At first glance, the Emperor actually did not inspire fear.
Although he carried a heavy air of authority, perhaps due to his old age, he also exuded a sense of kindness, appearing on the surface like a friendly middle-aged man.
But if someone really took this appearance seriously, that would be absurd.
Cheng Zheng obviously didn't take it to that extent, so he just smiled at the Emperor's words and didn't say much.
The Emperor also understood his son quite well and didn't say much on this topic, quickly changing the subject.
"That child from the Chen Duke's Mansion, Chen Changan, he is your man, right?"
The Emperor continued to inquire.
After hesitating for a moment, Cheng Zheng finally nodded.
"Indeed, indeed."
The Emperor couldn't help but smile, "This child is quite good, he dared to intrude into the inner palace for your sake. Although it may be somewhat disrespectful, it also shows his loyalty."
Those who were not privy to the inside story might think that Chen An intruded into the palace for the Fourth Princess.
But with the Emperor's caliber, naturally, he wouldn't think of it that way.
However, the Emperor didn't seem to be too critical of Chen An's actions. On the contrary, he seemed to admire him.
After all, daring to enter the palace required great courage and risk-taking. Without a shred of loyalty, how could a formidable warrior like him take such a risk?
A person with such loyalty was rare at any time.
Moreover, he was a formidable warrior.
Speaking of which, if the Emperor had known about this before he was seriously ill, he would have had a different reaction.
A formidable warrior swearing allegiance to the Prince would be a huge threat to him as the Emperor.
This was different from Chen Guogong and others by the Second Prince's side.
Chen Guogong was also a formidable warrior and had openly supported the Second Prince, but it would be absolutely impossible for the Second Prince to ask Chen Guogong to personally intrude into the palace.
In the end, these formidable Duke-level figures had such high status and power that they wouldn't easily take such risks.
Their so-called support was mostly just a statement of attitude, different from Chen An's wholehearted and loyal dedication.
A formidable warrior being loyal, how could any Emperor sleep soundly?
But now, it didn't matter.
After all, he was nearly dead.
Power was not handed over until one's final moments.
But looking at the state of the Great Huadu Emperor in front of him, it was clear that death was not far off.
At this point, what else was there to worry about?
So the Emperor's attitude also changed.
His approval of this matter was greater than his rejection.
After all, Cheng Zheng was already the future Emperor.
From the Emperor's point of view, it was naturally better to have strong support for his son.
"I have arranged for Yi'er to marry Changan."
The Great Huadu Emperor continued, "This will not only make it easier for you to control him in the future, but also provide a safe haven for Yi'er."
"I know that Yi'er has been arrogant in recent years, relying on my favor, causing offense to many people."
"Even you, I'm afraid you are also dissatisfied with Yi'er, right?"
"I dare not."
Cheng Zheng quickly knelt down, sincerely respectful and fearful.
"I dare not, but that doesn't mean there are no grievances."
Glancing at him, the Great Huadu Emperor saw Cheng Zheng's thoughts very clearly, "You dare not now, but after I die, you will, won't you?"
"With your temperament, when Yi'er is under your control, will she have an easy time?"
"In that case, Yi'er also really likes Changan, so I might as well let her marry him. On one hand, it will provide her with a good future, and on the other hand, it will also help Great Huadu to have another formidable warrior."
The Emperor's words echoed in the carriage.
He had gone to great lengths for his children.
As an Emperor, he knew very well the character of his children.
It was precisely because he understood it so well that he had to make arrangements early.
Otherwise, when he passed away, who knew what it would become.
Marrying Chen An to the Fourth Princess was not only to win over Chen An, a promising formidable warrior, but also for the future of the Fourth Princess.
With Chen An as her husband, even if the future Emperor was not around, the Fourth Princess would be able to hold her own and maintain her position of status.
Even if Cheng Zheng didn't like his sister, Yi, he would have to endure it for Chen An's sake.
"Changan is a talented child with limitless potential in the future."
The Great Huadu Emperor continued, "I have already prepared the pre-natal part of the Profound Ice Force for him, just keeping it for now. After you ascend to the throne, you can directly reward him to show favor."
"I understand."
Cheng Zheng nodded in silent agreement.
If Chen An were here, he would probably not be able to resist complaining again.
Everything was indeed a scheme.
The Great Huadu Emperor had recognized Chen An's potential long ago, so he first granted him the hand of the princess to tie him down, and then deliberately withheld further martial arts teachings to ensure Cheng Zheng had something to reward him with after ascending the throne.
Otherwise, if the Great Huadu Emperor had rewarded everything upfront, there would probably be nothing left to reward after Cheng Zheng ascended the throne.
