My Five Bigshot Seniors: I am The Most Coddled Junior!-Chapter 93 - 45: Xiang Yunkai [Second Update]

"I don’t care what they think, I only know that you’re still young and have many years ahead to take charge. You can’t shirk your duty by tossing these things to me and enjoying yourself," Li Xiuyan pouted, not hesitating to speak ill of his brothers in front of the Emperor, speaking playfully.

"Enough, I’ve already issued the imperial decree. Can you make me retract it?" The Emperor frowned, glaring at Li Xiuyan, "You just prepare for your enthronement ceremony. I want to be the Supreme Emperor!"

Seeing this, Li Xiuyan realized the Emperor truly wouldn’t take back his decision, pursed his lips, and stood up from the ground, "Alright then, I understand."

"Good you understand, now hurry and get ready." The Emperor impatiently waved his hand, ushering Li Xiuyan to leave.

"Your son bids farewell!" Li Xiuyan glanced speechlessly at the Emperor, leaving with a dejected look.

The Emperor watched Li Xiuyan’s back and shook his head.

"Liang Shen." The Emperor straightened his body, calling softly for Liang Shen.

"Here, Your Majesty." Liang Shen immediately appeared before the Emperor.

"How goes the investigation?" Facing Liang Shen, the Emperor’s expression was notably less animated than before, sternly feigning indifference as he asked.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Doctor Ge and I have identified the person who poisoned you. It was the palace maid Lv He who served by your side. We’ve already detained her for questioning," Liang Shen dared not conceal the truth and spoke up immediately.

"Bring her up, and don’t let anyone else see." The Emperor’s expression turned colder, his tone flat as he spoke.

"Yes." Liang Shen responded and quickly exited.

The Emperor sat in his chair, playing with the teacup in his hand, waiting for Liang Shen to return. At this moment, a servant guarding outside came in to report that some ministers sought a meeting and was directly refused by the Emperor.

"Tell them that I’ve already abdicated to the Crown Prince. If there’s anything, let them go to the Crown Prince; they don’t need to come to me!" The Emperor clearly knew what these ministers wanted to do and waved his hand, making his stance clear.

"Yes." The servant promptly withdrew.

The ministers waiting outside were once again shocked upon hearing the servant’s message.

At first, they thought the Emperor was testing someone and didn’t expect that he was truly determined to abdicate to the Crown Prince, even directly relinquishing power, refusing to meet with them!

A few exchanged glances, unable to converse, and hurriedly left to plan a course of action.

...

In Noble Princess Consort Yi’s palace, since Li Xiuting wasn’t involved in politics, he wasn’t in the hall, but the Emperor didn’t conceal this news, so everyone in the Imperial Palace knew the Emperor was abdicating to the Crown Prince. Naturally, Li Xiuting wasn’t an exception, and he immediately went to Noble Princess Consort Yi’s palace to discuss this matter with her.

"Father is so partial, abdicating to the Crown Prince just like that, even though he’s still so young." Li Sisi, freed from house arrest because of the Emperor’s fainting incident, was also in Noble Princess Consort Yi’s palace, complaining as soon as she heard the news.

"Mind your words!" Noble Princess Consort Yi, knowing how to maintain her position as Noble Consort over other concubines, gave Li Sisi a glare to silence her, then turned to Li Xiuting, "Is this true? The Emperor really abdicated to the Crown Prince?"

Clearly, Noble Princess Consort Yi found it hard to believe.

After all, the Emperor had endured significant hardships to ascend the throne, so would he really give it up so easily now?

"Of course it’s true. I heard that just now, Uncle and a few ministers went to see Father and were all turned away. Father told them to go to the Crown Prince, saying he has abdicated to him, and from now on, the Crown Prince would handle these matters!" Li Xiuting’s expression was filled with anger and gloom.

As the Emperor’s son, he was only a year younger than the Crown Prince, yet their statuses were worlds apart. Throughout his life, the Emperor always favored the Crown Prince, and his brothers couldn’t compare at all. He had finally grown up and gained the ability to contend with the Crown Prince, only for the Emperor to directly abdicate to him. How could he be willing to accept this?

Noble Princess Consort Yi’s expression also turned grim upon hearing this.

Similar to Li Xiuting, back then, she entered the palace only six months after the Empress, yet after the Emperor’s ascension, the Empress became the mother of the nation while she remained a concubine. If it weren’t for having given birth to Li Xiuting and the early death of the Empress, she might still hold a concubine position.

This has always been her wound and her reason for antagonizing the Empress. And now the Empress’s son has become the Emperor again, shattering her dreams of becoming Empress Dowager. She couldn’t accept this either!

"Your father still holds power, and those ministers will surely heed his words. The Crown Prince’s position will be very secure. For now, we can only wait for the right opportunity," she looked at Li Xiuting, "Ting’er, you must remain calm, not letting your father notice anything amiss, or you will have no chance at all!"

"I understand." Although Li Xiuting was frustrated, he was still clear-headed, nodding gloomily.

The nanny beside Noble Princess Consort Yi suddenly walked in from outside and whispered in her ear. She paused for a moment, looked incredulously at the nanny, then turned much paler when the nanny nodded grimly.

