The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Emperor Emeritus looked at the Third Prince's eager gaze and sneered, "What, do you also think that I am not worthy to sit in this position, and that you should sit in it?"

"My grandson doesn't dare."

The third prince quickly lowered his head, concealing the coldness in his eyes.

If he hadn't been certain that Emperor Ningkang was biased, if the pressure from the Fourth Prince's faction hadn't been too great, and if he hadn't lacked sufficient military power, why would he have taken such a risky step and pledged allegiance to the Retired Emperor?

Anyway, this old man doesn't have many days left to live.

The important affairs of state still require my help to handle.

Once I've established my legitimate identity and accumulated enough strength, if that old bastard is still alive, I'll send him on his way too.

With a snort, the retired emperor looked at his ministers and said, "You all think I am unworthy to sit in this position?"

It was a pity for the Third Prince's faction.

But I'm also happy, after all, he's now the Crown Prince, isn't he?

The fourth prince's faction frowned slightly.

Compared to the Third Prince's ascension to the throne, the restoration of the retired emperor would actually be better for them.

There is still room for negotiation.

For the neutral party, it's simple.

Neutrality, in this context, likely refers to conservatism and adherence to outdated practices.

Since he was a person who followed the old ways, he would naturally be intimidated by the former power of the retired emperor.

After all, most of them have lived under the rule of the emperor since birth.

Just as Zhao Dongsheng was about to say something, Wang Ziteng quickly stepped forward, tugged at his sleeve, and gestured towards the outside.

Zhao Dongsheng felt a chill run down his spine.

How could he forget that the Third Prince's troops are still outside?

If I were to step forward now, there's no guarantee this guy wouldn't take the opportunity to eliminate his rivals.

Seeing that he had appeased Zhao Dongsheng, Prince Teng immediately stepped forward and kowtowed to the Emperor Emeritus: "Your Majesty, we respectfully request that you be restored to the throne."

Wang Ziteng was also one of the leading figures in the Fourth Prince's faction. Seeing his statement, everyone, though still having doubts, quickly followed suit.

If the Fourth Prince's faction kneels down, then everyone else, whether they are the Third Prince's faction or neutral parties, has no reason not to kneel as well.

Most of them knelt down, and even the stubborn old men like Kong Si, who felt it was inappropriate for the retired emperor to be restored to the throne, were helpless.

After all, they were used to kneeling, and since Emperor Ningkang was still unconscious at this point, they had no choice but to proceed in this manner for the time being.

In any case, it's all about the royal family fighting for power and profit. As long as it doesn't shake the foundation of the country, what does it have to do with us, their subjects?

The retired emperor finally smiled.

He braced himself against the armrests with both hands, refusing the help of the old eunuch and the third prince, and stood up from the chair and sat on the dragon throne.

As he once again surveyed the assembled officials from that familiar perspective, the retired emperor sighed with emotion.

If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have been so greedy for pleasure and abdicated in favor of that unfilial son!

"Everyone loves you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The retired emperor frowned slightly.

The old woman, observing the situation, immediately adopted a high-pitched, hoarse voice and shouted, "It should be 'Thank you, Your Majesty'!"

The assembled officials, who had just stood up, looked at each other, feeling that the scene before them was somewhat farcical.

Prince Zhongshun took the lead again, kneeling down and saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty, Father Emperor!"

The ministers had no choice but to say, "Your Majesty, we pay our respects..."

"Okay, everyone get up."

With a wave of his hand, the retired emperor displayed the demeanor of an emperor.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present."

The retired emperor was surprised that someone was so eager to submit a memorial so soon after his restoration, and he looked down at it.

It turned out to be Wang Ziteng.

He was certainly familiar with this person; he was one of his trusted advisors before his abdication.

When Tiewangshan was besieged, he even issued a special decree ordering him to come to the capital to defend the emperor.

Unfortunately, he narrowly lost by one move and was captured first.

These troops sent to defend the emperor were reportedly dealt with one by one by Emperor Ningkang.

She harbored resentment towards Wang Ziteng, but now was not the time to express it. She simply asked, "Speak, what is it you want?"

"Your Majesty, I believe that Your Majesty's restoration to the throne is ordained by Heaven."

