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After reading the note, he let out a hiss, “Xue Huaimin has been marked for death; it’s said he’s already under secret surveillance.” Although he knew Xue wouldn’t end well, he didn’t expect it to happen so quickly.
Lu Songli took a look and was somewhat surprised. Xue Huaimin was already on Emperor Kang Cheng’s death list? She had thought that the Emperor was still in the suspicion stage regarding the Fourth Prince, but the fact that Xue Huaimin was dealt with so quickly proved that the Emperor was already certain about who was behind it.
Lu Desheng sighed, “It’s a pity. The credit for assisting the dragon was almost in hand, but just as he was about to succeed, everything fell apart. Now, one by one, they’re being dealt with by the Emperor.” Thinking about how he had considered joining them just a few days ago, he suddenly felt a chill down his neck.
“The difference is just between dying sooner or later. Xue Huaimin was so driven by his lust for power that even if the Fourth Prince successfully ascended the throne, Xue would become a hindrance to the new Emperor and would eventually be discarded,” Lu Songli noted, realizing something was off.
Xue Huaimin’s situation didn’t seem right—it was too fast. After all his efforts, he hadn’t even had the chance to enjoy the fruits of his labor before being taken down by the Emperor.
“Father, don’t you think the exposure of Xue Huaimin and his associates happened too quickly? It’s almost as if someone deliberately pushed them out to serve as a vent for Emperor Kang Cheng’s anger. Am I overthinking this?”
“Didn’t you once tell me to believe in the Emperor’s surveillance capabilities over the officials?”
Lu Songli sighed, “But not this quickly. It took me a long time to figure out that the Qin family’s exile was related to the Fourth Prince and Xue Huaimin. Even with the Emperor’s surveillance, it shouldn’t have been this fast. It’s too smooth, too seamless.”
Lu Desheng wondered, “Could it have been the Second or Third Prince who did this?”
“It’s unlikely,” she replied. “They don’t have the ability or the brains for this. I’m more inclined to believe this was orchestrated by the Fourth Prince himself.”
“What would be the purpose?”
“Before the Fourth Prince seizes the throne, people like Xue Huaimin are his assets. But after he ascends, they become a hindrance to the new Emperor. The Emperor’s actions against these people haven’t just failed to punish the Fourth Prince; they’ve actually helped him.” The more Lu Songli compared the benefits reaped by Emperor Kang Cheng and the Fourth Prince, the more it seemed that the Emperor was being used.
“That can’t be true, can it?” Lu Desheng felt a chill, “Could the Fourth Prince really be that cunning? And he hasn’t even ascended to the throne yet—dealing with his own supporters so quickly? That’s too risky, isn’t it? The Fourth Prince is only fourteen. He can’t have that kind of audacity, can he?”
Lu Songli also thought that such a strategy and audacity didn’t seem like something the Fourth Prince would have. Could it be that he had an advisor behind him?
Following this line of thought, Xue Huaimin’s downfall made sense. He wasn’t just being discarded by the Fourth Prince; he was also being used by someone else. With these two factors combined, his fate wasn’t surprising. But who could that person be? Whoever it was had mastered human psychology and strategy to perfection—impressive.
When she had first learned about the Emperor’s list of those to accompany the Crown Prince in death, she thought it was a good thing. If the Fourth Prince emerged victorious in the end, she had planned to use this list to negotiate with him—offering to help eliminate Xue Huaimin, thereby removing a hindrance for the new ruler without tarnishing his reputation.
But now that she realized the Fourth Prince had an advisor, she knew someone else had already beaten her to the punch.
Upon hearing his daughter’s analysis, Lu Desheng remarked, “Xue Huaimin really got a raw deal.” So many people wanted him dead.
Whether it’s fair or not, the truth is, political struggles are cruel. Sometimes the roles of hunter and prey can switch in an instant.
“Daughter, don’t you think the Fourth Prince is taking a huge risk with all this? What if he overplays his hand? Can he really be so confident that the Emperor will choose him as the successor in the end?”
Lu Songli tried to analyze the Fourth Prince’s motives. The Fourth Prince knew he couldn’t hide from the Emperor’s suspicion. After the Crown Prince’s death, Emperor Kang Cheng would undoubtedly suspect him. Rather than hide and eventually be caught, it would be better to expose himself. He also needed an opportunity to demonstrate his strength, wit, and capability to gain the Emperor’s approval. Additionally, it’s possible that his advisor realized their previous plan wasn’t as likely to succeed as this new one.
After listening to his daughter’s explanation, Lu Desheng thought, “Showing his ability is one thing, but killing the Crown Prince and manipulating the Emperor is another. Emperor Kang Cheng, if only he had more sons to keep the Fourth Prince in check, he wouldn’t be getting away with all this.”
With the Fourth Prince’s backing, Lu Desheng could already foresee him passing Emperor Kang Cheng’s test. For a moment, he felt a bit deflated.
“Dad, this is actually a good thing for us.”
“A good thing?”
“They have severely underestimated the Emperor. One trap after another, do they really think the Emperor, at this point, hasn’t noticed?”
Lu Desheng nodded. Indeed, if even they could see that the Emperor was being manipulated, how could the Emperor not be aware?
“This move by the Fourth Prince is equivalent to forcing the Emperor to accept him as the heir with no other choice. Do you think the Emperor is angry?”
“Of course!”
“Just think about it, an emperor who has never been forced to swallow his pride in his entire life, and now, at the very end, you’re asking him to leave with this resentment? That’s impossible, even if it’s his son! So, this anger has to be vented!”
You’ve caused the Crown Prince’s death, used me to clear obstacles for you, and now I have to let you ascend the throne? Fine, I’ll accept that. But do you think everything will go smoothly for you, and you’ll be basking in success? No way.
You want to eliminate the Qin family? I won’t let you have your way!
In the Fourth Prince’s plan, he intended to pin the blame for the Crown Prince’s death on the Qin family and take the opportunity to eliminate them. This was a political stain on the Fourth Prince, one he definitely wanted to erase. Only the dead can keep secrets forever. Furthermore, with the Fourth Prince’s ruthlessness and narrow-mindedness, having already offended the Qin family, he would surely want to eradicate them completely.
Emperor Kang Cheng, having ruled for over twenty years, could naturally see through all of this. It would be all too easy for him to grasp the lifeline of the Fourth Prince.
Lu Songli had always believed that their Emperor had a bit of a rebellious streak in middle age. Most importantly, this decision would go against the Fourth Prince’s wishes or, more precisely, disgust him, while still keeping the foundations of the empire intact. The Qin family had always been too docile, making Emperor Kang Cheng feel no sense of threat from them.
At this point in her reasoning, Lu Songli’s heart was pounding. She had always been worried about how to protect the Qin family, but if things really developed as she predicted, wouldn’t it be like a pie falling from the sky? For the first time, she felt the sensation of winning effortlessly.
Lu Desheng thought about it seriously and said, “Based on what I know of Emperor Kang Cheng, he really might do that.” And if not, they could subtly guide him in that direction.