As soon as Wu Lie said this, at least forty or fifty of the ministers who had spoken out against him glared at him.
Wu Lie still had a steely face and said in a deep voice: “Or is it that only those recognized by you adults are the royal bloodline? Those that you adults do not recognize are of unknown origin?”
This sentence was a bit too much. It was like pointing at someone’s nose and scolding him for having evil intentions.
The white-bearded old man roared angrily: “Wu Lie! Don’t confuse people. Don’t you know that this matter is of great importance? It will shake the foundation of the country at any time. How can the royal family have private affairs?! You are still pretending to be crazy and stupid here, slandering the emperor! In the past, I thought you, Wu Lie, were impartial and strong-willed. Today I know that you, Wu Lie, are so crazy and flattering when you make slanderous remarks!”
Wu Lie raised his head proudly, his eyes met the eyes of the white-bearded old man, and slowly said: “Justice is in the hearts of the people, and right and wrong cannot be argued! I just said a fair word from beginning to end, and Mr. Wang put a big hat on me in such a long speech? Such a big crime, I can’t bear it, and I don’t want to bear it, and I shouldn’t bear it.”
“I just want to ask you, old Lord Wang. Looking around the entire Yu Tang Empire, who cares the most about the royal bloodline? Is it you and me? No! The only one who values this bloodline the most is His Majesty! Now that His Majesty has recognized this grandson, he must have done countless verifications. How could there be any carelessness? I wonder if you agree or not with my question?”
Old Lord Wang’s white beard trembled, his face flushed, but he was speechless for a long time.
Agree or not?
Who dares not to agree?
Anyone who dares to say that he disagrees is a crime of deceiving the emperor, and he will be killed on the spot without hesitation.
And what Wu Lie said is also true. Anyone may promote a successor who is beneficial to him for some public or private reasons, even knowing that the identity of the successor he promotes is false. Only His Majesty the Emperor will not do that.
The continuation of the royal family he sought would only be left to his own direct bloodline. Even if his subsequent bloodline was not good enough, it was still the continuation of his bloodline. What would the others, no matter how talented and wise they were, have to do with him?
So, it was really only His Majesty the Emperor who would never put his descendants with questionable identities on the table.
Wu Lie snorted and said, “Although I am a few years younger than Old Master Wang, I was fortunate enough to meet the eldest prince several times a few years ago. I still remember that when I first met the eldest prince, he was only five or six years older than the child in front of me… Old Master Wang, apart from other things, the child’s face is 70% to 80% like the eldest prince, almost like they were carved from the same mold; Old Master Wang has been an official in the court for much longer than I have, and I believe that when I first met the eldest prince, he should have been a few years younger than me. I would like to ask Old Master Wang again, is there any discrepancy between my judgment and your memory!?”
Seeing that Mr. Wang was speechless, Wu Lie continued to speak: “Old Lord, please don’t say that people’s appearance is not reliable. There are two sides to the story. Don’t blame me. I only said that this child looks similar to the eldest prince, but I didn’t make a conclusion on this and regard it as evidence. But compared with all the adults who don’t care about anything; without any verification, any evidence, anything… without seeing anything, they just concluded that this child is of unknown origin and that the royal bloodline must be treated with caution. I always feel that there are more reasons…” He raised his head, looked at the ministers, and said in a deep voice: “I would like to ask Mr. Wang and all the adults again, on what basis can you conclude at this moment that this child is of unknown origin? This child is not of royal blood? On what basis do you believe that His Majesty the Emperor did not treat this matter with caution?!” “Just now, so many colleagues knelt in the palace to advise, how is this behavior different from forcing the emperor to abdicate?! Your actions… are too resolute and too coordinated!” Wu Lie paused for a moment before smiling faintly: “I think that such drastic actions by colleagues, let alone the lack of evidence, even if there is solid evidence in hand, still need to be cautious, what do you think, Mr. Wang?”
“Nonsense! National affairs, at any time can not be sloppy!” Mr. Wang finally woke up and fought back, changing the direction of his argument, and attributed everything to the foundation of the country.
But since Wu Lie had taken the lead, many officials on the opposite side jumped out, accusing Mr. Wang and others of disrespecting the emperor and forcing the emperor to abdicate and deceiving the emperor; following Mr. Wang, most people began to fight back by citing classics without showing any weakness.
