The Deposed Crown Prince!
Song Yanzheng stood frozen in place, unable to believe his ears.
He even wondered if he was hallucinating.
But Emperor Yuanyou paid no attention to Song Yanzheng's reaction and instead turned to Wu Qi, commanding:
"Prepare the brush and ink. I shall draft an edict."
As Wu Qi set out the writing tools, Song Yanzheng snapped out of his daze and rushed forward, dropping to his knees before Emperor Yuanyou and clutching desperately at the hem of his robe.
"Imperial Grandfather, I beg of you—do not... do not depose Father."
He had only wanted the Emperor to show more compassion toward the Eastern Palace—how had things come to this?
If his father were deposed now, what would become of them...?
"The Crown Prince must be deposed."
Meeting the Emperor's murderous gaze, Song Yanzheng stiffened, the pleas on his tongue dying unspoken. In a daze, he stumbled out of the Zichen Hall.
Outside, the sun shone brightly.
Yet Song Yanzheng felt only an icy chill seeping into his bones.
Eastern Palace.
"Elder Brother, what did Imperial Grandfather say?" Seeing Song Yanzheng return in such a state, Song Xiyan couldn't help but ask. Everyone in the room turned their eyes to him.
Song Yanzheng forced a smile, one uglier than tears.
"Imperial Grandfather intends to depose the Crown Prince."
"What?!"
Song Ling's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.
"His Majesty would never depose the Crown Prince!" Shen Hua'er's voice was shrill. "Yanzheng, surely your Imperial Grandfather was just trying to frighten you."
"Exactly, Elder Brother. Father has been Crown Prince for decades—he's committed no major faults."
"Deposing the Crown Prince is no small matter. Even if His Majesty insists, the court officials would never agree."
The clamor of voices in the room pounded against Song Ling's skull until he felt it might burst, veins throbbing at his temples.
With a sudden cough—
A mouthful of blood sprayed forth as Song Ling collapsed heavily onto the bed.
"Your Highness!"
"Father!"
"Take me... to the Zichen Hall." Song Ling bit his tongue hard, forcing himself to stay conscious. "I must see His Majesty in person."
"Yanzheng, gather our allies—those who support the Xu family, the old ministers—have them rush to the palace and plead on my behalf."
An incense stick's time later, as Song Ling was carried out on a litter, Shen Xiao did not block the Eastern Palace gates this time.
"Farewell, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Shen Xiao bowed deeply, his eyes shadowed. This would likely be the last time he addressed the man before him as such.
......
Zichen Hall.
Emperor Yuanyou seemed to have anticipated Song Ling's arrival, showing no surprise when he appeared.
"Father, do you truly mean to... depose me?"
Song Ling looked utterly wretched, his face unnaturally pale. "I have served diligently as Crown Prince all these years—if not for merit, then at least for toil. Yet you would cast me aside so lightly? I... I cannot accept this."
His eyes reddened, the memory of his investiture as Crown Prince still vivid—the grand ceremony, his father clapping his shoulder, saying he hoped Song Ling would uphold the future of Great Qi.
Everyone had congratulated him.
Yet today...
"Do you truly wish for me to tear away the last shred of decency?"
At these words, Wu Qi's eyes flickered, and he quietly ushered the others out of the hall, leaving only the embittered father and son.
"Since ascending the throne, I have toiled day and night, devoting myself to the people of Great Qi. I entrusted your elder brother to that venomous woman—and what was the result?" A ruthless glint flashed in Emperor Yuanyou's eyes. "I once thought Yu was simply unruly by nature, but now I see—she was scheming for your succession from the very beginning."
"Were it not so, the position of Crown Prince rightfully belongs to my firstborn son."
Hearing this, Song Ling let out a broken laugh, steeped in bitterness.
"So in the end, Father always favored Elder Brother. No matter how dissolute he was, if he ever chose to reform, you would still give him the best—is that it?"
"Correct."
In an instant, Song Ling's pupils constricted, his entire body turning to ice.
Since childhood, he had known—the Emperor treated Song Yu differently from all his other sons.
"Father, how is this fair to me?"
"When you and that woman deliberately ruined Yu to seize the Crown Prince's position, when you poisoned him, when you spread slander about the Qin Prince's Mansion—did you ever consider who truly suffered injustice?" Emperor Yuanyou's piercing gaze forced Song Ling to lower his head. "That incident with the palace maid—did you think having her take all the blame would absolve you?"
"I am old, but I am not dead."
This was the first time Song Ling had seen Emperor Yuanyou like this.
"Deposing you without settling these crimes is already me showing fatherly mercy."
Seeing the Emperor's resolve, Song Ling turned his desperate gaze toward the hall's entrance.
Where were his supporters? The old ministers... why had none come?
Noticing this, Emperor Yuanyou's lips curled in derision. "I shall wait with you. Let us see who arrives."
Song Ling froze, his thoughts laid bare, a wave of terror crashing over him.
Yet after a full hour, not a single figure appeared.
His expression shifted from hope to despair—they had all betrayed him!
"Had you been a worthy Crown Prince, the courtyard would now be filled with kneeling ministers pleading for you." Emperor Yuanyou retrieved a bright yellow edict from his desk. "This is the decree of deposition. You will vacate the Eastern Palace in three days."
After so many years as Crown Prince, not one of his so-called allies dared to speak for him.
Emperor Yuanyou nearly pointed at Song Ling's nose to call him a fool.
Pale as death, Song Ling was carried from the hall.
On the return journey, he encountered Song Yu and Song Shihuan, who had been waiting.
"Don't celebrate too soon—whether you become Crown Prince remains to be seen."
Before Song Yu could speak, Song Ling snarled, his expression so vicious it seemed he might tear flesh from his brother's bones.
"No need for Second Brother's concern."
Noticing the imperial edict, Song Yu's smile widened. "When will you be moving out? As your elder brother, I should come help—speed things along."
The taunt struck like a physical blow. Darkness crept at the edges of Song Ling's vision, his consciousness slipping away.
The last thing he heard was Song Shihuan's voice:
"Father was right—my father is so much better than Song Xiyan's."
Followed by Song Yu's roaring laughter.
