The Succession Struggle in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 84: The Secret Brothers Turn Against Each Other

Prince Yoshikō rested on the recliner for a while before slowly recovering.

Then he sat up, picked up a wooden box from the table next to him, and gently opened it.

Take out a pill the size of a peanut and swallow it with water.

After taking the medicine and resting for a while, she calmed down and her complexion gradually became rosy.

Since he was feeling alright for the time being, he said to a few servants, "You few go out and guard the door properly."

The servants exchanged glances, said nothing, and slowly withdrew from the greenhouse.

Once the servants had left, Prince Yixiao said, "Fifth brother, close the door."

Upon hearing this, Tu Chengyu went over and closed the door, then returned to the window to observe the situation outside.

Upon seeing this, Prince Yixiao said, "Fifth brother, don't worry. This greenhouse is very sturdy. As long as the door is closed from the inside, three or five people cannot easily open it from the outside."

Tu Chengyu said, "I'm relieved that it can't be opened."

After saying that, he walked to the other end of the room, dragged a chair over, and sat down to rest against the wall.

In the small greenhouse, the two cousins ​​looked at each other across the room, and for a moment they didn't know what to say.

After an unknown amount of time, Prince Yoshikō suddenly started laughing for no apparent reason.

Tu Chengyu didn't know what he was laughing at, so he stared at him with wide eyes.

Prince Yoshikō laughed heartily, as if he had heard a joke that was so captivating he couldn't stop.

He laughed for a long time until it caused him to cough.

After his cough subsided, he said:
"I haven't laughed this heartily in a long time."

Tu Chengyu asked, "Brother Wang, have you thought of something happy?"

Prince Yoshikō said, "There's nothing to be happy about, but a wish of mine is about to be fulfilled, which is why I want to laugh."

Tu Chengyu didn't ask him what wish had been fulfilled; he simply waited quietly for him to continue.

Seeing that Tu Chengyu did not ask any questions, Prince Yixiao continued:
"Xiao Wu, do you know how envious I am of you?"

Tu Chengyu said, "Brother Wang is joking. What do I have to envy?"

Prince Yoshikō said, "I envy you because so many people like you."

Tu Chengyu was puzzled. "You're an only child, yet you envy me, who has a large group of brothers and sisters."

Furthermore, just six months prior, Prince Yixiao, as the only son of the then Crown Prince, had been the focus of everyone's attention.

Such a person still envies others for being liked; could it be that they've experienced the coldness of human relationships in the past six months and are feeling psychologically unbalanced?

Tu Chengyu said, "Brother Wang is joking. It's possible that I've incurred the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people. But I don't actually have that many people who like me."

Prince Yixiao said, "Little Fifth, you've offended outsiders. What can they do if they don't like you?"

What I envy is that everyone in your family likes you.

"You are the most favored grandson of the Emperor Emeritus."

"Also, he was the son the emperor was most tolerant of."

“Even my father, the former crown prince, is very fond of you.”

Tu Chengyu agreed with the first two sentences, but he couldn't understand the last one.

Tu Chengyu said, "I've met my uncle a few times, but we've barely exchanged a few words. How could my uncle like me?"

Prince Yoshikō said, "I've always wanted to know why."

"Why does he ignore me, his own son?"

"They have a very high opinion of your nephew, whom they've barely met."

Why does he always talk about how good you are?

Tu Chengyu looked at Prince Yixiao and spoke such resentful words in a calm tone.

He could sense the resentment in Prince Yixiao's heart, and at the same time, he was also very puzzled: did the former crown prince really like him that much?

Tu Chengyu asked, "Brother Wang, you said that my uncle keeps talking about me? Where did you hear such absurd things?"

Prince Yoshikō said, "This is not something I heard from elsewhere; it is something I heard with my own ears."

Tu Chengyu said, "Did you misunderstand?"

Prince Yoshikō said, "He said it to my face, so what misunderstanding could there be?"

Tu Chengyu was speechless. What kind of person was the former crown prince? Praising someone else's son in front of his own son.

The problem is that his son is petty, which puts me in a really awkward position as an outsider.
Tu Chengyu said, "Brother Wang, Uncle may have just said it casually at the time, why do you take it to heart?"

Prince Yoshikō said, "If he was just saying it casually, I wouldn't have taken it to heart."

"But he did such a thing without any regard for the consequences, how could I not take it to heart?"

Tu Chengyu was about to ask what the former crown prince had done to make his own son, Prince Yixiao, so resentful.

When referring to him, don't use honorifics, just say "he" repeatedly.

However, before Tu Chengyu could speak, Prince Yixiao interrupted:

"Xiao Wu, you should remember that more than two years ago, the then Prince An had an argument with your uncle, Lord Chen."

"They didn't speak to each other for two years because of this argument."

