Chapter 370 The Third Prince Dies

A heavy object hit the iron pot, splashing a lot of oil.

At that time, Xiao Jingheng and Concubine Hui were closest to the iron pot, so they were both splashed with oil.

Xiao Jingheng had some experience in martial arts, so his reaction was quite quick. When the incident happened, he immediately opened his sleeves to cover his body, and only a few spots of oil scalded the back of his hand.

But Concubine Hui's luck was not so good.

She was short to begin with, and the oil splashed on her face, leaving dense red spots and pockmarks.

She screamed, covered her face and stepped back.

The "heavy object" that had just fallen into the pot had just woken up from its coma, perhaps because it could not stand the high temperature.

After he roared twice in agony, he became motionless in the boiling oil.

Someone in the crowd shouted in fear.

"It's the Third Prince!"

In the frying pan, Cheng Jing... [To avoid visual discomfort, I will not describe it in detail]

Concubine Hui's body was shaking violently, and she was shouting like crazy:

"Help! Help quickly!"

Xiao Jingheng was also shocked beyond words. His blood rushed up and his throat was choked, making him unable to make a sound.

This scene is like purgatory.

The oil pan is boiling, who dares to save it?

Let alone saving people, most people don’t even have the courage to look at them.

Zhaohua was standing far away from the iron pot, but he was also shocked.

She quickly covered Ruoxin's eyes and turned her face away, not daring to look at this cruel and horrifying scene.

In the end, it was Prince An and Prince Qi who calmed down first. Prince An shouted to everyone to step back, while Prince Qi quickly stepped forward and used a fire poker as thick as his wrist to press against the bottom of the iron pot, tilting it upside down.

The iron pot fell on its side, and hot oil flowed out like a flood.

Cheng Jing was lying face down, now motionless.

There was not a single piece of healthy skin left on his body and his injuries were quite serious.

The palace servants used a cloth wrapped in water as a cushion, endured the high temperature to rescue Cheng Jing, put him on a sedan chair, and carried him to a side hall to ask the imperial physician for treatment.

Concubine Hui's heart-wrenching cry sent chills down one's spine.

The areas on her face that were burned by the hot oil had quickly developed blisters, which were densely packed and resembled acne.

But she didn't feel any pain at all, she just tightly grasped Xiao Jingheng's clothes and cried:

"Your Majesty! Our son..."

Before she could finish her words, she fainted in Xiao Jingheng's arms due to exhaustion due to great grief.

The Tonghua Terrace, which was bustling with joy just a moment ago, was now in chaos, with cries everywhere.

Ruoxin was also frightened by the scene just now. She hid in Zhaohua's arms and cried until she could hardly breathe.

However, Xiao Jingheng had no time to care about him at the moment.

He ordered people to carry Concubine Hui away and treat her properly, and then hurried to the side hall to check on Cheng Jing's condition.

Seeing this, Zhao Hua whispered to Yun Shan, "Take Ruoxin home and comfort her first. I'll go see what's going on."

It's not just her. The royal heir is damaged, so even if the concubines are just pretending, they have to pretend to be concerned.

So when Zhao Hua rushed over, the side hall was already full of people.

She glanced and saw Xiao Jingheng pacing restlessly in the hall. Some of the concubines were kneeling on the ground to pray, while others were clasping their hands and chanting scriptures, which made it seem as if this child was being given great attention.

About a quarter of an hour later, Judge Guo staggered out from the inner chamber, and knelt in front of Xiao Jingheng with the imperial doctors, saying with a sad face:

"Your Majesty...the Third Prince...has passed away!"

As soon as the words fell, the hall was filled with wailing.

Xiao Jingheng also spread his palms and pressed them against his forehead, hiding his tearful eyes.

"How do the people in Zhaochun Palace do things? Why is Cheng Jing in that iron ball?"

In a rage, he ordered the palace maid who was responsible for preparing this program to be immediately executed by slow slicing, and all the palace maids who served in Zhaochun Palace were also to be strangled alive.

The two young palace maids who had accompanied Concubine Hui to the banquet at Tonghua Terrace today were so frightened that their faces turned pale when they heard this.

