SFL Chapter 18

Su Qianhuan, as the eldest daughter of the Su family’s main branch, had already been willful once in her previous marriage arrangements. The Su family might have tolerated it once, but they wouldn’t tolerate it a second time.

Furthermore, the status of the Fourth Prince and the Third Prince in the eyes of the Su family was different.

Before the Third Prince gained his reputation, the Su family had initially valued the Fourth Prince, known for his exceptional intelligence. Seeing the royal heirs growing up and many ambitious officials beginning to place their bets, they had chosen the Fourth Prince, even if it meant offending the Third Prince.

At that time, compared to the Fourth Prince, the Third Prince was considered rather mediocre in the eyes of many officials. Over time, even a tiger who retracted its claws would be seen as a mere cat by others. Despite having some hidden power, the Third Prince wasn’t someone courtiers could easily influence.

However, what they hadn’t expected was how quickly the Third Prince would rise in a short period of time, like a dark horse entering the scene. Even perceptive individuals could see that the Emperor was increasingly favoring the Third Prince. This left some officials who had committed to assist other royal heirs feeling a hint of regret, especially those who had left Mu Yunfeng’s side. Now, they couldn’t return because the rewards of loyalty to the later-joined princes were far greater.

Obtaining the Emperor’s trust was no easy task, and the princes they had chosen to support later on were not lenient.

Just as the Fourth Prince was about to enter the court, Mu Yunfeng was summoned to the palace, and surprisingly, the Fourth Prince was present as well, kneeling.

“Yunfeng, come forward,” the Emperor said without showing his emotions, “Perfect, your Fourth Brother has something to discuss with you.”

“What’s the matter?” Mu Yunfeng looked at the still-kneeling Fourth Prince.

The Fourth Prince’s eyes were half-lidded, and he didn’t meet their gazes directly as he spoke, “Third Brother, I have set my heart on Miss Su Qianhuan from the Su family. I ask for your understanding and support in this matter.”

Mu Yunfeng chuckled lightly upon hearing this. “Fourth Brother, Miss Su from the Su family has nothing to do with me. Your words might lead to misunderstandings if said elsewhere.” He distanced himself from Su Qianhuan in his words.

He hadn’t expected the Fourth Prince to be so straightforward about this matter. Well, sometimes simplicity was the most efficient approach.

Hearing Mu Yunfeng disassociate himself, the Emperor’s expression softened as he looked at the Fourth Prince. “That Su girl has discussed marriage with your Third Brother before and even escaped a marriage. Aren’t you afraid she might go mad and flee again?”

The Fourth Prince’s eyelashes trembled slightly as he replied, “Your Majesty, I truly have feelings for Miss Su. I implore Your Majesty and Third Brother to grant us your blessings.”

The Emperor grew somewhat angry. “Aren’t you afraid she might go mad and flee another marriage again!?”

“I… I’m not,” the Fourth Prince assured the Emperor.

He swore that if Su Qianhuan did that, he would rather bear the name of a widower than let others make fun of him. He was different from his soft-hearted Third Brother.

Before coming here, the Fourth Prince had prepared himself to endure some hardships. After all, he couldn’t ignore the relationship between Su Qianhuan and the Third Prince. Although he had only recently met Su Qianhuan, it was inevitable that the Emperor would perceive it as sibling rivalry, which wouldn’t be in his favor.

However, the Fourth Prince hadn’t expected Mu Yunfeng to treat this matter so casually, as if he genuinely didn’t care at all. None of the possessiveness or obstruction he had anticipated had materialized.

“Since this is what you both wish and have chosen, walk this path yourselves, as long as you don’t regret it in the future,” Mu Yunfeng, one of the parties involved, didn’t seem to care. Naturally, the Emperor didn’t pay it much mind either.

Their attitudes made the Fourth Prince’s originally prepared self-sacrificing strategy pointless. At this moment, he felt somewhat empty inside, like punching into thin air, leaving him somewhat powerless.

The Fourth Prince keenly sensed that something had changed, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was.

Nevertheless, he had achieved his goal in coming here today. With Mu Yunfeng’s agreement as a “witness,” any future mention of his relationship with Su Qianhuan wouldn’t lead to rumors of a “sibling relationship.”

The Emperor dismissed the Fourth Prince and then turned his attention to Mu Yunfeng, who was still present. He asked, “Fourth mentioned he has genuine feelings for that Su woman and won’t marry anyone else. What’s your view on this?”

“It’s just a more palatable fig leaf, after all. Fourth Brother can’t possibly be so careless in front of you, saying he’s interested in marrying into the Su family behind Su Qianhuan,” Mu Yunfeng replied with a smile. “That would be too blunt and would expose his intentions.”

The Emperor, not entirely pleased, said, “Fourth is the first to take action, but he won’t be the last. Aren’t you concerned as his elder brother?” Compared to his other sons who were actively pursuing marriage alliances, Mu Yunfeng was undoubtedly much easier to manage.

In his own family, his wife couldn’t assist him in any way, and her family provided no support. Mu Yunfeng hadn’t lifted a finger for his in-laws, which was already considered good.

He couldn’t help but feel impatient with his son, who was alone and lacked influence, even though he was above everyone else.

Originally, he shouldn’t have been so emotional, considering his status as the Emperor. However, seeing his own son being marginalized and hated by the imperial family, and being manipulated by his “powerful” brothers, even the Emperor, as cold-hearted as he was, couldn’t help but lean towards the weaker side subconsciously.

