Chapter 318: Persuasion! (1/2)

Chapter 318: Persuasion!

”Big uncle, do you really believe that the First Prince will become the future emperor?” Wang Chong suddenly asked.

Upon hearing those words, shock immediately surfaced on Wang Gen's face.

”Chong-er, what are you saying! Do you know what you're saying?”

Wang Gen had always spoken to Wang Chong with an intimate voice. However, after hearing Wang Chong's words, his face immediately grew stern.

”It's fortunate that you said those words here. If others were to hear of it and misunderstand our intentions, do you understand what possible consequences there would be?”

If Wang Chong's words were to be heard by others and spread, it would surely cause a huge uproar.

”Big uncle, I know what I am doing.”

However, Wang Chong was unexpectedly calm regarding the situation.

He had always carried great respect for Big Uncle Wang Gen. More often than not, the latter always had the interest of the Wang Clan in mind, and his actions reflected that as well.

However, on the matter regarding the First Prince, Wang Chong couldn't and mustn't agree with Wang Gen.

”... Big uncle, have you ever considered the consequences on our Wang Clan should the First Prince fail to ascend to the throne?”

To Wang Gen, those words were reminiscent of a bolt of lightning, and he immediately froze in shock.

What would happen if the First Prince failed to ascend to the throne? Wang Gen had never truly entertained such a possibility before.

”Chong-er, you are still too young. There are some things you don't understand. Ever since ancient times, it has always been the eldest son who takes over the career of his father. As long as the First Prince remains, there won't be any hope for the other princes. Furthermore, you are lacking in understanding of the First Prince. Even though His Majesty has yet to confer him as the crown prince yet, the role that he assumes is no different from one. There is very little doubt regarding his position.

”Everyone, be it those in the royal court or those beyond it, shares the same view as me.”

Wang Gen shook his head. After the initial shock, he quickly calmed down. Even though his nephew was extremely intelligent, he was still lacking in political experience.

More often than not, politics was about reading the situation, and it was impossible to do so without sufficient experience.

Wang Chong said that the First Prince might not be coronated as the emperor, but in Wang Gen's view, such a situation was absolutely impossible.

”Big uncle!” Wang Chong shook his head.

”I am willing to listen to you on other matters, but please pardon me for being unable to agree with you on this one. Big uncle said that it has always been the eldest son who took over the career of the father, and I do agree with you on that point. However, if the First Prince was indeed that outstanding, and His Majesty does think highly of him, then why hasn't His Majesty officially conferred him as the crown prince yet?”

The matters on the royal court were never as it seemed. If big uncle thought that a life of prosperity awaited for him just by supporting the First Prince, he was taking this matter too lightly.

Taking anything 'as granted' in the War of the Princes was extremely dangerous.

”This...” Wang Gen opened his mouth to respond to Wang Chong's doubt, only to freeze in the next instant.

The Sage Emperor carried significant trust in the First Prince, Wang Gen was certain of that. Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen to ally himself with the First Prince.

Yet, upon hearing Wang Chong's words, he found himself unable to refute those words at all. That was because Wang Chong's doubts were logical.

The Sage Emperor doted on the First Prince a lot, and he even allowed the latter to participate in the discussions of the royal court. On that aspect, he was treating the latter not any different from a crown prince.

However, what was bizarre was that the Sage Emperor had yet to confer on the First Prince the title of the Crown Prince yet.

It was one thing when the First Prince was younger, but much time had passed since, and this argument no longer held. Even Wang Gen had found himself perplexed over this matter once, but he chose not to think too much of it.

”Chong-er, the First Prince is the His Majesty's eldest son. If His Majesty has no intentions of conferring him as the crown prince, he wouldn't have allowed him to participate in politics. Furthermore, just because His Majesty has yet to confer him as the crown prince doesn't mean he won't do so in the future,” Wang Gen argued.

It takes more than a cold night to freeze a river deep. Wang Gen's relationship with the First Prince wasn't established on a whim, it was forged over a very long period of time.

It was impossible for Wang Chong to change the latter's impression with just a few words.

”... Besides, His Majesty is a wise emperor, a great sovereign whose accomplishments far surpassed his predecessors. Do you think that he will allow his sons to kill one another?” Wang Gen said, revealing his confidence as to why he thought the First Prince would be able to successfully claim the throne.

The current Sage Emperor was known both within the royal court and beyond to be the greatest sovereign in history. In his hands, Great Tang managed to free itself from its decline and overcome the threats surrounding it, thus achieving an unprecedented era of prosperity.

Be it the scale or the wealth, it had far surpassed any previous era. With its elite army of over six hundred thousand men, Great Tang even managed to suppress the powerful surrounding nations, be it Ü-Tsang, the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates, Goguryeo, or Mengshe Zhao.

Even the proud Tibetans of Ü-Tsang had to admit that the only reason why they were able to stand for so long against Great Tang was due to Ü-Tsang's unique geographical terrain.

It was only due to the soldiers' inability to adapt to the environment on the plateau that Ü-Tsang was able to remain free and fearless.

Even though those countries that had grown rapidly over the past dozens of years still carried a deep fear toward Great Tang.

And all of this was due to the Sage Emperor!

Be it his martial arts, governance, decisiveness, or guts, no emperor before him was able to match up to the current Sage Emperor.

Without a doubt, Great Tang was at its very peak ow.

If not for his refusal out of respect for the previous emperors, the Sage Emperor would have been crowned by historians as the ”Greatest Emperor in History”.

Many times, Wang Gen had felt gladdened that he was born in such an era, allowing him to serve under such a wise ruler.

Thus, it was hard for him to believe that the slaughter of fellow kin could possibly occur under the eyes of such an emperor.