He immediately knelt in front of Xiao Jingheng and said:

“Your Majesty, we are truly wronged… Ever since the Third Prince unfortunately contracted paralysis, Concubine Hui has been anxious for him to recover soon, so she has made him practice walking for three or two hours every day despite the pain.

The Third Prince was really scared, so he would often hide in a wardrobe or iron box, making it difficult for the servants to find him. Today... Today, after getting up in the morning, the servants found that the Third Prince was missing again. In order not to delay celebrating the Emperor's birthday, Concubine Hui asked the palace maids to look for him in the palace. No one expected that the Third Prince would actually hide in this iron ball... "

After hearing what the little palace maid said, the concubines finally realized how harshly Concubine Hui treated Cheng Jing in private.

Someone cried and said, "Concubine Hui really pushed the Third Prince too hard. How could she be so cruel to such a young child?"

"It's really chilling. If Concubine Hui could be more patient with the child and not put too much pressure on him, the child wouldn't hide in those dark and cramped places all day long, and there wouldn't be a tragedy like today..."

Yes, how could it be possible that someone deliberately stuffed Cheng Jing into the iron ball?

Firstly, the iron ball had always been kept in Zhaochun Palace.

Secondly, apart from Cheng Huan, no one has visited Cheng Jing in Zhaochun Palace recently, let alone had the opportunity to attack him.

After all, it was Concubine Hui who brought this upon herself.

Xiao Jingheng was extremely sad and said frankly that he wanted to be alone and quiet.

Because Concubine Hui was still in a coma, Xiao Jingheng handed over Cheng Jing's funeral affairs to Ning Wanshuang.

When Zhaohua returned to the palace that day, he found that Ruoxin was really frightened.

It was a cool autumn evening, but she broke out in sweat and had a high fever for no reason.

This made Zhaohua very anxious, and he immediately summoned Doctor Zhang to treat Ruoxin.

Fortunately, after Doctor Zhang gave Ruoxin acupuncture and medication, the child's condition gradually stabilized.

"The Third Princess is suffering from palpitations and fright. I have given her acupuncture and a tranquilizing drink, and she will be fine soon. But Your Majesty must take good care of her in the next few days. After all, if such a young child saw that, it is possible that she will be traumatized."

Zhao Hua nodded in agreement, and felt that today's event was too strange, so he asked again:

"Doctor Zhang, why did Cheng Jing look like he was unconscious when he fell from the iron ball? Is there any hidden story behind this? Is it possible that the child was drugged and then stuffed into the iron ball?"

Doctor Zhang shook his head helplessly, "Your Majesty also saw it today. The Third Prince rolled around in the oil pan and looked about 70% cooked. What can you diagnose from his pulse? Even if there is a hidden secret, it is impossible to find it. However, the iron ball is airtight, and the Third Prince may have fainted because he hid in it for too long and had difficulty breathing."

As he was talking, Xiao Fuzi bowed and walked in, reporting to Zhaohua in a low voice:

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty Shunpin is here."

Zhao Hua said, "Please ask her to come in. I see it's going to rain outside, please get an umbrella and take your brother back to the Imperial Hospital."

After everyone had left, Zhaohua and Rongyue sat alone in a side hall, guarding Ruoxin's couch.

Rong Yue looked at Ruoxin with pity in her eyes, and said distressedly: "Poor Ruoxin, seeing such a thing. But it is also the retribution of Concubine Hui."

She raised her eyes to look at Zhao Hua, her voice gradually lowered, "When she suggested that the emperor bury Cheng Yu alive, she should have thought that her own son would also die a miserable death one day!"

Hearing her words, Zhaohua's heart trembled.

She recalled that she had once angrily mentioned to Rong Yue that since Concubine Hui treated Cheng Yu in the way she did, then her son deserved it even if he was thrown into a mountain of swords and a sea of ​​fire and boiled in oil.

Thinking that Rong Yue might have made a wrong decision, she took Rong Yue's hand and asked in a low voice:

"Sister Rong, does this matter... have anything to do with you?"

"Me?" Rong Yue's expression of surprise was no less than Zhao Hua's.

She was stunned for a long while before she asked in confusion, "Isn't it you?"