Tu Chengyu had a good memory of the argument that Prince Yixiao had mentioned, because it was the time in all his years of experience that his father had been the angrier he remembered.

He remembered that on that day, his father not only smashed the main study of the Prince An's mansion to pieces, but also kept a sour face and was angry for half a month.

Tu Chengyu thought of his father's appearance back then and said:
“That is indeed true, but what does it have to do with what you’re talking about?” Prince Yixiao said, “How can it not have to do with it? The reason Prince An argued with Lord Chen was because of what he did.”

Tu Chengyu asked, "What exactly did Uncle do?"

Prince Yixiao said, "He sent Lord Chen to Prince An, wanting Prince An to adopt you to him."

Upon hearing this, Tu Chengyu stood up in surprise.

He asked, "Are you mistaken? How could my uncle possibly do such a thing?"

Prince Yixiao said, "Of course Lord Chen didn't want to do such a thing; it was he who forced Lord Chen to do it."

Tu Chengyu asked, "So the reason my father and uncle argued that day was because of this?"

"If my uncle really did such a thing, how could Father Emperor possibly elevate his rank?"

Prince Yixiao said, "The argument between Prince An and Lord Chen was faked."

"The purpose was to make others think that they had broken ties, and then have Lord Chen infiltrate the Crown Prince's residence to secretly send messages to Prince An."

It turns out there was such a hidden story behind the argument that day.

Tu Chengyu asked, "Why would my uncle want to adopt me? That's absurd."

Prince Yoshikō said, "There's nothing absurd about it, because by adopting you, he can secure his position as crown prince."

Tu Chengyu felt that Prince Yixiao's words were becoming more and more outrageous. What ability did he have to help him keep his position as crown prince?

Prince Yixiao looked at Tu Chengyu with a mocking expression and asked:

"Doesn't it seem absurd? But it's all true."

Tu Chengyu asked, "Why?"

Prince Yixiao said, "Because the Emperor Emeritus favors you, because you are the legitimate son, and because your health is better than mine."

Tu Chengyu shook his head and asked, "I didn't ask you that. I was asking, since you're here, why did Uncle want to be adopted?"

Prince Yoshikō said, "He thought I wouldn't live for more than a few years. He was afraid that if I died, he would have no son."

Tu Chengyu said, "If Uncle is worried about Brother Wang's health, then you can have another child."

Prince Yoshikō said, "He also wanted to have another son, but he couldn't."

“He couldn’t have another child for decades, and he was worried that I might die at any moment.”

"So he was very afraid that one day he, the crown prince at the time, would have no son."

Do you know how terrible it is for a crown prince to have no son?

Tu Chengyu remained silent, while Prince Yixiao spoke to himself.

“Once the crown prince has no son, it means he will be unable to bring more benefits to others.”

"The Emperor wouldn't feel comfortable passing the throne to him."

“Those who follow him, both civil and military, will gradually abandon him.”

“Those brothers who were usually very respectful to him would secretly covet his position.”

"He will be abandoned by everyone, and betrayed by everyone."

"So when he saw that Prince Ping was showing signs of challenging him for the throne, the retired emperor gradually lost patience with him."

"He panicked, but he just couldn't have a son."

"He can't give birth, hahahahahahahahahaha"

At this point, Prince Yoshikō laughed so hard he could barely breathe, tears streaming down his face.

Tu Chengyu watched quietly and waited patiently.

Prince Yoshikō laughed until he coughed again before he finally stopped.

He said, "Do you know how he spent that time?"

"He frantically searched for doctors everywhere, from imperial physicians to folk healers, he consulted countless ones."

"Please come and treat me, treat him, and treat the concubines in the mansion."

"But it didn't work at all."

"He still can't have a son, and I'm still the useless person he says will die at any time."

"Finally, he gave up and, after listening to others' advice, wanted to adopt a son to replace me, the sickly heir."

"So, he set his sights on you."

Tu Chengyu listened to his long speech, hearing his dissatisfaction and resentment, but felt no sympathy for him whatsoever.

Because Tu Chengyu could hear the resentment Prince Yixiao harbored towards him in his words.

So, just as he was about to start complaining again, Tu Chengyu interrupted him.

"You've said so much, but it was all done by the former crown prince. What does it have to do with me?"

Prince Yixiao looked at Tu Chengyu and said, "It really has nothing to do with you, but he's dead. Who else can I blame but you?"

Tu Chengyu said with a sneer, "You can resent the retired emperor and the emperor."

Prince Yixiao was speechless after hearing Tu Chengyu's words and didn't know how to respond.

Tu Chengyu said disdainfully, "So many people have hurt you and looked down on you, yet you don't resent them, but you resent only an innocent person like me."

"What kind of bullshit is this."

"If you don't even have the courage to resent someone, what's the point of living?"

(End of this chapter)