Free Web NovelChapter 368: Chapter 369: Glory and Favor
In the end, Li Yan was forcefully dragged out of the prison cell.
Before he left, he didn’t forget to roar himself hoarse at Li Ying.
"I thought you were just an unwanted stray, but you’re actually a wild wolf! You even plot against your own brother! You’ll die a dog’s death!"
As the prison guard turned back to close the door, he glanced at the Fourth Prince standing alone in the cell. There was a red scratch on his cheek, which looked like it had been scraped by a cane.
He stood with his head bowed, silent, showing no reaction to his own brother’s curse.
He looked rather helpless and pitiful.
The prison guard averted his gaze and shut the cell door with a CLANG.
The matter was soon reported to the Emperor.
The entire conversation between the Fourth Prince and the Fifth Prince in the prison was recounted, not a single word missed.
After hearing the report, the Emperor became even more convinced that his previous suspicions were correct.
The Fourth Prince had likely been framed.
Even though the Emperor didn’t particularly care for Li Ying, he was still his own flesh and blood. The Emperor could ignore him, but he would not allow others to play tricks right under his nose.
During the morning court session the next day, the Emperor suddenly issued a Holy Decree, enfeoffing the Second Prince, Li Hao, as a Commandery Prince with the title Dongyang.
Faced with this sudden windfall, Li Hao was ecstatic. He immediately fell to his knees and performed a deep, formal kowtow.
"Your son thanks you for your immense grace, Imperial Father!"
After the court session ended, all the civil and military officials crowded around Li Hao, congratulating him all at once.
Li Hao had never been so celebrated in his entire life, and the praise made him feel a bit light-headed.
He laughed heartily. "Tomorrow, I will be hosting a banquet at my mansion to celebrate. You must all honor me with your presence!"
Everyone quickly replied, "We’ll be there! We’ll definitely be there!"
The Eldest Imperial Son and the Crown Prince were already gone. The Fifth Prince was crippled. Even the Fourth Prince, his only potential rival, had been thrown into the great prison.
As for the Sixth Prince, Li Yi, not only was he still young, but the disgraceful manner of his mother Yichongyuan’s death meant he had already lost any qualification to compete.
What’s that? You say there’s also a Seventh Prince?
He’s just a little baby who hasn’t even been weaned yet. It’s anyone’s guess whether he’ll even survive to adulthood!
By this calculation, only the Second Prince remained, standing out from the rest. He had become the one and only candidate for Crown Prince.
Now, the Emperor had suddenly made the Second Prince Prince Dongyang, which further confirmed everyone’s speculation—
It seemed the Emperor held the Second Prince in high regard after all!
The next day, a banquet was held in the Dongyang Prince Mansion to celebrate the Second Prince’s enfeoffment as a Commandery Prince.
Countless people came to attend the banquet. The front of the Prince Mansion was as crowded as a marketplace, with a constant stream of guests coming and going.
In the end, so many people came to offer their congratulations that the street in front of the Prince Mansion became congested, and the Jingzhao Mansion had to send men to help clear the road.
Some people in the Capital City even composed ballads about the event, which were sung everywhere.
In no time, everyone in Shangjing City knew just how glorious Prince Dongyang’s position had become.
Even Xianfei, who resided deep within the palace, received a great deal of attention. Many lesser Concubines came to congratulate her, and even the Empress Dowager specially summoned her for a talk.
But instead of feeling happy, Xianfei only grew more uneasy.
Her mind was filled with just eight words—
Flowers on brocade, oil on a blazing fire.
This was by no means a good omen.
Xianfei had someone send a message to Prince Dongyang, saying she wanted to discuss his marriage arrangements with him.
Li Hao, suspecting nothing, found some time to enter the palace.
Seeing her son’s triumphant expression, Xianfei’s face immediately darkened, and she said coldly,
"Do you even see me as your mother anymore?!"
Li Hao froze, the smile vanishing from his face instantly.
He quickly asked, "Mother, why would you say such a thing? Have I done something wrong?"
Xianfei said, "I told you not to get involved with Zijuan’s affairs. You promised me you would, so why did you turn around and forget my words in the blink of an eye?"
Li Hao was at a loss for words.
He had indeed handled the matter poorly.
He explained awkwardly, "I didn’t intend to meddle. It was just that someone in my service happened to discover the Fourth Prince’s slip-up, which is why I reported it to Imperial Father. Besides, a matter of this gravity is not something I could keep from Imperial Father once I knew."
Xianfei retorted, "Happened to? How do you know it just ’happened’? How do you know it wasn’t a trap someone else had dug for you? You’re too impulsive!"
Li Hao said, "You’re overthinking it. The Fourth Prince really did do it. The witness testimony is all there in black and white. Imperial Father has already ordered the Fourth Prince’s arrest. There’s no way this is a trap."
Seeing her son’s confident expression, Xianfei knew that no matter what she said, he wouldn’t listen.
She could only pray silently in her heart.
’I hope everything is truly as Hao’er says, and that there are no more twists to come.’
Xianfei’s expression softened slightly. "What’s done is done. There’s no use saying more. You must be more cautious from now on. Don’t go stirring up any more trouble."
Li Hao answered obediently, "I understand, Mother."
Xianfei ordered someone to bring out several painted portraits.
"The women in these portraits have all been carefully selected by me. Whether it’s their family background, appearance, or talent, they are all exceptionally outstanding. See if any of them catch your eye. If so, I will report it to the Saint and ask him to grant you a marriage."
Li Hao looked at the portraits and began to examine them one by one.
His mother was right; these women were all the most prominent in Shangjing City, nearly perfect in every aspect.
It made his choice difficult, and for a moment he couldn’t make up his mind.
In truth, these were not the young women from the families Xianfei had initially considered.
It was only after Li Hao was made Prince Dongyang that the upper echelons of the Capital City’s society, hearing the news, sprang into action. Those with daughters of marriageable age all found ways to present their portraits to Xianfei, hoping their daughters might catch Prince Dongyang’s eye.
Prince Dongyang was now the sole candidate for the position of Crown Prince. Forging a connection with him was like stepping onto the path to power and success.
Even though Xianfei felt uneasy, she still accepted the olive branches extended by these families.
Once the bow is drawn, the arrow cannot be recalled.
If Hao’er could marry a main wife from a powerful family, he would have a better chance of winning on the day the struggle for the Crown Prince’s position truly began.
After some deliberation, Li Hao finally chose the Grand Commandant’s daughter as his main wife and the Imperial Censor’s granddaughter as his ’nanny’.
Both the Grand Commandant and the Imperial Censor were pivotal figures in the imperial court.
By allying with them through marriage, Li Hao was certain to benefit greatly in the future.
That very afternoon, Xianfei went to request an audience with the Emperor and told him about Li Hao’s marriage choices.
When the Emperor learned which young ladies Li Hao had chosen, he was silent for a moment. In the end, he asked no questions and directly ordered someone to draft a Holy Decree, bestowing the marriage upon Prince Dongyang.
Shortly after receiving his title of Commandery Prince, Li Hao also received an imperial marriage grant from the Emperor, with the daughter of the Grand Commandant as his betrothed.
Such favor and honor almost surpassed that of the late Crown Prince.
After the marriage was bestowed, the betrothal gift ceremony and the official engagement followed.
By the time these procedures were completed, it was already the seventh month.
The weather grew increasingly hot.
The Emperor decided to travel to Yuqing Mountain to escape the summer heat.