Mu Yunfeng’s honesty and genuine loyalty was obviously the best thing for him as an Emperor and a father. He also couldn’t help but feel angry seeing his ‘honest’ son being mistreated.

Surprisingly, the directly involved, Mu Yunfeng, didn’t seem too agitated about the situation. He responded, “Father, as royal princes, our primary focus should be on our individual achievements. The rest are just trivial matters.”

There are people who rely on conspiracy and trickery to become an emperor, but they are quite a rare breed. More often than not, those emperors achieve their positions through virtuous means.

At present, the one with the most outstanding achievements in the imperial court was Mu Yunfeng.

Thanks to the financial strain on the treasury, even the Eldest Prince, who had control over the military, wasn’t as formidable as before. He was the last one holding up, and it was only a matter of time before he succumbed.

Hearing Mu Yunfeng express his ambition for the throne without hesitation, the emperor felt a mix of anger and amusement. “Have you never thought about the situation you’d be in if I hadn’t chosen you, and would have to rely on your brothers?”

Mu Yunfeng calmly replied, “Father, I have never made a mistake in my career, and they wouldn’t dare to challenge me openly.”

Of course, even if such a situation were to arise, Mu Yunfeng wouldn’t be intimidated. He seemed confident.

Seemingly seeing through his son’s unwavering resolve, the emperor sighed, “Look, those behind them will soon make their moves. You’re now in the limelight, which means their living target.”

Mu Yunfeng raised an eyebrow, revealing his sharpness, and stated, “If they dare to make things difficult for me, I won’t allocate any funds to them.”

The emperor, caught off guard, coughed and realized a lesson: The one with money holds the power. It was true that the entire Empire relied on money. Without resources, even the best ideas had no means of implementation.

With his son helping generate income, the emperor had enjoyed a period of smooth governance. He couldn’t fathom a situation where funds were lacking.

Mu Yunfeng, on the other hand, had cleverly controlled these individuals by using his position in the Ministry of Revenue. As long as they had to request funds from the treasury, they couldn’t afford to openly confront Mu Yunfeng. The emperor could easily imagine their frustration and helplessness in this scenario.

Considering Mu Yunfeng’s advantages, how could they possibly challenge him?

The emperor couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the opponents who would soon face Mu Yunfeng’s financial dominance.

Nonetheless, the satisfaction in his heart was genuine. His son had proven to be outstanding, and his fatherly pride was evident. The emperor was a pure ruler who often remained emotionless, but he felt close to this son of his for a few reasons.

Firstly, Mu Yunfeng didn’t fear him and dared to approach him. The emperor didn’t naturally reject his son’s filial loyalty. Secondly, Mu Yunfeng’s contributions were tangible. For the first time, the emperor realized the benefits of not running out of money. Mu Yunfeng’s efforts surpassed those of his eldest and second brothers in governing the court and the Empire.

Finally, the fact that Mu Yunfeng was the legitimate prince who played a significant role. The emperor wanted an undisputed successor, but in the past, the Third Prince couldn’t establish clear dominance over his two older brothers. While the emperor had his aspirations, he never showed them, as it could harm this son. Now that Mu Yunfeng had risen to prominence, the emperor had no reason to hold back his support.

As time passed, following the marriage of the Fourth Prince and Su Qianhuan, he soon welcomed many women into his harem. Rumors began to circulate in the court about crowning the emperor’s crown prince, which angered other ambitious but still immature royal princes.

This move was undoubtedly aimed at pushing them aside, and the younger princes who harbored ambitions were furious at this turn of events.

The idea to pursue the crown prince position had gained momentum, and whether it was from the First Prince to the Fourth Prince, they all followed along in agreement. With only four strong contenders, it was now or never, as waiting for more competitors was not an option.

The entire court was in a tumult, and the emperor observed all the tensions and conflicts.

The officials who had sent their daughters to the prince’s estates naturally supported their choice. However, these officials were not as greedy as the Su family, trying to hold onto two lucrative positions. Without the Su family producing a Third Prince’s consort, they had no opportunity for a second chance in such a competitive environment.

Amidst the buzz about the crown prince, the Fourth Prince noticed that the Su family’s support was waning. He approached Su Qianhuan to understand what had changed.

Su Qianhuan responded with a bitter smile, “What’s going on? The Third Prince’s consort is pregnant, and while I have some standing with my parents, I have little influence elsewhere.” The Su family indeed supported the Fourth Prince, but the followers of the Su family did not necessarily share the same loyalty. Since the Third Prince’s consort was also a daughter of the Su family, there was a natural shift in political resources within the Su family due to two royal sons-in-law.

With two imperial consorts, there were fewer available men in the Third Prince’s estate, making the likelihood of pregnancy higher. It was still early in the pregnancy, but it had already made some people reconsider their opposition to Mu Yunfeng.

The Fourth Prince was furious, “I can’t believe the Su family would dare to play both sides and choose between us brothers. Who do they think they are?”

The Su family had engaged with the Fourth Prince when he was just a prince, and even when the Third Prince’s consort entered the picture, the Fourth Prince didn’t mind. After all, Su Qianhuan was the daughter of the Su family’s Head, and the political resources of the Su family would naturally lean toward the Fourth Prince in the future.

Now, with the Su family showing signs of supporting the Third Prince, the Fourth Prince couldn’t stay calm. He gave the Su family an ultimatum, demanding they pick a side and support their “master.” Earning favor from the emperor wasn’t an easy feat, and they had to tread carefully in this political minefield.

The Su family received this message like a hot potato, causing much anxiety and frustration.