An Heir

The whole court turned to Qing Bohai. If he accepts that it was his mistake, then it will show his incompetency and if he still stood by the notion that the news about the people refusing to pay their taxes didn't reach him, it would show his carelessness.

He was at a dead end. The two options were both useless and meaningless.

"I believe there's a mistake, somewhere." The left Prime Minister said. "This is a minor case and if we give the Right Prime Minister sometimes, he would be able to settle this in matter of days." His speech well spoken and thoughtful now made him look like an innocent friend trying to save his best friend. But it was clear under the sun that he painted Qing Bohai black.

Qing Bohai tried his best to conceal his rage.

Wu Jianguo(sixth prince) looked at the man standing beside him and then back at the Emperor. He opened his mouth to say something and felt a very cold gaze on him. He turned and saw it was his uncle, Wu Yunru.

He shut his mouth close.

"Now, now. Left Prime Minister Tai Fuyan is right, why don't we give Bohai some time? He will surely come up with a good result." Wu Xiaotong finally said. He had a light smile on his face which made him seem like the opposite of his two younger brothers.

Wu Xijin and Yunru wasn't happy with the way their brother turned their words into thin air.

Ju-Long didn't say a single word.

He watched Bohai's facial expression, wanting to know if the man could defend himself, but to his surprise he kept quiet.

The eunuch read the remaining scrolls and the problems were solved.

At the last minute of the meeting, Wu Xiaotong stood up, went forward and bowed to the Emperor. "His Royal Majesty,"

Yunru and Xijin hurried behind him and bowed too.

Ju-Long knew that their sudden appearance surely had a thing or two attached to it. And now they will reveal it. He didn't react and Wu Xiaotong cleared his throat.

"I have a plea to request of you, His Majesty."

"A plea we wish you grant," Xijin and Yunru chanted.

The whole hall quietened down, waiting for the Emperor's reply.

Seconds...

Minutes...

"Speak!" The man seated upon the golden throne finally said. His deep voice caused a reverberation through out the entire place.

Wu Xiaotong smiled and darted a look at the two prime ministers.

"Your Grace, I beseech you today, to give the kingdom an heir!"

Everyone in the hall, "..."

Qing Bohai's eyes popped. 'What is this old man saying?'

"An heir, we request of you!" Xijin and Yunru said in unison when they recovered from their trance.

Wu Xiaotong's head was deeply bowed.

His lips curved, he could feel the gazes on him. Some cold, some angry and some cool and happy.

Yes. This is the trouble he came to stir and he has achieved it. 'Let's the how Bohai would escape this one and how the Emperor will sort it...'

Ju-Long had expected anything else than that. He expected that the old man would ask for a new property since he was obsessed with lands and properties. But him asking for an heir out of the blue was something he didn't bargain for.

Junting was his day guard. The young man's eyes widened a bit. He looked down immediately.

The eunuch's mouth was an O.

All the Princes were stunned beyond redemption mostly the ones at the left.

Everyone was in total shock.

The hall was as silent as a graveyard.

Wu Xiaotong with his head still bowed tried his possible best to hold in his laughter.

Xijin and Yunru shared a look and bowed again. Well they knew what they came for but wasn't totally prepared when their bother dropped the bomb.

Tai Fuyan was the next to recover from this shock and immediately bowed, his chiefs joined him too and they all chanted the same word. "An heir, we request for!!!"

Qing Bohai swallowed his saliva and almost chocked on it. 'What do I expect from this old man?'

The chiefs at the right all wore on a worried expression.

They shared a look or two amongst themselves but didn't dare murmur nor say a word without Bohai instructing them to. And no one would want to offend the three brothers of the late Emperor, especially not Wu Xiaotong, the cunning old man.

The man was a knife with two faces. If you turn to this side it will slash you and if you turn to the other side it will slit you.

The silence lengthened.

After about ten minutes later the Emperor finally said something. "Heir?" He questioned.

Xijin scowled internally. His neck was already hurting and this little boy was picking his words? 'Does he want me to look down on my shoes forever?' He wished he could just force the words out of his Nephew's mouth, but no, he couldn't and wouldn't dare. The little boy lacks respect for his elders and will send him on an exile. An everlasting exile. He didn't wish to be the first to be used, yes first because no one has dared the Emperor ever since he put it into law. No one was allowed to talk when he was doing that, now imagine him raising a hand to strike the Emperor... No I do rather not think about that!

"I must have gotten so old and useless that you want to get rid of me." Ju-Long said.

"Never! May you live longer than your father!" Wu Xiaotong declared.

"May the heavens hear our prayer!" The two brothers supported.

Ju-Long chuckled to lighten up the atmosphere but instead of doing what it was commanded to do, the laughter sent shivers down their spines.

Wu Xiaotong didn't break a single sweat, he looked up being the only one that understood what the laughter was meant to do. He was still smiling, "I only request for you to give us an heir, why would I dare wish you death? You are the beloved son of my brother, sadly he is dead and not among us. You are young, it is only because of the fact that your father chose the Empress late and my father, your grandfather lasted a bit more on the throne... But you are young and capable, so bringing out a little heir wouldn't be a bad idea. Please heed my request."

Xijin and Yunru didn't bother chiming in again. It was better for Wu Xiaotong to deal with the arrogant Emperor by himself.

"Heed your request." Ju-Long repeated. "If I heed everyone's request, what will that make me?"

Wu Xiaotong smile still didn't disappear, "I want to believe the nation will support me on this! The kingdom yearns for a heir."