pdf-ebookys Chapter 110 Purpose
Chapter 110 Purpose
Chapter 110 Purpose
Liang Han oversimplified things, just like when Zhao Lin sent someone to invite Liang Han to play polo with him.
If it weren't for her, Liang Han wouldn't have been able to handle it at all.
If Liang Han goes out, and Zhao Lin goes to find him in person, how can Liang Han refuse?
Seeing his mother was angry, Liang Han could only stammer, "Your son obeys."
Madam Wu could tell that Liang Han was somewhat unwilling, but as long as she kept a close eye on him, she didn't need to worry too much.
Wang You was unaware of all this; he was currently playing pitch-pot with Zhao Sheng.
Although Wang You's pitch-pot skills were mediocre, Zhao Sheng wasn't much better, so it was a case of meeting a great talent.
I just don't know if Zhao Sheng deliberately gave way.
After playing a few rounds, the two of them got a little tired, so they went to the adjacent Cuju field to watch Cuju (ancient Chinese football).
Compared to polo, Cuju is actually more popular among young people.
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However, polo was a recreational activity for the court nobility during the Tang Dynasty, while Cuju (ancient Chinese football) was more popular among the common people.
Such gatherings of the upper class should naturally not focus on Cuju (ancient Chinese football).
A large crowd had gathered outside the Cuju field, and cheers could be heard from time to time.
Wang You took a look and realized that Cuju (蹴鞠) was quite different from modern football; the goal was not on the ground but high in the air.
Upon seeing this, I instantly lost interest.
"Ziqian, shall we take a walk around the area?"
Zhao Sheng wasn't very interested in Cuju either, but seeing that Wang You wasn't interested, he took the initiative to suggest it.
"good!"
Wang You nodded, and the two strolled around the perimeter of the crowd, not joining in the commotion.
"Ziqian, be careful lately. Zhao Lin has an eccentric personality, and since he knows you and me, I'm worried he might do something to you," Zhao Sheng warned.
"Um?"
Wang You looked at Zhao Sheng in surprise and said, "Is the struggle between the two princes already out in the open?"
"Forehead--"
Zhao Sheng was surprised that Wang You would be so blunt about this.
"Isn't that why?" Wang You asked.
"It is indeed related to this."
Zhao Sheng came to his senses and said, "Your identity is somewhat special. Your ancestor not only deserves to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, but also became a disciple of Scholar Hai."
He might hold a grudge against you for seeing you with me.
"Since Your Highness knows, why did you come to find me?" Wang You asked.
Although Zhao Sheng hadn't initially planned to go to Wang You, Wang You's words still made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.
It was as if they were questioning and blaming him.
Zhao Sheng suppressed his discomfort and said, "My sister said that the fact that I know you can't be kept from Zhao Lin, and he will find out sooner or later."
If you pretend not to know them today, it will only give people the impression that you are trying to cover it up.
I wanted to invite you out for a walk and catch up, but I didn't expect him to see us.
Don't worry, although he has an eccentric personality, he won't easily lay a hand on you.
"It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. I'm worried he might resort to some dirty tricks, which is why I'm reminding you."
Wang You could tell that Zhao Sheng was somewhat displeased by his words, but his expression remained unchanged. Instead, he looked at Zhao Sheng and said, "Does the young master consider me a friend?"
"nature."
Zhao Sheng nodded and said, "To be honest, I didn't have many friends growing up."
Members of the imperial clan are not allowed to have contact with court officials. Although we juniors don't need to worry too much, the sons of officials are unwilling to associate with us members of the imperial clan.
There were only a handful of imperial families in Bianjing, and not many of them were of similar age, let alone those with close relationships.
The imperial court forbade members of the imperial clan from contacting court officials in order to guard against them.
Court officials would naturally instruct their sons not to associate with members of the imperial family.
Moreover, given their status as members of the imperial clan, those who could remain in Bianjing were those whose bloodlines were closer to the emperor.
Even though the imperial clan had no real power, no one dared to openly disrespect them.
Those sons of officials had to fawn over the sons of the imperial clan; who would want to play with these imperial clan members?
The royal bloodline has always been very thin; it's not that they can't have children, but that those who are born are very likely to die young.
This was not a situation unique to the emperor; it was the case for emperors and members of the imperial family throughout history.
The official had five older brothers, and he was the youngest. However, all five of his brothers had died before he was born.
He himself had more than a dozen children, but only a few princesses grew up; the rest all died young.
Not only the emperor, but also the prince, had several sons, including Zhao Lin, but all his others died young.
In comparison, Prince Yong can be considered an anomaly among the imperial clan, having eight sons and one daughter, excluding those who died young.
With so few members of the imperial family, there are naturally even fewer of their peers, not to mention those who don't fit in with their personalities.
"Since you consider me a friend, why bother explaining all this?"
