SFS Chapter 446 Extra Chapter: The Struggle for the Throne 4
Chapter 446 Extra Chapter: The Struggle for the Throne 4
No writer can resist the possibility of becoming a legend.
Wen Zhenglun suddenly felt immense pressure.
After that, his mouth was always on the Crown Prince. When he discovered that the Crown Prince actually had a male favorite and the two of them would have sex during the day, he was furious.
He then ran to Old Master Shen and said, "Teacher, I'm afraid I'll be remembered with infamy for eternity. The Crown Prince has ruined me! The Crown Prince has ruined me!"
The old man originally didn't want Shen Shixi to hear about this, but she had the ability to eavesdrop.
Hearing Wen Zhenglun's mournful voice, Shen Shixi thought to herself, "The Crown Prince is unlucky to have met you. Any normal person would be driven crazy."
Countless parents in later generations, with their mouths full of words, have driven their children to the brink of despair.
"What are you doing?"
Shen Shixi was so frightened she almost lost her soul. She turned her head and saw Li Yuanke. She quickly covered his mouth, pulled him over, and the two of them put their heads together to listen to the people inside.
The two listened as Wen Zhenglun and the old master complained about how the Crown Prince favored a male concubine named Ruyi, how the two were always together, and how when he went to find the Crown Prince, he could still hear playful noises coming from inside. Li Yuanke's heart pounded, his face burned, and he covered Shen Shixi's ears and pulled her away.
Shen Shixi was still struggling when she turned her head and saw Li Yuanke's embarrassed state. Her playful side suddenly emerged. "Brother Yuanke, do you know something?"
Li Yuanke was about to say, "I don't know, do you know?"
But the little peach blossom spirit is only five years old. He glared at her and said, "From now on, we are not allowed to eavesdrop on adults' conversations."
Shen Shixi chuckled, "Brother Yuan Ke, find a way to tell Li Yuantai about this male concubine named Ruyi."
Li Yuanke was taken aback, then nodded.
Three days later, Shen Shixi heard that Emperor Zhenyou had killed Ruyi. Although she knew that this person would not live long, she was still uncomfortable. Even if Ruyi was a bad person, it was not her place to decide when this person would die.
But the struggle for the throne is inherently a life-or-death war.
Soon after, the Crown Prince set up a shrine for Ruyi in the Eastern Palace to perform sacrifices, but this was reported again. Emperor Zhenyou was greatly disappointed in the Crown Prince, and with Li Yuantai watching him with covetous eyes, the Crown Prince became increasingly anxious.
Wen Zhenglun came to the old master again to confide in him. Shen Shixi said from the side, "Senior brother can talk to the Crown Prince properly and ask him to turn over a new leaf. The Crown Prince of the late emperor was not the current emperor. The emperor was still able to seize the throne when there was no hope. Today, there are Li Yuantai and Li Yuanzhi, who are no less capable than the Crown Prince."
Wen Zhenglun found it very reasonable. It wasn't that he was stupid, but everyone knew how the current emperor had seized the position of crown prince, yet no one dared to mention it.
The crown prince during the reign of the late emperor was posthumously named Yin, and people usually referred to him as Crown Prince Yin. He was a man of great talent and ability, no less capable than the current emperor. It was just a pity that he died by the current emperor's arrow, and the late emperor had no choice but to abdicate.
When Wen Zhenglun returned to the East Palace and told the Crown Prince about the matter, the Crown Prince became even more terrified and wanted to follow his father's example and kill his brother.
On the winter solstice, the emperor's bestowal of honors upon Li Yuantai once again surpassed that of the crown prince, causing the crown prince great distress and anxiety.
The Emperor may not have intended to depose the Crown Prince, but Li Yuantai certainly intended to emulate the Emperor and stage a palace coup.
Li Yuanqian's assassination attempt on Li Yuantai failed, which made him even more anxious. Someone in the Eastern Palace poisoned him, and he almost died from the poison, which terrified him.
While he was secretly amassing troops and colluding with Prince Lu, he hesitated between launching a rebellion or simply taking a defensive stance. At that moment, the Fifth Prince Li Yuanyou's plot to rebel was reported, which implicated Li Yuanqian and exposed the treasonous plot.
