If not abolished

Chapter 288 Rumors

Han Palace

Zhu Zhanqi has been locked up in the mansion for some time and cannot go out. Naturally, it is not convenient for him to go out to inquire about the news. After all, Zhu Di is keeping a close eye on him.

So it was more than half a month later before he received the news.

"You mean, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and his men went to Zhongdu? When did it happen? Did His Majesty give any reason? Why did he suddenly let His Royal Highness the Crown Prince go to Zhongdu?" Zhu Zhanqi was naturally surprised when he heard the news. Considering how much Zhu Di doted on Zhu Zhanji, why would he send him to Zhongdu for no reason? Although Zhongdu was the place where their Zhu family prospered, everyone knew that sending people there without any reason was tantamount to exile, wasn't it?

"I didn't find out about that. His Majesty didn't say anything. He just asked the Crown Prince to leave. He left with his family and it seems like he won't be back for a long time."

"You didn't say anything and just let him go. Isn't this like your Majesty's style?"

"Who says it's not? Not only are you confused, Your Highness, but the ministers are also speculating now. They are all saying that His Majesty wants to depose the Crown Prince?" The man told Zhu Zhanqi about the rumors in Tianjing City.

"Depose the crown prince? What do you mean? His Majesty has this plan." Zhu Zhanqi couldn't go out now, nor could he go to the court, so naturally he didn't know what was going on. However, these ministers did have contact with His Majesty and the crown prince every day. For the ministers to have such an idea, it seemed that something else had happened.

"As you know, His Majesty has never been satisfied with the Crown Prince. When he returned to the capital that time, the Crown Prince must have been scolded. What's worse, there were many people who were imprisoned and beaten with sticks just because they were the Crown Prince's men. Everyone knows that the reason why His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was canonized was because of the rules of Emperor Taizu, but the most important and crucial reason was that His Majesty doted on His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. If it weren't for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, it would be hard to say who would have been the Crown Prince. What do you think?" the man continued.

"What you said is true, but the prince has a favored son, Zhu Zhanji. His Majesty will not depose the prince no matter what." Zhu Zhanqi saw clearly that His Majesty was really training Zhu Zhanji as his heir, and to them he was just an ordinary grandson.

"But Your Highness, the ministers are now saying in private that the Emperor used to dote on His Highness the Crown Prince so much, but now he just sent someone to Zhongdu without even giving a reason. I'm afraid he made a mistake, and it's not a small one. Otherwise, why did he keep it a secret and not even the Crown Prince said anything? I'm afraid..."

"It is understandable that the ministers think so. After all, if the wrong person is chosen in the future, it will be..." Zhu Zhanqi's eyes lit up. Isn't this a great opportunity now? Zhu Zhanji is not in the capital, so what they want to do will be easy.

"That's right. So the ministers have been unsure of His Majesty's intentions during this period. But His Majesty seems to be urging the relocation of the capital and is arguing with the ministers."

"The matter of moving the capital has been talked about for many years. Now that the Forbidden City is about to be completed, Your Majesty is of course anxious to move the capital. Since the capital is about to be moved, Your Majesty still allows His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to leave the capital. Isn't that indeed a loss of favor?" If it were in the past, Your Majesty would definitely send Zhu Zhanji to be the vanguard, to settle down in Shuntian Prefecture and handle the matters of moving the capital, but now... it seems that the ministers' speculation is not unreasonable.

"Your Highness is right. His Majesty is going to move the capital. You said that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is not in the capital now, and the other princes are either in their fiefdoms or in Shuntian. You said that if His Majesty has any problems, he must rely on you, right? Maybe Your Highness will be able to go out soon."

"Your analysis makes sense." Zhu Zhanqi nodded. "However, the most urgent task now is that since we already know that Zhu Zhanji has left Beijing, shouldn't we do something while he is still on the road? Even if we can't take his life, isn't the Crown Princess pregnant? It is not impossible that something unexpected will happen." Zhu Zhanqi now hopes that everyone will have a hard time, whether it is his father or Zhu Zhanji, and that they all live in pain.

