Yang Lingqi said, "Could His Majesty be deliberately playing the part of a wayward ruler in public, making one mistake after another for King Yongyang to correct? Over time, wouldn't that raise King Yongyang's prestige among his subjects?"
Hu Xiaotian's heart stirred at this. That possibility had never occurred to him. The Old Emperor and Qiqi could very well be putting on a joint performance, one playing the villain and the other the hero. Thinking back to how they had handled the matter of his parents, the Old Emperor had indeed stepped forward to play the bad man, leaving Qiqi to offer favors and win hearts. If Yang Lingqi's analysis was correct, they had certainly gone to painstaking lengths.
Yang Lingqi said, "Lord Hu, there is one thing you must not overlook. By breaking a convention Great Kang has upheld for centuries and making Princess Yongyang a king, His Majesty has shown his determination to override all objections. He may very well intend to choose Princess Yongyang as his successor."
Hu Xiaotian had considered this himself. If Great Kang could have its first female prince in history, it could also have its first empress regnant. What he could never understand was why the Old Emperor cherished Qiqi so deeply. Was it familial affection, or some special feeling unknown to others? Hu Xiaotian said, "It doesn't matter who succeeds His Majesty. Even the cleverest cook cannot make a meal without rice. Whoever sits on that throne now will find themselves at a loss."
Yang Lingqi said, "If that truly is His Majesty's intention, then he is showing some wisdom. During his reign, he has acted against all reason and accomplished nothing. His subjects have long since lost faith in him. Once the people's trust is lost, it is like spilled water-impossible