Jinrong recounted the indelible past to the emperor slowly and deliberately, "I know that the affairs of the harem are as they have always been. If Royal Mother was outshone by the new consorts due to her own lack of talent or beauty, naturally, nothing could be said. But Royal Mother was burdened by me, leading to such an outcome... I wish to fight for something for Royal Mother." Fight for the honor of motherhood for the nation!
The emperor listened to Jinrong’s account, stunned for a long while. How old was Jinrong at that time? What a blow and indignation it must have been to make him remember it so vividly till now?
After a long pause, the emperor asked, "Do you resent me?"
Jinrong shook his head, "No. Among the monarchs I know, Father has always handled state affairs, subjects, and the harem with a balanced approach, the most impartial, and never has there been any excessive imbalance. Royal Mother’s fall from favor was inevitable, but I cannot accept that it was due to my mistake, causing her sudden fall from grace. I wish to make some amends for Royal Mother."
Jinrong lowered his gaze, speaking the truth. It is indeed a blessing for their family and brothers. Emperor Qianqing is a person who valued relationships deeply, never indulging in favoritism between consorts and princes, leading to conspiracies and mutual harm, where everyone lived in fear.
Yet, even with understanding, it was still hard to accept the neglect Royal Mother suffered. Perhaps this is why Ye Xinyan always regarded him as merely a partner, never harboring romantic feelings.
Similarly, Jiang Yifan would brazenly boast in front of him, not considering him a competitor. Updates are released by n0velfire.net
Father and son remained silent for a while, this was the first time the emperor felt a seamless conversation between them.
This is also the reason why he always looked at Jinrong differently. In the past, he viewed Jinrong differently because Jinrong had no ambition for power, was indifferent to fame and fortune, and lived leisurely, making him feel relaxed.
Now, it was due to Jinrong’s openness that whatever thoughts he had, even ambition for the throne, he could candidly express. He considered him only as a father, not as an emperor.
After a long while, the emperor finally spoke again, "You must know, your second brother is the legitimate eldest son. Traditionally, a legitimate eldest son ascending the throne ensures the most stable succession and transition, causing the least upheaval in the court. If you forsake the legitimate eldest and establish another prince, setting this precedent, the future struggles for the throne might bring significant turmoil to the court."
The emperor’s tone was somewhat awkward, somewhat like a warning, more like an explanation from a father to his son.
Jinrong was ungrateful, let out a cold laugh, looking straight at the emperor, said, "If the kingdom cannot even continue, what’s the use of discussing future transitions and continuations? According to the current national strength, if there are three consecutive years of disaster, the court might be overthrown due to its weakness and incapacity..."
"Impudent!" The emperor shouted angrily.
Zhang Cunhai, standing outside the Imperial Study Room, was startled. What had His Highness said to anger His Majesty so? Zhang Cunhai had served the emperor for some years, and the emperor rarely lost his composure. Even if he was displeased, he wouldn’t make such a scene.
Zhang Cunhai perked his ears, ready to rush in at any moment at the emperor’s call to mediate the father-son conflict.
Jinrong, however, did not back down, continued, "I have always believed Father to be the most wise and capable emperor among the recent monarchs, a restorer of the dynasty. Could it be that Father, the restorer, cannot even listen to a few truths in private?"
The emperor stared at Jinrong, confronted his unwavering gaze, felt a moment of dismay.
This son had always appeared candid and carefree, and everyone thought he was disinterested in the throne and power. He thought so too, and hence, he was not strict with this son, and Jinrong was more at ease in his presence than other princes.
And now, once Jinrong showed interest in the throne, he displayed such persistence and fearlessness.
Jinrong continued, "People often say: ’By the age of three, see how it will be, by the age of seven, see what will remain till old age.’ There’s an old saying as well: ’It is hard to go from luxury to frugality, but easy from frugality to luxury.’ The Crown Prince has enjoyed years of indulgence and frivolity, now to make him commit all that energy spent in merriment to state affairs. Does Father think this is possible?"
"This is none of your concern!" the emperor snapped.
He was left speechless again and again by Jinrong’s questioning, feeling somewhat embarrassed and annoyed, "You should consider how you’ve overthrown princes and the Crown Prince who have been involved in politics for ten or twenty years, when you have only been in the court for a few years. With such scheming, how dare I keep you by my side? You should think about how you’ll position yourself in the future!"
Jinrong looked at the emperor innocently, blinking several times. What is this? Intimidation?
"Does Father wish for your kingdom to fall into the hands of a foolish person? Do you still plan to continue this restoration of yours? If I had any unkind thoughts towards Father, I could very well bide my time and wait until my wings were fully grown to make a move. There is no need for me to lay everything out before Father today."
The emperor felt choked up, and his throat was uncomfortable. He slapped his palm on the table repeatedly and shouted angrily, "You insolent boy! Are you trying to make me die of anger?" Perhaps this boy truly wants to anger him to death and then take the throne smoothly!
"Then... I was wrong." Jinrong said, a bit resentfully silencing himself. Well, there’s no point in arguing with the elder. Knowing Father’s temperament, he surely wouldn’t allow someone like the Crown Prince to ascend the throne and ruin his kingdom.
Even if Father really muddles, at least those two account books in the Ministry of Revenue have been seen, and he also has duplications of them. Even if the emperor wants to settle the matter quietly, the affair’s not entirely up to him.
The emperor saw that Jinrong finally yielded, and his mood eased somewhat. He rubbed his temples and said, "What you say is not without reason, but the current political situation is unstable. The Ministry of Revenue’s matter this time involves too many. Now is not the time to abolish the Crown Prince. Moreover, one cannot let it be known that by overthrowing the Crown Prince, a prince can substitute his place. In short, this matter should not be rushed."
This response from the emperor was much better than Jinrong expected. As long as the emperor places him within the line of succession, given the emperor’s aspiration for restoration and his own capability and influence, this position is ten to nine Jinrong’s.
Moreover, although the emperor did not explicitly state, his words hinted that the Crown Prince is precarious this time, a matter of time.
Therefore, he is in no hurry.
Jinrong chuckled a few times, "Father is wise. I actually didn’t do much, just helped Father prevent the Crown Prince and some officials from continuing to plunder the State Treasury, not letting them ruin your great kingdom. As for to whom the kingdom should be handed over and when the successor should be determined, naturally, it is Father’s decision, and others have no right to raise objections."
The emperor snorted coldly. I am the emperor! My words are as good as gold; there’s no need for you, boy, to judge my wisdom!
Having achieved the desired outcome, and knowing he had a reliable son among his children, the emperor felt some relief.
"What have you promised to Jiang Yifan, so that he did not spare any effort in working for you?"
The emperor had long suspected the Crown Prince, in collusion with Ministry of Revenue officials, was engaged in some unsavory dealings.
In recent years, he had sent many officials to try and expose the Ministry of Revenue’s corruption, or at least to stop it. But those officials were either won over by the Crown Prince or were unable to stay due to being ostracized.
Jiang Yifan had roamed the Ministry of Revenue for two years, half of which he spent taking leave from superiors, unwilling to quietly work there. Yet, through his wandering, he managed to accomplish such feats, this skill is truly astonishing.
Such a person can be utilized.