In the imperial palace, the memorial written by Zhao Heng was delivered to the Qinzheng Hall.

The emperor opened the memorial and watched him record the conditions of the dikes in various counties of Qingzhou Prefecture. He also explained the diagnosis and treatment process of the epidemic. During this period, he investigated and dealt with several local corrupt officials. Finally, he made decisions on flood control and dike construction. Every word made the emperor more and more satisfied.

He even sighed aloud, wishing that the prince had not been poisoned back then.

Now he won't have a headache about choosing a crown prince.

Eunuch Liu on the side observed and said, "Your Majesty, His Royal Highness Prince Su has returned with merit, you must hold a celebration banquet for him."

"Your Highness has worked so hard to deal with disasters, you must have lost a lot of weight."

Just a few words suddenly aroused the emperor's fatherly love for his son.

"Yes, I need to think about what reward to give him."

In front of the city gate of Qingzhou Prefecture.

Zhao Heng returned to Chang'an with his wife. The local people were so grateful that they shed tears and came forward to see them off, bringing their old and young with them and holding willow branches.

Some people even toasted with tears in their eyes and knelt down for a long time.

Shen Shuyi and Zhao Heng turned around and motioned for them to go home. Many years later, the locals built a shrine for Prince Su and his wife in Qingzhou Prefecture and prayed for them from time to time.

On the way back to Chang'an City, the two did not waste any time on the road. Unexpectedly, they were attacked not long after leaving Qingzhou Prefecture.

The sound of horse hooves was loud, and He Ya and his men surrounded the carriage in a protective circle.

"My Lord, there is an enemy attack!"

A rain of arrows flew over from the mountains and forests, but fortunately Zhao Heng was well prepared and brought a lot of men and horses, all of whom were experts.

"Kill!" With an order, Zhao Heng's men quickly rushed into the forest.

Zhao Heng protected Shen Shuyi behind him, “Shuyi, don’t move here, I’ll go out to help.”

His martial arts skills are already very strong, so he has a better chance of success if he goes out than if he stays behind.

Shen Shuyi nodded, “My Lord, be careful!”

Those who hid in the woods and shot arrows were quickly killed, and the outcome of the battle was clear.

Zhao Heng, "Leave him alive!"

He wanted the assassin to reveal the mastermind behind the incident.

…

Prince Su was assassinated on his way back to Chang'an. When the news reached the court, the emperor was shocked and angry, and ordered the Dali Temple to investigate the matter thoroughly.

The court was shocked. Someone actually dared to murder Prince Su who had just returned from his meritorious service. He was courting his own life!

As soon as Zhao Heng returned to Chang'an, he handed the assassin over to the Dali Temple. After only an hour of interrogation, the Dali Temple Minister sent the confession to the Qinzheng Hall for reporting.

After the emperor read it, his face became extremely gloomy.

Brothers feud, royal scandals...

The Dali Temple Minister knelt in the hall, not daring to raise his head. Who knew how the emperor would deal with this matter.

One is the fourth prince who is expected to become the crown prince, and the other is Prince Su who has made great contributions to disaster relief.

Emperor Zhao Yin pinched his brows and said, "Let the fourth son roll over here!"

In the Fourth Prince's Palace, Zhao Qiyu had not received a reply from the assassin for a long time, and when he heard that Zhao Heng had entered Chang'an City, he became completely panicked.

He paced back and forth in the study, "Failed!"

"Not only is Zhao Heng not dead, he has returned to the Imperial City safely!"

Several aides were too afraid to make a sound. When Zhao Qiyu saw this, he was so angry that he kicked each of them.

"Who on earth gave this lousy idea to me in the first place?"

"What should we do now that the truth has been revealed?"

"What if Father knew..."

Zhao Qiyu didn't dare to think too much, because at this moment the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict came.

When he heard that his father was going to summon him to the palace, he felt a chill all over his body.

In order to protect his own life, the staff quickly came up with a plan, "Your Highness, you must not admit it!"

"You can cry, Your Majesty is old and easily soft-hearted, not to mention that you have the Queen backing you up. Right now, no one is more suitable to be the Crown Prince than you!"

The third prince is dull, the seventh prince is a warrior, and the emperor knows how to choose a general from among the short men!

Even if he knew that Zhao Qiyu was the mastermind behind the incident, the emperor would not kill his own son.

As Zhao Qiyu listened, he felt a little more at ease.

As long as he keeps his life, he still has a chance!

In the Qinzheng Hall, Zhao Yin swept his gloomy eyes over his son in the hall, and he spoke in a cold voice.

"Old Four, the assassin confessed that you conspired to assassinate the boss. Is that true?"

Zhao Qiyu knelt down with a plop. His face flushed as he swore, "Father, I will never do such an immoral thing. Someone must have deliberately framed me. Please investigate!"

After saying that, he kowtowed heavily, causing his head to be broken and bleeding.

"Father, the emperor is wronged. I admire my brother so much, how could he send an assassin to kill me? It must be a thief's frame-up."

The emperor looked at his son, at his bleeding head, and his hands clenched unconsciously.

Also present was the old prime minister Xiao Zheng, who was urgently summoned to the palace by the emperor. He didn't know what was going on at first, but now he understood everything.

The emperor wanted to spare his son, but he had no way out, so he asked him to be the peacemaker...

Xiao Zheng came out and said, "Your Majesty, I know that the Fourth Prince and Prince Su have a deep brotherly love and would never do anything to hurt their brother. But since the assassin has betrayed the Fourth Prince, please investigate thoroughly to see if someone under the Fourth Prince acted on his own initiative..."

The emperor looked at his son kneeling in the hall, frowned, and finally closed his eyes.

"Come here, Zhao Qiyu's rule is not strict, and he murdered a meritorious official. He was taken back to the palace and imprisoned. He is not allowed to go out."

The emperor looked at him and turned away. His back seemed to have aged a lot.

"Father, Father!" Zhao Qiyu crawled on his knees a few steps and watched the emperor leave.

The news of the Fourth Prince being imprisoned spread quickly, and by then Shen Shuyi and Zhao Qiyu had returned to Prince Su's mansion. Before entering the palace, Shen Shuyi said as he straightened his collar, "Father must protect Zhao Qiyu."

Zhao Heng pulled her hand down and held it, "Don't worry, I will make him lose everything step by step."

"Rest well in your house. You may have to attend the celebration banquet in the palace tomorrow."

"Um."

Shen Shu intended to take a bath after Zhao Heng left, and System 66 couldn’t help but remind her.

[Host, now that Zhao Heng has made another contribution, the emperor has no more rewards to offer. For Zhao Heng, those rewards are of no use. The only thing he can do is to be crown prince...]

Shen Shuyi blew on the petals in her hand, "Let alone the emperor, even those ministers would not allow Zhao Heng to be the crown prince. After all, they don't know that the poison in Zhao Heng's body has been cured, nor do they know that I am pregnant."

"So, I plan to give Zhao Heng a surprise~"

In the palace, the emperor expressed concern for his assassinated son and said that a celebration banquet was ready. He would invite ministers to the palace to hold a grand banquet the next day.

Zhao Yin looked at his son, who was obviously tanned and working hard outside, and said with emotion, "Heng'er, you have worked hard."

"I am glad to share the worries of my father."

"I heard that the princess is an excellent doctor. Was she the one who cured the epidemic in Qingzhou Prefecture this time?"

"yes."

"Very good, you should be rewarded. Bring your wife to the event tomorrow, and I will reward you again!"

"Thank you, Father."

Zhao Heng walked out of the Qinzheng Hall, and the gentle expression on his face became a little indifferent.

…