Upon receiving the piece of paper, the Second Prince began to read the text on it.
After a quick scan, his expression grew increasingly excited.
"Where is the person who delivered this?" the Second Prince urgently inquired. While the item brought him great surprise, he couldn't help but question the motives of the deliverer.
If the contents of this paper were true, the implications were immense. The Sixth Prince, the current Crown Prince, would be unable to maintain his position, and thus could not send him to war.
However, he had no explanation for how this item came to be, nor could he prove its contents were genuine.
"Before coming to you, this old servant asked the gatekeeper. He said it was a person dressed as a eunuch who delivered it, which is why he showed it to me.
However, after delivering the box, the man said he had duties to attend to and left quickly."
"Duties? Someone from the palace?"
"This old servant also thinks so."
"Go and summon Mr. Gu and the others, and then inform the Princess Consort to pack my luggage for me."
"Your Highness?" the steward asked, astonished. Was his master intending to accept the Crown Prince's decree?
"Go!"
The Second Prince waved his hand, dismissing the steward.
He looked again at the paper filled with information. Such crucial news had been delivered so openly to his residence. The person seemed indifferent to whether he would believe it or not.
They had merely placed the message in his hands, and perhaps they didn't even care how many people knew about it. It was possible they wanted to spread this news throughout the entire capital.
This implied that the message likely originated from Prince Ying Chuan. This royal uncle's reach was truly extensive!
However, his actions made the Second Prince feel he could no longer hesitate. Even if he didn't take the throne, it wouldn't fall to Prince Ying Chuan.
The conflict with the Sixth Prince was an internal matter. Although they were vying for the throne, they were, after all, brothers born of the same father.
If Prince Ying Chuan were to become emperor, with the victor taking all, neither they nor their children would have a way out.
After defeating Prince Ying Chuan's army, they could then discuss the succession to the throne. Since the Sixth Prince's position as Crown Prince was not obtained honorably, they would not be blamed for contesting it.
After meeting with his strategists, the Second Prince quickly packed his belongings and set off with the army. However, before departing, he sent a grand gift to Crown Prince Zhao Yan Xiang.
The same wooden box, the same paper, and the same text. He was quite curious to see Zhao Yan Xiang's expression upon receiving this gift, but he could no longer witness it.
The imperial army encountered Prince Ying Chuan's forces when they were only a hundred li from the capital.
While the Second Prince's prowess in governance couldn't compare to the First Prince's, he was indeed skilled in military tactics and formations. Being assigned as the vanguard was a testament to the Crown Prince's sound judgment.
The Second Prince mused sarcastically. He had always regarded the eldest as his greatest rival and had never taken the Sixth Prince seriously. Once the eldest was out of the picture, he believed the throne would be his for the taking.
Who would have thought that the Sixth Prince, a dark horse, would suddenly emerge? The main thing was that she had never imagined the maternal family of the Sixth Prince possessed such capabilities.
He had underestimated the Sixth Prince, but he wouldn't make that mistake again. He would acknowledge this opponent, then trample him underfoot once more, and emerge as the ultimate victor.
"I didn't expect this Second Prince to have some sense of the bigger picture and not act impulsively." Prince Ying Chuan spoke with considerable praise for the Second Prince.
Although they were now adversaries, they were still members of the Zhao family, and the Second Prince was his nephew. Their performance pleased him greatly.
"Father King seems quite satisfied with this prince. I wonder if he'll go easy on you when they truly clash?" Zhao Hao listened to his father's praise for the Second Prince without any jealousy.
The Emperor's sons were all decent. Apart from the younger ones, who were yet to show their mettle, the grown ones did not inherit his treacherous nature, his cold-bloodedness, or his heartlessness.
"Impossible. To give your all on the battlefield is the greatest respect to one's opponent."
"Then I shall await your triumphant return, Father King."
On the day the imperial army clashed with Prince Ying Chuan's forces, the Second Prince stood at the forefront of the army, calling out to Prince Ying Chuan's side:
"Imperial Uncle, you are also a member of the Qi royal family. The royal family has treated you well over the years, otherwise, you wouldn't have the audacity to raise an army. Why are you so greedy? Imperial Uncle, if you retreat now, I can intercede with the Crown Prince.
After all, you are our elder. We can forgive your temporary lapse in judgment. Those opposite are all citizens of Qi. Why shed blood amongst yourselves for the selfish interests of one person?"
The Second Prince's words did not sway a single person on the opposing side. He knew it was impossible to shake them with a few sentences.
All he intended to do was to make his own troops understand that they were the righteous army.
Geographical advantage is inferior to unity among people. Although the opposing army had fought its way here, they were weary, yet they had not suffered a single defeat. Their morale was at its peak.
Their chances of victory against such an army were slim. But now, the court desperately needed a victory, and he had to employ every method to strive for one.
"Second Highness, you need not speak further. What do you mean by treating me well? This King and your father have an irreconcilable feud!" The soldiers in front parted, revealing Prince Ying Chuan on horseback behind them.
"Second Highness should know that I have only one daughter, but I did have two sons. How my sons died, and why Fu An has always been frail, are all due to your father." This was the first time Prince Ying Chuan revealed the reason for his rebellion in front of everyone.
"Have you not met the clansmen of Consort Mei? You should know what your father has done."
Only then did the Second Prince understand why Prince Ying Chuan was rebelling. He had initially thought Prince Ying Chuan coveted the throne; now it seemed he only sought revenge.
"Imperial Uncle, Father Emperor is gravely ill and has only a few days left to live." The Second Prince knew Prince Ying Chuan's resolve to rebel was firm, but he still wished to persuade him further.
After all, when he truly compared the combat strengths of both sides, he felt that winning this battle would be incredibly difficult. The best-case scenario would be a stalemate, but he truly couldn't afford to drag it out.
"Although he is dying, my vengeance must still be exacted. Furthermore, Second Highness, aren't you curious why your Father Emperor insisted on eradicating me?" Prince Ying Chuan's voice held a hint of seduction.
The Second Prince realized he shouldn't continue asking. The outcome would surely not be what he desired. However, Prince Ying Chuan on the other side did not comply with his wishes.
"It is because your Father Emperor usurped the throne unjustly. He feared that I would obtain the late Emperor's decree and overthrow his rule. Therefore, after ascending the throne, he sought to exterminate his own brothers.
Oh, and it wasn't just us he sought to exterminate, but us and our descendants.
Think about it, among the princes of the same generation as your Father Emperor, are there any with male heirs still alive?"