But the uncle vowed that no emperor could tolerate his son's reputation surpassing his own; the people knew the fifth prince but not the emperor.
If it were just his maternal relatives suggesting this, it would be one thing, but those strategists also had the same idea, thinking it was an excellent opportunity to sow discord against the fifth prince and should not be missed. Although he eventually followed everyone's advice, he still felt uneasy.
He feared that his father, the emperor, unlike other emperors, would feel his life was nearing its end and, in accordance with public opinion, crown him the Crown Prince.
“No matter the outcome, since the deed is done, it must be as if nothing happened. Tomorrow at the morning court, the fourth prince must not show any unusual expression, lest he arouse the emperor's suspicion. If he investigates and traces it back to you, it will truly be handing over the throne on a silver platter,” Marquis Li, though he found his nephew a bit too young and impatient, knew that the Li family's honor rested on him and could only patiently admonish.
The fourth prince was not someone who didn't understand the gravity of the situation. He suppressed his inner dissatisfaction and obediently nodded.
The fifth prince and his entourage resolved the issues in the disaster-stricken area and headed back to the capital, unwilling to linger outside for another day. They had long been prepared for an ambush, but unexpectedly, the journey was peaceful. Standing on the land of the capital, they still found it hard to believe they had returned so smoothly. Compared to the harrowing journey there, it felt unreal.
Exhausted from the travel, everyone went back to rest. Only the fifth prince, enduring his fatigue, rushed to the palace to report his actions to the emperor.
The emperor looked at his fifth son kneeling on the ground, head bowed respectfully. After a long while, he calmly ordered him to rise.
Having knelt for too long, his legs felt numb when he stood. The fifth prince staggered slightly. The emperor, seeing his disheveled state, offered a few words of encouragement and told him to go back and rest well.
The fifth prince walked out of the great hall in a daze. The wind was strong that day, feeling cool against his skin. It was then he realized his clothes were already soaked with sweat, unbeknownst to him. He couldn't understand what had happened in his absence that his father treated him with such an attitude, clearly showing his displeasure.
He also felt wronged. He had gone to provide disaster relief under his father's orders. He had encountered so much danger along the way, and upon finally returning to the capital, he was met with suspicion and veiled warnings.
Soon, his strategists remaining in the capital provided him with an explanation: his popularity among the common people was so high, it was no wonder his father was wary.
“While you were away, we dared not act alone, but we sensed something was amiss. We dispatched people to investigate and discovered that someone was deliberately orchestrating this. All evidence points to Marquis Li's manor,” Mr. Liu, whom the fifth prince valued most, quickly reported the results of his recent investigations, silently inquiring about the next course of action.
Mr. Liu had once been a scholar who, due to his outstanding talent, attracted envy and was framed and imprisoned. The fifth prince happened upon him then and helped clear his name. However, after this incident, he grew disillusioned with officialdom and willingly became his strategist, serving him.
Because he was steady and thoughtful in his work, he was particularly valued by the fifth prince. And having interacted with the fifth prince for so long, everyone knew their master was extraordinary – not only did he have unique insights but he was also skilled at winning people over and could turn misfortune into fortune. Therefore, they had great confidence in him.
In daily matters, they only helped him investigate thoroughly, allowing him to understand the truth of the situation. The ultimate decision-maker, from beginning to end, was always himself.
The fifth prince also recounted his experiences on his southern journey to them. It was then they learned that the future fifth princess was a martial arts expert, which explained why she had followed the fifth prince.
Yes, even they had heard that the fifth princess, worried about the fifth prince, had followed him south. At the time, they had secretly worried that she might cause trouble for the fifth prince or hinder him. Now, it seemed they had worried for nothing. Without the fifth princess, the fifth prince might never have returned. At this point, everyone unconsciously began to identify with her, privately considering her one of their own.
“If anyone says that your experiences on this journey have nothing to do with the princes in the palace, no one will believe it. We have tolerated them so many times. Isn't it time we show them some teeth? Otherwise, everyone will think we are easy targets and want to step on us,” Mr. Liu stroked his beard and suggested with narrowed eyes. In the past, he would never have said such a thing, believing in treating others with kindness. But after his imprisonment, he learned that sometimes, treating others well doesn't mean they will treat you well. You must act when the time comes.
The fifth prince nodded. If he were to act, it would be decisive, aiming for the kill. He could sense his father's displeasure. If anything were to happen to him now, he would certainly not ascend the throne. Then, he and Wu Caiwei would be in mortal danger, and those who followed him would also suffer ill consequences. Man does not live for heaven and earth to destroy him. Moreover, he was not the type to repay kindness with resentment.
So that night, he secretly took some items from his storeroom and picked some flowers and plants from the small garden. He hid in his study and tinkered for two hours before emerging.
The next night, a palace maid passed by the rockery and, while no one was paying attention, disappeared for a short while.
A few days later, the fourth prince suddenly fainted in front of everyone. People rushed to help him to his bed, and imperial physicians were immediately summoned to treat him. After taking his pulse and frowning, they murmured for a long time before declaring that the fourth prince had died from overwork.
The fourth prince's strategists disagreed with this diagnosis, and even the emperor frowned upon hearing it, dispatching the court physician.
Everyone knew the court physician's unusual status in the emperor's eyes. Although he took a long time to examine the pulse, no one dared to rush him.
The court physician was also in a difficult position. Judging by the pulse, it did indeed seem like overwork, but his intuition told him it was not that simple. Being in the palace, he knew the struggle among the princes had been exceptionally fierce recently. As the court physician, he did not wish to be involved, but it seemed he had already entered the fray. He could sense the abnormality of the pulse but couldn't articulate it clearly.
“If even you cannot figure it out, is there anyone in this world who can cure him?” the emperor exclaimed upon hearing this. He didn't suspect the court physician of lying; after all, he had been treating him for so many years. If he had intended to harm him, he would have had plenty of opportunities by now.
“Your humble servant cannot say for sure. This is merely my speculation, and it might be inaccurate,” the court physician said, lowering his head with some shame. The emperor was willing to believe him and accepted his words without question. Others might have dismissed it as idle talk, thinking the patient was merely tired and would recover with rest. However, he sensed that this matter was significant and the fourth prince might be in grave danger, but he had no proof.