However, the selection of the Crown Prince should be carefully considered.

Upon hearing Wang Ziteng's words, the eyes of the Fourth Prince's supporters, who had been feeling gloomy, lit up.

Yes, they only lost to the retired emperor, not to the third prince.

Now that the retired emperor has been restored to the throne, as long as the third prince is not allowed to become the crown prince smoothly, then everything is still negotiable.
So they all rubbed their hands together, started thinking of strategies, and prepared to fill in the gaps at any time.

The Emperor Emeritus glanced at the Third Prince, whose face was grim beside him, and turned back to ask, "What, do you think Prince Yun is unsuitable to be the Crown Prince?"

"Exactly."

Wang Ziteng's voice was firm and resolute.

The reason they pretended to be blind before was because they knew that the Third Prince would actually dare to take action on the grounds that they were obstructing the restoration of the Emperor Emeritus.

Now that the retired emperor has been restored to the throne, their fate can only be decided by him.

Unless the Third Prince intends to cut off his own life from Emperor Ningkang and then from the Emperor Emeritus, he certainly wouldn't dare to kill ministers arbitrarily.

Wang Ziteng felt that even if he was wrong, it didn't matter that the Third Prince was so ruthless.

It wouldn't be a loss to trade his life for the Third Prince's decision to sever himself from the legitimate line of succession.

I believe that Jia Lian and the Fourth Prince will make amends to the Wang family in the future.

"If His Majesty were still the Emperor Emeritus, then there would be nothing wrong with appointing Prince Yun as the Crown Prince."

However, now that His Majesty has been restored to the throne, according to the ancestral laws, given that His Majesty has many sons, there is absolutely no way to bypass the sons and establish a grandson as the heir apparent.

Your Majesty, I humbly request that you select a virtuous and capable prince from among your many sons to be designated as the Crown Prince. This would be in accordance with the proper procedures for succession.

Wang Ziteng's words caused a stir among the room.

This is truly a case of a small knife pulling out a big fry; it's opened my eyes!

What a show today! One good thing after another, and I have absolutely no idea where the next act will take place.

Aren't you, Wang Ziteng, a member of the Fourth Prince's faction? How come you excluded the Third and Fourth Princes as soon as you opened your mouth?

Instead, they're bringing those outdated old princes to the forefront?
Only King Chungshun stood there, a glint of wild joy flashing in his eyes.

As Emperor Ningkang's most trusted younger brother, he certainly wouldn't have dared to covet this position.

The reason he agreed to help the Third Prince was because the Third Prince told him that the Fourth Prince already had Jia Lian by his side, as well as Prince Bei Jing, Prince Teng, and a group of others to assist him.

If the Fourth Prince were to ascend the throne, there would be absolutely no place for his uncle, the Emperor, to stand by his side.

Furthermore, the Third Prince said his plan was to invite the retired Emperor to suppress these disloyal subjects.

At that time, Prince Chungshun wondered if the retired emperor were to be restored to the throne, would he also be qualified to compete for it...?

So he readily agreed and helped the Third Prince gather the officials in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, waiting for the Third Prince to invite the Emperor Emeritus over.

Unexpectedly, things started to go according to his plan so quickly.

He looked at Wang Ziteng and wondered if this guy admired him and was preparing to help him without his knowledge, in order to pave his way to success.
Indeed, compared to the other living sons of the retired emperor, he was the only one who was not suppressed by Emperor Ningkang and instead remained active in the court for many years.

If one of the Emperor Emeritus's sons were to be chosen as the Crown Prince, it would seem like no one else could be chosen!
The Third Prince looked coldly at Prince Teng and said in a chilling tone, "Prince Teng, do you really think I wouldn't dare to kill you?"

"presumptuous."

The retired emperor gave a cold shout, interrupting the third prince.

The third prince quickly bowed, appearing submissive.

But he immediately straightened his back and stared straight at the Emperor Emeritus: "Grandfather, your word is as good as gold, and a monarch does not lie. You promised your grandson, you won't go back on your word, will you?"

The retired emperor was very dissatisfied with his grandson's threatening tone.

