Chapter 2: The Timeless Conspiracy
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Sure enough, someone stepped forward! Ning Chen’s delicate, obedient face appeared confused, but inside he was secretly delighted. He resolved to remember the faces of these few people well; perhaps in the future, they could be his valuable allies.
But the premise was that he absolutely could not be deposed today!
Otherwise, death was inevitable, let alone anything else.
He quietly glanced toward the Empress Dowager behind the beaded curtain. Though his view was unclear, he could sense her trembling with anger, as if at a loss for words.
This alone proved that his tactic of retreating to advance had worked.
Was she not trying to both maintain appearances and uphold her reputation?
In front of all the civil and military officials, let’s see whether she would carry out the deposition or not...
Yet, just as everyone awkwardly awaited the Empress Dowager’s words,
The Prime Minister squinted, stroked his white beard, stepped forward, and looked coldly at the officials kneeling to plead on Ning Chen’s behalf.
“Indeed, recognizing one’s mistakes and correcting them is of utmost importance. But over the past year, haven’t we already given him countless chances? And what was the result?”
At these words, many immediately stood up indignantly:
“Exactly! In just one short year, there are 1,172 accusations against him, all clear for everyone to see!”
“How many more chances should we give him? How many more chances can the Great Ning Dynasty afford? How many more chances can the common people of the realm offer?”
“As the saying goes, a child’s nature at three predicts their character at seven. The facts prove that he is not a wise ruler, and in the future, he will surely be a disastrous tyrant, a tyrant who brings ruin to the nation!”
“To protect him thus only drags our Great Ning into endless calamity!”
“We implore the Empress Dowager to depose the emperor immediately and establish a wise ruler!”
Seeing this, the officials, led by the Prime Minister, echoed fervently, turning the tide overwhelmingly against Ning Chen. The Empress Dowager’s furrowed brow finally relaxed, a look of triumph shining in her eyes.
Ning Chen took all of this in at once.
A true calamity for the nation, a descent into endless ruin!
So you will give me no chance at all!
He swept his gaze over the crowd, memorizing the officials pleading for him, while firmly noting those led by the Prime Minister.
Slowly rising, he turned to the noisy assembly and shouted loudly, “Enough! Stop the commotion!”
Though his voice was that of a mere nine-year-old, still tender and youthful, it echoed throughout the court, and the crowd gradually fell silent.
It wasn’t fear of the nine-year-old emperor that silenced them, but curiosity. How had this once powerless little emperor repeatedly astonished them with his actions today?
Their gazes brimmed with intrigue.
In matters of life and death, there was no room for negligence!
Ning Chen scanned the crowd, secretly pressing his thigh, tears welling in his voice: “Are you all so eager to force me to abdicate?”
“Our Great Ning governs the realm through filial piety. Though I may have made countless mistakes before, I have always shown utmost respect to my mother, the Empress Dowager!”
“I only wish, as emperor, to offer my mother one last tribute—a son’s final filial offering. Is that request too much?”
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“If you refuse even this, won’t you be branding my mother as heartless and unfilial?”
At these words, the court erupted into noisy debate once more, with many again at a loss.
The Great Ning’s rule by filial piety made the young emperor’s request indeed reasonable!
Yet the Prime Minister stepped forward again, expressionless, voice flat: “Your Majesty, there is no need to accuse us so. As the saying goes, a gentleman judges deeds, not intentions. So long as it is for the good of Great Ning and its people, we would rather bear eternal infamy!”
Others quickly echoed: “Indeed! For the good of Great Ning and its people, we would rather bear eternal infamy!”
“Empress Dowager, please depose the emperor and establish a wise ruler!”
Ning Chen frowned; truly, these were cunning old foxes!
But today, you will not drive me from this throne!
He glanced at a nearby pillar, and with chubby little fingers pointed at it, like a child acting out in a tantrum, reckless of consequences:
“Fine, very well. Since you disregard the Great Ning’s principle of governing through filial piety, and deny me this last chance to fulfill my filial duty, then I shall dash my head against this pillar!”
“Let me see if you can bear the eternal infamy of forcing an emperor to his death in the court!”
With that, Ning Chen turned back and, eyes wide and glistening, stared at the Empress Dowager, weeping bitterly:
“Mother, your son is unfilial. I must leave first…”
Then he charged toward the pillar with all his might!