In the carriage, the Great Huadu Emperor continued to explain many things behind the scenes.
Including secret arrangements within the imperial family, contact information for offerings, and the general strength of the imperial family's experts, everything was detailed and explained to Cheng Zheng.
"As for your elder brothers..."
Towards the end, the Great Huadu Emperor's face showed a hint of hesitation, seeming unsure as well, and could only sigh before saying, "Enough."
"You are the future Emperor, so you decide how to deal with them."
"But if possible, try to spare their lives."
"I won't ask for anything else."
Political struggles were indeed cruel, something he, as an Emperor, was well aware of.
The First Prince and the Second Prince were like two mountains. If they were truly released, even if they did nothing, they would pose a huge threat to the future Emperor.
Because there would naturally be people dissatisfied with the future Emperor continuously gathering under their banner to support them against the future Emperor.
In such a situation, words were useless.
As a father, the Great Huadu Emperor's final request was simply to spare their lives and nothing else.
Cheng Zheng naturally nodded repeatedly, agreeing to all of the Great Huadu Emperor's requests.
Of course, agreeing was one thing, but whether or not he would actually follow through was another matter.
When the Great Huadu Emperor passed away, he would be the future Emperor.
Whether or not he would carry out these actions would depend on his own judgment.
It was fine to say more pleasant words now; endure it and it would soon be over.
"There we go."
With most of the things explained, the Great Huadu Emperor stepped down from the carriage and looked at the scenery outside.
Outside, natural landscapes came into view, with fresh fragrances wafting between the mountains and water, accompanied by a unique vitality.
Looking at the beautiful spring scene before him, full of vitality and life, the Great Huadu Emperor couldn't help but sigh.
"What a beautiful scene. I wonder how many days are left to enjoy it."
The Great Huadu Emperor sighed, then slowly walked forward.
Behind him, Cheng Zheng followed closely, afraid that the Great Huadu Emperor would walk too fast and fall.
Another half month passed.
Under the watchful eyes of the entire Great Huadu palace, the Third Prince Cheng Zheng was declared Crown Prince, and subsequently served as Regent with all the authority of the Crown Prince, handling political affairs on behalf of the Emperor.
The Emperor withdrew behind the scenes, no longer involved in governance.
Those who were perceptive could see that the Emperor wanted to give the Crown Prince a hand in his final days, to help him gain prestige.
This was perhaps the biggest event within the Great Huadu Court.
In addition, other events were happening simultaneously.
Such as the imprisonment of the First Prince and the Second Prince, and the grand wedding of the Fourth Princess.
The wedding of the Fourth Princess was finally arranged.
Being a princess, although she was already on the carriage beforehand, she still needed to go through the boarding procedures.
So after Cheng Zheng was appointed Crown Prince, the wedding followed.
The whole process was extremely lavish.
The one in charge was the current Crown Prince Cheng Zheng.
Handling the arrangements, busy at various places were the current Duke, Liu Chu, and several other Dukes in the court.
Sitting at the head and enjoying the offerings from the groom and bride was the current Emperor.
With such a lineup, few people would dare to imagine.
If an ordinary person could have such a wedding, they would probably be willing to die on the spot.
The only strange thing was that on the day of the wedding, the male side's elders did not show up, none of them appeared.
This was puzzling.
With the marriage to the Fourth Princess, Chen An's identity had long been circulated—a grandson of the esteemed Chen Duke's, also a formidable warrior.
Of course, for most people, that last part was questionable.
For most people, a formidable warrior in their teens was a bit too shocking.
And since not many people had seen Chen An take action outside the palace that day, with few witnesses, naturally, no one believed it either.
This must be said—in the end, the main reason for the few witnesses was the current Emperor.
After officially appearing, those who surrounded the palace led by Wuyuan were naturally labeled as rebels, and were now all squatting in prison. So, how could they come out and make a scene?
Without this group of people, the number of witnesses naturally decreased.
It seemed quite reasonable.
In conclusion, due to the reduced number of witnesses, people were naturally skeptical, which was a very normal thing.
After all, rumors often contained a lot of falsehoods.
Especially during this period, the rumors outside were exaggerated, with some saying that Chen An wasn't alone but leading an army to break into the palace, while others said that Chen An sneezed and immediately killed hundreds of people.
Even more exaggerated claims included Chen An winning people over with his virtue, not using a single soldier, and making Wu Guogong and Wuyuan feel so ashamed that Wu Guogong killed himself on the spot, and Wuyuan let him pass.
It was a chaotic, misleading world.
In this situation, it was normal for people to have doubts.
