Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 1057 - 112: Am I Really That Shallow?

The Prince of Chu's long overdue return has ignited court gossips, whispering of his assassination during the trip back to the capital. Shadows of those incidents from years past loom once more.

Half the court officials suspect disaster struck the Prince of Chu mid-journey, causing his tardy arrival—maybe something utterly dire. Yet the other half dismiss it as his sly scheme, deliberately lingering away to convince everyone of his demise.

Sure that the Prince of Chu schemes behind the scenes, they vow not to fall for it. Memories of bygone years burn fresh; they won't prove as naive as the fallen Crown Prince's allies.

Those ministers certain the Prince of Chu remains safe mull over his latest ploy or if the Emperor tasked him covertly. Perhaps the order to aid the North masked a deeper mission?

Court speculators thrive on such notions, bolstering beliefs that the Prince of Chu pursues hidden goals up North.

What turmoil in the North prompted the Emperor to unleash the Prince of Chu?

Aha! Prior to dispatching the Prince of Chu and Prince Dai northward, the Emperor had already positioned General Chu at the Northern Border Camp. With General Deng gravely ailing there, General Chu assumed command. Might chaos have erupted?

Rumors swirled earlier that General Deng's sickness stemmed from poison slipped by his own son, eyeing control of the Northern Border Camp. Whispers also link the son to secret ties with Youzhou's Prince Han. Do these tales hold truth? Is that the real reason the Emperor sent the Prince of Chu for disaster relief?

Poison from his son on General Deng feels plausible enough, yet alliance with Prince Han strains credulity.

Even supposing the son linked up with Prince Han, the prince wouldn't risk greenlighting patricide and northern military grabs.

Prince Han might be foolish, but seizing northern forces outright? Discovery by the Emperor spells doom.

Great Zhou's shield, the Northern Border Camp, boasts commanders fiercely loyal to the throne. Any prince tampering invites ruthless imperial wrath. Prince Dai, seasoned in command and familiar with the camp, never eyed its power. What boldness fuels Prince Han?

Prince Han plotting with General Deng's heir sounds implausible; likely just the son's solo intrigue.

No worries over General Deng's son—General Chu suffices even against the general himself. So why dispatch the Prince of Chu specifically? Lingers oddity in General Deng's poisoning and ailment?

Prince Dai now holds the Northern Border Camp too, battling Xiongnu hordes with General Chu. Does the Emperor distrust him, slipping the Prince of Chu in to watch?

Should Prince Dai harbor such ambitions, General Chu's oversight would do. Why involve the Prince of Chu?

Might a colossal mystery lurk within the Northern Border Camp?

What world-shaking enigma hides in a frontier outpost?

Traitors inside cozying up to the Xiongnu, perhaps?

Treason with Xiongnu foes justifies the Emperor unleashing the Prince of Chu to probe.

Still no sign of the Prince of Chu in the capital—did he unearth proof, sparking pursuit from camp insiders?

Growing numbers of ministers deem their guesses spot-on. Dread grips them at the notion of northern camp betrayal with Xiongnu audacity.

Heavens... grave trouble brews! The Prince of Chu's arrival will unleash court turmoil anew! With the Emperor's fierce resolve, purges could sweep wide, ensnaring even the blameless.

Innocent of knowledge, empty of schemes.

Such fears plague ministers from Prince Jing's camp and Prince Wei's alike.

They desperately hope the Prince of Chu truly met his end en route. Deep down, they know he's too tough to fell easily. His silence screams survival and vitality.

Now they fret if his homecoming sparks fresh upheaval, akin to his past escape from the dethroned Crown Prince's kill squads, returning with proof of their secret arms plot. Above all, they itch to learn the bombshell from his northern exploits.