Chapter 432: Chapter 247 Duke Zhen Really Dares_2
Grandmaster Liu indeed discerned the emperor’s intention, "The emperor’s true objective is not to propel the Fourth Prince forward, but to elevate the status of the Li Family."
Upon hearing Grandmaster Liu’s words, Prime Minister He finally understood.
"Your Majesty, by doing this, where does the Kong Family stand?"
The emperor smiled nonchalantly, "Not in a dead end." Although the reputation of the Kong Family had slightly waned among the scholars and literati of the world due to the previous dynasty’s family head, they still held a high status in their hearts. Even though the Li Family’s status had been rising among scholars, it still could not surpass the Kong Family. "Let the Fourth Prince go, it will spare the Crown Prince and the Second Prince from contention."
"Your Majesty, are you sure?" He Liang slightly furrowed his brows, speaking with a somewhat serious expression, "The Fourth Prince is not the legitimate son."
Grandmaster Liu suggested, "Let the Fourth Prince and Minister Li take the lead in worshipping Confucius and Mencius at the Imperial College. This will also allow the foreign diplomats to witness the majesty of our Imperial College and let the scholars of the Imperial College display the demeanor of our Great Zhou’s scholars."
With a clap, the emperor looked at Grandmaster Liu with admiration in his eyes, "Lao Liu, your idea is excellent, we’ll proceed as you suggested."
Prime Minister He also felt Grandmaster Liu’s suggestion was good. He nodded in agreement, saying, "If the Fourth Prince and Minister Li worship together, neither the Crown Prince nor Prince Dai, nor any other ministers will object."
"Didn’t the foreign diplomats want us, the Great Zhou, to set up academies in their countries? Let them witness the prestige of our Imperial College firsthand." The Imperial College was the highest institution of learning in the Great Zhou, making it most fitting to worship Confucius and Mencius there.
The emperor laughed heartily, "Lao Liu, you are indeed quick-witted."
Prime Minister He said, "Since it’s being held at the Imperial College, let’s assign the task to the Fourth Prince and Minister Li."
The emperor nodded, then instructed Sun Kui to summon the Fourth Prince and Minister Li.
The Fourth Prince arrived at the Imperial Study before Minister Li. Upon hearing that the emperor was entrusting him and his maternal grandfather with the task of worshipping Confucius and Mencius, he was both shocked and excited.
Of course, he initially declined, saying that he was too young to bear such a significant responsibility, and asked the emperor to select others to lead with Minister Li.
The emperor expressed his trust in the Fourth Prince to accomplish the task, instructing him and Minister Li to ensure that the foreign diplomats experience the profound and enduring culture of the Great Zhou.
Seeing the emperor’s trust, the Fourth Prince no longer declined. He promised the emperor that he would successfully complete the task with his maternal grandfather.
When Minister Li entered the palace, the emperor repeated to him what he had said to the Fourth Prince earlier.
Minister Li did not refuse either and solemnly expressed to the emperor his commitment to organizing the worship alongside the Fourth Prince.
The emperor instructed Minister Li to find the Fourth Prince, and the two of them were to arrange the preparations for the worship over the next couple of days.
Minister Li annually led the scholars of the Imperial College in worshipping Confucius and Mencius, so he was quite at ease with the matter.
Due to the preparations for worshipping Confucius and Mencius, the Fourth Prince had to move to the Imperial College to prepare with Minister Li, temporarily unable to participate in compiling history at the Lanyuan Pavilion’s History Compilation Hall.
Soon, upon learning that the Fourth Prince and Minister Li were to worship Confucius and Mencius together, the civil and military officials of the court were initially surprised, but then found it plausible. However, this was not good news for the Crown Prince and Prince Dai.
In the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince could not understand why the emperor suddenly arranged for the Fourth Prince and Minister Li to prepare for the worship, when every year it was he and Minister Li who led the scholars of the Imperial College in worshipping Confucius and Mencius.
"What does Father mean by this?" the Crown Prince said with furrowed brows and a face full of dissatisfaction, "What’s the point of letting the Fourth Brother worship, what kind of person is Fourth Brother anyway."
The Eighth Prince roughly guessed the emperor’s intention, but he could not tell the Crown Prince.
"Every year I go to worship, why change it to Fourth Brother this year?" the Crown Prince said with displeasure, "Does Father intend to let Fourth Brother..."
"Elder Brother, the Fourth Brother is not yet of age, even if Father wants to promote Fourth Brother, he wouldn’t choose this time," the Eighth Prince said, not speaking in favor of the Fourth Prince, but because he couldn’t let the Crown Prince distrust the Fourth Prince now. His aim was to see the Crown Prince and Prince Dai embroiled in deadly conflict.
The Crown Prince thought for a moment and realized it was true; there were still two years until the Fourth Prince came of age.
"Then why do you think Father suddenly wants Fourth Brother to go worship?"