After Meng Qing was seated, Yu Wenxin sat below him, but his heart still doubted his previous words: “Your Highness, you have always been upright and never liked gambling before. How could you suddenly become so dissolute, lingering in gambling houses until dawn? What is the hidden reason?”
Meng Qing took a bite of food and said, “In the past, this prince lived too exhaustingly. Now I know there are many pleasurable things I’ve never experienced. Anyway, I don’t want to compete for the throne with my second brother anymore. I might as well enjoy life and live more leisurely.
“
Yu Wenxin, though he hadn’t eaten, had no appetite. He stared intently at Meng Qing and asked, “Your Highness, are you deliberately acting like this to guard against the Second Prince?”
Meng Qing chuckled lightly, “As expected, Sir understands Zhan.”
Yu Wenxin frowned, “Even if this is the purpose, Your Highness need not choose such a method that ruins your reputation.”
Meng Qing asked, “Sir, do you think Zhan would be spared if my second brother ascends to the throne?”
“This…” Yu Wenxin furrowed his brow, knowing that with Luo Ye’s suspicious nature, he might not act immediately before ascending the throne, but once enthroned, he would likely harm Luo Zhan to secure his position.
Yu Wenxin pondered, “Since Your Highness has such concerns, why not strike first? In fact, I believe with Your Highness’s talents, you could become emperor. Why repeatedly concede and end up with no place to stand?”
Meng Qing sighed softly, “Although my second brother might harm Zhan, Zhan cannot preemptively harm him. If he did, wouldn’t he be as unrighteous as the Fourth and Fifth Princes?”
Yu Wenxin still tried to persuade him that taking necessary preemptive action to protect oneself was not unrighteous.
In fact, Meng Qing’s reason was simple: the task required Luo Ye to become emperor.
Luo Zhan’s original personality was somewhat lacking in ambition, and if he were to become emperor, the country would not prosper and might even risk being conquered by other nations. However, he couldn’t reveal this reason to Yu Wenxin and insisted on not taking action against Luo Ye.
Yu Wenxin stepped back, “Then at least Your Highness could compete for succession, so you wouldn’t be vulnerable to harm without the ability to fight back.”
Meng Qing shook his head, “If Zhan shows any intention of competing for the throne, would my second brother treat him as he does now? I’m afraid Zhan would have been killed long ago.”
Yu Wenxin criticized his perceived weakness, “Your Highness is so timid, all for the sake of survival?”
Meng Qing quickly said, “Sir, please lower your voice. These discussions are for private conversation. If spies overhear…”
Yu Wenxin responded, “Your Highness is actually afraid to this extent?”
Meng Qing frowned, “Sir, that’s going too far. Who in this world doesn’t fear death? I invited Sir here for strategic advice, not to be criticized. If Sir thinks I’m not a worthy lord, then please seek opportunities elsewhere!”
Yu Wenxin was disappointed, shaking his head, “Since following Your Highness, I’ve been trusted and should have served loyally until death. But now… alas…”
He bowed deeply to Meng Qing, saying in a very low voice, “Your Highness, take care.” Then turned and left.
Meng Qing watched Yu Wenxin’s retreating figure, with only a fleeting look of emotion in his eyes. After Yu Wenxin had gone far, he told Xia Yue, “Find several capable guards to secretly protect Sir until he safely returns home.”
Yu Wenxin was wise and ambitious but had chosen the wrong master. He would likely retreat to his hometown. His sudden departure might still raise Luo Ye’s suspicions, so Meng Qing ordered Xia Yue to escort Yu Wenxin home.
Xia Yue shook his head, “This subordinate will find several capable guards to escort Sir home, but will absolutely not leave Your Highness’s side.”
Meng Qing let it go.
The news spread that the Third Prince was addicted to gambling, frequenting gambling houses. Many court officials were displeased, and Liu Taiwei even came to Luo Zhan’s residence to reprimand him. Meng Qing treated it as if it were nothing.
His casual attitude greatly displeased Liu Taiwei, who declared support for the Second Prince at the court assembly, with many followers.
There were perceptive officials who guessed that the Third Prince’s sudden change was likely a performance to withdraw from the throne competition. Since the Third Prince was voluntarily stepping back, they could only align themselves with the Second Prince Luo Ye, declaring their stance.
This led to numerous visitors at the Second Prince’s residence in the following days, sometimes with one official barely leaving before another was waiting outside. Even longtime political enemies who often argued or fought in court now could only glare at each other, coldly snorting as they passed.
Luo Ye, seeing the situation was settled, was triumphant but feared Luo Zhan was plotting something that might suddenly overturn everything. One afternoon, during a lull in visitors, he discussed this with Pan Xian.
Pan Xian pondered, “Your Highness and the Third Highness were originally on par. Now that such a scandalous rumor has spread about the Third Highness, the court officials have all turned to support Your Highness’s claim to the throne. Public sentiment has turned, and it is not easily reversed.” He had been wavering about siding with Luo Zhan, and now he was glad he had not acted rashly.
Luo Ye was still a bit uneasy and said to Pan Xian, “Please carefully investigate the true intentions of my third brother.”
If it were to be revealed that he knew Luo Zhan would be poisoned by Luo Sui but did not warn him, and that he had drugged Yi Yao with the intention of forcing himself on her, it would be enough to ruin Luo Zhan’s reputation. Compared to that, the rumors of Luo Zhan’s gambling addiction were nothing.
In his heart, he was always plotting how to eliminate Luo Zhan to ensure these two secrets would never be exposed. Only because Pan Xian had been advising him not to act rashly before truly ascending the throne had he restrained himself from taking action against Luo Zhan.
Just as Pan Xian had agreed, a confidant at the study door reported, “Your Highness, Master Pan, the Third Prince has had an accident.”
Pan Xian was stunned and looked at Luo Ye, who also looked surprised, and called out, “Come in and explain.”
“Yes.”
Chapter 141: Struggle for the Throne (21)
The confidant entered, bowed to Luo Ye, and briefly explained the Third Prince’s incident, “Your Highness, the Third Highness went out this afternoon, went to a gambling house, wearing casual clothes, and as usual, only brought Xia Yuan and Xia Zhe with him. After arriving, there was a commotion upstairs, with sounds of things falling. Soon after, the Third Highness ran down the stairs, with the gambling house’s men chasing behind.”
Luo Ye was surprised, “Where are Xia Yuan and Xia Zhe? Weren’t they always with my third brother?”
“Your Highness, they were protecting the Third Highness as they ran. Before leaving the gambling house, the Third Highness asked Xia Yuan to prepare the carriage.”
As the carriage slowly started moving, the Third Highness ran out of the gambling house, preparing to jump on, but accidentally fell and immediately lost consciousness.
“I was following behind but was blocked by the gambling house’s thugs and couldn’t see clearly. I estimate he hit his head when falling. I found a large bloody stone on the ground near the carriage.”
Pan Xian frowned. “Xia Yuan was driving the carriage, so where was Xia Zhe? With his skills, how could he let the Third Highness fall from the carriage so badly?”
