Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 764: Chapter 372: The Outcome for Duke Zhen Country Mansion_2

The man pinched his chin and said, "I have done many things, but I have never been an emperor."

He Lianfang said, "Then you could give it a try."

"Try being an emperor?" The man imagined himself as the emperor of Japan, then his expression changed dramatically. He said with a face full of reluctance, "Forget it, being an emperor is really too troublesome."

Seeing the man’s annoyed expression at the thought of being an emperor, He Lianfang thought of Zhao Yao and said with a hint of impatience, "Take it or leave it."

"What’s this, you’re unhappy that I won’t be Japan’s emperor?" the man said with a chuckle. "You hope I’d be Japan’s emperor? Do you think I have what it takes to be an emperor?"

"I don’t care whether you do it or not. When you go to Japan, you must conquer Japan for me." Suddenly, He Lianfang’s tone became very serious, "Turn Japan into something in our pocket."

"You still don’t believe me. When I get to Japan, it will definitely become something in our pocket." The man said confidently, "When I go to Japan, everything will be under my control, and I can do whatever I want?"

"As you please."

The man suddenly smirked, "Then let me have a good time with it. When are we going to Japan?"

"Depart at the beginning of next spring."

"That’s still half a year away."

"In this half year, you can prepare well."

"Alright, then I’ll prepare well." The man said, then thought he should meet He Lianfang’s young disciple, and asked, "Should I go to Yangzhou to see His Highness the Tenth?"

"Then go and see him."

"Then I’ll go to Yangzhou to see His Highness the Tenth in some time." After talking about His Highness the Tenth, the man remembered the recent events in the capital and put away his playful smile, "Who do you think the emperor will appoint as the Crown Prince next?"

He Lianfang asked the man back, "Who do you think the emperor will appoint as the Crown Prince?"

The man said, "Prince Chu, I guess."

He Lianfang laughed lightly upon hearing this, "You really underestimate Zhao Zheng."

"How, isn’t it?" The man thought his guess was correct, "Before your young disciple’s wings are fully fledged, the emperor will appoint a new Crown Prince, making him a target, so your young disciple will always be safe."

"Prince Chu is neither the firstborn nor the legitimate son, even if the emperor wants to make him the Crown Prince, he can’t." He Lianfang reminded the man, "Above Prince Chu, there is Prince Dai. Below him, there is Prince Jing, who is the legitimate son."

After hearing this, the man slightly raised his eyebrows, "You mean the emperor won’t appoint Prince Chu as the Crown Prince for now?"

"Zhao Zheng won’t appoint a new Crown Prince for now, as the Crown Prince has just been deposed, and he is grieving." He Lianfang’s tone was full of sarcasm, "The emperor, overwhelmed by grief, is not in the mood to appoint a new Crown Prince."

Seeing He Lianfang’s cold and mocking expression, the man chuckled lightly, "You still hate the emperor as always."

"Hmph!"

"Why do you support his youngest son if you hate the emperor so much?"

"It’s a bet between me and Zhao Zheng."

"Alright, I won’t meddle in the matters between you and the emperor." The man knew that the grudges between He Lianfang and the emperor were not something he could easily interfere with, or else he would anger He Lianfang. "You just said the emperor wouldn’t make Prince Chu the Crown Prince, but the Great Zhou can’t be without a Crown Prince, and the ministers wouldn’t agree to not appoint a new Crown Prince."

He Lianfang said thoughtfully, "Next, it’s the time for all forces to wrestle."

"With Prince Chu’s means, in the end, he will still become the Crown Prince, right?" Speaking of this, another matter occurred to the man, "The person the emperor favors the most is your young disciple. If he makes Prince Chu the Crown Prince, how will he later promote your young disciple?"

"What do you think?"

The man immediately thought of something and showed an incredulous expression: "Could it be that in the end, the emperor wants to..." He made a neck-slitting gesture with his hand.

He Lianfang said nothing.

The man’s face showed exaggerated horror. He covered his mouth with his hand theatrically, "The emperor is so ruthless."

He Lianfang sneered, "Zhao Zheng has always been ruthless and unfeeling."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, indeed, the imperial family is heartless." The man said, inadvertently showing a look of sympathy, "I now really sympathize with Prince Chu. The emperor ruthlessly uses his other sons to let his youngest son rise, Prince Chu and the others are indeed pitiful."

"Zhao Zheng is just so despicable and insidious."

"But, speaking of which, if your young disciple participates in the fight for the throne, do you think he has a chance of winning?"

"Yes." He Lianfang said with great certainty, "Prince Chu and the others are no match for him."

"You really have confidence in your young disciple."

"In terms of means and planning, Little Ten is not inferior to Zhao Zheng." He Lianfang felt he had misspoken and quickly corrected, "No, Zhao Zheng is not as good as Little Ten."

The man, who was drinking tea, heard this and was so startled that he choked, resulting in a severe cough: "Cough, cough, cough, you’re overestimating your young disciple, aren’t you?" The emperor’s means and schemes are unfathomable, and His Highness the Tenth is only twelve years old, how could he possibly compare. "You’re no match for the emperor, how could your young disciple surpass the emperor?"

"When was I not a match for Zhao Zheng?" He Lianfang was very displeased with this statement.

"Why do you think your young disciple can surpass the emperor?"

"You’ll find out in the future." He Lianfang did not want to say it, as many things Zhao Yao did were confidential and could not be disclosed for now.

The man looked at He Lianfang speechlessly.

"When you meet Little Ten, you’ll understand what I mean."

"You’re making me more eager to meet His Highness the Tenth with this."

Meanwhile, far away in Yangzhou, Zhao Yao sneezed suddenly, almost blowing the letter in his hand away.

"Who’s badmouthing me?"

Zhao Yao rubbed his itchy nose and continued reading the letter from He Lianfang to him. In the letter, He Lianfang told Zhao Yao that Crown Prince Zhao Xuan had been deposed, demoted to Prince Jin, and was currently under house arrest at Zongzheng Temple. Once Prince Jin Mansion was built, he would be placed under house arrest there.

Considering that the Duke Mansion was a founding merit subject and deeply favored by the late emperor, the emperor did not execute Duke Zhen and his son. However, although they were spared the death penalty, they could not escape punishment and were imprisoned. As for the title of Duke Zhen not being revoked, Xie Shi took the position.

Other members of the Duke Mansion involved in the copper theft were all arrested. Some were imprisoned, and some were exiled.

The sudden downfall of the once-powerful Duke Mansion left many sighing in amazement.

The Wang Family and Xun Family saw the Duke Mansion’s fate, and naturally, they were filled with fear and unease in their hearts.

For a while, the aristocratic families in the capital were restless, worried that they might be next to suffer.