Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity-Chapter 785 - 621: No Retreat
"Emperor, the Second Prince is the Central Palace Legitimate Son! Since ancient times, it has been established to set the legitimate and not the eldest, and the Empress is compliant and virtuous. In recent years, she has managed the harem fairly; even without merit, she has labored diligently! Please, Emperor, consider carefully." ππ³π¦ππ€ππ£π―β΄π·π¦π.πππ
Shen Shikang, the Minister of Revenue, could no longer hold back and stepped forward to argue for his nephew!
What he said was reasonable and well-founded, and moreover, the Empress and the Emperor were married young; even when the Emperor was the Crown Prince, his own sister stood by the Emperor.
Could it be that the Emperor truly ignores the affection of past days and chills the heart of his own sister?
Upon Shen Shikangβs words, the Second Prince knew something was amiss and sighed quietly.
Uncle was leveraging the past affection to hold father hostage! The father surely cares for mother sentimentally; yet, if one speaks of who father favors the most now, it must be Consort Xian.
Isnβt the Third Prince, by relying on his motherβs favor with the Emperor, emboldened to compete with them?
Otherwise, merely based on the Third Princeβs kind of temperament, would he dare covet the position of Crown Prince?
Father now feels only respect for mother, and with uncle using past sentiments as a lever, he can imagine fatherβs expression turning grim.
Indeed, the Emperor gazed at Shen Shikang with sinister eyes, his breathing more rapid than earlier.
"Does Shen Aiqing mean that if I donβt choose the Second as Crown Prince, I am wronging the Empress?"
These words made the ministers in the hall react differently.
Some were gloating, some expressionless, and others anxious, yet Shen Shikang no longer had the leisure to observe othersβ expressions.
He had just sought justice for his sister, and after saying such words, his heart wasnβt without regret, yet he was long oppressed.
The Shen family had contributed to the Emperorβs rise; back when the Emperor was a Crown Prince, without the support of Father and family connections, whether the Emperor could ascend the throne was uncertain.
Before Father passed, he warned that the Shen family, like oil fried over a fire, had already aroused the Emperorβs jealousy, cautioning them to bide their time and keep a low profile.
For years, they maintained a low profile; at court now, only he held a high rank, while other clan members either had lower-grade positions or hadnβt yet taken office.
The clan was suppressed by the Clan Leader, not daring to lift their heads, yet who knew the Emperor still wasnβt satisfied? Did the Shen family fall short?
Shen Shikang felt a surge of bleakness in his heart; he dared not think if another prince were made Crown Prince, how would the Shen family stand?
If it werenβt for the Clan Leaderβs suppression over the years, many clan members would have long taken office.
Even the Second Prince hadnβt dared to act brazenly; look at him, though a legitimate son, what level of suppression he faced?
Itβs laughable how the Second Prince, as the Central Palace Legitimate Son, might not even know what being bold means; the Third Prince lives more freely than he does.
If this time the race for Crown Prince fails, can the clan still suppress itself? How does he explain to the clan?
At this moment, Shen Shikang resolved that if the Second Prince were not destined to be Crown Prince, the Shen family would not stand idly by.
The clan members should rise to positions or strive upwards; Fatherβs last wish could not bind them forever.
The Emperorβs suppression of the Shen family has gone too far, utterly intolerable.
The Second Prince could no longer endure; at this juncture, there was no retreat.
Once the new Emperor ascends, will he spare the Second Prince? The Shen family will have no good end.
Since the Second Princeβs birth, the Shen family has been tied to him.
Their future riches or downfall would depend on whether the Second Prince could ascend to the throne.
"I dare not, your Majesty! The Emperor mentioned free expression earlier; these are my thoughts. But the Crown Prince position requires the Emperorβs decision, and I merely offered a suggestion."
Shen Shikang had made plans, and was no longer as fearful as usual, walking on thin ice.
At this point, even if the Emperor were displeased, would he truly kill him?
Sweat dripped from the Second Princeβs forehead; the ice basin in a corner of the hall was useless to him, and his inner garments were soaked with sweat.
He knew his father was already enraged and would have to plead for his uncle soon.
Alas, Uncle was too impulsive.
Since the topic of establishing a Crown Prince had been raised briefly, afterward, other officials expressed their views too. Though his father was displeased, he would not hold much against him.
Yet Uncle used mother as a topic, how could father be delighted?
It was akin to pointing at father and scolding him as ungrateful, burning bridges after crossing; could father not take offense? This time he truly dropped the sesame and lost the watermelon.
Leaving these aside, if father thought mother complained to him and uncle, he might even take offense against mother.
"Hmph!" The Emperor snorted lightly, frightening the officials in the hall into silence.
Nevertheless, the Emperor suppressed his fury, and the Empressβs face had to be considered; otherwise, it would also tarnish the Royal Familyβs image, as she was the countryβs mother figure.
Would the Emperor not know Shen Shikangβs thoughts? He also knew that in recent years he suppressed the Shen family too severely, causing their lasting discontent.
Back when he ascended the throne, the Shen family had exerted significant effort; he wasnβt ungrateful either, otherwise he would not have shown the Empress such respect all those years.
But after the royal father-in-lawβs death, now the Shen family harbors untoward ambitions; their low profile was mere surface diplomacy!
Without ambition, why would the Shen family marry their main houseβs legitimate eldest daughter to the Second Prince? Isnβt it an attempt to have two Empresses from one family?
The Second Prince has a soft disposition; he fears that if the Second Prince becomes Crown Prince, he could be controlled by the Shen family.
After he passes, itβs uncertain if the kingdom would still bear the Zhao name.
Back then he disagreed with the Second Prince marrying a Shen family daughter, yet the Shen family was much more rampant than now, and he was forced to consent.
Shen Shikang seems to forget how his old man pressured him back then; while Shen Shikang laments, was he not also unsettled?
Thus, he remained undecided; with the Second Prince under the Shen familyβs constraint, he naturally had to deliberate carefully.
Regarding the First Prince, itβs due to his temperament being excessively unruly; take the Silver incident back then, his actions were intolerable.
He fears that if the First Prince became Crown Prince, or even Emperor, he might act recklessly and disregard human life, eventually inciting public anger.
So he spent years attempting to temper the First Princeβs disposition, though success was minimal.
If that unruly temperament could be corrected, with a touch more compassion, then he would be the best choice for Crown Prince.
As for the Third Prince, the Emperorβs impression remained that of timidity, caution, and ruthless cruelty, rendering him unsuitable for major responsibilities!
Alas! The Emperor sighed deeply.
He glanced at the princes standing before him; upon seeing the Fourth Princeβs indifferent demeanor, doubt crossed the Emperorβs mind.
Could it be that the Fourth truly hadnβt formed factions for personal gain? Earlier, officials backed the other three princes, yet only the Fourth remained silent.
