If the Seventh Imperial Son and the Ninth Imperial Son still had some chance, then the Fifth Imperial Son and the Eighth Imperial Son, whom Liu Jin had rejected outright, had none at all.
Thus, of the five from the Fifth Imperial Son to the Ninth Imperial Son, none was particularly suitable in the emperor's mind.
Only the King of Jiaodong, the King of Northern Yan, and the King of Henan remained, the three eldest Lords King. Choosing among these three was very difficult.
"Cough, cough."
Suddenly, an itch rose from deep in his chest, followed by uncontrollable, heavy coughing, one fit after another without pause. Like a battered bellows being worked, great gasping breaths sounded before everyone.
Liu Jin even felt as though he would cough up his internal organs. He wanted to speak but could not. The Empress hurriedly patted him gently, and the assembled ministers cried out, "Your Majesty!"
However indecisive he was, Liu Jin knew he could hesitate no longer. He had to choose an emperor immediately.
After everything he had experienced since the defeat in the Southern Kingdom, he wanted to find Great Han an emperor who could keep the Meritorious Military Nobles in check.
"Second Brother is too soft and lacks the heart of a king. He cannot shoulder the heavy burden of the Altars of State. The Jimo Lü Clan certainly won't be willing to meddle in Chang'an again."
Liu Jin frowned slightly.
The King of Jiaodong's wife came from a powerful clan, but its circumstances were rather unusual. This was Marquis Lü's branch, the same branch from which the former Regent Empress Dowager had come.
The Lü Clan had always been relatively cautious. After experiencing the clan's relocation, they understood that they were still too prominent. The Linzi Lü Clan and the