Golden Branch

"Heaven did not grant him a long life!"

"Five years! Only five years, and it couldn't even last that long?"

The crown prince looked calmly at the bloodstains, his gaunt face showing no surprise or panic.

He sighed inwardly, gently folded the handkerchief, and hid it in his sleeve.

Because of Empress Li, the Crown Prince was born with a heart ailment, but it was not too serious.

With proper care, he will be no different from a normal person.

However, for the crown prince, how difficult it was to "take good care of himself"?
The sage has the world in his heart and commands respect from all corners of the earth. In the past five years, he has never stopped waging war.

From south to north, from west to east, there were two campaigns against Goguryeo, one campaign that pacified the grasslands, and campaigns against the kingdoms of the Western Regions...

The Great Yu army advanced like a bulldozer, crushing the threat to the border city and earning the sage the prestigious title of "Heavenly Khan".

The territory of Dayu continued to expand.

The Central Plains dynasty also reached its zenith of power and prosperity.

However, beneath his illustrious reputation lay the Crown Prince's painstaking and painstaking efforts.

The battles, large and small, raged for five years, and the amount of money, supplies, weapons, and warhorses spent was an astronomical figure that is hard for the world to imagine.

The Minister of Revenue was so worried that he almost scratched his head off.

Lou Yu, whose wisdom borders on the supernatural, seems to be able to handle anything, but he is also troubled by the rapidly burning national treasury.

If even a court official in charge of a department faces such pressure, the Crown Prince, who sits in the rear and oversees the overall situation, must bear even greater pressure.

In particular, when the emperor personally led two military campaigns and left the capital, the crown prince was required to oversee the country.

He not only had to continue to be responsible for the logistics of the army, but also had to deal with complicated court affairs.

At his busiest, the Crown Prince would never get more than two hours of rest a day.

Working tirelessly day and night, the prince was like a boiling oil, burning himself out and depleting his vital essence.

The high pressure and intensity took a toll on the already frail prince's body, leaving it riddled with holes.

In fact, there were already signs five years ago.

The crown prince sensed something was wrong with his body and began to make preparations.

He knew he wouldn't live much longer.

Therefore, he handed Xiao Dalang over to Lou Yu.

It wasn't just about having Lou Yu teach by example and pull Xiao Dalang, whose mind had gone to extremes, back onto the right path; it was also about planning ahead—

If he leaves, the youngest son will be too young and will need reliable court officials to assist him.

Lou Yu was his confidant, but not Xiao Dalang's.

The Crown Prince then wanted to cultivate a closer relationship between Lou Yu and Xiao Dalang.

Just like his relationship with Lou Yu back then, where they were teacher, friend, father, and brother, there was affection between them, and the ruler and his subject would leave each other some leeway.

In the future, if we really turn against each other for power, we can at least spare each other's lives.

The Crown Prince knew Lou Yu's abilities and could foresee the heights he could reach—the most powerful minister in the Great Yu Dynasty!

Therefore, he entrusted Xiao Dalang to Lou Yu, so that if he were to pass away in the future, Lou Yu could assist and protect Xiao Dalang.

In the Crown Prince's mind, he should be able to hold on for a few more years.

He should at least be able to survive until his son's wedding, become familiar with the various government departments such as the Six Ministries, and become a qualified successor.

"...I overestimated myself!"

The crown prince gave a low, bitter smile.

He overestimated his physical abilities and underestimated the sage's ambition to conquer the world.

As the son of the "Heavenly Khan," the Crown Prince could not stop the Emperor's conquests. Even if it meant exhausting himself, he would grit his teeth and persevere.

Unfortunately, he really couldn't hold on any longer.

His throat itched again, and the prince couldn't help but cough once more.

Blood seeped from the corner of his lips.

……

In the thirteenth year of Yuanzhen, all nations came to pay tribute, and the Great Yu Empire became incredibly powerful.

In this prosperous and flourishing era, Chang'an became the center of the world, and many foreign countries considered it an honor to come to Chang'an for pilgrimage.

Countless princes and princesses were willing to stay in Chang'an, even as hostages, and flocked to it.

The peak of prosperity does not necessarily lead to decline, but it will leave behind regrets.

That same winter, the Crown Prince fell ill from overwork and, after being bedridden for two months, finally succumbed to the cold and passed away!

The sage experienced two great sorrows in life: losing his wife in middle age and losing his son in old age!