After a while, hundreds of people in the hall quarreled, which was much more lively than the busy market.
Almost everyone quarreled with red faces, hot tempers, and spitting saliva, and glaring with anger.
His Majesty sat on the throne, watching them quarrel for a full hour, and finally slapped the armrest of the dragon throne in anger: “Enough!”
Only then did the civil and military officials stop talking.
His Majesty looked furious, stood up with his hands behind his back: “Yun Xiaoyao!”
“I am here.”
“I will let you teach my eldest grandson Yu Qiankun first; please don’t teach him badly.”
“I obey your order.”
“The specific matters of enthronement will be discussed later!”
“Your Majesty is wise!”
…
Careful officials had already seen that His Majesty’s hand had been gently holding the little child’s hand, and he had never let go from beginning to end. This was the case throughout the more than one hour of the morning court.
Especially when the crowd attacked, when the atmosphere was the most heated, the child was obviously timid, his face was pale and his eyes were full of fear, but the emperor would occasionally exert force on his hands, and occasionally pat the child’s shoulders and heads, and comfort him slightly, as if he was always saying: I am here! No one can touch you, don’t be afraid!
It can be said that at the beginning of this court meeting, the emperor said a few words and threw the topic out, and then he didn’t think about it anymore.
Let Wu Lie debate with the ministers, but the emperor was focused on coaxing the child. His love and respect were beyond words, and everyone could see it.
In addition, the newly promoted free and easy king Yun Xiaoyao didn’t say a word from beginning to end. It was obvious that he had expected the result of today, or he knew it in his heart and had a clear idea!
Thinking about it again, everyone was tired of arguing, and the emperor finally made the final decision. Just from the literal meaning, it seemed that he had surrendered… But everyone also knew in their hearts that it was definitely not the case!
Because the other party… King Xiaoyao… That was the younger brother of the royal family whose identity and background His Majesty publicly acknowledged! Putting him in King Xiaoyao’s house and in the palace, even if the meaning is not the same, it is similar!
Thinking deeper, His Majesty’s previous unexpected act of conferring the title of king and marquis was not a preparation for today’s move? !
What’s more… Not only is King Xiaoyao’s status noble and martial arts unparalleled, but there are countless masters in his mansion, which can be said to be a safer place than the palace!
Or it can be said that the child is still in danger in the palace, but now that he has gone to King Xiaoyao’s mansion, it is truly as stable as a mountain, and there is no danger again!
…
The prince’s eyes became more sinister, with a gloomy face, and he was the first to walk out with his sleeves.
Before leaving the palace, the murderous aura in his body was already surging and could not be concealed.
Since the emperor came to court, every move of his majesty was under the attention of the prince.
So he knew very clearly: he was finished, there was no hope!
In other words, as long as Yu Qiankun still existed, he would absolutely… have no possibility of succeeding to the throne, and he would definitely not be able to compete with him!
Even that little guy didn’t have to fight, his father would naturally help him fight, help him lay the groundwork, and help him ascend to the throne!
An unprecedented sense of crisis instantly enveloped the heart of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
Before, my father was not satisfied with me, and there was a kind of words that he often said: “If your elder brother was still alive…”
Or: “Even if you can catch up with one tenth of your elder brother… I will have no regrets!”
“Why are you so disappointing? Look at your elder brother… When he was your age…”
In the past, when my father said these words, I listened to them, although I was dissatisfied in my heart, but I didn’t have much resistance!
After all… my elder brother is dead!
A dead person, no matter how powerful, can’t crawl out from the ground to compete with me for the throne!
So His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is not worried at all. Over time, he simply forgot about it and didn’t take it to heart.
Especially the other brothers, who are not as good as me, my father is only more disappointed with them! And he is disappointed to the point of disgust.
I am the best choice in the royal family!
This throne… who else can it be given to if not me?
But now…
My competitor, the strongest opponent, has finally appeared!
My elder brother’s son!
Yu Qiankun.
In fact, the moment the child appeared, the prince came to a clear conclusion in his heart!
That… is the eldest brother’s son!
There is absolutely no mistake!
The child really looks exactly like the eldest brother, even some of his manners and charm are almost exactly the same. If you say he is not his biological son, then there is something fishy!
Yu Qiankun, the eldest grandson of his father, the son of his eldest brother, and his own nephew!
But, so what?
He has been forced into a desperate situation!