The Fourth Prince staunchly positioned himself as the rightful ruler, deeming the other two factions as rebellious. He rallied the ministers of the realm to unite in their assault.
"But what if?" lingered as an unspoken question.
Relinquishing the territory he had painstakingly seized was out of the question. His only recourse was swift ascension to the throne. Delaying only rendered him more vulnerable.
As the three factions clashed, drawing support and opposition from various quarters, confusion swept through local officials and citizens alike.
A proverb echoed in their minds: "There's no second master in the family, and there's no second sun in the sky." Now, with three emperors vying for supremacy, whom should they obey?
Whom should they recognize as their sovereign?
Logically, allegiance should lie with the ruler in the capital.
Yet, the legitimate heir of the empress resided in Jinan, Shandong.
