The great hall instantly fell silent, even the clinking of cups quickly vanishing.
"I told you long ago, choosing me as Crown Prince is a sure bet."
Song Yu also slowly rose to his feet, swirling the wine in his cup as he extended it towards Emperor Yuanyou. "So, shall we, father and son, have a toast?"
"Cheers."
Emperor Yuanyou smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening as he drained the fine wine in his cup.
"But I always feel your previous playboy persona wasn't an act."
Song Yu laughed.
Emperor Yuanyou pointed a playful, admonishing finger at Song Yu. Regardless, as long as Yu'er was happy, that was all that mattered. Now that Yu'er was willing to become the Crown Prince, he was naturally even more pleased.
This overt display by Emperor Yuanyou did not escape the eyes of the civil and military officials. Their gazes towards Song Yu grew exceptionally fervent.
The Prince of Chu and the Prince of Qi patted their chests in lingering fear. Some of their own subordinates had been uncovered recently. Fortunately, they hadn't obstructed their elder brother's investigation at the time; otherwise, they'd probably be facing a purge now. The two brothers exchanged a look, the same thought surfacing in their hearts: loyalty, they must pledge their loyalty.
"What are your plans next?" Emperor Yuanyou was somewhat eager to enjoy the pleasures of grandchildren.
"Naturally, to help Your Majesty expand the territory, make you bigger and stronger, and secure your throne firmly."
Emperor Yuanyou felt the phrasing was odd, but couldn't quite pinpoint why. He simply opted to lower his head and continue drinking.
That night, emboldened by wine, Emperor Yuanyou wrote two edicts: one deposing the Crown Prince and one deposing the Empress.
They were formally announced at the early court session the next morning.
Lady Xu the Younger was confined to the Cold Palace, forbidden to step beyond its gates for eternity.
Song Ling and his family were stripped of their titles and reduced to commoners, confined to a manor on the outskirts of the capital.
As for Lady Chang, she returned unscathed to the Chang residence, all because of Song Shihuan's single sentence: "Mother Consort treated me very well."
Zichen Palace.
"The Chang family cannot be heavily relied upon in the future, but there's no need to exterminate them either," Emperor Yuanyou said while reviewing memorials. "After all, the Chang family's hands aren't clean either. Regarding Lady Chang, I've already shown exceptional mercy."
"Lady Chang was a qualified mother consort."
Song Yu lowered his gaze. "A child without a mother is pitiful. Since sparing her life can make Ahuan happy, why not do it?"
Emperor Yuanyou also nodded repeatedly. "Ahuan is a clever and quick-witted child, quite talented in martial arts too. But you must not let Ahuan overexert herself. She's only a ten-year-old child. If it's really too much, you can send Ahuan to Zichen Palace..."
"When it comes to being good to Ahuan, your son understands better than you."
With that, Song Yu patted his behind and left. Whenever it involved Ahuan, he and the old man couldn't see eye to eye.
Behind him, Emperor Yuanyou gritted his teeth. "Wu Qi, what kind of attitude is this rascal showing now? I merely said a few words. Ahuan would be better off raised by my side."
Your Majesty, the Eastern Palace is very close to Zichen Palace. In the future, you and the little commandery princess can see each other whenever you wish.
Wu Qi tried to smooth things over with a laugh, thinking of the saying 'when gods fight, little devils suffer'.
Emperor Yuanyou thought this made sense and, throwing down the memorial in his hand, began writing the edict to formally appoint the Crown Prince.
...
The moment he received the edict appointing him Crown Prince, Song Yu felt the weather was clear and everything in the world delightful.
He had returned to where it all began.
In two months, he had protected the childlike innocence in Ahuan's eyes.
Toppled Song Ling and his family.
And gathered the various generals back under his command.
A verifiable track record!
"Father Prince, you really have become the Crown Prince!"
Perhaps because he had seen what Ahuan looked like at her coming-of-age ceremony, Song Yu cherished her current appearance, still bearing a hint of baby fat on her face, all the more.
