The ministers begged me to ascend the throne

Chapter 544: Sacrificing to Heaven and Earth on Behalf of the Emperor
The emperor suddenly fell ill, causing a huge stir in the court and the harem.

Since the emperor ascended the throne, he rarely fell ill, and rarely fell ill. This sudden illness made the ministers of the former dynasty and the concubines in the harem very worried. However, the emperor was in his prime and had always been in good health, so the civil and military officials were not worried that the emperor would have any serious consequences. Of course, some of them hoped that the emperor would not recover from the illness this time.

Fortunately, the emperor fell ill after the court closed its doors, so he didn't have to attend court or handle state affairs for the time being, so he could rest well. However, the New Year was coming soon, and the emperor fell ill at this time, so I'm afraid he won't have a good time this year.

After the emperor fell ill, the most important thing that the ministers were concerned about was who would preside over this year's sacrificial ceremony and who would offer sacrifices to heaven, earth and ancestors on behalf of the emperor.

In the past, the annual sacrificial ceremony was organized by several princes, but when they offered sacrifices, they still offered sacrifices as princes, not as crown princes, let alone as the king of a country.

The ancestor worship on New Year's Eve and the worship of heaven and earth on the first day of the new year were both major events, and the emperor had to lead the worship. In other words, the emperor was the most important person in the sacrifice.

Now the emperor is ill and will not recover in a short time. He cannot go to worship his ancestors and heaven and earth. He can ask his son to replace him in worshipping ancestors, but if he asks his son to replace him in worshipping heaven and earth, it means that this son will be the next emperor. Because since ancient times, only the emperor can worship heaven and earth and pray to heaven and earth for good weather and good harvests in the coming year.

The ministers in the court no longer cared about the emperor's illness. What they cared about most now was who would offer sacrifices to heaven and earth on behalf of the emperor.

Because of this incident, the palaces of the King of Dai, King of Jing, King of Chu, and King of Wei were very busy these days. Ministers came to visit every day. Of course, the palace of the King of Han was still deserted, with no ministers visiting.

Today it was Zhao Yao's turn to go to the palace to attend to the emperor. During the emperor's illness, the princes took turns to attend to the emperor.

In the emperor's bedroom, Concubine Liang was massaging the emperor's shoulders, and Zhao Yao was massaging the emperor's legs.

After massaging his legs for a while, Zhao Yao was too lazy to serve and just sat on the couch beside him.

"Stinky boy, why don't you beat me?"

"I'm tired and don't want to serve you anymore." Ever since his father fell "sick", he has become more and more pretentious and torturous.

The emperor pointed at Zhao Yao and cursed, "Unfilial son."

"You're not really sick." Zhao Yao poured himself a cup of tea. "If you were really sick, I would come and take good care of you."

The emperor said unhappily: "If I were really sick and you came to serve me, you would make me mad to death." After that, he held Liang Pin's hands and told her not to hit them anymore.

"If I can make you angry to death, that's my ability." Zhao Yao raised his eyebrows and looked at the emperor, "If you really get angry to death by me, then you are too useless."

When the emperor heard this, he angrily picked up a pillow and threw it at Zhao Yao.

Zhao Yao reached out and caught the pillow steadily, then placed it behind his back and leaned back.

"Xiaoxiao, look at him." The emperor complained to Concubine Liang with a look of grievance.

"Old man, I have to say that your acting skills are pretty good. You fooled everyone." Zhao Yao picked up the snacks on the table on the couch and started eating. "Now your ministers are all guessing who will worship heaven and earth on your behalf on the morning of the first day of the new year. The thresholds of several of my royal brothers have been trampled down by the ministers."

The emperor looked proud: "My acting skills are perfect."

Zhao Yao was too lazy to pay attention to the narcissistic emperor and asked directly: "Have you chosen someone to worship heaven and earth on your behalf?"

The emperor looked at Zhao Yao and said half-jokingly and half-seriously: "You will worship heaven and earth on my behalf."

Zhao Yao refused without a second thought: "I won't go."

The emperor was not surprised at all to hear his youngest son's refusal.

"Since no one has chosen you, I will let you go. This way, others won't be able to say anything."

Although the emperor said this casually, Zhao Yao knew what he was planning.

"I don't deserve it. I won't go."

"You little brat, why are you unworthy? Aren't you my son?" The emperor stared at Zhao Yao. "If I tell you to go, you go."

"I dont go."

"You little brat, only if you go there won't be any more trouble."

"I don't believe you." Zhao Yao didn't believe a word the emperor said. "No matter what you say, I won't go."

"You little brat, you're going to piss me off to death." The emperor threw himself into Liangpin's arms and complained aggrievedly, "Xiaoxiao, our son is unfilial, he's going to piss me off to death, you have to make the decision for me."

Liangpin hugged the emperor, patted his back gently, and said softly, "Okay, I'll make the decision for you."

Zhao Yao: “…” It’s so disgusting, I can’t bear to watch it.

"Yao'er..."

As soon as Liangpin opened her mouth, she was interrupted by Zhao Yao, "Mother, it's useless for you to say anything. I won't go if I don't want to go."

"Yao'er, only you are suitable to do this, no one else is suitable. If you go, no one will misunderstand, but if someone else goes, everyone in the world will misunderstand." Liangpin said softly, "The King of Han is about to rebel. If misunderstandings are caused at this time, it will cause unnecessary trouble or even danger. If you go, these things will not happen."

Although he knew his mother was just making excuses, her words made sense and he could not refute them. Even so, Zhao Yao still resisted.

"I dont go."

