The An Yang envoy stood uneasily in the hall. Finally, the Second Prince of Cang He returned and they were able to get out of the city, but for some unknown reason, they were invited back after progressing halfway. Everyone knew that the Emperor of Cang He was unpredictable and fickle in temper, no one could guess what he was planning this time.
"This one doesn't know what is the reason for calling us back? Is it possible that Your Majesty is reluctant and doesn't want us to return to Lian Tong? If so, as long as Her Majesty does not mind, we would also like to stay in Cang He and sing and dance for Your Majesty every day." It was the Lian Tong envoy who spoke; she and the attendants behind her were all enchanting and good-looking women. At this moment, they raised their heads with a smile, their eyes were moving and suggestive.
The monarch of Lian Tong was a woman. It was rumoured that she and the Cang He Emperor once had relations. If she hadn't decided to rule Lian Tong, she might be the Empress of Cang He today. Now, when they saw the women sent by her, all beautiful and lovely, they thought that the Empress must certainly be even more charming.
Qi Mingyue teased softly in his Father Emperor's ear, "Unfortunately, I didn't see it at the banquet that day. It was originally Father Emperor's fault that I couldn't. It's not every day one can see Lian Tong's singing and dancing." The women of Lian Tong were famous for their singing, dancing, and music. Within its lands, there was no woman who didn't know how to play instruments, all of them could sing and dance. It could be said that men all over the world yearned for them. The envoy spoke in this manner knowing that the prince wanted to see them, but now it was as if she knew nothing. They only looked at his Father with a smile. It seemed that all the women of Lian Tong were bold.
"If MingEr wants to see it, just ask her to jump and show you immediately. What kind of singing and dancing have I not seen? Even if they dance well, how can they compare with your appearance under the moon wielding a bloody blade?"
The envoys of both An Yang and Lian Tong stood for a long time but did not receive any instructions from the Emperor of Cang He. They looked up and saw him whispering to the Second Prince. They were surprised that the prince not only sat on the Dragon Throne in public but even in this atmosphere, in this solemn hall and under the gaze of everyone present, he was still at ease and even talking and laughing like usual. Like His Majesty, he didn't pay attention to them. They remembered that day when they saw him drinking Ming Xun at the banquet, he recounted its source with confidence, spoke and behaved like a man with an extraordinary temperament. He was so young and already like this, they really envied Cang He's good fortune for having such a prince.
Qi Mingyue shook his head, he was not particularly interested in the dance of Lian Tong. If he really wanted to see it, Hong Qui would never be worse than these people. "Thank you for your good intentions. Father Emperor did not want to delay the return journey of the honourable envoys. This time, I asked you to turn around halfway and bothered these beautiful sisters, it was really Mingyue's fault."
The tender voice of the child sounded in the main hall, his voice was calm, the words were polite, and the envoys of Lian Tong could not help but look at him carefully, and then said with a smile: "Her Majesty has long heard that the Second Prince is extraordinary and handsome. It turns out that your handsomeness might simply be a curse. Ah, I'm afraid Your Highness will cause countless women to fall for you in the future."
These weren't words that should be said to a child, Qi Mingyue frowned and didn't speak. He didn't like the women who spoke too much. He suddenly heard Qi Xutian speak with a faint smile, "I don't need others to worry about my MingEr's future. Today, I invited you back because I have something to confirm." From his tone, it was obvious that he was displeased.
Lian Tong's envoy didn't understand what she said wrong that caused the Emperor of Cang He to be dissatisfied. But she knew that his next words were going to be important, so she and the envoy of An Yang glanced at each other, calmed down and waited for him to explain what was going on.
The courtiers standing on the side also felt that His Majesty's words today carried some profound meanings. Could it be that, as mentioned earlier, someone privately expressed favour to the envoys of the two countries? Sure enough, the person on the throne seemed to find the situation very interesting and asked: "I heard that several envoys that came to Cang He played at many places in Ye Yao City? After MingEr disappeared, there was even a night of singing, is this true?"
An Yang envoy quickly shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, I do not know who spread such false rumours! The Second Prince had an accident, how could we, as envoys of other countries, be so rude!"
"Exactly, although Lian Tong is famous for singing and dancing, we would never do such a senseless act! Your Majesty has always been wise and can distinguish between truth from falsity, there was no such thing!"
"Alas, I just asked casually. Why are the envoys getting so excited?" Qi Xutian held Qi Mingyue securely, let him lean in his arms and he organized his hair bun for him before he continued unhurriedly, "Because, during this period of time, people often talked about the fact that while MingEr had been gone, the envoys of the two countries took this opportunity to make private connections with my most important ministers. All kinds of gold, gems, entertainment and jades were exchanged, I wonder if this is true?"
Without waiting for their answer, he continued as if nothing happened, "Since these envoys said they have never gone out, then they have been staying in their assigned residences. If someone came to see them, they surely must have greeted them. Those generous gifts at your residence were not collected by you, then your ignorant servants collected them for you?"
Only then did they realise that the previous question was just for this sentence. What a great Emperor, he actually blocked their retreat with their own words.
