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Chapter 449 - 449: For the Emperor

Dowager and was committed to avoiding any action that might displease her.

He would not have considered deposing the Crown Prince had it not been for the Crown Prince’s grave transgressions. The Emperor could not tolerate the Crown Prince’s desire to harm the Third Prince.

The Third Prince’s life had been marked by misfortune; he had lost his mother at a young age and had struggled with frail health throughout his childhood. In order to survive, he had been compelled to distance himself from his family and take refuge in the Buddhist Sect. The Crown Prince’s unwillingness to relinquish a younger brother who was already struggling for survival was a testament to the harshness of his heart.

Typically, in the competition for the throne, it was common for princes to employ every means possible to eliminate their rivals. However, the Third Prince was a unique case, as he posed no genuine threat to the Crown Prince’s position as the heir. Given the Crown Prince’s status, could he not afford to be more magnanimous?

The General Manor still harbored lingering resentment over the incident in which the Third Prince was pursued. They believed that the Emperor displayed favoritism toward the Crown Prince and suspected the pursuers were remnants of the previous dynasty. They questioned why the remnants would target the seemingly inconsequential Third Prince, who was in recuperation outside, rather than making an attempt on the Crown Prince’s life.

The Emperor was keenly aware of these inquiries and shared the sentiment that he had failed the Third Prince. If he chose to spare the Crown Prince in this matter, the General Manor was likely to voice more objections.

The Emperor grappled with heightened guilt toward the Third Prince.

However, disciplining the Crown Prince would likely spark renewed conflict between the Empress Dowager and the influential Public House. The Emperor recognized that the current predicament was challenging to resolve and also considered potential future complications.

From the perspective of the Crown Prince, eliminating the Third Prince seemed justifiable. As the Third Prince’s health continued to improve, there was the looming possibility of him becoming a formidable rival to the Crown Prince. If a power struggle erupted between the two brothers for the throne in the future, particularly when the Emperor was on his deathbed, the repercussions could be beyond imagination.

Upon receiving news of the incident involving the fifth princess, and learning that the emperor had placed the crown prince, the empress, and the fifth princess under house arrest in the palace, the Empress Dowager promptly sought an audience with the emperor. It had been three days since the unfortunate event unfolded, and the emperor had maintained strict secrecy regarding the matter, keeping it concealed from the Public House and the General Manor, as well as the Empress Dowager, until this point.

Fuming with anger, the Empress Dowager demanded, “Your Majesty, why have you confined their mother and the other two within the palace? I demand the truth!”

The emperor felt compelled to disclose the actions of the fifth princess and the crown prince to the Empress Dowager.

In response, the Empress Dowager scolded, “Qin Zhenzhen is undoubtedly a source of trouble. She has brought calamity upon the country and its people!” The Emperor was left momentarily speechless.

The Empress Dowager went on, saying, “To merely claim that she has brought disaster to the country and its people is an understatement. Had she not appeared so alluring, why would the Crown Prince be so infatuated with her? If the Crown Prince had no feelings for her, he would never have encouraged the fifth princess to partake in such actions. This entire debacle is Qin Zhenzhen’s doing!”

The emperor found himself increasingly perplexed by the situation.

The Empress Dowager’s response was equally baffling.

The emperor attempted to reason with her, “Mother, what about the fifth princess? The empress has allowed her to reach such a disgraceful state, bringing shame to the royal family. Should I take action against the empress?” However, the Empress Dowager shook her head and emphatically stated, “The

Emperor must not punish the Empress! She acts in the Emperor’s best interests!