Chapter 12
The Crown Prince That Sells Medicine Chapter 12
Episode 12. Prove your qualifications (2)
“I apologize for saying this, but I refuse.”
The crown prince’s voice rang out loud in the vast hall. The crown prince was always sickly and weak. Therefore, he was a crown prince who was never confident even in front of his father, the emperor.
But today was somehow different.
It wasn’t just the voice that was different.
“…What?”
The emperor flinched without even realizing it. A refusal that shows no humility or regret. Even though it was a rejection, it was very direct.
He never thought he would hear such rejection from his own son, especially the weak Crown Prince. It was a reaction I had never imagined when calling the crown prince today.
No, it was a reaction I had never experienced in my life.
“What did you just say?”
I asked repeatedly to confirm.
The answer that came back was the same.
“I am saying that I cannot accept your Majesty’s proposal.”
“….”
For a moment, I was surprised by the unexpected confidence shown by the crown prince. The emperor’s expression hardened. There was anger in his eyes.
“refuse? Jim’s suggestion?”
“Yes that’s right.”
The gentle wrath of the lion-like emperor.
The pressure in that voice.
Rakiel nodded, even though he felt it vividly. He did not hesitate to refuse. No, I couldn’t buy it.
It was because I decided that it shouldn’t be done.
‘of course. That proposal from the current emperor was not in the original version. There was no situation like this in the novel Demon Sword Emperor. But that’s no reason to be scared. ‘Because the reason why it’s like that is clearly visible.’
It was like that.
The emperor’s proposal to hand over the title of crown prince to the second prince. The reason and intention of the proposal were clearly visible to him.
‘It’s simple. ‘I’m trying to give the second prince a more legitimate cause.’
In fact, it is not difficult to hand over the crown prince. Honestly, there is no need to get their consent. It can be easily resolved with just an order from the emperor.
‘But the reason you are urging me to make a concession, leaving behind such a convenient procedure… is probably to save the face of the royal family and at the same time give greater authority and justification to the second prince.’
This side must make concessions.
The Crown Prince should be handed over with such a ‘good’ picture.
‘The idea is to have some kind of propaganda effect both domestically and internationally. A plausible picture of the eldest son who acknowledged the existence of a more capable younger brother and willingly gave up his position out of good will and virtue, and the worthy younger brother who inherited the title of crown prince from the eldest son…’
What if things go that way?
Even while replacing the crown prince, the royal family will be able to maintain its reputation. Furthermore, the image of the second prince as a capable being was attached. Titles of fundamentals and legitimacy can also be added.
This makes for very good political advertising propaganda.
‘Besides, it will look better than if you forcibly remove the crown prince’s crown from me and attach it to the second prince.’
What if the Crown Prince is taken away without any ‘concession’ from this side? What if the 2nd prince becomes the crown prince like that?
The situation will be completely different.
It was clearly visible to Rachiel.
‘The image of this side and the second prince will be completely different from the previous concession scenario. The image of the eldest son who lost the crown prince due to health issues and the second prince who robbed it…’
Literally, the image of a ‘usurper’ is attached to the second prince. Perhaps that is not what the emperor wants. The legitimacy of the 2nd prince will be damaged.
It will be a burdensome label that will follow the second prince for the rest of his life.
‘The emperor wants to avoid that.’
Rachiel looked up.
He looked straight at the emperor.
An emperor who looks like he is angry.
However, a faint nervousness was also visible in those eyes.
‘You must be nervous. ‘I’m still weak and unreliable, and I don’t seem qualified, but I’m holding on vaguely and showing no signs of dying.’
Suddenly, the development at the beginning of the novel Demon Sword Emperor came to mind.
Crown Prince Rakiel at this time was in a much more critical condition than he is now. My condition worsened after the day I coughed up heavy blood while writing my diary. He couldn’t even get up from his hospital bed, so from anyone’s perspective, he wasn’t going to live long.
Thanks to this, in the original work, the emperor did not make a proposal like today. Because there was no need for that. Because I was able to take the Crown Prince from Rachiel and naturally hand it over to the 2nd Prince.
But now?
Things have changed.
‘It’s because of me.’
Rakiel inwardly shrugged his shoulders.
This person is trying hard not to die. I am eating plenty of food and medicine that are said to be good for my body. They are even practicing self-acupuncture consistently. Thanks to this, Prince Rachiel has become much fresher than in the original.
‘Of course, I haven’t escaped the terminal condition yet, but my physical strength is poor, but at least I can walk on two feet and act as a human being.’
Maybe that’s why.
The slightest hint of nervousness that the emperor could see. There is also a hint of disappointment that finally shows towards this direction.
“Do you really not know Jim’s consideration?”
The emperor’s voice became heavy.
Wrath and disappointment.
Eyes filled with a mixture of pity and rebuke swept over here.
“Even though you were weak and sickly, there was still a part of me that believed in you. At least his spirit would not have collapsed in the end, and at least he would not have lost his wit and firearms. “But my expectations were wrong.”
A voice that becomes as cold as frost.
It’s like throwing your child off a cliff.
Harsh words followed.
“disappointed. It’s truly disappointing. Yes, is the Crown Prince’s position, which is only superficial, really that important? Was it really that much of a coveted spot that I would never use in my life? So you’re saying that you’ll get angry if you tarnish the faces of me and the royal family and end up causing trouble to many people?”
