latelenovela Chapter 279 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (179)
Chapter 279 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (179)
No matter how maliciously Ji Shuqin speculated about his mother, he never imagined that he would hear her say that she wanted to kill her own brother!
Not only that, she said it with such confidence, as if she didn't care at all, taking it all for granted.
Ji Shuqin felt a lump in his throat, and he couldn't even speak.
"Mother...do you know what you're saying?"
Ji Shuqin finally managed to squeeze out those words. By the dim candlelight, he tried hard to see the Empress's expression, but he couldn't see it clearly no matter what he did. He blinked hard and realized that his eyes were covered with a thin layer of tears.
He dared not blink, afraid that his tears would fall.
"Qin'er...you are the emperor, how can an emperor not be ruthless?" The empress seemed to hear the sob in his voice, paused for a moment, and then said firmly.
“What does this have to do with whether I am an emperor or not? Whether I am an emperor, a prince, or a commoner, I cannot bring myself to kill my own brother!” Ji Shuqin regained his voice, which trembled.
"You don't need to lift a finger, your mother will take care of everything for you!" The Empress seemed very eager, as if she could do it right away.
"Think about your father... Do you know how much blood your father shed on his hands to ascend the throne? How much of that blood belonged to his brothers, his uncles, and his elders? But he got to that position, and now, does anyone even mention it?"
What the Empress said was indeed true; the struggle back then was extremely fierce, leaving only a few stars behind.
After the emperor ascended the throne, he showed no mercy to his remaining brothers and nephews. Instead, he treated them harshly, preventing their descendants from gaining power or having the ability to rebel.
For a long time, the capital was filled with fear and uncertainty. It was only after many years that the relationship between the emperor and the imperial family gradually recovered.
As the emperor grew older, the resentment in the hearts of the imperial clansmen resurfaced as the emperor became slightly more tolerant. As a result, the imperial clansmen became increasingly restless, desiring more power and more money.
That's why some people reacted so strongly when Ji Shumin and the Dali Temple wanted to reduce the power of the imperial clan.
The relationship between the emperor and the imperial clan has always been complex and difficult to resolve. The great power of the imperial clan is a hidden danger, and the estrangement between the imperial clan and the emperor is not a good thing either.
Therefore, every emperor needs to carefully grasp this balance. Ji Shuqin has not yet decided how to treat the imperial family, but the empress brought it up first.
"Doesn't Mother know perfectly well what Father's condition was back then?" Ji Shuqin gritted his teeth.
"What situation? What does it matter! Qin'er, your brother has been the crown prince for so many years! How can you compare to him in terms of cunning? He has cultivated his influence in the court for a long time. If he wanted to recall those officials who once supported him, those old fogies might very well..."
"Why would Min'er do that?" Ji Shuqin interrupted her. "Min'er isn't going to be able to walk again in just a few days. If he really wanted to do that, how could I possibly be on the throne now?" Ji Shuqin really couldn't understand what the Empress was thinking!
"He naturally has his plans, but no matter what they are, Mother will make sure they fail! Do you want to see someone like your father ascend the throne?"
"Back then, the Dowager Consort had no choice but to support the late Emperor. Look at her now, what good has she gotten in return! All these years she has been secretly grieving in her own palace. What has she gained? What did she get in return for all those things she did back then!" The Empress twitched the corners of her mouth.
"I went to the mountain temple with you. Did you think that just because the Empress Dowager was in the palace, she wasn't in the mountain temple? I'm afraid... she's suffering even more than you and I!"
"What kind of person is the Dowager Consort! Mother, don't you know?" Ji Shuqin never expected that the Empress would even have complaints about the Dowager Consort.
"Your Highness... Hahahaha! Qin'er, there is no one in this palace who is easy to get along with. They will only show you what they want you to see. If Qin'er only looks at appearances, she will inevitably be deceived."
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I went back to my hometown for the past few days, I'll catch up on the updates in a few days. I'll also try to gather more chapters. Happy Chinese New Year everyone—let's make dumplings together (x)