Chaos of the Three Kingdoms Summons

Chapter 2803 The Deposed Crown Prince Dies, All Old Friends Gone

Meanwhile, inside a desolate palace.

The deposed crown prince lay on a simple bed. Although the brocade quilt covering him was luxurious, it could not conceal his decaying aura, like a lamp that had burned out.

His gray hair was scattered on the pillow, and his face was withered. Although the emperor had not mistreated him for the past three years and had imprisoned him, he had maintained all his previous treatment.

Unfortunately, his spirits had already broken.

During his first year here, he carefully reflected on the events of the past few years, and at that time, he also thought of some unreasonable aspects.

In recent years, Wei, Jin, Qin, Meng, and other core personnel in the Crown Prince's residence were transferred to several key positions without being noticed, which laid the foundation for the Sima Gate Incident.

If it weren't for the fact that he had his own people in those key positions, he probably wouldn't have dared to make this final gamble!
But looking back, it seems to have gone too smoothly?
In particular, the core positions were all held by his people, but the most crucial position was revealed at the last moment to be held by the emperor's people!

When he thought of some possibilities, he really wanted to question his father, the emperor, about what they, his sons, were.
But later, even that thought faded!

Even if everything is exactly as he thinks, so what?
If he were to actually ask his father such a foolish question, his father would probably be even more disappointed in him.

Moreover, in a sense, his father did leave him a glimmer of hope; otherwise, he didn't believe his father wouldn't have found another way to remove him from the position of crown prince.

Regardless, he still lost in the end!
Now, he clings to his last breath, simply waiting to see who will be chosen for the next crown prince.

A loyal old eunuch knelt by the bed, tears in his eyes, and whispered the news from outside to him, word by word.

"Your Majesty... has issued a decree... establishing the twenty-seventh prince as... the crown prince..."

The eyes of the deposed crown prince Li Hao, which were originally cloudy and lifeless, suddenly widened, and a very complex light flashed in his dim eyes.

His chapped lips trembled as if he wanted to say something, but he was too weak to make a sound.

The old eunuch quickly brought his ear closer.

"Twenty-seventh brother...good...good..."

The fragmented words carried a sense of weariness, as if a heavy burden had finally been lifted.

"He...is young and vigorous...more...than me..."

He used the already presumptuous self-reference "朕" (Zhen, meaning "I, the Emperor"), but no one cared anymore.

This was his lifelong obsession, and even if Li Xiang were here now, he wouldn't care anymore.

The gaze of the deposed crown prince Li Hao began to wander, slowly shifting into the void, as if piercing through the roof of this imprisoned palace and looking towards a very, very distant place.

His breathing gradually calmed down, and the pain on his face faded away, replaced by a dazed calm.

In his delirium on his deathbed, he seemed to see something.

He saw his tall, majestic father, who always weighed heavily on his heart like a mountain, standing before his bed, still looking as he did in his most glorious moments, his gaze deep and silent as he looked at him.

The lips of the deposed crown prince Li Hao moved silently. With his last bit of strength, he murmured to the illusory shadow, his voice as soft as a sigh.

"Father..."

"Did you...see it...?"

"This empire... someone... has taken it upon themselves for your son..."

"...The nation...is now without worry..."

"...Your subject...has given his orders..."

The last few words were so faint they were almost inaudible.

The words gradually faded into the cold air.

The last glimmer of light in his eyes was extinguished with this silent confession. His head tilted slightly to one side, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile of relief lingered at the corner of his mouth.

In May of the 26th year of Tianchen, the deposed crown prince Li Hao, who had been imprisoned for more than three years, finally breathed his last peacefully after learning that the empire had a new successor, amidst a complex mix of regret and ultimate relief.

He never bowed his head to his father to admit his mistakes until his death, but in the end, he made a final reconciliation with himself, his father, and the position of crown prince that had haunted him all his life.

That night, upon learning of the death of the deposed crown prince, Li Xiang, who was reviewing memorials, suddenly stopped writing, the vermilion ink on his pen spreading into a glaring red stain on the silk.