That's the Crown Prince, his eldest son, his most favored heir to the empire.

He just left like that!

Standing in the mourning hall, the saint gripped the edge of the coffin with both hands, staring intently at the person lying inside.

Even now, the saint could not believe that his eldest son, the son he and his sister valued and loved most, had left him before him.

Unfilial son!
That unfilial brat!
His father is still alive, but he has passed away.

After the prince breathed his last, the emperor, who had remained silent and without a single tear, finally could not hold back his emotions.

He pounded on the coffin, cursing "unfilial son," but tears streamed down his face like a burst dam.

The sage wept so hard that he could barely stand.

The eunuchs wanted to help him up, but dared not.

The court officials dared not make any rash moves and could only wail and cry to express their immense grief.

Alas, the Crown Prince, who possessed the virtues of the eldest son, the most senior son, and the most capable son, has passed away. What kind of storms and turmoil will the Great Yu Dynasty face next?
Although the court officials were saddened by the death of the crown prince, they were not his close relatives. Amidst their grief and wailing, they still had the leisure to think about the potential conflicts that might arise in the court in the future.

The crown prince has passed away. Who will be the new crown prince?

The emperor cherished his late empress, but even after she passed away many years ago, he did not appoint a new empress.

He would grieve deeply every time the late empress's birthday or death anniversary arrived.

In ordinary times, he might be suddenly touched by a small thing or a detail, and think of the late Empress. He would then hug Consort Jiang, who was also mourning the late Empress, and weep bitterly.

Because of his love for her, the saint valued her legitimate son highly.

Aside from the Crown Prince, the eldest son of the legitimate wife, Empress Li also gave birth to the Emperor's third and fifth sons.

The third son of the emperor, the Prince of Yan, was three years younger than the crown prince.

The fifth son of the emperor, the Prince of Wei, was seven years younger than the crown prince.

Both princes were in their prime, and their talents and reputations were quite good.

If a new crown prince is to be appointed, then he must be chosen from the two candidates.

"Wait! There's also the Crown Prince!"

Some court officials also thought of this.

They subtly observed the thin boy dressed in coarse hemp mourning clothes in the mourning hall.

At sixteen or seventeen years old, they can no longer be considered children.

Moreover, in recent years, the Crown Prince has been rotating through the Six Ministries. He has gradually demonstrated excellent political skills, as well as a gentle and kind nature.

He was not as brave and domineering as a saint, nor as benevolent and wise as the crown prince, but he was still a qualified third-generation successor.

At least for the court officials, the Crown Prince's kindness and integrity better met their expectations for an heir.

The Prince of Yan, the Prince of Wei, and the Crown Prince.

What choice will the sage ultimately make?
Should he make his own sons the crown prince, or skip his sons and groom his eldest grandson?

The court officials all knew how much the emperor valued the crown prince.

It's possible that the emperor extended his love for the crown prince to his grandson, perhaps out of affection for the crown prince.

Besides, Yang Cheng had already been appointed as the Crown Prince, making him the rightful successor.

At most, the crown prince died too early to inherit the throne, but he could "step over"... it still depends on the emperor's will.

"Oh dear, please take care of your health!"

"If you harm your health because of excessive grief, your brother will not rest in peace in the afterlife!"

The King of Yan came to the sage's side and reached out to support his frail old father.

His voice was thick with tears, and he offered quiet words of comfort.

"Yes! Father, even if it's for your brother's sake, you must take care of yourself!"

Not to be outdone, the King of Wei moved to the other side of the sage.

The deafening cries of the courtiers paused for a moment.

They all wanted to see how the sage would choose!
In the procession of imperial concubines, Consort Jiang was at the very front, kneeling as she watched the scene unfold in the mourning hall.

A hint of mockery flashed in his eyes. The King of Yan and the King of Wei were both too impatient!
Even if they wanted to show off, they should have waited until after the crown prince's burial.

Sigh, they're finished!

The sage paused, raised his head, looked at the King of Yan, then at the King of Wei, his deep eyes showing no emotion.

He said nothing, nor did he push away the King of Yan or the King of Wei.

However, no sooner had the Crown Prince's funeral been completed than the Emperor issued an edict—

The King of Yan and the King of Wei are hereby ordered to take up their fiefs immediately!

The emperor was very decisive and directly banished his two legitimate sons from the capital.

This already shows the great love and respect a sage has for his eldest son.

