Transmigration: A Farm Girl’s Brocade
Chapter 671 - 330 Return to Heaven_1

Chapter 671: Chapter 330 Return to Heaven_1

The lights in the Palace Taiji Hall were brightly lit, and the Emperor, now extremely thin and gaunt, sat in front of the dragon desk with Grand Eunuch Cui standing behind him. Liang Jinzhao had left some time ago, and the Emperor was still in a daze. He muttered, "Jiji won’t come to see me! He’s already in the Capital City, yet he doesn’t come to see me!" He let out a deep sigh, patted the armrest of the Dragon Chair, and said, "Ah, such worldly things that my many sons fought over so fiercely, and yet he doesn’t want them at all..."

The Emperor had received a letter from the secret guards before the end of the year, informing him that Zhu Suji was unwilling to enter the palace to inherit the throne, and the Old Fairy also did not wish for him to become the sovereign, which deeply disappointed the Emperor. He wanted to pass on his well-governed lands to his most beloved descendant. Moreover, he had focused on cultivating the support of the Zhang family, the Liang Family, the Yue family, and some civil officials who had supported the Former Crown Prince, all of whom would have been of use to Zhu Suji. If someone else were to take over, they might not be able to suppress the eldest son. Despite all the preparations he had made for such a long time, he lamented that man’s plans are no match for those of heaven.

Grand Eunuch Cui bowed even lower, consoling in a soft voice, "Your Majesty, perhaps the young master is too weary and has gone back to Baoguo Temple to rest for a while. Once he has rested, he will come to see you."

The Emperor shook his head and said, "He doesn’t want to succeed to the throne, so it’s just as well he doesn’t come to see me and spare others the trouble. If anything were to happen to him, I wouldn’t have the face to meet the Empress and Changchang."

Leaning on the Dragon Chair, the Emperor pondered for a while, then spoke wearily, "I feel my energy waning more and more these days; perhaps, my time is nearing an end. So be it... Have it decided. Go, summon Zhang Fengzheng, Di Shu, Liang Zechong, Yue Feng, and Fu Qinghong to enter the palace immediately, and also send for the Eighth Prince."

He wanted to use the little time he had left to clear the obstacles for his eighth son, Zhu Xiangxi. Lao Wu would be easy to handle, as his men were not capable of great things. The real challenge, however, was the eldest son, who was difficult to manage and had a violent temper; he needed to find a way to catch him off guard and restrain him first.

Grand Eunuch Cui bowed and said, "I obey Your Majesty’s command."

He hurried out to send for them but had barely reached the doorway before retreating back in.

Prince Ning had arrived, accompanied by some armed guards, who had taken over guarding the great doors of the Taiji Hall; the original guards were nowhere to be seen.

When the Emperor saw Grand Eunuch Cui return and then saw Prince Ning Zhu Xiangsheng, dressed in military attire and with a sword strapped to his waist, stride into the hall, he realized what was happening.

He sneered and said, "Eldest son, I am not dead yet, and you dare to rebel?"

Prince Ning did not respond. He strode to the dragon desk, respectfully knelt to give the Emperor three head knocks, then stood upright. Staring directly at the Emperor, he said, "Father Emperor, as your son, I’ve reached the age of forty and believe I have cultivated virtue, self-discipline, temperament, and peace of mind—all qualities of a wise ruler. Moreover, for your sake, I’ve defended our country and driven the foreign enemies back to their lands, never to dare invade again. But why do you hold such disregard for me? You support my less capable brothers one by one, but year after year you suppress me, as if you wish I’d never rise to prominence. Is it all because of my mother’s status?"

He then curled the corners of his mouth into a smile and added, "Rest assured, posterity will regard my mother as your Consort Minde. She is obedient and virtuous, generous and dignified. She was not without merit, for she has a son, your eldest son Zhu Xiangsheng... At most, I will need to add eight years to her age."

The Emperor, trembling with anger, slammed the dragon desk and shouted, "You unfilial son, how dare you speak to me in such a manner! Guards!"

The hall fell into eerie silence, with only the sound of Grand Eunuch Cui’s head knocking and weeping.

Prince Ning stood opposite the Emperor at the dragon desk, sneering, "Unfilial son? Tell me, in all these years, when have you ever shown filial teaching or kindness to me as a father?"

He smiled again, seeing the uncontrollable rage on the Emperor’s face, and continued, "Father Emperor, how many fake Dragon Balls have you received? The Fifth Imperial Brother, the Sixth Imperial Brother, and the Eighth Imperial Brother, they all seem to have presented them, right? A bit larger than longans, of a pale purple hue, dazzlingly lustrous, with a golden radiance shining from within. Hehe, Father Emperor, you still kept a trick up your sleeve and didn’t reveal all their characteristics, did you?" He then bent forward slightly, bringing his head closer and said in a lower voice, "The radiance emitted from the Dragon Ball is not just any golden light—it’s the light of golden lotuses, right?"

The Emperor abruptly looked up, his face a picture of disbelief, and asked, "How do you know?"

Prince Ning’s left hand clenched into a fist in front of the Emperor, slowly opened, revealing a purple bead in his palm. The bead was a bit larger than a longan, pale purple in color, dazzlingly lustrous, with golden lotus light shining within the purple radiance, identical to the Dragon Ball the Emperor had seen in his dreams.