Li Xiang remained silent for a long time, so long that the eunuch standing by thought His Majesty had not heard him clearly and was about to repeat himself when he heard a very soft, yet extremely weary sigh, as if all his energy had been instantly drained away.

"I... understand."

Li Xiang waved his hand, signaling everyone to leave.

In the empty hall, the white-haired old man sat alone for a long time, his back hunched, the twilight stretching his shadow long and lonely.

At this moment, in a secluded place, he was no longer the iron-blooded emperor of that empire.

The following day, Li Xiangming issued an imperial edict. He posthumously restored Li Xiangming's status as a prince, buried him with the rites due to a prince, and gave him the posthumous title "Ai" (哀). He was also granted the special permission to have his memorial tablet placed next to the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Historical records state: Hao, the eldest son of the legitimate wife, was imprisoned for three years after the empress's deposition and died there. Upon hearing this, the emperor sat in silence for a long time and suspended court for three days. Later, he posthumously restored the emperor's princely title, gave him the posthumous name Ai, buried him with the rites due to a prince, and allowed him to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

The historian wrote: "The sorrow of the imperial family's death accompanies the joy of being with one's children; the passing of loved ones with white hair is ultimately a matter for the imperial family. Alas!"
In August of the 26th year of the Tianchen era, Marquis Luo Shixin, known for his loyalty and integrity, passed away at the age of 84. Li Xiang posthumously conferred upon him the title of Duke of Tan.

In December of the same year, Wu also passed away at the age of eighty-two.

During her lifetime, she had tried several times to become empress, but Li Xiang refused her each time with various excuses.

Looking back now, Li Xiang probably still has some regrets. I wonder if she had any regrets before she left, and if she harbored any resentment towards him!
Among all the concubines, she was the one who spent the longest time with Li Xiang.

If time could turn back, perhaps Li Xiang would not have been so stingy with the position of empress.

However, even though he possessed the wealth of the entire world, he could not ultimately turn back time!
The day after Consort Wu's death, an imperial edict was issued to the whole country.

"I believe that the system of governing the inner palace must rely on the virtues of the Empress. Your Imperial Noble Consort Wu is gentle and kind by nature, and conducts herself with virtue and prudence. She was selected early in life and is a worthy mother. She has served me for many years, doing her best to raise our children with loving care and without fail."

She governs the six palaces with utmost efficiency. I originally intended to formally establish her as Empress to honor her virtue, but due to the pressing affairs of state, this has been repeatedly delayed, which I deeply regret.

"Now that you have passed away so suddenly, I am deeply grieved and saddened. Reflecting on the past, I feel deeply ashamed. If the name is not correct, the words will not be proper. Therefore, I hereby posthumously confer upon you the title of Empress, with the posthumous name 'Empress Zetian Shunsheng'."

All funeral rites shall be conducted in accordance with the rites prescribed for the late Empress Yuan. The relevant officials are ordered to select an auspicious day for her interment in my mausoleum. Her spirit tablet shall be placed in the Fengxian Hall to be worshipped alongside the deceased.

Since she was not granted the title of Empress during her lifetime, this posthumous conferment by imperial decree was Li Xiang's final act of compensation to her.

In the 27th and 9th months of the Tianchen era, Marquis Guo Ziyi of Jinyang also passed away at the age of 85.

Guo Ziyi suffered a crushing defeat in the northern war, which led to Li Xiang stripping him of his title.

But after so many years of companionship, they still restored his title.

However, with the departure of these last old friends, now, among those once familiar faces, only one Cheng Yaojin remains.

Starting from September of the 27th year of Tianchen, Cheng Yaojin was the only one who could occasionally perform a set of Five Captures with him.

This old man is really living a long life; he's four years older than me.

This year, Cheng Yaojin is already a 90-year-old man, but he still eats, drinks, sleeps, and plays as usual. His energy is even more vigorous than Cheng Yaojin's.

Li Xiang believed that all his former acquaintances had been outlived by him, including Xuan Ye, who had been under house arrest in Luoyang, and had been outlived by him a few years ago.

In the past, he outlived his nephews and nieces one by one.

However, given Cheng Yaojin's physical condition, Li Xiang had absolutely no confidence that he could outlive this old fellow.