It was not uncommon to give gifts to envoys of other countries, it could even be considered normal, but after all, this matter couldn't be openly put on the table. Because once revealed, the gift giver would be suspected of joining another country. It was impossible for the person on the throne to be unaware of this, but it seemed that today, His Majesty decided to expose this matter in public.
The people who secretly communicated with the envoys were troubled and felt uncertain. According to His Majesty's nature, he would either laugh it off or be furious, he might pull them down and behead them. The ministers reckoned that since the Second Prince was sitting in His Majesty's lap, His Majesty would not be able to kill anyone in front of such a young child, so they felt relieved.
The An Yang envoy knelt down quickly, "Your Majesty, I, as an envoy, should not have discussed other countries' internal affairs, but since Your Majesty already knows about it, I can only tell the truth."
The envoy of Lian Tong also knelt down and said, "Someone from Cang He's court indeed sent gifts to my residence, and there was more than one person."
As soon as this statement came out, there was a sudden uproar in the hall, unexpectedly, Qi Xutian was not surprised and still asked calmly, "What was their reason for giving gifts? I would like to know the reason they needed to rely on the envoys of other countries."
Seeing that the Emperor of Cang He didn't ask who the gifter was, he only asked what it was for, the two envoys naturally felt better. They didn't delay any further and answered Qi Xutian's words, "It's for the position of Cang He's Crown Prince."
Qi Mingyue observed several people's expressions and saw that they didn't appear offended upon being questioned and understood the situation. Now, among the three kingdoms, Cang He had the potential to lead and national power was rising day by day. If Cang He's struggle for the selection of Crown Prince caused civil unrest, the two countries would naturally want to watch the farce.
So someone intentionally or unintentionally revealed that the officials gave bribes? Above all, for the Crown Prince's position, there were private exchanges with the envoys and then some people purposefully made it known to Father. Father clearly knew the actual situation but didn't ask anything and just let those emissaries fool around. Today's play was really interesting.
"Crown prince..." Qi Xutian looked at the young child in his arms. "Several princes are still young but some people can't wait. I want to know who is so anxious for a decision to be made? There is still a lot of time left. Since when were other countries able to control the candidates for the position of crown prince? These two envoys are very capable."
He spoke lightly, but the people below were sweating all over. If the Emperor was serious about their crimes and accused them of plotting against Cang He, even their two Majesties of An Yang and Lian Tong would not say much about it.
Some ministers had long since started regretting. They should not have gone to lobby the envoys for the sake of wealth and should not have directed them to declare that the second prince was an abnormal star after returning to their respective countries. It was clear that this matter had not been finalized yet. They felt uneasy, how could they have forgotten that His Majesty loved this prince! How could he tolerate others harming him!
Although Qi Xutian looked calm and no displeasure could be seen in his words, but the more amicable he seemed, the more uneasy the group of ministers and envoys became. An unusually oppressive atmosphere shrouded the entire hall, no one dared to answer, no one even had the courage to plead for themselves.
Together, both Qi Mingyue and his Father admired the diverse expressions on the faces of the ministers, thinking about the people who were the most concerned about the establishment of the Crown Prince. The people most concerned about this matter were the concubines of the harem. The scope could be narrowed down to the ones who had already given birth to a prince. There was only one consort who knew how to seize opportunities, get information early, and had connections; Consort Hua fit all these criteria and was closely related to Jing Huang. Qi Musheng was the eldest son of the Emperor but wasn't favoured by his father, no wonder she took such a decision. However, everyone knew the consequences of playing tricks under Father's nose, she had already tasted it but still hadn't learned her lesson.
As for those ministers who deliberately leaked the matter, they also said that it was for the sake of the establishment of the Crown Prince. It seemed that they were afraid Cang He wouldn't be in turmoil. "It seems that the affection the Empress of Lian Tong has towards Father isn't as much as her commitment to Imperial power." Regarding the words and deeds of her subjects in other countries, did she think that Father still held affection for her and wouldn't be too harsh on the people she sent? It was humorous how everyone thought that Father was romantic and affectionate, but they don't know that he was actually the most cold-hearted and he didn't care about anyone.
Qi Xutian heard him whispering in his arms, bowed his head and asked in his ear, "MingEr is bored? You said you wanted to follow me to morning court and got up early, now you feel sleepy?"
"Just let me lie down." When Father mentioned it, his fatigue became obvious. His young body was weak and got tired easily. He leaned his head on his arm and his whole person lay comfortably in his embrace. The purpose of coming to morning court today was to prove that he was unharmed and stop the rumours in the palace. Now that he had clarified it to the concerned parties, it was boring to stay any longer. Therefore, he said, "Father Emperor must quickly solve it. I am sleepy and want to go back to rest."
This sentence was not said in a whisper. The people present in the hall naturally heard it, and suddenly, their faces changed. The Second Prince dared to speak to His Majesty in such a manner, with such disrespect, he was simply presumptuous! How dare he say such a thing in that tone that was equivalent to a command?! His Majesty was currently displeased, wasn't this simply adding fuel to the fire?!
