bayedsolid Chapter 564 Brothers' Heart-to-Heart Talk
Chapter 564 Brothers' Heart-to-Heart Talk
The Ming King did not stay in Yanzhou for long. After spending several intimate moments with Mu Xinyao, he was certain that this woman was devoted to him and would never interfere with his plans. Therefore, he arranged for her to have a skilled maid to assist her in her later actions.
Mu Xinyao had long known that there were many secret guards and assassins among these wealthy and powerful families, but today was the first time she had ever seen one.
Moreover, she's a woman. You should know that training a female bodyguard is much more complicated than training a male one.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Mu Xinyao knew that Prince Ming was worried about her, but she couldn't help feeling excited. After all, having such a maid would make things much easier for her in the future. Thinking back to how unrestrained Mu Xinnuan was in the capital, wasn't it all because the Li family had given her two skilled maids?
Now that she has someone with martial arts skills by her side, and who is even a former bodyguard, Mu Xinyao naturally assumes that the gap between her and Mu Xinnuan has finally narrowed!
Now that the Ming King has come to Yanzhou, it is impossible for him not to enter the city.
He really wanted to see if his fourth brother, who had been dedicated to improving people's lives since arriving in Yanzhou, had actually accomplished anything remarkable.
The news that the Ming King was going to enter the city was naturally not told to anyone, not even Mu Xinyao.
When he had almost finished exploring most of Yanzhou City, a well-dressed servant stopped him.
"Sir, my master invites you."
Ming Wang's brow twitched as he recognized the waist tag hanging on the servant's body; it belonged to the Chang Le Prince's Mansion.
"Young man, you've mistaken me for someone else, haven't you?"
The servant grinned. "My master said he just wanted to catch up with you. Now that you're here, there's no need to hide anything. If my master really intended to make things difficult for you, you wouldn't be standing in the sunlight right now."
These words seemed somewhat arrogant, but King Ming knew that he wasn't just bluffing.
If Duanmu Chuze really intended to take him down and make a big fuss, then he would probably already be a prisoner.
As a prince of a region, he dared to leave his fiefdom without permission, which is a capital offense!
After thinking for a moment, the Prince of Ming followed him. He figured that since they were going to meet Duanmu Chuze, he could also take this opportunity to ask him if he was truly determined to stand on the Crown Prince's side and had no regard for him at all.
Upon seeing Duanmu Chuze again, the Ming King was slightly surprised. He hadn't changed much since he was in the capital, except that he seemed a little thinner. He had heard that Duanmu Chuze had been busy with government affairs for the past year, especially with the Chang Le Fang project; perhaps he was exhausted.
"Brother, please sit down." Duanmu Chuze raised his hand, gesturing for him to sit.
The two sat facing each other. They were siblings from the same mother, but now they were on opposing sides. It has to be said that both of them had some complicated feelings.
"Fourth brother, I won't say any more. I thought I would come to Yanzhou in secrecy, but I didn't expect that your men would still find out. Your men are indeed capable, I admire them."
Duanmu Chuze shook his head. "If it weren't for the news that my second brother had left his fiefdom, I wouldn't have increased security in Yanzhou, and I wouldn't have discovered you."
Ming Wang's heart skipped a beat. News of his departure had spread? So, Duanmu Chuze wasn't the only one who knew he wasn't in his fiefdom?
"Second brother, I received news this morning that Father has sent an urgent decree to the prefectural governor's office in Xingzhou, ordering the governor there to go to the Prince Ming's residence as soon as possible and meet him in person. I believe this decree will arrive at the prefectural governor's office tonight."
Ming Wang stiffened, then looked at Duanmu Chuze with some disbelief, "Fourth Brother's information in the capital is indeed well-informed."
Duanmu Chuze smiled but remained silent. Some things are useless to explain, so it's better not to explain at all, at least it saves some energy.
"Why did you tell me this, Fourth Brother? Haven't you always been on the Crown Prince's side?"
"On the matter of succeeding to the throne, I do favor my eldest brother. But you are also my second brother, and we brothers share the same mother. Second brother, this time, I'm giving you a chance. Don't be so stubborn. Since Father has chosen my eldest brother to succeed to the throne, there must be a reason. Why should you hold a grudge?"
The Prince Ming sneered, "Reason? What reason is there? Isn't it just because he has the advantage of being tall? In terms of talent and ambition, how can he compare to me? Fourth brother, tell me the truth, if it weren't for Father and Mother protecting him all these years, do you think he could have achieved what he has today if it were just the two of us competing?"
Duanmu Chuze indeed had no answer to this question.
The Crown Prince is kind and values relationships, which are his strengths, but also his greatest weaknesses.
Moreover, in terms of scheming and intrigue, the Crown Prince is indeed slightly inferior to Prince Ming. However, the Crown Prince is still the Crown Prince; his position is already established, which naturally attracts considerable support. Being both elder and virtuous, this is the kind of heir apparent that the ministers want to support.
"Second brother, give up. You can't defeat Father."
Duanmu Chuze revealed the truth of the matter in just one sentence.
Even if you are more capable than the Crown Prince, so what? The problem is that the Emperor values the Crown Prince, not you, Prince Ming!
As long as the Emperor wants to support him, the future of the Great Yong Dynasty will definitely belong to the Crown Prince. No matter how capable you, Prince Ming, are, if you do not win the Emperor's favor, any mistake you make will be seen as treason. Once such a charge is attached to you, you will lose all the advantages of timing, location, and popular support.
“You’re right! As long as Father Emperor is alive, I will never have a chance to turn things around.” Ming Wang’s voice was low and dejected. He didn’t understand why, even though they were all sons, his father valued the Crown Prince so much? Just because he was the eldest son?
"Second Brother, no matter what, we are brothers. Is it worth turning us brothers against each other over a chair? I couldn't understand your thinking before, and now I understand it even less. Just like me now, I'm in Yanzhou with my wife, living the life we want, undisturbed by anyone. Isn't that wonderful?"
The King of Light raised his eyelids, and after a long while, he uttered softly, "No one is bothering you because you are not yet worthy of their attention. Do you think you will live such a peaceful life forever? When they finally discover the abilities you have been hiding, do you think you will still have any peaceful days left?"