In ancient times, the young Emperor Cao Mao died in battle rather than live ignobly, exposing Sima’s schemes to all and forever stamping them with historical shame—a classic stratagem.
Today, Ning Chen wished to see how these fame-hungry, scheming men would respond to such an open stratagem.
As expected!
Just as Ning Chen was about to strike the pillar, the commander of the imperial guards, Pan Yu, received orders from the Empress Dowager and rushed forward, catching the mere nine-year-old Ning Chen in his arms.
The Empress Dowager sighed deeply and said softly, “I am weary; the court is adjourned. As for the deposition, we shall follow what Chen’er says. After my birthday celebration, he will issue a self-accusation and abdicate voluntarily.”
She slowly rose, her expression complicated as she approached Ning Chen, her voice stern:
“Chen’er, if you cause such a scene again before all the officials, I will not spare you!”
Ning Chen sniffled, quickly wiped away his tears, knelt obediently and said, “Yes, thank you, Mother, for your understanding!”
Yet when she turned away, no one noticed the complex smile that flickered across Ning Chen’s youthful face.
On the way back to Fengyi Hall,
Commander Pan Yu couldn’t help but ask, “Your Majesty, why did you order me to stop him? Wouldn’t it be better if he died?”
The Empress Dowager frowned and said, “What do you understand? That little brat was like a different person today!”
Pan Yu knit his brows. “A different person? Surely not. He’s just a child throwing a tantrum, crying and fussing...”
The Empress Dowager flicked her sleeve, glared at Pan Yu, and snapped, “Fool! What do you know? Today he used the tactic of retreating to advance, and with just a few words, he got the ministers to plead for him, ruining my carefully planned deposition!”
“What’s worse, he dared to threaten to die in front of all the officials. If I had let him die in the hall, I would bear eternal infamy, and the vassal kings would use this as an excuse to stir rebellion, even raise armies against us!”
“So I had no choice but to agree. This is an inescapable stratagem!”
Pan Yu asked in confusion, “How could such a useless nine-year-old suddenly become so formidable? Could someone be secretly guiding him?”
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“If that were true,” the Empress Dowager suddenly lifted a finger and tilted Pan Yu’s chin, sneering coldly, “then the matter of deposing the emperor and establishing another...”
“The entire palace is under my control. If someone were secretly assisting him, do you think I wouldn’t know?”
“He’s merely a nine-year-old child, scheming desperately just to cling to the dragon throne a few more days. What great upheaval could he cause?”
As she spoke, her gaze grew resolute: “Rest assured, this dragon throne already has its true master. Ning Chen, that little brat, is unworthy to sit on it!”
“Once my birthday passes, he will vanish completely!”
...
Elsewhere,
After returning to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Ning Chen summoned the finest wood and carving tools, locking himself inside until night deepened.
“The sky is finally dark... and tonight’s moon is truly black...”
Ning Chen stretched, sitting on the threshold of the hall, his small hands propping up his head, a childish face etched with weariness.
To any onlooker, he was just a little kid lost in thought.
But no one knew the true thoughts within his heart:
Though today’s morning court was a small victory, buying him some time, if he couldn’t completely escape the Empress Dowager’s control, he would inevitably be deposed—and with her ruthless methods, he would surely not survive!
Yet, at only nine years old, without allies or power, this game was indeed difficult to turn!
He sighed, but soon his gaze hardened with unwavering resolve.
If no one supports my lofty ambitions, then I shall tread the snowy path to the mountain’s summit alone!
Alone or not, I survived countless dangers in my past life; what fear do I have in this one?
At that moment, a young eunuch approached, carrying clothes.
Ning Chen looked back—it was Xiao Anzi, the original owner’s personal eunuch.
Since Xiao Anzi was mute and illiterate, only quietly working, the Empress Dowager had assigned him to serve the original master.
Though called service, Ning Chen understood this man was just one of the Empress Dowager’s many spies!
Ning Chen waved him off irritably: “No need. You may leave...”
But unexpectedly, Xiao Anzi suddenly knelt, his expression grave as he looked at Ning Chen:
“Your Majesty, I have arranged everything. Please change your clothes quickly; I will cover your escape from the palace...”
Ning Chen was stunned, standing abruptly, his childish face full of shock, eyes wide open:
“You—you can actually speak...”