They waited for His Majesty to get angry, but unexpectedly, heard His Majesty's say warmly, "If you are tired, go back first. Let Chief Liu send you back to Xuantian Palace. Do you think that's okay?"
It was very interesting to find that the faces of the courtiers and envoys suddenly changed, they felt as if they were going to faint from disbelief. Qi Mingyue couldn't help but project the innocence of a child, continued to lay in his arms and said, "No, MingEr wants my Father Emperor to accompany me back, otherwise he won't leave."
Although he knew that MingEr was purposely playing tricks on the officials, Qi Xutian had never seen him being so cute and coquettish, and couldn't help squeezing the tip of his small nose, "Since MingEr is reluctant to leave his Father Emperor, I will solve this matter soon, then accompany MingEr to rest, alright?"
The people below were already shocked by the dialogue between the two. Which Emperor asked for the opinion of a prince? Which Emperor would accommodate a prince to such an extent? Although they had heard many rumours about how His Majesty favoured the second prince, at this moment, they realized that the rumours were not only not exaggerated, instead, they were far from the real situation. Looking at the words of the second prince, they didn't know whether these people would still be alive after today. It was unclear if they could change their outcome.
Instead, the Second Prince replied, "Alright. Then, Father, order it to end sooner." As soon as this remark came out, everyone choked. Order? What would His Majesty do to them?
The ministers who had nothing to do with this matter stood aside because it was not their business. They appeared very calm as they waited for His Majesty to speak.
But unexpectedly, His Majesty still asked the Second Prince lying in his arms, "How do you think this matter should be solved? Some of them have loose tongues and love to gossip and provoke, some are greedy for money, and some of them are scheming for the throne and power. What do you think should be done?"
"Those who love to provoke others should lose their tongues, those who are greedy for money should lose their money, and those who plan to seize power - might as well make them lose their glorious status and position and make them taste the feeling of losing everything, but also remember to leave a trace of hope and let yearn for it but never allow them to reach it Always make them remember what they can't get so that they can remember and regret their conduct today for a long time..." His eyes swept slowly across everyone's faces from the Dragon Throne. After being shocked by his eyes, the group of officials suddenly discovered that the Second Prince was so young and his power was already so compelling. The words he said made these people, who had been officials for many years, admit that the solution was commendable. He was so young but was still able to say such a thing, it evoked shock and admiration in them.
Qi Xutian heard to his words and showed admiration. "MingEr's words must have been heard by all of my beloved ministers. Since there are no objections, let's do it." Then he called out, "Come, remove the tongues of those with loose tongues! Let them remember that although Cang He is good to the other countries, their manipulation would not be tolerated!"
The envoys of the two countries did not expect the Emperor of Cang He to behave this way. Before they could justify and ask for mercy, they exclaimed and fainted on the spot with their mouths full of blood. Even as women, the envoy of Lian Tong and the attendants were not spared.
"As for you..." With a glance at the courtiers, Qi Xutian waved his hand, "Since MingEr is kind-hearted, I will spare your life as long as you pay for your crime with money. Before sunset, you can watch and act on your own."
Those who had taken advantage of the situation before and were able to escape the disaster were already ecstatic. At this time, they heard the words of His Majesty and finally settled down. They were grateful for the Second Prince's benevolence. Some people knelt down to admit their guilt and intended to forfeit their entire family wealth to compensate for their crime instead of their lives.
"Now, Liu Yi, you go to declare punishment to Consort Hua - for her misbehaviour, attempt at murdering the Second Prince, the intention of harassing the harem, and for spreading rumours - her position as an Imperial Consort has been abolished and she has been demoted to the Cold Palace. She can't go out for life!"
Chief Liu left took the order. The group of ministers looked at the bloodstains on the ground, the unconscious envoys, and didn't dare to say anything.
After this, the Second Prince of Cang He, Qi Mingyue, was famous for his wisdom and courage. At the age of six, he tasted Ming Xun at the banquet, described its source, spoke with confidence, said two to three phrases to calm the situation in court, governed the envoys and relegated an Imperial Consort. All kinds of rumours immediately became popular stories on the streets.
All the courtiers had long grown used to Cang He Emperor's love and favour for the Second Prince, all of them were delighted. Such a prince, naturally, was the pride of Cang He! Naturally, he should be well-favoured! His Majesty is wise! He had long known that their Prince was so extraordinary! God bless you! God bless our country!
Suddenly, no one paid attention to the other princes. The Eldest Prince, Qi Musheng, became more cowardly and timid after his consort mother was demoted to the Cold Palace. The Third Prince, Qi Lianshuo, arrived at the age of entering school. Although smart and clever, he was less noticeable as compared to the Second Prince, Qi Mingyue. It was not until a few years later when the concubines in the palace gave birth to three more princes and two princesses, that it became lively again within the palace walls.
And then came the year in which a concubine was killed, matricide was finally verified, rumours were rife within the palace and people were on tenterhooks. The words of the Grandmaster finally got out of the palace walls and the world finally knew that an alien star was born into this world and was a prince.
This was the year when the Second Prince, Qi Mingyue, was twelve years old.
Indus: The plot is finally picking up!
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Yay! Age progression!