Da Ming: I told you to die for your cause, why are you actually going to die?

Chapter 48 One step away! Just one step away!! [Requesting monthly votes]

Inside the warm pavilion behind the Chunhe Hall in the East Palace.

Lady Lü sat upright on the soft couch, holding a copy of "Admonitions for Women" in her hands. Her posture was serene and elegant, as if all the disturbances of the outside world were irrelevant to her.

The trusted palace maid stood respectfully with her hands at her sides, reporting the news she had just gathered in an almost whispered voice:

"Your Highness, I saw it with my own eyes! His Highness Yunhua changed into some coarse clothes and slipped out through the side gate of the Xihua Gate when no one was around during the shift change! Princesses Mingyue and Mingyu are frantic and are searching the entire palace with their people! Should we send someone?"

"Why panic?"

Madam Lü spoke calmly, her voice steady and devoid of any emotion, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible indulgence:

“Yun Tong is a bit too impulsive. The palace is very strict and it’s stifling. It’s good for him to get some fresh air. Tell Mingyue and Mingyu not to make a fuss and not to disturb the Emperor. Let him go. He will be back before dark.”

The palace maid understood immediately, bowed her head, and withdrew.

Soon, the hall returned to tranquility.

Lady Lü's gaze fell on the book, but her thoughts had already wandered far away.

"Mother, last night my grandfather suggested that I be made the Crown Prince."

Zhu Yunwen, who had been quietly reading next to Lady Lü, suddenly spoke up.

"Clap!"

The "Admonitions for Women" in Lady Lü's hand fell to the ground with a thud.

It's done! It really is done!?

Lu felt a surge of scalding heat rush to the top of her head!

She suddenly grabbed her son's hand, her fingertips icy cold with overwhelming surprise: "Are you sure?!"

"It's absolutely true, Mother!"

Zhu Yunwen nodded vigorously: "My intuition is right! My grandfather must have chosen me!"

boom!
An overwhelming, almost melting ecstasy instantly seized Lady Lü; she seemed to see the glittering throne beckoning to her son.

After years of forbearance and planning, the dawn is finally breaking.

She gripped her son's hand tightly, her voice filled with unprecedented strength: "Good! Good boy! God bless my son! God bless my son!"

Just then, a palace attendant announced from outside the warm pavilion: "Your Highness the Crown Princess and His Highness Prince Yunwen, Mr. Huang has arrived."

Madam Lü took a deep breath, suppressing her heart which was pounding in her chest. She quickly released her son's hand, sat up straight again, and tried her best to regain her usual composure. However, her slightly rapid breathing and the lingering light in her eyes betrayed her true feelings.

Zhu Yunwen quickly stepped back and straightened his robes, but the excitement and certainty stemming from the hints given the previous night still made him radiant.

Huang Zicheng walked in with a steady gait, holding a book in his hand.

Today he was wearing a brand-new dark blue official robe, which made him look very energetic.

This made both Lady Lü and Zhu Yunwen feel something was amiss.

Huang Zicheng's usual serious, even somewhat rigid, expression was gone, replaced by an indescribable excitement and solemnity. His gaze towards Zhu Yunwen was filled with unprecedented fervor and awe.

He walked to the center of the warm pavilion, but instead of bowing and making a teacher-student gesture to Zhu Yunwen as usual, he stopped, straightened his clothes, and became extremely solemn.

He faced Zhu Yunwen, slowly raised his hands, solemnly crossed them in front of his chest, and then bowed deeply, performing an extremely standard and respectful bow, a gesture reserved only for subjects when meeting the crown prince.

This sudden and extravagant gift, which went beyond the proper boundaries between teacher and student, struck like a thunderbolt, leaving Lady Lü and Zhu Yunwen dumbfounded.

Zhu Yunwen was so startled that he took a step back, his face instantly turning from red to white. He was at a loss for words, and his voice changed tone: "Mr. Huang! What do you mean by this?! You've offended me! Please rise!"

Huang Zicheng straightened up, his face filled with an almost fanatical excitement, as if he had finally waited for this day. He looked at Zhu Yunwen, his voice trembling from trying to suppress his emotions, yet he uttered the earth-shattering words with crystal clarity:
"Your Highness! This is the will of Heaven! Last night, I was summoned by His Majesty and, together with Scholar Liu Sanwu and Imperial Son-in-Law Mei Yin, entered the warm pavilion of the Hall of Literary Glory to present my audience! His Majesty's mind is made up! The position of heir apparent belongs to none other than Your Highness!"

