The film and television world begins with the battle for the throne in Kowloon

Chapter 122: The Thirteenth Old Man Yinxiang

After Li Yan kowtowed three times, he stood up, stood in awe for a moment, and knelt down again. The ministers knew that the etiquette for sending off the late emperor must be the most solemn three kneeling and nine kowtows, so there was no doubt and they just followed suit.

Zhang Tingyu, Ma Qi, Tong Guowei and many other officials present secretly applauded and praised Li Yan's actions, and they also felt awe for Li Yan in their hearts. The Li Yan before them was no longer the young prince, but an unfathomable and domineering emperor.

In a flash, he came up with such a brilliant plan to resolve the situation, thus avoiding a head-on conflict with a few desperate people. In that case, regardless of the outcome, it would have been a loss of dignity for the Emperor!
The late emperor really did not pick the wrong person. When the ministers thought of this, they secretly looked at the figure who was saluting respectfully in the front, and they became even more awed in their hearts. They followed Li Yan and knelt down with solemn expressions!

When the other people in the hall stood up for the first time, they saw the three people standing there and immediately felt dissatisfied.

snort!
You don't even bow to the late emperor, you are not worthy of being a son. Fortunately, the late emperor was wise and did not choose you. The looks in everyone's eyes began to become unfriendly, and they stared at them coldly.

Finally, several people could not bear the heavy and solemn atmosphere in the hall and the pressure from all the people. Their legs went weak and they knelt on the ground and started to pay homage.

After Li Yan finished his worship, he did not speak to the others anymore. He left the mourning hall with a few important officials.

Soon, Tong Guowei returned to the main hall and announced: "The emperor has ordered that all adult princes must stay here for three days to guard the late emperor's body, to show filial piety. This is the emperor's decree!"

"I obey your order."

Although the third prince Yinzhi was not the eldest, he was Prince Cheng and had the most respected status among all the princes. He led the other princes to receive the imperial edict. This time, everyone knelt down to receive the order and no one resisted!
After Tong Guowei finished reading the imperial edict, he saw the reactions of the princes, nodded with satisfaction, and went out directly!

Three days later, several princes who lived in the clan residence were sent back.

However, the Thirteenth Prince Yinxiang appeared in the hall outside the imperial study, where a simple and elegant meal was set.

There were just a few vegetarian dishes, a soup, a few cups of tea, and not even any wine.

During the national mourning period, keep everything simple!

As soon as Yinxiang walked in, he saw Li Yan standing there in plain clothes and mourning clothes, and he immediately knelt down to pay his respects: "Your Majesty, I, your humble servant Yinxiang, kowtow to the Emperor. Long live the Emperor!"

The attitude is respectful and polite, but also reveals a sense of nervousness and caution.
Li Yan stepped forward, personally helped Yinxiang up, and said enthusiastically: "Thirteenth brother, what are you doing?"

"Come on, there are no outsiders here today, just the two of us. It's been a long time since I had dinner with my Thirteenth Brother. I miss you!"

Yinxiang was supposed to go back to the clan residence today, but he was summoned here alone. He was very nervous. Although he had a very good relationship with the emperor when they were in the palace, and the emperor was also a kind person, after all, he followed his fourth brother and raised an army to surround the palace. If his fourth brother ascended the throne in the end, it would be fine. He would have made contributions without any faults.

But since it has failed, no matter what the reason is, this act of treason is a heinous crime that no new monarch can tolerate.

Being brought here today, he was also feeling uneasy. Seeing Li Yan's gentle attitude and still being kind to him, he relaxed a little and said respectfully, "I am guilty and I don't deserve such courtesy from Your Majesty." Li Yan understood the Thirteenth Old Man's worried mentality, and without further ado, he pulled Yinxiang to sit at the table, and sat down at the head himself!
Looking at Yinxiang's haggard and distraught appearance, his hair was gray and messy, there were black stubble on his scalp, his beard was untidy, his face was tense and his eyes were alert, he looked at himself in panic.

Yinxiang is three years younger than me and is only 36 years old this year!
In the prime of life, the most brilliant season of a man's life, when he is young and strong, he is wasted by time and hardships into this state.

He was also sad, and his face became heavy. "Thirteenth brother, I remember that when we were at Fourth Brother's house, although the relationship between Fourth Brother, you and I was not very deep, we got along very well. Fourth Brother and I talked about the gains and losses of government affairs and the sufferings of the people, and I talked to you about commanding troops and fighting on the battlefield."

"During that time, we were carefree, we shared the same ideals and were close to each other. It was the happiest time of my life. I wish the situation back then could last forever!"

When the Thirteenth Prince Yinxiang heard this, his eyes trembled and his expression moved slightly. He seemed to have thought of the time when the three of them were drinking and chatting together. He opened his mouth and didn't know what to say.

Without waiting for Yinxiang to speak, Li Yan continued with a sigh: "What a trick of fate! It's all for the throne, but it makes us brothers, brothers, kill each other, and fight with swords and guns."

"Thirteenth brother, whether you believe it or not, I have never thought about fighting for this chair. I just want our family to be kind to each other, filial to each other, and respectful to each other, and live happily together forever."

Li Yan had a sad expression on his face, and a look of openness from the heart.

Li Yan knew that the few ministers of the Imperial Study that Kangxi had left for him were all very old, and he even invited people like Tong Guowei to go home and retire.

But these people can't hold on for long. There must be someone in the court who can hold up the pillars. Otherwise, I will have to work hard like the fourth brother and die.

As for those brothers, they are all as fierce as wolves and tigers. Even the fourth brother, I dare not use them lightly. If I let them out now, I might repeat the mistakes of the fourth brother dealing with the eighth brother in the original play. Therefore, before my power is consolidated and stable as Mount Tai, I must not let them out, even the fourth brother cannot be used now.

Old Thirteen is chivalrous, generous, and a man of character. He is relatively simple-minded and has no ambition. He is the one Li Yan wants to use the most.

So I called him over alone and spoke to him with both emotion and reason.

"In fact, I think that no matter if it was my fourth brother, my eighth brother, or even my fourteenth brother, they would all be better emperors than me. But fate played tricks on me. After the incident in the palace that night, the emperor rounded up all the brothers and appointed me as the crown prince. This is something I never thought of!"

When the Thirteenth Prince heard this, he felt a little amused and helpless. The Fourth and Eighth Princes were fighting each other, but the Tenth Prince, who was kind and calm, got the advantage. He couldn't help but think of the several sons of Emperor Taizong of Tang, who were in the same situation.

Li Chengqian, Li Tai and Li Ke fought for the throne, and finally the throne fell into the hands of Li Zhi, who was relatively honest.

"Your Majesty, please don't say that. This is all because of your open-mindedness and deep kindness."

"Your Majesty has a keen eye for talent. Your succession to the throne is the destiny of heaven. We, the guilty ministers, overestimated our own capabilities and did not know how to handle practical matters. That is why we have ended up like this. We are guilty!"

(End of this chapter)