On a whim, Song Yu reached out and pinched her cheek.
"Yes, from today onwards, Ahuan is the sole daughter of the Crown Prince."
Song Yu said with a hooked smile, "No one can bully Ahuan anymore. Ahuan is going to be the happiest little girl in the whole world."
"Father Prince, I already am."
Song Shihuan, dressed in a goose-yellow ruqun skirt, looked as exquisite as an immortal child beneath the seat of Guanyin.
"I've been thinking lately, it's a good thing Father Prince chose me as his daughter. Otherwise, I'd still be confined in that manor, shedding tears every day."
Song Shihuan looked up at Song Yu. "Thank you, Father Prince, for choosing me as your daughter."
Song Yu felt a momentary daze.
One was the innocent and lively Ahuan under his protection; the other was the Ahuan who had gone through countless hardships to find him.
"I should be the one thanking Ahuan."
Thank you, Ahuan, for choosing me as your father prince.
And thank you, Ahuan, for giving me a chance to choose again.
Song Yu's Crown Prince investiture ceremony was extremely grand. Shen Mingwen nearly wore out the books of rites, striving to give Song Yu the most magnificent display within the bounds of protocol.
This time, the ceremonial crown sat perfectly straight on Song Yu's head.
After seeing it, Emperor Yuanyou said with a smile, "I never thought your temperament would allow that crown to sit so properly on your head."
"The crown must be worn straight."
Song Yu, clad in the bright yellow python robe of the Crown Prince, flashed a grin at Emperor Yuanyou. "If I don't wear it straight, Father will just nag me again."
Emperor Yuanyou held Song Yu's hand, listening as the hundred officials hailed "Long live the Crown Prince."
This wasn't Emperor Yuanyou's first time experiencing such a scene, but when he had invested Song Ling as Crown Prince, he hadn't felt this stirred. Back then, his mind was full of whether Song Ling would treat his brothers kindly in the future and not wipe them out.
After the ceremony concluded, Song Yu moved into the Eastern Palace with Song Shihuan.
Once everything was settled, Song Yu ran to Zichen Palace, said something to Emperor Yuanyou, and was chased out by the emperor's shoe sole.
Song Yu wasn't angry. Instead, he called out loudly towards the hall, "Your son will take that as your agreement!"
Then he returned to the Eastern Palace and led Song Shihuan towards the direction of the Cold Palace.
...
The Cold Palace was gloomy and sinister; even in the heat of July, it made one's whole body feel cold.
Seeing Lady Xu the Younger again, Song Yu was dressed in the Crown Prince's python robe, and Song Shihuan was also splendidly attired. The contrast with Lady Xu the Younger, who sat withered on a chair, was like heaven and earth.
"So, in the end, it's you who became Crown Prince."
That bright yellow stung Lady Xu the Younger's eyes.
"I still didn't surpass my elder sister."
"The Emperor is truly ruthless," Lady Xu the Younger said with a bitter smile. "He believed you without hesitation, casting me and Ling'er into the abyss, without even giving us a chance to explain."
"Weren't you the one who framed me all those years ago? Still pretending at this point."
Song Yu rolled his eyes. "I came today simply to tell you, your suffering isn't over yet. I did vow to make you beg for death but find it impossible."
"Actually, I somewhat regret it. If I had told Father when I was young that you were a venomous, scheming woman, then Song Ling probably wouldn't have become Crown Prince either."
"Can't be helped. Who made me Mother Empress's son? Father loves me to the bone."
Every word from Song Yu was like a needle stabbing into Lady Xu the Younger.
Finally, Song Yu ruffled Song Shihuan's head.
"The only good thing you did was give birth to Song Ling, who then gave birth to Ahuan. Tell me, that child I strangled with my own hands back then—do you think the King of Hell recorded that debt on my account, or on yours?"
With that, Song Yu strode away triumphantly.
Leaving Lady Xu the Younger behind, clutching her head and weeping.