There were also several princes born out of wedlock who, after the death of the crown prince, were stirring up trouble and secretly conspiring. The emperor directly ordered Zhou Jiming to investigate.

When the cruel officials took action, chaos ensued, and several princes were either sentenced to death or exiled.

Even being reduced to a commoner is considered a peaceful end.

Those court officials who rushed to take sides were either dismissed from their posts and stripped of their titles, or had their homes confiscated and were beheaded.

The harsh winter of the thirteenth year of Yuanzhen lasted until the summer of the fourteenth year.

Cases of all sizes, some with conclusive charges, others with fabricated miscarriages of justice.

However, once they fall into Zhou Jiming's hands, they basically have no chance of survival.

Zhou Jiming and the reputation of the Hundred Cavalry reached a new height.

The ruthless official Zhou Jiming was at the height of his power, and even important officials such as Lou Yu and Xiao Wuji had to avoid his sharp edge.

Lou Yu felt no jealousy or fear whatsoever; he had already foreseen Zhou Jiming's fate—

The sage is paving the way for the crown prince, using Zhou Jiming as a tool to eliminate all opponents and potential threats.

Once the Crown Prince successfully ascends the throne, Zhou Jiming can finally be put to good use.

The cruel official was notorious and aroused the wrath of both gods and men. The new emperor killed him to rid the people of a scourge and win the hearts of all officials!
It is estimated that Zhou Jiming was also aware of his fate, but he could not turn back. He could only resolutely follow the path that the sage had laid out for him.

In the nineteenth year of the Yuanzhen era, the emperor passed away. With the support of key ministers such as Lou Yu, the Left Vice Minister of the Secretariat and Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, and Xiao Wuji, the Minister of War and General of the Pillar State, Yang Cheng, the grandson of the emperor, ascended the throne.

In the same year, the Crown Prince's wife, the newly appointed Empress Wang, fell seriously ill and died a month later.

Many noble families and aristocratic households were eager to marry their daughters of marriageable age to the imperial palace.

"What? Anan, what did you say? You want to go to the palace?"

Wang Heng was somewhat surprised, yet inexplicably felt that it was within expectations.

Her daughter didn't seem to have a strong desire to become a duke.

She aspires to a higher position.

Queen!

"Yes! My brother and I are very close. He has promised me the position of empress, and I am willing to spend my life with him!"

Lou Yinglou Anan, who had already reached marriageable age and possessed stunning beauty, gazed intently towards the direction of Taiji Palace.

She was the only daughter of the Lou family; her father was Lou Yu, the Duke of Qi, and her mother was Princess Langya.

My maternal grandmother was the most favored concubine for over twenty years.

My uncle is the ninth prince, who is the emperor's most beloved son. His title is the same as the emperor's old title—Qi!

At the age of six, she was bestowed the title of Lady of the County by the emperor.

At the age of twelve, she was promoted to the rank of Lady of the State.

All the glory of her early life came from her parents.

In Dayu, in the capital, she was more noble than any real princess.

Now that she has grown up, her parents are planning for her to inherit the title of Duke of the Founding Kingdom, even though she is a woman.

This is already an immense honor, and an extremely rare exception.

Anan was still not satisfied—

So what if she's a female duke?

Aren't you still a subject?

Several years later, Anan still hasn't forgotten the scene of Lady Lu, the birth mother of the Crown Prince's concubine, a mere court lady, daring to act so presumptuously in front of Princess Langya.

Why is the Lu family so arrogant and perverse?

Isn't it because her daughter is about to marry into the royal family and may become a "ruler" in the future?
Anan had been noble for over a decade, and she never imagined that one day she would be humiliated by a lowly woman who had become noble simply because she married the emperor!
She would not be a subject; she would be the most honorable woman in the world.

Queen?

maybe.

The current goal could be to become the Queen.

With her illustrious family background and a decade-long relationship with the new emperor, she is certain to secure her position as empress.

But later...

Anan has not forgotten the story that her aunt Amian told her.

Women can be queens, prime ministers, and generals!

So, an empress isn't out of the question, right?!

Anan raised her head; her goal was the Taiji Palace, and beneath her feet lay a path to glory and wealth that led straight to the heavens…

PS: It's finished! A little melancholy, but I sincerely thank all my readers for your continued support. My new book next door is still being updated, so please continue to support it! (`) Sending love! (End of Chapter)