The Demon Lords

This is such a mess, yet within over a year, I’ve managed to stabilize the livelihood of Yan’s people, though slightly more difficult than before, and even though the treasury is stretched thin, when Mao Mingcai submitted a memorandum to repair the Wang River, the court could still squeeze out some funds for investment.

Ji Chengjue felt he had done well, better than anyone else could have managed with his father’s "grand empire plans."

"My second guilt, I failed to attentively serve my mother, causing her premature demise; I am unfilial, and I am guilty."

Upon hearing this "second guilt,"

the row of princes kneeling behind, except for Ji Chengsu, all raised their heads in surprise to look at the crown prince kneeling at the front.

Including Ji Chengjue.

Previously, Ji Chengjue did not feel the crown prince was targeting him over the treasury issue, as he was scapegoating for his father in this matter; implicating himself was like implicating his father’s prestige.

Now it appears,

it is indeed the case,

It’s not targeting me,

it’s targeting father!

The empress’s sudden demise, declared to have died of illness, but what was the cause?

It was Lord Jingnan who exterminated his entire family!

No one present believed that the Yan Emperor was unaware of what Lord Jingnan planned to do at the Tian Family that evening.

Yet despite this,

the Yan Emperor still allowed the empress to return home for a visit!

Following that day, the empress was terror-stricken and fell ill, sometimes lucid, sometimes insane. As the mother of the nation, she ended up in such a state; perhaps to her, living became even more torturous.

"My third guilt is that, above, I do not have the affection of my father; in the middle, I do not have the support of the officials; below, I do not have the trust of my brothers. I am ashamed of my position in the East Palace.

I am guilty,

for the sake of my Yan dynasty’s eternal future,

I resign from my position in the East Palace!"

After speaking,

the crown prince took off the golden dragon-edged hat symbolizing his position as heir and placed it in front of him, bowing deeply.

At this moment,

Lord Zheng was somewhat unable to maintain composure,

he truly did not expect,

that while the Yan Emperor’s sudden accusation was already the biggest upheaval, the crown prince struck back even harder.

This position as the heir,

he relinquished it!

Lord Zheng instinctively wanted to see Ji Chengjue’s reaction, Ji Chengjue by this time was trembling.

Yes,

trembling,

not out of excitement,

but gritting his teeth,

he,

was in fear.

It was clear to everyone that the current power play in Yanjing was between Ji Chengjue’s "Sixth Prince Faction" and the crown prince vying for the position’s essence. In principle, if the crown prince is expelled from the East Palace, Chengjue’s rise is almost a certainty.

The eldest brother married the barbarian princess, and now it’s is a boon for him to continue having his chance to lead the troops.

The third prince has been ousted;

The fourth prince, after losing Deng Family’s support, has fallen silent with no hope of returning.

The fifth prince is the most ordinary, always quiet.

The seventh prince, Ji Chengsu, is too young; unless the Yan Emperor lives long to support the seventh prince, otherwise, a phrase "primarily suspicious of the country" will keep him far from that position.

Lord Zheng’s gaze slowly shifted to the Prime Minister seated beside him,

to find Zhao Jiulang was still "cultivating" his transcendence.

Lord Zheng really wanted to remind him:

Hey, you’re the Prime Minister, the crown prince resigned and you act as if you didn’t hear?

Yet Zhao Jiulang truly acted as if he didn’t hear.

With Zhao Jiulang silent, naturally Lord Zheng had even less space to speak. After a moment, Lord Zheng adjusted his breath and continued deep meditation;

when you don’t know how to navigate the swamp ahead,

no matter,

follow your predecessors, it’s sure to be right.

The Yan Emperor’s gaze fixed on the crown prince for a long time without speaking.

In truth,

the crown prince’s three major guilts,

rather than the crown prince’s, are truly of his own fault as emperor.

The treasury deficit, stemmed from his extravagance and ceaseless wars;

The empress’s death, for his own neglect of his wife.

There were even rumors amongst the people that the empress’s death was unexpected and odd, and some speculated it was the Emperor paving way for the Sixth Prince, or else how to explain the coincidence of the Sixth Prince’s grand wedding followed immediately by the empress’s demise?

As for the third point,

The crown prince failing to earn his father’s love, the ministers’ support, and the brothers’ camaraderie, was because the crown prince sitting in the East Palace position was just a signboard.

And that signboard was placed by the emperor.

The East Palace’s position, although a great honor, also carried immense restraint.

I was established by you, and after placing me, you raised another brother to challenge me, does this blame rest on me?

Throughout history,

how often have there truly been strong crown princes?

Indeed, the crown prince’s words initially sound somewhat argumentative, but this was the reality.

If the crown prince’s consort was a princess, if the Tian Family still stood, if the mother was alive,

externally, with the two Southern and Northern Marquis resonating; internally supported by the status of the eldest son.

He would have been invincible, even if Ji Chengjue tried hard, he would never threaten his position.

And these, were actually all cut off by his father.

Lifting me up,

then cutting off my branches,

and then questioning my guilt,

for what reason!

Why don’t you just establish Chengjue as the crown prince?

After trampling the gates of power, with just one phrase "establishing virtue over birth," which civil or military official would dare oppose?

No one could have predicted, the usually despondent crown prince at this moment erupted.

The Yan Emperor’s gaze slowly darkened,

coughed twice,

Wei Zhonghe beside him immediately served him tea.

A trace of fatigue appeared on the Yan Emperor’s face.

Yet the tiger is not dead; even showing fatigue, no one dared to touch its whiskers.

Moreover, an aged tiger, is even more frightening.

"Crown Prince, do you know what your greatest guilt is?"