Chapter 283: Chapter 220: The New King’s Heir – First
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Translator: 549690339
“Find it for me as soon as possible, before I leave,” Pei Xuanjing told him, and before Yu Zhenzi could ask, he preemptively said, “Not just me, but all of you will be leaving with me.”
“Teacher, are we going to Tiandu?” Pang Hong ventured a guess.
Pei Xuanjing nodded with a smile: “Correct!”
Tiandu! Pang Hong’s eyes filled with nostalgia about his past when he thought about his birthplace.
Meanwhile, in the city of Tiandu, at the Shangshu Mansion of the Ministry of War.
In the study were still Wang Qiong, Wang Boan, and Gu Ji.
Just returned from court, Wang Qiong seemed calm, but both Wang Boan and Gu Ji knew that the old man was seething with anger.
Only Yang Tinghe, the leading official of the Cabinet, could possibly arouse such anger from the old man.
Yang Tinghe feasted at the age of nineteen, joined the Imperial Academy, and later became a lecturer in the East palace when the late emperor was still the crown prince. He only entered the Cabinet after the late emperor ascended to the throne. Considered close to the late emperor, he was viewed by many as fortunate.
In contrast, Wang Qiong did not feast until he was twenty-five, a few years later than Yang Tinghe. He, however, worked his way through the Ministry of Works, the Household Department, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Personnel, stepping up in rank on his merits.
The two men’s career paths were totally different. Coupled with the position rivalry, these two men were seen as water and fire in court, and each regarded the other as a great foe.
“Hmph!” Wang Qiong sneered, and angrily said: “Yang Tinghe is power-hungry and now he proposes to have the Empress Dowager listen to politics behind the curtain, he truly has no shame.”
To date, there has still been no definitive consensus between the two parties regarding the succession of the new monarch. The final decision would only be made after many members of the royal family arrive in the capital city.
It can be said at this point, both sides’ struggle has reached the final stage, and the victory is about to be decided.
But for Yang Tinghe to propose that the Empress Dowager reign behind the curtain in order to win, this is undoubtedly to dilute power to resist Wang Qiong, how could this not infuriate him.
“What did Jiang Bin say?” Wang Qiong asked Gu Ji.
At the moment, the commander of the Brocade Guards holds a significant power within Tiandu, especially with Lawlessness injured, the power of the Brocade Guards and the two factories are growing stronger.
The attitude of this commander towards who should ascend the throne is also very important.
Hence, even Wang Qiong had to butter up to him.
Gu Ji shook his head slightly, “The other party’s attitude is ambiguous and does not want to make a firm decision.”
Originally, he and Jiang Bin did not intersect, but when Pei Xuanjing was in Tiandu, and they often met with the Brocade Guards Qianhu Lin Qingyi while they were in the Martial Academy. It was through this chance that he met with Jiang Bin.
Jiang Bin’s attitude towards Wang Qiong’s overture was ambiguous, and there was no clear refusal, but neither did he agree, obviously he was determined to stay out of it.
“Hmph, fools!” Wang Qiong sneered, not saying more.
He said to Wang Boan, “Bo’an, Lawless is not fully recovered yet, and there’s something you need to do yourself…”
At Baiyun Temple in the suburbs, Bai Xiaosheng and Daoist Xuanming were sitting facing each other with a pot of old wine warming on the table.
Xuanming Daoist poured the wine and handed it to Bai Xiaosheng, he began lightly, “I wonder how the layman views the current situation in Tiandu?”
Ever since the formation of their collaborative alliance, Bai Xiaosheng often came to Baiyun Temple to drink tea and wine with Daoist Xuanming.
When Pei Xuanjing suggested that the imperial court had not yet announced the heir, Bai Xiaosheng and his group had also reached the same conclusion.
This led to Xuanming Daoist’s questioning.
Bai Xiaosheng held the wine cup in his hand and said casually: “Does the Master want to test me? Daoist Xuanming laughed and said: “I am all ears for the layman’s insight.”
“Hehe.” Bai Xiaosheng finished the wine in one gulp, put down the wine cup, laughed and said, “The night is long, and there’s nothing to do. Since the Taoist priest is interested, then I will regale you once.”
“Please!” Daoist Xuanming topped up the wine cup.
Bai Xiaosheng picked up the wine cup and began slowly: “In my opinion, among the many royal family members returning to Tiandu, the rest need not be considered. There are only two people we really need to care about.”
“One is King Xing! And the other, the grandson of Anshan King!”
These two, King Xing is fifteen years old. The grandson of Anshan King, is nothing more than a five-year-old child.
“In the layman’s view, who out of the two is more fitting?” Daoist Xuanming asked curiously.
“This question makes no sense?”
After leaving Dragon Tiger Mountain, Pei Xuanjing and others headed for Tiandu at a steady pace.
“Who does the real person think is more suitable?” Yu Zhenzi slowly asked while riding a horse at Pei Xuanjing’s side.
Sometimes, your view can be obstructed because you’re too close to the situation.
After Pei Xuanjing enlightened him, even without Pei Xuanjing’s analysis, with Yu Zhenzi’s wisdom, he naturally deduced who amongst the royals returning to Tiandu was most likely to be the heir.
Pei Xuanjing was holding the reins of the horse, looking around at the lush greenery on both sides of the road, epitomizing the vitality of spring.
Without turning his head, he gave a response that was almost identical to Bai Xiaosheng’s, “Does it matter who is the most suitable?”
“That’s also true. I was just not thinking clearly.” Yu Zhenzi was startled, and then he seemed to understand.
Pei Xuanjing looked at Yu Zhenzi, who had just realized the truth, and smiled silently. He asked Pang Hong, who was on his other side: “Pang Hong, do you know why?”
At Pei Xuanjing’s question, Pang Hong fell into deep thought and did not immediately answer.
Yu Zhenzi understood that Pei Xuanjing was testing and training Pang Hong, and he too was curious to see how Pang Hong would answer.
Seeing Pang Hong deep in thought, Yu Zhenzi couldn’t help but hint, “Do you know what we are going to do?”
What are we going to do?
Pang Hong’s eyes lit up, and he seemed to understand.
He tentatively asked, “Does the teacher mean that no matter who is most suitable, it doesn’t matter. The person who will ascend to the throne must earn our approval. If they don’t have our approval, even if they are suitable, they can;’t ascend to the throne!”
If they are about to seize control of the throne, then the heir to the throne must meet their interests and need the approval of their group.
Under this premise, it doesn’t matter whether or not the other party is suitable or not.
As long as they don’t approve, even if the other party is fitting, they can’t ascend to the throne.
And as long as they approve, even if the other party is unsuitable, they can still ascend to the throne with their support.
Yu Zhenzi also praised from the side: “Like teacher, like student.”
Pei Xuanjing nodded slightly: “Not bad!”
Pang Hong had a smile on his face, but there was no trace of pride or complacency.
This is how they began their unhurried journey to Tiandu..