“….”
“Why is there no answer? “Is that really what you want?”
Now the emperor’s gaze was like ice. I thought my offer was a consideration, but seeing it rejected like this made me feel very disappointed.
Rakiel swallowed a bitter smile.
‘Tsk. ‘They diss you with a bone-crushing force just because you say no.’
To be honest, I just wanted to blindly follow the emperor’s suggestion. Actually, that was the easiest way.
‘of course. What am I doing by acting like an emperor? I’m not even confident that I’ll do well.’
After all, he is just Lee Han, an ordinary oriental medicine doctor who failed while practicing oriental medicine in Korea. I’m just an ordinary person whose only leisure time was reading novels or movies, giggling, and playing games.
But the emperor.
I felt like I had no choice.
‘What kind of emperor am I? I’m not confident. ‘It would be perfect to ruin the country.’
So it was.
I didn’t want to become an emperor or something.
If possible, I wanted to get over the Crown Prince Jawi as well. I just wanted to live like an unemployed building owner for the rest of my life, enjoying only the status and wealth of the royal family. Naturally, the offer the emperor was making seemed very attractive.
But what if you get that offer?
It’s ruined.
Himself too.
Hwanggado.
Empire too.
entire.
‘Because of the 2nd prince.’
The second prince who would inherit the crown prince was the problem.
Because he’s stupid or evil?
It wasn’t.
The 2nd prince was quite intelligent, sincere, and capable. This was something that was openly mentioned several times in the novel Demon Sword Emperor.
However, the problem was that the second prince’s intelligence, sincerity, and competence were all characteristics suited to an era of peace.
‘The second prince described in the novel… was a pretty good guy. He had the potential to become a very good monarch. This would certainly have been the case if the era of peace had continued. At least Pyeongta would have been engraved in the history books as a pro-emperor. But…’
The era of war will soon come.
He knew, having read the novel.
What kind of chaos and devastation is coming upon the empire. What a miserable fall the empire faces in front of him. Also, what a miserable end the 2nd prince will suffer.
Everyone knew it.
‘The 2nd Prince was not a person suitable for the era of war. No, it was the worst.’
The second prince’s intelligence, competence, and sincerity, which worked in times of peace, did not work in times of war.
‘Because he was clearly the Sweet Potato Lord.’
Hesitating when a quick decision is needed. Missing the time and opportunity to make a decision. The indecisive Sweet Potato Lord is finally faced with a situation that cannot be resolved. That was the sad state of the second prince in the novel.
Rachiel did not want to let the empire collapse like that.
‘If the empire and the royal family collapse… the hill I will be standing on will also disappear.’
You have to be proud of yourself as a member of the royal family.
That’s the best life plan.
For that to happen, the empire must be intact.
However, the second prince does not have the ability to protect the empire in an era of war. I can’t hand over the crown prince to a guy like that. In order to protect the large and beautiful golden spoon, or rather the imperial spoon, that we have worked so hard to obtain, we must never give up the title of Crown Prince to the 2nd Prince.
Rachiel concluded.
‘Then how should I react?’
I glanced at the emperor.
The emperor is still looking down with frost-like energy. Honestly, it was a bit burdensome.
‘under. Real from the first moment.’
Rachiel may be the emperor’s son, but this one is a fake. I was a little worried that my true identity might be discovered while I was talking too much.
But what if I keep my mouth shut like this?
Things will go as the emperor wants. In the end, the title of Crown Prince will be passed to the 2nd Prince.
‘Tsk. ‘I can’t help it.’
Rachiel slowly moved her facial muscles.
I loosened my cheeks that were stiff from tension. Pursing your lips and making them soft. I clicked my tongue and started the engine.
And answered.
“I feel wronged.”
“unfair?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I nodded.
He spoke with confidence in his eyes and expression.
“Of course, I am as sick as you said, Your Majesty. But my spirit did not break. Cleverness and firearms were also not lost. That is why I rejected His Majesty’s offer.”
“What?”
“Actually, the crown prince position is not important to me. I am not here with greed or regret. Instead, I have greed and regret for other things.”
“Other?”
“yes. “It is the prosperity of this empire and the well-being of the royal family.”
Anyway, for the sake of this body’s life.
“…You value them so much that you won’t hand over the Crown Prince’s title?”
“That’s right.”
“her. Are you saying that if I hold on to the crown prince with my weak body, this empire will prosper and the royal family will be well?”
“Of course I do.”
“her. haha.”
The emperor laughed for the first time.
But it was not a friendly laugh.
“It’s absurd. It’s truly absurd and lame. “Are you saying that the Crown Prince is that important to you?”
“As I said, the prosperity and well-being of the royal family are important, not the crown prince’s defense.”
“Your words are plausible until the end.”
“It won’t be easy to just say it.”
“…What does that mean?”
“I would like to make a suggestion.”
“proposal?”
“yes.”
“Tell me.”
The emperor’s eyes sank deeply. It was the fearsome gaze of the ruler of an empire.
But Rachiel did not waver under such pressure. Because during those hard times, the owner of the commercial building where the oriental medicine clinic was located was much more scary and burdensome than the emperor.
He had an iron plate placed all over his face. I brought out a proposal that I had been preparing in my mind ever since I first rejected the emperor’s proposal earlier.
“Give me a chance to prove who between me and the 2nd prince can withstand the weight of the crown prince better.”