The grand secretaries lingered behind, putting some distance between themselves and those ahead. They exchanged bewildered looks, their hearts heavy.
At today's banquet, something had been wrong with the emperor's attitude toward the Imperial Grandson. Though they had harbored similar concerns before, none had expected matters to turn so quickly. How much time had even passed?
Wasn't His Majesty changing his mind a little too quickly?
Only after the others had gone far ahead, leaving almost no one nearby, did these pillars of the Grand Secretariat, who had long remained silent as sealed gourds, finally begin to speak.
After a brief exchange of glances, Xie Zhi sighed faintly and said, "Whatever happens, harmony within the imperial family alone brings blessings to all the people."
"Quite right." Cui Zhaoqian, who also served as minister of war, spoke more directly. "Those words today may already have stirred up great waves. They may not prove a blessing to the imperial clan."
He meant that, in the succession to the throne, the crucial thing was "no more contention once the dust has settled." Then, whoever ascended the throne, the brothers could still treat one another with affection and respect, preserving a measure of dignity. But once the nearly extinguished ambitions of Prince Qi and Prince Shu were rekindled and their struggle intensified, whoever eventually took the throne would raise the butcher's blade. History had proven that.
"Indeed. To dote on a son is to kill him." He Yuduan also made his position clear.
They could all understand the emperor sending political signals to provoke infighting among the princes, but they found it hard to accept. The emperor was already unsteady on his feet, yet he still wanted to cling desperately to power?
For the sake of that selfish desire, he could ruin the greater