Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 885: Chapter 29: There’s No Difference Between Actively and Passively Competing for the Throne_2

After wandering the streets for a while, Zhao Yao and He Lianfang returned to Prince Han’s Mansion.

Just as they returned, they saw a Hidden Guard waiting for him. Zhao Yao immediately felt a bad premonition rise in his heart, thinking that surely nothing had happened in the capital during the festival?

The Hidden Guard first saluted Zhao Yao, then took out a letter from his chest and handed it to Zhao Yao.

Seeing the envelope was red, Zhao Yao knew it was an urgent message of eight hundred miles, and his heart suddenly sank. As he reached out to take the letter, he frowned and asked, "Why is it another urgent letter? What happened in the capital?"

The Hidden Guard respectfully replied, "I do not know, sire."

Zhao Yao waved his hand, signaling the Hidden Guard to retreat. Then, he pushed He Lianfang towards his study.

Back in the study, He Lianfang noticed that Zhao Yao was hesitating to open the urgent letter from the capital and slightly raised his eyebrow, asking, "Not going to read it?"

Zhao Yao lifted the red letter in his hand, his face heavy with concern, and said, "It’s not good news. I’m afraid to open it." He feared the letter contained something he couldn’t accept.

He Lianfang asked, "What are you afraid of?"

"I’m afraid the letter’s content concerns someone I care about." Zhao Yao silently prayed in his heart, hoping that his mother, uncle, and fourth brother were safe.

He Lianfang snatched the red letter directly from Zhao Yao’s hand and opened it to read.

After He Lianfang finished reading, Zhao Yao asked nervously, "What did it say?"

He Lianfang, expressionless, replied, "The deposed Crown Prince is dead."

"What?" Zhao Yao exclaimed and quickly snatched the letter from He Lianfang’s hand, eagerly reading through it. After finishing, his face turned as dark as water, exuding a chilling and intimidating aura.

He Lianfang, seeing Zhao Yao angry, did not interrupt him.

Zhao Yao clutched the letter tightly, his expression furious, and said coldly, "Was it Prince Dai or Prince Jing?"

He Lianfang did not answer, instead asking, "Who do you think is more likely?"

Zhao Yao gritted his teeth, saying, "Prince Dai!" Compared to Prince Jing, Prince Dai was more likely to kill the deposed Crown Prince. Firstly, Prince Dai already had a vendetta against him and had wanted him dead before he was deposed. Secondly, due to rumors that Noble Princess Consort Rong had harmed the former Empress, killing the deposed Crown Prince would allow blame to be shifted onto the Empress and Prince Jing.

He Lianfang said, "I guessed as much."

"Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother clearly sent people to secretly protect Eldest Brother’s family, how did Prince Dai manage to kill them all?" Although Zhao Yao looked grim, he hadn’t lost his rationality.

"You’ll have to ask Prince Chu and Prince Wei about that."

"I’ll write to Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother now to find out how Eldest Brother’s family was killed."

He Lianfang saw Zhao Yao already seated at the desk, starting to write a letter, and asked, "If it was indeed Prince Dai who killed them, what do you plan to do, seek revenge for the deposed Crown Prince?"

Zhao Yao continued writing, without looking up, "I will join with Fourth Brother and the others to avenge Eldest Brother, I will not let Prince Dai go."

"Zhao Yao."

Hearing He Lianfang call him by his full name, Zhao Yao looked up in surprise, asking in wonder, "Uncle, what is it?"

"If it turns out Prince Dai killed the deposed Crown Prince, do you really want to join Prince Chu and the others in avenging him?"

Seeing He Lianfang’s stern expression as he questioned him, Zhao Yao was initially stunned, then confusedly asked, "Can’t I avenge Eldest Brother?"

"You must realize that if you join Prince Chu in avenging the deposed Crown Prince, it means you are becoming involved in the fight for the throne." He Lianfang’s gaze was sharp as he looked at Zhao Yao, "Are you sure you want to be drawn into the struggle for the throne?"

