Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 288 Full Mobilization
Just as Emperor Jingtai was trying to calm himself down, a palace attendant announced that the fourth prince had followed him.

Emperor Jingtai was quite tolerant of his only child. After letting the other person in, he asked him gently.

"Fourth brother, something's wrong."

"Father, I was just a little worried when I saw you suddenly leave your seat, so I came to check on you."

Jiu Fu, head bowed, frowned almost imperceptibly. His previous impression of the Fourth Prince was that he was timid, excessively timid, but he never expected him to be so tactless. Following His Majesty, was it acceptable to speak so casually? A slight misstep could be interpreted as spying on the Emperor's whereabouts. Especially since he was a prince, spying on his father was highly suspicious.

However, Emperor Jingtai's expression remained composed.

"You're so kind. I'm fine, it's just that those barbarians from the grasslands are too noisy. Do they have to shout like this in their own territory? It's giving me a headache."

"Father, you must take care of your health."

The fourth prince opened his mouth and uttered this dry and meaningless sentence, leaving Emperor Jingtai at a loss for words. After a pause, he patted the prince's shoulder reassuringly.

"You are a filial child, I have always known that."

The fourth prince's eyes immediately turned red, but he quickly lowered his head, not daring to meet Emperor Jingtai's gaze.

Just then, a young eunuch tiptoed in.

"Your Majesty, what about Rongfu Palace..."

The fourth prince didn't hear what came next. A complex emotion flashed in his eyes before disappearing.

Emperor Jingtai was very impatient and simply waved his hand.

"Do I need to teach you such a small thing? Guard the palace gates well, and don't let anyone in or out."

"Yes."

Just as the young eunuch left, for some reason, so many people were looking for Emperor Jingtai today. However, when he explained that Princess Ruian had important business with His Majesty, the Fourth Prince was surprised to find that his father, whose expression had been rather unpleasant, suddenly relaxed. Although his expression immediately tightened again, that momentary relaxation made the Fourth Prince feel like he had a fishbone stuck in his throat. Even in front of his own son, his father had never shown such trust. That Ying Jiuque was just a rebellious orphan girl; how could she do that?
Of course, he couldn't possibly show any dissatisfaction in front of His Majesty. A moment later, a plainly dressed man walked in like a shadow, and his first words made everyone present tense.

"Your Majesty, Lord Ying has discovered what appears to be an epidemic in the capital."

Emperor Jingtai took a deep breath. He knew that the Emperor wouldn't send someone to the palace at this time without a reason, and he knew that something big must have happened, but he hadn't expected it to be this big. Plague—this word was not unfamiliar to Emperor Jingtai. Back when he was rallying troops for rebellion, plagues ravaged the Central Plains almost every year or two. After all, so many people had died then, and everyone was impoverished and hungry. Many didn't even have the strength to bury their loved ones properly, only able to lightly scatter a few handfuls of earth. Wild dogs, wolves, and other animals couldn't eat many corpses, and as the weather gradually warmed, those scattered corpses would inevitably bring various kinds of plagues.

Back then, if a severe epidemic struck, almost every house would be empty. But many people also died in war, so epidemics were commonplace. However, this didn't mean epidemics weren't terrifying, especially since the Great Jing was slowly recovering. If they encountered an epidemic, wouldn't all their years of hard work be in vain? Fortunately, what the guard said next brought a slight sigh of relief. Because only a few people actually showed symptoms, just a few sporadic signs.

The fourth prince breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lord Ying is too cautious. I thought the capital was already ravaged by disease."

Emperor Jingtai glanced at him but wasn't angry. After all, this son had been well protected since childhood, and even if an epidemic broke out, he would definitely be among the first to be escorted away.

This is a good opportunity to teach him a lesson.

"Don't underestimate the plague. If it's a highly contagious one, even if there are only a few sporadic cases right now, it can quickly infect a large number of people. Right now, we can only hope that it's a misjudgment, or that the plague that has appeared is not contagious and that people won't die after getting it."

“...Father is right.”

The fourth prince pursed his lips and respectfully lowered his head.

Even though he already knew his son was incapable of being molded, Emperor Jingtai still couldn't help but frown. Why this reaction? Didn't he have any opinion of his own? Moreover, he wasn't happy that the Fourth Prince had come with him. It wasn't that he felt the Fourth Prince was spying on his whereabouts, but rather that when he left earlier, it was such a perfect opportunity for the prince to step forward, take the lead, cultivate relationships with the officials, and incidentally give those barbarians a chance to intimidate them. And yet, the Fourth Prince had wasted it all.

If he died, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the fourth prince would be the next emperor. He would have to show the demeanor of the next emperor in front of those northern barbarians! And yet he just left with me like that, like a chick looking for its mother!

Of course, now was not the best time to teach his son, and Emperor Jingtai quickly made a decision.

"Issue the decree. Officials of the Six Ministries, the City Patrol Guard, the Capital Guard... must assist Vice Minister Ying in investigating the epidemic, controlling the people, and nipping the epidemic in the bud! If any indecisive matters arise, leave the decision to Minister Ying! The left and right camps are to prepare for battle at any time."

"Yes."

Even Jiu Fu's heart trembled upon hearing this decree. His Majesty's trust in Lord Ying was truly growing daily. What difference was there between this and entrusting the entire capital to Ying Jiu Que? Of course, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. At times like these, only soldiers who completely obey His Majesty are truly reliable. And only Lord Ying, entirely promoted by His Majesty himself, with no other schemes or selfish motives, was truly suitable to be entrusted with this responsibility.

Upon hearing the order, the Fourth Prince's pupils constricted sharply. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but quietly closed it under Emperor Jingtai's gaze.

"...Fourth Prince, return to the Prince's residence first. The Golden Armor Guards will take full control of palace affairs. If any suspected cases are found, gather them in the Cold Palace first. That place is remote, so make sure to guard it well and prevent the sick from wandering around. Have the Imperial Medical Academy prepare, and send half of them out to investigate. Carefully examine whether it is indeed an epidemic, what kind of epidemic it is, and what the solution is. After raising them for so many years, they should do something practical for me."

If it were truly a difficult epidemic, the Imperial Medical Academy would gather the most outstanding doctors from across the country. Even if some renowned doctors from the countryside might be unwilling to join the Imperial Medical Academy, its level of expertise was already among the best in the nation. With them on the case, Emperor Jingtai could feel somewhat at ease.

(End of this chapter)