Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 477 - 468: Escaped

Chapter 477: Chapter 468: Escaped

Chu Lingxuan also mentioned that he had previously visited Shaanxi Province and Sichuan Province, meeting with the military and the local administrative officials there, representing the Ninth Prince and the Chus.

Two months ago, Queen Wang’s brother stated that their father was critically ill and might not live much longer. Upon hearing this, Queen Wang was devastated. Though the Emperor privately wished that the ruthless old man would pass away as soon as possible, he reluctantly sent many valuable medicinal materials and granted leave to the Wang brothers. The brothers then took their wives and children to Southern Province to visit their dying father, promising to return after the Lunar New Year if their father survived. However, if he were to pass away, they planned to remain home in mourning. This left only Queen Wang’s legitimate son and a few of her nephews in the Capital City.

However, the Ninth Prince and the Chus found the actions of the Second Prince and Queen Wang’s brother highly suspicious, and they began making covert arrangements.

Before Chu Lingxuan returned to Dingzhou from the Southern Region, he visited the Capital City. He met with Marquis Chu and Mr. Chu, and learned something that both shocked and delighted him.

According to Marquis Chu, in the middle of the twelfth lunar month, the Emperor secretly conveyed to the Ninth Prince, Marquis Chu, and a few trusted confidants that even if the timing wasn’t completely right, he intended to make the Ninth Prince his heir after the Lunar New Year.

The Emperor’s health was deteriorating, and he had started coughing up blood recently. Unaware of how much time he had left, he wished to hand over power to this son within his lifetime, and dislodge the powerful Wangs, the Zhaos (the maternal family of the Second Prince), and the Suns (the maternal family of the Third Prince). The Wangs, in particular, had extensive military connections that had to be eradicated. They had already gathered evidence against several such families and were waiting for the Wangs to return to take action.

Compassionate as the Emperor was, he couldn’t bear to be harsh with the Second Prince and Third Prince. He asked the Ninth Prince to treat the two kindly in the future. With their supporters gone, they would pose no threat, so he decided to spare them.

This matter was an absolute secret, known only to the Emperor, the Ninth Prince, Marquis Chu, Mr. Chu, and a few other absolutist trusted confidants of the Emperor’s.

Upon learning the truth, the Chus were overjoyed. After enduring so many years, they were finally on the verge of success. Even though the principal members of the Wang family had gone to the Southern Province, the presence of the Second Prince in the Capital City ensured that they dared not act rashly.

The reason Chu Lingxuan could share this top-secret information with Chen Afu was that the Chus now considered her a core member of the family and no longer kept any major matter from her.

Upon hearing this news, Chen Afu was also overjoyed. Fearing her laughter might be overheard, she covered her mouth with a handkerchief.

However, Chu Lingxuan abruptly changed his tone and shared some unfortunate news. Half a month ago, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the Second Prince had spoken to the Emperor about a dream he had. In it, the late Emperor had appeared to him, weeping over the Emperor’s poor health.

Tears streaming down his face, the Second Prince lamentously revealed that in failing to reassure the spirit of his grandfather and relieve his father from his pain, he was utterly unfilial. He wished to go to the Baoguo Temple for one month to burn incense and eat vegetarian meals in order to soothe the soul of his grandfather and ensure his father’s good health. He accompanied his request with a long life wish for his father: May he live ten thousand years. May he live forever....

The Emperor believed that one’s dreams often reflected one’s current thoughts, and so concluded that his second son must be deeply worried about him. Seeing his son’s distress, the Emperor was both pleased and moved, even feeling slightly guilty as if he had wronged him. Not only did he approve the request, but he also praised the Second Prince’s filial piety as being capable of shining in the day and the night.

The Emperor was so moved that he became somewhat confused. When the Second Prince was about to leave, the Emperor even said, "Your father knows you’re a good child with pure loyalty. It’s just... ah, off you go."

