"Ridiculous!" Emperor Guangwu roared like a thunderbolt, flinging the memorial in his hand. "You are the only crown prince of our Great Ye! How can you be deposed? Whoever dares to depose you is going against me! Against the whole world!"
"Pop!"
The memorial Song Yinghuai had presented tore in mid - air with a cracking sound, splitting into several pieces. Like large falling leaves, they fluttered down into the courtyard.
A gust of wind blew, scattering the shredded paper on the ground in disarray. The rustling sound continued.
As if in response to the atmosphere, the flagpole outside the palace suddenly made a cracking sound and broke in the middle. The strong wind howled, and dark clouds rolled in from the sky, pressing down layer upon layer towards the ground.
Everyone felt the unusual atmosphere.
A storm was coming!
The man knelt in the courtyard. His sword - shaped eyebrows were like frost, his nose was straight, and his lips were tightly pursed. It seemed that he had something to say, but in the end, he remained silent.
He knew that no matter what he said, Emperor Guangwu would protect this incompetent crown prince.
The wind blowing from outside the palace hit his straight back. His hair fluttered in the wind. His face was a bit pale, and his eyes were still as cold as ever. It seemed that he was not affected by Emperor Guangwu's outburst of anger.
Only those who knew him well could tell that His Highness, the Prince of Yan, was deeply hurt.
Xiao Rencheng stepped forward and knelt beside Song Yinghuai, reporting, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. His Highness, the Prince of Yan, has no intention of coveting the position of the crown prince. All this started when I mentioned the doubts about the case of the Lan family. His Highness, out of concern for the important ministers of the country, spared no effort to cooperate with me in investigating the truth. Please distinguish clearly, Your Majesty!"
As soon as Xiao Rencheng stepped forward, many other ministers also stepped out one after another to plead for Song Yinghuai.
"Your humble servant implores Your Majesty to calm your anger!"
"His Highness, the Prince of Yan, has always been loyal and dedicated to the country and the people. He is loyal to the king and loves the country. He will never have any ulterior motives!"
"Your humble servant second the motion!"
"Your humble servant also second the motion!"
...
The voices of agreement in the Chengde Palace rose and fell like tides.
Emperor Guangwu looked at the dense crowd below. His angry mood gradually faded, replaced by helplessness.
He was not unaware of the matter of the Lan family. He knew...
But he could not reverse the verdict for the Lan family. This matter was like his reverse scale. No one was allowed to uncover it!
Emperor Guangwu looked at Song Yinghuai with a solemn face. "Fourth son, regarding this matter... I'll act as if I never received this memorial today. Don't bring it up again in the future!"
Boom!
A thunderclap exploded in the sky!
Emperor Guangwu's order was like that thunderbolt in the sky, shattering the last bit of belief in Song Yinghuai's heart.
He suddenly raised his head. His eyes were blood - red, and his chest seemed to be hammered by a huge boulder.
Don't bring it up again!
Don't bring it up again...
Emperor Guangwu's heartless voice echoed in the palace. The echoing shouts of the court officials were rising and falling. Song Chengyuan's proud and distorted smiling face was in front of him. All of a sudden, it all converged into Caiyu's stubborn and sad beautiful face...
After Emperor Guangwu issued this order, he stared at Song Yinghuai, waiting for his response:
"Fourth son, did you hear me clearly?"
The noisy voices in the palace suddenly stopped. It was deathly silent below. Xiao Rencheng, who was kneeling beside him, lowered his voice and said,
"Your Highness, just agree for now. We'll think of other ways later..."
"Father!" Song Yinghuai suddenly raised his head. His eyes were as cold as ice. For the first time in his life, he said in a deep voice regardless of the consequences, "There is injustice in the case of the Lan family. Your son is willing to use the seals of the 200,000 Yan troops as a guarantee to get a retrial for the Lan family!"
Wasn't Song Chengyuan afraid of his military power?
Wasn't Song Chengyuan afraid of his strategic wisdom?
He would give it all up!
He only hoped that Miss Lan San would no longer bear the injustice of her family and could live in this world openly!
As soon as Song Yinghuai finished speaking, another thunderclap sounded outside the palace!
Everyone stared in horror, looking at that stubborn figure, unable to believe their ears.