At first glance, the Emperor actually did not inspire fear.
Although he carried a heavy air of authority, perhaps due to his old age, he also exuded a sense of kindness, appearing on the surface like a friendly middle-aged man.
But if someone really took this appearance seriously, that would be absurd.
Cheng Zheng obviously didn't take it to that extent, so he just smiled at the Emperor's words and didn't say much.
The Emperor also understood his son quite well and didn't say much on this topic, quickly changing the subject.
"That child from the Chen Duke's Mansion, Chen Changan, he is your man, right?"
The Emperor continued to inquire.
After hesitating for a moment, Cheng Zheng finally nodded.
"Indeed, indeed."
The Emperor couldn't help but smile, "This child is quite good, he dared to intrude into the inner palace for your sake. Although it may be somewhat disrespectful, it also shows his loyalty."
Those who were not privy to the inside story might think that Chen An intruded into the palace for the Fourth Princess.
But with the Emperor's caliber, naturally, he wouldn't think of it that way.
However, the Emperor didn't seem to be too critical of Chen An's actions. On the contrary, he seemed to admire him.
After all, daring to enter the palace required great courage and risk-taking. Without a shred of loyalty, how could a formidable warrior like him take such a risk?
A person with such loyalty was rare at any time.
Moreover, he was a formidable warrior.
Speaking of which, if the Emperor had known about this before he was seriously ill, he would have had a different reaction.
A formidable warrior swearing allegiance to the Prince would be a huge threat to him as the Emperor.
This was different from Chen Guogong and others by the Second Prince's side.
Chen Guogong was also a formidable warrior and had openly supported the Second Prince, but it would be absolutely impossible for the Second Prince to ask Chen Guogong to personally intrude into the palace.
In the end, these formidable Duke-level figures had such high status and power that they wouldn't easily take such risks.
Their so-called support was mostly just a statement of attitude, different from Chen An's wholehearted and loyal dedication.
A formidable warrior being loyal, how could any Emperor sleep soundly?
But now, it didn't matter.
After all, he was nearly dead.
Power was not handed over until one's final moments.
But looking at the state of the Great Huadu Emperor in front of him, it was clear that death was not far off.
At this point, what else was there to worry about?
So the Emperor's attitude also changed.
His approval of this matter was greater than his rejection.
After all, Cheng Zheng was already the future Emperor.
From the Emperor's point of view, it was naturally better to have strong support for his son.
"I have arranged for Yi'er to marry Changan."
The Great Huadu Emperor continued, "This will not only make it easier for you to control him in the future, but also provide a safe haven for Yi'er."
"I know that Yi'er has been arrogant in recent years, relying on my favor, causing offense to many people."
"Even you, I'm afraid you are also dissatisfied with Yi'er, right?"
"I dare not."
Cheng Zheng quickly knelt down, sincerely respectful and fearful.
"I dare not, but that doesn't mean there are no grievances."
Glancing at him, the Great Huadu Emperor saw Cheng Zheng's thoughts very clearly, "You dare not now, but after I die, you will, won't you?"
"With your temperament, when Yi'er is under your control, will she have an easy time?"
"In that case, Yi'er also really likes Changan, so I might as well let her marry him. On one hand, it will provide her with a good future, and on the other hand, it will also help Great Huadu to have another formidable warrior."
The Emperor's words echoed in the carriage.
He had gone to great lengths for his children.
As an Emperor, he knew very well the character of his children.
It was precisely because he understood it so well that he had to make arrangements early.
Otherwise, when he passed away, who knew what it would become.
Marrying Chen An to the Fourth Princess was not only to win over Chen An, a promising formidable warrior, but also for the future of the Fourth Princess.
With Chen An as her husband, even if the future Emperor was not around, the Fourth Princess would be able to hold her own and maintain her position of status.
Even if Cheng Zheng didn't like his sister, Yi, he would have to endure it for Chen An's sake.
"Changan is a talented child with limitless potential in the future."
The Great Huadu Emperor continued, "I have already prepared the pre-natal part of the Profound Ice Force for him, just keeping it for now. After you ascend to the throne, you can directly reward him to show favor."
"I understand."
Cheng Zheng nodded in silent agreement.
If Chen An were here, he would probably not be able to resist complaining again.
Everything was indeed a scheme.
The Great Huadu Emperor had recognized Chen An's potential long ago, so he first granted him the hand of the princess to tie him down, and then deliberately withheld further martial arts teachings to ensure Cheng Zheng had something to reward him with after ascending the throne.
Otherwise, if the Great Huadu Emperor had rewarded everything upfront, there would probably be nothing left to reward after Cheng Zheng ascended the throne.
