Mo Junyang’s eyes stiffened, and everything around became solemn seemingly, like his face.
It was Mo Xiangbin’s first time to talk about the successor with him in all sincerity and frankness instead of beating around the bush.
“Junyang, why don’t you speak?”
Perhaps because Mo Junyang stayed silent for too long, Mo Xiangbin couldn’t help but ask.
Mo Junyang replied flatly, “Your Majesty, what do you want me to say?”
Mo Xiangbin was speechless.
Probably nobody was more skilled in rendering others speechless than Mo Junyang.
Mo Xiangbin glared at Mo Junyang in frustration and asked crossly, “Haven’t you heard what I said?”
Mo Junyang answered, “Yes, I have.”
Mo Xiangbin was about to say more, while Mo Junyang continued in an indifferent tone, as if it was none of his business, “But you are on the throne, and you can give it to anybody as you like. Why do you need to consider others’ opinions?”
Mo Junyang said tactfully, and it was not like what he would say.
Although Mo Junyang always liked to keep out of the business, as a crown prince’s follower, shouldn’t he say something at the moment?
Mo Xiangbin looked Mo Junyang up and down in doubt. “I thought that you would recommend the crown prince. After all, he is the heir to the throne for now.”
“Your Majesty, you have considered these matters, so I don’t need to say more.”
Mo Xiangbin was unable to reply.
He was convinced by Mo Junyang. The young man tricked him to speak out his intention, yet he didn’t say anything. He was so cunning.
“Kid.” Mo Xiangbin sighed deeply again and didn’t know what else he could say.
At last, he had to look at Mo Junyang seriously, saying frankly, “I really want to hear your opinion today. Don’t need to say anything insincere to me. I just want you to tell the truth. What on earth do you think about this matter?”
Mo Junyang still responded, “What I said just now is not insincere but from the bottom of my heart.”
Mo Xiangbin narrowed his eyes and finally showed displeasure in his eyes.
However, before the emperor rebuked, Mo Junyang continued, “I don’t have any thoughts about who will take the throne in the future.”
His hidden meaning was that no matter who would take the throne in the future, it wouldn’t affect him.
And he didn’t care.
Mo Xiangbin finally understood what Mo Junyang meant and was stunned.
He almost stuttered, “But don’t you help the crown prince?”
Mo Junyang was still the crown prince’s reading partner and his follower, yet he said that he never thought about whether the crown prince could take the throne?
Was he joking?
Mo Junyang shrugged and replied casually, “The crown prince is the heir to the throne, and…”
He paused for a moment and finally added, “Change.”
That was the same reason why he had saved Mo Junyu’s life with enthusiasm.
He needed to change and be different from the previous life, while it was merely the start to save Mo Junyu, and supporting him in taking the throne became another choice.
It was to change, while it was just a choice.
Mo Junyang had many choices, so if Mo Xiangbin didn’t want to choose Mo Junyu, he would just make another choice.
However, Mo Xiangbin misunderstood Mo Junyang obviously and thought that the young man thought highly of Mo Junyu’s capabilities apart from his identity as the crown prince and wanted to change, so he chose Mo Junyu.
He frowned deeply and murmured, “Is the crown prince really as good as you said?”
Mo Junyang knew that Mo Xiangbin misunderstood him, but he didn’t plan to explain, so he just stated implicitly, “It’s up to your opinion whether he is good or not. For example, don’t you think that the fourth prince is better, Your Majesty?”
Mo Xiangbin was suddenly seen through, and his face stiffened, looking embarrassed. He denied subconsciously, “No, I just…”
He couldn’t continue under Mo Junyang’s peaceful yet forceful eyes.
Right!
He wanted to have a frank and straight talk, but he tried to conceal his feelings after he was exposed, so it would be embarrassing.
The emperor took a deep breath and then adjusted his mentality before adding, “Right. Junhao is mature and steady. He can take responsibility and does well in dealing with people and behavior. I can say that he is excellent in all aspects.”
So when Mo Junyu was implicated and denounced because of the colorful phenix, Mo Xiangbin took the opportunity to depose the crown prince although he guessed that Mo Junyu might be a scapegoat.
Later he gave up the plan after Mo Junyang advised him, but now he was in poor health, so he was eager to carry out this plan again.
Mo Xiangbin knew that Mo Junyang helped the crown prince, so before he made the decision, he needed to consider Mo Junyang’s opinion.
When Mo Junyang was here, it was not easy for Mo Junhao to keep the position of heir to the throne.
Unfortunately, even at this hour, Mo Junyang didn’t clearly express who he supported, so it was difficult for Mo Xiangbin to handle it.
The expression on Mo Xiangbin’s face changed repeatedly, and he stuttered, unable to make it clear.
In the end, he waved his hand as if to give up and sighed helplessly. “Forget it. It’s not urgent. Go out now. Let me think it over.”
Mo Junyang nodded and bowed, turning to walk out.
When the young man walked to the door, Mo Xiangbin suddenly asked, “If I make Junhao the new crown prince, will you assist the crown prince like you did before?”
Mo Junyang looked back and met Mo Xiangbin’s sharp eyes. It seemed that the emperor wanted to see through him.
However, if he could be seen through so easily, he wouldn’t be Mo Junyang.
