Everyone's gaze instinctively fell upon the emperor on the throne.
The emperor stared blankly at the body on the ground that had once belonged to his son, his facial muscles twitching slightly.
That was his son.
He used to hold him in his arms and tease him, and he used to have high hopes for him...
Although he has become increasingly useless in recent years, he is still his flesh and blood.
The grief that belonged to a father instantly welled up in my heart.
He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to call out "Hong'er", but the two words got stuck in his throat and finally turned into a muffled sigh.
Is there sadness?
Perhaps there is even a slight chance.
After all, he was his own flesh and blood. Seeing him die so tragically in front of me, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow.
But more than anything, there was a sense of relief and exhaustion, as well as anger at the offended imperial authority.
This son secretly practiced evil arts, colluded with foreign officials, and may even have orchestrated today's palace coup against him...
His death was his own fault.
You could even say he died at the perfect time.
If he were to say something outrageous or do something even more disgraceful in public any later, that would be a real royal scandal that would be impossible to resolve.
It's fine as it is now.
The emperor's suspicious nature and self-interested instincts instantly overwhelmed the pain of losing his son.
The emperor closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, the faint trace of pity in his eyes had vanished.
His fingers gripped the armrests of the dragon throne so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his lips were pressed together, and his gaze shifted from Jing Hong's corpse to slowly sweep over the people in the hall.
Ultimately, the search landed in the direction of the Prince of Zhenbei's family and the unseen Ghost Princess.
His gaze was complex and difficult to decipher.
Shu Bai felt the emperor's gaze fall upon him, immediately stood up, turned slightly to the side, partially shielding Li Yuheng behind him, and met the gaze with neither arrogance nor servility.
The emperor took a deep breath, a slow and deep breath that echoed heavily in his chest.
He spoke, his voice unusually hoarse from suppressed emotion:
"Liu Yiheng".
Zhao Wuwang, kneeling beside Jing Hong's corpse, was startled, almost thinking that the caller was calling him.
Liu Yiheng, standing at the entrance of the palace, suddenly looked up, his face drained of color.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty is here..."
"You're leading troops to besiege the palace? Are you planning a rebellion?"
Liu Yiheng's legs went weak, and he almost couldn't stand up: "Your Majesty! I heard that there was a commotion in the palace and was worried about Your Majesty's safety, so I came to protect you! Your Majesty, I am loyal to you without reservation, and Heaven and Earth can bear witness!"
"Protect the Emperor?" The Emperor scoffed, his laughter dry and grating. "Leading three hundred imperial guards to storm my birthday banquet? Liu Yiheng, do you think I'm senile?"
"Your Majesty! Your subject..." Liu Yiheng still wanted to explain.
"Gag him!" the emperor interrupted sharply.
The imperial guards swarmed forward and quickly subdued the disoriented Liu Yiheng and his men.
The emperor stopped looking at Liu Yiheng and turned his gaze to Jing Hong on the ground, then quickly looked away.
"The Third Prince Jinghong behaved improperly, associated with evil people, and practiced sorcery in private. He brought about his own downfall and is a disgrace to the royal family."
"He shall be stripped of all titles and reduced to a commoner, and shall be buried according to the rites for a commoner. He shall not be allowed to enter the imperial mausoleum."
"Zhao Wuwang".
"Your subject is here!" Zhao Wuwang prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to raise his head.
"You will temporarily assume the position of Commander of the Zhenling Division. Investigate this case thoroughly! All those implicated must be severely punished!"
"Your Majesty, I obey your decree! I thank you for your great favor!"
Zhao Wuwang was overjoyed and almost burst out laughing, banging his head repeatedly.
After quickly dealing with these matters, the emperor seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He swayed slightly and was supported by the eunuch beside him.
He rubbed his temples wearily, then turned his gaze back to the Zhenbei Wang family, his tone softening considerably, even carrying a hint of ingratiation.
"Your Highness, my dear minister, you have been frightened. Today... it is all thanks to your daughter-in-law that you saw through the evil and protected me."
He made no mention of Qin Lu's previous framing, as if that incident had never happened.
