newbobooks Chapter 538 Joy of Life 94
Chapter 538 Joy of Life 94
After seeing through Emperor Qing's plan, Li Chengze's style of doing things became flamboyant. He began to expand his power in a big way and actively win over various forces, which was quite unscrupulous.
For a time, the Second Prince became incredibly popular in the capital, enjoying unparalleled fame.
Every day, the mansion was bustling with carriages and horses, and officials came to pay their respects in an endless stream, from high-ranking officials in the court to important local officials, all of whom came to curry favor.
Regardless of the other party's status, Li Chengze accepted all comers without exception.
However, this scene sparked private discussions among many people in the court.
Many people shook their heads and sighed, "Has the Second Prince gone mad? Does he think that without the Crown Prince, His Majesty will favor him as the heir apparent?"
“Yes,” someone else chimed in. “Although the Second Prince’s residence may seem to be enjoying great prosperity now, it is nothing more than a facade of luxury and extravagance.”
"His Majesty's thoughts are unfathomable. Who can say what his true intentions are? The Second Prince's flamboyant behavior means that the higher he stands, the harder he will fall. If he really angers His Majesty, he may not even have a chance to recover."
Similar words circulated quietly among the court officials and soon reached Li Chengze's ears, but he paid no attention to them and continued to do as he pleased.
Finally, one day, Ye Wan, the current garrison commander of Kyoto, personally visited Li Chengze.
Li Chengze slowly turned around, looking at the servant who came to report. An ambiguous look flashed in his eyes, and he smiled faintly, saying, "Finally, you've arrived." His tone was filled with understanding and emotion, as if he had been waiting for this day for a long time.
In fact, it does.
His recent unbridled expansion of power and recruitment of court officials may seem arrogant and conceited on the surface, but in reality, every step he takes is the result of careful consideration.
All of this was intended to attract Emperor Qing's attention, or rather, to test his attitude and bottom line.
Ye Wan's visit now further convinced Li Chengze of his suspicions about Emperor Qing's plan.
Ye Wan's attitude during this visit was mild and polite. After all, it was his first visit, and the two sides did not discuss many substantive topics, but only exchanged ordinary pleasantries.
Less than a quarter of an hour later, Ye Wan got up to take his leave, appearing very proper.
However, a few days later, Ye Wan was suddenly reprimanded by Emperor Qing in public at a court meeting. Ye Wan was then transferred from the capital to the position of General of Dingzhou, while the position of garrison commander of the capital fell to Qin Heng, the second son of Qin Ye.
The imperial edict caused an uproar throughout the court.
Although the General of Dingzhou wielded considerable power, the position of the Garrison Commander of the Capital was of paramount importance, directly responsible for the safety of the Imperial City, and could only be held by a trusted confidant of the Emperor.
Ye Wan's sudden transfer has inevitably sparked much speculation.
Especially since Ye Wan was publicly reprimanded by Emperor Qing before being transferred, the court officials linked this incident to his recent visit to Li Chengze.
Many people privately speculated that Emperor Qing probably transferred Ye Wan away as a warning because he was dissatisfied with Ye Wan's approach to the Second Prince.
Following this, Emperor Qing seemed to disapprove of Li Chengze's unbridled behavior and repeatedly reprimanded him severely in court.
However, Li Chengze seemed fearless and indifferent to it. Although he would temporarily restrain himself after each reprimand, he would revert to his old ways after only a few days and continue to do as he pleased.
After this happened several times, Emperor Qing seemed to have no choice but to let it go.
The officials, observing this, began to waver in their initial suspicions that Li Chengze's "prosperity was short-lived and like oil being poured on a raging fire."
The Crown Prince has lost power, the First Prince is controversial due to his birth, the Third Prince is too young to be discussed by outsiders, and the Second Prince, Li Chengze, has become the only candidate for the position of Crown Prince.
Perhaps His Majesty was also aware of this, which is why he showed extraordinary leniency towards the Second Prince.
With that thought in mind, everyone looked at Li Chengze with much more enthusiasm.
Some time passed in the blink of an eye, and the eldest prince, Li Chengru, finally returned to the capital, but at this time everyone's focus was still on Li Chengze.
Because, not long ago, Emperor Qing bypassed the eldest prince and directly bestowed a marriage upon Li Chengze.
The other party was none other than Ye Ling'er, the grandniece of Grandmaster Ye Liuyun, the sister of Ye Wan, the former garrison commander of Kyoto and the current general of Dingzhou!
The imperial edict caused a stir throughout the court.
This silent battle for the throne seems to have come to an end.
"It seems His Majesty had this in mind all along. His reprimand of Ye Wan and his transfer away from the capital were probably just to lull others into a false sense of security. In reality, he sent him to Dingzhou to reorganize the military, consolidate his forces, and provide additional support for the Second Prince."
"That's right! Now that the Second Prince is marrying Ye Ling'er, he not only has the support of the Ye family, but also indirectly controls the military. This Second Prince is most likely the future..."
He stopped abruptly before he finished speaking, but those around him understood and exchanged meaningful glances.
"But thinking about it, it makes sense. The Second Prince is of outstanding character and has exceptional knowledge. If it weren't for that person having the title of 'legitimate son,' it's hard to say who would have become the Crown Prince."
"Who can argue with that? His reputation for lechery is known throughout the capital. Even three-year-old children on the street know that he is addicted to brothels and frequents brothels. How can he be compared to the virtuous and self-disciplined Second Prince?"
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.
The "that person" they were referring to was naturally Crown Prince Li Chengqian.
The once-glorious Crown Prince was someone many officials vied to curry favor with, but after he was sent to Nanzhao, the political climate in the court suddenly changed.
Nowadays, when people mention him, they no longer show the same respect as before, but instead look down on and belittle him.
The glory of the past has become a laughing stock today.
……
Li Chengze's power expanded wildly like a snowball, his influence rapidly permeating every corner of Kyoto, and his control over the entire city continued to strengthen.
"Your Highness, General Ye has sent another message."
Fan Wujiu presented an envelope to Li Chengze. The "General Ye" he mentioned was naturally Ye Wan, who was currently stationed in Dingzhou.
Ye Wan seems to value his younger sister Ye Ling'er very much. After Emperor Qing bestowed marriage upon Li Chengze and Ye Ling'er, his attitude changed significantly, as if he truly regarded Li Chengze as his future brother-in-law.
From then on, he began to frequently send messages to Li Chengze, which included not only military intelligence and border defense dynamics, but also some information about the Ye family.
The letter that arrived this time was no exception. It detailed the recent changes in Dingzhou, mentioning everything from border defense to local governance.
Between the lines, he subtly expressed his loyalty to Li Chengze.
Ye Wan even hinted that the Ye family would support his rise to power with the utmost sincerity, seemingly placing the future of the Ye family entirely on his shoulders.