The emperor and Concubine Liang didn't expect that even after saying this, Zhao Yao would not be shaken at all and still insisted on not going.

Liangpin received the emperor's pleading look and smiled at him reassuringly. Then she turned her head and said in a pleading tone: "Yao'er, just think of it as your mother begging you, okay?"

Zhao Yao: “…” Damn father, so despicable, so insidious, actually using this trick.

"Mother, you are forcing me." "No, mother is begging you."

Zhao Yao looked at Concubine Liang with extremely resentful eyes, "Mother, you..."

"Is it okay, Yaoer?"

Zhao Yao glared at the emperor who was leaning on Liangpin's arms, "Old man, you are too treacherous."

"Xiaoxiao, look, he's scolding me."

Zhao Yao was very angry at the emperor's behavior. "If I had known, I would not have come back even if you killed me." He immediately prepared to return to the Swamp House. On the first day of the new year, anyone who wanted to go could go, but he would not go.

"Yao'er..."

Zhao Yao interrupted Liang Pin again and said unhappily: "I'll go, can't I go?" His mother had already begged him, so how could he refuse?

Liangpin smiled with relief and said, "Mother knows that Yao'er is the most filial."

Zhao Yao curled his lips and whispered, "I hope I'm not filial." He didn't want to see his father's ugly face again, "Mother, I'm leaving." After saying that, he left angrily. As for the emperor, he didn't even look at him, let alone salute.

After Zhao Yao left, the emperor held Concubine Liang's face in his hands and kissed her lips hard.

After a moment, the two separated.

"I knew the brat would listen to you."

"My request to him won't work next time." Liangpin knew her son's temperament better. "Now Yao'er is on guard, what are you going to do next?"

The emperor reached out and hugged Concubine Liang into his arms, "The brat has long known my purpose and has been on guard, otherwise why would he keep refusing just now?"

"It's not surprising that Yao'er could guess your purpose." Liang Bin thought. It would be strange if Yao'er couldn't guess it. "He doesn't like this position as much as you do. The more you push him, the more he resists."

"Don't worry, I know what's going on." The emperor said mysteriously, "I have a way to make him finally agree to sit on this throne."

Liangpin pinched the emperor's face and reminded him, "Don't make Yaoer hate you in the end."

"Alas, for the sake of the people of the world, if he really hates me in the end, I will accept it." The emperor sighed quietly, "He is our son. If possible, I don't want him to sit on this throne like me, trapped for life without freedom. I also want him to live as he pleases and do whatever he wants, but I must be responsible for the country of Da Zhou and the people of the world."

"Alas, sometimes I think if Yao'er wasn't so smart, maybe he wouldn't have to shoulder the heavy responsibility of governing the country, and he could live freely."

"Who told you to give me such a smart and resourceful son?" The emperor said with a smile, "The brat shoulders the heavy responsibility of a peaceful and prosperous world, so he has to sit on this throne even if he doesn't want to."

"In fact, if it really comes to that, Yao'er should be willing. After all, he always has the people in his heart." Liangpin thought of her son's temperament and chuckled, "He himself won't admit it, but in his heart, the people have always been very important."

"It's hard to tell who's in charge. It doesn't matter if the brat doesn't admit it. I think he's suitable, so he's suitable." The emperor said, his expression became serious, "The brat is more capable than me and can do things that I can't do."

"This is called the disciple surpassing the master."

"It's all thanks to you, Xiaoxiao."

Here, the emperor and Concubine Liang were being affectionate with each other. There, Zhao Yao returned to the Prince of Han's mansion with a rage.

The King of Wei was waiting for him in the King of Han's mansion. Seeing him coming back with an angry look on his face, he asked with concern, "Tenth brother, what happened to you? Did you suffer injustice from the Emperor?"

Zhao Yao took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart, and relaxed his expression.

"Myna, I'm fine."

"Your face is blue with anger, but you still say that everything is fine." The King of Wei personally poured a cup of tea for Zhao Yao. "What happened?"

Zhao Yao felt that there was nothing to hide. Even if he concealed it now, the King of Wei and his men would know it in a few days.

"My father asked me to sacrifice to heaven and earth on his behalf. Isn't this pushing me into the fire pit?"

Hearing Zhao Yao's words, the King of Wei looked calm, as if he was not at all surprised that the emperor would arrange for Zhao Yao to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth.

"Myna, you don't seem surprised."

"I already guessed it."

"Ah, you had already guessed that my father would arrange for me to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth?"

The King of Wei nodded slightly and said, "Among us, you are the most suitable. You can offer sacrifices to heaven and earth on behalf of your father, and people will not think too much."

"My dear brother, you said exactly the same thing as mother." Zhao Yao said with a bitter face.

"It's just a sacrifice to heaven and earth, don't think too much about it." King Wei saw Zhao Yao's uneasiness and comforted him in a gentle voice, "Others will not misunderstand you, let alone target you."

Zhao Yao smiled bitterly and said, "I hope so."

King Wei looked at Zhao Yao deeply and said meaningfully: "Tenth brother, it is best for you to go to the sacrifice."

"I don't think that if something bad happens in the Great Zhou next year, then everyone in the world will blame me for blaspheming the gods and Buddhas of heaven and earth."

"No." King Wei raised his hand and patted Zhao Yao on the shoulder. "You have done so many things to benefit the people. The people will not blame you."

"Let's hope so." Zhao Yao shrugged and said, "Once the news of me offering sacrifices to heaven and earth on behalf of my father spreads, there will immediately be rumors that I am unworthy. Myna, just wait and see."