"Mother Consort, what happened?" Li Xiuting, facing Noble Princess Consort Yi, could clearly see her pale expression and asked worriedly.

"I’m fine, just a bit tired. You and your sister should head back first, and let me rest for a while." Noble Princess Consort Yi shook her head, showing a slightly weak smile. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Although Li Xiuting felt that Noble Princess Consort Yi was not telling the truth, he still nodded and left with Li Sisi.

...

Upon returning to his own palace, Li Xiuyan was immediately congratulated by the palace staff. He waved them off, instructed his people not to spread the news, and then entered his study with Wu Qi following behind.

"Your Highness, is it true that His Majesty has abdicated to you?" Wu Qi still couldn’t quite believe it, surprised that the Emperor had done such a thing.

"Naturally it’s true. Father has already asked me to prepare for the enthronement ceremony," Li Xiuyan replied somewhat gloomily, glancing at Wu Qi.

"Your Highness doesn’t seem happy?" Wu Qi astutely sensed Li Xiuyan’s mood and asked curiously.

"I’m not ready to be Emperor yet, and Father’s poison is still unresolved. I have no heart for becoming Emperor!" Li Xiuyan expressed his true feelings directly to Wu Qi, clearly frustrated.

"This..." Wu Qi opened his mouth, unsure of what to say, and seeing Li Xiuyan’s clear frustration, he simply changed the topic. "Your Highness, the Young Palace Master of Wentian Palace has arrived in Shangjing City. Would you like to meet him?"

The Young Palace Master Xiang Yunkai was Li Xiuyan’s only good friend, as their mothers were cousins. Xiang Yunkai had spent time in the Great Tang Palace as a child, and their relationship was very good. Hearing that Xiang Yunkai had arrived, Li Xiuyan’s eyes lit up.

"Yunkai has finally come to Shangjing City. I can’t easily leave the palace now, so go and bring him in for me," Li Xiuting instructed Wu Qi eagerly, almost unable to wait to see Xiang Yunkai.

After Wu Qi acknowledged the command, he left the study.

An hour later, Wu Qi brought Xiang Yunkai to the Eastern Palace and into the Crown Prince’s study.

"Yunkai, you’ve finally come to Shangjing City," said Li Xiuyan, standing up from his chair with a happy smile upon hearing the door open.

"Crown Prince, it’s good to see you again," Xiang Yunkai said with a playful wink, shaking a fan in his hand and smiling brightly at Li Xiuyan.

"You rascal, you’re still the same as ever," Li Xiuyan said, walking up to Xiang Yunkai and giving him a hearty slap on the shoulder, his tone light and relaxed.

"I can’t compare to you, Your Highness," Xiang Yunkai said, rubbing his shoulder. "I heard you’re about to ascend the throne as Emperor. Congratulations!"

"Cut it out," Li Xiuyan rolled his eyes at Xiang Yunkai. "If it weren’t for Father’s poisoning, I would never agree to this!"

"Your father was poisoned?" Xiang Yunkai’s expression turned serious upon hearing this.

"He was poisoned with Thousand Day Intoxication some time ago. The imperial physicians say that only the Nine-turn Clear-heart Herb can neutralize the poison in Father’s body. I’m already trying to find people to search for it," Li Xiuyan’s mood dropped slightly as he mentioned this, taking a seat by the table.

"Nine-turn Clear-heart Herb?" Xiang Yunkai was a bit surprised. "If I remember correctly, that herb grows in the deepest part of the Ten Thousand Miles Mountains, a place known as a death zone with no return."

"For my father, no matter how difficult it is, we have to try!" Li Xiuyan’s expression was serious, showing no intention of giving up despite the difficulty.

Xiang Yunkai glanced at Li Xiuyan, suddenly thought of something, and his eyes brightened. "It seems you owe me a favor this time. You’ve met the Young Master Zhuo from the Zhuo Family recently, right? I’ve heard he has a doctor by his side with remarkable skills, possibly not from our Xuantian Continent. You might want to check it out."

Li Xiuyan’s eyes lit up, "Really? There’s really such a person?"

"I heard this from Zhuo Family’s young mistress; there are indeed some extraordinary people by his side. You should have already had some experience with them, so it wouldn’t hurt to ask around." Xiang Yunkai said, fanning himself.

Li Xiuyan considered this, his eyes flickering, then stood up from his chair. "Alright, you come with me."

Without waiting for Xiang Yunkai’s agreement, he pulled him up and walked toward the outside.

...

Liang Shen hadn’t been gone long before returning with a palace maid, bringing her before the Emperor and making her kneel on the ground.

"Your Majesty, Lv He is here," he stepped forward to report to the Emperor.

The Emperor put down the cup in his hand and looked at Lv He on the ground.

From the moment she saw the Emperor, Lv He had been trembling. Now, under the Emperor’s intense, almost tangible gaze, her body shook even more.

"Speak, who ordered you to poison Us?" The Emperor’s voice, devoid of joy or anger, came from above.

"Your Majesty, this servant is wronged. Even if given ten times the courage, I would never dare to poison Your Majesty!"