HLnovel Chapter 129 "Don't ask, it's a surprise!"
Chapter 129 "Don't ask, it's a surprise!"
As they emerged from the Taiji Hall, Prince Ping stopped Shen Lin, who was walking out. He looked around, then pulled Shen Lin to a quiet, secluded spot before speaking in a low voice.
"Grandfather! Why didn't you step forward today to help me stop the investiture of the Crown Prince?"
Shen Lin stroked his beard with an air of maturity, "Your Highness, do you know that the idea of establishing the Crown Prince is not only the Crown Prince's, but His Majesty has also had this intention for a long time? It will be difficult for us to stop it today."
"Of course I know! But we should at least give it a try. We can't just keep backing down like this, ceding five cities today and ten tomorrow. Otherwise, what's the point of fighting? It would be much more straightforward to just hand them over!"
Hearing the Prince of Ping's still angry complaints, Shen Lin sighed.
"Your Highness, do you know why Wen Junping impeached us first, and then the petition to establish the Crown Prince was submitted?" Shen Lin explained to Prince Ping step by step, "The first matter was to pave the way for the second. The Crown Prince wanted to use the impeachment to shut us up."
"First, there was the incident where the Empress Dowager and Princess Ping ignored the eldest grandson of the emperor and regarded the child in Princess Ping's womb as the eldest grandson of the emperor. If we then come out to obstruct the establishment of the crown prince, wouldn't that tell everyone that what happened before was your intention and that you really intended to harm the eldest grandson of the emperor?"
"In that case, His Majesty or the Crown Prince will surely use this as an excuse to convict you of a serious crime! Has Your Highness forgotten how the Crown Princess used to make trouble and nitpick over words to punish people?"
Upon hearing this, Prince Ping opened his mouth, recalling Lin Shiming's various "achievements," but ultimately had nothing to say and lowered his head.
Shen Lin glanced around again, then continued his analysis.
"Moreover, this will expose Your Highness's thoughts to the world, letting everyone know your ambitions!"
When ambition was mentioned, Prince Ping, who had just calmed down a bit, flared up again and said disdainfully, "It's something everyone knows. What difference would it make if they knew!"
“This is different,” Shen Lin said earnestly. “Not to mention that this matter will cause rumors of His Highness’s ‘illegitimate accession’ after he ascends the throne, let’s just talk about the present situation.”
"Although Your Highness is currently under house arrest, I am here outside, and Grand Secretary Yue... can also be considered a help. With us here, after some maneuvering, we can still help Your Highness build some connections. There are nearly three hundred new officials, and there will always be some who are not clear-headed and simply want to find a backer to make things go smoothly in the court.
"But if word gets out that Your Highness has done this, the students of the new science school will see through Your Highness's ambition to seize the throne and will be on guard early on."
"At this point, they must be weighing their options. The Crown Prince is powerful and the rightful heir apparent, with the full support of His Majesty and the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. Knowing that following you is a dangerous path, would they still be willing to risk the extermination of their entire family to pledge allegiance to Your Highness?"
These words couldn't be clearer. Even the fool Prince An could understand them in the past, let alone Prince Ping, who is still quite intelligent.
But knowing is knowing, and feeling is feeling. King Ping clenched his fists tightly, and it took him a long time to forcefully suppress his temper.
"I understand. Let it be done this way. I will be confined to my quarters for a month. I ask my maternal grandfather to do his best to advise me."
"Your Highness, rest assured." Shen Lin breathed a sigh of relief and nodded lightly. "As for the Crown Prince, he's just a child. Your Highness is probably already aware that if you want to succeed to the throne, you will inevitably have to do some things... using force."
"At that time, apart from the Crown Prince, what will the Imperial Grandson, a five-year-old child who relies on the Crown Prince, be? He might even become a tool for you to clear your name."
Yes! King Ping calmed down and thought it over.
In the future, he will most likely do something rebellious. What threat is Lu Tingsong, a mere child? When I ascend the throne, I can simply continue to appoint Lu Tingsong as crown prince to prove that my ascension to the throne is legitimate and that I have no intention of rebelling.
As for what comes after that—
For an emperor, there are countless ways to destroy a tool without giving others cause for criticism. Ultimately, the throne will fall into the hands of his own descendants.
Having thought everything through, King Ping finally calmed down completely.
"Let's do it that way. Thank you, maternal grandfather, for your painstaking efforts on my behalf."
Shen Lin cupped his hands in greeting, "Your Highness, I will naturally follow you."
*
Xuanzheng Hall.
Lin Shiming was pestering Emperor Longyun for the birth dates and times of Bai Qiongzhu and Crown Prince Hua Min.
Emperor Longyun, whose head was throbbing from the noise, couldn't understand it at all. "The Empress and the Crown Prince's birth dates are confidential. What do you need them for?"
"Don't ask, the answer is a surprise!"
Emperor Longyun looked helplessly at the smug Lin Shiming, and tried to persuade himself for a long time but still couldn't convince himself to believe this unreliable person.
"Explain clearly what you need it for, and I will give it to you."
How can he explain this? He can't very well tell Emperor Longyun, "I have deciphered the secret in Lin You's book and met Lin You," can he?
Lin Shiming was conflicted.
Taking this opportunity, Emperor Longyun breathed a sigh of relief and quietly took a sip of tea to moisten his throat.
As Lin Shiming began to struggle with his thoughts, his expression became unpredictable, shifting between hesitation, confusion, and racking his brains.
It wasn't until Emperor Longyun had drunk two cups of tea and Lu Yuxi had finished reviewing one of his memorials that Lin Shiming finally realized what was going on and made up his mind.
"Your subject believes that the ancestor Lin You is incredibly powerful. If we write down the birth dates of the Empress Dowager and Crown Prince Hua Min, along with our requests, on a piece of paper and burn it for him, he will surely be able to find a way to reunite the Empress Dowager and the eldest brother in their dreams!"
With a "pfft," Emperor Longyun spat out the tea in his mouth.
With a clatter, the pen in Lu Yuxi's hand fell onto the table.
"What are you talking about?" Emperor Longyun stared at Lin Shiming in disbelief, his mouth still wet with his words. "You actually came up with such an outrageous idea?"
Remarkably, Emperor Longyun, Lu Yuxi, and Lin You achieved a bizarre unity of thought across different dimensions and times.
A dead person appears in a dream.
How dare you think!
"Shiming, I know you care about your mother and I understand your filial piety. But you don't need to resort to such tricks, do you?"
"What's wrong with this method?" Lin Shiming was quite dissatisfied with their distrust. "How do you know it won't work if you haven't tried? What if it doesn't? Besides, it's not like we're losing anything; it's just burning a piece of paper. Does Father Emperor not even have the courage to try it?!"
As he spoke, Lin Shiming began to use his provocation tactic again.
"Or is it that Father Emperor simply doesn't care about Mother Emperor?"
"...OK."
You win.
Emperor Longyun was determined to prove his love for Bai Qiongzhu. He immediately pulled a piece of paper from the bookshelf and wrote down two birth dates in one stroke.
"Take it!" Emperor Longyun handed the paper to Lin Shiming without hesitation. "Remember, you must not leak this."
"okay!"
Lin Shiming's eyes lit up as he carefully put away the life-saving piece of paper, then abandoned Lu Yuxi and rushed out, heading straight for the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
After being abandoned by his wife, Lu Yuxi remained silent for a long time before trying to speak, "Father, are you just going to let him run wild?"
Emperor Longyun, who was leisurely drinking tea, was calm, confident, and upright, saying, "My feelings for Zitong are beyond anyone's questioning!"
"..."
Well, you've let Shi Ming have his way with you.