His gaze swept over the empty space beside Shu Bai, filled with inquiry and a deep sense of apprehension.
This ghost's abilities are terrifying; it can subdue vengeful spirits and identify evil spirits...
If it can be used by him...
If not...
He dared not think too deeply about it.
Li Yuheng floated beside him, taking in all the changes in the emperor's expression.
A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips.
6. Ah, that old emperor.
When his son died, his first thought was to consolidate his power, eliminate threats, and even plot how to use him.
Shu Bai naturally saw through the emperor's thoughts, and he bowed slightly: "Your Majesty is too kind. My wife was merely there by chance and did her duty."
We're just doing our job, don't try to order us around, understand?
The emperor understood, his expression stiffened slightly, but he quickly returned to normal.
He needs to stabilize the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion now, and he needs the deterrent power of this devilish princess consort.
"In any case, your contribution is undeniable." The emperor forced a smile. "Once this matter is resolved, I will reward you handsomely."
Thus, the emperor celebrated the most unforgettable birthday of his life.
The son died, and the minister saw him to his end.
Only his dragon throne remained burning hot.
As the saying goes: "Too clever by half, and you'll end up losing your life."
The dust settled, and the people in the hall...
However, they are all the same.
Power blinds the mind, and greed cloud judgment.
…
Supported by his eunuchs, the emperor, his back hunched, seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, and staggered away from the messy Jiying Hall.
As soon as he left, the taut string in the hall seemed to suddenly relax, yet another kind of silent oppression spread.
Prince Xifeng stepped forward.
"The banquet is adjourned. Gentlemen, please excuse the disturbance. Disperse in order. Do not discuss today's events lightly."
The officials and relatives, still shaken, seemed to have found their pillar of support, bowed in agreement, and began to leave in an orderly fashion.
No one dared to look at the body of the former Third Prince lying on the ground.
Zhao Wuwang directed the Zhenling Division's personnel and the Imperial Guards to carefully handle the scene, his face beaming with barely suppressed smugness.
The Prince of Zhenbei, supporting his princess, was about to walk out with the crowd when he suddenly stopped.
Seeing Zhao Wuwang's barely suppressed joy, he stroked his beard and whispered to the princess, "Please wait a moment, my lady. I'll be right back."
He strode up to Zhao Wuwang, who was directing the finishing touches, and slapped him hard on the shoulder.
Zhao Wuwang staggered from the slap, turned around and saw it was the Prince of Zhenbei, so he quickly put on a smile: "What are your orders, Your Highness?"
"I dare not presume to give orders," the Prince of Zhenbei said with a smile, but his grip on Zhao remained firm. "Deputy Commander Zhao—oh no, now he is Acting Commander Zhao. Congratulations on your promotion."
Zhao Wuwang's shoulder ached from the pat, but he still had to force a smile: "Your Highness is too kind. It's all for His Majesty's sake..."
“It’s good to share the burden,” the Prince of Zhenbei leaned closer and lowered his voice, “Lord Zhao is now a favorite of His Majesty. Do you still remember the prestige you had when you led people to my palace to ‘investigate a case’ a few days ago?”
Zhao Wuwang's face turned pale: "Your Highness! That was all Qin Lu's doing..."
“Eh—” Zhenbei Wang drew out his tone, and put his other hand on Zhao Wuwang’s other shoulder, turning him around to face the location of Shu Bai and Li Yuheng. “I am not a petty person when it comes to the past.”
He squeezed hard, making Zhao Wuwang grimace.
"Just a reminder to Lord Zhao: when a new official takes office, he should make his first big moves, but he shouldn't let them go in the wrong direction."
"I understand, I understand! I will be more careful in my words and deeds from now on, and will never dare to offend the Prince's Palace again! I know that the past cannot be changed, but the future can be shaped. I... understand."
Don't worry, all the messes I made with Qin Lu are behind me now. From now on, I'll follow the lead of your Zhenbei Prince's Mansion.
Only then did the Prince of Zhenbei release his grip with satisfaction, and then dusted off non-existent dust from his official robes.
"Lord Zhao is a wise man."
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