Was it because of this that the Fifth Prince was so calm and composed? The Empress couldn't help but think, but unfortunately, no one answered him. Only the Fifth Prince understood his true thoughts.
The Prince and the Fifth Princess Consort paid no mind to others' thoughts. Yutu's creations were undeniably delicious. It would be a waste not to eat them. Regardless of whether they ate their fill, the couple was stuffed. They quickly drank a cup of tea to ease their discomfort. Finally, the birthday banquet concluded, and they boarded the Fifth Prince's carriage to return home.
Not long after arriving home, news arrived that the Eighth Prince had met with an accident on his way back to his manor. He was severely injured and was not expected to live.
He had been halfway to his destination when an archer stopped him on the street, drawing his bow and arrow and firing wildly at him. Despite the Eighth Prince's strenuous efforts to dodge, he was still hit by two arrows and fell into a coma. Even the imperial physician shook his head, declaring himself helpless.
Without changing his clothes, the Fifth Prince rushed to the Eighth Prince's manor. He reached the entrance of the courtyard where the Eighth Prince resided and unconsciously retreated. He looked closely and realized his earlier feeling was not mistaken; the person was the same archer he had let go of some time ago. It seemed he was the one who had shot the Eighth Prince today. As if sensing him, the other party raised his head, saw him, and then quickly lowered it again, as if he didn't recognize him. The Fifth Prince naturally didn't approach him to chat. Although he didn't know what had transpired in between, the outcome was favorable to him.
When he arrived at the Eighth Prince's room, he was surprised to find the Emperor and Empress already there. He quickly paid his respects to them. The Emperor did not bid him to rise and examined him thoroughly. It was the Empress who finally tugged at his sleeve, reluctantly allowing him to stand.
The Fifth Prince stepped forward and looked at the Eighth Prince. He had already changed into clean clothes. Despite this, some blood still seeped from his chest, indicating the severity of his injuries at the time.
"Do you recognize the assassin outside?" the Emperor asked with a grim expression.
The Fifth Prince knew the Emperor suspected him and quickly recounted the events of the previous few days. It was then that the Emperor recalled his personal eunuch mentioning that the Fifth Prince had encountered an assassination attempt while out and had apprehended the perpetrator, requesting the Emperor to deliver justice. At the time, it was mere hearsay, and he had not paid much attention. Little did he know that the Eighth Prince would suffer an accident only a few days later. Upon hearing that the assassin had entered the Fifth Prince's manor, his anger surged. He thought of the Fifth Prince's recent unruliness, the people's affection for him, and the ministers' support, and felt a deep unease. He couldn't fathom that having gained so much, the Fifth Prince would still not spare the Eighth Prince. He immediately condemned him. Of course, as Emperor, he couldn't question his own son outright. He first asked if he recognized the assassin, only to hear such a story.
Although he didn't know why his son had let the assassin go, it was clear the Eighth Prince had brought this upon himself. If the Eighth Prince hadn't sent people to assassinate the Fifth Prince, why would the assassin harbor such resentment? Clearly, the assassin was seeking revenge for the murder of his family.
The Emperor looked at the Fifth Prince standing respectfully before him, unsure what to say for a moment. He could only clear his throat and state that even though the Eighth Prince had sent assassins after him, now that the Eighth Prince was lying incapacitated, all past grievances were forgiven.
The Fifth Prince immediately nodded, assuring that he would not hold a grudge. The Emperor nodded in satisfaction. Those sent to interrogate the assassin returned and spoke in hushed tones with the Emperor, occasionally glancing back at the Fifth Prince. The Fifth Prince could guess the content of their conversation but was unsure if the assassin had implicated him. Although he was unaware of the assassination attempt on the Eighth Prince, he feared that the assassin might fabricate something out of resentment, which would surely pique the Emperor's interest.
His worries were clearly unfounded. The assassin was just and grateful for the Fifth Prince's clemency. He spoke the truth and informed the Emperor of the Eighth Prince's past misdeeds.
The Emperor was shocked, never imagining the Fifth Prince had been on the brink of death. He never expected the seemingly unassuming Liu Fei to have committed so many acts in secret. If his subordinate hadn't tried to assassinate him today, he would never have discovered that the person he always thought was harmless had been plotting such deeds. He had also believed his son, the Eighth Prince, was fraternal and virtuous.
Suddenly, the Emperor felt weary, realizing his past judgments were all wrong. If the position of Crown Prince remained vacant, more casualties would surely occur. Regardless, they were all his children. Though the royal family was often heartless, the Emperor still wished to have more descendants, especially since some were still innocent and unaware children whom he did not want to involve.
At this moment, he recalled the numerous memorials from his ministers urging him to appoint a Crown Prince. He had previously believed they were all trying to curry favor with the Fifth Prince and thus promote him. Now, it seemed, they might genuinely be considering the prosperity of the heavenly dynasty.
That night, the Emperor specifically summoned the Empress for a private discussion. The content of their conversation remained unknown. All that was known was that the next morning, the Empress summoned the Fifth Prince and his wife to the palace. Looking at the couple, who were a perfect match, the Emperor wished they were his own son and daughter-in-law. Alas, hearts are unfathomable. He hoped they could withstand his test.
He knew the Fifth Prince and his wife were intelligent, so he did not beat around the bush. He got straight to the point, "Last night, the Emperor spoke with me and asked me to consider carefully. As long as I make a choice, the Emperor will bestow the title of Crown Prince upon him. After much deliberation, I believe you two are the most suitable. However, I wonder what your intentions are?"
Otherwise, the couple had long contemplated this day. Now that the matter was on the verge of being settled, they found themselves unable to suppress their nervousness. The Fifth Prince stepped forward without hesitation and said respectfully, "We are willing, and we understand that Mother's request is merely to ensure her peaceful old age and the continued glory of the Xu family. You need not worry about this. As long as I give my word, I will never break it. If you do not believe me, you can make a promise before all the ministers, or we can put it in writing. As long as the Xu family does not rebel, we will treat them with great respect."
The Empress nodded and said earnestly, "I hope I do not regret my choice today. You may return and await the imperial decree. The decree appointing the Crown Prince will be issued soon."
The couple exchanged glances and quickly knelt down, bowing respectfully to the Empress before departing.
The Empress watched the couple leave hand in hand and sighed involuntarily, thinking of herself and the Emperor. In reality, the Emperor had long decided to pass the throne to the Fifth Prince. However, to consider her future, he decided to do her a favor, which led to today's event. Although the couple might have guessed this, they had no choice but to agree. At the same time, if they were to break their promise and go back on their word in the future, they would surely be condemned.