newbobooks Chapter 277 The Mad Couple 41
Chapter 277 The Mad Couple 41
Upon hearing this, Ji Xiaosong was slightly taken aback, a complex expression flashing in her eyes.
She gently pushed Wu Chufeng away and said seriously, "Husband, there are some things I think you should know."
She paused, took a deep breath, and continued, "These past few days, the Crown Prince hasn't sent anyone to protect the mansion. Our family has been safe and sound entirely thanks to the desperate protection of our household guards and the veterans that Father urgently recalled. They stood guard day and night, managing to keep several groups of thieves who tried to break in back home."
Upon hearing this, Wu Chufeng's face was filled with shock. He asked incredulously, "How could this be? The Crown Prince personally promised me that he would definitely send people to protect you."
His brow furrowed, a sense of unease rising within him. "Could it be... that there's more to this than meets the eye?"
Ji Xiaosong sighed softly and said, "Husband, I don't know why the Crown Prince is like this, but that's the truth. When Father learned that you had encountered a misfortune in the palace, he was extremely anxious and immediately summoned his former subordinates. Upon hearing the news, those old soldiers rushed to help without hesitation. The guards at home are also loyal and devoted, guarding the palace day and night, which is how we managed to keep everyone safe."
Wu Chufeng remained silent for a long time. He clenched his fists and said in a deep voice, "Why would the Crown Prince deceive me? What is his plan behind this? The tiger tally in the western suburbs camp is of great importance. I originally intended to handle it properly with the Crown Prince's assistance, but now it seems that this matter needs to be reconsidered."
Ji Xiaosong looked at Wu Chufeng with concern and advised, "Husband, we must not act rashly in this matter. The situation is turbulent and unpredictable. If we are not careful, we may face utter ruin. We need to plan carefully, find out the Crown Prince's true intentions, and then make a decision."
She gently stroked her lower abdomen, "Besides, now that we have a child, we must be even more careful in our actions and not let the children get into danger."
Wu Chufeng nodded. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and said, "Madam, rest assured, I will not act impulsively. It's just that people in the court are unpredictable, and I am truly worried. My father is old and still has to worry about me, I..."
His voice choked slightly, filled with remorse.
Ji Xiaosong gently hugged Wu Chufeng and said softly, "Father has always been devoted to you and couldn't bear to see you in any danger. Now that we know the truth, we must be even more careful in the future. No matter what, our family must stay together and face all of this together."
Wu Chufeng hugged Ji Xiaosong back, feeling her warm embrace, and his heart gradually calmed down.
At this moment, the parrot under the eaves started chirping "Peace, peace" again, but to the two of them, the sound was tinged with heaviness and irony.
*
After talking with Ji Xiaosong, Wu Chufeng went to Wu Daniu's room and told him about the Crown Prince.
"You're still too young."
Wu Daniu smiled and continued:
"If our whole family dies in this incident, the Crown Prince can easily make the Second Prince take the blame. If our whole family dies, you will have no more attachments, wouldn't you be more willing to be loyal to him? Besides, if your daughter-in-law dies, and the Crown Prince, as the new emperor, bestows a marriage upon you, wouldn't you be easily won over?"
Listening to his father's analysis, Wu Chufeng felt enlightened, but at the same time, a wave of fear washed over him.
He looked at Wu Daniu, his eyes filled with admiration and gratitude: "Father, if it weren't for your foresight and timely recall of the veterans to protect our family, we would probably have already... But now that we know the Crown Prince's intentions, how should we deal with this to ensure the safety of the Wu family?"
Wu Daniu slowly got up, paced around the room with his hands behind his back, and looked solemn.
After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Since the Crown Prince has such a plan, he will surely take further action in the future. He will definitely urge you to hand over the tiger tally at the Western Suburbs Camp. But this tiger tally must not fall into his hands easily. It is both a trump card in the hands of our Wu family and a shackle for us."
Wu Chufeng frowned slightly, pondering the deeper meaning behind his father's words:
"Father means that while the Tiger Tally can serve as a bargaining chip in our negotiations with the Crown Prince, it might also bring about even greater disaster?"
Wu Daniu nodded, a sharp glint in his eyes: "That's right. The Crown Prince hasn't even ascended the throne yet, and he's already scheming against us like this. If he really does get on the throne, our Wu family will probably be even more of a thorn in his side. But we can't openly oppose him, otherwise it would be a crime of disobeying an imperial edict, punishable by the execution of our entire family."
"Then... let's just strike first. The Wu family fought alongside the late emperor to establish the empire, and in just over a decade, the royal family has already turned its back on us. We might as well just give the empire back to us."
A resolute glint flashed in Wu Chufeng's eyes as he continued, "Father, the court is in chaos right now, and the Crown Prince is ruthless. Why should we continue to be blindly loyal? The tiger tally of the Western Suburbs Camp is in our hands. If we unite with your former subordinates and secretly contact those forces that are dissatisfied with the Crown Prince, we may have a chance of winning. Our Wu family is loyal and virtuous, yet we have been framed like this. If we do not seek a way out for ourselves, we will probably never have peace in the future."
Upon hearing this, Wu Daniu paused, his gaze fixed on Wu Chufeng, his eyes showing both surprise at his son's idea and a hint of contemplation.
After a moment, he slowly spoke: "My son, rebellion is no easy task. It not only concerns the lives of our entire Wu family, but also involves countless ordinary people. Once we raise an army, war will rage and lives will be lost. Have you considered the consequences?"
Wu Chufeng lowered his head slightly, but his expression remained firm: "Father, I naturally understand the implications. But now the Crown Prince is pressing us relentlessly. If we don't resist, our Wu family will be uprooted sooner or later. Rather than waiting to die, we should take a gamble. Besides, if we succeed in overthrowing this tyrannical ruler and establishing an enlightened court, wouldn't that be a good thing for the people?"
Wu Daniu sat down again, rubbing his hands on the armrests of the chair, lost in thought.
After a long silence, he looked up at Wu Chufeng and said, “What you say makes some sense, but we have too many preparations to make. First, although the soldiers in the western suburbs camp have the tiger tally and can be mobilized, not all of them will follow us in rebellion without hesitation. We need to carefully consider whether the people’s hearts are with us. Second, contacting various forces is extremely risky. If we are not careful and the news is leaked, it will be a disaster.”
"Father, you actually don't object?"
“Why should I oppose it? The late emperor only had a few sons, and none of them were capable of anything. Now that the crown prince is pressuring us, what way out do we have if we don’t rebel? I will go and persuade the people at the western suburbs camp to deal with it as soon as possible before the crown prince ascends the throne.”