"His Majesty's words are golden, praising His Highness as 'benevolent and filial, the only suitable candidate for Crown Prince'!" "Today's court assembly marks the day His Highness officially assumes the position of Crown Prince, his status firmly established!"

"Your subject Huang Zicheng first offers his congratulations to His Highness the Crown Prince! May His Highness live a thousand years!"

Boom——!
Huang Zicheng's words were like a thunderclap from the heavens, completely confirming Zhu Yunwen's almost fantastical guess from last night.

This also ignited the last trace of doubt in Lu's heart.

"The Crown Prince?!"

Zhu Yunwen was stunned by the title. The overwhelming sense of happiness and the dizziness of the power that was about to be bestowed upon him made him almost unable to stand. The meaningful words of Old Zhu from last night echoed in his ears with unparalleled clarity.

Madam Lü was so excited that she trembled violently. She suddenly stood up from her armchair and rushed to Huang Zicheng, her voice shrill with extreme joy: "Mr. Huang! Did the Emperor really... really say that?! Just last night?!"

"It's absolutely true! Your Highness the Crown Princess!"

Huang Zicheng spoke with absolute certainty, his face beaming with barely suppressed elation:

"Scholar Liu has cited classical texts to justify the proper order of things, and Prince Consort Mei has pledged his loyalty with his military power. Your Majesty's mind is made up. We are just waiting for today's court assembly, when Scholar Liu takes the lead, and Your Majesty will issue the edict in court!"

At this point, his beard trembled violently with excitement: "I am truly overjoyed, which is why I have presumptuously offered my congratulations to Your Highness!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

Lady Lü exclaimed "Good!" three times, feeling a surge of triumphant pride soaring to the heavens.

She turned abruptly, grabbed her son Zhu Yunwen's hand, who was also trembling with excitement, her eyes filled with boundless joy and tears:

"Yunwen! My son! Can you hear me?! Heaven rewards those who persevere! We've succeeded! You will become the Crown Prince!!"

Zhu Yunwen was also moved to tears. He held his mother's hand tightly in return. Overwhelmed with joy, he was almost speechless and could only nod repeatedly.

However, this peak of ecstasy lasted for less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea before it was completely shattered by a series of extremely frantic, almost stumbling footsteps and shrill, distorted cries.

"Your Highness, Your Highness! Your Highness, Prince Yunwen! Something terrible has happened!!"

A pale-faced eunuch, his hat askew, tumbled and crawled into the warm chamber:
"A major incident has occurred at the Fengtian Hall court assembly! A bunch of minor officials have gone mad! They're demanding unpaid wages with tattered account books in hand! They even... they're stuffing account books into their mouths! This has angered the Emperor so much that he fainted on the spot!!"

"What!?"

Lu Shi, Zhu Yunwen, and Huang Zicheng were struck dumb.

It felt as if a bucket of ice-cold water had been poured over my head.

The ecstasy on Lady Lü's face froze instantly, then turned into a deathly pale ashes.

She felt stars flashing before her eyes, the world spinning, and her body swayed violently. She staggered and grabbed the rosewood table beside her, her fingernails scraping against the smooth surface with a sharp, piercing sound.

Huang Zicheng's excitement and agitation froze on his face like magma, instantly transforming into utter astonishment, bewilderment, and disbelief. He screamed, his voice distorted:
"What?! You've angered the Emperor to the point of fainting?! What about establishing an heir?! Has Scholar Liu even mentioned it?!"

The young eunuch collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face, and cried out:

"No commission! Everything's in chaos! A complete mess! Those people are acting like they're possessed! Before the Emperor fainted, he only shouted, 'Arrest Zhang Biao!' He didn't even mention the matter of establishing an heir!!"

"Pfft!"

There was a muffled sound.

Zhu Yunwen's legs went weak, and he could no longer support his body, which had just been enveloped by the aura of the Crown Prince. He knelt straight down on the cold, hard gold brick floor!
The enormous drop was like an invisible machine, instantly draining all his strength and soul!
Last night's hopeful hints and Huang Zicheng's ecstatic congratulations have now turned into the cruelest irony, like countless steel needles piercing his heart!
That seemingly within-reach position, that supreme glory, shattered right before my eyes!

"mother--!!"

"Just one step away! Just one step away!!"

The wailing was deafening, echoing through the deathly silence of the warm chamber.

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(End of this chapter)