Chapter 473: Catastrophe
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
How could they have raised more than ten times the number of “guards”!
Although they were officially labeled as “guards,” they were essentially an array of expendable soldiers and a clandestine private army.
According to the regulations, neither the Crown Prince’s Residence nor the Public House were allowed to maintain more than 300 guards. Nevertheless, their combined force exceeded a staggering 6,000, and this was no minor infraction.
It was only natural that the Emperor would be infuriated.
Maintaining private soldiers outside was a grave transgression, tantamount to rebellion. Even if the Crown Prince were involved, the Emperor was prepared to take stern measures.
After all, His Highness the Crown Prince wasn’t his sole offspring.
The Emperor had no intentions of allowing his son to seize the throne from him while he was still vigorous and ruling.
Upon learning of the Emperor’s response, the General Manor believed that their scheme had succeeded.
If the Emperor incapacitated the Crown Prince, it would pave the way for the Third Prince to ascend to power.
The substantial sum they had spent on acquiring secrets and evidence from the Dragon Phoenix Hall wouldn’t have been in vain.
Both the Crown Prince’s Residence and the Public House were promptly informed of these developments through palace channels. They became aware that the General Manor had betrayed them, prompting the Emperor’s intent to depose the Crown Prince.
They promptly convened discussions and forwarded this information to the Empress Dowager and the Empress.
When Su Bin discovered that the General Manor had disregarded his counsel and prematurely submitted the evidence against the Crown Prince and the Public House to the Emperor, his countenance changed dramatically.
“Wife, we might be in trouble!”
Qin Zhenzhen remained absorbed in her business and didn’t inquire about court matters. However, when she noticed Su Bin’s expression, she was taken aback and asked, “Is there a crisis looming?”
“Yeah,” Su Bin responded and proceeded to recount the actions taken by the General Manor.
“I had specifically cautioned Lin Yue that it wouldn’t be prudent to submit this evidence to the Emperor at this moment, especially given how they’d acquired it when paying for the Dragon Phoenix Hall’s secrets.”
“Regrettably, they went ahead and handed all this evidence to the Emperor. No one knows how events will unfold.
The Public House wielded considerable power, and most ordinary civil and military officials hesitated to confront them directly. The Empress Dowager staunchly supported the Crown Prince because, despite the Emperor having numerous sons, she considered the Crown Prince as her only true grandson. He was the son of her niece.
The Empress Dowager believed that only when the Crown Prince ascended to the throne could he secure the Public House’s prestige and wealth. With the Public House outside the palace and the Empress Dowager within, the Crown Prince’s arrogance had deep roots.
Upon seeing the evidence, the Emperor was bound to be furious. Should he let his anger slip and express his intent to incapacitate the Crown Prince, the situation would become thorny.
There was the possibility that the Public House, pushed to the brink, might consult with the Empress Dowager to consider deposing the Emperor, or even resort to a form of medication to exert control over him.
Naturally, things might not transpire precisely as described; it all hinged on the Empress Dowager’s perspective.
If she believed that she could shield her family and the Crown Prince by sacrificing the Emperor, she might be willing to take drastic measures.
The Empress Dowager had a longstanding feud with the General Manor, stemming from a confrontation between her and a noble consort from the General Manor when she was young.
This animosity was deeply entrenched, so she would likely support the Empress in taking action against the Third Prince’s mother.
In the event the Emperor incapacitated the Crown Prince, the Third Prince would be poised to succeed him, an outcome the Empress Dowager would undoubtedly wish to avert.
Hence, should the Emperor make known his intention to disable the Crown Prince, the likelihood of them collaborating to exert control over the Emperor would increase.
After hearing Su Bin’s analysis, Qin Zhenzhen was taken aback.
Please, Your Majesty, refrain from taking rash actions!
If he aimed to incapacitate the Crown Prince, he needed to await the right moment!