The Third Prince was about to turn and leave when Emperor Wen suddenly stopped him and said, "Want to see dancers? There are plenty of them in the palace! Why bother keeping your own dancers?"

Upon hearing this, the Third Prince fell to his knees and said in horror, "Father, please spare me! I simply wish to build closer ties with the ministers so we can serve you together! I have always been loyal to you and have absolutely no intention of rebellion!"

Then, the Third Prince changed his tone and said indignantly, "But His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is different. He actually sells illegal salt and extorts money from the people to support his private soldiers and assassins. Such behavior is truly a heinous crime and he deserves death!"

Emperor Wen listened to the Third Prince's words, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, but he didn't say anything. Seeing this, the Third Prince knew that Emperor Wen didn't believe what he said, so he knelt and moved forward to Emperor Wen's side. He pulled out an account book from his sleeve, handed it to Emperor Wen, and said, "Father, this is the account book of Li Mingjie's illegal salt trafficking that I accidentally found. Please take a look!"

Emperor Wen took the account book, flipped through a few pages, and his expression gradually grew solemn. His brow furrowed, his lips pursed, and his eyes revealed a hint of doubt and shock. After a moment's silence, he slowly raised his head, gazed at the Third Prince before him, and asked in a low voice, "Where did you get this account book?"

The Third Prince's heart tightened, and he couldn't help but hesitate. He secretly pondered how to answer this question. After all, the origin of this account book was not glorious. However, facing the stern gaze of Emperor Wen, he knew that he could not hide the truth. So, he gritted his teeth and decided to answer honestly: "I don't know who placed this account book on the table in my study. At first, I knew nothing about it, but when I read it, I found that the things recorded in it were related to the prince and the prime minister. If this matter is exposed in front of the civil and military officials, it may bring shame to the royal family and damage the reputation of the royal family. Therefore, I did not take it out in the hall. All matters are decided by my father!"