Deposed 3

Chapter 3. Frail and Pitiful

Not long after, a eunuch arrived at the Imperial Guard to deliver a message: “Your Highness, the Crown Prince, His Majesty commands you to go to Chengqing Hall immediately.”

The Imperial Guard’s duty room was not far from Chengqing Hall, where Emperor Changping handled government affairs.

As soon as Mu Yun entered the hall, he saw Noble Consort Su standing beside the Emperor with red eyes, constantly dabbing her eyes with a silk handkerchief. The Second Prince, Mu Xiao, stood below, a gloating expression on his face.

“This subject greets Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

Mu Xiao bowed to Mu Yun with more respect than usual, even shrinking back noticeably, looking like a pitiful victim who had been severely bullied.

Mu Yun ignored him and knelt in the center of the hall with an indifferent expression, “This son greets Imperial Father.”

Mu Xiao: “!!”

Mu Xiao hadn’t expected Mu Yun to dare to humiliate him in front of Emperor Changping. He immediately looked at Noble Consort Su with trembling eyes. Noble Consort Su’s chest heaved violently, and she gritted her teeth, “Your Majesty, you see how the Crown Prince bullies Xiao’er on a daily basis. This is still in your presence. If they were outside, he would surely devour Xiao’er alive.”

Emperor Changping’s face darkened, and he stared at Mu Yun, asking, “Your Imperial Brother greeted you, what is this attitude?”

“Oh.”

Mu Yun lazily moved his eyelids and looked at Mu Xiao, “Imperial Brother, you may dispense with the formalities. I forgot just now.”

Mu Xiao: “…..”

For… forgot?? Who are you trying to fool!

“Insolence!”

Emperor Changping slammed his hand on the imperial desk.

Mu Yun lowered his eyes, staring at the ground, and remained silent.

From Emperor Changping’s perspective, he looked somewhat pitiful. Emperor Changping reflected on whether he had spoken too harshly just now, so he deliberately softened his tone and asked, “Noble Consort says that after the morning court today, you were disrespectful to your elder brother and even spoke rudely to him in front of the eunuchs, and also indirectly insulted Noble Consort. Is this true?”

Mu Yun nodded and indifferently said, “Hmm.”

Mu Xiao widened his eyes in disbelief and looked urgently at Emperor Changping.

Imperial Father, please uphold justice for your son!

He had actually prepared several sets of arguments and was ready to engage in a verbal battle with Mu Yun to the end. But he never expected the other to admit it so readily!

Emperor Changping also seemed a little surprised that Mu Yun would answer this way. His face turned extremely ugly, but he still suppressed his anger and said, “The country has its laws, and the family has its rules. Crown Prince, do you know the crime for wantonly slandering your brother and Imperial Mother?”

Mu Xiao was so anxious that he broke out in a sweat. He thought that Emperor Changping, in his rage, would directly order someone to bring the rod and teach Mu Yun, who had meekly “admitted his guilt,” a good lesson. He never expected his dear Imperial Father to still have the patience to reason with Mu Yun.

However, victory was assured today, and Mu Yun would definitely not escape punishment. At this thought, Mu Xiao felt refreshed and invigorated, and the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curve upwards slightly.

Noble Consort Su quickly gave her son a disapproving look and said insincerely, “Your Majesty, please calm your anger. The Crown Prince must have done it unintentionally. A slight punishment is enough. Please do not damage their brotherly feelings.”

“Crown Prince, I am asking you a question!”

Emperor Changping ignored Noble Consort Su’s words and continued to stare intently at Mu Yun.

Mu Yun finally raised his head, looking away from Emperor Changping’s intense gaze, and said lightly, “This son had no choice.”

After speaking, he lazily lowered his eyelids again, as if this interrogation was draining his energy.

Mu Xiao keenly sensed something and urgently said, “Imperial Father…”

“You be quiet first.”

Emperor Changping’s expression softened imperceptibly, and he said, “Crown Prince, rise and speak.”

“Imperial Father—”

Mu Xiao tried to speak again, but Noble Consort Su silenced him with a fierce glare.

