The Crown Prince ascends the throne?
When Jinghua heard these four words, his eyes widened in disbelief!
He cautiously inquired: “What does Sir mean?”
Pan Chong’s brow furrowed as he carefully glanced twice toward outside the hall before speaking seriously with the Crown Prince: “His Majesty is now bedridden, and there are signs of significant improvement in his condition, so replacing the Crown Prince is not without possibility. This poses a great threat to the Crown Prince. But if before His Majesty issues an edict, we just…”
“Just what?”
This was truly maddening!
“Make His Majesty pass away!”
Crash—
Jinghua’s hands trembled, his arm knocked over a teacup, and the teacup rolled to the ground, shattering into pieces!
His whole person froze completely while trembling, his lips turning pale.
His mouth stuttered in shock: “Pass away? Make… make Father Emperor pass away? That is to say, make Father Emperor… die?”
He broke out in a cold sweat!
Pan Chong nodded: “Crown Prince, this is the only method. Surround the palace and force the abdication, let His Majesty pass away with proper legitimacy, and the Crown Prince can naturally ascend the throne.”
“No… that won’t do. That’s my Father Emperor!”
A son killing his father would incur heaven’s punishment.
The Crown Prince’s nature wasn’t truly bad to such an extent. To kill the father who had doted on him since childhood—how could he do it?
He hurriedly asked: “Does Sir have no other method?”
Pan Chong shook his head!
“In any case, killing Father Emperor is absolutely impossible. This would be the height of treachery!” Jinghua was anxious.
Seeing him so hesitant and timid, Pan Chong’s small eyes held a trace of disappointment.
He said: “If the Crown Prince wants to accomplish great things, don’t be indecisive. Now is the best opportunity. Does the Crown Prince want to hand over his position as heir apparent to Prince Yi?”
“Impossible!” Jinghua slapped the table.
He stood up abruptly!
He said urgently: “The position of heir apparent is mine. Naturally I cannot hand it over. What ability does that Jing Yi have to compete with me?”
“Then if the Crown Prince wants to keep the Crown Prince position, there is only this one method.”
“But…”
Jinghua sighed, pacing back and forth several steps, his hands gripping his head, full of struggle and hesitation.
Pan Chong was a decisive person with a firm attitude: “Crown Prince, think about it—if Prince Yi ascends the throne, who would be the first person he would eliminate?”
You idiot, it would be you of course!
So if you don’t rebel now, when will you?
Hearing these words, Jinghua’s heart jolted. The hesitation on his face was swept away in an instant. He clenched both fists and waved his sleeve.
“The imperial throne is mine. No one can take it.” His face showed an inflated desire for power: “But Sir, what should I do? Do I really have to kill Father Emperor?”
“This is the only method!”
Jinghua drew a breath. His eyes grew increasingly resolute, and finally—
He nodded!
Pan Chong then strategized: “Three days from now is the Crown Prince’s wedding day. That day will be the day the Crown Prince ascends the throne.”
The conspiracy was proceeding step by step…
Several hours later, after that old fellow Pan Chong left the palace, he headed straight for Prince Yi’s residence.
By rights, Pan Chong was the Crown Prince’s man—why would he go there?
How strange!
Prince Yi had been waiting for him in his room early on.
“Paying respects to Prince Yi.”
“No need for formalities. Master Pan, please sit.”
Pan Chong sat down!
Jing Yi wore a deep smile and asked: “The last time Sir came to this prince’s residence should have been a year ago, correct?”
Pan Chong nodded.
“Sir is the Crown Prince’s tutor. To understand the current situation and stand on this prince’s side is absolutely Sir’s wise choice.”
Pan Chong said: “The situation in court is very clear to everyone. The Crown Prince is simply a waste. If not for the Late Empress, he probably wouldn’t even match up to that sickly Prince Xian and couldn’t become Emperor. But Prince Yi, you are different. You understand when to advance and retreat, yet you’re ambitious. You also know when to be heavy-handed and when to be light. This kind of person is suitable to be Emperor. My choice of Prince Yi also follows the current situation.”
