I am a prince in Zhutian Films

Chapter 129 Everyone depends on their ability
The palace was in chaos, and the Empress Dowager issued several imperial decrees in succession, forcing all concubines with children to move to Hanguang Palace.

In Shufang Palace, Concubine Yi with red eyes looked at the eunuch kneeling in front of her, smiled very reluctantly, and asked the eunuch to leave the palace.

Of course, she understood that the so-called move to Hanguang Palace was just to facilitate monitoring of these people in the palace and to prevent certain people in the capital from causing chaos.

Thinking of the news of Emperor Qing's death, Concubine Yi felt very complicated and didn't know what situation she and her son would face.

Judging from the news from the three parties, it is obvious that a net has been cast on Fan Xian. Although she has tried her best to keep her son away from Fan Xian in the past few years, and even tried her best to refuse the appointment of Fan Xian as her son's teacher by Emperor Qing, she was born into the Liu family after all. Although the Liu family and the Fan family are not as close as the third prince and the Qin family, they are now in a relationship of mutual benefit and gain with the Fan family.

If Fan Xian could not find a way to deal with the Queen Mother, or could not prove his innocence, and was really identified as the main culprit of treason, the Fan family would naturally be executed, and Liu would also suffer a catastrophic disaster. She might be killed by this white silk or a cup of poisoned wine...

Unless the third prince Li Chengzong finally sits on that position, the Liu family can avoid this crisis. But everyone in Kyoto doesn't know that the third prince Li Chengzong died under the siege of the messengers of the Western Temple.

"Mother, mother!"

Li Chengping, who had just heard the news, ran into the palace. Seeing his mother's uneasy and frightened face, he comforted her, "Mom, it's okay. Aunt Qin has brought people into the palace. Third brother is on his way back. He will be fine."

Concubine Yi was stunned for a moment, and asked quickly: "Zong'er, is he still alive?"

Li Chengping hummed, "I just learned from Brother Hongcheng that my aunt might..."

Although she didn't continue, Concubine Yi immediately understood what her son meant. She pulled her son over with a look of shock on her face and said in a low voice, "Is your father's death really related to Fan Xian?!"

Li Chengping nodded. "The results of the investigation at Third Brother's house should not be wrong. Even if Fan Xian is not the mastermind, he is a participant. Brother Hongcheng said that we should not do anything and wait for Third Brother to come back."

Concubine Yi nodded after a moment's silence. Like her son, she had great confidence in Li Chengzong. In their hearts, as long as Li Chengzong returned to Kyoto, he would be able to solve all problems perfectly.

The eunuch is already outside urging them to come.

Reassured, Concubine Yi couldn't help but smile. But when she thought of the news of His Majesty's death, she quickly showed a sad look, whispered a few words, and then moved to Hanguang Palace with her son.

The newly built East Palace.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian was slowly tidying up his clothes, with no trace of joy on his face. When the news of Emperor Qing's death reached the palace, he, like all the ministers, fell to the ground and cried, unable to hide his grief.

But his face looked sad and a little pale. When he returned to the gate of the East Palace, he bowed deeply towards the twilight in the distant east, and two tears fell from his eyes.

After a long time, he straightened up and thought sadly in his heart: "Father, it's not that I am unfilial, it's you who pushed me to a point where I have no way out."

Hong Zhu led the guards and stood at the gate of the East Palace, waiting for the Crown Prince and the Queen who was ordered by Emperor Qing to move to the East Palace.

The prince glanced at Hong Zhu, then turned back to look at the queen, frowned slightly, and forcibly concealed the helplessness in his eyes. He held his mother's hand and whispered in her ear, "Mother, please accept my condolences!"

The Empress, who always had a gracious appearance, had been trapped in the East Palace for the past six months. She had long lost her former splendor. Today, she suddenly heard the news that Emperor Qing had died in Mount Dadong. The Empress, who had been childhood sweethearts with Emperor Qing, collapsed. She became more and more like a walking corpse, listening to the news coming from various palaces, while she just sat on the couch and cried silently.

Although the emperor and the empress had been at odds for many years, among the emperor's concubines, the empress was the woman who loved him the most.

"Your father is dead..." The queen looked at her son with lifeless eyes.

Li Chengqian slowly lowered his head and said, "I know, mother, don't be too sad, everyone will die."

The prince's face was still filled with sorrow, but his tone was extremely indifferent.

The queen seemed to regain her senses in an instant, understood these words, looked at her son in disbelief, opened her mouth wide, and couldn't utter a word for a long time.