Mu Yun thanked the Emperor and, supporting himself with one hand on the ground, his body swayed slightly as he stood up. Emperor Changping saw this clearly and immediately felt great regret. The floor was so cold, what was he doing trying to assert his authority? He should have told him to rise earlier.

“Now you can tell me, why did you slander your Imperial Brother?”

Because of his recent frustration, Emperor Changping’s tone carried a hint of coaxing.

Mu Yun pursed his lips, glanced at Mu Xiao opposite him, and asked with some hesitation, “Can this son say anything?”

Mu Xiao was annoyed: “…..”

Imperial Father is asking you a question, why are you looking at me!

Who are you trying to impress with that frail, pitiful, and innocent look!

Emperor Changping immediately encouraged him, “Don’t worry, no matter what the circumstances, you can boldly tell me. You don’t have to worry about anyone.”

Noble Consort Su: “…..”

Although the logic wasn’t wrong, why did those words sound so awkward?

Mu Yun then gave his dear Imperial Brother a knowing look and said calmly, “It was Imperial Brother who insisted on dragging this son to give gifts to the Marquis of Dingbei. This son remembers Imperial Father’s teachings and dares not engage in such factionalism^[1], so I spoke rudely and offended Imperial Brother. As for Imperial Mother, I respect her too much to insult her indirectly. Could it be that Imperial Mother instructed the gift-giving, and that’s why the Second Imperial Brother misunderstood this son?”

!!!

Noble Consort Su and Mu Xiao were simultaneously speechless with shock.

Even when Emperor Changping’s stern questioning rang in their ears, they still couldn’t understand how the little Crown Prince had so cleverly twisted the topic to factionalism.

The entire nation knew that what the current Emperor hated most was factionalism!

Compared with the six words “forming a faction for private interests,” a few verbal disputes between brothers were nothing!

What’s more terrifying was that the little Crown Prince had directly elevated the Second Prince’s actions to Noble Consort Su’s actions, and whose actions did Noble Consort Su’s actions represent? One could figure it out with their toes.

Over the years, the military power held by the Su family was already attracting a lot of envy. If the Emperor felt that they were still not satisfied and dared to try to seize the hundreds of thousands of troops in the northern frontier, what would the Emperor think?

Noble Consort Su felt dizzy and disoriented. Her body softened, and she knelt on the ground, pleading, “Your Majesty, this concubine really did not instigate Xiao’er to form any faction.”

“I will investigate this matter. You return to Qingjia Palace and reflect on your actions! And you!”

Emperor Changping pointed at Mu Xiao with disappointment, “You also return to your residence and reflect. Without my decree, you are not to step out of your residence!”

After Noble Consort Su and her son retreated miserably, Emperor Changping sighed and looked at the silent young man standing below with a hint of guilt, “Yun’er, today was all my fault. I made you suffer…”

“The Imperial Guard has a lot of military affairs to attend to. If Imperial Father has nothing else, this son will take his leave.”

Before Emperor Changping could finish, Mu Yun spoke in a cold and distant tone.

Emperor Changping’s throat bobbed, and he finally waved his hand, “Fine, you may leave. Later, I will have the imperial kitchen send you some food.”

“This son takes his leave.”

Mu Yun bowed respectfully and turned to leave.

Looking at the disappearing figure of the young man in the backlight, Emperor Changping’s brow furrowed with melancholy.

***

Back at Qingjia Palace, Mu Xiao finally erupted. He grabbed a vase from a treasure shelf and smashed it to pieces, furiously saying, “Mother, are we just going to let others bully us like this? You may be able to swallow this insult, but I can’t!”

Noble Consort Su looked at the vase that had already “valiantly sacrificed itself for its master” with heartache and said exasperatedly, “You still have the nerve to talk! If you hadn’t gone to provoke him for no reason, I wouldn’t have lost face in front of His Majesty today.”

“He is a venomous snake that kills without drawing blood, why did you provoke him?”

Noble Consort Su felt unspeakable regret. She, who was usually so intelligent and perceptive, was actually driven to such foolishness by her son’s few words today. When this reached her father’s ears, she would inevitably be scolded again.

