all, it was just a child scared into crying, soon scooped up by a servant. What could a child of less than three years know? But I will never forget that moment!”
Madame Lu fell ill for several years and, although she eventually became the empress, died early.
And that person who became the Crown Prince, would subconsciously keep a close watch on his brother.
When Lu Min was born, Lu Zhang had not yet ascended the throne. Even though the child was born of a concubine, every time Lu Huang saw his brother in swaddles, he would dream of that blood-soaked swaddle that night.
“My mother gave birth to a stillborn, she injured her body, my father took many concubines, all from ministerial families.” The Crown Prince deliberately twisted the narrative, looking at Lu Zhang with an expressionless face, “Since then, did Father Emperor ever step half a foot into my mother’s chamber? Did he ever visit the Empress’s palace? She wasn’t even buried in the imperial tomb. If not for Father Emperor caring about appearances, my mother wouldn’t even have received a posthumous title.”
Lu Zhang’s rage made it impossible for him to speak.
He wanted to say that Lady Ning gave birth to a monster!
Who would want to look twice at a woman who birthed a monster? Sealing her as the empress was already giving the Ning family face! He had done all he could, then what?
However, when Lu Zhang saw the varied expressions of the ministers, he suddenly came to his senses.
—How could he speak of a monster? His son, a monster? Then what was he?
It could only be that Lady Ning was unfaithful, committing adultery to conceive!
Lu Zhang no longer cared about the shame of being cuckolded; trembling, he struggled to mutter a few words, which Imperial Physician Li immediately leaned in to hear.
Physician Li was speechless, the idea of Empress Ning having an affair? Speaking such words would be a death sentence for him.
Physician Li grabbed a servant, demanding, “Quick, what did His Majesty say?”
The palace servants, not fools, seeing Physician Li’s reaction and upon a closer listen, immediately felt their legs go weak, quickly kowtowing, “I truly couldn’t hear clearly!”
Physician Li, frustrated, grabbed another servant.
Thus, Emperor Lu Zhang spoke desperately, while the servants shook their heads, crying that they couldn’t understand.
Prime Minister Zhang wanted to step forward, but was ruthlessly blocked by the guards.
Prime Minister Jiang, after calming himself, loudly asked, “Does the Crown Prince have evidence?”
The Crown Prince nodded confidently, saying, “My mother hailed from the Ning family in the northern border, relocated to the southwestern frontier after the Chu dynasty. That year, loyal servants from the Ning family in the Lu residence fought to rescue the infant. In fact, the child survived against all odds, later taken in by a temple near the border city by the Ning family, his whereabouts unknown after reaching adulthood. Four years ago, I finally found that temple, but it was a step too late.”
Prime Minister Zhang’s expression changed drastically upon hearing the name of the Ning family.
The Third Prince, looking dazedly at the Crown Prince and then at Lu Zhang, woodenly said, “So… I am not the Third Prince, I should be ranked fourth, and my eldest brother has another brother of the same parents?”
“These are all your words, Your Highness. Even if the Ning family testifies, it proves nothing,” Prime Minister Zhang said sharply.
The Crown Prince, having spoken so much, was nearly at his limit, wearily said, “Prime Minister Zhang misunderstands.”
Steward Chen helped the Crown Prince into the palanquin, then turned to catch the cat. Likely due to frequently catching it in the Eastern Palace, he easily chased Ah Hu into the palanquin.
As the Crown Prince caught his breath, coughing twice then speaking solemnly, “Those words were meant for my father. Guards… take action!”
The guards by the palanquin suddenly drew their swords, quickly pushing aside the palace servants and physicians, in the horrified and enraged gaze of Emperor Lu Zhang, their swords fell in chaos.
Blood splattered.
As the palanquin curtain slowly fell, the Crown Prince’s eyes showed neither joy nor sorrow, unemotionally commanding, “Purge the Inner City, bring my order, and summon General Liu Dan to the palace.”
Author’s Note:
The Third Prince, Lu Xi, means joy and is also pronounced as ‘Xi’.
