Although Jing Shu was new to the court, he could tell that this matter was probably aimed at the Crown Prince. In fact, apart from always thinking about Xue, the Crown Prince was quite good in other aspects.

Jing Shu couldn't bear to see the Crown Prince being wronged by people with ill intentions, so he also stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, this servant believes that although the Crown Prince is in charge of the Imperial Household Department, he cannot always keep an eye on things. Whatever Ling Pu did should not be attributed to the Crown Prince!"

"Your Majesty, this servant also thinks it's good to investigate thoroughly, so that if the Crown Prince has made any mistakes, they can be corrected in time!" Su Hetai said.

Everyone looked at Su Hetai in surprise. Su Hetai usually didn't speak during court sessions, so what was wrong with him today? It seemed like he was deliberately targeting the Crown Prince, and his opinion was contrary to Jing Shu's.

Kangxi rolled his eyes at Suhetai, thinking he was just there for the fun of it.

Seeing everyone staring at him, Suhetai shouted, "What are you looking at? Am I not allowed to speak in the imperial court?"

The Eighth Prince looked at Suhetai in surprise. What was wrong with Suhetai?

Jing Shu naturally knew why Su Hetai did this—it was all because of He Xue! But wasn't this targeting a bit too obvious?

Tong Guowei was also completely bewildered as he looked at his hot-tempered son-in-law. If he hadn't been standing with Su Hetai, he would have already gone over and shut Su Hetai up. Didn't he see that the Emperor hadn't said a word yet? What was a military officer like him doing getting involved!

“Your Majesty, I believe Su Hetai’s words are absolutely correct, and a thorough investigation is necessary!” Yao Dian said.

"Father, yesterday the Crown Prince ordered me to lead men to thoroughly investigate the accounts of the Imperial Household Department overnight. Here is the memorial for your perusal!" The Fourth Prince said, raising the memorial above his head and bowing.

"Bring it up!" Kangxi said.

Liang Jiugong presented the memorial to Emperor Kangxi.

Kangxi quickly glanced through it, then exclaimed, "Excellent, truly excellent!"

For a moment, no one knew what Kangxi meant.

"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince is requesting an audience!" a guard reported as he entered.

"Please invite the Crown Prince in!" Kangxi said.

The prince walked in slowly, taking small steps and moving at a slow pace.

"Your subject greets Your Majesty!" The Crown Prince kowtowed and paid his respects.

"Get up, your injuries haven't healed yet!" Kangxi said to the Crown Prince, his expression softening.

"Father, I have come today to apologize!" the Crown Prince said, bowing.

The Crown Prince took out a memorial from his sleeve, and Liang Jiugong immediately stepped forward to take it and presented it to Emperor Kangxi.

As Emperor Kangxi perused the memorials, his expression grew increasingly grim.

"Father, I trusted Lingpu too much before, so I never interfered in the affairs of the Imperial Household Department!"

If it weren't for my fourth and ninth brothers encountering Ling Pu pawning tribute items this time, I'm afraid I would still be in the dark.

Your Majesty, I have already sent my fourth brother to investigate the accounts of the Imperial Household Department! Lingpu's crimes are too numerous to count.

But the son begged his father to spare the wet nurse! The crown prince kowtowed and pleaded.

Kangxi threw the memorial directly in front of the Crown Prince, "Spare the wet nurse? Do you think Ling Shi didn't know what Ling Pu did?"

The crown prince didn't know how to defend the wet nurse, who was aware of all these matters.

But he vividly remembered the care his wet nurse had given him back then; she was the closest person to him besides Emperor Kangxi and the Empress Dowager. He didn't want her to end up like that.

"Your Highness, I have been lenient enough with Lady Ling! If it weren't for the fact that she took such good care of you, would I have let her leave the palace to live a life of luxury? Would I have let Ling Pu take over the Imperial Household Department?"

It now seems that it was my leniency that allowed them to act so lawlessly!

The Crown Prince looked at Emperor Kangxi pleadingly, "Father, please, for the sake of Mother Empress, spare the wet nurse this time?"

"Father, the Crown Prince is also a pure and kind person. Please grant his wish!" the Eighth Prince said, kneeling behind the Crown Prince.

Now, none of the officials dared to plead for the Crown Prince, as they all realized that pleading for him at this time would only add fuel to the fire. Only the Eighth Prince stood up.

The Fourth Prince looked at the Eighth Prince, not understanding whether the Eighth Prince was pleading for the Crown Prince or stirring up trouble.

“Father, the Crown Prince only spoke up for his wet nurse out of consideration for her care. He didn’t mean to contradict you! Nor did he intend to disobey your orders!” the Eighth Prince continued to plead for the Crown Prince.

"You bastard!" Kangxi was so angry that his breath hitched up, and everyone knew who he was talking about.

The eldest prince pulled the eighth prince aside, saying, "If you can't speak properly, then don't speak!"

"Your Majesty, please calm down!" Everyone knelt down!

“Your Majesty, the Empress passed away when the Crown Prince was born. The person who accompanied the Crown Prince the longest was his wet nurse. The Crown Prince pleaded for his wet nurse out of consideration for the Empress’s feelings!” Soetu hoped that Empress Hesheli could appease Emperor Kangxi.

"The Ling family has failed the Empress's expectations of her!" Kangxi said.

Soetu whispered to the Crown Prince, "Your Highness, there is no need to damage your father-son relationship with the Emperor for the sake of the Ling family!"

The Crown Prince knew that his public defiance of Emperor Kangxi for the sake of his wet nurse would upset the emperor, but he couldn't just stand by and watch his wet nurse be punished!

The Crown Prince bowed deeply to Emperor Kangxi, saying, "Father, I beg you for mercy! Your son is willing to accept punishment for the sake of the wet nurse!"