Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 786: Chapter 385: Opposition to Zhao Yao Going to Lingnan_2

Wei Mian saw Prince Chu was so angry that his eyes were red and hastily comforted him: "Your Highness, you still have Tenth Highness and yourself."

"As the elder brother, I originally wanted to do something for my Tenth Brother, but I didn’t expect I couldn’t help at all." Prince Chu resented himself for being useless, "I also don’t know where Father Emperor will send Tenth Brother."

"Your Highness, you don’t have to worry too much. No matter how much the emperor dislikes Tenth Highness, he is, after all, the emperor’s own son. The emperor would not send Tenth Highness to some desolate place, right?"

Hearing Wei Mian’s words, Prince Chu glanced at him and said, "I’m worried Father Emperor will send Tenth Brother to such a desolate place."

"No way... The emperor wouldn’t be so harsh to Tenth Highness." Wei Mian comforted Prince Chu, "The emperor also doesn’t like Prince Wei, yet he didn’t send Prince Wei to some desolate place. Your Highness, the worst scenario is Tenth Highness, like Prince Wei, will stay in the capital without a fief."

Prince Chu frowned slightly and said, "Tenth Brother cannot stay in the capital." In recent years, the brothers had been fiercely competing with each other, yet it hadn’t reached the point of armed conflict. However, in a few years, they might start killing each other. If Zhao Yao stays in the capital, he might get caught up in this dangerous struggle.

In the Prince Wei Mansion, upon receiving the message from Prince Chu for a meeting, Prince Wei’s heart tightened a bit. He knew Prince Chu was definitely looking for him because of Zhao Yao.

In the evening, Prince Chu and Prince Wei met at a secret place.

Seeing Prince Wei, Prince Chu got straight to the point: "Today, I proposed to Father Emperor to let Tenth Brother go to Yangzhou, but Father Emperor refused."

Prince Wei said, "It was to be expected."

"I’m worried Father Emperor will send Tenth Brother to a remote place."

"You mean Father Emperor will send Tenth Brother to the Northern Frontier?"

Prince Chu nodded slightly, "The Northern Frontier has always been unstable."

"Tenth Brother must not go to the Northern Frontier."

These two, who were usually at odds, gathered together to seriously discuss Zhao Yao’s future placement.

In Xingde Palace, Zhao Yao sneezed several times in a row, scaring Tong Xi into calling for the Imperial Physician.

"It must be Fourth Brother talking about me." Zhao Yao said, gently sighing, "Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother must be worried about me." The event this morning where Prince Chu petitioned for Zhao Yao to go to Yangzhou and was reprimanded by the emperor had spread throughout both court and harem.

"Your Highness, won’t you tell Prince Chu and Prince Wei?" Tong Xi asked, "Both Your Highnesses care a lot about you and are always worrying about your affairs. I think there’s no need to hide your going to Lingnan from them."

"I’m afraid they will oppose it."

"If you explain the benefits of going to Lingnan to them, they might not object." Tong Xi advised, "I still think you should talk to them."

Zhao Yao pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Alright, I will tell them tomorrow." First, let Fourth Brother and the others get prepared. So when he is conferred and goes to Lingnan, Fourth Brother and the others won’t be too surprised.

The next day, Zhao Yao went to find Prince Chu.

"Fourth Brother, please don’t upset Father Emperor over me in the future."

"You are my brother; I can’t just ignore you."

"Fourth Brother, I came today to share my thoughts with you." Zhao Yao added, "About the idea of the fief."

Upon hearing this, Prince Chu’s face turned serious immediately, "What are your thoughts?"

"Fourth Brother, I want to go to Lingnan."

"What?" Prince Chu doubted he had heard correctly, "What did you say?"

Zhao Yao repeated: "Fourth Brother, I want to go to Lingnan."

Prince Chu exclaimed in disbelief, "You want to go to Lingnan?"

"Fourth Brother, I know Lingnan is a place of exile, but I think it’s suitable for me."

Prince Chu frowned tightly and asked, "Why do you think Lingnan is suitable for you?" At this moment, Prince Chu suspected Zhao Yao might be sick and not thinking clearly to say such nonsense.

"Fourth Brother, listen to me carefully." Zhao Yao said with a serious look, "Firstly, Lingnan is remote. If I go there, it’s far from the emperor, and I can do whatever I want. Father can’t control it, and the ministers won’t see."

Prince Chu: There’s some sense in those words.

"Secondly, Lingnan is a thousand miles away from the capital. If I go to Lingnan, I won’t implicate you and Eighth Brother..."

Prince Chu interrupted Zhao Yao, "You are not a burden to us."

Zhao Yao chuckled, then continued from before: "Thirdly, Lingnan has never been valued by the court, which gives me a chance to display my talents."

"Tenth Brother, Lingnan is very poor; it may not let you showcase your abilities."

"Fourth Brother, I’m not making anything luxurious." Zhao Yao laughed and said, "What I make is useful for the common people, not needing much money."

"Tenth Brother..."

"Fourth Brother, let me finish, fourthly..."

Zhao Yao listed ten benefits of going to Lingnan, almost persuading Prince Chu.

"Tenth Brother, do you know why Lingnan has always been an exile place?"

"I know, it’s remote and poor, a place for criminals to suffer."

"Do you know Lingnan has miasma and many poisonous insects, snakes, rats..." Prince Chu described the harsh environment there. "Tenth Brother, most exiled to Lingnan die from the miasma. Even locals die yearly from it, and many people aren’t long-lived there."

"Fourth Brother, I know all this." Zhao Yao said nonchalantly, "There are long-lived people in Lingnan; not everyone is short-lived or dies from miasma. Besides, miasma generally fills the mountains, not the towns."

"Tenth Brother, Lingnan isn’t as good as you imagine."

"Fourth Brother, my decision to go to Lingnan wasn’t impulsive; it was well-considered." Zhao Yao put away his smile, speaking solemnly, "I’ve researched much about Lingnan. I know it has lots of miasma, poisonous creatures, and various bandits."

"You know, yet you still want to go?"

"Fourth Brother, only by going to Lingnan can I do what I wish."

"Tenth Brother, Lingnan is not a good place. I won’t agree to you going." Prince Chu guessed Zhao Yao knew he wasn’t favored by the emperor, so he’s given up wanting to go to Lingnan. "For your fief, Eighth Brother and I will find another way."

"Fourth Brother, I really want to go to Lingnan..."

"No, you can’t go. Going to Lingnan is sending you to your death, and I can’t watch you go to your death."

"Fourth Brother, it’s not so serious..."

"No."

No matter what Zhao Yao said, Prince Chu wouldn’t agree to him going to Lingnan.

Prince Chu told him not to talk about going to Lingnan again.

After leaving Prince Chu Mansion, Zhao Yao then went to Prince Wei Mansion and repeated to Prince Wei what he’d told Prince Chu. And Prince Wei, like Prince Chu, strongly opposed Zhao Yao going to Lingnan.

Although he guessed Prince Chu and Prince Wei wouldn’t agree, Zhao Yao didn’t expect their reaction to be so intense, as if going to Lingnan meant going to his death.

Going to Lingnan was already a decided matter, and no matter how his Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother opposed it, it wouldn’t make any difference.