Chapter 581
Chapter 581
Inside the royal palace, Ning Yuanxian was so enraged he felt he could have a line of people executed at any moment.
‘A conspiracy. This is a conspiracy. This is clearly a plot someone has devised to harm me, to humiliate me. The people from the Bureau of Astronomy are trying to defy me, so they deliberately gave me the wrong date. Didn't they say tomorrow would be an auspicious day? And that it would certainly be clear? But what is the result? The sky is filled with dark clouds. Not a single ray of sunlight is breaking through; it doesn't look like it will clear up at all. The ceremony is about to begin, yet the sky remains dark.’
Whenever the Heaven-Worshipping Ceremony was held, the weather was always a crucial factor. A clear, cloudless sky felt like the heavens were smiling down, but a dark and gloomy day like this made it seem as if the gods were enraged or displeased. Several officials from the Bureau of Astronomy knelt before Ning Yuanxian, repeatedly striking their heads on the floor.
“Your Majesty, we have been wronged! When we made our calculations days ago, they indicated today would surely be a clear day.”
Ning Yuanxian said angrily.
“Look outside. Do your eyes tell you that looks like a clear day?”
*Rumble, crack!*
A heavy clap of thunder echoed from the sky.
‘Isn't this the first thunder of the year? Is it not only going to be gloomy today, but also rain, with thunder and lightning?’
This was an extremely ominous sign. As if in response to the king's thoughts, heavy thunderclaps boomed across the sky. The king's mood was as dark and stifling as the clouds above. But the court officials were inwardly exultant.
‘Your Majesty, open your eyes and see. The Bureau of Astronomy originally predicted that today would be an auspicious and clear day. But because Your Majesty has acted willfully and against reason, you have incurred the wrath of the heavens. To have that stuttering, useless prince recite the sacrificial text to the heavens? How could the gods not be enraged? Will you still not admit your mistake? Will you not retract your decree?’
The civil and military officials who had arrived early at the palace all wore expressions as if attending a funeral, but inside, they were indescribably gleeful.
‘No matter how stubborn Your Majesty is, can you be more stubborn than the heavens? This time, it is the heavens that are shaming you, not us.’
The Crown Prince, like the king, wore a bright yellow dragon robe, though the dragon on his had one less claw. Of course, the dragon robe worn by the King of Yue had to have not only one fewer claw but also one fewer dragon than that of the Emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty. The Crown Prince's face was impassive, but his heart was filled with a cruel pleasure. It was naturally gratifying to see his father's authority undermined by the heavens.
This crown prince's personality was similar to Ning Yuanxian's, but he was even more arrogant. In his heart, he found his father an eyesore. Having been raised by the Queen since childhood, he was heavily influenced by the Zhu Clan, and upon reaching adulthood, he had developed a personality identical to the Queen's—utterly disdainful of others. With the support of the Zhu Clan, the Hidden Yuan Society, and the civil officials, his position as the junior sovereign was difficult to shake, even with the Third Prince Ning Qi posing a certain threat.
In recent years, he and Ning Yuanxian could have been described as a loving father and a filial son. But as the Crown Prince, he knew more about the king than others did. He believed he knew his father's true nature. Especially after the destruction of the Jiangli Prefecture, his father had divorced his wife and made a Zhu the queen, ultimately needing the Zhu Clan's help to escape the crisis. What a disgraceful affair! Not only that, but his father had eagerly sent Princess Ning Han off to the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion.
In any case, from the Crown Prince's perspective, Ning Yuanxian was a monarch who appeared strong on the surface but was actually weak, a man with little talent or ability who loved to put on a show. However, in the past, the king had treated him well, and despite the factions supporting the Third Prince Ning Qi, he had never challenged the Crown Prince's authority while he was alive. Thus, the Crown Prince naturally feigned respect and obedience. But everything had changed after the king fell ill a while ago.
The Crown Prince and the Third Prince had bared their fangs and fought, earning the king's ire. The king had dismissed Zhang Chong and appointed Ning Zheng, that piece of trash, as the Admiral of Tianyue, which had enraged the Crown Prince. That was why the Hidden Yuan Society had slighted the king. The Crown Prince had acted as if he were an innocent party in the matter, but he had known in advance that the Hidden Yuan Society would do so and had even nodded his approval—the affair where the Hidden Yuan Society proposed they could not lend military funds to the king, but only if Crown Prince Ning Yi came forward. That incident alone revealed the extent of the Crown Prince's arrogance.
Though not outwardly apparent, the Crown Prince and the king had now entered a state of subtle confrontation. Conflicts between crown princes and sovereigns were innumerable throughout history. Of course, in most cases, the emperor emerged victorious, like Liu Che or Li Shimin. But sometimes, the monarch could be the loser. The Wanli Emperor was a formidable figure, yet he failed to change his crown prince. Zhu Di, the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, was a monarch of overwhelming might, and though he disliked Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi, he was ultimately unable to replace him. Li Yuan had an even more miserable fate, forced to abdicate by Li Shimin and live out his days as a retired emperor under house arrest in the palace, seething with resentment.
This time, the king's order for Ning Zheng to read the sacrificial text at the Heaven-Worshipping Ceremony was a huge blow to the Crown Prince. It was like a slap across his face. That was why the officials had reacted so strongly to Ning Zheng reading the text, with both civil and military officials submitting memorials declaring it unacceptable.