Mo Junyang pursed his thin lips and remained silent for a long time.
When Mo Xiangbin was about to give up sounding out Mo Junyang, the latter shook his head and answered peacefully, “No.”
Aha, this answer was simple and direct, without leaving him a chance to prepare and negotiate.
Mo Xiangbin smiled bitterly. In fact, he had predicted it earlier, yet he still had wild wishes and wondered if there was a surprise.
However, Mo Junyang didn’t give him a chance to dream but told him the answer directly.
He couldn’t help but ask why.
Mo Junyang just shook his head, without saying anything.
Nobody knew whether he didn’t want to say or it was unnecessary to say as the answer was too obvious.
Mo Xiangbin guessed that it was the latter, so he didn’t continue to ask.
However, if Mo Xiangbin knew the answer on Mo Junyang’s mind, he might be irritated to death.
It was because Mo Junyang wouldn’t support Mo Junhao from the beginning.
The reason was simple and direct. Shi Qingxue hadn’t taken revenge on Mo Junhao. No matter who would take the throne in the future, it would never be him.
Mo Junyang certainly supported Shi Qingxue wholeheartedly.
If he revealed his intention to get furious because of his beloved woman and give up the throne for a beauty, like a fatuous and self-indulgent ruler, he would be beaten up.
Mo Junyang restrained himself and didn’t say anything to irritate Mo Xiangbin, and the latter thought that he got the right answer, so he didn’t continue to ask but told the young man to leave.
Mo Junyang walked out of the bedroom and hadn’t left the imperial palace. Then he saw that the crown prince’s carriage stopped at the gate of the palace.
It appeared that the crown prince was waiting for him.
Mo Junyu also saw Mo Junyang and smiled at him.
Mo Junyang nodded. Needless to say more, he went into the crown prince’s carriage.
The carriage moved on the road. As soon as they got out of the imperial palace, Mo Junyu got impatient and asked, “What did Father tell you?”
Mo Junyang looked at Mo Junyu with a faint smile. Till the latter felt embarrassed under his stare, Mo Junyang revealed the shocking news slowly.
“His Majesty plans to select the new crown prince.”
Mo Junyu goggled.
He looked at Mo Junyang in astonishment and his eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets. He couldn’t believe that Mo Junyang spoke out something so important in such a flat tone.
Wasn’t it scary?
“Father, he…” Mo Junyu was so anxious that he started to stutter.
He wanted to ask about Mo Xiangbin’s final decision, but he couldn’t find a tactful way, so he gave up the affected manners that all people knew.
He asked directly, “What did Father decide to do in the end? Will he…depose me?”
Mo Junyu’s voice was deep and bitter, and his joy and elation when he was in the emperor’s bedroom today disappeared.
He had a smile with mockery on his lips, as if mocking at himself for feeling happy too soon.
In fact, before Mo Junyang spoke, Mo Junyu had imagined if Mo Xiangbin finally found his efforts for so many years so he changed his attitude toward the first son.
However, the fact slapped Mo Junyu and made him feel a heartache.
He was resentful yet couldn’t vent it, so it spread everywhere.
For a moment, he hated his father who was partial to Mo Junhao. Why didn’t he distract his attention and care about his first son?
For a moment, he was jealous of Mo Junhao. Why did this younger brother snatch the love which belonged to him?
And even for a moment, Mo Junyu bore a grudge against Mo Junyang and couldn’t help but think that if the latter didn’t tell him about his father’s intention, he wouldn’t feel so bad.
Mo Junyu’s resentment was unreasonable, yet he just couldn’t stop himself from complaining and hating.
He was absorbed in his thoughts for a long time and could hardly come back to earth.
Mo Junyang responded impassively, “His Majesty hasn’t made a decision yet.”
Mo Junyu finally woke up from a daze and was stunned. “How come?”
Mo Junyang stopped talking about this matter and reminded, “His Majesty has given orders. Just do as he said.”
“But…” Mo Junyu was still hesitant and restless.
Mo Junyang just shook his head and didn’t plan to speak.
In the beginning, Mo Junyu didn’t understood Mo Junyang’s puzzle, but after two days, the Ministry of Rite announced an imperial edict, so he understood what Mo Junyang meant.
“I am suffering from a slight illness these days, so I order the crown prince to act as regent, and all the state affairs will be handled by him. If he can’t make a decision, he can report to me.”
Mo Xiangbin planned earlier to let the crown prince act as regent, yet he just said it.
Even if Mo Junyu could handle all the state affairs, the final decisions should be made by Mo Xiangbin, while after he made the imperial edict, Mo Junyu had the power to make decisions for all the state affairs.
Mo Xiangbin gave all his power to Mo Junyu?
Mo Junyu just knew that Mo Xiangbin planned to depose the crown prince lately, but his next step was to let the crown prince act as regent unexpectedly.
He didn’t know what to say.
However, he knew who influenced Mo Xiangbin before he changed his mind.
After all, before the imperial edict was made, the emperor didn’t summon anybody else.
As a result, when Mo Junyu thought of his evil conjectures about Mo Junyang, he felt ashamed and could hardly face this helper.
Fortunately, Mo Junyang didn’t know what the crown prince was thinking about.
Mo Junyu felt lucky in secret and decided to return a favor to Mo Junyang in something else.