The crown prince shook his head, turned to look at him, his eyes somewhat vacant: "I've said it before, I'd rather go to guard the border than be the crown prince."

What's so good about being the crown prince?

The power struggle is full of deceit and treachery, and even wives and children cannot be protected.

He tilted his head back and laughed hoarsely twice, his eyes red and tears streaming down his face, but his voice was filled with ruthlessness: "Yuan Jin, I have long since given up on being the Crown Prince."

*

After Emperor Cheng'an woke up, he learned of the Crown Prince's words from the palace servants.

He originally intended to pave the way for the Crown Prince. Although he was annoyed by the Crown Prince's recklessness, he thought that as long as the Crown Prince sincerely admitted his mistake, he would be lenient.

After all, only the Crown Prince can shoulder this heavy responsibility now.

But what was the result?

Unrepentant! Stubborn to the end!

Emperor Cheng'an's expression darkened slightly, and he ordered Qi Zhong to draft an edict: "Since he does not want to be the crown prince, I will grant his wish."

The imperial edict to depose the crown prince was delivered to the Eastern Palace on the same day.

The crown prince was immoral and had harmed his own brothers. He was stripped of his title as crown prince, demoted to a commoner, and imprisoned in the imperial mausoleum, never to be released without a summons.

Upon receiving the news, Xue Heng accepted the imperial decree expressionlessly and expressed his gratitude.

After the Crown Princess is buried, he will go to guard the imperial mausoleum.

Xue Shen looked at him with complicated eyes and said softly, "There are so many ways to take revenge, why must you use such a suicidal method, brother? Your departure will probably add a lot of turmoil to the court."

Xue Heng shook his head, looking utterly dejected: "I can't care about that anymore."

He seemed to have aged considerably in an instant, dragging his feet as he walked inside: "Go back now, I've troubled you these past two days."