Under such circumstances, just as the grand ceremony was about to begin, the gloomy weather and sporadic thunder and lightning seemed like the heavens expressing their displeasure with the king, reprimanding and punishing him. Seeing his father in a predicament, how could the Crown Prince not feel a sense of inner satisfaction? The scheduled time for departure was approaching, but the dark clouds in the sky grew thicker, and the thunder rumbled more frequently. The officials were inwardly delighted but outwardly wore expressions of grief and fear.
“What should we do? Prime Minister Zhu, why don't you advise His Majesty to change the date of the ceremony?”
But Zhu Hongzhu acted as if he had heard nothing.
“Grand Minister of the Imperial Clan, why don't you suggest to His Majesty that the date for the ceremony be changed?”
Changing the date would mean retracting the imperial decree, preventing Ning Zheng from reading the sacrificial text. It would be tantamount to the king spitting in his own face. The Grand Minister of the Imperial Clan, Ning You, also pretended not to hear. Suddenly, the Sixth Prince, Ning Jing, spoke up.
“Just waiting here is not a solution. Fifth Brother, this matter arose because of you. Why don't you be the one to speak to Father?”
His words voiced what was on the officials' minds. Why did he say it was because of Ning Zheng? He was implying that the dark clouds and incessant thunder were all caused by Ning Zheng. The Third Prince, Ning Qi, stood ramrod straight in his military attire, his expression as cold as ice, as if none of this had anything to do with him. At today's ceremony, he was to serve as the chief military commander, responsible for maintaining order. At the Sixth Prince Ning Jing's words, everyone chimed in with their agreement.
“Indeed. Your Highness the Fifth Prince, please speak to His Majesty. You have recently gained His Majesty's favor, so he will surely listen to you.”
Ning Zheng was wearing a python robe for the first time, standing in the court. In the eyes of the officials, his presence was an unnecessary eyesore.
‘You used to be a person who hid in a corner. Why not stay hidden there instead of coming out and being an offense to our eyes?’
All the officials surrounded Ning Zheng, pressuring him to go to the king and request a change in the date for the ceremony, speaking as if it were all his fault. At first, Ning Zheng's face turned beet red and he didn't know what to do, but he gradually composed himself.
“That is enough, all of you!”
At that moment, Royal Uncle Ning Ji bellowed. He was a man of high prestige who neither cared for Ning Zheng nor had any fondness for Shen Lang. However, he could not stand by and watch the officials rejoice in the kingdom's misfortune while pressuring the king and Ning Zheng. Royal Uncle Ning Ji continued in a calm voice.
“Remember your duties as subjects. Prime Minister Zhu, Chief of the Privy Council Zhong, keep your subordinates in line.”
He spoke in a grave and earnest tone. This was perhaps the first time anyone had spoken so disrespectfully to Prime Minister Zhu Hongzhu. Soon after, Royal Uncle Ning Ji left the main hall and headed for the inner palace.
***
“Your Majesty, perhaps it would be best to change the date. The weather is not clear, the thunder is growing louder, and the dark clouds are thickening.”
At Royal Uncle Ning Ji's words, King Ning Yuanxian sneered.
“Has the Royal Uncle come to reprimand me?”
Royal Uncle Ning Ji knelt and said.
“How would this old servant dare?”
“Royal Uncle, you are well aware of the recent events in the court, are you not? Does the Crown Prince Ning Yi show me even a shred of filial piety? The matter of borrowing money from the Hidden Yuan Society, and the officials' attacks on me—did that boy show any intention of resolving my predicament? I am not only his sovereign but also his father. So what if I provoked him? Even children from ordinary families know to protect their father's dignity. But what did he do?”
Royal Uncle Ning Ji replied.
“Your Majesty is the sovereign, but His Highness the Crown Prince is the junior sovereign. He, too, is a sovereign and must uphold his own authority. Only then can he set an example for the officials who follow him. If His Highness shows weakness, would that not be a betrayal of the loyalty of the officials who support him?”
Ning Yuanxian laughed in anger.
“Hahaha… How true. In his heart, the officials are more important than I am. In front of me, the Crown Prince is my subject, but in front of the officials, he is their sovereign, is he not? Royal Uncle, tell me, should the Crown Prince fulfill his duty as a subject first, or his duty as a sovereign?”
For a moment, Royal Uncle Ning Ji was at a loss for words. Logically, the Crown Prince should, of course, fulfill his duty as a subject.
“The Crown Prince has the support of the civil officials and has read the books of sages since he was young. He always speaks of revering heaven, earth, the sovereign, and his parents above all, and of upholding loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness. But what is the result? Has he practiced either of those two words, loyalty and filial piety? Where have all the books he read gone? This alone shows that these scholars follow the teachings of the sages and speak of loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness only when it benefits them. But when it is to their disadvantage, they pretend to know nothing.”
Instantly, Royal Uncle Ning Ji was once again choked with emotion, unable to speak. He was a good-natured man who preferred to let things be, a man of integrity but of ordinary talent. After a long pause, Ning Ji replied.
“Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is the foundation of our state. His position must not be easily shaken.”