He instinctively wanted to scold her, but then, as if remembering something, he turned his head and said, "I will not go back on my promise to you."

However, the way of a ruler is to listen to good advice; how can one not allow his subjects to speak?

"Grandpa is right, I know I was wrong."

After the Third Prince admitted his mistake, he tried to force the Emperor Emeritus to confirm his legitimacy, but unexpectedly, "boom!"

A tremendous sound came from the west. Compared to the South Gate, where officials entered the palace for court assemblies, the Xihua Gate was actually closer to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Therefore, the sound of Jia Lian's cannon blasting at the palace gates could reach this place directly.

The Third Prince and others who knew what the sound was all changed their expressions.

Geng Qiuming also rushed in at the right time, walked to the Third Prince's side, and whispered anxiously in his ear.

The retired emperor asked displeasedly, "What happened?"

The Third Prince took a deep breath, bowed his head, and replied, "Your Majesty, Duke Rongguo, Jia Lian, has rebelled and led his troops to attack Xihua Gate."

The commotion just now was probably caused by him.

"I implore Your Majesty to issue an immediate decree, mobilizing all units of the Imperial Guard to suppress the rebels at Xihua Gate."

The information brought by Geng Qiuming actually mentioned Princess Zhaoyang, but the Third Prince deliberately omitted it.

Compared to the princess's rebellion, the Duke of Rong's rebellion is clearly more convincing.

“Absurd! How can Prince Yun conclude that the Duke of Rong is plotting treason?”
Your Majesty, the Duke of Rong has always been loyal to the emperor and devoted to the country, and would never commit such a treasonous act.

Perhaps he heard that Prince Yun had led troops into the palace and thought that Prince Yun was plotting a rebellion, so he led troops to defend the king.

Your Majesty, I believe we should first send someone to ascertain the situation.

Since he had already taken the lead, Wang Ziteng was ready to go all out.

He stood up directly and reprimanded the Third Prince.

And so, the conflict began.

"What a joke! Bombarding the palace gates, what is that if not treason?"

"Let's set aside whether the sound just now was really the Duke of Rong firing cannons at Xihua Gate, even if it was..."

If bombarding the palace gates constitutes treason, then what about besieging the Hall of Supreme Harmony with troops?

Without any prompting, the Third Prince's faction and the Fourth Prince's faction started fighting.

Wang Ziteng listened coldly.

He certainly didn't think that these empty words would change the overall situation.

The saying "a scholar is useless in every way" perfectly describes this situation.

He didn't expect these people to turn the tide anyway.

Whether it was the suggestion just now that the retired emperor should appoint an older generation as crown prince, or the current attempt to confuse the public, it was all just a delaying tactic.

In short, we cannot allow the Third Prince to smoothly obtain the legitimate status.

They are now trapped here, and this is all they can do.

The rest depends on whether Jia Lian can break the law with force and establish order.

"enough!"

The retired emperor suddenly shouted.

The noisy hall immediately became quiet.

The Emperor Emeritus said, "Jia Lian is also my grandson, and I believe he would never commit treason."

Someone come..."

There was no reaction inside or outside the hall after the Emperor Emeritus spoke.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony is indeed guarded by palace guards on duty, but the number of them is not very large.

They have now been moved to a side hall and detained by the Third Prince's men.

At this moment, those standing inside and outside the hall were all the Third Prince's men.

Or rather, Geng Qiuming's people.

When the ministers looked at them, they looked at each other, unsure of how to react.
The retired emperor instinctively issued the order according to his old habits, and when he received no response, he was inevitably embarrassed and annoyed.

Fortunately, Geng Qiuming was also there. After a moment of surprise, he quickly knelt down and said, "Your humble servant is here."

The Emperor Emeritus looked at him, nodded, and said, "I order you to open the Xihua Gate now and invite Jia Lian into the main hall for a meeting."

Geng Qiuming was somewhat incredulous at what he had heard and glanced discreetly at the Third Prince.

The Third Prince was even more incredulous: "Grandfather, Jia Lian led troops into the palace?!"

"I know! Do you really think he would dare to plot against me?"

The Emperor Emeritus's tone became inexplicably stiff.