“Your son did it all for you, Mother.” Mu Xiao actually also regretted his carelessness and underestimation of the enemy, which led him into Mu Yun’s trap. Seeing Noble Consort Su’s anger, he immediately went to her side and coaxed, “Mother, what do you think Imperial Father is thinking? It’s been three whole years. Even if it was just for show, it should be enough. Why is he still delaying the matter of deposing the Crown Prince? Could it be that he really wants to hand over his empire to the blood of Emperor Wu?”

“Even if there is Emperor Wu’s dying decree and those old clan elders pressuring him, Imperial Father now has absolute authority in the court. Both new and old ministers are loyal to him. What is Imperial Father still worried about?”

Regarding this matter, Noble Consort Su was also puzzled, “Perhaps he is worried about the people’s opinions. When he first ascended the throne, your Imperial Father gained a lot of popular support because of this move, and the court was able to stabilize quickly. Now that the situation has just improved, if His Majesty impatiently deposed the Crown Prince, it would be like kicking away the donkey after it’s done grinding the mill.”

“Besides, don’t underestimate those old clan elders. None of them are easy to deal with. If they are determined to protect the blood of Emperor Wu, His Majesty really can’t do anything to them for the time being.”

“But don’t worry, your Imperial Father is not a fool. How could he hand over the empire he worked so hard to manage to an outsider? We just need to wait patiently for the right time. And I heard from your maternal grandfather…” Noble Consort Su dismissed the palace servants and lowered her voice, “The Crown Prince’s actions are so perverse, he even dared to harm the imperial fetus, yet His Majesty still tolerates it and delays the matter of deposing him. Actually, it’s because he wants to use the Crown Prince to uproot the long-hidden ‘Diting’ and eliminate the threat once and for all.”

Diting was a killer organization established by Emperor Wu during his reign. It once monitored every corner of the imperial city like a dragnet. But after Emperor Wu’s death, it suddenly disappeared without a trace.

Diting was loyal to Emperor Wu and knew the structure and defenses of the imperial city better than anyone. Which emperor would want to keep such a blade, which could harm him at any time, beside his pillow? After Emperor Changping ascended the throne, he had been trying every means to track down this dangerous force, but to no avail.

Since the Crown Prince is the blood of Emperor Wu, he is indeed an excellent bait to lure out Diting.

Mu Xiao’s mood finally improved a lot. Fortunately, Imperial Father was still the wise and mighty Imperial Father, and had not been bewitched by that scheming and eloquent former Crown Prince.

“Mother, are we really going to let Mu Yun get away with this after he played us so badly?”

Mu Xiao was still a little unwilling.

Noble Consort Su’s lips curled into a sly smile, “Killing someone doesn’t necessarily require using your own knife. No matter how deep our hatred for the Crown Prince is, can it be deeper than Wei Zhao’s hatred for the Crown Prince? The Crown Prince’s stab back then almost took Wei Zhao’s life. Although he was saved, Wei Zhao’s heart was damaged and has not yet healed. I heard that Wei Zhao is a man who holds grudges. With such a deep-seated hatred, how could he let it go? At a time like this, if the Crown Prince accidentally does something to offend the Marquis of Dingbei’s residence, with old and new grudges piled together, what do you think Wei Zhao will do?”

Her words were like a revelation to Mu Xiao, and he said joyfully, “Mother is right, how could I forget about this. As long as we can divert the trouble to the Crown Prince’s residence and stir up the grudge between the two of them, there will be a good show to watch. But… the Crown Prince’s residence is heavily guarded. How can we divert this trouble?”

“Foolish son, isn’t it the Eldest Prince Mu Jue’s birthday in two days? I heard that Wei Zhao’s grandmother, Old Madam Wei, will also attend. Wei Zhao lost his parents at a young age and was raised by this grandmother. Old Madam Wei is old. If something unexpected happens to her, who can bear this responsibility? Can’t you send some people to ‘take good care’ of her?”

Mu Xiao was overjoyed, “Mother is still the most resourceful.”