Prince Ruicheng, standing on the palace floor, observed the undercurrents of the court. He had already advised Emperor Taifeng of his concerns regarding the minor states bordering the Southern Border, who might seize the opportunity of the Northern Frontier conflict to launch an invasion. He was to depart for the Southern Border to take command the following morning.
Though his trip was rushed, Prince Ruicheng had gained much. He had originally been reluctant to involve himself in the succession struggle—first, because his position was sensitive and he feared Emperor Taifeng might misunderstand his motives; and second, because the choice was truly difficult. If the Crown Prince had remained in good health, Prince Ruicheng would naturally have upheld the orthodox line of succession. But the Crown Prince’s legs were paralyzed; to put it bluntly, he was now a man of broken constitution who might not be able to hold the throne of the Eastern Palace securely.
However, during the palace banquet, Prince Ruicheng had witnessed the attitudes of the Empress Dowager and Emperor Taifeng toward the Eastern Palace. Furthermore, he had received a letter from Yunhua earlier regarding the Southern Border, revealing that it was the Crown Princess who had risked her life to point out the nature of the epidemic. Emperor Taifeng’s subsequent order to thoroughly investigate and implement preventative measures had stemmed the spread of the disease, saving countless lives. Then, there was the Crow…
Chapter 209