In the carriage, the Great Huadu Emperor continued to explain many things behind the scenes.
Including secret arrangements within the imperial family, contact information for offerings, and the general strength of the imperial family's experts, everything was detailed and explained to Cheng Zheng.
"As for your elder brothers..."
Towards the end, the Great Huadu Emperor's face showed a hint of hesitation, seeming unsure as well, and could only sigh before saying, "Enough."
"You are the future Emperor, so you decide how to deal with them."
"But if possible, try to spare their lives."
"I won't ask for anything else."
Political struggles were indeed cruel, something he, as an Emperor, was well aware of.
The First Prince and the Second Prince were like two mountains. If they were truly released, even if they did nothing, they would pose a huge threat to the future Emperor.
Because there would naturally be people dissatisfied with the future Emperor continuously gathering under their banner to support them against the future Emperor.
In such a situation, words were useless.
As a father, the Great Huadu Emperor's final request was simply to spare their lives and nothing else.
Cheng Zheng naturally nodded repeatedly, agreeing to all of the Great Huadu Emperor's requests.
Of course, agreeing was one thing, but whether or not he would actually follow through was another matter.
When the Great Huadu Emperor passed away, he would be the future Emperor.
Whether or not he would carry out these actions would depend on his own judgment.
It was fine to say more pleasant words now; endure it and it would soon be over.
"There we go."
With most of the things explained, the Great Huadu Emperor stepped down from the carriage and looked at the scenery outside.
Outside, natural landscapes came into view, with fresh fragrances wafting between the mountains and water, accompanied by a unique vitality.
Looking at the beautiful spring scene before him, full of vitality and life, the Great Huadu Emperor couldn't help but sigh.
"What a beautiful scene. I wonder how many days are left to enjoy it."
The Great Huadu Emperor sighed, then slowly walked forward.
Behind him, Cheng Zheng followed closely, afraid that the Great Huadu Emperor would walk too fast and fall.
Another half month passed.
Under the watchful eyes of the entire Great Huadu palace, the Third Prince Cheng Zheng was declared Crown Prince, and subsequently served as Regent with all the authority of the Crown Prince, handling political affairs on behalf of the Emperor.
The Emperor withdrew behind the scenes, no longer involved in governance.
Those who were perceptive could see that the Emperor wanted to give the Crown Prince a hand in his final days, to help him gain prestige.
This was perhaps the biggest event within the Great Huadu Court.
In addition, other events were happening simultaneously.
Such as the imprisonment of the First Prince and the Second Prince, and the grand wedding of the Fourth Princess.
The wedding of the Fourth Princess was finally arranged.
Being a princess, although she was already on the carriage beforehand, she still needed to go through the boarding procedures.
So after Cheng Zheng was appointed Crown Prince, the wedding followed.
The whole process was extremely lavish.
The one in charge was the current Crown Prince Cheng Zheng.
Handling the arrangements, busy at various places were the current Duke, Liu Chu, and several other Dukes in the court.
Sitting at the head and enjoying the offerings from the groom and bride was the current Emperor.
With such a lineup, few people would dare to imagine.
If an ordinary person could have such a wedding, they would probably be willing to die on the spot.
The only strange thing was that on the day of the wedding, the male side's elders did not show up, none of them appeared.
This was puzzling.
With the marriage to the Fourth Princess, Chen An's identity had long been circulated—a grandson of the esteemed Chen Duke's, also a formidable warrior.
Of course, for most people, that last part was questionable.
For most people, a formidable warrior in their teens was a bit too shocking.
And since not many people had seen Chen An take action outside the palace that day, with few witnesses, naturally, no one believed it either.
This must be said—in the end, the main reason for the few witnesses was the current Emperor.
After officially appearing, those who surrounded the palace led by Wuyuan were naturally labeled as rebels, and were now all squatting in prison. So, how could they come out and make a scene?
Without this group of people, the number of witnesses naturally decreased.
It seemed quite reasonable.
In conclusion, due to the reduced number of witnesses, people were naturally skeptical, which was a very normal thing.
After all, rumors often contained a lot of falsehoods.
Especially during this period, the rumors outside were exaggerated, with some saying that Chen An wasn't alone but leading an army to break into the palace, while others said that Chen An sneezed and immediately killed hundreds of people.
Even more exaggerated claims included Chen An winning people over with his virtue, not using a single soldier, and making Wu Guogong and Wuyuan feel so ashamed that Wu Guogong killed himself on the spot, and Wuyuan let him pass.
It was a chaotic, misleading world.
In this situation, it was normal for people to have doubts.