The prince did not care about his mother's mood and whispered, "The sacrifice to heaven has not been completed, and I am still the prince. Even if my father likes the third son, so what? Now that my father and the third son are dead, my son has the upper hand and will legitimately become the next emperor of Qing, and you will be the queen mother."

The Queen's heart was filled with numerous complex emotions at once. She stared at her son in a daze. It took a long time for her to come back to her senses. She said hatefully, "It was Fan Xian who killed your father, right? It must be him. I've said it before, he is just like his mother, a disaster star... When we go to Hanguang Palace later, you must convict Fan Xian and have your aunt execute the entire Fan family. Otherwise, our Li family will be destroyed by him sooner or later. And that old dog Chen Pingping must be killed too!"

Hearing this, the prince grabbed the queen's hand and squeezed it hard, causing the queen to frown in pain.

The prince leaned close to her ear and whispered softly, "Mother, I don't want to hear this again. Remember, don't say a word when you get to Hanguang Hall. If you want me to sit on the throne, don't say anything. Although I don't know what token Fan Xian has in his hand, as long as he takes out his father's token, no one will believe that Fan Xian would kill the king. If you say this again, no one will believe it. So you have to wait in Hanguang Hall until the people who offer sacrifices to the heaven come back and I sit on that seat. Then you can do whatever you want."

The queen trembled all over and stared at her son, "You are really the same as your father."

The prince did not comment, and finally said softly: "Mother, the Qin family father and son will enter the palace later. Please talk to Mr. Qin. The second son will not be willing to accept it."

In the Second Prince's residence not far from the Imperial Palace, Li Chengze, like his other brothers, was tidying up his clothes while simulating sadness.

As a member of the royal family, what he is best at is acting, so even if he has a lot of things on his mind, the expression on his face is still perfect.

Princess Ye Ling'er looked at him coldly from the side, with no intention of coming forward to help. After a moment, she asked softly, "Do you believe it?"

"It doesn't matter whether I believe it or not. What matters is whether the Queen Mother believes it or not."

The second brother paused while adjusting his clothes and replied calmly, "Of course, I don't believe it. I have always admired Fan Xian and I know him. He is a man who values ​​feelings. He would never kill his father, and he has no reason to kill his king."

"News came from the palace saying it was Fan Xian."

The second brother rolled up his snow-white sleeves and shook his head, saying, "The news may not be true. Before there is substantial evidence, I don't believe it anyway."

Ye Ling'er nodded, looking at her husband with an inexplicable expression, and said softly: "You should be careful recently. The prince may take action against you. Although he is the prince, you are also the prince regent. You both have the upper hand."

"The prince doesn't dare to do anything to me."

Li Chengze shook his head and asked in confusion, "Speaking of which, I don't quite understand the Queen Mother's actions. Given the current situation, she should have called all the princes to live in Hanguang Palace, but she only called Xiao Si. It seems like she intentionally left me, my eldest brother, and the Crown Prince out?"

"You mean, the Queen Mother wants you to fight for the throne?"

Li Chengze shook his head: "I don't know, but the Queen Mother definitely likes the Prince."

"The Queen Mother wants to support the Crown Prince to ascend the throne?"

"After all, the Queen Mother is the Crown Prince's great-aunt." Li Chengze laughed and then sighed, "Of course, if my third brother hadn't died, the Crown Prince wouldn't have been in the Queen Mother's eyes. It's a pity that my third brother died."

"If the Third Prince ascends the throne, would you be willing?"

The second brother was silent for a moment, then sighed, "I have never lied to you. I fought for the throne because your majesty pushed me up. I have no way out. If I don't fight, I will die. If my third brother ascends the throne, I will not be willing, but I can accept it. After all, as an elder brother, I should give in to my younger brother. Of course, if my third brother is interested in the throne, I can't beat him."

After all, they have been married for more than two years. Ye Linger could feel that he was sincere and was stunned for a moment. "It's rare that there is someone in the world who you can treat so sincerely."

"It's a pity that my third brother passed away."

Li Chengze's eyes flashed with deep sadness, and he suddenly said, "Inform my father-in-law to go north slowly. I'm afraid the prince will do something desperate."

"What do you mean?"

The second brother was silent for a moment, then said, "I won't hide it from you. I suspect that the incident at Dadong Mountain was done by the prince and my aunt. Your great uncle might also be involved..."

Ye Ling'er was shocked and covered her mouth tightly, her face full of disbelief.

The second brother smiled bitterly: "You don't have to worry too much, this is just my guess."