"Your Highness, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has already set out for a long time. If we chase after him, we may not be in time. Also, His Majesty is watching him closely. If our people want to go out, they may be easily discovered, which will be a waste of time." The people around him dissuaded him.

"I can't do this, I can't do that. Am I just going to sit here and waste my time?" Zhu Zhanqi had been locked up for these days, so he was naturally very upset and often lost his temper. No one dared to offend him.

"Your Highness, calm down. Your Highness, calm down."

"Okay, what you said makes sense. Forget it. If I really fall out of favor, there will be no difference between living and dying." Zhu Zhanqi said after smashing some things at hand to vent his emotions.

"Yes, Your Highness, now that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is gone, isn't this a good opportunity for us to take the throne?"

"You're right. Let's take advantage of this time to make some careful plans." Zhu Zhanqi calmed down and figured it out.

Compared to Zhu Zhanqi's gloating in the Han Palace, another family was a little sad about Zhu Zhanji leaving the capital.

This is naturally the Hu family, where all will prosper and suffer together with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

At this time, the Hu family was sitting in the living room, no one spoke. Even Hu Shanwei and Hu An, who were not often at home, came back today.

"Father, why did you call everyone back? Is there something wrong?" Finally, it was Hu Shanwei who broke the silence and spoke.

"Ahem...Yes, I called you all back today because I do have something to tell you." Hu Rong then spoke.

"Father, please speak." Hu An said as he sat there.

Hu Rong looked around and said, "You all know this. Because of the Crown Prince's departure from the capital, all kinds of speculation and rumors are spreading inside and outside the capital. I'm a little panicked. Do you think His Majesty is really going to depose the Crown Prince as they say?" Hu Rong was so frightened by these things these days that he had lost his mind.

"Father, why are you the same as those people who believe in these things? If His Majesty wanted to depose the Crown Prince, he would have done so long ago. Why wait until today? Besides, with the power the Crown Prince has now in the court, how could he be deposed? Don't worry about it. If you have nothing else to do, I will return to the palace in the afternoon." Hu Shanwei was a little speechless about his father. He believed everything he heard.

"What my eldest sister said is right. Dad should relax. These are just unfounded speculations. Such people are just fence-sitters. How can Dad believe them?" Hu An also supported Hu Shanwei's opinion.

"This...I have also heard them say this. Moreover, His Majesty is about to move the capital, but he has sent His Royal Highness to Zhongdu. Isn't this a demotion? He also wants His Majesty to go there as well. How can this not make people worried?"

"Father, you are worrying too much. Okay, don't worry, His Highness and the Queen are fine. But you should go out less during this period to avoid listening to gossip and being upset. I really have to go back, you can talk to Hu An and the others." Hu Shanwei said and left.

"Hey, you're not home for dinner." Hu Rong saw her leaving in a hurry and shouted from behind.

"I'm not going to eat anymore. I have things to do when I get back." Hu Shanwei replied without even turning his head. He thought that if he stayed any longer, he would probably be dragged by his mother to meet people again. It would be better to go back to the palace and have some free time.

"Then you two stay for dinner. Your mother has asked someone to prepare everything." Hu Rong looked at his two remaining sons.

"Yes." The two knew they couldn't escape and sighed in their hearts. If they had known earlier, they would have slipped away with their eldest sister.

"An'er, why didn't His Royal Highness the Crown Prince take you with him when he went out this time?" Hu Rong was still worried.

"Father, His Highness has brought someone else with him this time. Don't worry, there are people protecting His Highness and His Majesty. They will definitely be safe."

"That's fine, that's fine."

In the palace.

Zhu Di had also heard about the recent rumors and almost spit out his tea.

"What are you thinking? Depose the Crown Prince. How can these people act like women? They can even say that the Crown Prince should be deposed, but they don't even look at the people in the court who support the Crown Prince. Not to mention deposing him, even if the Crown Prince wants to rebel, he has the ability to do so..."

"Your Majesty, you are joking. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has always loved and respected you. Rebellion is absolutely impossible." Wang Jinghong was shocked when he heard this.

"I know."