The Ninth Prince was also present at the time. The Emperor’s words made his heart skip a beat. Even though they were subtle, their implications were clear as day. He watched the Second Prince shudder slightly and disappear in an instant. The Second Prince fell to his knees again, touched, and replied, "Thank you, Father, for your love towards your servant. I will remember it forever."

Early on the fifteenth, the Second Prince and his entourage departed for the Baoguo Temple in the outskirts of the Capital City.

The Ninth Prince, Marquis Chu, and Mr. Chu all believed the Second Prince’s behavior was highly unusual, but they were unsure what trick he was playing. They decided to monitor his movements closely.

Three days ago, on the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Chu Lingxuan suddenly received a letter sent by Marquis Chu’s staff. It stated that the Second Prince had done a "shell game" trick – he had fled, and the one who went to Baoguo Temple to burn incense and eat vegetarian meals was a substitute.

Marquis Chu and others analyzed that the Second Prince had most likely gone to the Southern Province. Since Dingzhou was a necessary stop from the Capital City to the south, he definitely wouldn’t dare to take this route. He must have detoured through Jiaodong before continuing south.

Among the surviving princes, the Second Prince was the eldest and came from the Middle Palace. His succession to the throne was legitimate. If the Emperor announced that the Ninth Prince was to become the Crown Prince, the Second Prince and the Wang family could possibly claim that the "seriously ill Emperor was deceived or coerced by the Ninth Prince" and then launch a rebellion in the name of "clearing the Emperor’s side"...

Chu Lingxuan punched the bed with his fist and whispered, "The Second Prince must have calculated that by the evening of the thirtieth, he would have made his escape. Plus, everyone would have let their guard down for the Lunar New Year, allowing him to choose this time to kidnap my mother."

Chen Afu was stunned with all this information and needed a moment to process everything.

Chu Lingxuan then said uncertainly, "The Emperor’s thought must have been calculated by the Second Prince’s high-ranking fortune tellers, rather than leaked by those involved in the matter. Perhaps they had calculated long ago, which was why they sent Queen Wang’s brother to Southern Province first, followed by several nephews, and placed Yang Qing in a key position. They are probably making double preparations. If the Second Prince was named Crown Prince, it would have been better. If not, then they would support the Second Prince in the rebellion. Therefore, the Wang brothers took their families too, followed by the Second Prince..."

Chen Afu nodded as she regained her senses. Of course, she couldn’t reveal that the Second Prince was reborn, knew that the Emperor would make the Ninth Prince his heir after the Lunar New Year, and find an opportunity to destroy the Wang family. He was making a desperate gamble. She said, "It would be good if the Second Prince were intercepted en route. Once he returns to the mountains, he won’t be easy to handle."

Chu Lingxuan shook his head and said, "The Second Prince going to the Southern Province isn’t entirely a bad thing. The Emperor is kind and always believed the Second Prince to be compassionate, filial, fraternal, and respectful. Even the stubbornness and cruelty from the Second Prince’s youth, the Emperor blamed on Queen Wang for not teaching him well and the Wang family for instilling bad morals. As the Second Prince grew up, these issues dissipated. Only by having the Second Prince rebel in the Southern Province does he have valid reason to become a usurper. Just one Southern Province won’t make a huge difference. A three-pronged attack will easily capture the rebels.." He added, "The overall situation is like this, don’t worry about it."

Since they had everything calculated, Chen Afu naturally did not worry. She then told him about Liao Chen’s living conditions.

Chu Lingxuan nodded and sighed, "My mother has a saintly heart, and she is devastated because Uncle Luo and I were injured, and several brothers died. I’m kept busy now and have no time to console her. You should send Yu and Ming to keep her company tomorrow."

Chen Afu nodded, watching him fall asleep as soon as he laid down.

Chen Afu gently rubbed his still frowning brow as he slept. Noticing his brows relax slightly and his breaths become even, she rose to blow out the candle before returning to her room to rest.