"Father!" Princess Yu Rong gripped her wrist tightly and cried out, "The Marquis's mansion harbored a fugitive, and the young child was innocent and ignorant. How could you kill the child?"

"If it were up to you, who would you kill?"

Emperor Hui coldly replied, "We all prosper together, and we all suffer together. If this woman is the criminal Guan Shi, then this child is her own, and she should be killed. Are you going to pick on unrelated people to punish?"

Princess Yu Rong panicked. She had only wanted to kill the entire Earl's family, and she was capable of fabricating a written testimony from Guan Yingying herself.

However, if the entire family is to be killed, Gu Yuebai must be killed; otherwise, the entire family will be executed. No matter how you kill them, you will never reach Xie Zhaozhao.

Princess Yu Rong was flustered and had a headache.

But the Imperial Guards were already about to drag Gu Yuebai away.

Princess Yu Rong knelt down and, without thinking twice, said, "Father, I haven't thoroughly investigated whether Consort Yue is an exiled criminal..."

"You scoundrel! You dare to file a complaint with the Emperor without even investigating the matter? You dare to say you'll punish the entire Earl's family?" Emperor Hui roared. "You treat human lives like a game, and you're trying to implicate me as a foolish ruler?"

The Empress angrily retorted, "Yu Rong, do you know what you're saying? Don't let your womanly compassion falter just because the child is crying!"

“Mother, when I heard the servants report that the Earl’s mansion was harboring a fugitive, I was so angry that I took it to court. It has nothing to do with whether my child is pitiful or not.”

"You scoundrel! Where is the evidence? Your Majesty, the Marquis's residence harbored a fugitive. The evidence is irrefutable. Whether adult or child, their crimes are unforgivable. The child cannot be exonerated simply because he is young!"

The Empress cannot allow her to back down; this is such a great opportunity to win over Gu Shaoyu!

If Gu Shaoyu is guilty, then Xie Zhaozhao is guilty, then the Xie family is guilty, then the Xu family...

Princess Yurong, however, disregarded everything and said, "Father, I will accept the punishment myself and go back to punish those who instigated this. I beg you, Father, to have mercy!"

Emperor Hui was furious. He slammed his hand on the dragon table and shouted, "Yu Rong, you neglect your duties all day long and have even dared to make fun of me! Guards, drag Yu Rong out and give her twenty lashes!"

The Empress frowned and said, "Your Majesty, Yu Rong clearly sympathizes with this child and would rather not pursue their responsibility."

The Crown Prince also said, "Father, Yu Rong only did it out of compassion. Your son thinks the Earl's Mansion is too shameless, actually sending out a child to perform a tragic play, making things difficult for Yu Rong."

Emperor Hui snorted: "To slaughter an entire marquis's household without verification? Is this kindness? Is this compassion? Enough said, take him out and beat him!"

Princess Yurong was initially fearless in the face of death, but when it came to actually being flogged, she became afraid.

Or, why don't we just abandon Gu Yuebai and kill her?

"Father, Father, the evidence is actually conclusive..."

Emperor Hui completely ignored her and remained silent.

The Imperial Guards said whatever they wanted, dragged her away! Beat her!

The Empress was furious. "Go ahead and hit him! He deserves it!"

Princess Yu Rong cried uncontrollably. Seeing the unfamiliar, even gloating look in Gu Yuebai's eyes, her heart was broken. Why did she have to be soft-hearted? Why did she save him?

Because of saving him, I lost a great opportunity to take revenge.

After a flurry of blows with the paddle, Princess Yurong cried until her face was covered in snot and tears.

The empress remained unmoved as she watched her being beaten.

Her father (Wei Jingzhong) always said that Yu Rong was a first-rate disguiser, a wise fool, and ruthless. How come she didn't see through it?

She was overly kind and easily pleased, revealing a petty and narrow-minded nature, and her intelligence and methods were completely outmatched by Xie Zhaozhao!

After being hit, Yu Rong was pulled back and made to lie face down on the stool.

Because it was she who exposed the case of the persecution of the crown prince.

This time, the Empress said directly to His Majesty, "Yu Rong has been flogged; let her return to her residence first."

Emperor Hui said to the imperial guards, "Bring her a long bench so she can lie down and listen."

Princess Yu Rong felt a burning pain in her skin and wished she could die.

Waaah, you wretched people of the Earl's mansion, I'll watch you all go to jail!

The Crown Prince stepped forward, walked up to the people from the Earl's Mansion, and said, "I used to be strong and healthy, but this year I have become so thin and weak, all thanks to your family's Gu Chengyan."

The Crown Prince said that he had initially intended to give Gu Chengyan an important position, but he never expected that Gu Chengyan would take advantage of the opportunity to get close to him and poison him.

The poison was none other than something called the Panacea.

This poison was uncontrollable and had no antidote, causing the prince great suffering.

"The Earl's Mansion, you have really schemed to harm the Crown Prince! Your Majesty, exterminate their entire clan!" The Empress's eyes were bloodshot, and she was almost roaring. "The Crown Prince has evidence, and the Princess has evidence as well."

His Majesty showed the witness testimonies to the people of the Earl's residence.

In fact, apart from a note that seemed to be written by Gu Chengyan, the rest were all letters from Aunt Yue.

Gu Zheng was terrified, but he resolutely refused to admit it and insisted on holding them accountable. Why not hold them accountable while they were still alive?

"I would like to investigate, but Gu Boyu acted swiftly, taking Gu Chengyan with him to their deaths," the Crown Prince said with a cold laugh. "He was fast!"

The Empress pointed to a pile of letters written by "Aunt Yue" and told the people of the Earl's Mansion to look at them: "Here are all the handwritten letters and contracts between Aunt Yue and Gu Chengyan. You can't deny it."

Princess Yu Rong said, "Don't say the handwriting is fake. Young Master Gu and my brother have corresponded in the past, and Father has already had them checked. They are completely consistent. Aunt Yue's handwriting can be verified with her previous letters."

Gu Zheng naturally denied it: "Aunt Yue is a woman from the inner quarters, how could she have any connection with His Highness the Crown Prince?"

The Crown Prince sneered, "Is the Pingyang Earl's Mansion truly destitute, leaving only an ant like you to become the Earl? Before Gu Boyu died, he was banging drums and gongs outside the Crown Prince's residence, wasn't it because that bitch escaped to the Crown Prince's residence?"

Gu Zheng had no idea that he and Gu Chengyan hadn't returned from delivering Tu's coffin to Ouyang.

"Why is Aunt Yue running to my residence? She is my technician, and she has plenty of letters in my residence."

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