Wang You feigned displeasure and said, "The value of friendship lies in sincerity. Your explanations are just because you're afraid I won't trust you, which in itself is a sign of distrust towards me."
"I--"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Sheng's previous displeasure vanished instantly.
Seeing Wang You's displeasure, he hurriedly tried to explain, but Wang You raised his hand to interrupt him.
"Alright, no need to say anything more."
Wang You said seriously, "You treat me as a friend, and I treat you as a friend too. As for other things, there's no need to worry."
Didn't you say that Prince Chong wouldn't dare to lay a hand on me easily?
As for the future—I don't think the Prince of Yan can become the crown prince.
"Um?"
Zhao Sheng was taken aback and asked, "Why is Ziqian so certain?"
To be honest, he himself wasn't confident that his father could win the final victory.
Not only him, but even his father didn't have one.
Privately, he discussed this matter quite a bit with the recruited staff.
After all, the decision-making power rests with the emperor, but the opinions of the court officials are also very important.
"Prince Chong has a fatal weakness."
Wang You looked around and said in a low voice, "Prince Chong only has one son. The current controversy over choosing an heir is ultimately caused by the fact that the Emperor has no son."
Although the emperor is not willing to establish an heir at the moment, he will inevitably have to consider this factor when the time comes to do so.
After all, the emperor was also worried that the future new emperor would face the same problems as him.
The King of Yan has only one son. If anything were to happen to him in the future, it would be detrimental to the country.
"The issue you raised has also been brought up by some of Father's advisors, but this alone is not enough to be the decisive factor."
Zhao Sheng shook his head and said, "Although Uncle Chong only has one son, this problem will naturally be solved once Zhao Lin gets married and has several more children."
This problem is not hard to come up with, but the Emperor is not even fifty years old yet.
If Zhao Lin had lived another ten or eight years, he would have been married long ago.
As long as you take more concubines and have more children, it won't be a problem.
"But can the emperor delay until then to establish an heir?"
Wang You said, "Even if the Emperor wants to delay, the court officials will not agree."
He certainly couldn't say that this was a conclusion he drew based on future developments.
When Prince Yong took action against Rong Feiyan, she had not yet been granted a title. It can only be said that the situation was already clear at that time, and the emperor chose Prince Yong.
This can be seen from the time when the emperor left a group of people in the palace.
The banquet that Sheng Changfeng attended was attended by young men from families who all supported Chong Wang.
Before the imperial examination, Zhuang Xuejiu asked Sheng Changbai and others to discuss the issue of establishing the heir apparent and the virtuous. Sheng Changbai had said that this topic was somewhat sensitive.
Zhuang Xuejiu said at the time that even ordinary people outside were discussing the matter of establishing an heir.
It is evident that many people were discussing this topic at the time, but the emperor only targeted the officials who supported the prince's rise to power, which is enough to show that the emperor chose the Prince of Yong over the two.
But the selection is just a selection, not a formal investiture.
In broad daylight, on the streets of Bianjing, the Prince of Yong abducted the younger sister of the Emperor's favorite concubine.
From a public standpoint, this is a blatant violation of the law; from a private standpoint, it can be said to be a slap in the face to the authorities.
At the time, so many people speculated that it was related to the Prince of Yong's residence, so the Emperor couldn't possibly be unaware of it, yet he didn't investigate the matter further.
Without a formal investiture, it is not difficult to change the crown prince.
But the Emperor did not do so. What was the reason that made the Emperor determined to pass the throne to the Prince of Yong?
After much deliberation, Wang You came to a conclusion—offspring.
It is true that the officials are benevolent to the point of being pedantic, but it is also true that they love the people.
He himself experienced being childless and unwilling to adopt a son, which ultimately caused turmoil in the court for many years due to the issue of choosing an heir.
The Emperor certainly does not want this scene to continue. Prince Chong has only one son, and if he dies, he will face the same situation as the Emperor.
The situation Zhao Sheng just described certainly happened, but when Sheng Changbai and others were arguing, they still brought up the fact that Prince Chong had few children, which shows that Zhao Lin didn't have many children either.
This did not change Chongwang's predicament.
Wang You couldn't say these things, so he could only make up an excuse.
"yes!"
Zhao Sheng exclaimed in surprise, "How come I didn't think of that?"
"It's not that you didn't think of it, it's just that you're too close to the situation to see clearly," Wang You said.
Did none of the Prince of Yong's advisors think in this direction?
Wang You thought it was unlikely.
It's highly likely that those people understood that the emperor was unwilling to establish an heir and would delay for a long time, giving Zhao Lin time to come of age, marry, and have children.
To be honest, those people weren't wrong; it's just that Zhao Lin couldn't give birth.
"What does Ziqian think Father should do next?" Zhao Sheng asked.
"Be humble and do not compete," Wang You said.
"Not fight?"
Zhao Sheng looked at Wang You with disbelief.
This isn't a pear that you can just give away.
Moreover, falling behind in the struggle for the throne means falling behind at every step.