His Highness, the Prince of Yan... was openly defying the emperor!
Xiao Rencheng slumped, closing his eyes in despair.
Song Chengyuan took a deep breath. Excitement suddenly exploded in his heart.
Had his fourth brother finally lost his patience?
Was he finally going to anger their father!
Military power!
The Yan troops he had coveted for a long time!
The most powerful and ferocious army in Great Ye!
He turned his head and looked at Emperor Guangwu expectantly, wishing he could nod in agreement on behalf of the emperor and take over the military power immediately!
After receiving such an answer, the cold - blooded emperor frowned deeply. His hawk - like eyes projected down sharply, and he remained silent for a long time.
Time seemed so urgent yet so quiet. The howling wind outside the palace was like the vengeful souls of those who died unjustly during the exile of the Lan family, raging and roaring on the vast square and echoing in Emperor Guangwu's heart.
Everyone in the Chengde Palace held their breath, kneeling on the ground and lowering their bodies, waiting for the emperor's thunderous anger to strike.
After a long time, Emperor Guangwu's cold - blooded voice sounded. "Song Yinghuai, the Prince of Yan, has disobeyed the imperial edict. Considering it his first offense, I will not punish him severely. I order him to kneel outside the Chengde Palace to reflect until he admits his mistake."
After Emperor Guangwu finished speaking, he flicked his sleeve and strode away.
Just let him kneel outside the palace to reflect?
Song Chengyuan looked at Song Yinghuai reluctantly and chased after Emperor Guangwu.
As soon as he chased into the imperial study, Song Chengyuan couldn't wait to speak. "Father, why is the punishment so light? Will the fourth brother learn his lesson?"
"That's enough!" Emperor Guangwu glared at Song Chengyuan fiercely. "Have all the words I taught you a few days ago about being kind to your brothers gone into your dog's brain? I've punished him to kneel outside the palace to reflect, and you still think it's not enough. He's your younger brother. Do you want his life?!"
"Father, your son didn't mean that..." Song Chengyuan was startled by the scolding and shrank his neck. Then he remembered the thing he cared most about. "But the fourth brother was just willing to hand over his military power. Father, that's 200,000 Yan troops! You've always known that his military power has been a concern of yours. Why don't you just agree like you took over the Lan family's army back then?"
Emperor Guangwu looked at Song Chengyuan with a complicated look in his eyes.
Did this fool think he was worried about Song Yinghuai's military power because he was afraid of a rebellion?
He was worried because of the incompetence of the son in front of him!
An incompetent crown prince and an incompetent emperor would surely become a puppet if his subordinates had too much power.
The country and the throne would be overthrown sooner or later.
But if an absurd emperor took back all the power without the restraint of his subordinates, his iron - blooded country would be destroyed by this foolish king!
Over the years, he had spared no effort to balance the relationship between Song Chengyuan and Song Yinghuai, hoping that they could restrain each other and continue the country in the struggle.
Moreover... the Yan troops were fundamentally different from the Lan family's army.
Emperor Guangwu said earnestly, "When the Lan family's army was first established, I and Lan Yuanyi led the army together to fight for the country. The soldiers in the Lan family's army, big and small, were not only Lan Yuanyi's soldiers but also had forged a life - and - death friendship with me at that time."
"After I ascended the throne, although I handed this army over to Lan Yuanyi, they also respected me. Even without Lan Yuanyi, as long as I was here, they would still obey my orders!"
"Do you know where the Yan troops came from?" Emperor Guangwu sighed. "That ferocious army was built by your fourth brother when he was young. He led 50,000 soldiers and fought with them on the border. Over the years, it has grown to a scale of 200,000. In their eyes, there is only the Prince of Yan, no king! And certainly not a fool like you!"
Song Chengyuan was scolded and pouted unhappily but didn't dare to say a word.
"Do you want to command this army?" Emperor Guangwu said contemptuously. "I'm afraid that on the first day you enter the barracks after getting the military power, they will attack you together and chop off the head of you, the crown prince!"
Song Chengyuan was so scared that he touched his neck. His back was cold. He asked with lingering fear,
"Then, just let the fourth brother kneel outside the palace? He won't refuse to admit his mistake, will he?"