In other words, rather than following a useless Crown Prince who would fail sooner or later, it was better to turn with the wind early and follow this money tree before him.
Perhaps in the future, the Pan family could preserve their lineage and not be completely eradicated.
Jing Yi was clearly quite pleased with Pan Chong’s words.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly as he said: “This is absolutely the wisest decision Sir has ever made.”
Pan Chong remained silent!
Jing Yi spoke in a low voice, raising his eyes to ask: “Has the Crown Prince decided?”
Pan Chong replied: “Though he hesitated, the Crown Prince ultimately worried about changes to the heir apparent position and made this decision. Although the Eastern Palace doesn’t have many troops and forcing the palace to commit regicide would be difficult, fortunately in three days the Crown Prince will have his grand wedding. On that day, the guards outside Fuyang Hall will also be lax. If the Crown Prince wants to attack, it won’t be difficult at all. Add to that Prince Yi giving another push from the shadows, and this matter can be settled.”
“Without the Ji family brothers as backing and having surrounded the palace to commit regicide, when this prince leads troops to rescue His Majesty, the Crown Prince will certainly die without doubt.”
Resolute!
Jing Yi’s originally mild brow twisted with a ruthless energy.
However, Pan Chong was somewhat unclear about something.
He asked: “Originally, this was the best opportunity to eliminate Prince Rong. Why did Prince Yi give it up?”
Give it up?
Of course it wasn’t giving up.
Jing Yi had his own calculations.
He drummed his fingers: “The saying goes, ‘cast a long line to catch a big fish.’ If I can use this to eliminate the Crown Prince and push all blame for the Chengqing Hall fire onto him, and also reach a deal with that Master Ji, making her leave Prince Rong and follow this prince, then what does releasing Prince Rong matter? At that time, this prince will marry the legitimate daughter of the Ji family, and Ji Li and Ji Huan will also become this prince’s men. Would we still worry about a mere Prince Rong? This prince can send him to the Imperial Prison once, so there can be a second time.”
A ruthless path!
As he finished speaking, the cup originally held in his hand was heavily slammed onto the table!
Pan Chong, this old scholar, had read books his entire life and had some grasp of shrewd calculations, but no matter how shrewd his calculations, they still couldn’t compare to the person before him!
A dragon begets nine sons, each one different!
If the Crown Prince were as shrewd as Jing Yi, why would he need to turn his sail!
“This old man will take this opportunity to congratulate Prince Yi in advance on being granted the title of Crown Prince and ascending to the high position.” Pan Chong flattered him.
In his heart, Jing Yi fundamentally didn’t trust this old scholar. After all, the person who gave the Crown Prince the idea to switch his birthday gifts a year ago was Pan Chong!
Between the two of them, at most there was a mutually beneficial relationship.
Pan Chong wanted the Pan family clan to continue thriving after the Crown Prince was deposed, while Jing Yi wanted Pan Chong to instigate the Crown Prince to surround the palace and commit regicide.
Naked self-interest on both sides!
However, before Pan Chong left, Jing Yi handed him something else.
“This is?”
“Rock-spot poison, a poison formulated by Yan Weiyi.”
Pan Chong knew Yan Weiyi, though not well. He didn’t understand: “Does Your Highness mean for the Crown Prince to use rock-spot poison to poison His Majesty to death?”
“Correct.” Jing Yi said: “Yan Weiyi and this prince have had dealings several times before. That person’s character is not to this prince’s liking, so with this palace siege by the Crown Prince, this prince wants to pull Yan Weiyi into it as well.”
“May this old man ask the reason?”
Jing Yi said: “Some things—knowing too much won’t benefit Sir.”
Pan Chong smiled and stopped asking further. He tucked the blue bottle containing the rock-spot poison into his sleeve, stood up, cupped his hands, and left Prince Yi’s residence.