Even if those who fail don't die, their fate is extremely tragic.
In this situation, how could one not fight for it?
"Since you know that His Majesty chose the two princes simply because he doesn't want to establish an heir, further contention will only make His Majesty more resentful."
Wang You said in a low voice, "Your Highnesses are trying to win over court officials and manipulate public opinion, which is tantamount to putting pressure on the Emperor. How can the Emperor not be angry?"
"But if we don't fight for it, once the Emperor decides to establish an heir, there will be too many people supporting the Prince of Yan, and the Emperor will have to consider it carefully," Zhao Sheng said, frowning.
"Don't forget the fatal flaw of Chongwang."
Wang You cautioned, "Furthermore, the Grand Chancellor and the ministers of various departments don't easily take sides. How much influence would the support of some low-ranking officials have?"
"Ultimately, this matter depends on Father's decision," Zhao Sheng said after a long silence.
He also felt that what Wang You said made some sense, but who could guarantee the truth?
Everyone was arguing, and even if the official was angry, he was angry along with everyone else.
Overall, we are still on the same starting line.
But if you don't compete, it will be too late once you fall behind.
"Um."
Wang You nodded and said, "It's getting late, let's go back."
He also knew that Prince Yong would inevitably fight for power; in many things in the world, even if one knows that those involved are often blinded, they will still be confused.
Because you can't be sure what your opponent will do, and you can't afford the consequences of failure.
Take Li Shimin for example. As long as Li Yuan does not make him the crown prince, unless he is killed directly, no matter how much he is restricted, Li Shimin will still try his best to take action.
Even if there was no chance at all, Li Shimin would still take a gamble.
Because of his outstanding military achievements, even military generals were afraid that his merits would overshadow the emperor, let alone a prince like him.
Li Jiancheng couldn't tolerate him, and he didn't dare gamble that Li Jiancheng wouldn't take action against him.
His son, Li Chengqian, also knew that Li Shimin had to uphold the primogeniture system in order to prove the legitimacy of his throne.
However, Li Shimin's favoritism towards Li Tai and the fates of the two crown princes, Li Jiancheng and Yang Yong, made him dare not gamble.
Even if someone told him that such a thing wouldn't happen, he knew it, but he still didn't dare to do nothing.
Because if that possibility really happens, he will either be placed under house arrest or die.
From the moment they were chosen as candidates for crown prince, Prince Yong and Prince Chong had no way out.
Once defeated, the fate of the entire family depends on the other side.
In this situation, no matter how reasonable it may seem, no one dares to take the risk.
Wang You believed that if Zhao Sheng went back and told the Prince of Yong these things, the Prince of Yong would definitely scoff at them.
But as time proves his words true, the Prince of Yong will naturally change his opinion of him.
At that time, Wang Youneng will be able to dissuade Prince Yong at a crucial moment.
Back at the polo field, Wang You and Zhao Sheng parted ways.
Zhao Sheng went to find the Lady of Jiacheng County, while Wang You returned to his tent.
As soon as he entered the tent, he saw that Madam Feng's face was gloomy, while Wang Zhuo winked at him.
"Mother!" Wang You bowed and said.
"You all go outside and keep watch!"
Feng said to the servants inside the tent.
"Yes!" Granny Xu bowed and left with her maid.
"Do you know that's the heir of the Prince of Yong?" Madam Feng asked in a low voice.
When Zhao Sheng and his group came to find Wang You before, Feng Shi did not recognize Zhao Sheng.
However, one could tell from the servants' clothing that Zhao Sheng was no ordinary person.
Cloth could often be used as money, which was a supplement to the shortage of currency in ancient times.
The higher the social status of a family, the better the fabric of the clothes worn by their servants.
After all, this also concerns the family's reputation.
After Wang You and the others left, Madam Feng sent someone to inquire about the identities of Zhao Sheng and his group.
When she learned of Zhao Sheng's identity, Madam Feng felt as if the sky had fallen.
"I know." Wang You nodded.
This kind of thing can't be hidden, and there's no point in lying.
"You know that, yet you still dare—"
Upon hearing this, Feng's last glimmer of hope vanished completely, and she unconsciously raised her voice considerably.
Fortunately, she quickly realized what was happening and stopped herself.
"Mother, this matter is rather complicated. This is not the place to talk about it. Let's discuss it when we get back," Wang You said.
The tents don't block out sound; if someone speaks even slightly louder in the tents on either side, they can hear everything clearly in the tents on the other side.
Madam Feng glared at Wang You, called in the maidservant outside, and ordered, "Let's go back."
Wang You opened his mouth, but ultimately did not stop him.
The polo club didn't restrict guests from leaving, since unexpected things happening at home are quite normal.
Madam Feng took Wang You and his brother to see Madam Wu and told her that there was some urgent business at home. Madam Wu did not try to stop them and personally saw them off from the polo field.