The emperor was greatly alarmed and, for a moment, did not know how to deal with the crown prince.
Even Grand Tutor Shen was summoned to the palace for a talk. Shen Shixi said to the old man, "If the Emperor asks Grandpa, Grandpa should say, 'If His Majesty is not a bad father and lives out his natural lifespan, then it is good.' Being able to save Li Yuanqian's life will benefit Grandpa, the Emperor, and Brother Yuanke."
As long as Li Yuanqian lives, the emperor will try every means to save his life, thus Li Yuantai will lose his qualification to be the crown prince.
This is equivalent to Li Yuantai and Li Yuanqian simultaneously losing their eligibility to compete for the position of crown prince.
Sure enough, the Emperor was very pleased when Old Master Shen mentioned it. He ordered Old Master Shen to return to the palace to teach the princes and participate in court affairs. This was exactly what Old Master Shen wanted to do. He politely declined twice, and the Emperor and his ministers tacitly put on an act twice. Then Old Master Shen returned to the court.
The crown prince was deposed and exiled to Fangzhou, at least his life was spared. Li Yuantai was suspected of vying for the throne and was demoted to a prince.
Li Yuanyou was sentenced to death.
The discussion about the succession has once again swept through the court. Shen Shixi suggested to his grandfather that if the emperor asked about the succession, they should postpone it. The crown prince had just been deposed, and the emperor was in his prime; there was no need to rush into discussing the succession.
She wanted to wait until the Pei family's ambitions were exposed.
At this time, Li Yuanke's strength was not yet sufficient to be considered significant.
When Li Yuanke came to study again, during a break, Shen Shixi said to him, "Reading too many books is not very useful. Books are indeed the books of sages and worthies, but from another perspective, they are also used to imprison people's minds."
"Brother Yuan Ke's future path will be different from others. I think if you master your horsemanship and archery skills and can achieve merit on the battlefield, things will be different."
The current emperor made his name on the battlefield and also befriended a group of military generals in the army. Later, during the palace coup, it was these people who helped him a lot.
Li Yuanke had learned quite a few characters and read a few books during his years at the Shen family's home. In any case, he was no longer completely illiterate, and he also felt that time was of the essence.
But he was still very reluctant to leave the little peach blossom spirit when he went to the border. "If I go to the border, will you forget me?"
"Then you should make a good contribution as soon as possible and come back soon. Also, be careful."
Shen Shixi handed him a blueprint for an improved crossbow, saying, "Take this and make a name for yourself. I'll wait for you to come back!"
Li Yuanke hugged the little peach blossom spirit, his eyes slightly red. "You'll come to see me off, won't you?"
"meeting!"
Li Yuanke was quite touched when she said, "Perfect timing, I'm also going out to have some fun. After I drop you off, I'll go shopping."
Li Yuanke laughed in exasperation, but there was nothing he could do. He hugged her and patted her back, saying, "Don't you feel even a little bit reluctant to part with me?"
"You're not not coming back, Brother Yuan Ke, you must take care of yourself. The lives of the entire Shen family are in your hands. When it comes to the struggle for the throne, it's the same whether you do it once or ten times, the only difference is whether you succeed or not."
The Shen family is on your side. Even if you sacrifice yourself on the battlefield, the new emperor will not let the Shen family off the hook. But I don't want to die!
Li Yuanke felt a heavy burden on his shoulders, but he didn't feel uncomfortable. On the contrary, that sense of responsibility and commitment made him grow up instantly. "Don't be afraid, I'll be fine. We'll be together through thick and thin!"
Outside the door, Li Gui said, "Your Highness, Miss Shen has arrived. She said she personally cooked lotus seed soup and brought it to Your Highness and the Second Miss."
"No, let her take it back!" Before Li Yuanke could finish speaking, the little peach blossom spirit tugged at his sleeve. "Brother Yuanke, why don't you have some?"
She wanted to drink.
Li Yuanke couldn't refuse. Frustrated by this little glutton, he could only say, "Go and bring it in!"
As it turned out, it was Shen Shiyan who came in.