Because of the appearance of Li Chengzong, some things have shifted. At least the second brother no longer completely trusts Li Yunrui, and Li Yunrui also hides many things from him, so he is not clear about what is happening on Mount Dadong.

What he could be sure of now was that compared to him, the eldest princess and the queen mother would definitely fully support the prince's ascension to the throne.

But let the prince ascend the throne. After all, Fan Xian can't just sit there and watch. And even if Fan Xian just sits there and watches, those old guys standing behind him won't just sit there and surrender, right?
Let the prince face the counterattack of the Supervisory Council and the Fan family, let the prince and Fan Xian fight, he just needs to watch coldly and wait for the fisherman to benefit from the quarrel. The second brother sneered and went towards the Hanguang Hall of the imperial palace.

The Royal Villa in the west of the city.

"Aunt, the Empress Dowager asked you to enter the palace."

Seeing Li Chengru walk into the hall, Li Yunrui, who was mixing perfume, was stunned for a moment, then laughed. "It seems that His Majesty has passed away."

"The death of the emperor is indeed related to my aunt. Was it planned by you and the crown prince, or was it planned by you and the second brother?"

Li Yunrui did not answer, but asked: "Why not Fan Xian?"

"Aunt, do you think I'm a fool? Everyone in the world knows that the relationship between Fan Xian and Aunt is as hostile as fire and water. Moreover, it is impossible for Fan Xian to assassinate my father. He has no reason at all."

"If it was Zong'er, he wouldn't say such a thing."

Li Yunrui shook his head in disappointment and sighed, "I watched you grow up, too. Boss, you are not suitable to stay in Kyoto. Wait for Zong'er to return to Beijing and ask to go to the border. With your relationship with Zong'er, he will agree."

Li Chengru was silent, pondering the deep meaning of the words of his aunt, who had been active in the officialdom of Qing State for more than 20 years.

Li Yunrui stood up, smiled faintly and said, "Let's go."

Slowly pushing open the gate of the royal villa which had nominally been closed for several months, Li Yunrui stood calmly on the steps, looking at the carriage and eunuchs coming to pick her up to the palace. The beautiful and exquisite Wuguan did not tremble at all. She was wearing a thin white dress, which was extremely plain and pretty, and her expression seemed to be extremely sad, which was extremely attractive.

Looking at the moonlit night sky after the clouds and rain had dispersed, the sadness on Li Yunrui's face seemed to become more and more intense, but when it was too intense, it would become indifferent, so indifferent that there was not a trace of emotion at all. Her jade-like skin reflected the moonlight, as if it had become transparent, allowing everyone to see her true feelings.

There is peace in the grief, and relief in the peace.

Li Yunrui smiled slightly, and the clear light spread out. In his heart, he said to the emperor soul that had completely faded away: "Brother, have a safe journey!"

Then, she got on the carriage to the palace with her personal maid, without looking back at the villa where she had been imprisoned for more than half a year, because after leaving this place today, she believed that she would never come back.

His Majesty is dead, and the whole thing is over.

As for the second son and the crown prince, in the eyes of Princess Li Yunrui, they are nothing but clowns.

The person she cares about is coming back soon. The second brother and the prince are like grasshoppers in autumn and will not be able to jump for long.

Thinking of this, the woman in the carriage couldn't help but laugh foolishly.

By the time Li Yunrui and Li Chengru arrived at Hanguang Palace, it was already late at night.

The important ministers who had entered the palace for discussions had already left the Hanguang Hall, and only Fan Xian and the three princes were left. Fan Xian was talking to the crown prince, and they seemed to be having a good chat.

Li Yunrui's eyes flashed with surprise at Fan Xian's appearance. He slowly walked forward and said, "It seems that Xiao Yi is dead."

"I'm sorry to disappoint the princess."

"How did you clear yourself of suspicion?"

"The assassination of His Majesty was a frame-up." Fan Xian's acting skills have become more sophisticated now, and he is confident when telling lies.

"The Queen Mother believed it?"

"Why don't you believe me? I have the imperial seal and imperial edict given by His Majesty."

Li Chengqian, who was standing next to Fan Xian, took over the conversation and said, "Aunt, the emperor has issued an order that Fan Xian should be in charge of Kyoto affairs before the emperor returns to Beijing. If... anything happens to the emperor, Fan Xian will decide who will take that position. The imperial order was issued in front of officials from the Ministry of Rites, the Imperial Temple, and the Dadongshan Qing Temple priests, so it cannot be faked."

