Everlasting

Chapter 9

Zhōngyāng:

The Palace:

Eastern court:

The Eastern Kingdom, Dong, had been secretly evading Zhōngyāng that had caused the Emperor and the courtiers a great tension.

Daily, a bunch of memorials would be full of those news.

But that was not the only cause of the Emperor's tension at all.

So amidst the chaos, the Emperor waited until a good time to hold a meeting at the middle of the night.

A secret meeting.

Only the closest ministers to the Emperor were present on that night as the Empress and the Crowned Prince had been to a temple a little far away from the palace.

Seldom having the chance to openly talk about his realness, the Emperor voiced in a low tone, "What do you suggest Minister Zhou?"

The minister who was seated on a small table on the right line to the Emperor pulled his brows together as he said, "Seems like the Empress will stop at nothing. She was even able to kill Concubine Ren's only son so soon, and get rid of her too. As a result we've surely gained one more minister to our side but I'm afraid he'll someday join the rebels."

"True," another minster of justice voiced, "I heard that some of our own minsters have been visited by people from the East, including him last night. In this scenario, if the Eastern Kingdom ever has evil eyes on our land then I'm afraid they'll do us some heavy damage."

Thinking deep into the matter, the Emperor sighed, "I wanted to wait until the end of crowned Prince but seems like it isn't possible anymore." With a great grief he added, "I didn't want Crowned Prince to be sad in his remaining days."

The Emperor knew the reasons of those sneaky visits.

Everyone were waiting for the Crowned Prince to sit on the throne. So that he could be easily executed. Cause everybody knew he was incurably ill.

And so was the Emperor himself.

So it was only matter of time that Zhōngyāng is vulnerable and one could lunch their attack.

Sympathising the Emperor, a minister spoke, "We understand you, your highness. But it is not your fault that he was born that way. —You have done your best for him. You let him live near you, with his mother unlike any other Princes. You made him crowned Prince and let him enjoy power and prosperity at an young age. You even let him take major decisions as he pleased."

"Yes. Yes. You've done your best." Said the others making the Emperor smile sadly.

Drinking another cup of wine, he exhaled, "That is why I cannot imagine the amount of heartbreak he shall feel when he comes to know what had I planned all along."

"He is a sensible man. He will understand." Said another minister.

"Will he?" The Emperor said, "I trained his brother all years long as my successor. I had long chosen my other son to sit on the throne, how will he digest that fact?"

"It was unavoidable. We all knew all along that he would not survive long. If not for the Empress, he would be enjoying a normal life without having to face this cruel fate."

"Yes. Yes." Other voices resonated.

"Indeed." Agreed the Emperor.

Everyone knew that if the Empress was not so eager to put her own blood on the throne, then the crowned Prince would never have to bear the weight of his title, never have to shoulder many responsibilities that made that sick child more sick.