Chapter 316 Settling Accounts

They forged an imperial edict to murder the crown prince.

Zhu Xiang's crime was immediately determined to be treason, the most heinous of the ten crimes.

Zhu Xiang was to be executed by slow slicing on a chosen day. His parents, wife, children, brothers, and sisters were all to be beheaded. Other relatives were to be exiled or enslaved by the government.

Zhu Xiang fainted on the spot and was dragged away.

The hall was quiet. Zhu Xiang's fate made all the officials hold their breath. Even those who had been at odds with Zhu Xiang in the past couldn't help but feel a chill in their hearts, as if a huge rock was pressing down on them.

This wasn't out of sympathy for Zhu Xiang, but rather an instinctive fear of the bloody fate of his fellow officials. Such is the nature of a failed rebellion; no matter how magnanimous an emperor, he could not afford to let it go.

Prince Fu stood among his ministers, his face pale and serious. He seemed to be reacting much like the others, but the slight trembling of his fingertips betrayed his deep fear.

Failure means utter ruin. Now it's Prime Minister Zhu, but who's next?

Does his nephew, who is known for his gentleness and kindness, really have no doubts about him?

It's impossible not to have some doubts.

Even if there really wasn't any, he wouldn't dare gamble.

The new emperor didn't look at Prince Fu much, but exchanged a glance with Xue Han and summoned Xue Quan into the palace.

Xue Quan knelt down immediately, his expression pale.

"Xue Quan, you introduced the sorcerer Miao Qing to the late emperor. Do you know your crime?" the new emperor asked coldly.

"Your subject...acknowledges his guilt."

In such a formal setting, it is inappropriate to refer to oneself as a servant.

The officials looked at this once-glorious eunuch with the eyes of someone looking at a dead man.

"Then tell me more about it."

Xue Quan lowered his head and said, "I should not have misjudged people. When the late emperor asked about the sorcerer Miaoqing, I introduced him to the late emperor."

The new emperor frowned, his tone even colder: "Xue Quan, your biggest mistake was not stopping the late emperor from taking the so-called elixir made by the sorcerer."

"I am innocent!"

The new emperor raised an eyebrow: "Oh, how am I being wronged?"

"I had Physician Wang examine it, and he said the elixir was fine..."

The new emperor angrily interrupted Xue Quan: "Imperial Physician Wang is dead. How can you prove that you had him examine you?"

"This—" Xue Quan was speechless.

Xue Han suddenly knelt down: "Your Majesty, I have something to say."

The new emperor's tone softened: "What does Minister Xue have to say?"

Such an intimate form of address evoked mixed feelings among many officials.

Given the new emperor's high regard for Xue Han, the Imperial Envoy, how will he deal with Xue Han's adoptive father, Xue Quan?

"Your Majesty, Physician Wang has fallen into Qinglian Lake and his body has not been found. I sent men to search downstream along the riverbank that connects to Qinglian Lake, and we have just received news that a man was seen near Xiahe Village on the outskirts of the capital. The villagers who heard him describe him as resembling Physician Wang..."

What? Doctor Wang is still alive?

The ministers looked surprised.

Prince Fu lowered his eyes, his calm exterior masking a raging storm within.

He unconsciously rotated the sandalwood beads on his wrist to calm his extreme shock.

Doctor Wang is not dead?

If they get found—

The new emperor glanced at Prince Fu out of the corner of his eye, a perfectly timed look of surprise on his face: "You mean Physician Wang is still alive? Then why hasn't he gone home?"

“My men asked the villagers who had seen the man, and the villagers said that the man, who resembled Physician Wang, seemed to be somewhat mentally confused.”

The new emperor immediately asked, "Where is he now?"

Xue Han replied, "The man didn't say a word to the villagers' questions and left alone. I have already arranged for people to search for him."

"We must find him."

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will increase the manpower."