This piercing question from He Lianfang left Zhao Yao momentarily stunned. His hand holding the pen stopped, and ink dripped onto the letter paper.

"Zhao Yao, don’t think that you’re simply helping Prince Chu avenge the deposed Crown Prince and not fighting for the throne." He Lianfang asked coldly, "Will the ministers believe that, will Prince Dai believe that? You are far away in Lingnan now, not involved in court matters, so Prince Dai and Prince Jing are not guarded against you. Once you join Prince Chu to avenge the deposed Crown Prince, Prince Dai will see you as an ally of Prince Chu or Prince Wei, and they will not let you go."

After hearing He Lianfang’s analysis, Zhao Yao furrowed his brow, his expression becoming dark and uncertain. Seeing the letter paper ruined by ink, he quickly put down his pen.

"You should understand, whether you actively fight for the throne or are passively drawn in, there’s no difference," He Lianfang’s tone was somewhat pressing, "Do you really want to be involved in this?"

"I... I definitely don’t want to be entangled in the throne struggle." He went all the way to Lingnan precisely to avoid getting involved in the fight for the throne.

"Since you don’t want to get involved, you’d best not interfere in the matter of the deposed Crown Prince’s family being killed." He Lianfang had just finished speaking when he saw Zhao Yao looking as though he wanted to say something, and immediately interrupted him, "Don’t think that you can secretly join Prince Chu in avenging the deposed Crown Prince, and Prince Dai and Prince Jing won’t know."

Hearing this, Zhao Yao swallowed back the words he was about to say.

"Don’t think your actions are flawless and won’t be discovered by anyone." He Lianfang said sternly, "Don’t underestimate Prince Dai and Prince Jing, nor overestimate your cleverness."

Zhao Yao said nothing, because he indeed had such thoughts.

To be honest, he never looked up to Prince Dai. In his mind, Prince Dai was just a courageous but brainless fool. Although Prince Jing was smart and somewhat capable, he was still inferior to him, so he didn’t consider Prince Jing a threat.

"I advise you not to underestimate Prince Dai and Prince Jing." He Lianfang, aware of Zhao Yao’s thoughts, said coldly, "Even if they aren’t as capable as you, they have shrewd and skillful people around them."

"Uncle, are you saying I shouldn’t get involved in Eldest Brother’s matters, and shouldn’t avenge him?"

"You can seek vengeance if you like, but it means being drawn into the struggle for the throne." He Lianfang sneered, "I never knew you were so close to the deposed Crown Prince, close enough to avenge him?! If I remember correctly, when you went to Jinling, you were nearly killed by Li Jue, and the deposed Crown Prince knew but didn’t care whether you lived or died. When did you become so noble and kind, Zhao Yao?"

"I..." Zhao Yao wanted to retort but didn’t know what to say.

"People might say you’re using avenging the deposed Crown Prince as a pretext when your real aim is to vie for the throne." He Lianfang’s expression became playful, "Zhao Yao, if you want to fight for the throne, I won’t oppose you; on the contrary, I’ll help you."

"No." Startled, Zhao Yao hastily waved his hands, "I don’t intend to fight for the throne, truly!"

"Since you don’t want the throne, will you still avenge the deposed Crown Prince?"

Terrified, Zhao Yao shook his head vigorously, "No, no, no. Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother avenging Eldest Brother is enough; it doesn’t need my interference." What he said before about joining his brothers in avenging Eldest Brother was based on brotherly affection, without much thought. Now, hearing his uncle’s words, he dared not interfere.

"I’d actually hope for your revenge; that way, you’d compete for the throne, and maybe I’d gain merit for supporting a future emperor." He Lianfang’s tone sounded sarcastic, but he was speaking the truth.

Zhao Yao, frightened by He Lianfang’s joking words, turned pale and quickly begged for mercy.

"Uncle, I was wrong; please forgive me."

Just now, a thought flashed in his mind, and he felt Eldest Brother’s family’s murder might not be as simple as it seemed.