He ignored the Third Prince and instead ordered Geng Qiuming, "Didn't you hear what I said? Do I have to repeat myself?"

"Yes, Your subordinate obeys."

Geng Qiuming stood up and glanced at the Third Prince.

He vaguely sensed that his new master might be at risk of being abandoned by the people he had rescued.

He was considering whether to obediently convey the Emperor Emeritus's decree, or to outwardly comply but inwardly defy it and follow the Third Prince down the same path to the bitter end.

Obviously, only a fool would choose the latter path.

So, after he left the main hall, he immediately dispatched a group of men to follow him to the Xihua Gate.

Before leaving, he specifically instructed his trusted subordinates to be smart and not do anything foolish before he returned.

……

At Xihua Gate, they never received the imperial edict brought by Geng Qiuming.

Chen Hua had already ordered the palace gates to be opened and respectfully invited Jia Lian into the palace.

What a joke! Feng Sheng himself ran away, leaving him, a mere captain, to face Jia Lian's cannons?

They've already fired the first shot, so why wouldn't they dare fire a second one?
Therefore, when Jia Lian ordered all the cannons to be loaded and ready to be fired, Chen Hua decisively surrendered and decided to open the city gates.

If Jia Lian were truly a traitor, that would be one thing, but he wasn't without the courage to be loyal to his country and sacrifice his life for it.

However, based on the conversation between Jia Lian and Feng Sheng earlier and the actual situation, he roughly understood what they meant.

It's just another power struggle between the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince's faction.

Whoever wins is the traitor.

Right now, his palace gate is clearly no match for Jia Lian and Princess Zhaoyang's army.

If that's the case, why should he become a victim of someone else's struggle?
Therefore, Jia Lian and Princess Zhaoyang led several thousand troops into the palace in a grand procession, where they encountered Geng Qiuming, who had come to deliver the imperial decree.

Seeing the imposing presence of Jia Lian and Princess Zhaoyang, Geng Qiuming felt fortunate for his earlier choice.

With the retired emperor unwilling to issue an edict to mobilize troops to suppress the enemy, what could their eight hundred men possibly use to fight back?
Moreover, how long has it been since they launched their coup?

They had already mobilized nearly 10,000 troops to rush over, clearly they were well prepared.

At this moment, he had long since given up hope on the Third Prince, feeling that the Third Prince could not possibly be the Fourth Prince, no, he could not possibly be a match for Jia Lian.

"His Majesty has decreed that Duke Rongguo, Jia Lian, shall come to the Golden Hall for a meeting."

Riding on horseback, leading a large army towards the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Jia Lian was taken aback upon hearing this: "His Majesty has awakened?"

Geng Qiuming said with a wry smile, "Lord Rongguo is unaware of the situation. His Majesty is critically ill, and there is no one to manage the affairs of state."

With the support of the officials, Prince Yun has invited the retired emperor to appear.

With all the officials present, the retired emperor has been restored to the throne.

His Majesty is now the Retired Emperor.

Although he was already inclined to betray the Third Prince, he did not intend to overturn the slogans of their previous actions.

Otherwise, wouldn't his previous act of helping the Third Prince lead troops into the palace have constituted treason?

Princess Zhaoyang was also greatly surprised to hear this.

Although I guessed that the Third Prince and the Emperor Emeritus were colluding, I didn't expect the Emperor Emeritus to be restored to the throne so quickly!

They exchanged a glance, and both had their own plans.

Jia Lian then said, "Absurd."

The retired emperor has been living in seclusion for many years, and the current emperor is also recuperating in the Daming Palace.

You dare to falsely convey the imperial edict! Guards, seize them!

Anyone who resists will be killed on the spot.

"Duke Rongguo, you cannot arrest me. I am truly here on the orders of the Emperor Emeritus."

The Emperor Emeritus is your own grandfather, he wouldn't harm you..."

Geng Qiuming called out.

Jia Lian ignored them, and after capturing Geng Qiuming and others, he ordered the army to continue advancing.

On the contrary, Princess Zhaoyang, who was beside him, seemed to think of something after hearing Geng Qiuming's words, and repeatedly turned her head to look at Jia Lian. (End of this chapter)