"Hmm." The new emperor nodded, his gaze falling on Xue Quan, who was kneeling. "Xue Quan, since it is possible that Physician Wang is still alive, then we will wait until we find someone who resembles Physician Wang and have him testify before punishing you."

Xue Quan looked extremely grateful: "Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty."

Many of the ministers were perceptive and their expressions were somewhat subtle.

The new emperor said that Xue Quan's crime would be questioned only after a man resembling Physician Wang was found. But if they couldn't find him, wouldn't they never be convicted?

Tsk tsk, Xue Quan has raised a fine son. Perhaps there was no one who resembled Physician Wang at all, and the new emperor only spared Xue Quan out of respect for Xue Han, while also needing to give an explanation to the late emperor, so he came up with this pretext.

Xue Han stood quietly, letting those gazes fall upon him.

"Lingyun, the heir apparent of Prince Kang."

"Your subject is present."

The new emperor looked at his cousin, who was a few years younger than him, with a mysterious and inscrutable gaze: "You misjudged people and took a demonic Taoist as your master. Considering that you were unaware of this and have no history of misconduct, I hereby strip you of your title of Crown Prince. I hope you will be careful with your words and actions in the future."

Ling Yun pressed his forehead to the ground and said, "Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty."

The new emperor glanced at Ling Yun silently for a moment, then calmly said, "All of you, step down."

Prince Kang and Ling Yun returned to the Prince's Mansion together.

Princess Kang had been waiting anxiously, and as soon as she saw the father and son, she asked about the situation.

Prince Kang glanced at his son and sighed, "His Majesty has stripped Yun'er of his title of Heir Apparent."

"What?" Princess Kang's face drained of all color, and her body swayed violently.

Princess Jiayi, who was waiting with Princess Kang for her father and brothers, held her arm and said, "Mother, please be careful."

Princess Consort Kang asked, tears streaming down her face, "Has His Majesty truly deposed Yun'er from his position as heir apparent? What will become of Yun'er then?"

Compared to Princess Consort Kang's inability to accept it, Prince Kang, though distressed, was much better off.

"Your Highness, please try to be more understanding. The new emperor only stripped Yun'er of her title of Heir Apparent, but he didn't take away my title of Prince of the County. That's already a great act of mercy."

He naturally had more than one son, Lingyun; as long as the title of Prince of the County remained, it could be passed down.

Princess Consort Kang was not comforted: "But Yun'er can't be the heir apparent..."

The title can be passed down, not to her son!

"Mother, it is your unfilial son who has disappointed you." Ling Yun held the hand of Princess Kang.

"Yun'er—" Princess Consort Kang's lips moved, but she didn't know what to say.

In her heart, her son was the best, unmatched by anyone. She never imagined that her proud son would suddenly go astray in his twenties.

"I have been frail since childhood. After this ordeal, I realize that health and safety are the most important things. From now on, I will stay by my mother's side."

Princess Consort Kang nodded with a wry smile: "Alright."

While the Kang Prince's mansion was shrouded in gloom and rain, a study in the Fu Prince's mansion was filled with dark clouds.

"It's possible that Physician Wang is still alive." Prince Fu gripped his teacup tightly, as if he wanted to crush the person he was referring to to pieces.

Unlike the messenger who was unaware of Zhu Xiang's backing, Physician Wang was someone he had been cultivating for many years. After the deed was done, he intended to silence him, but fearing that acting too quickly would alert Xue Quan, Physician Wang unexpectedly drowned before he could take any action.

He thought he had saved himself trouble when he heard the news, but now he really regrets it.

The aide whispered, "The more critical the moment, the more calm Your Highness must remain. Physician Wang might still be alive; it could be a false rumor spread by Xue Han to delay the punishment of his adoptive father, Xue Quan."

"But I dare not gamble, nor can I gamble!"

Prince Fu slammed his teacup down on the table, the loud noise masking the faint, rapid breathing behind the screen.

(End of this chapter)