Besides lying down, I also know a little about power struggles

Chapter 108 Confinement
That night, some people slept soundly, while others stayed awake.

Early the next morning, Crown Prince Feng Yunxi came to the emperor's bedroom to ask for an audience.

"Your Majesty has already woken up and is about to eat," Chao En bowed in front of the palace, "Your Majesty knew that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was coming, so he had someone prepare your favorite fried quail with fresh bamboo shoots and plum meat pie, which are still hot."

He led Feng Yunxi into the palace, waved away the palace servants who were serving in the palace, and personally served the two of them food.

The emperor was wearing a loose ochre-yellow gauze robe and casually draped over his coat, and was sitting at the top.

Seeing Feng Yunxi kowtow and salute, he raised his hand and said, "Alright, there is no need for formalities between you and me as father and son. Sit down."

Feng Yunxi thanked him and sat down.

In the palace, it is customary not to talk while eating or sleeping. Seeing that the emperor did not say anything, Feng Yunxi did not say anything more. She picked up the bowl in front of her and slowly began to eat.

The hall was very quiet, with only the sound of light chewing and the clatter of dishes and chopsticks to be heard.

The emperor took a plum meat pie, ate half of it, and threw it on the plate.

He stretched out his left hand and immediately offered the hotpa to Chaoen.

The emperor wiped his hands with a handkerchief and looked at Feng Yunxi: "I heard that you spent the whole night at Prince Ping's place last night?"

Feng Yunxi put down his bowl and chopsticks, turned sideways to the emperor and said, "The Dali Temple tried fifty-seven rebels overnight. They presented the files to me, your son. I finished reading them this morning, and only then did I have time to come and see you, father."

The emperor chuckled and said, "You can read the files of the Dali Temple at any time. You are still young, so you must take care of yourself."

"I understand," Feng Yunxi bowed slightly, "but the rebellion of Prince Ping is no small matter. The sooner this matter is resolved, the sooner the court can be at peace."

The emperor picked up his chopsticks, poked around in the fried quail with fresh bamboo shoots, picked up a piece of bamboo shoot and put it in the bowl, then said to Chao En, "I am old and cannot chew this fried quail. Put this dish in front of the prince. He likes it."

Chao En responded and moved the dishes on the table.

"Talk while eating." The emperor gestured to Feng Yunxi.

Feng Yunxi nodded, but did not pick up her chopsticks: "After checking the confessions of the fifty-seven rebels, they were all soldiers sent from Luozhou. Sui Yongdao transferred them out of the Beihe Army for private training years ago, with the purpose of training private soldiers for the Prince Ping's Mansion."

"How many people like this are there?" asked the emperor.

"There are about two hundred of them," Feng Yunxi said, "A hundred of them went to Fuyao Mountain and pretended to be refugees, and dozens of them hid in Prince Ping's mansion waiting for help. Last night, I ordered the Dali Temple and Jingzhao Prefecture to seal off Prince Ping's mansion, and all those who resisted have been killed and arrested."

The emperor snorted, "You think you can accomplish something with just two hundred people? Sui Yongdao really looks down on me."

Feng Yunxi paused and said, "According to Prince Ping's confession, he and Sui Yongdao planned to raise a private army years ago. He had no intention of starting the rebellion so early, but because--"

"Just because he couldn't bear it," the emperor glanced at him, "is that right?"

Feng Yunxi lowered his eyes silently.

The emperor smiled and said, "The sixth brother's brain has been not working well since he was young. The White Bird Pavilion assassination case was obviously planned by someone, but he foolishly plunged into it. The reason why I treated him lightly is not because I am partial to him, but because I want to see if he can learn his lesson."

"I am also at fault in this matter," Feng Yunxi said, "I should have given King Ping an explanation."

"What do you want to explain?" The emperor picked up a piece of bamboo shoot and put it in his mouth to chew. "You are the crown prince. Apart from me, who else has the right to ask you to explain?"

Feng Yunxi took a breath and said, "But father is so partial to me, I am worried that sooner or later I will become arrogant."

The emperor laughed. "You are the crown prince, the future emperor. An emperor should not be hesitant, and it's okay to be a little proud." He pointed at Feng Yunxi with the tip of his chopsticks, "In this regard, you should learn from your twelfth brother."

Feng Yunxi frowned slightly: "Twelve has always been cautious in what he says and does. Others think he is proud, but he just doesn't want to cause trouble."

"You always speak in his favor," the emperor smiled, "If someone didn't know, they would think you were brothers from the same mother."

"We are all sons of our father."

"Well said," the emperor pulled the coat on his shoulders and leaned forward, "Then tell me, after a whole night, have you thought of what to do with Lao Liu?"

He looked at the prince he had personally appointed, and said in a solemn and low voice: "He is also my son, your younger brother."

"Prince Ping plotted treason, and he should be executed according to the law," Feng Yunxi answered very straightforwardly, "but Da Zhao has never had a precedent of beheading a royal family member. In my humble opinion, he should be sentenced to imprisonment."

"Imprisonment?" The emperor smiled faintly, "Do you think that Lao Liu didn't kill me last night because he really didn't want to? If he had taken the position of crown prince last night, the first people he would have killed would be his brothers, and then it would be my turn."

"But my father still said that according to family rules, you will spare his life." Feng Yunxi said.

"So that's why you want to keep him?" The emperor narrowed his eyes, "You are good at figuring out my thoughts."

"If killing can stop killing, it would be the best, but some ambitions will not stop because of killing," Feng Yunxi said, "I have listened to my father's teachings since I was young. Da Zhao has never had a prince who has not obtained the throne legitimately. If anyone wants to replace me, I will definitely not give him up."

The emperor looked at him and laughed again.

"You finally have some of my influence in what you said," he patted the table, "Chao En, go get the prince a piece of plum meat pie."

Feng Yunxi stood up, thanked him, and took a bite of the plum meat pie.

The emperor asked, "How does it taste?"

"It's still the same as before." Feng Yunxi said.

The emperor smiled and said, "I remember when you were just growing up, you could eat eight cakes in one meal. I was worried at that time that the future crown prince must not be a fat man. Your mother gave birth to a beautiful woman, and I am also handsome. How can our son be fat and greasy?"

He picked up a kumquat from the fruit plate, peeled it with his own hands, and said slowly: "People often ask women to be virtuous, eloquent, and capable, but they don't know that being an emperor requires more. When you sit in this position, you will know that there are countless eyes watching you in the front and back palaces, and you will not be allowed to make the slightest mistake."

He tore off the white veins on the orange and asked Chao En to pass it to Feng Yunxi. He then said, "They always say that I favor the Crown Prince. That's not true. Among my sons, you have had a harder life than anyone else. If we're talking about favoritism, it's the good-for-nothing Sixth Son who doesn't know how to appreciate his blessings."

Feng Yunxi took the kumquats peeled by the emperor and was slightly moved: "Your son is not bitter."

The emperor laughed and said, "You were born into a wealthy family, so naturally you have never experienced real hardship. I don't want you to experience it either."

"Thank you, father, for your protection."

"Since you don't want to kill Prince Ping, I won't kill him." The emperor said, "Sit down and have a good meal. After you finish eating, go back to your Prince's Mansion and have a good rest."

The father and son had breakfast like ordinary people, and Feng Yunxi then took his leave.

After he left, Chao En ordered someone to come in to clean up the leftovers and made a cup of hot tea for the emperor.

The emperor blew the hot air out of his cup and asked: "Have you cleared out all the spies that Sui Yongdao left in the palace?"

Chao En responded, "I personally supervised the process. A total of twelve people, including Yuan Bao, have been buried."