If we were to ask who least wants Li Yunrui and Fan Xian to quarrel at this moment, it would be Crown Prince Li Chengqian.

In the inner hall, the Queen Mother sat alone on the couch, and several old maids stood behind her quietly, not daring to make a sound, like sculptures.

The dim light flickered and shone on the old lady's profile, clearly revealing countless wrinkles, making the most powerful person in Qing Kingdom appear hopelessly old and frail.

Eunuch Hou bowed his body and walked in with small steps, reporting: "Empress Dowager, the eldest princess has arrived. Do you want to call her in?"

For any elderly person, suddenly hearing the news of their son's death is an extremely difficult blow to bear, not to mention that their son might have died at the hands of a conspiracy by their beloved daughter.

"Let her in, and call Fan Xian and the prince in as well."

Eunuch Hou agreed, and soon came in with Li Yunrui and the five princes.

The Queen Mother was silent for a moment, then waved her hand. The palace maids and nannies in the entire inner hall quickly retreated, leaving only the royal family and Fan Xian, who insisted that his surname was Fan.

The old lady glanced at Li Yunrui and then looked at the other people present.

"Logically, since His Majesty has issued an order, I should obey it. However, for the future of Qing, I will disobey the order once. I don't think your father will blame me. Whoever is more capable will sit on the throne."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was immediately surprised.

Before they could come to their senses, the Queen Mother added, "Anzhi, the same goes for you. Although your last name is Fan, you are still His Majesty's child and the blood of my royal family. The chair is right there. You brothers, each of you will do it based on your own abilities."

The eldest princess was the first to come to her senses. She instantly became furious and said without thinking, "Mother, anyone can do it except Fan Xian. Don't forget him..."

"It's not your turn to interfere in this matter."

The old lady interrupted Li Yunrui coldly, waved to the princes, and said with a tired face: "Okay, you can go down. When His Majesty's body is transported to Kyoto, whoever gets the most support from the court officials will be the next emperor of Qing Kingdom."

The Queen Mother was not a stupid and ignorant old woman. Although Fan Xian had the imperial seal and the imperial edict, which cleared him of suspicion, there is always smoke without fire. Even though she did not believe that this grandson whom she did not like was the mastermind behind the assassination of her son, she still held a skeptical attitude.

In addition to Fan Xian, she also suspected that her daughter and several other grandchildren were the masterminds behind her son's death, or were involved in the assassination of the emperor, because no matter from which angle you look at it, the emperor's death allowed these people to reap the best rewards.

Therefore, the old lady firmly believed that the person who harmed her son must be among the people in front of her, so letting them fight on their own was undoubtedly the best choice.

Putting aside the fact that she could avenge her son, what was more important was that no matter who won in the end, neither of them would be able to sit in that position because her beloved grandson would be back soon.

The four princes and Fan Xian left with different expressions, leaving only the empress dowager and Li Yunrui and his mother in the inner hall.

The Queen Mother looked at her daughter quietly, and after a long while she spoke, "Your Majesty's sons are all good in their own ways, and I am very pleased, so I don't want to see you torment them."

"My daughter understands."

Li Yunrui responded calmly: "From today on, my daughter will behave herself."

The Queen Mother's eyes instantly turned cold, then faded away. She waved at Li Yunrui and said in a gentle voice, "Yunrui, come here."

When Li Yunrui came closer, the empress dowager slowly closed her eyes. Thinking of the emperor who had left this world, her heart was filled with sorrow. After a long time, she opened her eyes and said, "Although your brother has been stubborn and confused in the past few years, he is still your brother after all, your brother!"

The Queen Mother almost roared the last half of the sentence, her eyes filled with murderous intent. But soon the murderous intent in her eyes turned into deep sadness and helplessness. She looked at her daughter in front of her and was speechless for a long time.

“Whether you believe it or not, my daughter has nothing to do with my royal brother’s death. It was Yan Xiaoyi who took the initiative to avenge my daughter’s brother.” Li Yunrui said, slightly turning sideways to reveal her beautiful face under the dim light.

"Snapped!"

The Queen Mother raised her hand and slapped Li Yunrui hard in the face. Li Yunrui groaned and fell to the ground with a trace of blood flowing from the corner of his lips.

The old lady's chest rose and fell rapidly, and it took a long time before it gradually calmed down.

"Go back to your Guangxin Palace."

The old lady waved her hands and closed her eyes, as if she didn't want to look at her daughter any longer.

"Mother, please take care of yourself."

Li Yunrui got up, knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times, then went to Guangxin Palace without looking back...

(End of this chapter)